“I’m sorry to interrupt all of you,” she said to the three men taking their seats again. “Please continue,” she said, picking up her menu as she looked at each of the three men.
Her eyes immediately snapped back to the man opposite her. He was absolutely gorgeous! An electric jolt shot through her system when she felt his eyes on her. She tried looking at the menu, out the window, or anywhere else as the men discussed some business deal they were currently working on. But each time she glanced across the table her eyes were captured by the darkest, most devilish brown eyes she’d ever seen in her life. And they were owned by a man with broad shoulders, dark blond hair, and a spectacular physique.
Well, what she could see of it anyway. She could tell that the suit he wore didn’t have padding in the shoulders. And the white cotton shirt couldn’t hide the muscles that rippled on his stomach as he resumed his seat.
It was a shock but this man more than rivaled Sal in looks! Normally, when Sal was in a room, women fought to get his attention, but not this time, Antonia thought distractedly. Whoever he was, he was currently staring at her as if she’d said or done something extremely funny.
Did she have something on her face? A smudge perhaps? No, Jeffrey would have said something to her before bringing her over. What then?
After a moment, she looked down at the menu and tried to concentrate. Who was this man sitting across from her? She tried to relax, but she knew he was still staring at her even though the rest of them were all deciding on what to have for lunch.
When the waiter arrived to take their order, she requested a chef’s salad, despite the fact that she really craved a big, juicy burger.
The menus were taken away and Antonia was forced to sit through the lunch while the three men discussed business. Sitting quietly, she bit her tongue when Sal mentioned a financing option for a project in Florida. She’d just read in the paper this morning about proposed changes to Florida’s finance laws that would add significant costs to their proposal and make it more expensive than other options, but she kept her mouth closed, knowing that any interference by a mere woman wouldn’t be appreciated.
Antonia refused to look at the man sitting across from her. She knew every time his eyes settled on her because her body temperature rose several degrees. She couldn’t meet his gaze though. She prayed that her face wasn’t betraying her emotions. For some reason, this man scared her more than Sal ever had. It was as if he had some sort of control over her soul.
Antonia continued to keep her mouth shut during the interminably long lunch. It was almost three thirty when the man across from her, she forgot his name because she had been too busy looking at him during the introductions, and Scott stood up. Sal also stood, but explained that he was staying to talk with his sister for a while.
The stranger turned to Antonia and picked up her hand, taking it to his lips in an old-fashioned kiss. “I’m thrilled we were able to meet this afternoon. It was a pleasure,” he said, his deep voice gliding along her skin, making her nerves tingle and her heartbeat accelerate.
Scott, much more awkward after the stranger’s departure, cleared his throat and only shook Antonia’s hand with a simple goodbye. As he left, the look on his face clearly showed his irritation at being completely outclassed by the taller man.
Antonia sat back down once they were alone again. her skin still burning from the man’s touch. It was ridiculous, but she couldn’t deny it. She avoided her brother’s eyes when he resumed his seat, knowing he wasn’t happy.
“You look beautiful, Antonia,” Sal said to start the conversation.
“Thank you,” she replied softly, smiling brightly. Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad after all. Maybe he just wanted to catch up. Although she was at his house each Sunday after church, there were so many people there, it was hard to sit down and talk with one person.
“How have you been lately? I haven’t seen you in a while,” he said, leaning forward on the white linen tablecloth, pyramiding his hands.
“I’ve been fine. How about you?” she asked, starting to relax slightly. Could she dare suspect that Sal might be treating her like an adult instead of a recalcitrant child? Might she even be so brave as to voice her opinion on some of the topics discussed over lunch?
“I’ve been worried about you. Are you eating well?”
Antonia’s smile faltered slightly. So much for being treated as an adult. “No, I eat only candy. It sometimes sticks in my braces,” she teased, “but that doesn’t matter. With modern technology, they can pull it out when I go to the orthodontist,” she began, then sensed Sal’s frustration. Shaking her head, she said, “Yes, I’ve been eating well, I guess. I don’t really know because I generally buy the same groceries each week.
his concern.
sometimes.
But they’re mostly fruits and vegetables,” she said, giving in and easing
He was only showing his love for her, even if it was overbearing She decided to have a heart to heart talk with her older brother. “Sal, will there ever be a time when you might treat me as a responsible adult? I can take care of myself. You don’t need to worry about me,” she explained, hoping he might listen this time.
“How is your apartment?” he asked, ignoring her comment about his treatment of her.
Antonia bit her lip. This was dangerous territory. She quickly glanced at his eyes, trying to gauge his question. Did he know something?
But his face was relaxed. Antonia suspected he was trapping her, but that could just be her paranoia. When one lived a lie, it seemed that even the most innocent questions were an interrogation.
“It’s fine,” she said. “No floods, no robberies,” she joked.
“Why won’t you invite anyone there?” he asked.
Antonia looked anywhere but at Sal, not sure she could hold her tongue with her frustration over his inability to treat her as anything other than his little sister.
“My apartment burned down so I’m living in a homeless shelter. This was the only outfit I was able to salvage. And you know why I don’t invite anyone there.”
“Tell me again,” he said, clenching his jaw in reaction to her sarcasm.
Crossing her arms over her chest, she looked over at the window, not even noticing the beautiful sky and the fluffy clouds. “Because if I invite one, everyone will show up. And it isn’t big enough. So why bother?” she said, resigning herself to the conversation.