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

he’d see that anyone willing to take time to train would have the funds necessary to cover all or most of their expenses.

Once he got his instructor certification, which might still be a couple of years away, Tony would be able to train them himself on his days off without charging for more than equipment and diving facility fees. He couldn’t wait to see who else might be interested in the dive team. Having dive buddies would give him a chance to get in additional dives more quickly.

If they started a dive team, or eventually a full-blown water-rescue squad, he wanted it to be equal to none. Excellence and safety would be his top priorities.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

The scent of coffee and bacon wafted up the stairway as Carm made her way downstairs. She couldn’t believe she’d slept until nine o’clock. Of course, it was just seven back home. Tony stood at the stove and glanced up with a smile, pausing briefly before flipping a huge omelet.

“Good morning, dolcezza.”

His lighthearted demeanor was contagious. “You look chipper this morning. I take it the news from Colorado is good?”

He shrugged. “I haven’t heard anything since I went to bed, but I’m sure they’re just getting up. I’ll check in with them after breakfast.”

His carefree response surprised her, but she wasn’t going to complain. Apparently, he’d found some peace of mind overnight. “Breakfast smells delicious. Where’d you get all those ingredients?” In addition to eggs and bacon, she saw peppers, several cheeses, onions, and ham on the countertop.

“While you were sleeping, I went for a run and ended up at the market, so I stocked up for the week.”

Carm felt a little like a slouch—not only had he gone shopping, he’d already worked out—but didn’t allow guilt to enter into her mind. She was on vacation and neither activity was her thing. “Thanks for doing that.”

“My pleasure. I thought we could eat on the beach, so I carried the smaller patio table and two chairs out there.”

Wow. “That sounds wonderful! What can I do to help?”

“Grab the bottle of OJ and help me pack up this picnic basket I found in the laundry room.”

While Tony plated and covered their meals, she gathered up the juice, ketchup, and hot sauce, not yet knowing how he liked his eggs and potatoes.

Ten minutes later, they were seated at a precarious table in the loose sand a few yards from the gate trying not to spill the contents of her plates.

“Okay, this came out a whole lot more romantic in my head,” Tony laughed as he downed a forkful of omelet.

“I think it’s wonderfully romantic. Besides, it would have been even messier to try and eat a feast like this on a blanket in the sand.”

He nodded, and they ate in silence a few minutes. She hadn’t realized how hungry she was. “You really are a fabulous cook.”

“Told you so. I’m good at a lot of other things too.” He wiggled his eyebrows, and she couldn’t help but laugh. Did that mean they might pick up where they’d left off late last night? She hoped so.

When Tony reached in his pocket for his phone, her heart plummeted. He stared intently as he read what seemed to be a long text. Then he texted something back, his thumbs flying over the surface of the phone before he put it back in his pocket.

“Sorry about that. I’ve turned it off for a while.”

“Everything okay?”

He met her gaze and smiled. “More than okay. Mama told us all that Matt slept well and was already out checking on his horses this morning.”

“That’s wonderful news! Probably the best medicine ever.”

Carm was pleased that Matt was making a quick recovery. And that she and Tony had until midafternoon before she left for her refresher dive class. “So what are our plans for today?” She wanted to be certain he knew she wanted to spend time with him.

“First and foremost, a walk on the beach with a beautiful, sexy lady.”

Carm beamed. She almost responded with something coy, but she didn’t want to play games. “Sounds wonderful. Maybe we can walk in the other direction this time.”

Tony nodded. “I’m always ready to explore new places.

“Then what?”

“I need to make some calls to see if I can get into your lecture tonight and go on that coral reef dive Thursday and the nighttime one Friday with you.”

She couldn’t wait to go diving with Tony. Even though they’d have to go their separate ways on Wednesday due to the dive rescue class, she liked that he wanted to join her on two of her dives.

“I’m sure there will be room. Then what?”

“That depends on you, principessa.”

“Well, I’m free until about three o’clock. I’m sure we’ll come up with something. I saw a Parcheesi board in the den.”

“Strip poker is more my speed.”

“I’m a very good poker player.” She flashed him an enigmatic smile that might leave him uncertain as to how good she might be. Excited to move on to the next step in their day, she looked forward to bringing out Tony’s playful side again. He’d been under way too much stress lately.

“So am I.” His cocky grin left her with no doubt the two of them would be competitive to the extreme, but with strip poker, how could either of them really lose?

Tony held up his juice glass and she lifted hers to him in a toast. “To a hot game of strip poker after our walk.”

Carm tingled all over in anticipation as she clinked his glass and downed the rest of her OJ. No doubt they’d wind up in one of their beds before too long, but foreplay was more than half the fun.

Tony shuffled the cards several times with lots of flourish. If he thought he could intimidate her, he needed to be shown a thing or two.

“Five-card draw sound good?” He definitely knew his way around a card table. Even a makeshift one on the patio of a villa in