Just One Kiss (The Town of Pearl 8)

“It’s cold out,” Salvatore barked at her.

“I have a nice warm coat now, Salvatore. No worries,” she said and then looked toward the pathway.

“One of us should give you a ride back,” Maxwell told her sternly.

“That’s not necessary, but thank you. I should get moving.” She started to walk away.

“We’ll walk with you. We were going to check out the display anyway,” Gabriele told her as he pushed off the back of the truck and approached. She looked so worried, but they didn’t give her a chance to turn them down. They started walking, and Brutas placed himself between her and Salvatore.

* * * *

Gabriele was surprised at how beautiful Lucia was. He knew she was petite and had long brown hair, but those big doe eyes and those pretty little lips were very appealing. There was this instant need to protect her and remain by her side when he found out she walked here alone. As Maxwell and the brothers discussed the other night, it could be dangerous.

“What is that over there?” she asked, pointing to the display that was supposed to look like a Tyrannosaurus surrounded by skeletons of other dinosaurs, all made out of carved pumpkins.

“I think that’s a T. rex. Look at how they made the tail.” He pointed.

“I’ve never seen anything like this before.”

“They don’t carve pumpkins for Halloween where you came from?” Maxwell asked. Leave it to their investigator brother to find a way to interrogate the woman.

She swung around to look at Maxwell, her hair whipping over her shoulders and the jacket.

Suddenly and without warning, her perfume and the scent of her shampoo enticed him.

“I didn’t say that. There just wasn’t anything like this,” she said, avoiding giving any indication of where she was from. He caught the hint of a more Southern accent in her Texas twang, but couldn’t be certain.

Maxwell took the opportunity to lean closer to her as she stood by the fence along with other visitors. She really seemed to be enjoying the displays.

The wind picked up a little, and people gasped as leaves blew around. It seemed the nights were getting a lot colder faster. Lucia pulled her jacket tighter, and then Lucifer blocked the wind and held her by the sides of her arms.

“Damn, it’s getting windy,” Lucifer whispered.

He stared down into Lucia’s eyes, and Maxwell noticed her body language. She tightened up, looking ready to bolt.

“Are you warm enough?” Lucifer asked, and he reached up and cupped her cheek. Lucia looked down and turned. “Lucia?” Lucifer questioned her reaction to his touch.

“We should keep walking,” she said.

He held her shoulder on the right side and kept his left hand on her upper arm on the left side.

“Hey, I’m just making sure that you’re warm. You know, looking out for you.”

“I don’t need looking out for.”

“Maybe I think otherwise,” he replied.

“I’m not your concern.”

“Maybe we’re making you our concern,” Lucifer told her, and even Gabriele was shocked. But his brother was right on target. There was a shared attraction here, but Gabriele’s gut warned him that Lucia might not be so willing to accept them. This was a huge step, something they rarely talked about lately, only years ago. What had changed? Where were all these emotions coming from?

“We?” she replied.

“Yes. You shouldn’t be walking out at night alone and through the woods,” he countered.

“I can take care of myself.”

“I don’t think you can.”