SOPHIA
The restaurant we end up at is so luxurious and welcoming at the same time. I don’t feel underdressed or out of place, but I feel like I’m being invited to an exclusive club at the same time. Roman says something to the guy at the front, and I hear him mention Massimo’s name.
That gets a jump start on the guy. He leads us up to a private balcony where we’re basically on a wrap-around couch under an overhang. There’s a fire pit in the corner and plants all around.
Definitely private. I feel my skin flush as I sit between Roman and Gunner. Memories of this morning rear up, uninvited, but not exactly unwelcome. Maybe I’ll just have to share about that vibrator idea I got. Or I could just get it and have some fun on my own.
Either way would be a good time.
We order with only Roman sounding smooth in Italian, then sit back. Roman smiles. “Meals take longer here. No to-go boxes.”
“No complaints.” Nick stretches his legs and arms. “Walking all day when I’m used to sitting in an office is … intense.”
Gunner rolls his eyes. “You’re just out of practice. You’re so focused on training you never get your cardio in.”
“Start joining me on my runs. You’ll get it back.” Roman invites.
I like seeing them all talk to each other. It’s casual and easy between them. Even Holden seems to be paying attention. I wonder for a second if he’s sore, but then Gunner rubs up my knee and teases the skin of my inner thigh. I squirm and give him a look that should say “later,” but his smile doesn’t seem to care what my look says.
“Massimo would approve of this.”
I don’t know if he’s talking about what he’s doing to me or where we’re eating, and I don’t exactly care either. There’s been a lingering bit of hunger in me since this morning that has nothing to do with food.
The waitress brings out appetizers and looks around the guys before looking at me. She says nothing, but I see her scowl before she heads back inside, closing the door behind her. Holden shakes his head with a smile.
“So many assumptions.”
None of us push on that front. The food melts in my mouth in the best way. After one bite of ceviche, I realize I’m starving. I missed out on breakfast, and my stomach must have gotten lost behind the fascination of enjoying Italy.
I groan and take another bite. Roman raises a brow. “Maybe Gunner was right. We should have gotten snacks.”
“You should know by now. I’m always right.” He says with food in his mouth.
I nudge him playfully, and he rolls his eyes before dabbing his mouth with a napkin. “Can’t take me anywhere, I suppose.”
I laugh and cover my mouth just in case. Nick leans across the table. “Tomorrow, we’ll eat more. We’ll need it for all the wine.”
“I thought you didn’t have a ton when you were wine tasting,” I grumble. Not that I object to being drunk and having a good time. But being tipsy around all four of these men … well, it kind of sounds like the temptation I wouldn’t be able to resist. “Just a mouthful of wine and then done.”
“Normally, yes.” Roman says, “not with Massimo.”
“Well, I’ll pace myself. Danny will need someone sober to talk to.” I reason with myself.
Dinner is great. I keep trying to eat even once my stomach is full because it tastes so good. Holden looks like he’s been ready to go since he finished his plate.
But he’s not as antsy as he was at the airport. Nick seems totally content with the world, but I’ve seen him check his work phone more than a few times. Roman eats slowly, telling stories about when he was a kid in Italy. All the trouble he and Massimo would get into.
“Once we thought that grapes themselves were wine. So we snuck onto a vineyard and just kept eating grapes. We thought we were drunk until Grandma told us that we eat grapes all the time and it takes more than that to get wine.”
“Oh?” I ask.
“The poor dogs. We rounded three of them up and took my cousin’s nail polish to their toes. It didn’t help that we were laughing the whole time. We were so sick later. Eating dozens of grapes and nothing else isn’t good for the stomach apparently.”
Gunner chuckles and shakes his head. “You need to learn how to handle your grapes, Roman.”
“I handle things well now.” Roman’s hand teases my lower back.
We’ve all had at least two glasses of wine, and we’re all feeling excellent. I know that I’m more than ready to get out of here and get into some fun. Especially with everything unfinished from this morning.
But then I take another bite of food and want that more than anything. The back and forth is killer. But finally, my stomach’s had enough. I slump back and rub my stomach. “I’m so full.”
“That’s a good thing.” Gunner smirks. “Means you’re finally indulging the Italian lifestyle.”
“Like a tourist.” I groan.