Cosimo snorted. “When hell freezes over maybe.”
“Cosimo?” Stella appeared, glancing at Biba with a very frosty look. Biba crunched her granola and ignored her. “Can I borrow you for a sec?”
“Sure.”
Cosimo followed Stella away from the group. Stella turned to face him. “What are you doing with Biba?”
“Excuse me?”
“The late-night talks, the hanging out. She’s twenty-one years old and impressionable. I worry that she has a crush on you.”
God, I hope so. “Don’t be ridiculous, Stella. She’s my employee. I’m making sure that she is okay after the attack and that the studio’s liability isn’t put in jeopardy. Biba could sue us for what happened.”
Stella snorted. “She wouldn’t do that. I know her. She’ll forget it easily enough.”
“How well do you actually know Biba?” Cosimo was curious.
“Well enough. Leave her alone, Cosimo. Look for someone your own age.”
Cosimo’s sense of humor failed him then. “Stella, for one thing, my friendship with Biba is not your business. Secondly, don’t lecture me on appropriateness when you brought Damon Tracy to this set.”
He stalked off towards the manor, feeling more guilty than angry now. The truth was…he was falling for Biba, and he wasn’t doing a whole lot to stop himself. He meant what he said to Stella—it was none of her business—and at least her suspicions had stopped her over-the-top seduction routines. She’d gotten the message; he wasn’t interested in her. Cosimo hoped she wouldn’t take her disappointment out on Biba, but he knew that was a very real possibility.
He went to his suite and stripped off, going into the bathroom and cranking on the shower. He had to get over this thing with Biba. For her part—save for the odd kiss—she had resolutely stuck to their agreement, and he was grateful that it hadn’t affected their friendship.
Tomorrow, she would meet his son, a boy she was so much closer to in age and experience that Cosimo wondered if it would make a difference in his feelings for her. He didn’t think so.
He couldn’t stop thinking about her, her soft lips, those big brown eyes, that caramel skin. When they had been naked together, just holding her had been so thrilling. God, he wanted to make love to her.
Maybe in a couple of years, maybe…but he knew he was in trouble. Biba had gotten under his skin in a way no one ever had—not even Grace.
He was going through his notes for the next week’s filming when there was a knock at the door. He opened it to find his old friend Sifrido grinning at him. “Sorry that I’m not a certain little cutie-pie?”
Cosimo laughed. Sifrido knew him well. “Is it that obvious?”
“Only to those who know you well. Can I come in?”
“Of course. Mini-fridge is full if you want a beer.”
“Hit me.”
Cosimo snagged two beers from the fridge and handed one to Sifrido. “So, you need to catch me up on your life. What’s it been, two years?”
“Five and don’t change the subject. What gives between you and the lovely Biba?”
Cosimo sighed, his shoulders slumping. “I’ll sound like a creep.”
“Not possible, buddy.”
Cosimo grinned. “You sound more American every day.”
“You’re prevaricating.” Cosimo had forgotten that Sifrido was a no-nonsense kind of guy.
Cosimo shrugged. “I’m crazy about her. She’s like a blast of cool, clean air. She’s funny, smart, and doesn’t take any shit.”
“And she’s beautiful.”
“That’s incidental.”
Sifrido raised his eyebrows but didn’t call Cosimo on his statement. “Is she okay after what Damon did to her?”
Cosimo hesitated. “I can’t answer that for sure. ‘‘’Frido, what I’m about to tell you can’t leave this room.”
“You have my word.”
“We almost made love the other evening. Out on the jetty on the lake.”
Sifrido looked impressed. “Almost?”
“She stopped it, and of course, I was okay with that. She told me she was…conflicted. Something happened to her when she was a kid.”
“She’s a virgin?”
Cosimo nodded, feeling disloyal to Biba, but he had to talk things through with someone. “The abuse didn’t progress to rape, not that it’s any less horrific. So…I can’t pursue anything with her. It wouldn’t be fair.”
