Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 77359 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77359 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
He stared at me for a long moment. Not in a judging way. Or a mean way. Kind of ... neutrally. Given some of my past interactions with him, I’d take it. But then his gaze moved lower and his expression darkened, his mouth twisting into a scowl.
Confused, I brought my hand up to my chest momentarily surprised to feel the soft, silky fabric there. Then I remembered… I was wearing the lingerie that Carmine had gotten me.
Massimo evidently remembered where it had come from, too. “Wear something else to bed tonight.”
That was all he said before sitting up and pushing off the bed.
I didn’t release the breath I’d been holding until the bathroom door shut behind him. I sat up, looking at the cream-colored fabric. It was such pretty lingerie. It touched me that Carmine had got it for me. He’d probably spent more time this past month thinking about women’s clothing—both wedding dresses and this lingerie—than he had the rest of his life put together.
But I’d learned that Massimo didn’t want me to wear it again, so I wouldn’t.
I’d learned something else, too. That he’d been serious when he said I was to share his bed every night from now on.
My shoulders slumped as I thought about that. If it was hard for me to sleep knowing he was a mere ten feet away, how much worse would it be now that we shared a bed?
By lunch, I was feeling more like myself. I’d hidden the lingerie away in the bottom of one of my trunks. It bothered me that I still had so much stuff in that small room. I was a fairly clean person by nature, and I didn’t like the clutter. But then again, it’s not like Massimo had given me much space to call my own.
Stefano was in a good mood as we ate. He told me about a project he and some online teammates were working on, but though I tried, I couldn’t understand much of it, so he switched to telling me more about his coworkers. A brief flash of jealousy hit me when he laughingly recalled a story one of his female colleagues had told him. For some reason, I pictured her as a smiling, carefree blonde.
It was strange that he had coworkers he’d never met in person, but I supposed that remote work was the new norm these days. At least in normal professions like software engineer. But it also struck me as a little sad. He was stuck in this house, too, although he could go out whenever he liked. But still, a fun, charming man like him would probably be more comfortable at a workplace where he could joke with his coworkers in person. But he couldn’t. Due to the family business, it wasn’t safe.
He downed the rest of his soda—something he normally didn’t drink—and smiled at me. “What’ve you got going on this afternoon?”
I couldn’t help grinning. “Somebody’s extra caffeinated today.”
He laughed, not denying it. “I’m in a good mood. Want to play the video game at two or so?”
“You really need a name for that game.”
“I do. Any ideas?”
The first one that sprang to mind was Freedom. That’s what his game represented to me. Even though it was just a simulation, it felt amazing to explore the city. Talk to whomever I wanted. Go anywhere I wanted.
Was that why he’d made it? So he could feel that too?
“I don’t have much experience with naming things.” Besides, the game was about more than just freedom. He’d managed to work a pretty cool mystery to solve into it, too.
He nodded. “Maybe it’s time we help you get some more experience.”
The sudden shift in his tone made my thighs clench. He wasn’t talking about the game.
But though I wanted to respond in kind, I just couldn’t. I was still a bit upset by last night. I’d felt bad that Massimo had reacted poorly to seeing me in the lingerie Carmine bought. But it was impossible to pinpoint the reason for his reaction. Was he mad that his brother had done that? It was clearly within the rules that Massimo himself had set up. Giving me pretty clothes and not even seeing me wear them was tame compared to what Massimo had alluded I could do with his brothers. But it couldn’t be jealousy. If Massimo wanted me, then that’s what would happen. It’s not like I’d have a say in it. I’d been right there, in the next room, all that time. And now I was even closer.
As for my reaction ... deep down inside, I was a little disappointed. I’d thought I looked pretty. The teddy was so soft and silky. My hair had been loose and wavy. But Massimo hadn’t even noticed—he’d just been mad.
“Earth to Leila?” Stefano was saying, and I felt guilty. I wished I could be open and easy with him and flirt the way he sometimes did with me.