Page 50 of Disarming Caine

Opening the warming drawer, the scents of rosemary and oregano from the tagliata steak flowed over me. It would be perfect once she was ready. “Perhaps if you’re nice enough to me, I may let you stay in a bed.”

She exited the elevator and paused, so I glanced at the phone. She frowned at herself in the mirror, looking exhausted. Such a long day and so little sleep. “I might be able to handle being nice. Not sure yet.”

I softened my voice, dropping all pretense of the game. “Rough day or is this about last night?”

She stared into the mirror, tucking an errant hair behind her ear.

Would she think I was invading her privacy? “You know I can see you?”

Her face tilted up to the corner of the penthouse foyer, as though looking right at me. “Yeah, I noticed the cameras last night. When the elevator arrived for me, I figured it out.”

“Do you need me to stop teasing?” I tapped the button to unlock my door for her, and she walked to it. The manual security locks had been undone for seven o’clock.

“No, I think a healthy dose of Antonio Ferr—” She opened the door. “Holy shit!”

My head fell back as the laughter erupted from me. “Is that good or bad?”

She hung up her phone, and the manual lock engaged. “What is all this?”

“What is what?” I called to her, as innocently as possible.

I tossed the tortellini into the water and turned it down to a low boil. Her boots dropped to the floor in the foyer and the closet opened and closed. My love was finally home, with only a wall and a long room standing between us. The butterflies took over my stomach. It was just as well I knew the sauce was perfect; my mouth had gone so dry my taste buds would be useless.

“And I thought that painting in the bedroom was a fire hazard! How many candles did you light?”

I stifled my continued laughter and retrieved a corkscrew from a drawer next to the refrigerator. “Romance is never wasted on you, is it?”

“I think the word you were looking for is ‘always.’” Her voice grew louder as she crossed through the living room to the kitchen.

“At least you’ll keep my ego in check.” I uncorked a bottle of red wine, keeping my back to the room. This would be a momentous evening, so I had to maintain control. Be light and flirtatious. No falling at her feet. “And I knew you’d say that, so most are battery-powered.”

I turned to face her, bottle in hand, and my heart skipped at her smile. She still wore the white sweater from this morning, her hair in the braid. Beautiful, but underdressed. Perfect for my next surprise.

“You look…” She placed a hand on the back of a breakfast chair, eyes widening and mouth falling open. Her gaze traversed the length of me as I exited the kitchen. Perfetto. A tuxedo was precisely the right touch for the evening.

“I would say rendering you speechless is a first…” I placed the bottle on the table and gave her a quick peck on the cheek before returning to the kitchen. “But we both know that’s far from the truth.”

“Mouth watering,” she chuckled.

I smoothed the front of the apron. "I have a hot date tonight. Do you think she’ll like it?"

"Very much. Guess I should get out of your hair before she arrives."

"I think she’s hiding in the bedroom. Would you mind letting her know il primo will be served soon?"

She winked and inclined her head to the hallway next to the kitchen. "You coming with me?"

“Not yet, bella, I’m cooking.” I withdrew a colander and placed it in the sink. “Go by yourself.”

She tilted her head, furrowing her brows. Perhaps romancewaslost on her.

I waved her toward the bedroom. "You have ten minutes, so hurry."

Narrowing her eyes, she turned slowly toward the hallway.

“I said hurry, Samantha.”

One more laugh, and she quickened her pace. Butterflies swirled in my stomach. Would she like this surprise? Would she be offended?