Maria (Made Men 7)

Before she could see it, the speed bump his Charger went over grabbed her attention, and she saw the entrance that Kayne was driving through.

“I haven’t been here in so long …,” Maria mumbled breathlessly while she slowly unbuckled her seatbelt as Kayne got of the car.

Chills pricked every hair on her arms, making them and her come to a standstill. Well, in her case, a sit still.

Opening her car door, a worried look marred his face.

“Maria?” When she hadn’t answer, Kayne leaned down, looking at her more closely. “Is everything all right?”

“Yeah, I just ….” It was an odd feeling, or maybe it was a sensation, but looking at the botanical gardens, it was like she had seen a ghost. “My mother used to take me and Lucca here every year in March when it opened for the year.”

“It opened today.” His voice was soft at revealing that bit of information. “I’m sorry. I didn’t—We don’t have to stay. We can go anywhere else you’d like.”

“No, it’s fine.” She shook her head and that bizarre feeling. “How did you …?” Turning to look at him now, her heart thudded at how close his handsomely boyish face was to hers from leaning over.

“Leo told me you might like it. If I had known the circumstances, I wouldn’t have taken you here, Maria.” He reached down, grabbing her soft hand and giving it a light squeeze. “Like I said, we don’t have to stay.”

Looking at his hand on hers, she could feel the brokenness in his pinky. She began to smile. She felt like it strangely fit.

“No, it’s perfect. I couldn’t have thought of a better first date myself.”

“Good.” Kayne’s concerned expression slowly disappeared as he continued holding her hand to help her out of the car.

Maria took a deep breath, reminiscing over the light, flowery scent that wafted toward her after not being here since her mother’s death. Not knowing if it was nostalgia or the aphrodisiac of the flowers, she felt herself starting to go soft. She couldn’t believe what she said next.

“This is so sweet.”

“Of me or Leo?”

She tightened her hand on his that he had yet to let go. “Both.” But maybe a little bit more of Leo.

She couldn’t help thinking about when she was a young girl and her mother had brought Leo home from the hospital. Seeing his pretty blue eyes, he had looked prettier than the infamous Gerber baby. As far as she was concerned, to this day, the only thing God gifted this world was her baby brother.

“I don’t know if I’ve been called sweet before, but I’ll take it if it makes you happy.”

“It does,” she assured him, still seeing the hint of worry in his eyes from having brought her here.

She didn’t want to tell him that her mother’s death hadn’t affected her like it should have. Truth was, it had affected Lucca way more than her, and that was the real shock.

Maria was the one to lead Kayne, taking him to her favorite part of the just-budding gardens. Every time the wind even slightly stirred, snow-like cherry blossoms rained down upon them.

Strolling next to him, she couldn’t stop herself from smiling. She would have sworn the hand in hers felt like her mother’s when she reached the beginning of the cherry tree walk. She had been so taken aback that he brought her here, but now, with every step they took, it felt like her mother was giving her approval to be there with Kayne.

“This was my favorite place to visit when we came here. I made Mom and Lucca walk me down here when all they wanted to do was look at the newly planted flowers.”

“I can see why. It’s beautiful.” When Kayne had said that, he hadn’t been looking at the perfect row of trees.

Her heart quickened as her feet stopped. Goddamn, this man was somehow even more handsome when he gave her compliments.

“Yes, that’s why I made them take me here first. If they didn’t, I’d stop walking until they promised me they would. I might have a little bit of a temper.” She decided to give the poor man a tiny bit of a warning before he thought she was all beauty and no brawn.

“A little?” Kayne teased with a smile, picking up a long lock of her blonde hair and twisting it around his finger before tugging her lips closer to his. “Some of the fights you had when you went to Legacy Prep are legendary.”

Blinking, she didn’t know if she was more stunned at the fact that he clearly wasn’t as naïve to her antics as she had thought or that her own fights were legendary.

“Really?”

Kayne withheld his laughter. “You’re looking pretty pleased with yourself, Ms. Caruso. Teachers typically frown at fighting.”

“You don’t?” she asked playfully, looking at him through long lashes, already knowing the answer.