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But that didn’t automatically make him a criminal. Did it?
Could he be what my brother said? A mobster? Him? The time I’d spent with him made me want to say no. The man had been kind to me, protective of me, despite him being in pain. Which meant he had to be one of the good guys.
Right?
Maybe some members of his family had been criminals in the past, but that didn’t necessarily make Marco one. I didn’t want to think of him that way, as guilty by association. Besides, his brother had even started a nonprofit donating funds to important local causes.
That didn’t sound like the hallmark of some mafia thug to me.
The moment I burst through the door of Organic Eats, I hunted around for the man in question. I didn’t see him, so I went up to Laura.
“Our new owner around?”
“Not today. What’s up?” she asked, and I told her. I told her about everything I’d read about him, about what David had said, and then, I told her about the kiss.
“Your brother is always looking for crime and conspiracies. It’s his job. But it doesn’t mean he’s right about this. So let’s focus on what matters here. You finally kissed someone, girl! I mean, damn, it’s about time.” Laura hugged me, her face as excited as if I’d given her a winning ticket to the lottery.
“But don’t you think I was wrong for being so forward? Wasn’t that like, way out of character for me?”
“The only wrong thing about that kiss is that it took you this long to do it,” Laura said, keeping her voice low so our patrons wouldn’t hear. “You never let your hair down or have any fun. I’m kinda astonished you haven’t spontaneously combusted from all that unfulfilled sexual desire before now. We all have needs, sweetie pie, and you’re just as human as the rest of us.”
My cheeks instantly felt inflamed, especially when business became slow enough for Chloe to come up and join the conversation. “What we talking about?” she asked, and Laura shared my whole sordid tale. “Oh, honey, please, for once in your life, live a little.”
“I live a lot,” I protested, but Chloe shook her head.
“No, you don’t. You live like a cloistered twelve-year-old. You’re either here, at home, or maybe at the park… with your brother. You never took a vow, but you act like you have. I mean, one repulsive tongue kiss should not a lifetime of celibacy make.”
What was it about all these nun references? “I never said I’d be celibate for the rest of my life.”
“Do you even know how appallingly rare it is to be a twenty-three-year-old virgin?” Laura added, making me feel like a freak.
“Just because I’ve been saving myself—”
Laura grabbed my arm, cutting me off. “But you haven’t been. That’s the thing. You gave up on men. On relationships. On happiness. On finding anything meaningful for yourself. You’ve let the demands of your parents keep you from living your own life.” Chloe nudged her and threw her a look, and suddenly I realized they’d been discussing this behind my back.
It made me want to lash out at them, to get in their faces and object to their sneakiness. But that wasn’t me. I never lashed out at anyone. I never got in anyone’s face. Anger was one of those emotions I chose not to express very often.
If at all.
Even though the comment about my parents reminded me of something David might say, I couldn’t see how losing my virginity equaled living my own life. My friends acted as if sex was this end all be all, but my parents seemed to feel the opposite was true. Especially my mom. She’d always told me sex was dirty. Nasty, even. If it hadn’t been required to produce David and me, I was fairly certain she never would’ve had it.
And because my only experiences in that arena had been less than stellar, I tended to believe her. I’d never once been tempted to give up my V card to anyone. My kiss with Marco hadn’t changed that.
Even if for the first time since I’d been a teenager, I did wonder what it might be like to do some more exploring. But I didn’t feel ready to admit that.
Knowing it was time to switch tactics, I focused on Chloe since I already knew Laura’s opinion. “So do you think there’s any validity to what David said? Is our new owner dangerous? A real, live mobster?”
She didn’t get to answer, though, because at that precise moment, said new owner strode into the building. My eyes were drawn to him like a magnet. I wanted to know if I could visually spot any indications of his true nature, any tells about his possible involvement in nefarious activities.
I studied him, noticing that he wore a similar suit to the one I saw him in yesterday. He seemed to be moving more easily today, as if the pain he’d been experiencing the day before had lessened. His gait was purposeful as he crossed the room, intent. He had such a confident air about him, an inborn self-assuredness I envied.
He had a strong presence overall and a handsome profile with that square clean-shaven jaw of his, combined with one of those straight Roman noses. His short black hair looked damp and curled just a bit at the nape of his neck. I felt this strange need to thread my fingers into it and shoved my hands behind my back.
Then he turned and I took in the subtle cleft i
n his chin, how deep set his dark eyes were, and the firm fullness of his lips. Lips I’d already felt on mine. Lips I’d like to feel on mine again.
Whoa, had I really allowed myself to think that?
