My brother smiles, familiar with how people underestimated my intelligence and didn’t think I was smart enough for anything other than throwing a football through high school and college. “I told you, Madison Kelly is good people.”
I rock back on my own heels. “Yeah, she is.” This time it isn’t just my dick reacting, but my heart beats a little faster thinking about her being a permanent part of my life.
“You’re right. You’re screwed.” He jogs down the steps. “Let me know about this weekend.” Heading down the walkway, I hear the soft words of Mauro and Maddie kissing in a tree fall from his lips.
Smiling, I open the door of the house and the first thing I see is Madison’s ass as she bends over to pick something up off the floor. For the first time in my life, I’m jealous of Cristian’s tenacious willpower.
14
Madison
A week later, the house is bare bones. We have effectively stripped it down to the studs. This is my favorite part of the process—when I can see the inside structure of a home that’s carried the weight of not only the roof and all the supporting beams, but the people’s lives who lived here. It’s now a clean slate, ready for a fresh start.
The stench that lingered from the refrigerator that was never cleaned out has dissipated a bit and I’m hoping that with the help of a few candles I’ve lit, it will disappear completely.
I’m sitting in the middle of the living room, taking in the space when the screen door opens and a big body steps in.
“Are we having a seance?” Mauro sits down across from me, placing a bag of food between us.
“Well, we do have to try to get the dead to move on.”
He chuckles, placing all his weight on his arms as he extends them behind him, leaning back.
“My profession means that I can’t help but warn you about candles and wood.”
“I didn’t realize you were such a rule follower,” I tease.
He straightens up, opening the bag, taking out the Chinese food containers. “I’m not.”
“I didn’t think so.”
I rise up and go to my laundry basket of essentials we might need for meals. Yeah, call me uber-organized, but this isn’t my first time being so hungry I could chew my arm off in a house with no kitchen. Pulling out two plates and two plastic forks and napkins, I sit back down across from him.
In the last week, Mauro has transformed from the guy I didn’t really know and yet placed on a pedestal, to a guy I’m getting to know a lot about and am really starting to like for the right reasons.
He’s funny, and I like his dry sense of humor and the way he never cracks a smile when he tells a joke. He treats the workers well and somehow gets them to do a little extra work each day. Once he makes a decision, that’s it. He’s committed. And he always makes the best of a situation. When a wall got knocked out that wasn’t supposed to, he said that it would allow more light in instead of asking me where I was when it was happening since he was at work.
“Always prepared.” He chuckles to himself and opens up the containers and I’m surprised to see that it’s Thai food, not Chinese.
I shrug. “It’s a curse.”
The curse of not having a present mother.
“You should be proud of it. I bet you’ve never been late on a bill.” He lets me get my dish before his.
I use the fork and pull the noodles from the container.
“No.”
“It’s an endearing quality. Don’t be ashamed of it.” His words warm me. Most people would probably find it geeky.
He’s fixing his plate and my gaze wanders across his body. His strong shoulders and taut waist. The way his jeans are worn just the perfect amount and hug his firm thighs. The fact that his hair is never fully done, but more styled with his fingers because no matter how neat it looks when he gets here, by day’s end he’s got that just-fucked hair going on. The light stubble along his cheeks and his manly jaw.
“Is there something on my face?” He sits back, wiping his face with a napkin.
Oops. My eyes cast down, heat rising up my neck. “No.”
He lets it go instead of calling me out on my gawking. Just as I did earlier today when I bent over to grab something and found his eyes glued to my ass when I turned around. Let’s just say, the exhilaration I felt in that moment was pretty close to when I earned Summa Cum Laude in college.
“So, tell me why you don’t have a boyfriend.”
My head snaps up to meet his inquisitive eyes.
He’s kidding. Right?
“You tell me first,” I say.
“Don’t even try it. Come on.”
Every fiber inside of me says this is a horrible idea, but I sit up from my plate. “I’ve never had a serious relationship. I’ve dated a few guys, but the relationships never lasted longer than a month or two.”
His forehead wrinkles. “Why do you think that is?”
I tip my head back down. “I tend to date guys similar to me. Guys who want career success before a romantic relationship. We’d both understand when the other said they have to study or that they had to go to this networking event or whatever it was. The relationship was never the priority. Does that make sense?”
“Yeah, that would be a problem. What about now? You still put your career first?”
His question is innocent enough. He asks casually, but the way he’s intently waiting for me to answer has me wondering if there’s more to it.
“Um…I think I use it as a crutch now. Maybe it’s an excuse not to get involved with someone.”
I’m not sure I’ve been this honest with anyone else before. There’s just something about Mauro that doesn’t have me wanting to give him a glazed over answer you’d give just to move on to the next topic of conversation.
“I’m with you on that one. I think I use the fact my job is dangerous as a reason sometimes not to get serious.”
I look up from my plate, chewing the last of my chicken. He forks large amounts of noodles and chicken into his mouth. I’m not sure I’ve seen Mauro go longer than an hour without food.
“You’ve never had a serious relationship?” I ask.
His eyes dip back to his plate. “No, I did, sort of, I guess. We were together for a year, but I found out it was all based on lies.”
