Doris O'Connor (14 page)

Kitty had told Stella to stay where she was
and had followed Tracey into her office.

When she had re-emerged ten minutes later, it
had been to find Alex’s mother, jacket-less and on her knees, next
to Noah, making neenaw noises. She had been the rescuing ambulance
to Noah’s traffic jam, and her son’s happy giggles had rung round
the playroom. Stella had looked up then, and her blue eyes had
shimmered with tears. She had mouthed a silent “thank you” to
Kitty, before Noah’s shouts of “Tella, Tella, watch, clash!” had
drawn Stella’s attention back to Noah. Kitty’s heart had given a
small jump at the two dark-haired heads bent close together in
play. The family resemblance so obvious that Tracey had given her a
funny look.

“
Will you look at that? I take it
she’s a relative? I didn’t think there were any.”

Kitty had had to smile at the obvious fishing
for information and had said, “Something like that Tracey,” before
gesturing to Noah that it was time to go home.

“
But lummy, we playing!”

“
I can see that, Noah, but Gwen is
waiting with the pizza, remember. So come on.”

“
Yeah, I likes Gwen! Tella coming,
too?”

Stella’s startled eyes had sought Kitty’s, and
before she could think about it too much, Kitty had found herself
asking whether Stella would like to join them. The older woman had
nodded and smiled at Noah, thanking him gravely for thinking of
her. Noah had happily skipped ahead, so it had been only Kitty who
had seen Stella dab at moist eyes with a tissue that Tracey had
handed to her.

They were now pulling up outside her block of
flats, and Noah was once again skipping ahead happily. Gwen must
have been on the look-out because she opened the front door to Noah
with a wide smile.

“
Ah there you are. I was wondering
what kept you so long. In you go, Noah. The pizza is ready, and
there’s a surprise for you, too.”

“
Oooh suplise!” Noah disappeared
from view.

Gwen was standing hands on hips, looking
Stella up and down. “I take it she’s the grandmother?” When Kitty
nodded, Gwen extended her hand, a reserved smile on her face.
“Thought so. Alex is the spitting image of you. Some strong genes
in your family, clearly. I’m Gwen, Kitty’s neighbor and friend, and
you should know that there is nothing that I wouldn’t do for the
two of them!”

Kitty hid her smile at the veiled threat in
Gwen’s voice, and she gave her a warm hug, whilst whispering in her
ear. “It’s okay, Gwen, no need to shoot her yet. Save it for
later.”

“
Hmm, if you say so, Kitty. Oh and
there is a surprise for you in there, too. Hope you like it.” She
pushed her toward the front door.

“
Hold on a minute. Mamma Giovanni,
I want a word with you first.”

Kitty chuckled to herself as she entered
Gwen’s flat. The most delicious scent of freshly baked pizza
invaded her senses, and her stomach growled in response. Since when
did Gwen know how to make pizza from scratch? The kitchen looked
like a bomb had hit it, and Noah was happily sitting on the
counter, munching on what looked like a slab of garlic
bread.

“
Noah, what have I told you about
climbing?”

“
He didn’t climb. I set him up
there. He said he was hungry.”

****

Alex straightened up from the crouch he’d been
in to check on the pizza in the oven, and turned to face Kitty. Her
expressive green eyes threw dagger looks at him, and she took a
step back. She looked deliciously disheveled, her curls in their
usually delightful disarray, her cheeks slightly flushed, as she
spat out,” Let me guess, you’re my surprise? Gwen is losing her
touch, clearly.”

“
On the contrary, I think Gwen’s
touch is spot on. Besides, my pizza is way better than any Gwen
could have ever bought elsewhere.”

“
Well obviously. Giovanni have
always made the best pizza, Alex. You learned from your father when
you were only knee-high.”

What the hell was his mother doing here? Alex
looked from his mother to Kitty and then finally to Gwen, who
entered behind Stella and shrugged her shoulders at him, as if to
say “beats me.”

