Rev Me Up

by Kylie Gilmore

  She sat up. “I hope I didn’t keep you up last night.”

  He gazed at her for a long moment, and then he set his coffee down and crossed to her, pulling something out of his pocket. He sat on the bed next to her, took her hand, and placed the object in her hand, wrapping her fingers around it.

  “I’m keeping you, Lil. You’re worth keeping.”

  Her breath caught as she realized he must’ve heard her middle-of-the-night confession. She opened her hand to find a small turquoise ring.

  “It was my mother’s,” he said.

  Her heart stuttered at the shocking gift he was giving her, that apparently he hadn’t given to his first wife. She knew his mom had died when he was just a kid. The value of the ring to him and his family made her feel like it was the most precious gift in the world.

  “Nico,” she choked out. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “You don’t have to say anything.” He tried to slide the ring on her ring finger, but it was too small. She laughed, a hiccupping laugh, and slid it on her pinky finger.

  “Thank you,” she said, staring at the ring through a haze of unshed tears.

  “I’m taking you to meet my family for Sunday dinner tonight,” he said.

  Her throat got tight. “I’d like that very much.”

  He gave her a quick kiss and went back to the kitchen, pouring some coffee in a second mug. She slipped on her shirt from the day before and joined him.

  “This feels like a good day to start my life as the new Lily,” she said.

  He handed her the mug of coffee. “Yeah? What’s that mean?”

  “It means I’m done feeling bad that my dad never said he loved me—” Nico tensed, and she put her hand on his arm. “Some people just aren’t capable of love. I’m done sending my mother money, hoping she might one day love me.”

  He took her mug, set it on the counter, and pulled her close.

  “You made it all possible,” she said. “It all started with your sex tutorial.”

  He pulled back. “My what?”

  “That’s why I wanted you at first.” She felt herself flush. “Because I was so inexperienced. I thought it would help me be the more confident, experienced Lily.”

  A small smile played over his lips. “You sure made me work for it, considering that was the plan.”

  “I know. I didn’t anticipate how crazy nervous I’d get when faced with an Italian underwear model.”

  He barked out a laugh. “All right. I’ll take that.”

  She met his dark brown eyes. “But you showed me so much more. So much kindness, so much tenderness.” A tear leaked out and then another. “And now this ring.”

  “It’s not a proposal.”

  She nodded through her tears. “I know. I never thought—”

  “It’s too soon for that.” He brushed her tears from her cheeks with his thumbs and then cradled her face in his large hands. “I just want you to know that I want that now.” His eyes reflected such tenderness that it felt like her heart would burst. “Marriage, I mean, if I can have it with you…down the road.”

  “Yes,” she choked out.

  He nodded once, and then he stepped back and pulled off his T-shirt with that masculine two-handed move he did. She wiped her tears to watch.

  “You ready for your Italian underwear model?” he asked just as he pulled down the jeans.

  She leaped at him.

  ~ ~ ~

  Lily felt the love the minute she stepped into Nico’s parents’ cozy home and understood immediately where his innate warmth and touchy-feely nature came from.

  A petite blond woman answered the door and looked surprised to see her.

  “I brought her,” Nico said, like the woman already knew about her.

  “Hello, I’m Allie, Nico’s stepmom,” the woman said, enveloping Lily in a big hug. “So nice to meet you. If I’d known you were coming, I would’ve made something special.” She shot Nico a look and then ushered them both inside.

  An older Italian man stood and greeted them in the living room. Same dark hair, dark eyes, and olive skin as Nico. He took her hand in his and held it warmly. “A pleasure to meet you. I’m Vinny, Nico’s dad.”

  “Nice to meet you,” she said. “I’m Lily.”

  Another gorgeous guy pushed off the sofa. Tall, muscular, short dirty blond hair, green eyes, and a smile that made a dimple appear in his right cheek. She didn’t think she’d ever get used to how cute Nico’s brothers were. Not as gorgeous as Nico, but still…wow. The man shook her hand in a firm grip. “I’m Jared. And you must be the redhead who slapped him.”

