A soft smile crosses her lips. “But there’s some right there.” She points to a box of condoms with a bow on them at the edge of the kitchen counter.
How did I miss those?
I pick up the box and sure enough, there’s a sticky note attached that says, ‘Be safe, Love Ma’s favorite.’
I rip the box open and take out one of the foil wrappers. “Luca,” I sigh as I eliminate the distance between us.
“They’re Luca’s?” she asks, stopping me from opening the foil packet.
“No, he bought them for us.”
A horrified look crosses her face. “Maybe you guys are too close.”
“No, no. It’s not like that. We were talking about who was my mom’s favorite and a comment was made about grandchildren.” The hell if I’m going to tell her that comment was made by me. “This is his way of trying to secure his spot as number one son.”
“Oh.” She still looks surprised and a little worried that I’m going to rate her performance with my brother’s tomorrow.
Ten plus if you’re wondering.
“Hey.” I place my hand on her cheek. “We don’t talk about women like conquests or judging our partners or anything like that. It’s literally his joke.”
She smiles and I lean forward biting lightly on her bottom lip with my teeth. Once I’m there I figure I need to seduce her all over again, so I keep the kiss going until the worrying that’s occupying her retreats and I’m all she’s thinking about.
Her arms wind around my shoulders again and I slide her forward more, needing her as close to me as I can have her. Our tongues tangle and slide as one, eliciting moans from each of us.
I grab the hem of the t-shirt pulling it off her. A shiver runs through her body, but her feet press on the waistband of my sweats and I take my hands off her ass for a moment to help. I slide the condom down my length and wrap my arms around her again.
“Jesus, Mad, you’re everything and more. So much more than I dreamed of.” Holding her up, I swing us around so her back is pressed against the wall. Keeping her in place with my thigh, I position myself at her entrance and sink into her again with a groan.
Her fingers dig into my shoulder blades and her teeth tug on my ear as I fill her up. Never will I get enough of her. Making love to her in my bed was something, but under the kitchen lights when I can watch myself moving in and out of her is making me lose control. Her tits bounce in my face and shatter my small reserve of self-control.
Her blue eyes are laced with arousal and need for me and it’s my undoing. I slam into her over and over again, claiming her as mine.
“Mauro.” My name slips from her lips like a plea to never stop and as much as I’d love that, I’m close to blowing my load right now.
Rotating my hips, sweat trickles down my face dripping between our bodies and I thrust into her again and again, switching between watching her expressions and where we’re joined.
“Mauro!” she screams, her fingernails digging into my flesh, her slick heat convulsing around my shaft.
Her sweet cries and the sound of me sliding in and out of her body throws me over the edge I was teetering on. Inaudible words ring out between the two of us as I spill into the condom and she crashes in my arms, spent and exhausted.
“You want to go to bed?” I ask after I’ve regained my ability to form a complete thought.
She nods, holding on to me.
Carrying her to my bedroom along the lit path, her breathing slow and steady against me, might be the highlight of my night. I lay her down on my bed, slide the covers out and tuck her in.
“I’ll be right back.” I kiss her forehead and disappear into my bathroom to dispose of the condom.
When I return to the room, she’s wide-eyed and watching me. Joining her under the covers, I waste no time in pulling her into my arms.
After what we just shared, I know it’s time for me to explain to her my hesitation to get close to anyone. Even though I’ve let her in, and I’ll hurt no matter what happens to us, I need her to know. I just pray she doesn’t judge me for the decisions I’ve made.
“You tire me out.” She kisses my chest, placing her hand over where she kissed like she’s sealing her affection into my skin. Little does she know, but she’s already branded me. Not in a way that anyone else can see, but in a way that only I can feel.
I brush my knuckles down her arm. “Do you ever wonder why I’m scared of love?”
She rests her chin on my chest, staring up at me. “I knew you had reservations, but I didn’t think you were scared.”
I tuck a strand of her long hair behind her ear, memorizing the different shades of blue in her eyes. “I need you to know something about me before we move forward and I’m hoping that it doesn’t change anything.”
She bolts up, pulling the sheet with her, effectively leaving me exposed and naked.
“Calm down.” I loosen the grip of her hands on the sheets and they fall back in place, as does she. “It’s not like I murdered someone.”
“Do you have a kid?” she asks.
“Remember the whole conversation before I took you up against the wall?” I raise an eyebrow.
She laughs. “Oh yeah. Okay just tell me. Is this something I should close my eyes for?”
“No, baby, no.”
The affectionate pet name falls from my lips unexpectedly and I’m as surprised as she looks. She doesn’t say anything, just smiles, and I take that to mean that it’s okay to use it from this point forward.
Inhaling a deep breath, I decide to let it all out. Tell her the truth and wait for her judgment. “My buddy Hunter, the one who died in the fire...the one I was going to partner up with?”
She nods.
“After he passed, I was tasked with cleaning out his locker so that Cailin wouldn’t have to do it. She was already falling deeper and deeper into a depression as each day passed. The surprise of his death was too much for her to take. I mean there’s always the worry in the back of your mind, but you don’t let that fear stop you from living your life. Anyway…”
She’s silent in my arms, her hands running up the side of my stomach. Back and forth like she’s assuring me that she’s here.
