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After doing a couple, he took his skates back from her. “Hot cocoa?”
She nodded. “Sounds perfect. And then…I plan to cash in on my favor.”
“Freckles, you might be the only person I will never mind being in debt to.”
Chapter Ten
Gianna tossed the salad she’d just made as Elio chopped up some chicken. After their less-than-healthy dinner last night, they’d decided to dine on something a little more nutritious tonight. She was a fan of big salads with all the fixings, and Elio admitted he was the same. She’d thrown some rolls into the oven to accompany the meal.
Carrying their bowls to the table, they settled down, eating in companionable silence for a minute or two. It was crazy how quickly they’d established routines, both of them taking care of different things. From her making the bed, to him dealing with the trash, to her washing the dishes while he dried and put them away.
They’d spent the last few hours hanging out in front of the fire, making out, hot and heavy. And while they hadn’t had actual sex, they’d both come, him in her mouth and her on his fingers. After that, they’d taken a shower, thrown on their comfy clothes, and made dinner together.
As they cooked, they’d talked about a bunch of silly nothings—the weather, different ways to make chicken, his favorite hangouts in Baltimore. The way Elio described his favorite bar, Pat’s Pub, had her dying to take a trip to the city just to try the Shepherd’s Pie.
“You’re an amazing skater. Who taught you?” she asked, as they ate.
“Bruno.”
“Really?” Gianna hadn’t expected that answer. Elio’s oldest brother, Bruno, was a mechanic, married to his high school sweetheart, Vivian—who cut Gianna’s hair. The couple had three rambunctious kids. Bruno was a bruiser from the word go, a huge man with a long, full Duck Dynasty-style beard, so it was hard to imagine him balancing on ice skates.
“He wasn’t always the gruff-looking mountain man he is today. He played hockey in high school. I’m ten years younger than him. When I was six and he was sixteen, I went through a stage where I wanted to be one of the big kids. Followed him and Aldo, who was eleven at the time, fucking everywhere. I’m sure I drove them insane, emulating them, trying to dress like they did, talk like they did. The talking part got Bruno grounded for a couple weeks because it didn’t take Mom long to figure out where I’d picked up my newfound love of the word ‘motherfucker’.”
Gianna nearly spit out the water she’d just taken a sip of. “I bet he wanted to kill you.”
“Nah. Bruno’s always been the type to take things in stride. Anyway, he played hockey, so I wanted to play. Got Mom and Dad to sign me up for a peewee league, and after that…I was bitten. Bruno’s love of the game faded by the end of his junior year because he met Vivian, and from that point on, all he wanted to do was be with her.”
Gianna knew about Bruno and Vivian’s long relationship, through Viv, who’d clearly found her perfect profession. The woman was an entertaining storyteller and a world-class gossip, and by doing hair, she had a captive audience. Not that Gianna cared. Vivian was hilarious and she’d never given her a bad haircut.
“So you kept playing hockey?”
Elio nodded. “I decided at a very young age I wanted to go pro. Of course, a million kids dream of that, so I had plenty of well-meaning teachers try to convince me to choose something more practical, more achievable.”
“What about your parents? Did they try to dissuade you?”
“No. Not at all. They’re the reason I am where I am today. I told them what I wanted to do, and they found ways to help me get there, driving me all over the goddamn East Coast with my travel teams, paying for extra lessons with coaches, cheering me on every step of the way. They never told me to dream smaller. They just told me to work harder.”
“Wow. Greatest parents ever,” she said, her comment earning her one of Elio’s full-fledged bright smiles.
“You still have all your teeth.” She hadn’t meant to make that comment, but the words flew out when she considered how gorgeous his smile was.
Elio laughed loudly. “Let’s just say I have teeth. Not all these suckers are the ones I started out with.”
“So, apart from your potty mouth, were you a good kid or a handful?”
Elio considered the question. “I’d say I was somewhere in the middle. Dad swears it was a good thing I stuck with the hockey because I’ve always had a devilish streak. Playing the sport kept me too busy to go too far down any bad paths. Plus, it gave me a good way to burn off frustration. I’m known as the enforcer on my team.”
“That sounds very Arnold Schwarzenegger-like. What does that mean?”
“It means, if anyone messes with one of my teammates, I take care of it.” He lifted his fists, boxer-style.
“I can’t see you fighting anyone. You seem way too chill.”
“Yeah. My family says the same thing. Everyone except Liza. She and I were closest in age, so the two of us were no strangers to fighting and tussling when we were kids.”
“What was Liza like when she was little? I bet she kept your parents on their toes.”
Elio shrugged. “You have to remember, by the time Liza came along, Mom and Dad already had three rowdy boys, all between the ages of eleven and one. It’s safe to say by that point, they were a bit numb, desensitized.”
