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I chuckle nervously. “That’s not going to happen.”
She gives me a flirty little, “we’ll see,” sort of challenging look, and slides on her socks and tennis shoes.
Not a designer name in sight on the woman, and I am completely had by her. Captivated in ways I never expected could happen.
I hate that she’s preparing to leave. I’m already going to have to fight Domani when he comes to get her, which no man should ever attempt. I don’t want her to insist on leaving my side. We belong together. We can run away. We can lay low and evade Lance altogether.
I frown at the hole in her sock. “You are getting new socks when you get to my place.”
She stands after tying her shoe. “You have women’s socks at your house?”
My mouth pulls to the side. “No, but I’ll order some. What else do you need?”
“Socks without holes is perfect, and more than enough.” She stands and kisses my lips, leaving her other shoe untied. “Thank you. It’s awfully presumptuous, thinking our next date will land me at your house.”
I snort at how little she knows me. “You’re not staying over for a night. You’re moving in. I thought that was a given.”
Melissa freezes, so I move her to sit on the bed. I take the spot beside her, my fingers lacing through hers.
“Giovanni, I can’t live with you. I barely know you.”
“Then get to know me. But the outcome won’t change.”
She sighs. “This sort of thing doesn’t happen for me. First dates go horribly wrong. Relationships are out of the picture because I work long hours.”
I snort at her reasons that actually work perfect for my demanding schedule, as well. “What sort of work do you do?”
“I teach Algebra online.” She throws her head back, as if I am being ridiculous. “See? We should know those sorts of things about each other before conversations about moving in ever happen.” She motions to my phone, which is laying on the mattress. “And something tells me that your line of work is a little more involved than I could keep up with.”
I shake my head. “If you don’t want to move into the mansion with my brothers and me, I get that. I’ll get us a place where we can be together, then.”
She chuckles at my insistence. “You really are persistent, aren’t you. You might get sick of me, and I might worry too much about your safety.”
“Not possible.” I give her lips the lightest kiss, trying to keep things tame so as not to scare her away after such heavy talk. “Think about it. I’ll ask you once a week until you say yes. I’ll feel better when you’re under my family’s protection.”
She kisses me and doesn’t pull back, but lets her words move my lips when she speaks. “I should leave after today. I should walk away and let this be a good memory where I fell for the Moretti boy, and nobody got hurt.” She presses her lips to mine again. “I’m not sure I can do that, though.”
“I know I can’t.” I tangle my fingers in her hair, loving the silky feel of her curls.
We kiss like teenagers on a first date with both feet on the floor and all our clothes on until the door pops open without warning, breaking the inner lock off its hinge.
Fucking Domani.
I stand slowly, narrowing my eyes at my brother. “I said no. I made myself clear that Melissa isn’t going to be bait for this family.”
Domani doesn’t address me but fixes his gaze on Melissa. “Let’s go.”
Melissa stands, and panic seizes me around the throat. “Fuck you, Domani!” I hold onto Melissa’s hand as if that is all that is needed to keep her in place.
She turns to me, fixing me with a wounded look. “This is how it has to be, Giovanni. I’ll come back to you.” She kisses me in plain view of my emotionless brother. “You still owe me that first date.”
“Please, no,” I whimper, not above begging when I am face to face with a goddess.
Domani holds up his hand to her and then kneels at her feet. It’s such a strange sight that I don’t know how to react. Domani has always been odd, doing things in his own quiet way that only Brunello truly understands, and Antonio and I sort of get.
My breath hitches when I watch Domani kneel before Melissa so he can tie her other shoe, ensuring she doesn’t trip on the laces.
It’s the sweetest thing, and Domani is never sweet.
