***
“What made you get a bird?” Enzo asked as his finger trailed over the small tattoo on the inner side of her ankle, sending goosebumps up her leg.
“Mon petit oiseau,” she said. “Little bird. It’s what my dad has called me ever since I was a little kid.”
Enzo glanced up at her, blue eyes lit with amusement. “It’s fitting.”
“Why do you say that?”
“You never sit still. You’re always ready to take flight, wild and free, graceful and beautiful.”
“I wasn’t graceful when I fell off the chair.”
“I’m sure you would have been just fine if I didn’t scare the hell out of you.”
“Can’t argue there. What were you thinking anyway? See someone standing on a chair and decide to yell at them.”
“It reminded me of something, and I panicked.”
Her brows pulled together. “Reminded you of what?”
The bright blue of his irises dimmed, a sadness overtaking like dark clouds before a storm. “My mom.”
Mrs. Moretti was a woman loved by everyone who met her, especially Cami. She admired her effortless beauty and kind heart. When she passed, it had been sudden and unexpected and had rocked the entire town.
Enzo stared off, an emotionless expression on his face. His lips parted, and he leaned forward, elbows resting on knees. “I was the one who found her.”
“Found who? Your mother?”
He nodded.
Mrs. Moretti had died of a brain aneurism in her kitchen, but that was all Cami had ever known. Enzo had been so close to his mother—all of the Moretti siblings had been—but Enzo was the first born, Mrs. Moretti’s baby boy no matter how big he got. They had a special bond, and to think Enzo was the one who found her…Her heart ached for him, for the man he was over a decade ago who had experienced life’s cruelties in the worst possible way.
“I didn’t know that.” She took his hand in hers, needing to offer him comfort in some way, even if it was too many years too late. “My God, Enzo. I couldn’t even imagine.”
The heat in his hand drained as if the memory turned his blood cold.
“She was lying next to a chair she’d put up against the counter. She could never reach the top shelf. I thought she might have fallen.”
His voice cracked, he sucked in a jagged breath, and scrubbed a palm over his face. “I called out to her, ran to her side, but she didn’t respond. I was afraid to move her, but when she wouldn’t respond I had to do something. I called 911 and started CPR. I remember praying in between breaths as I did chest compressions, begging God to bring her back, but seconds turned into minutes, and next thing I knew the EMTs were trying to pull me off of her. It was pretty apparent that she was gone, but I refused to believe it. I knocked them out of the way and went back to doing compressions. Anybody that tried to stop me, I hit. Until Reid came up behind me, grabbed me in a bear hug, and dragged me out of the kitchen. She’s gone. She’s gone. He said it over and over. Eventually it sunk in, and I collapsed in his arms.”
A tear slipped down his cheek, and Cami, without a second thought, wrapped her arms around him. His body shook with silent sobs, and feeling powerless against the horrid memories in his mind, she did the only thing she could. She held him close, cradling his head, and rocking back and forth, providing him a shoulder to cry on, comfort, and love.
How long had he held this in? Other than Reid and the EMTs who were there that day, did anyone else know? Or had he kept it to himself to protect his family?
Cami knew the answer without asking.
Enzo Moretti was many things, but a martyr wasn’t one of them.
Chapter 15
It was the worst moment of his life. It had been over a decade since that very day, and he’d never seen a day as dark as that Thursday in May. He didn’t talk about it. There was no reason to. He failed at bringing his mom back. All those CPR classes he took to be a lifeguard had been proven useless.
He buried the memories, locked the door, and never looked back. He never had any reason to revisit that day, but when he’d seen Cami on that chair, the lock opened, and the memories rushed to the surface.
Her arms around him held the door open, allowing years of pent up grief to overwhelm him. It was a black hole, and he was afraid he’d never find his way out. Then Cami’s fingers brushed through his hair, and a sliver of light found its way inside. He focused on that light, allowing it to guide him back to the present and far away from that fateful day.
With a deep breath, he found his composure and sat up, drawing away from Cami’s warm embrace.
“What I remember most,” he said. “Was how peaceful she looked. There was no life left in her, but she truly looked at peace. Over the years, I think that has helped a little.”
Cami rested a gentle hand on his shoulder, and it gave him comfort in a way he’d never experienced before. It was pure warmth and love, understanding and calmness.
“That’s why you yelled.”
He nodded. “I knew the fall didn’t kill my mom, but seeing you up there… I don’t know. I suddenly had a flash of that day, and I snapped which only made you fall anyway. I should’ve kept my mouth shut, but it was total instinct.”
“It’s not your fault.”
“Yes, it is.”
“Okay it is.” She laughed, and the warm sound was healing to his soul. “But I’m kind of happy it happened.”
He arched his eyebrow in confusion. There was a lot to be happy about in life. He’d learned that after experiencing so much loss and heartache on his own. Happiness could be found in the smallest of things, but this left him with doubts. “You’re happy you hurt yourself?”
She took his hand in hers, turning it over and tracing the lines of his palm before lacing her fingers with his. “You’re here, and for the first time in a long time, I don’t feel lonely.”
