Thirst (The Calvettis of New York 1)

I was hoping that he’d get home before I went to bed, but I passed out right after Sophia left.

When I woke up this morning, Rocco wasn’t at his window. I had a marketing meeting at eight, so I didn’t want to text him for fear of waking him.

Instead, I showered, dressed, ate my usual for breakfast, and took the subway to Matiz.

“They make a great whiskey sour here.” I smile. “It’s Rhoda’s favorite.”

He leans in for a quick peck on my cheek and a squeeze of his hand on my bare knee.

“I like this

dress.” He looks over the white sundress I’m wearing. “You’re the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.”

I should argue that point with him. He’s dressed in a suit today. It’s a gray suit with a black button-down shirt underneath. He looks gorgeous.

“What can I get you?” The bartender interrupts our mutual stare-fest.

Rocco looks at the glass of soda water in front of me before he turns to face him. “I hear you’re known for your whiskey sours.”

“Among other things,” he says before he looks at me. “I was about to ask you if you were here the other night before my phone rang, so...”

Rocco squeezes my knee again, but this time his hand lands on my thigh.

“I was here.” I nod.

The bartender leans his elbows on the bar. “I knew it. Who could forget that face? I’m Zeke.”

I look at Rocco. He cocks a brow as his hand inches higher, moving closer and closer to my pink lace panties. Thankfully, Zeke can’t see a thing from where he’s standing. I do a quick glance around the interior of the bar to make sure no one is watching us.

“Your name is Dexie, isn’t it?” Zeke asks with a slight hint of hesitation in his tone. “I heard the woman you were with the other night call you that.”

I rub my index finger over my bottom lip. “That’s my name, yes.”

Zeke smiles. “It’s a great name. Unique enough to be unforgettable.”

I look past him to a large glass shelf behind the bar. It’s home to an eclectic mix of items including a few books, several candles and an antique wooden chess set.

I glance at Rocco with a smile before I turn my attention back to Zeke. “That’s a beautiful chess set. Do you play?”

Zeke glances over his shoulder. “I do. Do you?”

“Do you, Dexie?” Rocco asks as his hand crawls up the skin of my inner thigh until his fingers brush against my core. “You like to play games, don’t you?”

My breath catches in my chest when he slides his fingertip along the seam of my cleft through the lace. “Sometimes.”

Zeke’s gaze volleys back-and-forth between Rocco and me. “I have a feeling you two will be leaving here together tonight.”

“You can bank on that.” Rocco continues to tease me through the lace of my panties. “I’ll skip the whiskey sour. Bring me whatever beer you have on tap.”

I watch Zeke walk away.

“Are we here so you can tease me?” Rocco runs his lips over my cheek. “You made me hard.”

I gaze down at the outline of his erection in his pants. “I came here to talk business.”

“If this is what being in a partnership with you is like.” He reaches for my hand to cup it over the front of his pants. “I’ll give you whatever the hell you want. Show me where to sign on.”

Chapter 40