How Deep is Your Love?

by Kathryn Shay

  Because she kept picturing him Monday night and how he touched her. How she’d thought he was going to drag her to his lap and kiss her. How she wanted him to do just that.

  And then there had been the lurid dream. She tried hard to banish images of naked body parts and erotic sounds from her mind but nothing worked. Deciding this was stupid—practically pining away here in her room—she got up from her desk and walked out. Heading down to the teacher’s lounge to get a bottle of water, she passed the turnoff to the PE office.

  Stop being such a coward. Go see him. You know you want to.

  Turning, she strode to his office and knocked on the door. It opened. His hair was damp, and he was shirtless and barefoot. Low-slung shorts hung on his hips. She took in a breath at all that luscious masculinity on display. “Oh.”

  “Hey. Let me grab a shirt.” He half closed the door, but she could peek in through the slit. His back was tanned and muscular. His arms bulged with his movements as he poked his head through a polo shirt and stuck his feet into sandals.

  Again, Brie felt something curl deep inside her, but this time, she didn’t even try to stop the attraction because it felt so good.

  He pulled the door open wider. “Sorry. I slid into bases with the kids today. I needed a shower.” Lifting an arm, he leaned against the jamb. “This is a pleasant surprise. Did you come for a reason, or just to see me?” His smile was devilish.

  If he could flirt with her, she’d be damned if she’d lie. “Both. Want to grab something to drink in the lounge?”

  His eyes lit at her admission. “I have a better idea. There’re bottles of lemonade and cold ice tea in our fridge. We could sit at the picnic table under the tree outside. That sound good?”

  His obvious pleasure in the idea was contagious. “Great.”

  “Come on in.”

  The small office smelled very male. Mostly some soap or aftershave he used. They chose lemonade then walked through the back door and took opposite sides of the table. “Is it too hot out here?” he asked.

  “No, it’s lovely under the tree. I’ve been cooped up all day.”

  “One thing about PE is we get to be outside. But I wish the heat would break so I could take the kids out all day long.”

  “Yeah.” She stared down at the table, which was scarred with use. “So far there’ve been no more incidents with Sammy, right?”

  “Right. Did you contact Alexandra?”

  “She’s coming out this weekend to see me and Mari and to work something up.”

  “You know, Brie, if this is effective, you should write an article on what you did so other schools could do something similar with presentations.”

  “What a great idea, Dante.”

  “Can I come to see her?”

  “I’m thinking maybe we should do it for the whole school.”

  “I agree. So,” he said thumbing the label on the sweaty bottle. “I missed you this week.”

  I missed you this week, too. But she wasn’t daring enough to say that. “Our coffees together, you mean?” How stupid. She was bumbling this.

  He searched her face as if he knew. “That, too. What have you been doing the last two nights outside of school?”

  “Yoga Tuesday. I spent Wednesday with Mari and Lilliana. You?”

  “I worked at the shop. Went to the gym. I’m having dinner with Tris tonight.” His eyes twinkled when he mentioned his sister. “Are you excited about your family coming tomorrow?”

  “I am. I love the times we’re all together.”

  A bell for the end of last period rang inside. “Guess we have to go get the kids on the bus.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  They strolled back to the office and into the hall. He didn’t have a class to get on the bus, but he had to chaperone the process.

  “This was nice, Dante.”

  “It was. Thanks for coming down.”

  She started away, unhappy with herself. A few feet away, she realized why and turned back to see he was still in the hall. “I missed you this week, too, Dante.”

  * * *

  “You okay, Uncle Dante?” His thirteen-year-old niece asked the question, the brim of her baseball cap pushed back so he could see her hazel eyes. They were puzzled.

  “Why’d you ask that, Anna?”

  “Because you don’t seem glad to be here.”

  “Of course I am.” He tipped her hat down. “Especially with you.”

  Which was a lie. Ordinarily, Dante would have been totally into taking his niece to a Nationals baseball game. It would have distracted him from thoughts of Gabriella Gentileschi. But she was here tonight, with her royal family. Hell, how could he be thinking about someone like her this way?