“
Mamma, what are you doing
here?”

“
I invited her, Alex, after she
came to see me at school.” Kitty threw him a challenging look
before turning her attention to Noah, who was wriggling to get
down.

His mother had gone to see Kitty? Whatever
for? Alex had a very bad feeling about all this. This evening was
not panning out like he had planned at all. Instead of the quiet
evening he had envisaged with Kitty and Noah – Gwen had been going
to plead a headache and retire early – now he had his mother to
contend with.

“
Well, don’t just stand there,
Alex. Check on the pizza. That smells ready to me!”

Alex sighed. “Yes, Mamma.”

****

Noah’s eyes were drooping as he sat snuggled
up to Kitty on the settee. Alex smiled at the picture the two of
them made. His son, he would never grow tired of saying that. Not
that Noah knew this yet. But soon, he hoped Kitty would feel ready
to tell him. The little tyke had polished off an astonishing amount
of pizza and would have had more, had Kitty not stopped him. Her
face full of love and laughter, she had wrestled the last piece off
a protesting Noah. Damn, what wouldn’t he give to have her look at
him like that just once. All evening long she’d avoided him. The
few times he’d come close enough to touch her, she had shrunk in on
herself like a delicate flower whose light had been
stolen.

Having his mother watching the three of them
like a hawk had not been helping, either, nor had the hushed
conversation in Italian she’d had with him in the kitchen, when
they were getting the desserts. He had been too aware of Kitty
watching them from across the room, those green eyes of hers drawn
together in a frown. She was even frostier toward him after that.
Hell, a man could die of frostbite looking into those eyes, and
damn it, he knew Kitty was anything but. He had to get her
alone!

“
Looks as though it’s bed-time for
someone”

He heard Gwen’s amused chuckle, his mother’s
groan, Noah’s sleepy “Not tired”, but it was Kitty’s sharp intake
of breath that had all his attention at that point. She glared at
him, her cheeks flushed, her breasts straining against her blouse.
He wanted her so badly it hurt.

****

Kitty blushed furiously under Alex’s intense
gaze. Damn her treacherous hormones. He was far too close and had
been all evening, despite her best efforts to keep him at a safe
distance. Gwen hadn’t helped, seating them next to each other at
the meal. The easy way he talked to Noah, and the way Noah
blossomed under his father’s attentions had only served to further
her distress. And all the time Stella had observed every
interaction among the three of them. Kitty was sure that the older
woman had missed nothing, and what wouldn’t she give to know what
Alex and his mother had been talking about in the kitchen earlier.
Alex’s face had been furious as he squared up to his mother. That
was the only way to describe it, his whole body tense.

“
Not tired!” Noah piped up again,
only to give the biggest yawn ever, which made the adults chuckle
in unison.

“
Let me help you get him across,
Kitty.” Noah was still grumbling, but put his arms out for Alex to
pick him up and Kitty reluctantly let go of her son.

“
Let me get the door.” Stella
Giovanni also stood up, clearly intending to join them, but Alex’s
sharp retort in Italian stopped her.

“
Really, Alex, there is no need to
be like that!”

“
Yes, there is, Mamma. Say good
night!”

Stella Giovanni said something else in Italian
and smiled at Kitty. “Thank you for today. Alex has just reminded
me that you did not have to invite me, though really it is the
least you—”

“
Mamma!” Alex’s clipped voice laced
with a hint of warning interrupted Stella.

“
Well, I guess. Grazie.” Stella
smiled at Noah, said good bye to Gwen, and left the
flat.

“
And good riddance to you, too,”
Gwen said. “I’m sorry, Alex. I know she’s your mother and all that,
but would it hurt her to be a bit more civil towards Kitty?
Goodness me, why on earth did you invite her, Kitty? And why on
earth was she with you in the first place?”

“
Let’s just say it seemed a good
idea at the time, Gwen. I really need to get Noah to bed
now.”