“I’m sorry.” I frown. “Did you love her?”
He doesn’t look up from his plate as he pushes the food around.
“I think I thought I did, but I’m not so sure now. Maybe when you find out someone didn’t love you, maybe that strips everything you felt for them? I don’t know. Let’s just say it was the ultimate betrayal.”
My heart squeezes for him. Whether he loved her or not doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt. Whatever happened obviously affected him.
“See, so maybe I’m better off continuing to put my work first.” I try to lighten the vibe, but his solemn eyes say he’s having none of it.
“I learned a lot from it.”
“Like?”
He stands up, heading to the cooler he brought earlier today to make sure the crew had water. Bringing two over, he wipes the water off with his t-shirt, opens the cap, and hands it to me.
“Thank you.”
He sits down, closer than he was moments ago. Not that I’m complaining.
“This is going to sound a lot like some ‘I am woman hear me roar’ statement, but I deserved better. She had me using my two days off as her chauffeur and errand runner. I thought I was doing it because we loved each other and I was helping her out. I realize now that she didn’t care if I needed to sleep. She never even called me when I was on shift.” He shakes his head. “You’re going to think I’m taking estrogen tablets at this rate.”
I knock my shoulder to his. “I’m going to ignore the fact that you’re saying women are overly emotional.”
He smirks at me. “You know that’s not what I’m suggesting.”
I raise my eyebrows. “Who knows if you are.”
He hol
ds up his hand with two fingers. “Scout’s honor.”
“You weren’t a Boy Scout, were you?”
He chuckles. “For two weeks. Until all three of us got kicked out for wrestling. The leader told my mom that we’d have to be split into three different troops. That was the end of scouts for the Bianco brothers.”
I lower his hand. “Then sorry, you can’t use the honor salute.”
“Were you a Girl Scout?” he asks, his smile already suggesting he knows the answer.
“Yes, and before you make fun of me, I did go all the way to Ambassador. It looked good on my college application.”
“Ever think that’s where those people pleaser skills were bred?”
“Hey.” I shoot him a warning glare.
He chuckles, resting his weight on his hand. “I’m kidding. I know I’ve apologized, but I need to again. I should’ve never made fun of you because if you weren’t nice, I’m pretty sure we wouldn’t be sitting in this house. You wouldn’t have given me this chance.”
I straighten my back. “Do you think I gave you a bone? Like I agreed to be your partner as a handout?”
He straightens as well, pouring a big gulp of water down his throat while staring at me through squinted eyes. “Well, I’m the newbie and you’re pretty established.”
I shake my head. “Mauro, that’s not true and I don’t want you to think that. I agreed to this because this house means something to me and so that I’d have a partner who was just as invested as me. I’m sick of doing it alone. I thought it’d be fun, but it’s been good having someone to bounce ideas off of. The fact you’re good with your hands was just a bonus.” I attempt to wink, but as usual, both eyes fall closed.
“Try that again?” he asks, pointing to my eyes.
“No. I can’t do it.” I pull my legs up and bury my head down into my knees, my long chestnut hair falling in a veil around my face.
He sweeps it back and my stomach flutters when his fingertips brush my cheek. “It’s me. Come on.”
“It’s me? That’s your explanation? That it’s okay to embarrass myself. You’re Mauro Bianco.”
I shake my head and he tucks my hair behind my ear.
“You say that like I’m Bradley Cooper.”
“To me you are,” I mumble, half praying he didn’t hear me, half hoping he did.
His finger lands under my chin, slowly raising my face until our eyes lock. “I’m just a firefighter from Chicago. I’m the oldest of three brothers from an immigrant father and mother who came to this country for the American dream. There’s nothing special about that.”
I swallow down the saliva pooling in my mouth.
Our faces inch closer.
“Don’t pin me as a hero, Mad,” he says in a low, gravelly voice.
My heart pitter-patters at the way he shortened my name.
“You’re so much more than you realize. You’re kind and sweet and generous and hardworking. The package you come in is nice eye candy, sure, and I’m ashamed to say that’s all I knew about you at one time. Over the last week though, I’ve discovered that you’re so much more.”
Our faces inch closer again and I can feel his breath on my face.
“We can’t do this,” I murmur. “It could destroy everything we’re building.”
His eyes transfix on my lips. “I’ve been denying myself for days. Just one taste.”
Another inch closer and my breathing grows shallow as my heart thumps an unsteady beat against my rib cage.
His hand molds to my cheek and I lean into his strong, callused palm.
“Mauro,” I whisper. I’m not even sure if it’s a plea to kiss me or to stop.
“Madison.” My name rolling off his lips with so much need undoes any self-control I had left and my eyes flutter closed as I lean in.
“Mauro,” a woman’s voice says from outside the screen door.
We reel back from each other, my water spilling onto one of the candles. How fitting.
“Cailin?” he asks, standing to his feet.
A blonde woman walks in wearing tight skinny jeans and a top snug enough to show off some nice cleavage. She’s wearing a gold necklace that draws your eyes down to her breasts just in case you didn’t happen to notice them. Her hair is down—loose and curled in those waves I never seemed to master with my straight iron.