  Because he was a man interested in a woman, he admitted yesterday. And for better or worse, she’d given off the same vibes for a while now. Something he didn’t admit till last night when he couldn’t sleep.

  Their turn came at the hotdog vendor. Once they got their juicy franks which smelled like nothing else in the world, crisp French fries and soda, they headed for the inside of the stadium. At the top of the concrete ramp, the cracking of bats and shouts from the stands echoed around them.

  “Yay, we made it to batting practice.” Anna had specifically asked to come early for that.

  “Let’s find our seats.” And don’t look up at the suites. Thankfully, he didn’t know which one she was in. What would be the accommodations for royalty, anyway? Briefly he wondered if there were bodyguards involved.

  They were climbing the shallow stairs to their seats when Dante glanced to the right down a row and saw a familiar face. Sammy Simpson. No one next to him on either side. “Anna, go on up two more rows to our seats. I see a kid I know.” He sidled down the the seats. “Hi, Sammy.”

  The boy looked up from the program he was reading. His face colored. “H-hi, Mr. Federico.”

  “You like the Raiders?”

  “Yeah. The Jag signed a picture for me that day he came to school.”

  Purposefully, Dante made a show of looking around. “Who you with?”

  “Um...my aunt.”

  “Where is she?”

  “Bathroom.”

  “Well, we’re not far behind you. I’ll come back when she’s here. I’d like to meet her.”

  “’Kay.”

  He joined Anna. She asked, “Who was that?”

  “A student.”

  “How old is he?”

  “Ten.”

  “He’s alone?”

  “He says not.”

  They munched on their hot dogs and sipped drinks as the players batted and did other warmups. Dante tried to get into the ambience of the stadium, which he always did, but he was too distracted, now by Sammy, too.

  Anna read him some stats.

  They finished their food.

  And still, Sammy’s aunt hadn’t shown up.

  * * *

  The extravagant private suite had been reserved for the royal family by Mike himself. He knew somebody who knew of a corporation that bought out suites and he’d done some fancy maneuvering to get it. And probably paid megabucks for its plush brown-leather seats, huge panels of dark wood and granite tops on the dining, serving and bar areas. TVs were in two strategic places for viewing the game from inside, but a Plexiglas wall sported chairs behind it for direct viewing.Of course the space was air-conditioned. Brie’s family had eaten dinner at the massive dining table. The buffet included prime rib, swordfish, tenderloin, tostadas, sirloin steak, Mongolian beef, along with specially made pasta dishes for them.

  “So,” the king said from the head of the table, “the ballplayer did good.” He glanced at the birthday girl who sat on the opposite end from him. Far behind her was a sizable bar.

  Papá wore a Jagielski jersey like the rest of them, and every time Brie caught sight of him, she giggled. Mamá said he looked young and handsome in it.

  Calla and Connor sat next to him. Connor quipped, “We’ll get you to love Americ
an baseball yet, Alessio.”

  Papá smiled. He was happy to be here, and had been excited when Brie told them their plans had changed. He lifted his glass of red wine. “Let’s have a toast to my fourth-born, Princess Evangelina. Buon compleanno, mio cara bombino.”

  Lexy seconded his birthday wishes, and the exclamation went around the table. Huh! All three guys used Italian.

  Evvie blushed at the attention. “Grazie, Papá. Vi amo tutti.”

  Raven leaned into Brie. “Look at us. We’re becoming an American family.”

  “I like that.”

  “Yeah, me too.” Raven had begrudgingly worn Mike’s jersey. Evvie talked her into the casual, light attire and shorts and sneakers. So not Raven, who traditionally dressed in black. But Brie knew this sister would do anything for her family.

  One of the servers wheeled out cake, and after a rousing round of Buon Compleanno the servers cut the confection. At that point, some of them got up and milled around or stretched. Raven said to Brie, “I’m going to get some air.”

