His smile grew. “Not even a little. I can’t allow it to happen again.” He waited a beat. “At least, not until I have a ring on your finger.”
Her eyes widened. “Excuse me?”
“Let’s just say that once you’re wearing my engagement ring, I’ll consider my promise to Primo fulfilled.”
The air escaped her lungs in a rush, and she fought to breathe. “And then?” she asked faintly.
“And then we’ll finish what we started tonight.” He reached out and wound a ringlet around his finger. “One way or another we’ll work this out.” His mouth twisted. “Of course, getting whatever this is out of our systems will take a lot of work.”
“What if I don’t want to make love to you?”
He chuckled. The rich, husky sound had her swaying toward him. “Somehow I don’t think that’ll be a problem.”
He leaned in and snatched a kiss, leaving her longing for more. And then he released her and left her standing there, clutching the sheet to her chest.
He was wrong. So wrong. Making love would be far more than a problem. It would be a disaster. Taking their relationship that next step would forge a deeper connection. No matter how much he wanted to deny it, it would create a bond between them that could offer nothing but pain.
Because the minute she told him that Leigh was her sister—half sister—and he discovered the real reason she’d approached him, he wouldn’t want anything further to do with her.
Six
“Nervous?” Rafe asked as he downshifted the car.
They climbed farther into the hills overlooking Sausalito along a winding road that led to Primo and Nonna’s. Each bend showcased breathtaking views one minute and then equally breathtaking villas the next. It was pointless to pretend she wasn’t nervous, so Larkin nodded.
“A little. Your grandparents can be rather intimidating. And now there’s the rest of the Dantes to contend with….”
She trailed off with a shrug that spoke volumes. A far greater concern was whether any of them would somehow make some sort of quantum leap and connect her to Leigh. With such a large contingent of Dantes present for Sunday dinner, she’d be lynched for sure.
Rafe spared her a flashing smile. “Try not to worry. The intimidation factor is aimed at me, not you. I’ve already received a half dozen lectures from various family members who are worried about my intentions toward you. Afraid I’ll corrupt you or something.” Pulling into a short drive, he crammed his car behind the ones already parked outside his grandparents’ home. “Other than that, I have a terrific family.”
“Big. You have a big family.”
He glanced at her, curious. “Is it the size that worries you?”
“Everything about your family worries me,” she announced ominously.
He chuckled at that. “Just do what I do and ignore all the drama. You don’t have to answer any questions you don’t want to.”
“I’ll tell them you said that, but somehow I doubt it’ll work.”
She opened the car door and climbed out, smoothing the skirt of her dress—something she rarely, if ever, wore. It was new, a purchase that both Nonna and Elia had insisted on making, despite her hesitation. In all reality, it was more of an oversize shirt than an actual dress, right down to the rolled-up sleeves and button-down collar. Unfortunately, she felt as if she’d forgotten half her outfit. Still, she couldn’t deny it suited her.
A dainty gold belt cinched her waist, making it appear incredibly small, while the shirttail hem flirted in that coy no-man’s-land between knee and thigh, drawing attention to her slender legs. She just hoped it didn’t also draw attention to the thin network of silvery-white scars that remained a permanent reminder of her broken leg.
“Stop fussing. You look amazing.” Rafe circled the car and took her hand in his. “They’re all going to love you as much as Mamma and Nonna.”
Despite her nervousness, she couldn’t help finding the Italian inflection that rippled through his voice endearing, especially when he referred to his mother or grandmother. It was as beautiful as it was lyrical.