“Well, I definitely think the moon suits you over the sun.”
I cocked a brow. “Because I’m a lunatic?”
She laughed. “Well, yeah, but also just the dark, mysterious vibe.”
Gia just kept wandering around the house, oblivious to my itch to leave. “Do you mind if I check out the second level?”
I wasn’t going to be able to get out of this, but a part of me was starting to want to show her more as I became used to having her inside my home. Instead of answering, I nudged my head and led her to follow me up the stairs.
She waltzed through my bedroom and burst open the doors that led to the upper deck.
The last of the sun was going down over the breezy ocean. Gia just stood there soaking in the evening air and the scenery. She looked exquisite with her hair blowing around as she gazed out at the water.
We were both quiet for a long while, listening to the seagulls before she finally spoke.
“If I lived here, I’m pretty sure I would never leave.”
An image of Gia in shackles, tied to my bed, unable to leave, flashed through my brain.
Can’t help your thoughts, right?
When she turned to me, for some reason, I got the urge to say, “You’re really pretty. You know that?”
Where did that come from?
“I bet you say that to all the girls you bring up to this balcony.”
I rarely brought women home if I could help it. Typically, I’d go to their place. On the rare occasions that I couldn’t avoid it, I never took them up to my private bedroom, which led to this balcony. I’d use the first-floor guest bedroom to “entertain.”
“You’re the first girl who’s ever stood on it.”
Her forehead wrinkled. “Are you serious?”
“Yes. I’m a private guy. I’ve never brought a woman up here before. This…the upstairs…is like my sanctuary.”
“How come you let me up here, then?”
“Fuck if I know. I guess…I trust you…or something.”
Her brow lifted. “Or something?”
“Something I don’t even understand. I lose my mind around you. From the second I met you, you set something off in me that I haven’t been able to contain.”
“So, don’t...contain it.”
I inched closer to her, placing a piece of hair behind her ear. “It’s like I want to protect you and corrupt you at the same time. It’s fucked-up.”
“It’s not fucked-up. It’s sweet.”
“You wouldn’t think it was sweet if you knew what was going on in my head right now.”
“I think I have a vague idea.”
Wanting to kiss her so badly, I held back, instead looking down at my phone. “We should get going…”
“Did you have a dinner reservation?”
“Yeah. We missed it.”
She looked hesitant to say, “Do you mind if we hang out here instead of going there? I’m not really in the mood to go to a restaurant. I feel like I spend half my life in one. I would love to just sit out on this deck with a glass of wine. Maybe get some takeout?”
That sounded like exactly what I’d want to do if I weren’t so damn scared to be alone with her.
When I didn’t answer, she said, “It’s okay if you’d prefer not to.”
“No. It’s fine,” I spit out. “We can stay here.”
My night just got a whole lot more challenging.Rush had ordered Italian from a restaurant called Margarita’s that was down the road from him.
We’d had some wine with our eggplant parmesan and shrimp scampi. He seemed a lot more relaxed than he had been earlier.
There was a kickass patio set up on the upper deck. We were both lying out on two separate outdoor chaise lounges. He was sipping his wine and smoking as his hair blew around in the night breeze. It was dark out now, making the flicker of his cigarette ash more prominent.
He’d kept a good two feet away from me all night. But I couldn’t help wishing he would move closer as the memory of our kiss from yesterday consumed my thoughts. I’d never been kissed so forcefully, so passionately. I could only imagine how he was in bed.
Over dinner, we’d talked about a lot of things, including our childhoods and a little about his various businesses. We’d managed to cover the gamut—well, besides the subject of what exactly was happening between us.
Now, we were just staring out at the ocean again.
“I feel so calm here. It’s just so peaceful,” I said.
“I’ve never shared this view with anyone.”
“I still can’t believe that.”
He put out his cigarette before reaching out his hand to me. “I like having you here. A lot.”
I squeezed it, noticing a look of worry on his face. “You look like that troubles you a little. What’s wrong with liking that?
He was silent for the longest time before he said, “Don’t put up with any shit from me, Gia. Alright?”