Page 21 of Personal Research
“I haven’t broken a bone in a decade and I don’t break rules anymore. At least not important ones.” He broke off a piece of bread and dunked it into his stew.
Which begged the question: why the hell not? Since when had he become a choir boy? Growing up didn’t mean becoming staid.
Well, not completely staid, as his interludes with Elena proved. But still. Once upon a time, he would’ve made his stand about wanting a real relationship with her and to hell with the consequences.
He would’ve said he wanted to come with her to Utah to meet her parents, and not just because he wanted to see Salt Lake City. But somehow he’d traded loving all of her in the light to keep her in the dark.
She didn’t see their relationship as anything more than a fling. She hadn’t said as much, but he was pretty sure she’d slotted him right above her erotic romance writing. Fun while it lasted, but definitely not something she intended to keep in her life long-term.
It wasn’t like he wanted a lifelong commitment from her. Far from it. They were still getting to know each other, in bed and out. All he wanted—needed—was to know she would be open to what happened.
Between them, yes, but also in her own life. She’d closed so many doors, made so many decisions about what was “right” and “acceptable.”
He didn’t live with limits, and he couldn’t stand the thought of someone he cared about chastising themselves for not reaching some invisible bar. Striving was one thing. He had goals too. A hell of a lot of them, actually.
But wanting more and thinking you were less were two vastly different things.
“Somehow I doubt that’s true. You and rules have never mixed. Which is why I’m going to ask this question, and hope you trust me enough to give me the truth.” Uncle Mike faced him squarely. “Are you involved with a married woman?”
“No.” Enzo laughed. “No way. You know how I feel about that. When Colleen started seeing Kevin before his divorce had gone through, who was the one who confronted her when no one else would?”
“Easier to criticize someone else’s life than to live the same way. I’m not accusing you, son. If it’s not that, there’s something. In the past, you couldn’t keep quiet about who you were seeing. Now, nothing.”
Enzo went back to toying with his stew. That was Elena’s doing. She didn’t want her boss to know they were…dating, for lack of a better term.
What the big deal was, he didn’t know.
But she thought business and pleasure should be kept separate. Truthfully, he suspected she thought their arrangement would be easier to dissolve the fewer people who knew about it.
Regardless, he wasn’t going to lie to his uncle. He’d respect Elena’s wishes, but he wouldn’t lie.
“There is someone, and she works at your law firm.” He met Uncle Mike’s steady blue gaze. “She’s not comfortable going public. Yet.”
“But she’s not married?”
“No. She’s single.”
“She’s still single after you got your hands on her?” Laughing, his uncle tossed back the last of his club soda. “Whatsa matter, boy? Losing your touch?”
“It’s early yet. Give me time.” But he smiled just the same as he spooned up stew. “You really think all I need to do is aim and shoot?”
“Well, don’t you?” His practical tone didn’t encourage arguments. “When have you ever missed the mark when it comes to something you want? Question is, how bad do you want her?”
Enzo’s heart gave one hard bump against his ribs.Bad.
“Don’t bother answering. I see all I need to.”
“Am I that transparent?”
“To your favorite uncle? Hell yeah. I hope she’s worth you.”
“She is. She’s worth the world. She just doesn’t see that yet, not completely.”
His uncle scraped up a forkful of chicken and carrots and swallowed with a contented sigh. “So when are you going to tell her how you feel?”
“What makes you think I haven’t?”
“If you had, she’d be okay with ‘going public’ or you would no longer be together.”