Chapter Five
All day long Morgan had been jumping at the sound of the bell and then getting onto herself when it turned out to be a customer. It was silly to think Davin would come and see her. There was no reason he would after all this time.
He’d left town for whatever reasons, and those reasons were enough that he didn’t keep in contact with her. It’d hurt at first, but at this point, she’d accepted the cold, hard truth.
Still, there was a part of her that wanted to see him. To know he was doing okay. Her feelings for him didn’t change the fact that he led a very dangerous life.
From time to time, she’d hear something about him and learn that he was still out there. Although, given some of the crazy and shocking things she heard, she sometimes was surprised he hadn’t been killed.
Morgan sighed as she turned the sign over in the window to “CLOSED.”
Why did things always have to be so complicated for her? Why couldn’t she be like one of the women from her books? Meet a good man, fall in love, and live happily ever after.
Morgan moved away from the door, shaking her head. She wasn’t a child. It wasn’t like she was expecting perfection. All she wanted was her chance at the happily ever after.
She grabbed her purse and pulled out her keys. When she’d made doubly sure the locks were in place, she glanced over to the stairs on the side of the building, the ones that led to her cozy little place.
Long before her aunt had passed away, she’d gifted the place to Morgan. It wasn’t much, but it was home.
Her stomach rumbled loudly.
Upstairs there was some leftover chicken still in the freezer. It was good, but it wasn’t homemade pasta with a fragrant cream sauce and fresh seafood.
It’d been a long day, and she deserved a treat, a treat like eating at Sposami. Just thinking about eating at the restaurant made her mouth water.
With new resolve, Morgan made her way down the road. The best thing about the place was how close it was to her little shop.
When she’d first started working at the book store, Mama Ricci used to insist Morgan stop by after school to eat. She’d discovered her love for Italian food and the wonderful couple that ran the restaurant.
In a way, they were the parents she’d always wanted.
As Morgan opened the doors, she instantly felt at home. The scent of garlic and butter filled the air in a scandalous sort of way.
An unfamiliar face greeted her, but she smiled brightly at the new server.
“Good evening,” he said politely. “Have you dined with us before?”
“Morgan,” Mama Ricci said, her head just peeking out from behind the kitchen doors. “You seat her in the good spot and treat her good.”
Morgan had to bite her lip as the small woman with soft brown curls waved a ladle at the poor server.
“Yes, ma’am.” He jumped into action and scurried over to the booth in the back.
Morgan sat down. “Don’t worry.” She winked. “She’s all bark, no bite.”
The younger man pulled out a pad of paper. “I’m not so sure of that,” he mumbled.
Morgan snorted. Maybe he was more right in this situation.
Mama Ricci was a wonderful woman, but she didn’t put up with much shit from anyone. It was part of the reason Morgan loved her. There was a piece of Morgan that wanted to be that way as well.
“I’ll take a house red and the usual,” she said quietly. “She’ll know what I mean.”
The young man gave a quick nod and made his way over to the counter.
Morgan looked around the place. She always loved sitting in the back. It was where they kept the best pictures. Mostly of a much younger Mr. and Mrs. Ricci.
They beamed happily in the photos, gazing into one another’s eyes as if there were no one else in the world.
Her heart always twisted a little as she looked at them. That was what she wanted.
Morgan looked away from the photos as the waiter set the wine on the table. She smiled at him before taking a drink.
A loud rumble filled the road and then cut off as a beautiful classic black car pulled out front. The prominent Mustang hood ornaments on the front caught her eye.
She marveled at the vehicle from where she sat. Someone had lovingly polished the black until it shined.
The driver-side door opened, and she nearly choked on her wine. No. It couldn’t be. Not here.
Davin stepped out onto the street. He wore jeans and a t-shirt, looking just as amazing as she always remembered.
No. Even better than she remembered.
“Don’t let him see me,” she whispered. “Oh God, don’t let him see me.”
She’d spent so much time convincing herself that he wouldn’t come to see her that it never really occurred to her that she might run into him by accident.
Morgan looked around for a way out, but her chance at freedom eluded her. If she ran out the back door, it would only make Mama Ricci worry. Plus there was no way she was fast enough to escape without Davin spotting her.
She watched in horror as he turned around and pinned her with his bright green eyes. The corner of his mouth turned up in the sultry half smile that always seemed to make her lower half quiver a little.
It’d been years since she had last seen him, but the feelings she’d tried to suppress burned as hotly as ever.
Morgan ducked back behind the booth wall. “Fuck.”
The waiter set down the garlic bread and frowned. “Something wrong?”
Morgan snapped her gaze over to him, not really sure what to say. There was no way to ask him to hide her without sounding like some sort of crazy woman.
