Unfortunately, whoever was at the door was persistent. The doorbell rang several more times before she finally sat up in bed, knowing she wouldn’t be able to get back to sleep. She was also curious to know who would be so rude on a Sunday morning.
She was only wearing pajama pants and a matching cotton camisole but she pulled herself out of bed to find out who was at her door. Her hair was in tangles from her restless sleep but she refused to brush it, no matter who was at the door, knowing it was probably a salesperson or her sister. Whoever wanted to see her could just accept that it was Sunday and they wouldn’t be getting a nicely coiffed person answering the door this early. She pulled on a fluffy, pink robe and forced herself to answer the door, thinking that perhaps her sister had come by to hear about her evening with Sal.
Unfortunately, the man himself was standing in her doorway. And boy was he sexy! He was wearing a suit with a crisp, white shirt and a gorgeous silk tie with tiny little paisley’s on it. As she took in his perfectly tailored suit and tie, she wondered why all the other men she had dated tended to be a little more frumpy. If she’d always dated less immaculate men all her life, why was she so attracted to this man, standing in her doorway trying not to laugh at her?
“You look like I feel,” he said and came inside without waiting for an invitation. He kissed her quickly on the lips and moved into the family room, looking around at her white furniture and soft, blue walls. There were a few plants that sat in the windowsill but they didn’t detract from the clean lines and softly elegant ambiance.
“This is a nice apartment. Very relaxing,” he said and walked around, his hands in his pockets and the button undone on his jacket so she could see how flat his stomach was.
Laci was too stunned to do anything other than release the door and step out of his way. He came over to stand in front of her, looking down at her with hooded, dark eyes. “Were you up all night, wondering what could have been last night?” he asked, his voice husky and sexy.
Laci blushed, wishing he couldn’t read hear mind so easily. He laughed softly. “So was I.”
“What are your plans for today?” he asked, backing up slightly once he’d confirmed that she’d been bothered throughout the night just as he had. He looked her up and down, liking her sleeping attire.
Laci took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Right now, I don’t have any plans for today except to sleep until tomorrow.”
Sal shook his head. “Not good enough. Come over for Sunday dinner.”
Laci knew all about the Attracelli family dinners on Sunday. She had heard her sister talk about how wonderful they were. She raved about the wonderful camaraderie all the siblings had and the in-laws were instantly included in the festivities. It was a sacred time when the whole family, possibly aunts, cousins and uncles gathered at Sal’s house for lunch after church if they were in town. The lunch usually lasted for several hours since the kids played together and the adults talked and joked as they cooked, cleaned up and relaxed until going home to get ready for their individual weeks.
Laci wasn’t a part of the family and she didn’t dare intrude on such an important weekly event. She would be an outsider and she didn’t like feeling that way. Shaking her head, she said, “No way. I’m fine right here,” and she sat down on her comfortable white sofa, crossing her arms over her chest defiantly.
Sal watched her for a moment. “You’d rather stay here all by yourself instead of coming over for a home cooked meal and a chance to see your nephews?”
Laci kept the yearning from her eyes. “Yep.”
Sal shook his head. “No you aren’t. Go shower and get changed. I’ll make coffee. It will be ready when you are done.” He took off his jacket and hung it over the back of a chair then headed for the kitchen.
She watched for a moment, not sure if he was kidding. But when she heard him opening and closing cabinets in her kitchen, she realized that he wasn’t kidding. “Sal, what are you doing? You don’t need to make me coffee,” she said, rushing into the kitchen to stop him. The idea of Sal roaming through her kitchen, opening and closing drawers was too intimate for her peace of mind. She was afraid the sounds would be too nice and she might want to get used to them.
He looked her up and down, his eyes noting her breasts underneath the fluffy robe. “If you’re going to stay like that, I do. And I suspect you’re just being cynical, thinking I don’t know how to make coffee.”
She put her hands into her robe’s pockets and raised her chin slightly. “If you don’t like the way I look in the morning, tough.”
Sal had turned back to the counter in search of coffee filters but at her challenge, he turned back around and quickly closed the space between them in the kitchen. He stopped right in front of her and stood looking down with half closed lids. “Oh, I like the way you look,” he said softly, his eyes staring at her mouth. “You look all warm and soft, very sexy. You’re hair is all tousled like you’ve just made love all night like we should have done if it weren’t for your very lovely neighbor. You’re cheeks are pink, probably from just getting out of a warm bed but I’m guessing it could be because I’m so close and you want me just as much as I want you but are afraid to admit it. And I think it would be a safe bet that you aren’t wearing anything under that robe except for thin, sexy pajamas that barely cover you in all the right places. So, yes, I do like the way you look in the morning. And if you don’t go into the bathroom and shower, I’m going to show you exactly how much I like the way you look.”
Laci’s eyes were wide by the end of his softly spoken speech and her lips parted slightly in anticipation. But she moved quickly at the end, afraid he might not be bluffing with his last threat. She heard his deep chuckle as she closed the door to her bedroom.
Gritting her teeth, Laci pulled off her pajamas and turned on the hot water. She showered quickly, afraid Sal might not wait for her to finish showering before deciding she should be ready. She dried off and dressed in record time. It took her only slightly longer to put on a light coat of makeup, just some powder, lipstick and some mascara. She was dressed in a pair of well-worn jeans and soft red cashmere sweater.
She smelled the coffee as soon as she turned off her hair dryer. She decided to get a cup of coffee before working on her hair. Opening her bedroom door, she saw Sal sitting on her sofa reading the newspaper and sipping coffee.