Catering to the Italian Playboy

by Tamelia Tumlin

How could he abandon his only child?

  And that’s when he knew.

  He’d never be able to just walk away and send a check. His son deserved more than that. He deserved a real father.

  Unfortunately, all Alex had was him, so he would have to do because no child of his was going to experience the same rejection he had grown up with. No child of his was going to go through life without a mother and a father. He’d make damn sure of it.

  He just hoped he didn’t botch it up so bad he left the child with permanent emotional scars.

  Like his parents had left him.

  * * *

  “You want to what?” Sophie’s voice cracked a few minutes later after she’d finally gotten Alex settled in for the second time that night and flopped back down in the recliner. Her stomach twisted so hard pain shot through her back.

  Surely he wasn’t serious.

  “I want to be a part of Alex’s life.” Max’s voice was calm and cool as if he were contracting a business deal and not talking about her – their – son’s life.

  Dear God, he was serious. Sophie took in his solemn expression and too calm demeanor. Her heart tanked. “Why?”

  “He’s my son.” The simple answer set Sophie’s teeth on edge. Didn’t he know it wasn’t that simple? He couldn’t just walk into Alex’s life one day then disappear the next whenever the mood hit him. Children needed stability. She needed stability. And Maximus Rinaldi was as far from stable as one could get.

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea. Alex and I are doing just fine on our own.”

  “Sophie, I’m afraid it’s not up to you, and I’m sure the courts will rule in my favor. It is always in a child’s best interest to have both the father and the mother in their life. Preferably ones that get along.”

  Sophie felt the color drain from her face. “Courts? You’re going to fight me for custody?” Oh, God! How could she compete with him? Money, power and international prestige had more clout in the legal system than the mere best interest of the child. What court in their right mind would give custody to a mother who could barely keep the rent paid and food on the table?

  And she couldn’t – just couldn’t – ask her father for help. Not that he would anyway.

  “If necessary.” Max shrugged as if it didn’t matter one way or another. “Though I’d prefer we come to some sort of arrangement on our own.”

  Sophie was glad she was already sitting. Her body felt like a deflated noodle and she knew her legs wouldn’t have held her up anyway. Her worst nightmare had just become a reality.

  She was going to lose her son.

  “Oh God!” The words tore from her throat like the cry of an animal caught in a steel trap. And in a way it was exactly how she felt.

  Max frowned. “For Pete’s sake, I’m not suggesting taking him to the moon. Just a simple arrangement where we both have full input on his well-being. A child needs a father and a mother.”

  “You’re not trying to take him away from me?” Sophie gripped the side of the recliner and ducked her head to keep him from seeing the tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. Please, God, no! I can bear anything but that.

  “Dio! You’re not listening. I said a child needs a father and a mother.” He rose to his feet and came to stand in front of her. “I’ll admit when I came to bring you the wallet tonight I wasn’t prepared for my life to be turned upside down. Children have never been part of my plans and given the choice I wouldn’t have any.” He lifted her chin with his knuckle. “But I haven’t been given the choice. Alex is here and he is mine. I won’t turn my back on him or ignore my responsibilities. Now, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. But, make no mistake, I will be a part of my son’s life.” Determination glittered in his eyes and he set his chin in the same stubborn way Alex did when he didn’t get his way.

  A shiver shot down her spine as Sophie realized that unlike her five-year old, Maximus Rinaldi always got his way.

  ** FIVE **

  She chose the easy way.

  At least for now, she told herself that Saturday as she and Alex waited for Max outside the Central Park Zoo entrance. The arrangement they’d finally agreed to was, in her opinion, the lesser of the two evils. Max would spend time with both of them while Alex got to know him better. They wouldn’t tell Alex that Max was his father straight away. That kind of news had to be handled with caution, and Sophie was more than glad to put it off for a while. She wanted to make sure Max didn’t bolt for the nearest deserted island first. She still had reservations about his sincerity in being a proper father to Alex.

  Then, of course, there was one more problem. She would have to spend time with Max as well. At least until she felt Alex was ready to learn who he really was.

