Their Masquerade (The American Soldier Collection 6)

. The vegetables are so fresh, and the tomatoes? Oh, God, they are ripe and redder than you’ve ever seen around here. The smell of them growing on the vines is wonderful.” She spoke with such enthusiasm and detail, they all listened to her every word. The sound of her voice, the sweetness of her smile on those sensual lips he longed to taste again was becoming too much for him. Quentin always went after what he wanted. If he felt some attraction to a woman, he entertained that attraction and it always worked out. But he knew, somehow deep within his soul, that with Mariah, it would be different. He’d never felt such a strong connection and pull toward a woman. Could it be like what L.T. said? Could it be that they wanted to latch on to her as a connection to maintain Michael? A therapist would have a field day with him. With any of them. No, it couldn’t be. This was real. What he was feeling and wanting was real.

He glanced at her, and she was watching him. Those big blue eyes looked all fired up with anger. “What?” she asked him in challenge.

He gave his head a lame shake like some kid who didn’t want to discuss it right now because he was filled with piss and vinegar. She huffed and stood up, went to the sink, and looked out the window.

By the time Jeb called it a night and the rest of them sat down on the porch outside, he was fed up. Mariah had just walked onto the porch. Her cell phone kept going off. It had been for the last damn hour.

“Making a lot of plans with friends from town?” Deacon asked as Mariah sat down on the cushioned sofa next to Deacon and Axel. Quentin was biting the inside of his cheek as he wondered who kept texting her. Was she being truthful in the cemetery today about being experienced, perhaps having a boyfriend or lover in Italy? That really pissed him off so much and he was nearly overwhelmed with the jealousy that was shoving through his veins.

He saw Axel glance over as Mariah texted back and then flipped her phone over onto her thigh. She didn’t want them to see who was texting her. Why? Quentin was seeing red.

* * * *

“So tell us about Italy and where you worked? Did you make a lot of friends or mostly hang out with Sienna?” Axel asked as she crossed her legs and leaned back.

“It was wonderful and so beautiful there, especially in the country. The villas are spectacular.”

“I know. They’re all so unique,” Deacon added. She looked at him.

“You’ve been to Italy, and to a villa?”

“In the military, years ago. The atmosphere is different there.”

“It sure is. It’s very romantic, too,” she added.

“Who did you know that owned a villa?” Axel asked.

“Oh, Sienna’s lovers did and some of their business contacts. I attended a very big party before I left. It was a lot of fun,” she said and they heard her phone buzz again. She flipped it over, texting as L.T. spoke.

“Did you say lovers?” he asked.

She looked up and Axel felt sick. Mariah was gorgeous and sexy and would gain so much attention wherever she went. How many lovers did she have in Italy? Who took her virginity? He shot a look at Quentin, who looked about to hit something.

“Oh, Sienna’s been with her three lovers for two years. They simply adore her.”

“Is that a common thing over there?” L.T. asked.

“Very common, just like here, I suppose. It’s kind of funny. There’s a beautiful place, a wine bar and café in Tuscany. My friends and I spent a lot of time there. It is called Amore Vietato.”

“That sounds beautiful,” Axel whispered.

“What does it mean?” Quentin asked.

Deacon stared at Mariah as she started to say the words, but he said them instead, never taking his eyes off of her. “Forbidden love.”

Axel swallowed hard. This conversation was going in a direction they had not planned on.

“That’s right, Deacon. I didn’t know that you spoke Italian,” she said to him.

He leaned back and placed his arm over the back of the couch and her shoulders.

“I only know a little bit.”

“The important words, huh?” she teased.

“I suppose.”

Her phone buzzed again.