  Her cheeks burned. She didn’t know Nico had told his whole family about that.

  “One of them,” Nico said, rubbing his stubbled cheek. “Two slaps from two redheads that day.”

  “There was a mix-up,” Lily rushed to explain. She didn’t want his parents to think she went around slapping their son all the time.

  Jared leaned close and grinned. “He had it coming, didn’t he?”

  “Yes and no,” she said.

  Jared raised his brows. “What’d he do?”

  Nico’s parents looked at them with interest. She wasn’t about to—ah! Nico dipped her over his arm. Then he gave her a quick kiss and pulled her back upright.

  She smoothed her hair. “So…”

  Jared socked Nico on the arm. “Smooth.”

  Nico pulled her in close and kissed her hair. His stepmom beamed at them.

  Nico’s older stepbrother, Gabe, arrived then with his wife, Zoe, and their adorable baby, Miles, who everyone fussed over. Lily was happy to have the attention shift to the baby, still getting used to Nico’s easy affection, especially in front of other people.

  Gabe wasn’t as tall as his brothers, Jared and Luke, but he had the same good looks with light brown hair and dark blue eyes. His wife, Zoe, was a bundle of warm energy, her bright brown eyes lighting up as she greeted each of them in turn. Finally, it was Lily’s turn to be introduced.

  “I am so excited to meet Nico’s girlfriend!” Zoe exclaimed. “You’re the first woman he’s brought home in ten years! You must be very special to him.”

  Lily was tongue-tied. “Thank you,” she managed.

  Nico wrapped his arm around her. “She is.”

  “Aww!” Zoe exclaimed. “Lily, you want to help out in the kitchen with me and Vinny? We’ll let you in on the secret ravioli recipe.”

  “Ooh, secret family recipes,” Lily said. “I must’ve hit the jackpot.”

  “She did, actually,” Nico said. “The only person I know to win at roulette. Twelve large.”

  “You’re kidding!” Zoe exclaimed. “That’s amazing! And p.s. I want to hear all about your trip.”

  Lily joined them in the kitchen, happy to be cooking again.

  Mr. Marino shook his head. “Lily, if I show you the recipe, you have to promise to come back and make it with me.”

  “I promise,” she said.

  “And you can’t share it with anyone,” Zoe said. “Family rules.”

  Lily nodded. “Absolutely.”

  A man with tousled dark brown hair and a dimpled smile poked his head in the kitchen. “Hey, what’s this I hear? Sharing family secrets?”

  “Angel, when’re you going to bring Julia by?” Mr. Marino asked.

  “She’s busy,” Angel said before turning to Lily. “You must be Lily.” He crossed to her and shook her hand. “Luke told us about you. Said you had Nico good, and you’re here, so he must’ve been right.”

  She flushed. “Nice to meet you, Angel.”

  “How’s Nico treating you?” Angel asked.

  “How you think?” Nico barked, appearing out of nowhere and making Angel jump.

  “Nico.” Angel gave him a one-armed man hug. “Good to see you. How you feeling?”

  Nico ruffled his hair and gave his head a little shove. “Fine.”

  “Was something wrong?” Lily asked.

  Angel exchanged a look with M
r. Marino and the men were quiet.

  “Were you sick?” Lily asked Nico.

  “Nah. Just tired from driving. I wasn’t feeling well at Vince’s bachelor party. I’m fine now.”

  “Oh.”

  “I’ll bet Vince and Sophia are having a blast in Mexico,” Zoe said. “Gabe and I never had a honeymoon on account of Miles.”

  “That’s what happens when you get knocked up, Z,” Luke said as he stepped into the kitchen.

  Zoe laughed and Luke swooped in to give her a warm hug. Luke turned to Lily. “Got you at the family dinner, huh? You must be in.”

  “In what?” Lily asked.

  Luke blew Nico a kiss. “In love.”

  “Shut up,” Nico said, but he sounded happy. “Why don’t you shave your beard, you damn hipster.”

  Luke scratched at his beard. “I’m going for the boss look. Hope to be soon.” He turned to Lily. “You in love too?”