“To you or her?” Sifrido took a swig of his beer. “Don’t you think you putting the skids on a relationship you both wanted would make her feel even worse? My sister got raped at twenty-four. You know Clara. She didn’t let it stop her falling in love. She knew the difference between rape and sex. One is violence. The other comes from a place of love. You want to help Biba? Love her. Trust yourself. Trust her to learn—if she doesn’t already know—the difference. She seems like a smart girl.”
Cosimo felt his heart lift a little. He leaned forward. “There’s also the fact I’m her boss.”
“So? How long will you be filming here?”
“Another six weeks.”
“That’s nothing. If you want her, but are afraid of lawsuits, wait six weeks. See how you both feel then. You deserve love, my old friend.”
“Old is right.”
“Bullshit. You’re still young.”
When Sifrido had said goodnight, Cosimo went to bed but lay awake thinking about Biba. He closed his eyes and imagined running his hand slowly down her body, cupping the full breasts, stroking the soft curve of her belly. He imagined taking her clit into his mouth, teasing and licking at the small bud until she was gasping and so wet for him that sliding his big cock into her would be easy—pain-free for her and totally exhilarating for both of them.
Cosimo groaned and rolled out of bed, heading to the bathroom where he masturbated slowly, thinking about her, until he was shaking and groaning, his orgasm taking him over completely. “Biba,” he whispered, leaning his hot forehead against the cool tile. Yep, he was in deep trouble.
When he went to bed, he dreamed of her, but it wasn’t pleasant dreams of lovemaking, but nightmares about someone stalking her, hurting her, taking her away from him.
At four a.m. Cosimo woke, shivering and sweating. He got out of bed and poured himself a Scotch, draining it in one go.
He couldn’t bring himself to go back to sleep that night, not wanting to see any more horrifying visions of the woman he was falling in love with, bleeding out and dying in his arms.
Chapter Nine
The nightmares were blown away the next morning by Biba’s cheerful smile at the craft service trailer. “Hey, dude. Today’s the day?”
For a moment, Cosimo was confused. “Huh?”
Biba pretended to knock on his head. “Your son, remember?”
God, Nicco, of course. He grinned at her. “I’m glad you’re cheerful about today, because I guarantee Nicco won’t be.”
“If he hated the idea that much, he wouldn’t have come.”
“There’s still time for him to cancel.”
Biba grinned at his woebegone face. “Is that so? So that handsome young boy over there isn’t your son then?”
Cosimo turned in surprise to see Nicco, taller than ever, stalking towards him. He stepped forward to hug his son, which Nicco accepted to Cosimo’s surprise. He stepped back and studied his son.
Nicco had always looked more like Grace than Cosimo: he had Grace’s Korean coloring, straight jet-black hair teased up into spikes, and dark brown, almost black eyes. Only his build and his height seemed to come from Cosimo.
Cosimo stepped away and introduced his son to Biba, who held out her fist for a bump. Nicco’s eyes lit up when he saw her, and Cosimo hid a smile. Like father, like son—completely unable to resist Biba May’s charms.
Cosimo drove Nicco, Biba, and Reggie into the city, and to Bob’s Java Jive coffee house on South Tacoma Way. Biba sat up front with him; Nicco chivalrously opened the door for her.
Apparently though, that was the extent of his engagement. Biba and Reggie both tried to start a conversation with the teen, and although he was polite, he quickly shut down any talk they might have shared.
Cosimo shot Biba a look as she tried again, and she winked at him. She wasn’t going to give up on Nicco, and it warmed Cosimo’s heart.
At the coffee house, which was shaped like a giant coffee pot, Biba got out. “Uh-oh…my bad. I don’t think it opens until later. Hey, excuse me, sir?”
Cosimo watched her walk up to a man who was washing the outside windows of the place and converse with him for a few minutes. Working her magic again, she came back to them. “He says he can only do filter coffee at this hour, but he’ll let us in as a favor.”
As Reggie and Nicco got out of the car, Cosimo took her arm. “You are amazing,” he murmured, and she beamed at him.
“I shamelessly dropped your name. It worked.”
Cosimo laughed and reluctantly let go of her arm. He wanted to hold her hand, but it would be inappropriate, especially in front of Nicco.
