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

of her glass as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world. “Even angry at Gino for enlisting.” She shrugged. “Anyway, that night, over a pitcher of Painkillers my roommate had made for us, I shared my grief and loss with someone for the first time.” She huffed. “Probably made her wish she’d invited someone else on vacation.”

“Not if she was a true friend. And I’m sure it helped you to have someone to talk to who wasn’t so closely connected to the situation.”

“Talk, cry, scream. I did it all that night.”

“You do whatever it takes to manage and move on.”

“Besides my roommate and my therapist, you’re the only other person I’ve shared that with.” Carm gave him a lopsided smile.

She was opening up to him. Should he let down his own guard and share with her his own experience with grief at a young age? Tony didn’t usually talk about his feelings, but for some reason found himself saying, “I understand. I felt some of the same things when my papa died.”

Tony couldn’t believe he’d brought up Papa’s death with Carm, but suddenly felt the need to go on. “Mama said he’d recently been diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. The best we can figure is that he knew his life was about done, so he sent the other SAR volunteers back up the hillside to wait for the chopper while he stayed behind to comfort the injured Mrs. Denton. Time just ran out for them both.”

When Carm placed her hand over his and squeezed, she jarred him from the memory. Tony downed the rest of his drink not liking the feeling of making himself vulnerable one bit.

When he met her gaze again, a look of compassion had entered her eyes. “Marc told us about the avalanche when he learned about it while working with Luke.” Marc’s SAR partner at the time had lost his wife in the same tragedy. “Your papa saved the lives of so many of his SAR family on the mountain that day.”

Tony nodded his agreement. “As I’m sure Gino did in Afghanistan too.” She nodded to confirm. “Neither one of them would have traded places with anyone else in those situations.”

“Never. Gino loved being a Marine. He was awarded a medal for his bravery. Oh, he looked so handsome in his dress blues.” Her lower lip trembled, and she reached for her glass as if to hide the emotion, but Tony leaned closer.

“You never have to hide your feelings with me, Carmella.”

Carm blinked rapidly and gave him a shaky smile, a single tear breaking free and trailing down her cheek. Tony brushed it away with his thumb and cupped her cheek.

When she sat back in her chair, contact between them was broken. “Anyway, every time I’ve come to the Caribbean since then, I’ve made these drinks more as a salute to my brother who never got a chance to get away to a paradise like this during his short life.”

Tony didn’t spend time thinking about whether Papa was with him at any particular time, although he did ask him for guidance during his missions, just in case. He searched for something comforting to say. “I’m sure Gino joins you whenever you think about him.”

She smiled. “I like to think he does. Sometimes I feel him around me.” She shrugged. “Honestly, I make them now more for tradition than for any therapeutic benefit. They’re quite tasty.” Carm offered him a refill, but he declined. He needed to go easy on the alcohol this week.

After several more sips, she seemed to have said all she was going to on the subject of her brother. Tony chose to lighten the mood with a change of topic. “I’d love to cook breakfast for us tomorrow. Mind if I take stock?” He motioned toward the industrial-sized stainless steel refrigerator.

“Be my guest.” Her hand swept him in that direction. “I bought some of the basics earlier today, figuring I wouldn’t be going out for breakfast.”

He opened the door to find thick-sliced bacon, a carton of large eggs, two bags of grated cheeses, a can of biscuits, and a bottle of orange juice. “I think you pretty much thought of everything but some veggies for omelets.”

She laughed again. God, he loved that sound, especially after such a deep conversation. “I’m on vacation! Cooking isn’t on my agenda, much less eating healthy. I planned to scramble them and sprinkle cheese on top. But we can go shopping for more ingredients if you’d like. I’d love to taste one of your omelets. Cooking must run in your family, given what a great chef Angelina is.”

Tony chuffed. “I think we’re the only two Giardano siblings who enjoy going near a stove for fun. Our other brothers do so only for basic survival mode or because it’s their turn to cook at their stations.”

“Well, now all I can think about is dinner.”

“I’m starving too,” he admitted. “Want me to whip up something?”

“Only if all you want is eggs for supper. Let’s go out.”

“Sounds great.”

“We can walk. I haven’t been on the beach yet.” She glanced down at his feet. “I see you’re already wearing sandals.”

“Always prepared. Ready to go then?” he asked.

“Absolutely.” She slipped her feet into a pair of flip-flops next to the patio door. “Follow me.”

He hadn’t been sure before he arrived whether his showing up would be awkward or comfortable, but things seemed to be picking up where they’d left off on their last date. Watching the sway of her ass as she crossed the patio and headed toward the gate that led to the beach, he decided that coming here might be one of his better choices lately.

On the beach, she reached out her hand. He took it in his, and they strolled along together.

Don’t read anything into it. She probably just wants you to steady herself on the loose sand.

Once they reached the wet, packed sand, he expected her to let go of his hand, but she held on.