The Marcelli Bride

8

Alex led Joe around to the back of the winery and checked to make sure they were alone. Then he turned on Joe and let loose.

“What were you thinking?” the agent demanded. Fury tightened his features and sharpened his voice. “You are our liaison with the family. You’re a goddamn trained SEAL. You’re supposed to be protecting Darcy, not putting her in danger. You have no right to prance around here, sucking face with the president’s daughter.”

Joe groaned. Between his family and Darcy, he was in the seventh level of hell and sinking fast.

He didn’t have to ask how Alex knew about the kiss. No doubt the agent on duty had followed them and seen the whole thing.

“Do you know what we’re up against?” Alex demanded. “This is not an easy location to keep secure.”

“Then you shouldn’t have picked it,” Joe told him. “I’m doing my job, and that’s all you get from me. Darcy can kiss who she wants. It’s not putting her at risk, so you can stop the lecture.”

Alex’s expression hardened. “You’re right, Lieutenant Commander. Kissing her didn’t put her at risk, but walking off and leaving her alone sure did.”

Joe stiffened. Alex was right. Joe had reacted in the moment, both by kissing her and then by stalking off. He’d needed to get away, to figure out what he thought he was doing. In that moment he hadn’t considered who Darcy was or why she was here. If that other agent hadn’t been there…

He swore long and loudly.

“My thoughts exactly,” Alex said. “I’ll be e-mailing a report to your commanding officer. I don’t imagine you’ll be with us much longer.”

Joe knew he’d more than earned the action. He heard a flushing sound, followed by the visual of his career slipping down the toilet. The hell of it was, this time he had no one to blame but himself.

“In your position, I would do exactly the same,” he said quietly. “You’re right. I left the subject unprotected. If your man hadn’t been there, she would have been completely exposed and vulnerable. It won’t happen again.”

Alex didn’t look convinced. “Why should I believe you?”

“Because I don’t make the same mistake twice. Because I know my job.”

Alex shook his head. “Fine. Then remember to do it the next time you’re alone with Darcy.”

He turned and walked away.

Joe stared after him. What was wrong with him? He knew better. Why had he reacted to Darcy? Why had he kissed her?

It wasn’t just because she was a woman. He’d worked with women before. Dozens of times. A lot of them had been prettier, smarter, or sexier, and he’d never once lost sight of his objective. Enemy operatives had attempted to seduce him with some highly erotic practices, and he’d ignored them all.

So why Darcy?

“Joe! There you are.”

Mia rounded the corner of the building with Ian in tow. Joe’s bad mood worsened when he saw the tall, thin young man. There was something about Ian that got on his nerves. Reason number one surfaced the second the lanky blond caught sight of him.

“Hey, Joe,” Ian said cheerfully. “How’s it going? We’ve been walking around the winery. It’s so great here. I’ve never been to a winery before.” He chuckled. “I’ve never been much of a wine drinker. But yesterday afternoon Mia took me over to the tasting room. It’s really nice there. I like the garden and all the grass around it. She said you guys have weddings there. It would be beautiful for a wedding. Anyway, we had lots of different wines. We tried all the merlots and had a couple of the Four Sisters pinots. Those were really great. Mia told me all about Brenna starting her own winery. That’s really cool. That she would do that. You’re in the navy, right? A SEAL? I saw that movie. Navy SEALs. It was great. Macho. Didn’t that one guy get shot? Huh. I guess if they’d had you along, that wouldn’t have happened? Oh, the Secret Service cleared me. But I guess you knew that. I’m still here.”

When he paused for breath, Mia jumped in. “So how are things?”

Joe shrugged. “Fine.” He stared at Ian. What did she see in the guy? Mia caught his gaze and grinned, as if she could read his mind. She mouthed something that looked very much like “he’s really good in bed,” which he didn’t want to know.

“I haven’t had a chance to talk to Darcy,” Ian said. “What’s she like? She’s prettier in person, don’t you think? Of course I really like Lauren. She’s always helping with those sick kids and it was really sad when her husband died. It was in that ice storm, wasn’t it? When D.C. was shut down and his car went off the road. I saw their whole wedding. I was in high school and my mom had this big party and all her friends came over and watched. She made these funny sandwiches and a little wedding cake. It was really good, with a chocolate filling.”

Joe started backing away. “I, ah, gotta write a report,” he said, interrupting Ian’s flow of conversation. “See you guys around.”

With that, he ducked into a rear door of the winery and wandered the halls as he headed toward the front of the building. As he rounded a corner, he saw Marco sitting in an office and knocked on the open door.