As they sat in the coffeehouse chatting, Nicco seemed to thaw a little—a very little—but still looked bored. Biba nudged him with her elbow. “Come on, dude. This place is awesome.”
Nicco nodded reluctantly. “It’s okay.”
“Man, you are hard work, you know that?” Biba grinned at him to soften the judgment. “You’re such a teenager.”
That got him. “Dude, you’re like five seconds older than me.”
“Try five years. You know what happened to me when I was sixteen? I learned the art of conversation.” She crossed her eyes at him, making a face, and Nicco chuckled.
The sound of his son laughing made Cosimo’s heart hurt. He hadn’t heard that sound in years. “So,” he said carefully, not wanting to break the mood, “where have our tour guides planned for next?”
“Well,” Biba said, “we assumed that you and your friends have done pretty much everything in Seattle, so Reg and I researched some places to go. Fall City, for starters. Treehouses, dude.”
Nicco nodded. “Grandma took me there last year.”
Biba’s face fell. “Really? Dang, I was looking forward to that.”
Cosimo grinned at her sulky face. “I’m sure Nicco wouldn’t mind going again.”
“No, it’s okay. I can go another time. Um…Reg?” Biba looked at her friend helplessly. She’d clearly set her heart on the treehouse. Cosimo told himself he would take her there one day.
“It’s a drive, but we could go to the Observatory at Goldendale.”
Nicco shrugged.
“Space not your nerd thing? Okay.” Reggie was flicking through his phone. “We could catch a sea plane up to Friday Harbor?”
“Done it.”
Cosimo shot a warning glance at his son, who ignored him.
“Look, it’s okay,” Nicco said. “We can just hang out at a mall or something.”
“Thrilling,” Cosimo said dryly, and Nicco flushed. He slid out of his chair.
“Gotta go pee.”
Cosimo sighed and looked apologetically at Biba and Reggie. “I’m sorry, folks. I told you he was hard to entertain.”
“I have a backup plan,” Biba said, and both men looked at her. She grinned. “Do you trust me?” She addressed this to Cosimo, who nodded.
“With my life. Why?”
She sniggered to herself. “Because I’m about to say something to your sixteen-year-old son that might seem shocking…but just trust me. I think it may break the ice.”
Cosimo looked at Reggie who nodded. “Okay. The floor is yours.”
Still, when Biba said to Nicco on his return the words, “Right, Nic, we’re going somewhere that celebrates blow jobs,” Cosimo choked on his coffee, and Reggie put his head in his hands.
Nicco, though, perked up. “Really?”
“Really.”
Biba drove them this time to Dock Street, and they all got out of the car. Nicco looked around. “I don’t get it.”
Biba tugged him along. “Come on.” They followed her over a bridge towards a cone-shaped building on the other side. Cosimo assumed that was where they were headed, but then halfway across, Biba stopped.
“Ta-dah! Nicco DeLuca, I present to you: a celebration of blow jobs.” She indicated the wall in front of them, and Nicco began to laugh.
“Oh, very clever.”
It was a wall with individual showcases of spectacularly blown glass sculptures. Cosimo was both relieved and grateful that now Nicco was laughing. He saw his son relax.
“You are a nutjob, you know that?” Nicco was saying to Biba now. She slung her arm around his shoulders.
“That’ll teach you to be all teenage on us. Come on, you can actually walk under some of these lovelies, too.”
All four of them strolled along the bridge underneath the glass ceiling. Cosimo and Reggie watched Biba and Nicco joke around with each other.
“She’s amazing,” Cosimo said, trying to keep most of his adoration out of his voice. Reggie nodded.
“She is that. Listen, I know you two have become friends. Maybe you could help me out with something.”
“Sure.”
“It’s Biba’s birthday in a week. I haven’t any idea what to do for it other than a party, but that seems lame. Also, Biba’s not wild about them. Maybe we could do something at the manor, out on the lake. Fireworks, maybe?”
Cosimo nodded. “Sounds perfect. I’ll set it up.” Realizing then that he was talking to Biba’s best friend and maybe he, Cosimo, was overstepping, stopped. “I mean, if you want me to, Reg. Biba’s your person.”