“You must be Madison.” She disregards a flustered Mauro and beelines it over to me, holding her hand out. “I’m Cailin.”
I wrack my brain for any recognition the name should bring me. She’s definitely not the contractor we hired for the landscaping.
“Hi.” I shake her dainty hand, watching her eyes wander up and down my body.
I’ve never been the woman other women are jealous of, so I’m not certain why she’s sizing me up.
“Madison, this is Cailin Zaxby, she was the wife of my buddy, Hunter.” Mauro takes up the space at our sides.
I nod hello.
“This place doesn’t look very appealing.” She cringes at me, a smear of lipstick on her glowing white teeth. She must be just off a whitening treatment.
“Consider this her natural look.” My hand caresses a beam that separates the living room and dining room.
“Oh how cute, you refer to it like a person. Did you name her like those people who name beat up ugly cars?” I try to hide my disgust and Mauro should be thankful I’m a nice person right about now because I feel like taking her head and knocking it into a four by four.
“No, I don’t.” I move over to the table and pack up my computer and notebooks, shoving them in my bag. “I’ll leave you two alone.”
“That’s not necessary.” Mauro steps closer to me.
“Sorry, did I interrupt a meeting? It’s just Mauro’s been going on and on about this project of his and I drove by and saw his truck. Figured I’d stop in.” She’s lying. Not that I think she didn’t just drive by and see his truck, but she’s here for a reason other than to see the house.
“No worries, we were just finally taking a break after a week of demolition.” I swing my bag over my shoulder.
Mauro’s hands are tucked into his pockets, his eyes on the ground.
Upset that he got caught almost kissing the hermit?
“So, I know you work tomorrow, but we have that meeting the day after with the tile guy. We need to decide on stain and cabinetry so that we make sure it all flows. Just Pinterest anything you really like, okay?”
His hand touches my arm and I desperately want to lean into him. I want to finish what we started in front of Cailin and show her he’s mine. But that’s not me. And he’s not mine. I’d do well to remember that.
“You Pinterest?” Cailin’s voice bounces off the empty walls.
Mauro stares at me, his eyes conveying the apology he’s yet to verbalize.
“Sounds good. Crossing fingers for a slow day tomorrow.” He smiles and my belly lights up like a rocket’s about to take off.
I step away from Mauro before I do something foolish like kiss him goodbye. “Very nice to meet you Cailin.” I wave.
She’s busy looking around like she’d rather be anywhere but here. “You too, Madison.” She waves, not bothering to turn and actually look at me.
“Bye, Mad,” Mauro says and I walk out the front door feeling about as empty as the house I’m leaving.
The candles. Shit.
I peek my head back in and see Cailin’s hands on Mauro’s shoulders giving him a massage.
Wow. They waste no time.
“I just wanted to remind you not to forget to put the candles out.” I shake my head. “That seems stupid now. You’re a firefighter. Of course you’ll know to blow them out.”
I glance at the floor to see that they’re already blown out.
“I’m one step ahead of you.” Mauro smiles, dislodging his shoulders from Cailin’s hands.
“Have a good night.” I wave and let the screen door fall closed behind me.
This time I head down th
e stairs to the solitude of my car.
Once I’m inside, I reach into my purse grabbing my bag of M&Ms, pour out a palm full and stuff them in my mouth.
15
Mauro
“What are you doing?” I side-step away from Cailin, still wondering why the hell she surprised me here. “Why are you acting like some jealous girlfriend?”
I keep my voice even, but anger boils inside of me. Anger I haven’t seen surface since I cleaned out Hunter’s locker at the firehouse.
“What are you talking about?” She plays off my question with a laugh and picks up the candles, placing them on the dining room table, familiar with fire safety.
The candles had made me uneasy, but Madison liked them, and I couldn’t take my eyes off of her in the candlelight. I already installed two fire extinguishers, so I knew I’d get to it quickly should the unthinkable happen.
“Where’s Devin?”
She stops and turns to me. Her lips dipping. “I was out for dinner with my girlfriends. My mom has Devin. It was my first night out.”
Thank God, I was just misreading things. For a second there I thought Patel was right—that Cailin wanted to replace Hunter with me.
“I’m sorry.” My hand runs along the back of my neck. “I’m just—”
“You like her?” she interrupts.
I shrug. My ability to lie is shit. Cailin wouldn’t catch me like Cristian might, but she caught me about to kiss Madison so I think she knows the answer without me answering.
“We’re partners. Come on, I’ll show you around.”
We head through the dining room to the kitchen.
“Don’t lie to me, Mauro. I saw you a millisecond before you were about to kiss her.”
“And yet you decided to interrupt?” I turn and cock an eyebrow at her.
Her cheeks flush. “I thought maybe she was taking advantage of you. You know you’re so gorgeous women can’t resist.”
She pinches my bicep and I’ve never wanted to be away from Cailin more than right now. Even when she was knee-deep in snot and soaking my t-shirt after Hunter’s death, I was good with it. She needed someone and I was willing to be that person she could lean on. Now…I don’t know if that was such a good idea.
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