old. What’s for dinner?”
“I’m not allowed in the kitchen,” Vanni said. “You know that.”
“I sure do.” Sam shouted each word. He pushed the cart ahead, then lifted it up a step at a time. “Olivia FitzDurham and I are starving. Vanni, meet Olivia, Olivia, meet Vanni Zanetto.”
Olivia exchanged greetings with Vanni, whom she now saw was another star-quality male, only with very black hair and hazel eyes that were startling against olive skin. He stared down on them, his frown magnificent—and foreboding. Actually he frowned only at Sam.
“Poor Olivia’s exhausted, Vanni. D’you suppose she could freshen up before she meets the family?” He smiled at her, then at his friend. “I doubt if she’s experienced anything quite like the Zanettos.”
“No problem,” Vanni said, not taking his attention from Sam. Finally he looked at Olivia. “I’m sorry for your trouble, but my partner here is one of the best. He’ll work something out.”
She hesitated. “You never mentioned being in another business, Sam.” Not that he owed her his entire life story.
“Sam?” Vanni said. “That’s what I thought.” He should have known Aiden would make a mess of it with her. The guy was so awkward around women. For someone who was physically coordinated and really strong, the way he was manhandling a little suitcase up the steps like it had rocks in it showed just how uptight he was.
“Save it, okay, Vanni?” Aiden said.
Oh, no, this was one time when Aiden Flynn’s partner had to act fast if he was going to avert disaster. Vanni reached down to sweep the cart carrying a green tartan bag that sported a pink neon luggage tag from Aiden and deposited it inside the front door in a single move.
“We’re glad you can be with us, Olivia,” he said. “My mother loves company. So does my grandfather. He likes to be called Pops. My mother will tell you she’s Mama to everyone. Comes of having seven kids—she’s always been Mama.” Both Olivia and Aiden had stopped climbing the steps. Vanni narrowed his eyes at Aiden and said, “You knew what you needed to do.”
“Yeah. And I’ll do this my way, okay?”
“Not okay. You dragged me into this, buddy.” Olivia’s skirt was to rn . Aiden had her plastered on his side like a coat of paint, but something was peeling. She was no fashion plate to begin with, but flashes of pale orange underwear made an interesting statement against Aiden's dark-gray-clad thigh.
“Just point us in the direction of Olivia’s room, Vanni.”
Olivia looked up at Sam, then at Vanni. They were furious with each other, and she couldn’t think of any way to extricate herself from a very uncomfortable situation.
“I’m going to take a step up with my right leg,” Sam murmured. “On the count of three, use your left leg. One, two, three.” He stepped up slowly, and so did Olivia, but her leg was much shorter than his and she had to roll slightly toward him to avoid Vanni getting a view she couldn’t bear thinking of him getting.
Sam shrugged her camera bag higher on his left shoulder and put his right arm around her, holding her waist. She clung to him.
“Once more and we’ve made it.”
“You haven’t made anything,” Vanni said. “I don’t believe this. How did that happen, miss? Did he—hell, no, he wouldn’t touch you. He doesn’t have it in him.”
Aiden made a note to knock the crap out of Vanni the instant he could get him alone.
“ I caught it in the seatbelt,” Olivia told Vanni.
“If Mr. True Blue had settled for not having seatbelts—which he doesn’t have to have in that —it wouldn’t have happened. Mama’ll mend it for you. I’ll get one of my sisters down here with something for you to change into. June! Get out here and help.”
She decided she didn’t like him much. Too full of himself, and as mean as they came. “Sam’s trying to help me. He’s an awfully kind man.”
“Oh, yeah,” Vanni said. “Awfully kind is what
“I’m not allowed in the kitchen,” Vanni said. “You know that.”
“I sure do.” Sam shouted each word. He pushed the cart ahead, then lifted it up a step at a time. “Olivia FitzDurham and I are starving. Vanni, meet Olivia, Olivia, meet Vanni Zanetto.”
Olivia exchanged greetings with Vanni, whom she now saw was another star-quality male, only with very black hair and hazel eyes that were startling against olive skin. He stared down on them, his frown magnificent—and foreboding. Actually he frowned only at Sam.
“Poor Olivia’s exhausted, Vanni. D’you suppose she could freshen up before she meets the family?” He smiled at her, then at his friend. “I doubt if she’s experienced anything quite like the Zanettos.”
“No problem,” Vanni said, not taking his attention from Sam. Finally he looked at Olivia. “I’m sorry for your trouble, but my partner here is one of the best. He’ll work something out.”
She hesitated. “You never mentioned being in another business, Sam.” Not that he owed her his entire life story.
“Sam?” Vanni said. “That’s what I thought.” He should have known Aiden would make a mess of it with her. The guy was so awkward around women. For someone who was physically coordinated and really strong, the way he was manhandling a little suitcase up the steps like it had rocks in it showed just how uptight he was.
“Save it, okay, Vanni?” Aiden said.
Oh, no, this was one time when Aiden Flynn’s partner had to act fast if he was going to avert disaster. Vanni reached down to sweep the cart carrying a green tartan bag that sported a pink neon luggage tag from Aiden and deposited it inside the front door in a single move.
“We’re glad you can be with us, Olivia,” he said. “My mother loves company. So does my grandfather. He likes to be called Pops. My mother will tell you she’s Mama to everyone. Comes of having seven kids—she’s always been Mama.” Both Olivia and Aiden had stopped climbing the steps. Vanni narrowed his eyes at Aiden and said, “You knew what you needed to do.”
“Yeah. And I’ll do this my way, okay?”
“Not okay. You dragged me into this, buddy.” Olivia’s skirt was to rn . Aiden had her plastered on his side like a coat of paint, but something was peeling. She was no fashion plate to begin with, but flashes of pale orange underwear made an interesting statement against Aiden's dark-gray-clad thigh.
“Just point us in the direction of Olivia’s room, Vanni.”
Olivia looked up at Sam, then at Vanni. They were furious with each other, and she couldn’t think of any way to extricate herself from a very uncomfortable situation.
“I’m going to take a step up with my right leg,” Sam murmured. “On the count of three, use your left leg. One, two, three.” He stepped up slowly, and so did Olivia, but her leg was much shorter than his and she had to roll slightly toward him to avoid Vanni getting a view she couldn’t bear thinking of him getting.
Sam shrugged her camera bag higher on his left shoulder and put his right arm around her, holding her waist. She clung to him.
“Once more and we’ve made it.”
“You haven’t made anything,” Vanni said. “I don’t believe this. How did that happen, miss? Did he—hell, no, he wouldn’t touch you. He doesn’t have it in him.”
Aiden made a note to knock the crap out of Vanni the instant he could get him alone.
“ I caught it in the seatbelt,” Olivia told Vanni.
“If Mr. True Blue had settled for not having seatbelts—which he doesn’t have to have in that —it wouldn’t have happened. Mama’ll mend it for you. I’ll get one of my sisters down here with something for you to change into. June! Get out here and help.”
She decided she didn’t like him much. Too full of himself, and as mean as they came. “Sam’s trying to help me. He’s an awfully kind man.”
“Oh, yeah,” Vanni said. “Awfully kind is what
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