Page 132 of Claimed At First Sight

His gaze shifts toward my hands. “Why aren’t you wearing any gloves?”

He takes them into his and hisses. “Your hands are freezing.”

“I’m fine,” I try to reassure him, even though I have been keeping them tugged inside my pockets to keep them somewhat warm. The simple truth is I forgot them at Aldo’s.

He turns to one of the guards behind us. “Get Miss Accardi some warm gloves.”

I watch as the man disappears into a nearby store without hesitation and turn back to Maximo. “Did you just dispatch someone over my cold hands?”

“Obviously.” He says it like it’s nothing.

Maybe it isn’t to him, but I feel strangely cared for. Warmth blossoms in my abdomen, and I bite my lip to hide my smile.

Nobody has ever looked at my hands and decided they were his problem to solve. He can be kind of sweet.

No, what am I thinking? Maximo Marco sweet? It’s not in his repertoire.

Getting me gloves is self-serving. After all, if I lost fingers to frostbite, it would limit my ability to perform the future-wife duties he’s undoubtedly already assigned to me in that head of his.

Duties like taking care of him by wrapping my hands around his…

No, I’m not imagining his private parts. Because then I’d picture him naked, and that’s dangerous. I have enough problems already.

Despite the freezing temperature, heat creeps into my cheeks. I’m tempted to press my icy fingers against my hot skin for relief, but I resist. Maximo is far too observant and would probably figure out where my mind had gone.

I need to change the subject. Pronto.

“You’re in a much better mood than when I last saw you,” I comment.

“Am I?”

I widen my eyes at him. “Well, yesterday you seemed ready to murder an innocent photographer.”

His eyes narrow. “She was never in danger.”

“Of course not. If she’d been a man, though, it would have been a different story, wouldn’t it?”

He doesn’t deny it. “You could have just told me.”

I shrug. “I would have if you’d given me back my book. Besides, it was far too satisfying letting you believe it.”

“Well, it’s a moot point now.”

The guard returns holding out a bag to me. Inside is a pair of black leather gloves lined with something super soft.

“That was fast,” I mutter.

“Efficiency is important,” Maximo replies.

I resist the urge to roll my eyes again.

I slide the gloves on and nearly moan. Warmth envelops my frozen fingers, spreading through my hands in a way that’s nothing short of heavenly.

“Oh wow.”

Sienna laughs beside me. “That good?”

“I may never take them off.”