Read Online That's Amore by Erin McCarthy - Free Book Online Page A

half a mile to the apartment.”
    Jeff obviously heard nothing about the car seat, preoccupied with his masculine failings. “I was not afraid. More like startled, that’s all. Give me a break. Afraid? I don’t think so.”
    Paige sighed, deciding she needed to deal with Jeff’s identity crisis now or they would be discussing this all night. “I know that. Of course you weren’t afraid. You’re very brave, Jeff.” She struggled to sound sincere, and keep the sarcasm out of her voice.
    “Just look at the way you handled Johnny Romano. He was waving a gun in your face and you didn’t panic. You got Justin and I out of there and shook him right off our tail.”
    Jeff’s chest swelled a little. “That’s right. I did.” He parked the car in front of the apartment building and turned to her. “Benedetto men aren’t afraid.”
    Maybe not of bullets or participating in bar room brawls. But a little blood had him keeling over. And how about commitment? While it might not make Jeff faint, it had sent him running out on her three years ago.
    Yes, Jeff definitely had his fears.
    So did she. Fear of getting her heart trounced on again.
    He smiled at her, his gleaming white teeth a straight and interesting perfection in a face that was more rugged than classically good looking.
    Fear rose in her that it was already too late. She suspected if he wanted to trounce, he could. Her heart was teetering on the edge of the cliff and one more molten lava look from him and it was going to go free falling off the side, Wile E. Coyote style.
    Jeff wondered what Paige was thinking. A little frown was furrowing her forehead and she was studying him as if he had just burped or something.
    He was really ticked that he had passed out like that. Not exactly what a guy wants to do when he’s trying to make the moves on a woman. Hit the floor like some wuss who can’t handle a paper cut.
    Then to make it even worse, at the ER, every male between the age of thirteen and ninety had gawked at Paige in her short shorts and clinging top. Jeff had a headache from glaring all those guys down.
    It was unreal. I mean, it was obvious that she was a married woman with a baby, dealing with a family crisis. How could guys be so disgusting?
    Wait a minute.
    They weren’t married. Paige wasn’t even his girlfriend. They didn’t have a baby.
    Then why had it felt so right, so natural, to be there with his arm wrapped around Paige’s shoulders while she held Justin tightly in her arms?
    Because he was an idiot, that’s why.
    He had been suffering from a thing for Paige for ten years and it was not getting better. It was getting worse. It wasn’t going away.
    It had settled into his chest and was showing every sign of spreading, growing, reaching out into every inch of him.
    Like cancer.
    “Can you open the door for me?” she said finally, looking at him expectantly.
    He blinked. “Yeah, right. Of course.”
    He got out of the car, went around and opened the passenger door. “Here, let me get Justin.”
    The sleeping baby was warm and snuggly in Paige’s arms, and he whimpered when Jeff lifted him up. Jeff settled him in his arms, heavy and smelling like apple juice from the bottle Paige had given him at the hospital.
    A funny little jolt jerked through Jeff.
    What would black hair and blond hair look like blended together in a baby?
    Mud, that’s what. Jeff knew better than to get all squishy and warm over the thought of having a baby with Paige. He knew better.
    Girls like Paige didn’t marry guys like him.
    In three years he hadn’t learned a damn thing. He was still fantasizing about making Paige his.
    Wake up and smell the power tools, Benedetto
.
    Paige unlocked the apartment after they went up the stairs, and Jeff was careful not to jostle Justin.
    “What time is it?” she asked.
    “I can’t see my watch.”
    “It’s six-twelve,” Paige said as she leaned around to eye the kitchen clock.
    “Is that all?” It felt like they had