He grazed the soft warmth of her cheek. Her eyes locked with his, and he felt in his heart that every horrible thing in his life, every tragedy brought him to this moment. He had never believed in destiny, but he had no other way to explain what was happening between him and Cami.
Her rosy lips parted, and her head tilted into the cup of his hand. His thumb brushed against her plump bottom lip. “I was mad you didn’t properly kiss me the other day.”
“I’m mad at myself for not kissing you properly.” He bent his head, the allure of her mouth drawing him in until his mouth was pressed against hers. A sweet tenderness uncoiled in his chest as he wrapped her in his arms.
Their lips moved against each other, and while he expected Cami to take control like she did with everything else in life, she didn’t. Her mouth followed his lead, and he was happy to set the pace. Slow at first, relishing in the firm pressure of her soft lips sliding against his in a synchronized dance. Desire unfurled inside him, building in speed and ferocity as he lifted her onto his lap, careful not to hurt her ankle.
Her arms snaked around his neck, holding him closer. He teased the corner of her mouth with his tongue, and a light sound escaped her throat when she parted her lips to let him in. He sunk his fingers into the red strands of her hair and held her face as his tongue slipped past the crease.
She sighed as their tongues slid against each other, sending desire rippling down his spine. She tasted sweet with the slightest hint of coffee—a seductive mixture that he couldn’t get enough of.
Her fingers trailed up his neck and tangled into his hair. Heat shot to his core, his cock hardened, and his control was waning. He wanted her with every ounce of his being, but not yet. He’d known Cami forever, but seeing her in this new light, he felt like he was just getting to know her again.
Maybe he was overthinking it. She wasn’t pulling away; she was urging him closer, rubbing against him and making it impossible to not want to take it to the next level.
He needed a breather—a moment away to clear his mind and think rationally before they made a mistake neither could take ba
ck. Regretfully he drew away, wishing he could get out of his head and just go with the flow, but he couldn’t do that. Especially not when Cami was involved.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, her lips swollen from his kiss.
“I forgot… I need to do something at the restaurant.” It wasn’t a complete lie. He did need to check on Grandpa and make sure he wasn’t really building a trap to catch Diavolo.
“Right now?” Cami asked, her brown eyes glossed over with lust.
“It can’t wait.” He took her hand and kissed her knuckles. “But I’ll come back.” He just needed a moment to regroup. He’d take a drive down to the boardwalk, check on Paulie and Ella and the Local Bean, pick up something to eat, and come back with a much clearer head.
Her eyes casted down. “You don’t have to.”
He cupped her cheek, running his thumb across the curve of her jaw. “I want to.”
He stood up, lifting her with him and turned, placing her on the couch. The ice pack had fallen on the floor, and he scooped it up, resting it on her ankle. “Keep the ice on it.”
“If you’re not here, how will you know that I listened?”
“I won’t, and I’m not stupid enough to think you’ll actually do as I ask, but I’m going to hope for your own safety that you do.”
“My own safety? I’m in my house. What can possibly happen?”
“With you? God only knows.” He kissed her forehead; though it seemed insanely intimate for the moment, it also felt right. “Do you need anything while I’m out?”
“Nope.”
“Call me if you do.” She laughed, and his brow furrowed. “What’s so funny?”
“Nothing. Just that I’m not surprised you’re a phone call over text kind of guy.”
“Texts are impersonal, and by the time I write out whatever I have to say, I could’ve just picked up the phone.”
“You would say that, but don’t worry, I’ll teach you a few things and before you know it, you’ll wonder why you hadn’t switched over to texting sooner.”
“Doubtful.” He headed to the staircase. “Call me if you need me.”
Her laughter followed him down the stairs.
***
Cami’s lips still tingled from Enzo’s kiss. She could still feel the press of his mouth on hers and the way his tongue sought hers out. Ever since Enzo had almost kissed her, she’d imagined what it would be like to actually kiss him, and it was a thousand times better than anything she ever dreamed of.
The only disappointment was that he ended the kiss when all she wanted to do was keep it going for as long as possible. She had felt his desire growing hard beneath her, yet for whatever reason, it was that moment he realized he needed to do something at the restaurant.
Whatever it was, it better be damn important. Or maybe he suddenly realized how big of a mistake it was to kiss her, or maybe it wasn’t everything he’d imagined and so he bailed.
No. She felt his erection pressing against her ass; he definitely enjoyed it.
What if it had nothing to do with the kiss and everything to do with her? Maybe he didn’t see her in a romantic light because of their history. Maybe he couldn’t get past the fact that she used to be the annoying girl who was too loud at sleepovers and called him Old Man Buzzkill.
It didn’t matter. She took a deep breath and removed the ice pack from her ankle. It had been a long time since she’d been home during the day, and there was no way she was going to sit on her butt. She could finally fold the laundry that had been sitting on the edge of the sectional since last week.
She stood on her good leg and went to walk, but as soon as she put pressure, the pain reminded her that her ankle hadn’t magically fixed itself. Unable to handle the sharp stab, she fell headfirst into the sectional. Grateful Enzo wasn’t there to witness that little maneuver, she flopped around and with her good foot scooted across the sectional to the pile of laundry.
