“Are you speaking from experience?”
“No and yes. We’re much bigger than Esposito’s. There are usually enough people working that if someone calls out, they can generally get by. But sometimes my parents had to go in.” He rolled his eyes. “Or they sent me.”
They laughed for a moment, and an uneasy silence followed. Luke took another sip and let his cup linger. How to approach the elephant in the room? “So, last night . . .”
Nico smiled wildly and shrugged. “Yeah. I had fun.”
Fun. Something about the blasé way Nico said it had Luke’s gut falling to his feet. “Um, me too. So we’re okay?”
“Why wouldn’t we be?” Nico’s smile vanished. “Are you okay?”
“I’m great. It’s just, I don’t want it to come between us. You know, now that we crossed that line.”
Nico looked at the wall. “Nothing has changed. It was just some fun, right?”
That word again. “Right. Fun.”
“If this weirds you out, I can sleep on the couch until the mattress gets here.” Nico continued avoiding Luke’s gaze.
“I’m not weirded out if you’re not.”
“Nope, I’m good too.”
If he was good, why not look at him? “What time do we head out to dinner with your family?”
“Mom said she’ll call when they leave.” He finished his coffee. “Knowing my parents, they’ll probably swing by here first. Too curious for their own good.”
“Oh, okay. Cool.” He moved closer and rubbed Nico’s arm. “Thanks for making the coffee. I’ll miss this when we go back to school.”
“I’ll come by every morning at seven with your coffee.”
Nico might be joking, but the thought of not seeing him every morning bothered Luke. “Or I could come to your room. That way it won’t get cold.”
“That’s so practical.”
Practical. That was Luke, all right. He shrugged it off. “I guess we should clean this place up for your parents. What’s first on our list?”
“Our list?” Nico shook his head. “Coming to dinner is all you need to do. I’ll take care of cleaning.”
“Fuhgeddaboudit. I live here too. I’ll help.”
“Fuhgeddaboudit? Really?”
What? “Did I use it wrong?”
“Nope. It was perfect. I just never heard you say that before.”
“I pick up a few things here and there.” Like how wildly you kiss when I squeeze your ass. Okay, bad idea to go there. Luke nodded toward their room. “We should shower before we clean the bathroom.”
“Together?” Nico wiggled his eyebrows.
Oh, God. How hot would that be? “Seriously?”
“Sadly, no. We’d never get any work done.” He pouted. “Rain check?”
“Sure,” Luke said with a wink, “but don’t think I won’t use it.”
Chapter Thirteen
Luke
Nico’s family didn’t like Elliott’s parents.
Especially Nonno, who scowled and muttered at his food.
Elliott’s father had clearly researched Amato’s bakery. His prying questions about sales and profits were met with polite deflections until Elisa elbowed Elliott, and Elliott asked his father to stop talking business.
The conversation turned to their boat, vacation house, trips, and stock portfolio.
Luke felt uncomfortable on the Amatos behalf and embarrassed for Elliott and Elisa.
He stirred in his chair, foot knocking into Nico’s next to him. He stopped himself from murmuring an apology. Why say sorry when you weren’t?
In fact, why move it back at all?
Nico’s gaze shot to his, brown eyes glittering with a smile.
Luke rubbed Nico’s foot, and Nico tentatively pressed back. He took a sip of wine and missed his mouth, spilling a drop onto his purple sports jacket. Again, Nico had dressed up for the occasion, and again Luke couldn’t help noticing how much more comfortable Nico seemed. Like the clothes or the color boosted his confidence. It was almost too much—the confidence, that was. Nico was sexy enough as it was—
Luke swallowed hard, staring at Nico dabbing his jacket with a napkin.
Nonna muttered into his ear, and Nico rolled his eyes.
“What did Nonna say to you?” Luke asked, smoothing a kink in Nico’s lapel.
Nico leaned toward him, keeping his voice low. His breath hit Luke over the bridge of his nose, eliciting a shiver. “She said they were uncouth. You don’t talk about money at dinner. Especially with people you just met.”
“Your poor dad. He’s taken the brunt of it.”
“He’s also the most patient.”
“So, Nico,” Mrs. Randall said loudly, catching everyone’s attention. “I’ve never seen such a shiny purple sports coat before. Certainly not here in our club.”
Nico stiffened, his gaze darted to Luke, and his checks flushed. Nonna hissed in Italian.
“Excuse me?” Mrs. Randall said indignantly.
Luke narrowed his eyes on the woman. How dare she speak to Nico like that? “She said no one who comes here looks half as good as Nico does.” Luke slid his fingers over the back of Nico’s and interlocked them. “Nico looks amazing.”
All eyes swiveled to him and Nico. Luke didn’t care what they thought of his outburst. No way he’d sit there and let Nico take that shit. Nico rocked his outfit. So damn handsome.