by Piper Rayne
He shrugs. “Yeah but…”
“Good luck with Daria, Ben, and I really mean that.”
I turn back around and walk toward the door at the end of the hall. Not bothering to knock, I close my eyes on the off chance he’s naked and open the door.
“Jesus, Hunt.”
“Are you beating off? Because if you are, we really need to talk priorities.” I cover my eyes with my hand just in case I can’t be trusted not to peek. It wouldn’t be intentional, but the way Vanessa and Maddie brag about the Bianco men and how they aren’t lacking makes me kind of curious.
“Open your eyes.”
I shake my head. “Nope. You’re not going to trick me.”
“You’re the one who just barged in.” I hear him scrambling, a rush of air hitting my face every few seconds.
“Because you left me in a hospital room with my fake family-to-be.”
“You’re being childish. Take your hand away.”
“Childish? You’re the one being childish. You ran away like a baby.”
“Luca, I’m really sorry,” Ben says from behind me.
“It’s all good, Ben.” The door slams shut and a lock slides into place.
I should open my eyes.
“You locked me in here?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I don’t want Ben barging in again. The guy thinks he’s ruined my life or something because his mail-order bride is coming to Chicago.”
“Is she a mail order bride? I kind of suspected but I didn’t want to assume. I mean he’s an okay looking guy.”
“Hunt.” His voice is so close, I swear I just smelled his minty breath.
Then his fingers touch mine, lifting each one with ease.
“Open your eyes.” His voice is so seductive this close. I squeeze my thighs together to clench the unwanted desire.
“Are you sure? Because you’re very close and my knee is right there,” I say in a low voice.
He chuckles and I peek one eye open to find him front and center.
God, he really is good looking. When I’m away from him, I think I forget the effect he can have on a woman.
All of his features are sharp and defined. His dark hair tousled in a way that Ben could never pull off in the sexy way Luca can. His eyes are so dark it’s hard sometimes to distinguish the dark brown from his pupils. And his body…
“Hi,” I say in a soft voice.
His lips lift and I swear it’s like the sun shining through a line of dark clouds. I’m speechless.
“As you can see, I’m fully clothed.”
That comment makes my eyes head south down his body. Bad idea. Very bad idea. If I was speechless from his face alone, I’m worse off now.
“Yep, you sure are,” I croak out.
I scan the room, one box sits in the middle of a made bed while a duffle bag sits half-filled beside it along with an empty suitcase.
“When exactly do you have to leave?” I kind of want to sit, but I’m afraid he may never wash his sheets. This is Luca we’re talking about.
“Daria gets in tomorrow night.”
“What?” I look down at the comforter. It appears stain free but I’m still skeptical so I continue to stand.
“Ben said he’s been wanting to tell me but our paths didn’t cross. He wrote it on the board today and then, bonus, I surprised him tonight.” He sits down on the bed.
“And your plan is what?”
The bed looks kind of inviting. I shift my weight from leg to leg.
“Hunt?”
“What?” My tone is a little exasperated.
“Sit down.” He pulls on the sleeve of my coat until my ass is on his bed. Right next to him. “Promise I wash my sheets every week.”
I raise an eyebrow.
“Well, my ma does.” He chuckles.
“And there’s been no girls?”
“I don’t bring them here. Could you imagine with Ben?”
I laugh because the guy seems so lonely, he’d probably talk to them through the door.
“Not exactly an aphrodisiac. But I have a feeling Ben isn’t the reason you don’t bring girls here.”
He shrugs.
I need to get back on track and not think about the size of Luca’s dick or how many girls he’s slept with. “So where are you packing up to go?”
“Funny you should ask…”
“Nope.” I shake my head and stand like I’m going to flee.
“Hear my argument out.” His arms wrap around my body from behind to stop me from leaving.
“Luca get your arms off me!” I’m surrounded by his scent and I’m reminded again of how good it feels to be in his arms. And I hate that for some reason I like it.
He lifts me and I kick my legs. Somehow, he slides me around until I’m over his shoulder firefighter style.
I don’t stand a chance.
He drops me on the bed, holding my arms down. I’m laughing at how ridiculous this is, but I have to stop and show him that I’m just as strong as he is. My legs flail, and I push my body off the bed.
“Are you going to listen if I let you go?”
He’s right on top of me, his leg so close to my center I could grind against him and probably have an outstanding orgasm.
No, no, no. I do not want Luca Bianco to give me an orgasm.
Bad body.
“Maddie’s putting the house up,” he continues, still holding my arms down. “You can’t afford to live there on your own. If I move in and we split the rent, you can stay.”
I hate it when people I like to prove wrong make sense.
“I’m not living with you.”
“Why?” He releases me now and I sit up pretending to rub my wrists.
Damn it, he is stronger than me.
“It’s a big house. Separate bedrooms.”
“Uh-huh,” I say with zero enthusiasm.
“I’m never home. I’m gone all night every third day. Ask Ben, I’m clean and I only leave a mess at my brother’s place and that’s just to drive them crazy.”
He cannot be serious.