  It wasn’t a prospect she looked forward to.

  A butterfly did a jig in her stomach. Who was she kidding?

  Of course she wanted to spend time with Max! He was every woman’s dream. Tall, dark, devastatingly handsome and oh-so-delicious in the bedroom. Her cheeks flamed at the last thought. But, she didn’t want to want to spend time with him. Max may be fun and flirty, but he was also a player.

  Exactly what she didn’t want. Or need.

  But at least she wouldn’t have to face him in court, Sophie told herself firmly. Not yet anyway. This would buy her some time to come up with a plan to make sure he was never able to take her son away.

  “Can we go in now?” Alex’s voice took on that pleading note which bordered suspiciously close to a whine. The one that usually ended up giving her a headache because he wouldn’t take no for an answer.

  Wonder where he inherited that endearing trait? Sophie thought dryly, her brain ticking back to Max’s phone conversation about the delivery mix-up a few days earlier. Like father, like son.

  “Mo-ommy. I’m ready to go in.” Alex tugged on her hand and pulled her toward the ticket booth at the black iron-gated entrance.

  “We will in a few minutes, darling. Remember I told you we were meeting a … a friend.” That wasn’t exactly the term she wanted to use, but little ears were present.

  Sophie glanced at her watch and her heart skipped a beat. The silver chain glistened in the afternoon sun. She swallowed hard. It was the watch Max had given her. She really shouldn’t have accepted it. It was far too expensive. And far too personal. But he’d looked so pleased with himself she hadn’t had the heart to refuse.

  She should have, though. Gifts led to messy entanglements. She didn’t have time for any kind of entanglements, messy or otherwise. Alex took up most of her time and her business took up the rest. Relationships didn’t fit into her schedule. Yet here she was at the zoo entrance waiting on a man.

  Correction. Make that nervously waiting on a man like a school girl on her first date.

  Except this wasn’t a date.

  She frowned at the face on the watch. Fifteen after two.

  Max was late. Fifteen minutes late to be exact.

  Sophie’s chest tightened. Was he already shirking his responsibilities to Alex? Maybe he’d changed his mind and decided he couldn’t hack being a father after all.

  Her father certainly hadn’t been able to.

  A sharp pain sliced through her heart. She couldn’t count how many times her father had disappointed her growing up. Missed birthday parties. Missed softball games. Missed family dinners.

  Of course, he’d always had iron-clad excuses. A late business meeting. An emergency at the office. An unexpected trip out of town. The list was endless and at first Sophie believed him. Her father, after all, was an important man. He couldn’t help it if business had to come first. Then, as she grew older, she watched her mother shrivel up and wilt like the neglected potted plant in Max’s office. That’s when Sophie realized most of her father’s “business” involved a brunette, redhead or blonde.

  Sophie bit the inside of her cheek. Is that what happened with Max? Did a better offer come along and he decided to ditch his first outing with his son for a qu
ick roll in the sack?

  Images of his sleek muscular body tangled with legs that went all the way to the moon – probably a model or actress – and sheets so soft one could get lost in them popped in her mind. A flare of anger ignited in her stomach. This is precisely why she hadn’t told Max about Alex in the first place. She didn’t want her son to go through life disappointed over and over again as she had been. Along with the anger burning in her stomach a little spark of jealousy roared to life. Sophie promptly denied it. What difference did it make to her if Max had chosen to spend his time with a sex goddess instead of them?

  None at all, she hurried to convince herself. But deep down in a place where she didn’t want to admit it she knew it did matter. More than it should.

  “You’re here.” Max’s deep velvet voice rumbled from behind her.

  “You’re late,” Sophie snapped, whirling around to greet him. Her pulse galloped at the sight of his faded jeans and a simple green, white and purple polo shirt. The transformation from a ruthless businessman to a laid-back dad nearly took her breath away. God! Did he have to look so awesome?

  Dad.

  Her heart trembled over the word. Somehow she couldn’t picture McSexy, as Felicity called him, in that role.

