“Hello, Mrs. Christakos.” I blush at the title that he’s using, but he’s well aware that we have had no time to marry since they brought me here.
“I’m not married to him. You do know that, right?” I remind him, making him smirk.
Shaking his head and chuckling, he says, “Yes, we do, but he’s told us to call you that.”
“Well, Phoebe works for me.” I march down the last two steps to get within a foot of the brute. He’s as tall as Theo and about the same muscular build, but something tells me that he’s Theo’s clean-up guy.
“Hello, Phoebe. I’m Diego. Sorry about yesterday.”
Twisting my lips and crossing my arms over my chest, I scoff, “Are you really?” I don’t believe that for one minute.
“Only about frightening you, but that’s about it. Come on. Griselda is making some food.”
“So does Theo normally leave this late for work?” I ask as I follow him toward the kitchen. My stomach rumbles so loudly that I can’t hide that I’m starving even if I wanted to.
“Actually, he had to handle a business emergency. He was scheduled to work from home today, but it didn’t work out that way. He’ll be back tonight, though.”
“So what am I supposed to do while he’s gone?”
“Whatever you want in the house. If you need anything, let me know, and I can have someone run out and get it.”
“What, is that below your pay grade?”
“No. I was told to stay here to look after you two ladies.”
Griselda rolls her eyes at him and winks at me. “Mrs. Christakos, you just have to ignore him. He takes his job too seriously.” There’s definitely something between those two, and it makes me smile.
“It’s Phoebe.” I’m not comfortable with people calling me that. I’m not his wife.
“At least while the boss isn’t around,” Diego tells her.
Griselda gives him a nod and a wink. Do they really think Theo takes it that seriously? I don’t understand the man. “Yep. So would you like some food? I’ve made some bacon. Do you want some eggs and pancakes to go with it?”
“Just some scrambled eggs. Thanks.” She turns around and gets back to work. She pulls out a plate and slides it over to Diego just as I sit down at the breakfast bar.
“He loves pancakes.”
“Didn’t figure you for a pancake man,” I remark. He nods his head with a mouthful.
“Orange juice or milk?” she asks me as she whips some eggs in a glass bowl.
“Orange juice, please.”
“So are you two, um…a thing?”
“No, oh no.” Her protests cause him to growl.
He takes a drink of his milk and scowls at her. “You weren’t saying that last night.”
“Well, in the light of day…” She turns around to make my eggs.
“Are her eggs done?” he asks with an indifferent tone, taking another bite of his pancakes before washing them down with his milk. Something in his eyes says he’s feeling anything but indifferent.
“Just about.”
It takes another minute, and then she serves them to me with some bacon. As soon as she sets the plate down, Diego has her in his arms, cradling her. “Excuse us.”
She objects for a second before his mouth takes hers. Then they are out of the room. Swooning like a madwoman, I eat my breakfast, remembering what it was like to be in Theo’s arms.
I take a bite of my food and then look around the large kitchen. It’s a dream kitchen that any woman would love to have in her home. I’m a great cook, and when my mother got sick, I did it often, and then my bastard father used me as his personal servant.
They aren’t back by the time I finish my food, so I clear my plate and glass, washing them before leaving the kitchen. Time to roam.
***
And time was what I had. It’s time for bed, and Theo’s not back. Work, my ass. Maybe he went to see his other woman. He probably keeps her close to his work. I pick up a book from the small library and read until I fall asleep on the sofa.
I don’t know what time it is, but strong arms cradle me and carry me to bed. “Diego, I was comfortable there.”
“Diego?” Theo growled.
“Sorry, I didn’t know you were back. Your guard dog is really serious about keeping us safe.”
He chuckles, and the sound makes me forget how angry I am at him. “Sorry it took so long.”
He brushes his lips on my temple, and I take in his scent, breathing him in. Immediately the happiness fades. “You showered.” It’s not a question, but a statement of fact.
He smiles down at me, and my body burns with longing. He opens the bedroom door and says, “I’ve been home for an hour. There was a fire at the job site. I didn’t want to wake you smelling like cinder and soot.”