  Lily glanced at Nico, who gazed back warmly; then she looked around the room at all the expectant faces. She beamed. “I am. He gave me this ring.” She held out her hand to show off his mom’s turquoise ring.

  “Nico,” his dad said quietly.

  Nico gave him a quick nod. There was an exchange of looks around the room. Zoe grabbed her hand. “C’mon, let’s get that pasta maker cranking!”

  Dinner was happy chaos. A far cry from the formal dinners she shared with her father, both of them sitting at opposite ends of the long cherrywood table from each other as her father insisted. The only sound the clink of silverware. Nico’s family crowded around an oak table with two leaves set in place. A high chair was set a short distance away for Miles.

  His stepmom asked each of them in turn what was new and followed up with things she remembered that were going on in their lives. Zoe apparently was a jazz singer and about to put out her first solo album. Luke was up for a promotion at work. Angel was a school social worker and planned to spend the summer working at a camp for kids with special needs. Lily was content to sit back and listen until Mrs. Marino got to her.

  “Tell us about your new job, Lily,” Mrs. Marino said. “I heard you’re a lawyer like our Gabe.”

  “Don’t practice small-town law,” Gabe said. “I used to in Clover Park. They cornered the market on the ridiculous. I ended up mediating arguments over an old man who gets his mail in his boxers.”

  Everyone laughed.

  “I’m working at the Earth Defense Group in the city,” she said. “I start after the fourth of July. Bar exam’s at the end of July. Nico helped me study—” she grinned at him “—involuntarily on our road trip.”

  Nico groaned. “She had these awful audio lectures—”

  “And he refused to quiz me with flash cards,” she put in.

  Nico made a crazy gesture, circling his temple with his finger. “Eight hundred flash cards. But I did take her skydiving.”

  “He barfed,” she said. His brothers roared with laughter.

  “She passed out,” Nico hollered over the laughter.

  “Sounds like the perfect couple,” Mrs. Marino said. And darn if not every single one of them pinned her with a warm smile. Nico took her hand and squeezed it.

  Lily had never felt so loved.

  Chapter Twenty

  Business was booming. Nico didn’t know what to make of it at first. New clients called or showed up every day, saying George Spencer sent them. The auction for Lily’s Mustang in two weeks promised to have record attendance. Part of that was the car. Within a few days, he’d fixed the brakes and gotten it running. It was in remarkably good shape from being stored in the dry California air. He’d called the press and the car world was buzzing with the story. Word had spread fast about the untouched beauty, practically a museum relic. Still, he had to wonder if Lily’s dad was helping spread the word too. The attention on the car, his shop, and the auction was bigger than anything he’d seen in sixteen years of living and breathing the car world. It was, he suspected, George’s weird way of helping Lily by helping him. Just like he’d hurt Nico to hurt Lily. Twisted bastard.

  Nico had never paid Lily anything for the car, so he planned on giving her the proceeds for the full amount. He didn’t want her money. So what if he had to work harder before he became full owner of the shop? He didn’t deserve to be a success just by taking what she gave him. He had to earn it. He’d always known that.

  Lily hadn’t been quite herself since cutting off her dad, and it pained him to see her suffer. She tossed and turned at night, still having that nightmare that had her screaming not to throw her away every night, though once he woke her and soothed her she settled back into a quiet sleep. She studied for the bar exam while he was at work, and when he got home, though she was happy to see him, he could tell she was still struggling with the way things had gone down with her dad. It wasn’t anything she said. It was just a bone-deep weariness about her. A smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. It was subtle, but he’d spent a week on the road tuned in to her every movement, every tone, every sigh, and he knew she wasn’t happy.

  So when the auction finally rolled around with the man himself in attendance, Nico took the opportunity to confront Lily’s dad before the bidding began. Lily had stayed home, not wanting to see her dad.

  “Hello, George,” Nico said, cornering the man where he stood in the back of the large car auction room in a luxury hotel. A stage was set at one end with the Mustang on display. Several other classic cars would also be auctioned today, but the Mustang was the star of the show and had been brought out in a preshow display to build excitement in the bidding.