“Luca,” I sigh.
We haven’t even talked about his mom and the fact that the surgery didn’t go well or our fake engagement.
“People are going to ask us why we’re engaged and you won’t let me live with you.”
“That’s not my problem.”
“Let’s remember you needed something out of this arrangement, too.”
“I needed one date to a Christmas party. You’re asking for people to believe we’re living together. And not just as roommates.”
I drop my head into my hands because the truth is, I don’t want to move.
I did some looking last week and everything in my budget sucks ass. I’m living with a roommate no matter what. And the only two people I’d actually want to live with have left me to be with their significant others. If Luca moved in, we’d probably be able to hold Maddie off until spring on selling the house. She’d have the mortgage covered and be able to sell higher in the spring market, so, all in all, it would be better for her. Luca and I would have two bathrooms. No reason to have any embarrassing half naked run-ins.
Disappointment flares over that last point which should not be a con. Damn lady parts always chiming in with their own opinions.
“Please, Hunt.” He falls to his knees in front of the bed, his hands clasped in prayer. “You won’t even know I’m there. Promise.”
I run my hands down my face. Bad idea. This is a very bad idea.
“No girls. No friends. And you must be fully clothed at all times.”
He holds out his hand between us.
“No guys. No eating my junk food and feel free to walk around naked.”
I shake my head while simultaneously shaking his hand.
I know I’m going to regret this.
“I’m an awesome roommate, Hunt. And this is perfect since we need to stay engaged until my mom and her doctors figure out what’s going on.”
Wait…what?
Chapter Fifteen
Lauren
“I can’t believe you convinced me to do this.” I open the door to a smiling Luca holding a box in his hands.
“Oh come on. Think of it this way, we can compete all hours of the day.” He winks and walks in with the box.
“You’re in Maddie’s old room since she and Mauro took her bed.”
He walks right up the stairs.
“Once you’re moved in, shoes are off in the house!” I holler up to him.
“Got it, boss.”
That humorous lilt is back in his voice after yesterday. Hopefully last night wasn’t just a ploy to get me to agree to let him move in.
He walks back down the stairs like a teenager, two stairs at a time. Might as well just slide down the railing.
“We need to talk,” I say as he passes me with his winning championship smile.
“I gotta get the truck back in an hour. Can we talk then?”
Two guys come in through the door with a mattress in their hands.
“Hey,” a redhead as big as Luca says.
“You must be the wife,” the second redhead says as he passes by.
Whoa, am I seeing double?
“No, you’re not delusional. We’re twins.” The second one must notice my look of confusion.
“Up the stairs, first door on the left.” I point them in the right direction.
“Thanks.” They head upstairs while Luca follows right behind with another box.
“How much stuff do you have?” I ask.
He winks. “Not much. Don’t worry.”
For the next half hour, the three men are either used to moving or do it professionally because it’s like a well-oiled machine. As I watch the parade of boxes, a dresser, mattress and box spring go upstairs, I never hear anyone bang anything against the wall. I’m impressed.
That is until the twins bring in a chair and drop it in the family room.
“All his stuff goes to his room.” I pop a carrot into my mouth.
“Luca said to put it here.” They stand on either side of the chair, obviously waiting for Luca to return.
“That monstrosity is not staying in here.”
I’m not an interior designer, but that chair is gross and I’m afraid the foul smell in the room now isn’t from these guys.
Luca walks in with a matching ottoman. “Thanks, guys.” He drops it in front of the chair, placing his hands on his hips catching his breath, then smiles over at me.
“The lady of the house says the chair goes upstairs,” one of the twins, whose name I haven’t gotten says.
“She’s wrong.” Luca picks up the chair, walks through the opening of Maddie’s two matching yellow chairs and drops it next to the couch.
Tweedle Dee follows with the ottoman.
“You said you had no furniture.” I stare down at the ugliest piece of furniture I’ve ever seen.
“I forgot about the chair. Ben had already furnished his place before I moved in so I was letting a buddy borrow it.” He plops down, practically sinking down to the floor because I have a feeling the springs aren’t able to hold his weight properly. Both of his arms rest on the arms of the chair and he looks like a child in a big chair. He runs his hands up and down what looks to have been velvet fabric at one point. “I missed you old girl.”
“Great. You talk to a chair. Maddie is going to have a conniption. Do you have any idea how long she stressed about the color scheme in here?”
“She doesn’t live here anymore, what does she care.” Luca continues to massage the chair like it’s the legs of one of his one-night stands.
“I care when I agreed to this thing between us.”
Luca’s hands stop moving and he glances up to the two men smirking at our argument.
Fuck. They think he’s moving in with his fiancée, too?
“I don’t know Bianco, first you’re sleeping in a different room and now she won’t let you bring in one little chair.” Tweedle Dee looks over at his brother. “We’re definitely staying single for life.”
Luca jumps from his seat. “I told you, the second room is a front for my ma. She doesn’t want us living together before marriage.”
He cuts me a look as he crosses the room to his friends. Is that true? Is his mom not happy about us moving in together? I shake my head because why do I care? I’m not really engaged to him.