  The suite continued outside with a step-down balcony with two seats that wouldn’t block the view of those in the climate-controlled inside.

  Brie stood. “I could use some, too.” She’d been noticing Lexy and Calla and Frankie with their guys. She’d never been jealous of her sisters in her life, but tonight she wished she had what they had. Not for the first time, she wondered how Dante would fit in here.

  The two women took seats facing the field. “You okay, Princess Ravenna?”

  “Yeah, I’m enjoying this.”

  “How’s the show coming along?” Raven’s artwork had recently been chosen for a show at Parker’s Gallery in Baltimore when the Modern Art wing opened in late winter.

  “Not much going on yet.”

  “Yeah, but you’re opening the wing.” She poked her with her elbow. “I’m proud of you, kid.”

  “Thanks. You say that like you’re an old lady.”

  “Sometimes I feel that way.” She glanced at the stands. And searched for Dante. Chances were, he wouldn’t be in their viewing range, but she scanned the area anyway. She was surprised she found him. He stood in a row next to the little girl she’d seen in the photo—his niece. He raised his arms above his head to stretch. Even from here, she could see the muscles in his chest and arms, and how his torso tapered to his waist.

  “Who’s the guy?” Raven asked.

  She sighed. “Someone I work with.”

  “Can teachers afford these games?”

  “He got the tickets as a gift for his niece.”

  “How do you know all that?”

  “I’ve, um, been hanging out with him.”

  “Hanging out, as in...?”

  “Spending time with him.”

  “In school?”

  “And out, once.”

  Dante turned and looked up. A grin spread across his face. He waved. And her heart bumped in her chest. She waved back.

  “Go down and see him.”

  Frowning, Brie faced Raven.

  “I can tell you want to.”

  Shit. She was tired of dissembling. “I guess I do.”

  “And when you come back, you’ll tell me all about this guy.”

  “Think I can sneak out of the suite without being seen?”

  “The room’s huge. I think so.”

  “Wish me luck.”

  * * *

  Damn it, he hadn’t wanted to look for her. But he stood up to see if Sammy’s aunt had arrived, and he couldn’t help himself. Sure enough, Brie was on the balcony of a lower suite. She was adorable in dark shorts, a Jagielski shirt and a blue visor. Something that felt like longing assaulted him.

  Concentrate on Sammy. When he transferred his gaze to the boy, he confirmed that no one had taken the seat next to him. It had been forty-five minutes since Dante and Anna arrived, which was a long time to spend in the bathroom. And the game started soon. “Honey, I’m going to go talk to my student again. Okay?”

  “Yeah, he’s alone isn’t he?” Kids were so perceptive.

  “I think so. I should check it out.” Especially because Dante’s tickets had been so expensive. How had Sam gotten in?

  Again, he trundled down a few steps and climbed over a few people in Sammy’s row to the empty seat. Sammy raised his head slowly when Dante dropped down.

  “So, kiddo, your aunt’s not with you, is she?”

  Staring straight ahead, Sammy shook his head.

  “How’d you get here?”

  Obviously nervous, he kicked the seat in front of him with the toe of his sneaker. “I’m staying with my aunt this weekend. She lives right around the corner from the stadium, so I walked over.”

  “Does she know?”

  “Nah. My older cousin’s babysitting us and her boyfriend’s there. She said I could go out.”

  “How’d you afford a ticket?”

  “Didn’t.” He shrugged a youthful shoulder. “Some guy was trying to scalp a couple. The Raiders got the playoffs locked up so nobody was buyin’ one. He ended up giving them to me and two other kids. Their seats are someplace else.”

  “You’ve done this before, haven’t you?”

  Instead of answering, Sammy gave Dante a pleading look. “You know, if you tell my mother, or my aunt, I’m gonna get killed.”

  “A ten-year-old shouldn’t be here without supervision.”

  “I’m twelve. We moved around and I missed school so much, I’m behind in grades.”

  “Still too young to be alone at a stadium, Sam.”