  George looked down his nose at him. “Looks like Lily will see a nice profit on the auction. I’ll put my own name in the ring.”

  Nico fought the urge to yell at the man who had no clue just how much he was hurting his own daughter. “I appreciate the attendance here and all my new clients. I know you had something to do with that.”

  George’s lips puckered. “Well deserved.”

  “Thank you. But, you know, I’m still disappointed.”

  George’s brows shot up. “How could you be disappointed with all this?” He gestured around to the crowd of several hundred people milling about and the long line waiting to inspect the car.

  “You’re helping me to help Lily, I figure. But all she wants is to know that you love her. You know her mom is shit. Her stepmom resents her.” He got in George’s face, eye to eye. “Be a man. Tell your daughter you love her.”

  George took a step back. “How dare you speak to me that way! Who the hell do you think you are?”

  “I’m the man who’s going to marry her.”

  George stared at him for a long moment, probably trying to decide if he measured up. “Will you sign a prenup?”

  Nico shook his head, beyond frustrated. “Not everything is about money. I’ll do whatever Lily wants. There’s nothing I care about more than her happiness. And if that means I have to deal with you, then that’s what I’ll do.” He jabbed a finger in George’s chest. “Man up.”

  George hissed out a breath. “I’m more of a man than you’ll ever be.”

  Nico cocked his head. “Yeah? Prove it.”

  George sputtered and then walked stiffly away.

  ~ ~ ~

  Nico left the hotel after a very long day at the auction and headed out to the parking lot. Lily’s car sold for even more than he’d predicted. Seven hundred grand from a last-minute over-the-phone bid. Even outbid old George Spencer. Ha!

  Someone was standing next to his Porsche. A country-club type. He got closer and saw his front tire was slashed. Dammit. Those were expensive tires. He spared no expense when it came to his car. It was a 1971 Porsche 911 E. His baby. His first classic car that he’d bought with his own hard-earned cash. He picked up speed and recognized Trevor, the guy who wanted to marry Lily.

  “You fucking kidding me with this!” Nico hollered. “You’re going to pay to replace that tire.” He did a quick circle around the car to
check on the other tires, careful not to turn his back to Trevor. It was just the one tire.

  Trevor veered unsteadily toward him. He reeked of alcohol. Great. And then a glint of light reflecting off metal caught his eye. Trevor was gripping a switchblade.

  Nico took a step back. “We’re even. I punched you. You destroyed my tire. Put the knife down.”

  Trevor brandished the knife high in the air, and Nico felt a moment of panic because Trevor looked just psycho enough to use it. Nico knew he could take him without the knife, but with, he could get sliced. The man was nearly his size.

  Nico took a careful step back. “I get it. You want to marry Lily.”

  Trevor sneered and the knife came down, still pointing right at Nico. “Her dad promised to sponsor my bid for governor if I married the bitch.” Spittle formed on his lips. “And you ruined everything!”

  “So find another heiress to marry,” Nico said.

  “There aren’t any with her kind of money in Connecticut. We’re a dying breed!” Trevor sliced with the knife close to Nico’s arm, and he dodged it.

  “What’s the game plan here?” Nico said. “Going to knife me in the hotel parking lot in broad daylight? You think no one will notice a bloody body here?”

  Trevor brandished the knife unsteadily. “Lily told me once and for all no tonight.” Rage poured through Nico. Had Trevor confronted Lily like this? Did he threaten her too?

  Nico stopped backing up and started edging closer.

  “She says she’s in love with you,” Trevor said, waving the knife around. “So I’m asking you to walk away before things get ugly.”

  “They already have. Go for it.” He held his palms up. “I got a right hook in. Go ahead and take your best shot.”

  Trevor lunged with the knife, losing his balance as he just managed to graze Nico’s arm with a small cut. Nico jabbed his elbow into Trevor’s nose, grabbed the wrist holding the knife, and squeezed until Trevor dropped the knife. Nico kicked it away. Then he hauled Trevor up by the collar of his designer polo shirt and shook him. “Did you see Lily tonight? Did you threaten her?”