Her Mafia Bodyguard

“That’s good to hear. I know I’m looking forward to it, too. It will be good having you home again.” Sure, although we haven’t been living together all that long. Sometimes, I wonder if he really feels about me the way he says he does. How can he? We still don’t know each other all that well. Even after all this time, it’s not like we have a warm, tender relationship. I guess I need to take his word for it and let it go.

It’s just that I still remember so clearly how it felt to be really, truly loved by a parent. No, Mom didn’t exactly have time to hang around with me all day. We didn’t go shopping together unless it was for necessities. We didn’t get our nails done or have spa days.

But the time we did spend together was ours. She focused on me. Even if we were sitting and watching a movie together, we were together. She wasn’t on the phone, distracted. And when she asked questions about me, about my day, she listened to the answers. She asked because she wanted to know, not because she felt it was right.

She wasn’t acting. That’s it. It always feels like he’s acting.

“I hope you’re not too disappointed, though. I’ll touch base with Zeke and make sure you have everything you need for any kind of dinner you want to have on Thanksgiving. I’m sure there has to be a restaurant around somewhere you could go to, or that might cater.”

Zeke. Right. We’d be able to spend all this time together… All of a sudden, this is looking a lot better. “I haven’t had a chance to cook a nice meal in a long time. Maybe I could give that a shot.”

“That’s an excellent idea!” He agrees with a lot more enthusiasm than I would have expected. “Sure, make whatever kind of meal you want. The sky’s the limit.”

“I will. And don’t worry about it.” I look over my shoulder again to find Zeke staring at me, his eyes full of questions. “I think we’re going to be just fine.”

I mean, I should thank him. He just gave me an excuse to spend almost a solid week with nothing to do but hang around here naked if I feel like it while Zeke does the same. Oh, gee, no. I’m giggling to myself by the time I go back inside.

“Well? What happened?” Zeke’s eyes dart over my face. “You’re not crying, so I guess that’s a good sign.”

“Everything is fine.”

“What happened, though? Why did he call?” It’s almost cute how anxious he is. I used to look down on him for his devotion—I cringe now, thinking back on it, but I can’t deny how angry it made me, feeling like even he wasn’t on my side. Now I know better.

Now I know his ass is in a sling even more than mine is. I don’t want Dad to be angry with me, but it’s not like I could lose my job over it the way Zeke would—at the very least. He always makes it seem like that would be the least of his problems.

“He said I shouldn’t come home for Thanksgiving.”

His eyebrows knit together instantly. “What? Why?”

“Something to do with business. I don’t know.” I shrug it off. “You would probably know better than I would, honestly. You know more about his business than I do.”

“Not anymore. And even then, I wasn’t exactly his right-hand man.” He rubs the back of his neck, the other hand on his hip, staring at the floor. Deep in thought. “He’s always got business. Why would that stop you from coming home?”

“Honestly? I don’t even care.”

“You don’t? I figured you would look forward to having time off.”

“Time off from what? From school?” I can’t believe he’s being so dense. “I won’t have any schoolwork to do here, either, right?”

“That’s true…”

I walk toward him with slow, even steps. “And you’ll still be here. He didn’t say he needs you to come home for anything.”

“That’s also true…” He’s starting to get the message. Finally. A sly smile begins to spread.

“So what that tells me is that we’ll have the days to ourselves. No classes. No project work. None of it. Just you and me.” By the time I finish speaking, I’m standing directly in front of him, grinning from ear to ear. “I think I can live with that.”

When he draws his bottom lip under his teeth, my pulse picks up speed. That’s what he’s capable of doing to me without laying a hand on me or even saying a word. It should be illegal to be this hot. This perfect. “I guess I can if you can. I wonder how we’ll find ways to fill the time.”

“I think we can come up with something together if we put our minds to it.” I slip a finger under the waistband of his shorts. “Now, I think we were talking about getting you in the shower before we were interrupted, weren’t we?”

He looks me up and down. “Who are you? Where is the little virgin I used to know? Asking me to show her what to do, how to please me?”

“I guess you were a good teacher.” I back away, still grinning, and pull the nightshirt over my head before dropping it to the floor. The man has an excellent poker face, but not when it comes to this. Red hot lust sparks in his eyes a second before he follows, peeling off his sweaty shirt and dropping it next to mine. By the time he joins me in his bathroom, I have the shower running and am bending down to slide off my panties.

He takes me by the hips, grinding himself against my ass. “You get me so fucking hard,” he grunts in my ear, his fingers pressing into my flesh like he wants to take control of my entire body. Like it’s his, like he owns it. And if that’s what he thinks, he’s not wrong. I can’t imagine anybody making me feel the way he does, knowing what I like better than even I do.

Instead of opening the shower door, he turns me around, still pressed against my back. We’re facing the vanity, reflected in the mirror above the sink. There I am, stark naked, with Zeke holding me in place. “Look how fucking gorgeous you are.” He lowers his head, and his lips skim over my shoulder.