“Thanks a lot, guys. I gotta return the truck.”
The twins wave and say it’s nice to meet the woman who can tame Luca Bianco, referring to him by his full name like he’s some rock star or something.
Whatever, I’m skeptical that there’s a woman on this earth who could pull off that feat.
“I’ll be right back and then we can have that chat. I was going to stop at the grocery store. Do you want to join me?”
I sit down on the couch, already thinking of plans for his chair and ottoman. “Nah, I’m good.” I crunch down on another carrot.
He shrugs. “I take it this is mine.” He swipes a key from the entryway table.
“Unfortunately, yes.”
He smiles, looping it onto his keyring. Somehow that solidifies this deal to me. The key of a house I live in is now a fixture on his keyring. The same silver ring that holds Luca Bianco’s car key, motorcycle key, and his locker key from the station.
Shivers run up my back. What have I done?
“Aw, we’re gonna have fun, Hunt. You’ll be begging me to stay.”
Stay where? We’ll probably both be escorted out by Cristian or one of his fellow officers because this place is about to become a war zone.
Chapter Sixteen
Luca
The truck is back at the rental place and I’ve done the grocery shopping to stock up on food at my new place. When I glanced in the fridge, it was all health food garbage.
I’m as excited as I was when I was ten and finally had enough money from my allowance and mowing my neighbor’s lawn to buy Grand Theft Auto.
The thought of not going home to Ben lifts a weight off my shoulders I didn’t realize was holding me down.
My phone rings and I click on the accept button thinking it’s Hunt and she wants me to pick her up something. With my newfound happiness, I’d buy her a pound of carrots and a huge-ass tub of hummus to thank her and I wouldn’t even comment about how she’s missing out by eating bunny food.
“You’re all moved?” Cristian asks me, the background noise telling me he’s off shift and getting into his own car.
“Yeah.”
“Good. I wanted to see if you needed help. Seems my timing was perfect.”
I chuckle. “Nah, I got Timmy and Jimmy to help.” I turn the corner to head down my new street. Oh crap, I meant to ask about the garage space, I hate parking my baby on the street.
“That must’ve been interesting. Timmy never shuts up and Jimmy doesn’t say a word.”
“Good thing they still have their twin language still going on at twenty-five.”
Cristian chuckles and his engine starts. I wait for the sync to hook us up again.
“Zia’s doing the dinner on Sunday. Are you off?”
I tap my fingers on the steering wheel. “I am. We have Lauren’s Christmas party on Saturday so I took the day off.”
“Great. Mauro is working so can you swing by and get Maddie? Mauro will meet us over there later.”
“Sure.”
“You know Zia does things differently than Ma, right?”
How could I forget? Zia is not your typical Italian woman. She might coddle her sons, but she expects them in the kitchen. To her credit, the Mancini boys all know how to cook whereas none of us do. I glance back to my boxes of mac and cheese and Hormel Chili cans. I’m one step above a Ramen-eating college student.
“Yeah, I know.”
“Enzo said he’ll handle the seafood. I figure I’ll make the pasta. Do you think you can handle the sauce? I’m sure Zia will help you.”
I hate ho
w my brothers treat me like I’m ten years younger than them, like I can’t tie my shoes or dress myself.
“I got it.”
“Since when do you know how to make sauce?” He laughs, his blinker clicking in the background.
I park along the curb, idling until I can get in the house and make myself something to eat. All this newfound happiness is making me hungry.
“Since I used to help Mama.”
Which is true but only so she could watch me. She’d act like she was letting me in on the secret family recipe but we both know it was so she could keep me out of trouble.
“Okay then. Don’t act all offended.”
I am, but I’m going to keep it to myself since we have enough going on. A tiff between me and my brother should be the least of Ma’s worries right now.
“I got another piece of news.” Cris’s voice lowers.
We all have our responsibilities in this family. Cristian’s is to give the bad news. I’m not sure when he drew that short straw, but times like this when I hear the strain in his voice, I know that Mauro and I put too much on his plate when it comes to family obligations. With Vanessa in the picture now he’ll have to put her before us, which means the only one left to step up would be me. Which means I’m gonna have to buck up and stop running away from the hard moments like I did at the hospital.
“Okay.” I turn off my car and hold my keys in my lap.
Better chance I won’t run.
“They’re waiting four months until they do the ablation on Ma again. They think she’ll be okay and she’ll continue to be monitored. Medication will be prescribed…”
I knew it wouldn’t be immediate. Which is information I withheld from Lauren because if she knew this fake engagement was going to carry through until early spring, she might actually take a butcher knife and Lorena Bobbit me. But four months? Man. I didn’t expect that.
“I’m sure the doctors know what they’re doing. How is Ma with the news?”
“She’s okay. She feels good right now. Said she has more energy.”
“As long as she’s okay then I am, too. I can’t believe we have to wait so long.” I tap my finger on the bottom of the steering wheel.
“Yeah I know but safety first. The doctors know more than us.”