“That sounds promising. It was a good idea to approach them about the shipping. We’ll need more ships if business continues to thrive,” she predicted.
“I’m sorry for the last minutes change, Thea.”
“Va bene,” it’s fine, she said. “I haven’t cooked.”
“Have the boys eaten?” Concern filtered through Liam’s voice.
“Si, si, all is well, Liam,” Athena’s tone betrayed faint shards of impatience. “Cheritta’s having a special dinner for one of her sons who is Humphrey’s age. Of course Humphrey’s trusty delivery partner wasn’t about to miss out on the fun. Cheritta said it’s fine for Aaron to come.” She said of the seamstress who lived in the building.
“And what about your dinner?”
“I’ll get something soon,” she said.
They spoke only a short while longer. Athena wondered whether Liam noticed the awkwardness between them as they brought the chat to a close. Their distance gaped broader day by day. An insistent churning started in her belly and she recognized it as anticipation. She shook her head, not wanting to give the sensation a foothold. Unfortunately, there seemed to be no stopping it.
With a sigh, Athena checked the large wall clock. She would be back long before the party ran its course. Cheritta had already said the boys could sleep over if Athena wished. Settled on her plan, she ran out to the living room, grabbed her bag and coat from the hook next to the front door.
She was gone a moment later.
***
There was no time for second thoughts and turning back once Athena got to the rooming house where Giaimo lived. Of all the brothers, he stayed the farthest out. Athena had plenty of time to consider turning back during the ride into the Bronx.
The rooming house lobby was actually the home’s living room. The landlord Pedro Varga was a squat elderly gentleman with a welcoming smile. He seemed out of place among the rough looking group of males Athena glimpsed laughing and talking loudly in the front room. Varga directed Athena to the dining room on the other side of the kitchen.
“We don’t get many young ladies here, Miss,” Varga said, “wouldn’t want my boys getting too rowdy at the sight of you, lovely as you are.” Varga’s welcoming smile matched the soft light in his dark eyes. “You wait here, I’ll fetch Giaimo.”
Athena returned Varga’s smile and nod before he left her alone in the room. She was on her own there all of two minutes.
“Be sure about this, Thea. Once I get you in my bed, there’s no leaving until I’m done.”
Athena turned. Instead of providing the benefit of eye contact, she walked past him not stopping until she reached the door. There, she met his green stare with her violet one. “Well?” The word swelled with challenge.
Giaimo favored her with a grim yet oddly approving smile. At the door, he waved to urge her to proceed him.
The walk up the two flights of stairs passed without conversation. Athena felt Giaimo’s hand at her waist and realized he was indicating they were nearing his room. She willed her rigid posture to soften when he moved close while unlocking the door. She took time to study the man who had occupied so many of her thoughts over the last few weeks, observing his mannerisms, the way he moved and had to bow his head lower than most before entering a room.
Giaimo held the door, closed and locked it when Athena moved inside. He left her there and pulled his shirt over his head as if to indicate he’d been completely relaxed when she arrived. He tossed the garment over a worn, brown leather chair near the noisy radiator in the corner.
He turned her way then and Athena knew he was waiting for her to prove she knew what she was doing. She removed her coat, went a step farther and unbuttoned her dress to the waist. She let the peach silk frock hit the wood floor and stood before him in nothing but her slip, bra and underpants. They joined the dress on the floor moments later.
Giaimo approached. Effortlessly, he hoisted Athena high against his expansive chest. His mouth descended on her earlobe and he hungrily nibbled the patch of flesh and the silken skin of her neck.
“Liam will kill us for th-this,” she shuddered.
Giaimo turned for the bed, tossing her to its middle when he stood next to it. “Then, I guess we should make it count,” he said.
~14~
During the next month, Liam had enjoyed a home-cooked dinner nearly once a week at someplace other than his own dining table. He’d taken to joining Erica Lewis and her uncle for either lunch or dinner if the day was especially brutal and no one could get away for a mid-day meal.
The only thing that might’ve made the time perfect would’ve been having the boys along with him. He had the feeling they would get along famously with Erica’s kids, both of whom were closer to Humphrey’s age. Erica’s girl, Serena was almost 5. Her boy Josiah was 6.
The kids playing together would’ve been completely inappropriate, of course. Erica’s family was a wonderful group of people, but they were still her family. It was a grim reminder that he should be spending more time with his own. Somewhere along the way, however, things had gotten...tangled.
It had all started so inconspicuously, so innocently, nothing more than talking business with colleagues over a good meal. It hadn’t taken Liam long to discover Captain Earnest Claymore had the kind of visionary spirit Nandi claimed Liam had. Liam’s conversations with Claymore’s other shipping colleagues had progressed far beyond talk of making uniforms. Plans were in the works to ship uniforms and anything else Tesano Textiles churned out, across the world. The factory was, at last, fully stocked with the necessary machinery, furnishings and other supplies. The last of the fabrics had been transported from their holding location a few weeks prior.
Liam would not give into anger over having to sneak around to start a business he had every right to begin. He and his partners had essentially been looking over their shoulders for too long. Humphrey would be 5 soon. Aside from the persistent run-ins with their American agitators there had been no serious altercations since that long ago night when Athena was approached in the hallway of their building. Though Emilio said they were at last making headway in the investigation, Liam was skeptical they were still no closer to unmasking the swine who had threatened his wife in their home.
Thoughts of Athena had Liam pushing back from his desk with plans to cut the day short and head home. The phone’s shrill ring pierced the air and he didn’t hesitate to answer. He couldn’t own the possibility that he was in no hurry to see his wife. To say they were distant, was understating things immensely. Athena was past impatient on the subject of moving as well as her husband’s consistent rejection of the idea.
Liam realized he was holding the receiver and hadn’t answered the call.
“Tesano,” he said briskly, a smile instantly illuminating his face when he heard Erica Lewis on the line. She was inviting him to dinner.
“Is this Miss Bettina’s roast night?” Liam asked, referring to Erica’s mother.
“Not quite,” Laughter threaded Erica’s words. “She only makes it now when she knows you’ll be coming to dinner.”
“Doesn’t seem quite fair to her big brother.”
“Oh, Uncle Earn’s favorite is her chicken and rice. He won’t be joining us tonight, so...”
“Ah...another big date?” Liam guessed.
“If only,” Erica’s light tone seemed strained then. “A difference of opinion turned into a shoving match between two of his men. Uncle Earn’s going to mediate a sit down.”
“Sounds tense.”