“Joe! Come in. What are you doing here?”

“Escaping Ian. Mia’s had some interesting guys before but never anyone like him,” he said, taking a seat.

“I know.” Marco leaned back in his chair. “I’m never fond of anyone my youngest daughter is sleeping with, but Ian is worse than most. I try to tell myself that he’s basically a nice guy, even though he never stops talking. Besides, your mother likes him, as does mine.”

Joe didn’t react to Colleen being called his mother, or the guilt he felt over what had happened with Tessa. Instead he focused on the topic at hand. “Then they’re too easy.”

Marco nodded at the sales report posted on the wall by the door. “We’re having a good year. My father has done a great job with the winery for many years, but Brenna brings a touch of magic to the wines. She knows what our customers want.”

“She’s working hard,” Joe acknowledged, wondering if he was about to get nailed again.

Marco struck immediately. “She could use some help.”

Joe regretted sitting down. “I’m sure she can hire a good manager to help after the baby’s born.”

“It’s more than that,” Marco told him. “Joe, I know you love what you do with the navy, but in time that will end. You’ll put in your twenty and retire. Then what? Where will you go? We would like you to come here. You’re a Marcelli, Joe. You belong here.”

Joe stood. “Look, Marco, I know what you want, what the whole family wants. It’s not going to happen. I appreciate that you’re trying. It’s great. You guys are terrific, but this isn’t my world and you’re not…” He hesitated, not sure he could say they weren’t his family again. Hadn’t he hurt enough people already that morning?

“This isn’t for me,” he finished lamely.

Marco nodded without speaking, but Joe saw the pain in his eyes. Whoever thought families were a good idea, he wondered as he excused himself and escaped into the quiet of the hallway. Give him a nice armed insurgence any day. At least there he would know what to do.

Paige faced the special agent in charge and prepared to do battle. “You’re not reporting Joe to his superior officer,” she said, going for a calm, but forceful, tone.

“I am,” Alex said flatly. “What he did is inexcusable.”

“I agree he screwed up, but that’s no reason to serve him up on a platter. I’m sure he was shocked by what happened.” She’d been shocked. It had been a long time since the president’s daughter had gotten involved with anyone, and if Paige were offering opinions, she would bet Joe was one of the good guys, but Joe and Darcy? It didn’t seem very likely.

“He left her alone,” Alex reminded her.

“No, he didn’t. Agent Briggs was with them.”

“He didn’t know that. It’s my decision, and I’m not changing my mind.”

He turned to leave, but Paige grabbed his arm to hold him in place. Temper flared in his dark blue eyes, but she had a feeling he wouldn’t shake her off.

“It’s not about Joe,” she told him. “If you report him, you’ll have to explain the circumstances. You’ll have to talk about the fact that they kissed. Darcy will be humiliated. Give the girl a break.”

“There are rules to follow,” Alex began.

“Oh, and you’ve never once bent them?”

“No.”

Figures. “Try being human,” she said. “Just this once. You’ve already lectured Joe. He’s not going to screw up again.”

“He shouldn’t have screwed up at all. He knows better. He can’t walk around thinking with his dick. He needs his brain engaged.”

She looked at him and sighed. “I don’t remember you being this much of a bastard before.”

“My only concern is Darcy’s safety.”

“What about her happiness?”

“She won’t be very happy when she’s dead.”

He was right, Paige realized. They were talking about Darcy’s life, and there was no room for error. She released him.

“Giving up?” he asked.

She nodded. “Darcy is my primary concern. I want her alive and happy, but if I only have one choice, I’ll pick alive.”

Darcy curled up in the library. It was a quiet spot in the Marcelli house, and she liked the view she had of the vineyards out the east-facing window. She also liked that she was completely and totally alone, and not scared about it. When she’d returned from her visit with Grandpa Lorenzo, she’d informed Paige she would stay in for the rest of the afternoon, which meant she didn’t have to deal with any security.

Now, as she leaned back in the big leather chair, she breathed in a sense of peace. Maybe it was knowing there were so many people around to keep her safe. Maybe it was because her brain still buzzed with the memory of Joe’s kiss. Maybe her astrological moon was rising into a better house. Whatever the reason, she didn’t care. Feeling good was fabulous.

She picked up her book, then set it down again. She’d loved the feel of his body against hers. It had been a long time since a man had held her as if he meant it. She wouldn’t mind a repeat of the kiss and maybe a little bit of time spent playing the bases with Joe. Not that he was likely to offer, but a girl could dream.

The door to the library opened and the star of her sexual fantasies walked in. He glanced around, then spotted her.

