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“But—” She intended to point out their audience, and the fact that sharing a kiss would be the equivalent of firing the starting pistol on Macie and TJ.
Xander cut her off immediately. “Kiss me, Brat. Now.”
She narrowed her eyes, pretending to be annoyed, when really, she was thrilled that he wasn’t trying to keep their night together a secret. She leaned toward him, intent on giving him a simple peck.
Xander was too quick, though, his arm looping around her waist, holding her with a viselike grip. His other hand slid around to the nape of her neck, keeping her in place as he basically devoured her lips.
Gia actually wobbled a little when he finally released her, her insides going to jelly.
Xander gave her a shameless wink, then smacked her bottom. “That should hold me for a few minutes.”
She shook her head slightly, trying to jar some sense back into herself, then she turned and walked into the kitchen to hang up her coat and grab an apron.
If Xander hadn’t just wiped every brain cell out of her head, she would have expected Macie to do exactly what she did. Follow her.
Instead, she jumped slightly at Macie’s loud entrance to the kitchen.
“What. The. Fuck?” Macie said so excitedly, her cousin Sydney and her sister, Jeannette—the cooks—both looked up from what they were doing.
“What’s wrong?” Jeannette asked, looking at Gia with concern.
“Nothing,” Gia said, quickly reassuring her sister, who, though only five years older, had taken on a sort of surrogate mother role, alongside Aunt Stella.
“That kiss was not nothing,” Macie insisted.
“Kiss?” Sydney asked.
“Our sweet little Gia just pranced in here on Xander Carter’s arm. And given the kiss he laid on her, the slight beard burn around her lips and on her neck, and the aura of ‘just laid’ oozing from both of them, I’d say she didn’t sleep alone last night.”
Gia’s hand flew to her neck.
“Xander?” Jeannette stepped closer. “You slept with Xander?”
Gia nodded, worried about her sister’s reaction. While she was an adult, and her choices were hers and hers alone, she hated to think her sister might be disappointed in her for having a one-night stand. Gia had always been a people pleaser, and her kind, loving sister—who’d suffered so much—was top on her list of those Gia only ever wanted to make happy.
Before Jeannette could reply, the kitchen door swung open, TJ standing on the threshold. “Is anyone working today? Because there are a bunch of hungry people out here.”
Macie rolled her eyes. “So take their damn orders. You realize you own the place and work here, right?”
Her dad gave Macie a horrified look. “Take their orders? Get on with yourself. Today’s my day off,” he added, looking far too pleased with himself.
“Every day is your day off,” Macie retorted, though there was no heat behind her words. This conversation happened pretty much daily, TJ and Macie both accomplished at giving each other a hard time. The father/daughter fighting—all for show—probably kept patrons coming back to the restaurant as much as the delicious food.
Regardless, Gia took the opening he’d provided, skirting by him. “I’ll take the orders.”
Stepping back into the main dining room, she felt too many sets of eyes on her, including Xander’s. She couldn’t help but notice the surprisingly smug smile on his face, one that let her know he’d purposely set her up for a family inquisition…and he was amused by it.
She narrowed her eyes, shooting him what she hoped passed for a dirty look as she walked by and proceeded to take orders from two other tables while ignoring him.
Unfortunately, she couldn’t avoid him for long because Macie had returned from the kitchen and parked herself behind the bar, right in front of Xander. Pregnancy hormones had made her cousin an even bigger busybody than she’d already been…and that was saying something.
“So, Xander,” Macie said, resting her elbows on the counter, leaning close like someone settling in for a long visit. “Maybe you’d like to comment on that kiss we all just witnessed. Gia’s being very closemouthed.”
Gia loved her family, but sometimes it felt as if they would be the death of her. While Xander didn’t appear too bothered, she was certain he was never subjected to the third degree by family members of his other lovers. Mercifully, he was from Maris, so none of this was too shocking, but even so.
Gia stormed over, bending down between the two of them, her voice no louder than a whisper. “Dammit, Macie! It was just something that happened, a one-night stand, that’s all. Please, please just let this go.”
Before she could move away, Xander’s arm shot out, wrapping around her waist and holding her next to him.
