Lawful Lover (Eternal Bachelors Club #2) (7 page)

With a sugary-sweet smile, Linda shook Sabrina’s hand. “I always love a great story. How did the two of you meet?”

“We were set up on a blind date,” Sabrina responded calmly, just the way they had agreed to answer this question when it came up.

He smiled. “Yes, that’s right. Friends of ours set us up.”

“My friend Holly and Daniel’s friend Tim are to blame.” Sabrina laughed nervously.

“Oh, isn’t that nice? It’s so good to have mutual friends, isn’t it? So if your best friend Tim and Sabrina’s friend Holly are friends, I’m surprised you didn’t meet any earlier,” Linda continued fishing for information. Clearly she was trying to figure out if he’d been cheating on Audrey with Sabrina.

Daniel took a calming breath. “You’ve met Tim if I’m not mistaken. As you probably remember, Tim lives in San Francisco. And since I live in New York, we don’t really know each other’s friends.”

“And you’re from San Francisco, Sabrina?” Kevin asked.

“Yes,” she replied, and then quickly added, “But I just moved to New York to be closer to Daniel.”

“Not to be closer to me, but to be with me. We’re living together,” Daniel said, wanting to make sure that the Boyds were aware that there was no way of him ever reconciling with Audrey.

Linda’s eyebrows shot up. “Living together? Oh!” She exchanged a look with her husband. “Well, you two aren’t wasting any time, are you? After knowing each other for such a short time?”

Next to him, Sabrina tensed and her grip on his waist tightened. She’d been worried about this exact thing, about people questioning them and prying into how they met.

“I don’t want to be rude, Linda,” his mother interrupted with a warm smile. “But I’d better get Daniel and Sabrina settled. I’m sure they’re tired from the drive. The traffic on a Friday afternoon is always murder! And I’m sure they’re hungry, too, aren’t you, kids?” She tossed him a conspiratorial look.

“Yes, starving in fact,” Daniel answered quickly.

“It’s been great to see you and Kevin,” she said and looked at the Boyds. “Thanks for stopping by.” She ushered Linda and Kevin to the door, and waved them goodbye, before shutting the door behind them.

“Thanks, Mom.” Daniel gave her a kiss on the cheek.

“Good riddance! That woman can be so darn insufferable at times.” She smiled warmly at him and Sabrina. “I made up your old room for you two to stay in. Clean sheets, fresh pillows, and your own private bathroom.”

Daniel nodded at his mother and she led them up the large staircase.

“Thank you for everything, Mrs. Sinclair,” Sabrina said.

Raffaela stopped on the stairs and turned around. “Please, just call me Raffaela. Whenever somebody calls me Mrs. Sinclair, I want to turn around to see whether my mother-in-law is in the room.”

Sabrina smiled. “Thank you, Raffaela.”

Daniel watched Sabrina as she walked up the stairs ahead of him, following his mother as she led them to his old room. When he entered it, he realized that not much had changed, though the full-size bed he’d had as a kid had long been replaced with a queen-sized version.

“I’ll let you two get settled. Dinner is at seven tonight. I’m cooking, so I hope you’re hungry.” She smiled and left the room.

Daniel dropped the bag and took Sabrina’s hand, giving it a firm squeeze. Then he pulled her to him and gave her a long, passionate kiss. A kiss that he’d wanted to give her since they’d gotten in the car to come here.

“Mmm, what was that for?” she asked, her eyes half closed, when he released her.

“No reason.” He nipped at her bottom lip. “I’m sorry about Linda and Kevin. I had no idea they’d be here.”

“It’s okay. I’m so thankful to your mother. She practically shooed them out the door,” Sabrina replied.

“Yes, Mom is great that way. And by the way, she likes you.”

Her eyes widened in surprise. “How would you know?”

“I know my mother. First of all, she hugged you—and she never hugged Audrey. And secondly—” When he felt Sabrina tense in his arms, he interrupted himself.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to mention Audrey. It was thoughtless of me.”

Sabrina shrugged, pulling herself from his embrace. “It’s kind of hard not to mention her, don’t you think? After all, Mrs. Boyd practically praised her to the heavens.”

“Linda doesn’t know any better. And she’s cut of the same cloth as Audrey. No wonder they’re friends.”

