Beat of the Heart (10 page)

from mine. After he finished, he brought his lips to mine again, giving me a tender kiss. When he

pulled away, a lazy, satiated smile formed on his face. “That was pretty fucking amazing.”

Thoroughly wiped out from the sex and the orgasms, I nuzzled my head into the crook of his

shoulder. With what energy I had left, I softly dragged my fingers through his hair, smoothing down

the places where I’d mussed it earlier. “Yeah, it was,” I replied hoarsely. Between my cries of

pleasure, I’d practically lost my voice. Cupping his face in my hands, I said, “That was everything I

needed to get back into the game and more. You lived up to all my expectations, Mr. Latin Lover.”

His smile widened. “Thank you.”

“No, thank you.”

I leaned over to kiss him again when Benny’s voice crackled over the intercom. “Sir?” he asked

hesitantly.

“Yeah?” AJ croaked.

“We’ve, uh, been here at the restaurant about fifteen minutes. I was letting you…um, finish.”

Glancing down at our still joined bodies, AJ laughed. “Thanks, Benny. But we’re still going to

need a minute or two.”

As I slid off of him, a delicious soreness filled my lower half—one I hadn’t experienced in a long,

long time. “Can you zip me up?”

“With pleasure.”

“One sec.” I quickly adjusted my breasts back into the cups of the bodice before I turned slightly.

Just as AJ’s fingers started pulling up the zipper, they stopped. “What’s wrong?”

“Just admiring your ink,” he said, feeling along my shoulder blade.

I tensed as he touched the puckered skin beneath the Italian script words of the tattoo. “Thanks,” I

murmured. Suddenly all the languid, post orgasmic bliss was snatched away.

“Did you get in an accident or something?”

My eyes pinched shut as a horrific memory assaulted my mind. “Something like that,” I finally

replied.

AJ must’ve sensed I didn’t want to talk about it because he finished raising the zipper up my back.

Once he was finished, I leaned forward to try and find my crumpled panties. Feeling blindly along the

floor, I sighed.

“What’s wrong?”

“Finding black panties on a black limo floor is harder than I thought.”

“Shit, I’d turn the lights on, but…” I glanced over my shoulder. Although he’d gotten rid of the

condom, he still hadn’t gotten his pants back up yet.

At the feel of lace, I shook my head. “Got them.” I collapsed back on the seat before shimmying

them back up my thighs. AJ watched my every move. After I readjusted my dress, I cocked my brows

at him. “Quit eye-balling me and fix your shirt.”

He responded with a bark of a laugh. Grabbing my purse, I dug out my brush, lipstick and body

spray. As AJ readjusted his tie and tucked his shirt in his pants, I went about trying to make my

appearance a little less ‘I just screwed my eyes out in the back of a Hummer limo’. After spritzing my

thighs and arms with the body spray, I reached over and sprayed AJ.

“What the fuck?” He sniffed his shirt. “I smell like a chick.”

“Better than smelling like sex.”

A smirk curved on his lips. “That happens to be one of my favorite scents.”

Out of my purse, I produced some hand sanitizer. As he eyed me suspiciously, I patted one of my

hands over his mouth and cheeks like aftershave. “Ow! That burns like hell,” he whined.

“Yeah, well, I know sex is one of your favorite smells, but I’m not going in a restaurant with you if

you’re smelling like sex and…” I trailed off, not wanting to say the word.

“Pussy?” he questioned.

With a grimace, I replied. “Yes.”

“Whatever.”

Cocking my head at him, I asked, “So sex isn’t your top scent, huh?”

He shrugged. “Nah, probably Top Five. I gotta give props to some others like my drum set and my

abuela’s tamales.”

“Speaking of tamales, are we eating Mexican tonight?”

“Actually, we’re eating at my favorite Italian restaurant. I figured with you being Sicilian, you’d

probably like that.”

“I do.”

“Then for dessert, we’re going down the block to my favorite Mexican café. They make Flan that

melts in your mouth. It’s fucking fabulous.”

I shuddered as an eerie feeling came over me. No, it couldn’t be. Out of all the restaurants in the

entire city, it couldn’t be possible that AJ had picked my family’s restaurant to eat at. But then again

what were the odds of an Italian and Mexican place on the same street? “Where are we eating?”

“Mama Sofia’s. You know it?”

I gulped down the rising bile in my throat. “Yeah, it’s my dad’s.”

My eyes widened at Mia’s revelation. “You’re shitting me.”

“Sadly, I’m not.”

Glancing from her to the building, I shook my head. “Why do you look so upset? Mama Sofia’s is

nothing to be ashamed of. It’s one helluva gold mine for your family I bet.”

“Yes, it is,” she replied modestly.

“Seriously, Mia, this place is awesome—I mean, not only is the food amazing, but everyone who

works there is fabulous. You come from good people.”

“Thanks.”

Then it hit me. “Wait a minute. You’re Duke’s daughter?”

