Tame the Beast : Small Beach Town, Single Mom Romance

All of a sudden, I have this irrational wish to slap his hand away and comfort his dick myself. With my mouth.

Joy looks from me to Matteo’s retreating form. “You were right, he’s definitely not a stray. The pup has found his mama. And he is definitely Jacob’s long-lost brother. Lord help us all.”

“I am so defriending you.” I glare at her but my whole body is buzzing with desire for that man.

Maybe it’s his nonchalance about the topic or the ease with which he just called his dick mine, but it ticks something off in my head, unleashes a part of me I didn’t know about. Because I might like the idea of him belonging to me and only me a little too much.

“Zoe, take it from someone who was stubborn and stupid to keep the most amazing man at arm’s length for too long.” Hope levels me with a look. “When you find a man like that, don’t let your own fears and insecurities to lead your heart. This—he—is worth the risk.”

He is, isn’t he?

29

Never Have I Ever

Zoe: Never have I ever won a lottery.

Zoe: Why did you just take that drink?

Matteo: Because I have.

Zoe: What? You seriously mean to tell me that you won a freaking lottery???

Matteo: Sure did. The day you walked into my bar.

30

Zoe

“If I know what love is, it is because of you.” – Herman Hesse, Narcissus and Goldmund

Alone. I’ve always been alone on these bonfire nights—well, before Mel was born—but even with her, I was alone in the sense of missing that strong, warm hand over my shoulders when the air got too chilly. I’ve been the one to fetch myself drinks, food or a thick blanket while my friends had their boyfriends, now husbands, do it for them, and I always told myself that I didn’t mind.

I was happy for them and resigned to my fate as a single mom.

It was fine when I took walks on the beach by myself or was the only one to talk to the little nugget that was growing in my belly.

That was until tonight. Until this bonfire night. Because Matteo just changed it all and I’m not sure how I will ever be able to go back.

I simply don’t want to.

Because tonight is the first time it wasn’t me fetching my food. First time taking a stroll on the beach hand in hand with a cute guy—who wrestled my hand into holding, because I’m still being a stubborn idiot—while he carries my daughter in his other hand.

First time someone took my hand and told me to sit my cute ass in between his thick thighs, leaning my back into him and using his warmth instead of those thick blankets I have plenty of now. At the same time rocking the little cot with a sleeping Mellie by our side. Matteo never leaves one of us without his attention.

Every day, hour, minute, and second I spend in his presence, I feel my resistance crumbling to the ground more and more. I feel those fears slipping away page by page, and instead this deep-rooted belief that Matteo would never crush my heart blooms inside my chest.

“I can’t wait for our babies to be born,” Jacob says wistfully, watching us with Mel as he rubs Joy’s growing belly.

“It’s not all going to be sunshine and rainbows, Jacob. They are your babies after all.”

“That just means they will be as brilliant as their daddy.” He waggles his eyebrows at her rolling eyes but there is also a smile on her face as well.

It still brings me so much happiness to see Joy this happy after the crap we went through with Justin back in Chicago.

“I disagree,” Matteo says. “It is all sunshine and rainbows; I mean, look at Mellie. She is brilliant!” he proclaims the fact like a proud papa. “You should see how fast she burps after eating! And it’s an impressive one too.”

I turn my head around to look at him. “Matteo, is this seriously Mel’s best quality you could come up with to share?”