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“I made some coffee a few minutes ago if you want any. I wasn’t sure when you and Xava would be awake, so I didn’t make too much.”
I glance over at the counter and see there’s a decent bit of coffee left, so there’s enough for me to have at least one cup. “Thank you. I appreciate that.”
I go over to the cupboards and grab a mug, then pour myself a cup of coffee and lean against the kitchen counter. The massive window in the kitchen offers a beautiful view of the Italian countryside. Through the window, you can see some of the farm animals the property owner has, or possibly the neighbor. There’s older wooden fencing containing three horses and some cattle. They all seem so peaceful, grazing on the grass in one of the most serene settings I’ve seen.
I’m so used to living in Mykonos, where there’s a mixture of locals and tourists from around the world. Travel agents would argue in certain months, things are slower there, but I’d have to disagree. It’s constantly busy, so in moments like this, I really savor what I’m seeing. So much free space is a rarity. The green hills go on for acres and acres, yet in Mykonos, we aren’t so lucky. There are mansions, clubs, spas, restaurants, resorts, boutiques, and things of that sort.
I take my first sip of coffee and am genuinely impressed by how well Rolando’s done. But there are things on my mind when it comes to him. I’ve been beating around the bush by not saying anything for the last couple of days, though if I keep doing what I’m doing, I know I will burst at some point. “Xava told me she recently got an apartment.”
Rolando’s just taking a sip of his own coffee. He has one leg over the other as he sits back in a chair and looks right up at me. “Yes, she did.”
“She told me you have a room there.”
Rolando snickers. “I do, and I know where this conversation is going. It’s my job to protect Xava. As soon as she came into the family, I was given my assignment and have been doing my job since then. If you’re wondering if there’s ever been anything romantic between us, there has not. We might be in one another’s proximity a lot, but she is my job. I’d call her a friend, but nothing more than that.”
“I don’t know many people in security work who live with their assignment. I found that a bit weird. I still do.”
“Well, as weird as it might look, it was Xava’s choice. She didn’t like my replacements who’d come to relieve me when I went back to my place. She felt like they constantly hovered around her, making her uncomfortable. We all have different ways of doing our jobs. I give her space, but I am still close when she needs me to be.”
I thought I’d get some sort of inclination that Rolando’s interested in Xava, but I’m getting quite the opposite. He doesn’t seem like a man who’s interested in her whatsoever, and that strikes me as odd. Xava has a natural sort of beauty, one you don’t find too often anymore since many women have been following all the plastic surgery fads.
“I know I don’t have to tell you this, but I’m going to so you really understand I’m of no threat. You’re more my type than Xava is.”
It takes a few seconds for my brain to process what he’s just said.
“Ah, I get it.” Rolando bats for the other team.
Rolando smirks. “I haven’t officially told Xava that, but I will at some point. I grew up in a very religious household. Because of that, I don’t go out of my way to tell people.”
“I understand, and I appreciate you shooting it straight with me.”
“No problem. I figure it’s better for us to talk about it now than beat around the bush when we don’t need to,” Rolando states, and I agree. In the back of my mind, I would’ve been thinking about this shit if we didn’t squash it. Little did I know there was nothing we needed to squash in the first place.
Footsteps can be heard coming from behind us, and Xava walks into the room in some silk pajamas. “Morning, you two.”
Xava comes right over to me and snakes her arm around my waist, then gives me a kiss on the cheek.
Rolando and I both tell her good morning, and then she speaks again. “Do either of you want any food? I’m starved.”
“I could definitely eat,” I reply first.
“Me too,” Rolando adds.
“Okay. Let’s see what we’re working with.” Xava goes over to the fridge and opens the doors. She begins pulling out a variety of items like bacon, orange juice, milk, and eggs and then grabs some herbs and spices. I don’t know what she plans on making, but whatever it is, I know it’s going to be delicious.
“I’m going to hop in the shower, but I’ll be back down in a little while,” Rolando tells us before leaving the kitchen.
Xava looks over at me while she’s getting out pots and pans. “Is everything okay with you two?”
“Yeah, we spoke a little bit this morning. I don’t think we’re going to have any issues moving forward.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Sometimes, men need to talk it out among themselves to get to the root of the problem. Rolando and I are good now.”
“Okay, well, awesome. It would’ve been really difficult for me if the two of you kept having problems. I care about you both deeply, and if you two stayed at odds, it wouldn’t have been good long term. We would have had to deal with it at some point.”
“The good thing is that you’ll never have to worry about it anymore,” I promise her. She might not realize it, but I do mean it.
