LITMIR.BIZ

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their way through the maze of tables to the huge, dark maroon leather booth at the back of Daisy’s station. As they passed, she caught a look of apology from the hostess seating them. Four men would be big eaters and probably end up running Daisy’s legs off. On the bright side, though, they might turn out to be good tippers, too. And she was always trying to beef up the nest egg building ever so slowly in the bank.

      Another pain gripped her, this time sharply, briefly, in the middle of her back, and Daisy stiffened in reaction. Oh no, honey. Not now.

      As if her baby heard that silent plea, the pain drifted away into nothing more than a slow, nagging ache. That Daisy could handle.

      All she had to do was get through the next couple of hours and she’d be home free.

      All he had to do was get through the next couple of hours and he’d be home free. That was what Alex Barone kept telling himself.

      He was the last to be seated, and caught himself damn near perched on the edge of the leather banquette, as if ready to hit the floor running. When that thought flashed through his mind, he gritted his teeth and eased back on the bench seat. Damned if he’d feel guilty for coming into this restaurant.

      Damned if he’d worry about the ramifications.

      Although, if he’d known his friends were going to choose Antonio’s, he might have bowed out. There was no point in going out of his way to antagonize an old family enemy.

      He glanced around at the place and smiled to himself. As a Barone, he’d been raised with stories that made the Conti family sound like demons. But if this was their hell, they’d made a nice place of it. Dim lighting, soft music…the scents coming out of the kitchen nearly made him groan in appreciation.

      Nearly every table was full, and the wait staff looked busy as ground troops settling in for a big campaign. That thought brought a smile. He’d been in the military too long.

      While his friends laughed and talked, Alex let his gaze drift around the room again, keeping a watchful eye out for any loose Contis. But since none of them knew Alex personally, what were the chances he’d be recognized as a Barone? Slim to none.

      So he was just going to relax, have dinner, then leave with no one the wiser.

      In the next instant, all thoughts of leaving raced from his brain.

      “Hello, my name is Daisy and I’ll be your server tonight.”

      A gorgeous woman seemed to appear out of nowhere, standing right beside Alex as she gave the whole table a smile wide and bright enough to light up all the shadowy corners in the room.

      A purely male instinct had Alex straightening up in his seat for a closer, more thorough look. Her long, curly chestnut hair was caught at the nape of her neck with a slightly tarnished silver barrette. Her eyes weren’t quite blue or green, but a tantalizing combination of both. Her pale skin looked satin smooth and soft. Her voice held just a hint of humor. Alex’s interest was piqued…until her enormous belly nearly bumped him as she shifted position on what had to be tired feet.

      Pregnant.

      Taken.

      Well, damn. Disappointment shot through him. His gaze dropped automatically to her ring finger. Nothing. Not even a white mark to indicate there might have been one there at some point.

      He frowned to himself. Not married? What kind of moron would walk away from a woman like this? Especially if she was carrying his child?

      “Hello, Daisy,” one of the guys—Mike Hannigan—said with a slow whistle of approval.

      Alex shot him a disgusted look, but apparently it didn’t bother the woman at all.

      “Can I start you out with some drinks? Appetizers?” she asked as she handed around several long menus.

      “Beers all around,” Nick Santee ordered, and she nodded as she made a note on her order pad.

      “Your phone number?” Tim Hawkins ventured.

      She grinned, and the full, megawatt force of that smile hit Alex like a fist to the gut. Damn, this was one potent female, even in her condition.

      “Sure,” she said, rubbing one hand along her belly. “It’s one eight hundred way too pregnant.”

      Then she turned and walked off to get their drinks. While the guys laughed and kidded Tim about his lousy pickup skills, Alex half turned in his seat to follow her progress through the restaurant. She had a bounce in her step that he liked. The smile on her face had wavered only once, when she’d grimaced and dropped a hand to her belly, as if comforting the child within.

      And who, he wondered, comforted her?

      As the evening wore on, his interest in her only sharpened. When she brought the pitcher of beer and four glasses, he slid out of the booth to take the heavy tray from her.

      “Oh. I’m okay, really.”

      “Never said you weren’t, ma’am.”

      She looked up at him, and he decided that her eyes were more blue than green.

      “It’s Daisy. Just Daisy.”

      He nodded, standing there, holding a trayful of drinks and looking down into fathomless eyes that seemed to draw him deeper with every passing second. “I’m Alex.”

      She licked her lips, pulled in a shuddering breath and let it out again. “Well, thanks for the help…Alex.”

      “No problem.”

      He unloaded the beers, handed her back the empty tray and then stood in the aisle watching her walk away.

      “Hey, Barone,” Nick called, and Alex flinched, hoping no one else had heard his last name.

      “What?”

      One of the guys laughed.

      Nick said, “You gonna sit down and have a beer, or do you want to go on back to the kitchen and help her out there, too?”

      Embarrassed to be caught fantasizing about a pregnant woman, Alex grinned and took his seat. Reaching for his beer, he took a long drink, hoping the icy brew would help stamp out the fires within.

      But still he couldn’t help watching her. She should be tired. Yet her energy never seemed to flag. And she was stronger than her fragile build seemed to indicate. She lifted heavy trays with ease and kept up such a fast pace he was pretty sure if she’d been walking in a straight line, she’d have made it to Cleveland by now.

      “Geez, Barone,” Nick muttered, leaning closer. “Get a grip. There’s lots of pretty women in Boston. Do you have to home in on one who’s obviously taken?”

      “Who’s homing in?” Alex countered. Silently, though, he reminded himself that she wasn’t taken. At least not by a man who appreciated her enough to marry her. “I’m just—”

      “Window shopping?” Tim asked.

      “Close your hole,” Mike told him.

      Alex glanced around at the men gathered at the table. Men he’d known for years. Like him, they were navy pilots, guys he’d trained with, studied with and flown with. There was a bond between them that even family couldn’t match.

      And yet…right now, he wished them all to the Antarctic.

      Stupid, but he wanted their waitress to himself.

      When she set their check on the edge of the table, Alex picked it up quickly, his fingertips brushing hers. She drew back fast, almost as if she’d felt the same snap of electricity he had. Which was kind of weird. She was pregnant, for Pete’s sake. Very pregnant. It should have put her off-limits.

      “So, are you guys shipping out now?” Daisy asked, trying to keep her gaze from drifting toward the man sitting so close to her.

      His friends were easier to deal with. They were friendly, charming, casually flirtatious,

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