“That was different. I love designing and decorating.”
“Why do you love it?” Gabriele asked her.
She glanced at him.
“It makes me happy to have a clean, empty space and to turn it into someone’s ideal room. Sometimes people envision what they want a space to look like but don’t know how to go about achieving the look, or sometimes they have no idea what they want. Either way, I enjoy completing the project and seeing them more than satisfied with the end result.”
“I can relate to that. I take a piece of wood, bare, boring, and look at it, the lines, the layers of age, and begin to craft it into something more,” Salvatore told her.
“Like an outdoor bench swing for our front porch,” Gabriele said and smiled. An authentic, proud smile. It seemed that these brothers cared for one another, were close and supportive. That must be nice.
“You’re an artist, Salvatore?” she asked him.
The others chuckled, and Maxwell leaned back and smiled.
“I wouldn’t accuse him of that if I were you.”
“Quit it,” Salvatore replied.
“What? You don’t consider yourself an artist?” she asked, curious about him, about each of them.
“I just enjoy carving wood and creating things.”
“Salvatore has people begging to buy his finished carvings, but they sit in the barn at home and he won’t give them up for some crazy reason,” Lucifer told her.
“I won’t give them up because they’re mine and took a lot of work and time to create. Maybe one day I will,” he added.
“No way. Can’t see it happening. They’re beautiful pieces, Lucia. You should see them,” Gabriele told her.
“I’d love to, unless that upsets you, Salvatore,”
* * * *
She held his gaze, and his eyes swept over her. She practically felt the heat of his stare move over her breasts, her neck, and to her lips.
“Why would you want to see them?” he asked her, and she shrugged her shoulders. “They sound beautiful. I guess if that makes you uncomfortable—”
“No. I can show you, if you really want to see them,” he added.
She nodded her head.
Gabriele waved his hand to the waitress, indicating that they wanted the check.
Seems she just made the decision to go with these men to their home. She didn’t really know them. She should heed caution right now before she wound up in bigger trouble then back in South Carolina. But something was making her react to them, to Salvatore’s hint of vulnerability.
They paid the bill, and she walked out of Francine’s with all eyes upon them, people smiling, waving, and something clicked inside of her.
She felt safe. It had to be because she was surrounded by four large, muscular men. Older men, who seemed to know how to treat a woman with respect and protectiveness. But she didn’t want to fall for some act, if this was one. She wasn’t exactly trusting or compelled to be hurt again. Men this big, with their military experiences and their professions, could really hurt her badly.
She paused on the sidewalk and moved toward the wall as to not block the sidewalk from pedestrians.
“Lucia?” Gabriele said her name, and all four men stood around her. She looked up at them. They were tall, handsome cowboys. Snug flannel shirts, Carhartt jackets, cowboy boots, and an air
of strength, power, and control about them. She was scared. She would be defenseless against men like this. She already was.
“Lucia?” Gabriele took her hand and brought it to his chest. His hand encased hers, making her feel so feminine and sexy. It was wild. She never knew attraction like this, never mind one times four.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.