  Max shot her a puzzled look. “You really do have a hang-up about time, don’t you?”

  Sophie bristled. “I do not have a hang-up about time. I have a hang-up about you disappointing your–”

  “Careful.” Max’s dangerously soft warning stopped her stone-cold. The warmth in his eyes vanished and he clenched his chin. His dark head leaned down to whisper in her ear. “Throwing a temper tantrum to match this beautiful fiery red hair isn’t in our son’s best interest.” His hand lifted a strand of her hair and let if fall through his fingers like silk.

  Pleasurable tingles fluttered over her scalp. Sophie tried to ignore them but she had a hard time doing so while he stared at her with those sexy gray eyes. She pulled her gaze from his as she realized what she’d almost done.

  Oh, God! She’d nearly blurted out the fact Max was his father in front of Alex. This man definitely brought out the worst in her.

  Then her heart sputtered to a stop.

  Our son.

  Another tremble skittered over her. He’d said our son. The words whispered so softly in her ear shivered over her spine and wrapped her in a warm, tingly blanket of delight. She knew Alex was their son, of course, but somehow hearing it from Max made it seem more real. More intimate.

  Get it together, girl. He’s a player. And he’s playing you like harp strings.

  “Can we go in now?” Alex set his little chin and glared at them. “I wanna see the polar bears.”

  Sophie shoved the warm, tingly feelings aside and looked down at her son. “This is Max. He’s one of mommy’s … friends.” Again she used that term loosely. “He’d like to go with us to see the animals.”

  Max shifted his gaze to Alex as well. “So what do you say, little man? Will it be alright if I tag along?”

  Alex looked from Sophie to Max then grinned. “‘S’ok, I guess.”

  “Good. I’d like that, Alex.” Max knelt down in front of him and looked his son in the eye. “You want to see the polar bears, huh?”

  Alex nodded solemnly.

  “What about lions and tigers?”

  “I want to see them too, but polar bears are my favorite.”

  Max’s face broke into a wide grin. “Mine too. Let’s go see how many we can find.” He rose and held out his hand. Alex placed his small one in Max’s larger one. Sophie noticed how Max’s Adam’s apple quivered slightly before he turned to her. “How about it, Mom, you ready to see some polar bears?” He offered her his other hand.

  Sophie blinked. Surely, he didn’t expect her to hold his hand. Her gaze caught Max’s. The teasing light in his eyes threw out the gauntlet.

  Sophie squared her shoulders. If he thought she’d balk, then he had another think coming. She never backed down from a challenge.

  “Sure.” Sophie lifted her chin a notch and laced her hand with his. His fingers threaded hers and goose bumps raced up her arm.

  Sophie didn’t care for the satisfied gleam in his eyes either as he said, “Good.” Then he leaned down to whisper for her ears only. “I was late because there was an accident in front of the hotel. Not for any of those sinful reasons your naughty little mind cooked up.” At her small gasp he chuckled. “Relax. You’re as transparent as Cellophane. I can just imagine what you thought I was doing.” He gave her hand a squeeze then his voice took on a deadly note. “But before you convict me the next time, sugar, you should know I always keep my promises.”

  Sophie felt her face heat all the way to the roots of her hair. Maybe she had been wrong about him this time, but what about the next time? Would Max still be up for the challenge of fatherhood two days from now? Two weeks? Two years?

  She didn’t think so. Not if he was anything like her father. For today, at least, she’d give him a chance.

  * * *

  Max held on to Sophie and Alex’s hands as they strolled through the lush garden park and stopped to visit the Tropic Zone, an indoor rainforest. Once inside a variety of vibrant-colored birds nesting in the branches chirped their greetings while the soothing sound of rain gave the man-made environment an authentic rainforest appeal.

  With a start, Max realized he was enjoying himself more than he’d expected. Actually, he hadn’t known what to expect. Or how Alex would react to him. But the little guy had been a trooper.

  His son – he still marveled at that word – had placed his small hand in his without the least bit of hesitation, trusting only as a child could, and in that moment Max knew he would move heaven and earth to make sure his son never felt unloved or abandoned like he had.

