‘I guess we should clear this lot up,’ she said, wrinkling her nose as she surveyed the devastation of cardboard cartons on the kitchen table. ‘At least most of it can go in the bin for once.’
His mouth twitched at her English words. Another effect of the fine wine Sam had brought with him. His nickname for her was more than apt tonight.
‘We call it a trash can, London,’ he teased.
She stuck her tongue out at him. ‘Tomayto-tomahto.’
‘Nope. Definitely a trash can.’ He winked, then stood to pick up a few of the empty cartons. ‘I guess I’ll have to make a move soon. Get my boy to bed.’
‘You need to live a little,’ Juliet said, her eyes sparkling at the tables she was turning. ‘Relax, Charlie’s fine. The last time I popped my head around the door he and Poppy had fallen asleep. I even made them clean their teeth earlier, so at least we don’t have to worry about cavities.’
‘Yeah, cavities, we definitely don’t want them to get those.’ He winked at her.
‘Why do you call her London?’ Sam asked, walking over to open another bottle of wine.
‘Why do you think?’ Cesca answered him before Ryan could. ‘Because she’s from London, stupid.’
‘And because I hate it,’ Juliet said. ‘He’ll do anything he can to aggravate me.’
‘Tell me about it,’ Cesca agreed. ‘Sam will do anything to wind me up. It’s like some kind of weird mating ritual.’
‘It works doesn’t it?’ Sam grabbed Cesca around the waist with one arm, the other hand still grasping the wine bottle. He nuzzled his face into her neck. ‘You hated me from the minute I walked into the villa two years ago. Why fix something if it ain’t broken?’
‘Oh, get a room.’ Juliet shook her head, still smiling. Then she looked at Ryan again. This time she didn’t look away. Instead her eyes widened as he caught her gaze.
Christ, he wanted to kiss her again.
‘We’ve already got a room, and luckily for you, it’s next to yours,’ Cesca said, laughing as Sam squeezed her tight.
Juliet looked at Ryan in mock-horror. ‘Can I stay at yours tonight?’
The thought of her in his bedroom was alarming and enticing in equal measure. He had to take a deep breath to even himself out. It wasn’t wrong to flirt back when she was the one who started it, was it?
‘What’s mine is yours.’ He smiled at her. No, it wasn’t wrong at all.
‘And they think we should get a room,’ Cesca said. ‘Is it me or is getting hot in here?’ She started to fan herself, making Juliet roll her eyes.
‘Shut up.’
‘Make me.’
‘Oh, I’ll make you if I need to,’ Juliet warned her sister. ‘Remember what I used to do when we were kids?’
Cesca made a disgusted face. ‘Oh no, not the infamous Chinese wrist burn? Anything but that.’ She glanced at Sam. ‘She’s a demon with her hands. She brings grown men to their knees, tears in their eyes.’
Ryan coughed out a laugh. ‘I bet she does.’
‘Et tu, Ryan?’ Juliet said, poking him with her finger. ‘What is this, let’s gang up on Juliet day?’
He couldn’t help but grin. Having her sister around was relaxing her in a way he’d never seen before.
He really wanted to see her that way again.
‘Are all your sisters like this?’ he asked her.
‘Yep,’ Sam said, handing him a full glass of wine. It looked as though Ryan wasn’t going home any time soon. ‘They’re a nightmare when they all get together. You can’t hear yourself think. The only time they all quieten down is when their dad has something to say, which isn’t often, poor guy.’
Juliet looked down, and he saw the sadness flashing in her eyes.