Coming Home (Morelli Family 6)
I roll my eyes, shaking my head. “That’s dumb. If I hadn’t, she may have missed out on Adrian altogether to chase after you.”
“I’m not disagreeing with you, just offering a take on her perspective.”
I carry on with my scenario. “Then Adrian would be single and lonely.”
“So, your type,” he says, lightly.
“And then maybe he would’ve decided to save me from my own personal tormentor.”
Tugging me a little closer, he says, “You don’t want to pit me against Adrian, trust me.”
“It’s an alternate reality. Obviously in the real world, I love you both. Anyway, while I’m suffering from your delicious brand of Mateo torment—”
Before I can detail the rest of my fantasy, Mateo shuts me up in the loveliest way—by catching the back of my head in his big, strong hand and pulling me in for a tender kiss.
Chapter Thirty Five
Mia
Mateo and I are making the rounds, chatting up friends and relatives I’ve never met before. My feet are killing me, and we’ve only been doing this for two hours. Mateo wasn’t joking when he said Morelli weddings are long. People have already eaten, but I’m pretty sure they’re going be here long enough to eat again. The open bar has people already getting a little rowdy. I’m tired of talking to people; I just want to dance with, talk to, and kiss my brand new husband.
That’s still weird. The best kind of weird, but definitely something to get used to. Mateo Morelli, my husband.
His hand tightens around my waist and he leans in. “What are you smiling about?”
I grin up at him. “We’re married.”
He smiles and leans down to give me a kiss. It’s cut short, however, when a semi-familiar face approaches.
The dark-haired PI with the Superman jaw who tried to warn me off all those years ago glances at our guests, then looks to Mateo, his blue eyes serious. “Can I see you for a minute?”
Mateo’s tone is instantly business-like. “Everything all right?”
“There’s a potential situation.” He glances at me, like he doesn’t want to say anymore.
Mateo nods brusquely and lets his arm fall from around my waist. “You stay here,” Mateo says. “I’ll be right back.”
“Wait.” I tag along anyway, casting an apologetic smile back at the guests we were talking to and following after him. “Is it Vince? Sal said—”
“I don’t know, Mia. Just…” He looks briefly annoyed with me, but he attempts to garner more patience. “Let me find out and I’ll be back.” Instead of leaving though, he looks around. “Go find Adrian.”
“Adrian’s with us,” Ethan tells him.
Mateo is looking over my head, I assume just because he’s thinking what to do with me, but then he lifts his hand and beckons someone over.
A moment later Rafe strides up in a tan suit, his golden hair curling around his collar, hands tucked casually into his pockets. “You rang?”
“Watch her,” Mateo says. “I have to go check something out. Don’t let her out of your sight. If anything feels off, take her inside the house.”
“Yes, sir,” Rafe says easily.
“Really?” I demand as Mateo turns and walks away with Ethan.
“I’m the one who should be offended,” Rafe tells me, lightly enough. “He knows I’ve had my hands all over you and he’s still not worried.”
“He’s obnoxiously sure of himself,” I tell Rafe, sighing as I turn around. “Have you talked to Vince? He’s not here, right? I really don’t want him to get murdered at my wedding.”
As if I haven’t spoken, Rafe puts a hand at the small of my back and ushers me out onto the dance floor.
“What are you doing? You’re supposed to be guarding me.”
“Can’t get much closer than this,” Rafe points out, grabbing me around the waist and taking my much smaller hand in his. “How have you been?”
He’s exasperating. “I’m fabulous. Stop distracting me and tell me what’s going on.”
“I have no idea what’s going on,” he states, calmly. “I don’t work for your husband, remember? I’m here as a guest.”
I smile, melting with pleasure. “My husband. That’s nice.”
“I have to be honest, once I realized he had two of you, I thought you were bullshitting me with that fiancé thing. But here we are, so I guess not.”
I don’t know if he’s still making an effort to distract me or if this really is just conversation, but whatever his motivation, this does distract me effectively. After Rafe left, Meg told me they had gone out the night Mateo proposed to me. I made a bigger deal of it than she did, apparently, but since Rafe was gone, I never did get his side of things.
“Speaking of my ex-sister wife, I hear you two went out last time you were in town. How was that?”
“She’s not what I expected of Mateo’s girlfriend—even if she was just half of a set.” I poke him in the chest for that one and he flashes me a grin. “Hey, it wasn’t a put-down. I would’ve been very interested in playing with that set. Mateo’s a lucky bastard.”