  No response. Dante was thinking about how to break the impasse when he heard, “Hey, what’s going on here?” He pivoted in his seat as did Sammy.

  Brie stood in the row behind them.

  The kid’s eyes widened. “Ms. Gentileschi, you here to see the Jag?”

  “Yeah, I am. Hi, Sam. Hi, Mr. Federico. Did you two come together?

  The boy ducked his head.

  She transferred her gaze to Dante. Quickly he summarized the situation.

  “Sammy! You can’t be alone in a place like this.”

  “There aren’t empty seats around me and my niece or he could sit with us.”

  Brie cocked her head. “I have an idea. Why don’t you come with me up to the suite? There’s lots of room.”

  Now Sammy’s jaw dropped. “You got a suite?”

  “We do.”

  “I...heck..why would you want me up there?”

  “Because she’s nice.”

  “I dunno what to say.”

  “I’ll take that as a yes.” Brie waved up at his niece. She waved back.

  “Why don’t you all come up with us?”

  “No, Brie. We can’t impose on your family.”

  “I’d like you to do this, Dante.”

  He felt like he’d been bathed in warm water. Maybe hot water. Hot, hot water. “Let me tell Anna.”

  “Meanwhile, I have a few things to explain to Sammy.”

  As Dante left, he heard her say, “There’s something about my family you need to know.”

  * * *

  “So, what do you think?” Brie had approached Dante, who stood leaning against the back wall, his arms folded over his chest.

  He tipped back his baseball cap and grinned at her. He had even white teeth and full, sensuous lips. “Great game.”

  “You know what I mean.” Leaning against the wall too, Brie felt him move in closer so their shoulders touched. She liked it.

  He said, “Two observations. I think it’s cute how Anna has gravitated to Lilliana. She always wanted a sister or girl cousin. Second, the King of Casarina is not at all what I expected.”

  “What did you expect?”

  “Someone more serious. More aloof, maybe.” He glanced over at Papá. “It was kind of him to give Sam his jersey.”

  “I think he was glad to be rid of it.” She laughed. “He was a good sport to wear the thing for Evvie.”

  “They all seem so normal, Brie. It’s amaz
ing.”

  “Aren’t the girls beautiful? All those dark-haired lovelies.”

  “All the Gentileschi princesses are lovely.”

  She blushed. She’d been complimented before by men, of course, but Dante’s words meant more. He started to speak, but Anna came running over to them.

  “Oh, wow, Uncle Dante,” she whispered. “Lilliana’s mother is a princess. That makes him...” she pointed to Papá, “...a king.”

  “I know, honey. All the sisters are princesses.”

  Brie added, “And Lilliana’s formal title is Lady.”

  “Wow.” Her eyes widened at Brie. “Do I have to curtesy or something in front of any of you?”

  “No, honey. We aren’t formal in the US.”

  Anna grinned and went back to the small table she shared with Lilliana. While Anna kept an eye on the game, she talked to the little girl.

  “She’s a doll,” Brie said with a smile.

  “Yeah, I think so. I spend a lot of time with both her and her brother.”

  At one point, the Raiders were ahead by an embarrassing six runs. “What are you going to do about Sammy sneaking out to the game?” she finally asked.

  “I’m planning to take him to his aunt’s house after it’s over. How do you think I should handle the situation?”

  “Let’s ask Mamá. She’s had years of dealing with early education and the problems that come along with that. So often she comes up with advice I wouldn’t think of.”

  Brie crossed to her mother. Rising gracefully from a seat before the Plexiglas, Renata kissed her cheek. “Hello, darling.”

  “Mamá, we have a problem and I thought you might have some advice.”

  “About the boy?”

  “Yes.” Brie led her to Dante.

  “Dante. Buongiorno, again.”

  “Your Highness.” He took her hand. “You could be one of the sisters, you know.”

  She lifted her chin. “Thank you. I’ve been told that before, but nonetheless, you get points for saying it. Now, what’s happening with the child?”

  They explained the situation.