“I suppose you and Audrey had many mutual acquaintances and friends?”

“I’m afraid so. I wish I could promise you that what just happened won’t happen again, but I can’t. We run in the same circles. Sooner or later, we’ll run into her, and I’m sure the scene won’t be pleasant.”

He reached for her and put one arm around her waist, caressing her cheek with the other. “But what I can promise you is that I’ll always be by your side. And she’ll never be able to drive a wedge between us. I love you, Sabrina, and only you. Audrey means nothing to me.”

She nodded. “Thank you.”

“Is that all I get? How about a more enthusiastic physical thank you instead?” He winked.

Sabrina chuckled. “All right then. How about this?”

She slid her luscious lips over his, licking her tongue over their seam. Without hesitation, he parted them and allowed the sweet invasion, reveling in her tender touch. He slanted his head to allow for a deeper connection and stroked his tongue against hers, feeling a bolt of heat shoot through him.

“Hmm,” he hummed. “I should give you more occasions to thank me.”

She chuckled. “Very funny.”

Smiling, he released her. “I hope you’re hungry.”

“Actually, I’m starving.”

“Good. When Mom’s finished with you, you won’t have to eat for a month.”

Sabrina shook her head. “Is she really going to make that much food?”

“She’s Italian, baby. Cooking and feeding people is what she does.”

“Do I have time to unpack and freshen up a little before dinner?”

“Absolutely,” he said, kissing her cheek. “I’ll leave you to do that. There should be some space in the closet for your stuff. Just come on downstairs when you’re ready.”

Daniel left her to her own devices and headed downstairs. He followed the scent of his mother’s homemade sauce into the kitchen. She was busy stirring pots on the stove. He plucked a cherry tomato from the salad bowl on the counter and popped it into his mouth.

His mother smiled and shook her head. “Don’t ruin your appetite, Daniel. Where’s Sabrina?”

“Freshening up and changing her clothes.”

“I like her. She’s nice.”

Daniel smiled. He’d been right about his mother liking Sabrina. “Yes, she is.”

“She’s different, too.”

He froze with his hand poised above the salad bowl. His mother was good at reading people. “How so?”

“Well, she’s not like Audrey, that’s for sure.”

Breathing a sigh of relief, he nodded in agreement. “No, she’s not.” And he was glad for it. Sabrina was warm and affectionate, compassionate and sweet. Audrey possessed none of these qualities.

“You know, I was surprised when I heard that you and Audrey broke up. I didn’t realize you two were having problems.”

“I caught her in bed with my attorney. I’d say that was a pretty big problem, Mom.”

“Oh? Well, that explains that. Can’t say that I’m sorry about Audrey being out of your life. You know that I would have never said anything if you were still with her, but I was never very fond of that woman.”

“I know, Mom, I could tell.”

“But I was hiding my feelings,” his mother insisted.

He chuckled. “You’re not very good at hiding your feelings, Mom. Has Dad never told you that?”

She shook her head, laughing. “Anyway.” She pointed her finger up toward the ceiling. “Sabrina is a keeper.”

Daniel smiled. “I know.” And he was relieved that his mother thought so too. His mother’s opinion was important to him because he knew she wanted only the best for him.

“Good. So does that mean you’re going to work less now and concentrate on your private life more, perhaps work on producing a
bambino
? I’m not getting any younger, Daniel, and if you want me to babysit, you’d better do something about this quickly. Don’t mess this one up.”

As usual, his mother was right. He was working too much, and it created problems with Sabrina. He’d neglected her during the past week. He had to stop working so much. He couldn’t make the same mistake he’d made with his previous girlfriends.

This time he was in for the real thing, the long haul. He would have to work at being a couple, at taking her wishes into consideration, and at devoting less time to things that didn’t matter as much as Sabrina. It wasn’t something that came easy to him. After all, he’d spent the last ten years building his business and devoting every single minute to making it into what it was now, a thriving enterprise that generated more money that he could have ever dreamed off. But what was his money really worth if he couldn’t buy himself time with the one person who was most important in his life? The money wouldn’t keep him warm at night like Sabrina did. He knew that. Now he had to act on it and be the attentive man she needed.

“I won’t mess it up, Mom. I swear.”

She turned to him and pointed a sauce-covered spoon at him. “So you’re thinking of a future with her?”