“Oh. You’re here.”

She smiled, not the least bit put out by his sullenness. From what she could tell, Joe hated everyone. His attitude wasn’t personal. “I’ve always admired a man who handled his abundance of charm with such grace. It’s so elegant.”

“I’m having a bad day.”

“Should I take that comment personally?”

“What?” He closed the door behind him then crossed to the window. “No. It’s not about, you know.”

You know? How interesting. The big, bad Navy SEAL couldn’t say kiss? He prowled the room like a tiger, and she had the urge to tweak his tail.

“I don’t know, actually. What are you talking about?”

He glared at her. “Our kiss.”

“Oh. That.”

His eyebrows drew together, and she had a feeling he was going to start yelling at her. All that energy, she thought, more intrigued than afraid. He must have been one fine soldier.

“I hate Ian,” he grumbled.

The change of subject caught her off guard for a second. “He’s not so bad.”

“He’s not sleeping with your sister.”

“That’s true.” She tilted her head. “You’ve never claimed one of the Marcellis as family before.”

“Don’t read anything into it. It’s just Mia’s a baby. She thinks she’s wild and tough, but she’s not.”

“And you worry about her.”

He stopped in midstride and glared.

“Don’t worry,” she said. “My lips are sealed. Besides, even if I wasn’t interested in keeping your secrets, I don’t want to mess up a good thing. I like it here.”

“Don’t sound so surprised.”

“I am. I didn’t think I would. There are too many people and it’s so wide open here. But I like the whole family. You should try to appreciate what you have.”

“Look, I’ve heard enough of that to last a lifetime.”

“If you were smarter, you’d realize how lucky you are to have found the Marcellis.”

“They found me.”

“And you’ve been fighting them ever since.”

He returned to the window. “Can we change the subject?”

“We can, but I don’t want to. Besides, if you hate what we’re talking about, you could leave.”

His silence told her he couldn’t. But why?

“Are you hiding out here?” she asked.

“I’m running out of places to go.”

A feeling she understood. She uncoiled her legs and rested her feet on the floor. “Okay. I’ll stop torturing you for sport, but I won’t change the subject. You have a terrific family. You’re crazy if you don’t appreciate that.”

He looked at her. “Why does it matter so much to you?”

Because he had everything she’d ever wanted. “My family is small, and we’re not so close,” she said instead.

“Then you take ’em. I want to get back to base.”

“So the navy is your real home?” she asked.

“Yeah.”

“It must be nice to spend your day saving the world.”

His gaze narrowed, as if he thought she might be teasing him. Darcy did her best to look innocent, although the excessive blinking might have given her away. But before Joe could get all macho on her again, the door opened and Grandma Tessa stepped inside.

“Joseph,” she said tentatively, her expression fearful. “I thought you’d come inside.” She nodded at Darcy. “I made sandwiches. You didn’t come to lunch.”

He looked at her, then back out the window. “I’m not hungry.”

Darcy winced as the old woman seemed to shrink two inches. “All right, Joseph.”

Tessa turned and left.

Darcy stood, walked over to Joe, and socked him in the arm as hard as she could. He looked at her.

“What was that for?”

“It’s for whatever you did to Grandma Tessa.”

Joe stared hard at the view. “Get off of me.”

She socked him again. He didn’t budge, but she really hurt her hand. “What did you do?” she demanded.

“Nothing.”

“Tell me or I’ll start talking about girl stuff.”

He winced. “I can handle it.”

Oh, no he couldn’t. She searched her memories for something that would bring him to his knees.

“I was twelve when I got my first period,” she began.

He swore. “Fine. I had a fight with Brenna. I told her the Marcellis weren’t my family. Tessa walked in and heard me.”

She sucked in a breath. “That bites. How could you do that to her? She’s an old woman who loves you.”

“I didn’t do it on purpose,” he yelled as he turned toward her. “Okay? I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said it.”

She leaned toward him. “Well, don’t apologize to me. And don’t yell. Besides if you were really sorry, you would have taken her sandwich.”

He opened his mouth, then closed it. “What?”

“The sandwich. The sandwich. Man, you might know a whole bunch about guns and rescuing people but you don’t know anything about women, do you? Ever hear the expression ‘food is love’? Tessa is old-world Italian. She shows her affection by feeding her family. Every time she offers you food, she’s offering you love. When you reject the meal, you reject her.”

“That’s stupid.”

She really wanted to hit him again, but her knuckles still hurt. “No, it’s not. Just eat the food.”

“I don’t want to,” he said as he walked out of the library. “This is all bullshit.”