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“Paige.” His voice deepened, if that was possible, and he reached out to touch her forearm with a gentle press of his fingers. Her skin sizzled at the contact and she wanted to pull away. Wanted to reach out, grab hold of him and never let go. “Are you not feeling well? Would you like me to take you home?”
“I—I’m fine.” She shook her head, offered him a faint smile. She could feel the heated flush creep over her cheeks and silently cursed her fair skin. It tended to reveal all her emotions at the worst possible times. “I’m just tired. And hungry,” she admitted. She’d hardly eaten all day and the scents coming from the restaurant’s kitchen reminded her that she was starving.
“Matty run you ragged today?” He smiled faintly and her heart fluttered.
Stupid, silly heart.
“Matty runs me ragged every day.” She sent a fond smile in the little boy’s direction. “I don’t mind, though. He’s a true joy to take care of.” He was. A bit rambunctious, but what almost four-year-old wasn’t? The boy had a small wild streak in him. Absolutely no fear, which both filled her with terror and reluctant admiration. But that was part of his appeal, what made him so unique and special and so much fun.
Smart. Inquisitive. Adventurous and loving. Matty had many fine qualities that would take him far when he grew up. He was much like his father, everyone said. Claudia, Matteo’s mother, Stasia…they’d all told Paige that Matty was the spitting image, in both looks and personality, of his father.
Yet Paige saw no hint of the adventure in Matteo, not really. He was the calm anchor in the midst of a swirling storm. Quiet, determined, steadfast, sometimes calculating. Some might even say ruthless, not that Paige had ever seen him do anything unethical or underhanded to get ahead.
He was simply a man who knew exactly how to get what he wanted. And for one brief, shining moment, she’d felt all that intensity focused solely on her. The way he’d looked at her that night when she came out of his bathroom wearing only a robe, her skin and hair still damp. His gaze heated, searching, as if he could imagine doing things to her that no man had ever dared before. How he’d kissed her as if she meant everything to him. The touch of his hands on her body, his fingers inside her, and the overwhelming, drive-her-out-of-her-mind pleasure he brought her with those skilled fingers…
“If you wish to leave, I can take you home,” Matteo offered quietly.
Snapping out of her lurid thoughts, she met his gaze, outright studying him for long, quiet seconds. She could almost forget they were in a restaurant, surrounded by people, family, friends. The way he looked at her at this very moment, she felt as if they were the only two people in the world. “I don’t want to interfere with what is clearly a night of family celebration.”
“If you’re too tired, I’ll take care of you,” he murmured, his voice, his eyes full of heat. “I don’t mind.”
Her heart lurched hard in her chest and she parted her lips, ready to protest. No, ready to agree, to beg him to, yes, please take her out of here so maybe they could steal a few hours alone and she could unleash all of the pent up passion and emotion on him that she’d held within her for months…
The waiter suddenly appeared with their meals, his loud voice shattering the intense moment. Paige shifted her chair away from Matteo, desperate for the distance, more desperate to catch her breath and calm her racing heart.
A few carefully chosen words and she was melting in her chair. He probably didn’t mean anything behind those words beyond a kind boss wishing to take care of his employee. His son’s nanny.
Paige stiffened her spine. It was best she remember this. Her place amongst the Renaldis was minimal at best. She was disposable. Her previous employer proved that to her quite well, thank you very much.
With the arrival of their dinners, talk of Matteo taking her home was forgotten. Which was fine. Considering how intently he’d looked at her, as if he could see to the very heart of her and knew how she felt about him, it made her uncomfortable. Instead, she quietly ate, made sure Matty did the same thing and generally tried to stay out of the conversation as they all lingered over their meals, everyone so happy over Stasia’s good news.
For whatever reason, Paige felt small now. Useless. Most definitely put in her place. While the three other vibrant adults sat at the table discussing the economy and how it affected their business, recent mergers and, of course, the new baby and how happy the family was, she curled into herself and spoke only to Matty. Ignoring the potent heat of the man who sat beside her, trying her best to stay out of his gravitational pull. He was dangerous. The worst kind of torture for her already tattered heart and mind.