She shook her head. “Sorry, just thinking out loud.”
He shrugged and stepped away as the door chimed open.
“Good evening, sir,” the waiter said to someone she assumed was Davin.
Morgan stole a glance around the booth wall to watch. Maybe he hadn’t noticed her at all, and it was just coincidence he was there and looked her way. The younger waiter stood a little taller, trying to match himself to the height and build of Davin.
He had filled out since the last time she’d seen him. Davin had never really been scrawny, but there was more muscle on his frame than she ever remembered him having. The front of his shirt strained over his thick muscles, and for a moment she found herself lost in them.
“Thanks,” Davin said, and gave a smooth smile. “It looks like my friend is already here. I’ll have what she’s having.”
Morgan swallowed hard as he pointed her way.
The waiter scurried off to add the new order as Morgan ducked back behind the booth.
No question now. He was headed her way, and she wasn’t quite sure what face she should put on. Was there an appropriate face for “Hey, you left six years ago and broke my heart, but it’s great to see you?” If so, she was having trouble nailing anything but terror, which didn’t seem to really fit either.
Instead she sat and watched as Davin strolled to the back of the restaurant, his stride one-hundred percent confident. When he reached the table, she still struggled with what she’d even say after all that time.
“Hello, Morgan,” Davin said with ease.
She clenched her fists in her lap and took a shaky breath. “Davin.”
His name came in a rush, and she blushed at the erotic way it sounded from her lips.
He raised a brow and then slid into the seat across from her, his feet knocking against her own. Quickly she moved them away, hoping the flipping in her stomach might settle soon.
“It’s been a long time,” he said softly.
His voice was low this time as he spoke. His eyes roved over her. Morgan cursed her sensible choice this morning. A button-down cream blouse and black pencil skirt wasn’t exactly going to make an impression.
She shook her head a little. Making an impression on Davin shouldn’t even be a factor. He left. It was clear that she was never of interest to him. At least not in the way she wanted.
“Thanks for sending flowers for Aunt Dee,” she said. Her words were as stiff as she felt.
For a moment, she spotted a flicker of regret in his eyes. He glanced down at the table.
“I was sorry to hear about that,” he said, and then looked up to her. “I would have come if I could.”
She wanted to ask what had kept him but wasn’t so sure that she’d like the answer. Davin had always had a dangerous reputation, even back when she knew him. In a way, it was one of the reasons she felt safe around him, because she knew he was dangerous enough to protect her.
The waiter appeared with his glass of wine, and Davin frowned.
Morgan felt the corners of her mouth twitch at the thought of him drinking wine. “Why don’t you bring a beer?” she said to the waiter who nodded.
She finished the last bit of her wine and slid the glass in front of him over.
“A wine drinker now?” Davin said, a hint of amusement in his voice.
Morgan took a drink before answering. She hated to admit it to herself, but the wine was the only thing helping her hold it together.
“Sometimes,” she managed to say.
She wanted to sound mysterious, but judging by the smile on Davin’s face, Morgan wasn’t so sure she was pulling that off so well.
“What brings you back to town?” she asked.
Davin leaned back and stretched a little. For the first time, she could see the circles under his eyes and wondered just what, or who, had been keeping him up at night.
“Just a job for my cousin,” he said. “You remember Kane and Torin?”
She nodded. Morgan didn’t think she could ever forget them. They had been the ones to help save her the day she’d met Davin.
“We’ve got a team,” Davin said with a gesture of his hand. “We do… odd jobs.”
Odd. Morgan snorted. That was one way to phrase it.
Although she never had any illusions about the kind of work Davin performed, he’d always been very careful to never openly admit it to her for whatever reasons.
She breathed in deeply as a plate of steaming cream sauce and seafood over a bed of fresh pasta was placed in front of her. The waiter placed a bottle of beer and a mug next to Davin.
He took a drink directly from the bottle and couldn’t help but smile. He caught her eye and pulled the bottle away.
“I missed your smile,” he said.
A blush crept up on her face. It was hard to be angry at him when he said things like that, and it just made her heart hammer in her chest. It was like he’d never left.
Morgan tried to ignore the comment and focused on the food in front of her.
She popped a fork full into her mouth and couldn’t suppress the groan that came out. The rich, thick sauce melded with the garlic and sweet notes of seafood. It was the most perfect bite possible.
“Sweet Jesus,” Davin mumbled, and took another drink off his beer.
Morgan ignored him. Just because he liked to date sticks who ate salad for dinner didn’t mean that other women didn’t like food. She was going to eat the whole thing, and she’d just have to jab him in the eye if he said anything.