  “What’s that?” Alex pointed to a furry gray animal scurrying up a tree in one of the exhibits. “Is it a monkey?”

  “No. It’s a two-toed sloth.” Max squinted at the zoo fact card at the bottom of the large enclosure that was bathed in a soothing red light. “It’s one of the rainforest’s nocturnal creatures. They spend most of their time upside down hanging on by the claws in their two front toes.”

  “What’s nocturnal?” Alex scrunched his forehead and tilted his head to look at Max.

  “It means it’s a night animal.” Sophie smiled and ruffled his hair. “This one likes fruit and nuts.”

  “Oh.” Alex stuck his head between two wide-spaced horizontal metal bars to get a better view. “I can’t see it any more. Where’d it go?”

  “He’s up there.” Sophie pointed to the canopy in the trees.

  “But I can’t see it.” Alex’s chin wobbled. “I wanna see it too.”

  “Here, son, let me help you.” Max reluctantly dropped Sophie’s hand from his then lifted Alex up over the bars and held him tight so he wouldn’t bounce out of his arms.

  Son. This amazing little guy was his son! Pride swelled in Max’s chest.

  “There it is!” Alex squealed with delight wiggling to get a closer look. “I see it! I see it!”

  Max’s face broke into a wide grin and his arms tightened around the young child. “I see it too.”

  The bubble of pride expanded in Max’s chest. So far so good. No major mishaps on the zoo trip and the child seemed happy enough to have him tag along. Then Max’s smile faltered as self-doubt crept in. What if he did something to lose Alex’s trust? What if he couldn’t be the father Alex really needed?

  Sophie must have read his mind because she leaned over and whispered, “You’re doing fine. Don’t worry so much.”

  Max caught her eye and she shot him an encouraging smile, but not before he saw a glimpse of doubt mirrored in her wide green eyes. His breath caught. What if she was right? What if couldn’t do this?

  “Okay fellows. We’d better get a move on. The zoo will be closing soon and we still have a couple of exhibits left to see.” Sophie weaved her way through the crowd of onlookers and headed to
ward the door.

  “You heard her, little man. Time to hustle.” Max carried Alex as he followed Sophie outside.

  “But I wasn’t through. I want to see the sloth again.” Alex jutted out his chin when they stepped outside and wiggled until Max set him down on the concrete path.

  “Maybe next time.” Max took his hand again and fell into step beside Sophie as they followed the signs leading to the big cats.

  Doubt burrowed deeper in his mind. Would there even be a next time?

  Dusk settled over the park as they finished the last exhibit and headed toward the exit through Central Gardens. Something rustled in the bushes on Max’s left. He narrowed his eyes and squinted toward the tall shrubs. A light flashed. Then another and another.

  Damn!

  “Move it.” Max cupped Sophie’s elbow and guided her around the corner of another group of hedges.

  “What’s wrong?” Sophie asked with alarm.

  “Henchmen. In the bushes. Keep your head down and keep up with me.” He pulled her and Alex behind a large concrete Eagle statue out of the paparazzi’s view.

  “I wanna see the seals.” Alex tugged on Max’s hand and tried to step from behind the statue.

  “Just a minute, son.” Max eased his head out from behind the concrete and peaked around the corner. The bushes moved again.

  He scoured the area. Nothing else looked suspicious. Maybe the henchman in the hedges was the only one. If so it wouldn’t hurt for Alex to stay on the other side of the statue and look at the seals. Max gave the area another once over just to be sure. Good. All clear.

  “Stay right over there where we can see you.” Max pointed toward the large concrete area only a few feet away in the middle of the park where the seals barked loudly.

  “‘K.” Alex skipped over to the exhibit.

  Sophie made a move to follow him.

  “Wait.” Max drew her back against him, her soft body pressed against his and whiffs of lavender and vanilla wrapped around him. His pulse picked up speed. Why did that scent always play havoc with his senses? “I want to be sure no one else is around.”