LITMIR.BIZ

      Chapter 5

      Matthew had convinced Katrina to leave her vehicle in the church parking lot, assuring her it would be safe until they returned. Opening the passenger-side door of his Maybach Landaulet, he extended his hand to help her get in. When she was seated comfortably and was adjusting the seat belt around her petite frame, he nodded toward Collin.

       “Once you’re off probation and you get your driving permit, I might let you drive. Until then, though, you need to make yourself comfortable in the backseat.”

       “You’d let me drive this?” Collin asked tentatively. “Really?”

       Matthew nodded, his hand braced against the rear door as Collin stood ready to step in.

       “Yes, I would, but you’ll have to prove that you can handle that kind of responsibility first.” Matthew nodded again, gesturing with his head. “Now, hop on in. I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry.”

       Minutes later they pulled into the parking lot of Nicola’s Ristorante Italiano.

       “This is very nice,” Katrina said, taking in the surroundings.

       As Matthew led them inside, she was impressed with the dramatic soaring ceilings, the elegant chandeliers and the rich, dark woods offset by splashes of crimson and gold. The atmosphere was sophisticated, intimate and a touch seductive. She was equally impressed with all the staff who greeted him by name, going out of their way to ensure that he and his guests were comfortable.

       Matthew nodded as a hostess guided them to a corner table on the patio. “This is one of my favorite places to eat,” he said. “The cuisine is northern Italian. All of the pastas are handmade. They don’t have any freezers, so the groceries are delivered twice a day to ensure the ingredients are market fresh.”

       “We’re very proud of our menu,” the wide-eyed brunette waitress said as she placed glasses of ice water on the table in front of them. “Our chef is also an award-winning cook. And we have a wood-burning oven imported from Italy, too!” the woman exclaimed, her face beaming with pride.

       Katrina smiled politely as the waitress turned an about-face and headed toward the kitchen with their orders. She could feel Matthew’s eyes studying her intently, and she turned to meet his stare. Heat flushed his face, as if he’d been caught doing something he should not have been.

       “Forgive me,” he said, smiling shyly. “I didn’t mean to stare.”

       Katrina blushed with him, cutting her eye at Collin, who was busying texting on his cell phone. She was a hair trigger away from reprimanding him but changed her mind, thinking the diversion would keep him focused on something other than her and this man.

       “So,” Katrina began, changing the subject. “Your family is very sweet. How many of you are there?”

       “It’s just the four of us—me, Mark, Luke and John. But we’re steadily growing!” he said with a soft chuckle. “Wives and babies popping out all over the place! How about you? Any brothers or sisters?”

       Katrina nodded. “I come from a very big family. I have three sisters and five brothers.”

       “There are nine of you?”

       She nodded, amused by his expression. “Yep!”

       “Wow! Were you all raised here in Dallas?”

       She shook her head. “No. My mother was from Dallas, which is one reason I was drawn to the area, and my dad was born and raised in New Orleans. He’s retired military, and we were raised on army bases all around the world. The family’s in Arizona now, where my oldest brother settled down.”

       “My uncle Guy is an actor in California. And my uncle Mason owns a hotel,” Collin interjected, never lifting his eyes from his cell phone.

       Matthew smiled, nodding in the boy’s direction. “And you only had one child?” he asked, turning his attention back to Katrina.

       She smiled back. “Unfortunately I wasn’t afforded an opportunity to have any more children.”

       Matthew sensed there was a story there and he wanted to ask more, but they were interrupted by their server and the platters of food being delivered to the table. He made a mental note to continue the conversation when they next had an opportunity.

       An hour later Katrina could understand why the restaurant and its staff were so proud. The food was incredible. Matthew had taken the liberty of ordering for them and his choices had been right on point. Platters of hand-sliced prosciutto, Italian cheeses, fire-roasted vegetables, marinated olives, and fruit had started them off. Collin’s eyes had widened with excitement at the presentation.

       Tender veal chops topped with crispy pancetta and fontina cheese and served on a bed of polenta with a white truffle infusion had been the main course for the two adults. Collin had opted for the homemade lasagna. By the time they’d finished their desserts of tiramisu, the ladyfingers soaked in just enough espresso and coffee liqueur, and traditional Sicilian cannoli, Katrina couldn’t imagine being able to take another bite.

       “Wow!” she exclaimed, leaning back against her seat. “That was incredible!”

       Matthew smiled, a broad grin filling his face. “I’m glad you enjoyed it. Great food is one of my passions.”

       “Passions?” she replied.

       Matthew’s eyes widened suggestively as he leaned toward her. Unable to contain himself, he pressed his cheek to hers as he whispered in her ear. “Food can be very seductive. I’m very passionate about those things that whet all of my appetites.” His tone was so low and seductive that Katrina found herself drawn to him.

       Cutting her eyes at her son, who was eyeing them both curiously, Katrina felt a blush flood her face with color. Pulling her linen napkin to her lips, she met Matthew’s gaze as he leaned back, clasping his hands atop the table. His expression was a penny shy of being smug. He winked an eye at her before turning his attention back to Collin, shifting the conversation.

       Katrina felt as if a fire had been lit beneath her. The warmth of his breath against her ear, his cheek lightly teasing hers, had heated her from the center of her core outward. His husky tone had been enticing and suggestive. Had they been alone, she imagined that he would have ended the conversation quite differently, and definitely not so abruptly. She couldn’t help but wonder where Matthew’s insinuations might have led them if she’d been willing to follow.

       Katrina suddenly imagined him slipping a hand beneath the table to caress her thigh. As if her body had a mind of its own, she felt her legs open at the prospect, imagining his large fingers teasing her flesh. His strong fingers tap-danced against her skin, heating her spirit until she was ready to implode from his touch. She gasped, pressing her legs tightly together as a tremor of heat spiraled between them.

       “Mom!” Collin’s anxious tone intruded on the decadent thoughts Katrina had been having about herself and that man. “I swear, you never listen to me!”

       She

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