He hesitated. “We haven’t been dating that long. I honestly haven’t given it much thought,” he lied.

He’d thought about it, but he knew he couldn’t take this step yet. Sabrina wasn’t ready. Neither was he. They had to first get used to living together before they could make such a commitment. But he would do his best to make sure they got used to living together as quickly as possible. And the more things they did as a couple, the faster they would get used to each other. Spending this weekend with his parents, away from work, was a good start.

“Well, I think you should.”

Daniel laughed. Of course she’d say that. She wanted a grandchild.

“And your mother is always right. Right, dear?” she hollered to his father, who at this moment entered the kitchen.

“Yes, dear, whatever you say,” his father responded.

Daniel simply smiled. It felt good to be home.

8

The following morning after breakfast, Sabrina got up from the table and carried the dirty plates to the sink, when she heard James address Daniel, “How about a round of golf?”

“If you’re up for the challenge, I am,” Daniel answered immediately.

Sabrina spun around, panic already spreading over her back. He was going to leave her here alone? She caught his look and tried to wordlessly convey her concern to him.

His eyes connected with hers, casting her a reassuring look. “We’ll be gone for only a couple of hours. We’ll play only a few holes.”

James put a hand on his son’s shoulder and winked at her. “Daniel is probably out of shape anyway and will give up after a few holes.”

Sabrina suppressed a sigh, but Daniel seemed to be able to read her concern nevertheless. She would be alone with his mother. What would she talk to her about? What if she asked more questions about their relationship? Questions Sabrina didn’t have answers for.

Daniel came closer and pressed a kiss on her cheek. “Don’t worry, you won’t be alone. My mother will be here with you,” he whispered to her. “She won’t bite you. I won’t be out long, but I know if I refuse my dad now, he won’t let me forget it. Best get it over with. Three hours tops.”

“Promise?” she whispered back.

He chuckled and pulled away, then turned to his mother, who was busy loading the dishwasher. “Mom, you’ll take care of Sabrina while I’m gone, won’t you?”

His mother smiled up from her hunched-over position over the dishwasher. “Of course I will.”

Daniel lifted his finger. “And no interrogation! I know you, Mom! Play nice.”

“Would I ever?” she answered innocently.

Sabrina smiled. She would never have dared to speak to her own mother like that.

The moment the men left the house, all decked out in their golf gear, their golf bags slung over their shoulders, Raffaela wiped her hands on a dishtowel and looked at her.

“Well, since it appears my son just forbade me to ask you any personal questions, we’d better occupy ourselves with something else. Have you ever made cannoli, Sabrina?”

“Cannoli? No,” she answered. “But I’ve eaten them. I love them.”

“Do you want to help me make them?”

Sabrina laughed nervously. “I’ve never really baked anything except a cake from a box.”

Raffaela laughed and opened the door to the pantry, taking out flour, sugar, vegetable oil and other ingredients, and placed them on the large kitchen island.

“Don’t worry, I’ll teach you.” She winked at her. “They are Daniel’s favorite dessert. And love goes through a man’s stomach.”

Sabrina felt her heart warm for Raffaela. There was no doubt about the fact that Raffaela accepted her as Daniel’s girlfriend and wanted their relationship to work. It made her feel at ease, and for the first time since she’d arrived at the Hamptons, Sabrina felt that she could relax.

Raffaela handed her an apron, which Sabrina wrapped around her waist and torso, and saw Raffaela do the same. Then she watched the older woman as she went about measuring the flour into the bowl and adding the sugar and cinnamon.

Astonished, Sabrina looked at her. “Don’t you work from a recipe?”

“I do. But I’ve made these so often, I know it by heart.”

Sabrina watched her as she added eggs, wine, vinegar, and water into the mixture and began to stir it. She peered into the large bowl.

“How many cannoli are you planning to make? That looks like a lot of dough,” she commented.

“Not nearly enough. Daniel can devour a half-dozen in one sitting, and so can his father. Not that I would allow it. He has to watch his cholesterol.”

She kneaded the dough with her hands, then when it had formed into a large ball, she placed it on a wooden surface on the kitchen island, and continued kneading it there, before returning it to the bowl and placing a clean kitchen towel over it.

“Here, put that in the fridge, so it can rest a little.”