Page 95 of Enduring Caine
“What?” I flipped over my watch and squinted at it. “It’s only…”
“One in the morning and you’re drunk,” she said. “Giovanni and Daniel left an hour ago. Cesca left four hours ago.”
“I’m not drunk.” I grabbed for her, but she moved far too quickly for me. “I’ve only had three glasses of wine.”
“Three too many with your codeine.” She nudged me, and I tipped backward against the chair.
I waved a hand to toss her silly comment aside. “Amore, I grew up with red wine in my nursing bottle.”
Cristian chuckled. “And I probably put it there.”
That threw us into another fit of laughter.
Samantha cracked the barest of smiles and stood. “I’m going to bed. Can I have the key?”
“Don’t leave me, Samantha.” I dragged out the middle syllable of her name, the trick that caused goosebumps to crawl up her arms and made her purr.
“You could choose to come upstairs now, and I wouldn’t have to.” She was so serious.
I waggled my eyebrows at her. “Are you inviting me to your bed?”
“We don’t allow that around here, you know.” Cristian shook his head and took another drink. “Papa’s silly rules. Look where it’s gotten us.”
“Here…” I dug into my pocket, searching for the key. It was there somewhere. I’d had it earlier.
She sank her hand into my right pocket and withdrew the key. How did it get on that side? “Next time, we make sure we both have keys toourroom.”
Cristian hollered toward an exit from the dining room. “Hey! Who’s out there?”
One of the guards with the ridiculous gun at his hip poked his head in. “Do you need something?”
“I need an escort to our room.” She rolled her eyes and kissed me on the cheek, then pulled back to look at me eye-to-eye. Her giant pupils practically swallowed her stunning irises whole. “Don’t stay up too late.”
“Your eyes are the most beautiful shade of green. Have I ever told you that?”
She gave me a tight-lipped smile and kissed my forehead. “Love you, you drunken fool.”
“I love you, too.” I snatched her hand before she could go and brought it to my lips. It had a hint of sugar and chocolate from her dessert. “You taste so good.”
With a shake of her head, she was off with the guard.
As soon as she was out of earshot, a chuckle burst out of me. “She’s right. I need some water.”
Cristian laughed and stood, grabbing a pitcher from the end of the table for me. “You seem quite taken with her.”
I accepted the glass and chugged it down. “I thought I’d known love before I met her, but she’s something special.”
“Thought about settling down?”
“Thought about it?” I passed the empty glass across the table and Cristian refilled it for me. “I intend to grow old with that woman. Play with our grandchildren together. I can’t imagine anyone more perfectly suited for me.”
Cristian’s smile faded, and he stared at the glass for a long moment before passing it back to me. He was clearly the more sober one. “This whole thing with Papa after the heart attack—it was a big change. Not everyone was happy about it. But if it means I could sit at your wedding or meet those grandchildren someday, it’s worth it.”
“Money and power don’t buy happiness?”
He shook his head. “It’s been so long, I almost forgot how much I enjoyed your company.”
“And considering the circumstances…”