The Billionaire’s Second Chance by Kimberly Krey Page 0,45

excitement flickered through him. Thoughts of meeting them often triggered that same reaction. Like spending time with the twins would be a chance to have parts of his childhood back for a time.

“Think I should bring some baseballs and bats? I can get mitts their size. Are they both right-handed?”

Viv pried open her eyes. “No,” she said. “Dante’s a lefty. How’d you think to ask that?”

He shrugged. “It’s baseball. The mitt has to go on the correct hand. You said they’re on the rec team this summer, right? Do they already have their own gear? Of course, it wouldn’t hurt to have two mitts…”

More excitement stirred at the idea of playing ball with the boys. Of teaching them some of his hard-earned tricks. “You’ll play too, won’t you?”

“Sure, just watch out. I’m a lousy pitch. On another note,” she said, propping herself onto her elbows as well, “The article is coming along very nicely.”

He lifted a brow. “It is?”

Viv gave him a silent nod.

“I’m kind of nervous just thinking about it,” he admitted.

That earned him a grin. “You shouldn’t be, cuore mio, my heart.”

Heat roared low in his belly. Duke loved when she called him that. He ran his gaze over her as she looked at him, a sassy gleam in her gorgeous brown eyes. So intelligent, so confident, so beautiful. He shrugged onto his shoulder to place a kiss to her lips. And then another one.

“I’m…” His pulse shot into the next gear as he considered what he wanted to say. Something he’d thought about saying to her dozens of times before. His throat tightened as if it might close up around the words if he didn’t hurry and say them.

“I’m falling in love with you, Vivia Tripoli.” Duke’s heart raced impossibly faster now. Hotter too as Viv pulled back slightly to look at him.

Vivi’s eyes went wide, her brows lifted, and her lips quirked up on one side. Her face softened then as she toyed with the hairs at the nape of his neck. “I’m falling in love with you too, cuore mio, my heart.”

She pulled him in for another kiss, assuring him with the passion behind each lingering touch and taste. She sandwiched his bottom lip with hers, caressing it gently as she pulled back ever so slowly before coming in for another heavenly encounter.

He let it feed the desire in him, the growing need to know if she felt the same way. Her verbal answer had done him a whole lot of good. Her physical affection made it all the sweeter.

Wanting to make sure his attention did the same for her, Duke slid a hand down the side of her thigh, looped his fingers around the back of her knee, and hooked her leg up and around him. He deepened the kiss then, drawn in by the warmth of her, sensing their time was coming to a close. At any moment, his alarm would sound, reminding him of how very precious their time together was.

He longed for the day he could have not only Vivi’s lunchtime breaks, but her mornings and evenings too. Duke needed more of her. After falling so deeply, he sensed life wouldn’t be complete without her in it.

At last, his dreaded phone alarm began to buzz from its spot on the blanket.

Viv brought things to a long, sensual close with a kiss that made him groan. “That went fast,” she said against his lips.

“Yes,” he agreed. “Too fast. Guess you’ve got to get back to work in that spare room. I still wish you’d let me help you,” he added, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Viv grinned. “Yeah, but if we were doing that when you came, it wouldn’t be a break for me. It’d be work.” She winked.

“Your two jobs—writing and house-restoring—aren’t very alike,” he pointed out.

Viv gave that some thought. “In a way, they’re not so different,” she said. “What I do with an old home is make it look appealing again by helping its best features shine. It’s sort of the same thing with the people I interview.”

Duke grinned, appreciating her perspective. Loving the way she always helped him see things in a new light.

“When can we go on another date?” he asked. Luckily, Duke had been able to take Vivi out over the weekend; her parents offered to watch the twins after their birthday party, giving them a few hours at his place—her first time there.

The thought made him recall the gala. “Did your parents say