Then her words registered on me. “Impure?”
She nodded. “I’m not supposed to show this much skin to anyone but my husband.”
I could only stare. “You mean your stomach?”
“Yeah.”
“Fuck, Kitty, don’t be ridiculous. If you enjoy showing off your curves, why not do it? It’s your body, so it’s your decision how much skin you show.”
God, these curves would haunt me for a while.
She frowned. “But you were angry…”
“I’m fucking livid, because dressed like this, you better make sure Diego or I are at your side, got it?”
She searched my face. “You?”
Me, yes, why me? I wasn’t Gemma’s protector, that was Diego’s task in life.
“Is Diego with you?”
I nodded, still having a hard time not checking Gemma out. Kitty had abs. Not as defined as mine, but the proof of her hard work was still unmistakable. And that narrow waist and those swung hips. Goddamn it.
“But he’s busy with Dakota in his car.”
“Dakota?”
“It doesn’t matter. She’s probably opening her backdoor for him as we speak. Don’t try to distract me.”
Gemma tilted her head with that fucking curious expression. “Toni locked the backdoor after I arrived. Nobody’s supposed to use it, except for staff.”
I chuckled darkly. Curling my fingers around her wrist and trying to ignore the small shiver that passed through her body, I pulled her arm away from her stomach, revealing those curves again. “Looking like this,” I growled, motioning at her body. “You have no business being so goddamn naïve, Kitty. Some men might use that to their advantage.”
Her eyes held mine and I knew I was screwed because I wanted my best friend’s little sister. I wanted to do very naughty, very grown-up things to her. Things she had no clue about judging from her puzzled expression. I stared at the ceiling. Maybe there was a God after all, and this was his way to test me. It was a given that I would fail his test, the question was only when.
After her admittance six months ago, I’d kept my distance. I’d been on edge anyway and didn’t want to risk my friendship with Diego over the silly crush of a little girl. But, damn it, Gemma didn’t look like a little girl anymore.
Gemma walked over to the bed in the corner of the room as if she had every intention of sitting down.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
She froze. “Why?”
Heaven have mercy. “Didn’t Toni mention what happens in these backrooms and why there is a bed in here?”
Gemma’s face scrunched up and she took a step back from the bed, but she kept scanning the blankets as if she worried she might find evidence of the previous activities. It gave me time to admire her. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. I’d known her for years, had been best friends with Diego for just as many. He’d always been wary of me around his sister and I had always told him that he was a stupid asshole for thinking I’d hit on his sister. Today I knew Diego had every right to distrust me around Gemma because seeing her like that, all I could think about was to have her in my bed one day.
Shaking myself out of my horniness, I sent Diego a text, telling him that I had found a girl and was taking her somewhere to fuck. He didn’t reply, which meant he was too immersed in Dakota, literally.
“I’ll take you home now. Come,” I said.
Gemma’s gaze jerked back to me. She lifted her chin in that stubborn way of hers. “What? No. I promised Toni I’d help her until one at least. They’re low on staff.”
“Do I look like I care if Roger’s got enough waitresses who shake their asses in front of customers? All I know is that your pretty little ass won’t shake in front of anyone…”
…but me.
Gemma stared at me as if I’d grown a second head. She didn’t even blush at me using the word ass. Kitty had grown, and I really wished I would stop noticing. Diego would test one of those Bunsen burners they used in their restaurants to fry my balls if he found out. That would be a disturbing twist on Arancini for sure.
Gemma squared her shoulders and walked toward me, trying to appear tough and self-assured. “You aren’t my brother or my father, Savio.” Thank the fucking Lord for that. “You can’t tell me what to do. I gave Toni my promise and I’ll keep it.”
She tried to leave the room, but I pressed my palm against the door, smiling darkly. “I just told you what’s going to happen. I’ll bring you home. If you come on your own two legs or if I have to carry you, that’s up to you, Kitty.”
Her mouth fell open, then she shrugged. “You’re not going to do that. You are here to have fun, not play babysitter.” I lowered my arm, allowing her to open the door and step out.