She grinned, flashing him that white-toothed smile. “I think I might need to dust off my biochem books and study up on what we have here.”

He wrapped her in his thick arms and pulled her close.

“I can’t wait to come back to you, Glo.”

She rested her cheek on his chest. “Come home safe, okay?”

“Promise.”

“You should get some sleep,” she insisted, stroking her hands over his chest.

He’d rather stand here all night doing this. Slowly, reluctantly, he released her. She looked thoroughly kissed, with mussed hair and swollen lips. “Should I tuck you in?” he suggested wolfishly.

“We’ll see how our first date goes.”

Aldo shoved his hand through his hair. “Uh, I just realized. I don’t have a spare key…”

Gloria’s laugh sounded like a fucking choir of angels to his ears.

She handed him the key back. “Why, Mr. Moretta, did you make up an excuse to see me?”

“Six months is a long time,” Aldo told her, thumbing over her lower lip. “I needed to see you one more time.”

“Hmm.”

“I’ll leave the key under the mat on the front porch for you.”

“Okay. Thanks for…stopping by.” She grinned at him, and all was right with the world.

He took a step back to prevent himself from grabbing her again and tripped over a pink flamingo. It crunched under his foot.

“I’ll buy your mom a new one,” he promised.

She was laughing now.

“Hey, one more thing,” he said, picking his way carefully out of the flower bed.

“What’s that?”

“If you date…”

She cocked her head, listening.

“Just try not to fall in love.”

15