Reggie grinned. “It’s okay, I know what you mean, and I’d like your help. That’s why I asked. You think Stella would be okay with it?”
“I really don’t care if she isn’t,” Cosimo said, “it’s Biba’s birthday. I mean,” he said, shaking his head in disbelief as he saw Nicco and Biba play-fight, “look what she’s doing for me.”
Later, as Reggie and Nicco were trying glass-blowing for themselves, Cosimo took Biba aside. “I can’t thank you enough for today. Blow jobs?”
Biba snickered, beaming up at him. “And I had a backup to my backup plan…the Afterglow Vista in Friday Harbor, the Mima Mounds in Olympia.”
Cosima was laughing. “Stop.”
“The Junk Castle in…” Biba was cut off as Cosimo kissed her, pouring every ounce of desire into it. Her fingers slid into his hair as he took her in his arms. Luckily, they were behind a stack of glass, away from the others.
Biba was the one to pull away. “I’m sorry.”
“I started the kiss. Don’t apologize.” He leaned his forehead against hers. “God, Biba, I know what I said, but I want you so badly.”
“Me, too,” she whispered. She hesitated then slid her hand down to his groin. Cosimo’s cock responded immediately, thickening and throbbing against his jeans as she stroked the mound of it. “Cosimo…I want it to be you. I want it to be you so badly…”
He kissed her again, feeling her tremble in his arms. “We can make this work, can’t we? Us?”
“Not trying is killing me,” she admitted, her voice low and gravelly. “Every time I’m near you, I just want to touch you and have your hands on my body…and you inside me. I’m scared, yes, but I want you so badly.”
They kissed again, then heard voices approaching. They broke apart but shared a long look. Both of them relaxed, knowing now that they would be together—that it was inevitable.
Nicco had truly relaxed now, and as they went for food at the Southern Kitchen on Sixth Avenue, he even talked about school and what he had planned for his future.
“College,” said Cosimo firmly, and Nicco grinned.
“Don’t worry, Pa. It’s on my list.”
“Subject?” Biba was stuffing fried chicken and gravy into her mouth.
Nicco smiled. “Bathymetry.”
“Ah,” Biba said, “You like the ocean?”
Nicco looked surp
rised. “You know what bathymetry is?”
Biba grinned. “Just because I went on a click-a-link fest on Wikipedia once. I’m obsessed with volcanoes.”
Cosimo looked surprised, and Reggie chuckled. “Yeah, she’ll do that. Random stuff. She’s a space nerd, too.”
“True story. So, you want to work for…?” She addressed the question back to Nicco.
“NOAA. And I want to study underwater volcanoes.” He laughed, bemused to find a kindred spirit amongst his dad’s friends. He shot his father an admiring look, and Cosimo knew he had won major points for having Biba on his team. More reason to be grateful to her.
“Have you been up Mount Rainier?” Biba had finished her fries and was now stealing them from Nicco’s plate.
Nicco shook his head. “Never got around to it.”
“Why don’t you and your dad go tomorrow? Before you go back to Seattle?”
Clever Biba. He squeezed her leg under the table and nodded at Nicco. “You want to?”
“Yeah, that sounds cool.”
Cosimo didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. His son thought hanging out with him was cool? He felt his throat close with emotion. Biba glanced at him, feeling his body tense beside her. Sliding her hand under the table, she entwined her fingers with his and squeezed them.
That was the moment Cosimo DeLuca fell in love with Biba May.
Chapter Ten
Biba had fallen asleep in the car on the way back to Lakewood Manor, and when they reached the place, Cosimo felt like he couldn’t offer to help her back to her room. He had Nicco to consider and besides, she was more than capable of finding her own way to her room. She hugged Nicco hard. “Have a great day tomorrow with your dad, okay?”
“I will…and thanks for today.”
She hugged Cosimo a little harder. “Enjoy tomorrow. Progress had been made,” she whispered in his ear, and because it was the one facing away from the others, she kissed his neck quickly. “Goodnight, folks. Come on, Reginald, you look more shattered than I am.”
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