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“Whenever you’re ready,” the twenty-something brunette woman said before strolling down the aisle.
Kali grabbed the check. “I got this one.” She opened her purse, stuffed a black American Express card into the fold of the checkbook, and slid it to the edge of the table. “Same time next week?”
“Yeah, sure.”
I smiled so wide my cheeks hurt. Because for once in my life, I had a friend, and I prayed Luca wouldn’t scare her away.
I woke with a jolt, once again in the arms of my fierce protector. Marcello shook my shoulder, staring down at me with those piercing blue eyes.
I covered my mouth and yawned. “Did you stay with me?”
He shifted his weight, rocking me to the side as he leaned against the headboard. “Yes.”
I rolled my head onto his chest and looked up at him. “I don’t remember having nightmares.”
“That’s because you didn’t have any.”
“You must be my lucky charm.” I curled up against him, and he hugged me. “You may need to sleep in my bed forever to keep the nightmares away.”
His fingers tapped my shoulder. “It’s time to get up, princess.”
I glanced out the windows, the sun yet to rise. “No, go back to sleep,” I told him. “It’s not even light outside.”
“I want to show you something. I haven’t stuck with my routine since you arrived in Devil’s Creek. So you’re coming with me today.”
I rubbed my eyes. “Are you insane? No one wakes up this early.”
“I do,” he said with a cocky smirk. “Every morning.”
“What time is it?”
“Five fifteen.”
“Gross,” I groaned. “Are you a masochist?”
He laughed. “Yeah, I guess so. Now get your pretty ass out of this bed.”
“Where are you taking me?”
“We’re going for a run on the beach.”
“Oh, my God. You must be high.” I shook my head. “No way am I running anywhere at five o’clock in the morning.”
Marcello slipped his fingers between mine, and sparks danced along my skin. Well, if I wasn’t awake already, that sure as hell did the trick. I slid my legs off the mattress with Marcello still holding my hand. He was so gentle and patient with me—the complete opposite of Luca.
“What do you want to show me?” I asked.
“A place on the other side of the bay I think you’ll like.”
I gathered my wild curls in my hands, pulling the knots from them. “What’s so special about it?”
“It’s where my mom used to paint when she got stuck. She would drag a canvas and her art supplies down the beach and sit there until she found inspiration.”
Eyes bugging out of my head, I beamed with excitement. “Say no more. I can’t wait.”
I squealed as I rushed into the bathroom, and I thought I heard Marcello laugh on the other side of the door. After I peed and brushed my teeth, I tied up my hair to keep it out of my face. It wasn’t easy to tame naturally curly hair, especially not after I’d slept on it all night.
Spraying some product into my bird’s nest, I checked my appearance in the mirror. I looked tired, but not my usual zombie from The Walking Dead after a long night of bad dreams. The skin beneath my eyes was a shade darker than the rest of my face, but otherwise, I didn’t look too crazy.
“C’mon, princess,” Marcello growled through the door. “We’re already running late.”
“Late for what?” I shot back.
“My schedule,” he shouted. “Let’s go. Put some clothes on and stop messing around.”
“So bossy, Marcello.”
And I love it.
“Someone has to keep your ass in line.”
“Okay, boss man. Keep your boxers on. I’ll be out in a minute.”
I moved into the attached walk-in closet and sorted through the drawers. There were more clothes than what Luca had ordered from Ciao Bella. Had he bought more? Either that or some creepy closet fairy added to the collection while I slept.
I dressed in a pair of black spandex shorts with pink stripes on the sides and paired them with the matching Under Armour tank. On a long rack that ran the length of the floor, I spotted dozens of shoes and grabbed a pair of Nike Zoom's.
As I sat on the floor and laced up my sneakers, Marcello knocked before entering the bathroom. “What’s taking so long?”
“Are you seriously that much of a control-freak, Marcello? You couldn’t wait outside until I tie my shoes?”
He lurked in the doorway with his hand rested on the wall. “Yes, I am a control freak. And no, I couldn’t wait. I hate when people mess with my routine.”
I cocked an eyebrow at him. “I didn’t ask to be part of your schedule.”
“I'm doing this for you, Alex.”
He extended his hand and lifted me from the floor. Our chests brushed as he pressed his palm to my back. Being this close to Marcello flipped a switch in my brain that set off dozens of signals to my body. His scent was manly and intoxicating, so yummy I wanted to taste him.
