AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Green,” I said, thinking about the color of her eyes.
She was quiet for a moment before saying, “I don’t even know if you’ve ever been in a serious relationship. Or if you have a hair color preference when it comes to women. Or—”
“Nothing serious, no,” I replied, a little too quickly. “And dark hair.” I set my fist to the glass and lightly tapped it twice, swallowing down the lump in my throat. “I’ll tell you a story if you please go to bed.” My voice was hoarse that time, emotion cutting through me, unexpected yet undeniable.
“As long as your story doesn’t begin with, ‘This one time at band camp,’ then I’m all ears.”
“Hey, American Pie is a classic.” How’d she always do that? Have me tense one moment and smiling the next. “And I never went to band camp, by the way.”
She laughed. “Okay, mister, then go for it. Tell me your story.”
“Get in bed first,” I reminded her.
“I have to get these clothes off.”
“Not in front of the window,” I pleaded, then pointed to the blinds. We simultaneously closed them, and although she was still on the line, I could finally breathe again.
I never would’ve survived living next door to her when I was younger if we’d been close in age.
“Ryan,” she whispered after her light went out, and I assumed she’d set the phone down to change.
I bit my tongue and didn’t dare ask her what she was now wearing. “Yeah?”
“I’m in bed now.”
“Good . . .” Girl. I gulped. And my cock throbbed. Damnit all to hell. Forget the past. How will I survive living next door to you now? “Are you comfortable?”
“Are you?” Why’d it feel like we were about to have phone sex instead of story time? “Hold on.” I undressed down to my boxer briefs and slid beneath the covers of my bed. “Yeah, I’m in bed now.”
“Mm. Okay, I’m ready for you,” Natalia said in a sleepy, sexy voice.
I needed to remind myself I was a thirty-nine-year-old, grown-ass man in my mom’s house, so I didn’t wrap my hand around my cock and rub one out. Because damn.
“Well, um, give me a second to try and think of a story. One that isn’t classified.” But I was coming up empty. “Natalia, you still awake or . . .”
Silence.
“Talia,” I said, testing the waters.
“Mm, yes?” she murmured, her nickname rousing her from her sleepy state.
“Um, never mind. Just go to sleep.” I closed my eyes, listening to the soft sounds of her breathing as she dozed off. “That’s my girl,” I whispered, on the edge of a dream-like state. “We can save story time for tomorrow.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
RYAN
“It’s so good to see you, honey.” Mrs. Romano pulled me in for a hug, and I quickly extended my arms so I didn’t spill the coffee or crush the bag of food I was carrying.
“Easy, Ma.” I looked over Mrs. Romano’s shoulder to see Maria carrying her daughter. “Let him breathe.”
“But he smells so good.” Mrs. Romano released me and smoothed a hand over my gray tee as if searching for lint.
“Hey, son.” I turned to see Mr. Romano on approach. When he offered his palm, Mrs. Romano freed the to-go coffee cup from my hand.
Hearing the word “son” felt strange coming from him. It’d once been reserved for Anthony, who should have been his son-in-law by now.
“Y’all are crowding him. Maybe step back?” Maria suggested, bouncing Chiara on her hip. Chiara just stared at me with her huge brown eyes.