Mia paled a little further. “Yes.”

“Fuck me, this is intense.”

“I guess this means besides being a connoisseur of Italian food, you’re also a traitor to your culture

by liking American football?”

I laughed. “Yeah, I guess you could say it like that. But come on, your dad’s a legend around these

parts.”

With a shadow of a smile, Mia replied, “Not to mention his face is plastered all over the back wall

of the restaurant.”

“And for good reason.” Enzo aka ‘Duke’ Martinelli had been one of the best wide receivers the

Atlanta Falcons had back in the late 70’s and early 80’s. An injury had taken him out of the

professional football arena, so after spending a few years teaching and coaching, he’d started a

restaurant on the side with his parents. That had grown into what was now Mama Sofia’s. I’d gotten

the lowdown one night when after casually asking to meet Duke, he came out and had dinner with me.

“Your dad is amazing.”

“Wait, you know,
know
him?”

“Oh yeah.”

Bringing her hand to her forehead, Mia leaned back against the seat. “This is a nightmare.”

“It shouldn’t be. He really likes me.”

Mia closed her eyes. “Even worse,” she said in a whisper.

Benny interrupted us by knocking on the door. “Ready sir?”

After I nudged her, I gave Mia an encouraging smile. “Come on, I’m starving. You made me work

up one helluva an appetite.”

I hopped out first before turning back to offer Mia my hand. As she slipped her hand in mine, her

complexion had turned positively green. Her first steps out onto the pavement were wobbly, and I

wondered if they were from our previous activities or from nerves? Bringing her hand to my lips, I

kissed her fingers. “Look, cariño, if you’re going to be this uncomfortable being seen with me around

your family, we can eat somewhere else.”

“Everywhere else will be slammed at this time.” She gave a slight shake of her head before

swallowing hard. “We might as well go in.” She sounded like someone headed off for an execution,

rather than dinner.

“Alrighty then.” I turned back to Benny. “I’ll have them send out a menu for you. Get whatever you

like.”

His eyes widened. “Oh, that’s not necessary.”

I grinned. “With what I’ve put you through, I think you’ve more than earned yourself a dinner.”

He chuckled. “Thank you, sir.”

Placing my hand on the small of Mia’s back, I led her to the front of the restaurant. When I held the

door open for her, she refused to step inside. Instead, it was like she preferred to hide behind me.

With a sigh, I ducked inside and let her follow me. Looming over the hostess stand was my buddy,

Angelo. At the sight of me, a grin spread on his cheeks. “Hey stranger, long time no see. I thought I

saw your name on the books tonight.”

We gave each other an enthusiastic handshake. “Good to see you, man.”

“I gotta say that the new album is fucking kickass.” At his cursing, he quickly glanced around.

When he saw no one had caught him, he added, “Seriously.”

“Thanks. I’d like to take credit, but that always goes to Jake and Brayden for their songwriting

skills—well, and this time Abby.”

“Yeah, that duet is killer.” Peering over my shoulder, he asked, “Ah, you have a lucky lady with

you tonight. I’m used to you flying solo with us.”

“Um, yeah,” I murmured, rubbing my neck furiously while trying to figure how to play this off.

When Mia continued hiding behind me, I laughed. “She’s a little shy.”

Recognition flooded Angelo’s face. “Mia?”

“Yeah,” she squeaked.

Angelo’s almost unibrow furrowed. “
You’re
with AJ?”

“Sort of.”

It took a moment before a beaming smile lit up his face. “Holy shit, you two are dating?”

I started to open my mouth, but Mia surprised me by stepping in front of me. Plastering on a smile,

she said, “Actually, I was hoping to fix him up with Dee, but he got called in to take someone’s shift.”

Angelo’s tan face paled considerably as he glanced back and forth between Mia and me. “AJ, I

didn’t know you were…” He appeared to be struggling with the words. “Um…out.”

“Me either,” I hissed through clenched teeth. When I shot Mia a death glare, she cowered a little.

“How about that table, huh?”

“Yeah, yeah, sorry.” Angelo fumbled with two menus before handing them over to the seating

hostess. “Have a good dinner.”

“Thanks,” I grumbled. I could feel his heated gaze on me as we made our way through the packed

restaurant. Boisterous conversations and clanging silverware assaulted my ears. The hostess escorted

us over to a secluded corner booth. Candles burned in the red votive candles, giving off the highest

romantic vibe. “Enjoy your meal,” she smiled at Mia before glancing over at me.

“Thank you, Gabriella.”

Once we were alone, I motioned for Mia to sit. After she slid across the leather booth seat, I also

sat. “AJ, I—” She nibbled her bottom lip nervously.

“Look, for the record, I have nothing against gay people—hell, my brother, Antonio, has been out

since he was fifteen. What I do have a problem with is you skewing my image for your benefit.”

“I know, I know. And I’m truly sorry. But you have to know what it’s like to a have a big family all