She folded a towel, her mind drifting to the coffee shop. What if something went wrong? Paulie nor Ella would know what to do, though she hoped Ella would be smart enough to call her and not try to figure it out. No… Ella was one of the smartest people Cami knew, especially when it came to common sense, she would be fine. She’d also refuse to call Cami afraid Cami would risk her ankle to come back to the store.
The longer she thought about it, the harder it was to ignore. She put the towel down she was about to fold and scooted back to the other side of the sectional. She retrieved her phone and called the coffee shop.
“The Local Bean, where the coffee is always fresh. How can I help you?” Cami would recognize Ella’s voice anywhere.
“You remembered the line,” Cami said.
Ella gave a half sigh, half laugh into the phone. “Of course, you’ve only been using it since you opened. You even answer your cell with that line every now and again, though I never have the heart to tell you.”
This was news to Cami, but she wasn’t surprised. Her brain was always in work mode.
“What’s up? And don’t tell me you’re calling to check on me.”
“Well,” Cami said. “I just want to make sure everything is running smoothly.”
“You have nothing to worry about. Paulie and I make a great team. The morning rush with your usuals seems to have died down, and now it’s just the random tourists popping in.”
“It’s Monday, so Mr. Schultz will be coming in for his café Americano.”
“Already did, and he had no complaints.”
“Oh,” Cami said surprised. Mr. Schultz was very particular about his coffee, and if he wasn’t happy, he surely would let everyone in a ten-mile radius know.
“Are you sure?” she asked. “Did you ask him if everything was all right?”
“He’s still here, do you want to talk to him yourself?”
It was tempting, but even she knew when she was going too far. “No, I’ll take your word for it.”
“Well, that’s a first.”
“Lot of firsts today,” Cami said.
“Oh really…?”
Cami had always told Ella everything, but the kiss between her and Enzo? She wanted to keep it between them for a little longer. Even though he cut it short and up and left, for the few moments their lips were joined, it was special, and she wasn’t ready to divulge details and cheapen the act.
“Me being home in the middle of the day,” Cami said. “I can’t remember the last time I actually saw the sun shining in my window.” She was always gone before it came up and usually didn’t get home until after it went down.
“Enjoy it then.”
“How can I enjoy it when I know my coffee is being made by a college kid?”
“You need to give Paulie a little more credit and maybe a raise. The kid is good. He made my coffee and put just the right amount of half and half and cinnamon. And you know how picky I am about that.”
Ella was pretty particular about her coffee. But splashing half and half and dumping a little cinnamon on top was easy compared to a caramel macchiato or a mocha cappuccino.
“I can hear you thinking,” Ella said. “And trust me, we have it all under control.”
“I’ll try.”
“Hey, is my brother still with you? I thought being together in the car, all alone—”
“He dropped me off and had to head back to the restaurant. He said he’d be back later.”
“Oh, well that’s disappointing, though I’m not surprised. He gets worried leaving Grandpa alone for too long. Not like he needs a babysitter, but you can’t tell Enzo that.”
“You can’t tell him much,” Cami said.
“No you can’t. I hate to cut you short, but it looks like a group of teenagers are about to descend.”
“If they don’t know what they want, you can’t go wrong with suggesting a café mocha.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“And if they don’t like chocolate then—”
“Then I will ask them what they do
like, and go from there.”
“But—”
“No buts. I have spent plenty of time in this shop watching you in action. I’ve learned a thing or two.”
Cami did trust Ella, but it was hard to give up control and trust that someone was capable of doing what Cami did. But she had no choice. She couldn’t put pressure on her ankle right now. “Okay,” Cami finally said. “I trust you.”
“Damn I wish I could have recorded that.” Ella laughed. “I’ll call you later. Relax for once in your life.”
“I’ll try, and El?”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you for helping me out.”
“It’s what friends do.”
Cami hung up the phone and sank back into the couch. She closed her eyes, giving herself a moment to rest. Within seconds, her lack of sleep caught up to her, and she was out cold.
Chapter 16
The entire drive into town Enzo mentally kicked himself for walking away from Cami. He thought he needed a breather to think things through, but the only thing he could think about was Cami’s lips, the softness of her skin, the feel of her fingers curling into his hair. He didn’t need a breather at all. He needed her.
It was too late to turn around now; he’d already left when she was so eager, clinging to him like she never wanted to let go. He was an idiot. He tried not to think about his moment of stupidity and focused instead on the pure pleasure Cami brought him. The memories helped when he was stuck in traffic for twenty minutes just to get through Main Street.
Unfortunately, there were only so many back roads to take until he had to get on the main strip. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he pulled into the parking lot. He drove up and down the aisles, searching for a space, knowing damn well if he was patient enough, one would open up.
After passing Cami’s car with that damn donut for the eighth time, he finally stumbled on a spot. He pulled his Jeep in and threw it in park.
He walked by Cami’s car and thought about calling her and insisting now that she was home to call and get the tire taken care of, but he’d already injured her today and walked out on an amazing kiss; he didn’t need to give her more reason to despise him. He ignored the tire and headed up to the boardwalk.
His Complete Polar Opposite Page 10