TONY: Slow Burn (Raging Fire Book 1) by Kallypso Masters (the false prince TXT) 📕

the bed with fresh linens, taken out the trash, and stocked the fridge with ingredients for a special dinner as well as breakfast items.

So what was he so nervous about?

On the drive to Tony’s place, excited didn’t begin to describe Carm’s feelings. This was a big step in their relationship, right? Regardless, she intended to have a great time with him this evening, and it sounded as though he’d be open to her staying the night. She’d leave her overnight bag in the car, though, and play it by ear.

She hadn’t expected to have so much fun on a cold-water dive in a reservoir, but it hadn’t been too bad. She’d seen some trout. Not the tropical beauties off Provo island, but interesting to watch in their own way.

When Cassie had offered some artwork to help raise money, Carm couldn’t believe how she’d jumped on the offer before remembering that Tony knew nothing about the reason for her fundraiser. But that gave her the idea to have a silent auction as part of the November gala. She had a feeling she could trust Cassie to keep it quiet, so she might ask the woman privately to donate something. Or she could ask for a donation and just not say what the cause was right away.

After parking in the space next to Tony’s truck, she got out of the car and met him on the sidewalk. Tony fiddled with the keys as she approached him. Was he having second thoughts about inviting her over?

“How does pasta primavera with gremolata sound for dinner?”

“Like I was dining at the best restaurant in town.”

“If Angelina’s was in Aspen Corners, I’d only be second best, but come on in.” They walked up the steps to the external door, which led to a long dark hallway. “My place isn’t as fancy as yours—”

“Aspen Corners isn’t as pretentious as Aspen is. I’m sure it meets all your needs.”

About halfway down the hall, he stopped in front of a door. “This is it.” He put the key in the lock and opened the door, indicating that she should precede him. Inside, the living room was dominated by a big-screen TV and a sofa. She wasn’t one to watch much TV, although it would be nice for a movie night. There weren’t any knickknacks or photos displayed to give her any clues as to his sentimental nature or interests. She could see part of a small dining table tucked into the corner near what she assumed was the kitchen, which was out of sight. Not the open floor plan she preferred, but definitely a bachelor’s apartment.

“I’ll give you the ten-cent tour. It’ll take about a minute.”

She laughed. “It’s just interesting to see where you live. Now I can picture you here when we talk at night.”

“Usually, I hang out in this room watching sports or whatever’s on. Sometimes I call you from here.” He waved her into the hallway. “Bathroom’s there.” At the end of the hall, he opened the door to his bedroom. “Lately, though, I’m so tired that I drop into bed and call you from here.”

An Italian wrought-iron bed dominated the room. That surprised her. “I was expecting a massive dark-wood bed.”

He shook his head. “Some of my fondest memories are in my nonna’s wrought-iron bed in Sicily. She’d let two or three of us pile in there when we visited her in the summers, sleeping crossways on the bed. Angelina inherited Nonna’s iron bed. I wanted something a little wider, so I found this king-sized bed that’s pretty close to what hers looked like.”

“I’m glad it wasn’t hers.” He cocked his head at her statement, and she shrugged. “I’d feel a little weird fooling around in your grandmother’s bed.”

Tony grinned, closed the gap between them, and wrapped his arms around her. “Believe me, dolcezza, if I’m lucky enough to get you into my bed, the last person you’ll be thinking about is my nonna.” He kissed her gently but broke it off before becoming too passionate. “But first, we need to finish the tour in the kitchen and start on dinner. You probably haven’t eaten since breakfast.”

“I nibbled from a bag of trail mix on the drive to the reservoir, but I am starving.”

“I like a woman with an appetite, and you already know I love to cook for you.”

He took her hand and led her back down the hallway, through the living room, and around the corner where she found a cozy dining area, perfect for two. “We’ll eat in here.” Then he slid a pocket door aside to reveal an enormous, modern kitchen.

“This is bigger than your living room.”

“I had my priorities straight when I was looking for a place.”

“How long have you lived here?”

“Almost two years.” He went to the refrigerator and started pulling items out while Carm continued to take it all in.

The counters weren’t granite, but there were plenty of them. The black range was nestled in the island in the middle of the room. The other appliances were black and new-looking too.

“Did you replace the appliances?”

He stopped and looked around. “Nope. I just kept looking at places until I found the perfect kitchen. Rent’s a little high, but it’s worth it to me.”

It was nice to see he spent money on something other than training—something just for him, his family, and friends. And cooking, like diving, appeared to be a stress reliever for him.

“What can I do to help?”

Tony handed her a bunch of parsley or cilantro, she never could tell the difference. “I’m going to need a lot of this parsley for the gremolata, so if you could wash it, then strip the leaves off and chop them, that would be great.” He slid a paring knife to her.

After she left the sink to spread the herbs on paper towels, he washed several other vegetables for the pasta primavera dish. They worked in silence. When she finished, she watched him while checking out his domain.

Tony’s well-stocked