“
Yes, of course you do. Sleep well,
little man. And Kitty.” She pulled her into quick hug. “Alex is a
good man; I truly believe that. Give him a chance.”

That whispered statement ran through Kitty’s
head again as she listened to Alex finishing Noah’s bed-time story.
Noah had fallen asleep two pages ago, but Alex had kept on reading.
He sighed, putting the book down, watching Noah sleep. One large
hand gently smoothed his hair, and he dropped a kiss on his
forehead.

Alex’s intense gaze scorched her face as he
moved toward her. Every atom in her body was suddenly all too aware
of his sheer physical presence. He towered over her and stepped
into her personal space. Only Alex could reduce her to a quivering
bag of female awareness just by the way he smelled.
Oh hell,
think of Maggie! And step away from him.

Kitty made herself do just that, whilst trying
to control her breathing, which sped up against her will. Her heart
beat a very strange rhythm in her chest, and with one last look at
a sleeping Noah she escaped toward the living room, all too aware
of Alex right behind her.

She heard him shut the living room door, and
she had to look up as he once again stepped far too close to her.
He took one of her hands into his and kissed her palm, his
incredible eyes sizzling with heat.

“
Thank you for today. And thank you
for putting up with my mother. I can only imagine how trying she
must have been.”

Kitty snatched her hand away, the skin
tingling where he had brought it to his lips. She crossed her arms
to stop herself from touching him. She was not going to fall for
all that charm.

“
Yes, well, it’s safe to say she
isn’t my biggest fan.”

Alex’s low chuckle was incredibly sexy, and
Kitty had to bite her lip to stop herself from responding to it.
Easier said than done when he moved closer again, one thumb rubbing
across her bottom lip.

“
Why so nervous, Kitty”

“
I’m not nervous. It’s just been a
long day. I think you should go.”

Alex moved closer still, his breath fanning
her face. Kitty had to remind herself to just breathe, whilst her
libido charged in kicking and screaming as her body recognized Alex
the man on the most fundamental level. Whatever might be wrong
between them, this right now just felt so right.

Alex tilted her head up, his mouth hovering
over hers, his smile promising delights to come. “You think, or you
know?”

“
Alex, please—”

Oh hell, whose voice was that?
Certainly not hers.

“
Please what? Your wish is my
command, Kitty.”

Chapter
Sixteen

“
My every wish, Alex?”

Kitty’s husky whisper had him hard in an
instant.
Hell yeah, baby.
He pulled her delightful curves
closer into his body, smiling at the way they
moulded
into his. His evening was looking
up after all.

“
Tell me what your mother and you
were talking about in the kitchen, Alex, and I want the
truth!”

He hadn’t been expecting that question. She
shoved against his chest, and he reluctantly let her go.

“
I’m waiting, Alex!”

“
Damn, Kitty, what difference does
it make? This isn’t about my mother; this is between you and me,
and there are so many better ways we could fill our time with right
now.”

Like have you naked in my arms, screaming
my name.
Alex grimaced. Her eyes, which had moments before been
full of sensual awareness, turned to green steel.

“
Please, Kitty, I’m dying
here.”

Kitty’s gaze dropped down to his all too
obvious arousal, and he saw her swallow once before she hastily
brought her gaze back up to his face.

“
That’s really not my problem,
Alex; it’s all yours. And you will have to take many a cold shower
until you tell me what’s going on!”

“
Oh will I?”

Damn you, Kitty, enough is enough.
He
crossed the distance between them in one long stride, pulled her
flush against his body, and his mouth came down hard on her lips.
Her shocked gasp gave him entry, and his tongue sought hers. He
groaned when Kitty came alive in his arms. Their tongues twining
together, he ground his hips into hers and marched her toward the
nearest wall.
Hell yes
. This was what they needed. He was
done with talking and analyzing and treading softly. He wanted her
with a need so fierce it completely consumed him. Kitty’s hands
clung onto his shoulders, her sighs echoing in his ears as his hand
pulled her skirt up, and he found her slick folds.