Page 166 of Modern Romance January 2025 5-8

‘I’m very happy at the restaurant.’

‘Sorry?’

‘You were going to offer to pay me to check in on Gio, or...’

‘No.’ Dante shook his head. ‘That wasn’t my question.’

‘Good.’ She let out a small laugh. ‘I adore him, but...’

‘I get it.’ He took a sip of coffee.

‘No,’ Susie said—because it wasn’t that she didn’t want to help Gio, and frankly she needed any work she could get. ‘I think of Gio as a friend. I like our chats and helping out. I don’t want to get paid for it.’

‘Susie, that wasn’t my question.’

‘What was it, then?’ she asked, certain it would be something about Gio.

‘Would you like to go for dinner tonight?’

‘Dinner?’ Susie frowned. ‘To talk about your grandfather?’

‘Oh, no.’

She swallowed. The café’s heaters must have suddenly been turned up, because she was boiling beneath them. Truly. She wanted to fling off her coat or tip a bucket of ice over her head.

Never had she been so boldly propositioned.

Never had she thought she might be.

And certainly not by this most sexy, gorgeous man, who somehow turned her on with nothing more than a touch.

It startled her how badly she wanted to lift her eyes to his and nod.

For him to take her there.

Wherever ‘there’ was.

She’d almost forgotten to breathe, Susie realised as she dragged in a long breath. And she wished...oh, she wished she was brave enough to say yes. To just get up from this table and be led to his bed.

Only she’d never been brave in that department.

And, in truth, she didn’t really like sex.

At least, she hadn’t to date.

‘I’m actually working tonight,’ she said.

‘That’s okay.’

‘I’d love to, but I do have work, and if I don’t give enough notice...’

‘Susie.’ He smiled, and she wished she could smile so easily when rejected. ‘It’s fine.’

No, it wasn’t fine.

It was Susie who had said no, and yet she was the one fighting not to pout.

‘It’s not that. I...’ What could she say? That she wanted to?