A Hart To Call Home

Chapter Eight

The Donato house was quiet when Kit arrived for work the next day. She saw a note from Andre, letting her know he had to leave for work early. He said Carly would be by around noon. She would join her and Leonardo for lunch and then relieve Kit early.

Andre included her very generous first paycheck with the note. She nearly teared up as she looked at it. This job was going to make a world of difference.

"That'll be enough to take to the casino," Luca's voice from behind her startled her.

"Luca!" she whirled around and glared at him.

"Shh, don't wake my old man." His ocean-like eyes were glimmering in the bright daylight of the kitchen.

"Then stay out of my bubble," she pushed past him.

He was freshly showered and smelled all manly, like sage and citrus. She did her best to ignore his scent and presence as she made Leonardo breakfast. Luca was pouring them each a cup of coffee and set hers down near where she was working. He then obnoxiously leaned against the island to watch her.

"Dice the onions smaller, or they won't be soft enough," he directed as she chopped.

"Do you mind?" She asked as she raised her head to shoot him a look.

"Not at all," he said in that silky voice, "I should charge you for these lessons... but I want you to have spending money for the casino."

"Is that what we're doing, the casino?"

"Yup, so bring that check."

"I am not bringing my entire paycheck to a casino, Luca." She shook her head at that. "Did you not hear what my dad did to Jase?"

"That's your dad, not you," he said quickly.

"Still, I can afford to gamble fifty dollars," she said. "The rest goes into savings."

"Live a little," he pushed at her.

"Easy for you to say," she snapped back. "Some of us don't live off trust funds and need to work for actual paychecks."

"Ouch."

He walked over when she started getting the pan hot. "you want help with that part?" She was about to pour the egg mixture into the pan for Leo's omelet.

"No, I got it."

"No, you don't," Luca said as he watched her. "You're already doing it wrong."

"I am not! I watched a YouTube video last night. This is how they did it." She frowned as she tilted the pan slightly.

He laughed at that and came up behind her, again getting into her bubble. "You're way too hot."

"What?" She felt her neck growing warm with him so close.

"The pan, too." He reached over her, pressing himself against her to turn it down.

"I could've done that myself," she mumbled, trying to ignore how tingly he was making her.

"More fun this way." His voice tickled her ear; he was so close.

He put his hand over her arm and showed her how to rock the pan just right. His touch and his proximity were giving her all kinds of goosebumps, which was annoying as all hell.

In the end, though, the omelet turned out perfect, again, so annoying.

"If you want more lessons, let me know," he tossed her a flirty grin as he walked towards the door.

"I don't, thanks," she called back.

"Break me off a piece of that," he sang under his breath as he left.