“Yes, please,” she said, clasping her hands together.
As he led the way from the dining room into a parlor at the front of the house, Gia tried not to admire how well his pants fit from the back or remember how solid his chest felt under her hands.
The parlor had tall windows with built-in seats on two walls. There was another fireplace in the same marble. The spectacular wood trim here was painted a dark navy and complemented by blue and gold fleur de lis wallpaper. Beckett had filled it with small, comfortable couches that flanked the fireplace. A wide, cozy chair was tucked into the round turret in the front corner. Several houseplants took up residence on shelves and tables.
It was a romantic room. One she could imagine whiling away the hours with a good book and hot chocolate while snow fell outside.
They wound their way through the first floor, moving on to the three-story staircase in the foyer and then the main living room, a mirror of the parlor. Yet another fireplace here, but Beckett’s big screen TV and entertainment center were the focal point. Through the door on the far wall, Beckett showed them his office area with library and waiting room.
Gia could tell this was the heart of his home. In these rooms he served his community and his clients day in and day out, hoping to make all their lives a bit better. It was part of her attraction to him, she admitted. The pure goodness in him was turning out to be as intriguing as the bad boy vibe she’d fallen for years before.
“Pizza should be here in a minute, but I have something else I can show you upstairs,” Beckett offered. “It’s kind of awesome,” he warned Evan.
Gia bit the inside of her cheek. Going anywhere near Beckett’s bedroom would spell disaster. “How about I wait down here for the pizza and you can take the kids up?” she suggested.
Beckett’s heated gaze bored into her. He knew exactly what she was avoiding.
“Money’s on the table by the door,” he said with a wink. “You guys want to see what’s upstairs?”
Evan was already halfway up the stairs. “Is it an arcade?”
“Do you have a room for me, Bucket?” Aurora asked, grasping his hand as she took the stairs one at a time.
Right on cue the doorbell rang. Gia was surprised to find one of her yoga students clutching a tower of pizza boxes and bags.
Ruby was a gangly seventeen with choppy auburn bangs and a tiny stud in her nose. She helped out on her family’s farm in the mornings before school and could nail some incredibly advanced yoga poses.
Ruby’s brown eyes widened. “So you’re the reason Beckett ordered enough food to feed an army,” she said. “We thought he was having his brothers over.”
Gia grinned. It was probably a bit of a disappointment for Ruby to not be delivering to three of the best-looking men in Blue Moon. “Beckett’s feeding me and my troops tonight.”
“Interesting,” Ruby said, raising both eyebrows.
“Are you coming to class Saturday?” Gia asked, sensing the interest and changing the subject. “I’m thinking about throwing in some forearm stands.”
“I’m so there!” Ruby said, trading food for cash. She started for the porch steps. “Have a good time with Beckett tonight,” she called over her shoulder and winked.
Gia sighed and wondered what kind of gossip tornado had just been stirred up. Juggling the tower of food, she shut the door behind her and headed into the dining room.
“Gia!” Evan called excitedly from the stairs. “You’ve gotta come see this.”
She put the food down on the table and jogged up the stairs. “Marco?” she called when she reached the second floor.
“Polo!” Evan and Aurora’s voices sang from a bedroom at the front of the house.
Gia found them standing with Beckett in front of a bookcase. A few dusty volumes took up residence on the otherwise empty shelves. She raised an eyebrow. “You’re not usually so excited about reading, Evan,” she commented.
Evan rolled his eyes. “Not the books. Show her Beckett!”
Beckett grinned and shook his head. “Go for it, kid.”
With gleeful enthusiasm, Evan pressed a knob that was carved into the molding around the shelves. She heard a metallic click and the entire bookcase silently opened out.
“It’s a secret passage!” Evan announced.
Aurora grabbed Gia’s hand and dragged her toward the dark opening. “Come on, Mama! Let’s hide!”
“Here,” Beckett said, handing Evan a flashlight. “Let your brother go first and we’ll follow him.”
Evan grabbed the light and ducked behind the shelves. “Come on, Gia!”
Aurora slipped her hand out of Gia’s and hurried ahead. “I walk with Van,” she announced and danced after her brother.
The passageway was narrow and black as night once Beckett pulled the shelves back into place behind them, the beam of Evan’s flashlight was the only sliver of light cutting through the darkness.
Gia saw the light climb higher in front of them. “Watch your step,” Evan warned, from above.