“He had a cell phone in there. One I’d never seen him use before. I didn’t think much of it because it didn’t turn on right away, so I figured maybe it was an old one and he was going to trade it in or donate it to the battered women’s shelter. I took it home and charged it up to make sure it worked. Other than the phone there was just his personal stuff, some notes from Cailin, the card we put on his locker after Devin was born. I packed it all in a box and took it over to their house.”
“So, I’m guessing the cell phone wasn’t what you thought, but I’m unsure what this has to do with you.” She slides up closer to look me in the eye.
“Remember I mentioned that I had an ex-girlfriend named Jenna?”
She nods.
“We broke up six months ago.”
She nods.
“Hunter died six months ago.”
“I know.” Her sweet, innocent eyes look on at me, not getting where I’m going with this.
“Put those two things together and add the cell phone.”
“You’re making me solve a case to figure out the answer. Wouldn’t that be Cris—” She abruptly stops talking. “Oh my God, Mauro.” She covers her mouth. “No way!”
This time it’s me nodding. “Yeah. They’d been having an affair for months before he died. The text messages were excruciating to read. I’m thinking he’d gotten the phone well after their first night had started, but there were sexts and shit talking about me and Cailin on there.”
She rests her body on top me, squeezing me in her arms. “I’m so sorry, that’s like the ultimate betrayal.”
I love the fact she’s trying to make me feel better. “I’m good now, Mad, thanks though.”
She falls back to her side. “I see why you’d have trouble trusting people.”
“What?” Her head rears back, judgment clear in her tone.
“I couldn’t hurt her and Devin that way. Destroy the man he was to them for what? It wouldn’t change anything—he was dead. There were no text messages about him wanting to desert his family for Jenna. He’s gone and Cailin doesn’t need that baggage to deal with on top of everything else it will take for her to move on with her life.”
“But…”
“I’m not changing my mind. All I need to know is if that changes the way you see me.”
She sits up, straddling me, her hands on my cheeks. “I understand. I do. Did you think I wouldn’t?”
“The only person who knows besides you is my mom. When we were at the deli, that’s what we were arguing about. She thinks Cailin needs to know because she believes all women know when their husbands stray and it would confirm what she believes Cailin already knows deep down. But Cailin’s never mentioned any suspicions to me so I’m not going there. Other than you and my mom, I’ve told no one and I want to keep it that way.”
She nods. “Okay.”
“You’re really not going to argue with me?”
She shakes her head. “No. It’s your decision, but what I need to know, is whether that experience makes you distrust not only the women you date but your other co-workers? I need to know that you’re safe on the job.” She runs a hand through my hair as she waits for me to answer.
“I can’t say it doesn’t fuck with my head a little, but you’ll never do that to me, right?”
She collapses on top of me, her hair a veil on either side of my head. “Never,” she says with conviction.
I roll us over and spread her legs, ready for round three before we find sleep. She happily obliges and after tonight, I know I’ll never be prepared to give her up.
26
Madison
With a few weeks of bliss between me and Mauro, fall has rolled into Chicago, bringing the changing colors of the leaves, cooler weather, and stores full of items in preparation for Halloween and Thanksgiving.
The house is ready for the interiors to be installed and I’m practically giddy. This is my favorite part of any flip—when things start to look pretty.
“This house needs some color,” Mauro comments, grabbing my ass on his way to the kitchen.
I pull the paint roller away from the wall. “It’s neutral. Neutral sells.”
“How about red? Red hot just like you babe.”
“Spare us, please,” Luca groans walking into the house with a sub in his hand.
“You don’t see enough heart attacks that you decide to witness your own after eating all that processed meat?” I bring the roller back to the wall, running the cool gray color on the surface.
“Yeah, Ma’s not gonna like you. This is the Italian.” He holds up his sub. “You keep lecturing people about deli meat and you’ll drive them out of business. Then Mauro will be on the black list. Actually.” He pauses to think. “Go ahead and put up a sign in the front window saying how bad deli meat is for your health.”
Mauro comes back into the room, pushing him with his shoulder and then wrapping his arms around my waist, lifting my feet from the ground. I let the roller drop in the paint tray and his lips find mine as they often do these days.
“Get a room.” Luca disappears and Mauro quickly carries me to the half of bath that’s yet to be finished.
He cradles me in the corner where the sink and cabinet will go, his hands making quick work of my overalls, letting them fall to my waist.
“Hold up cowboy, we’ve got a house full of people,” I say with a smile.
This isn’t to say we haven’t already made quick work of most of the rooms in this house. The dining room table has been our favorite spot this week.
“So what? Like none of them have sex.” His lips are exploring my neck, his hands halfway up my chest, prepped and ready to cup me.
“Ew! Come on guys,” Cristian says as he walks in the room with his uniform on.
If Mauro had closed the door, there’s a good chance he would have had this way with me. You snooze, you lose.
Mauro glances behind him quickly and his hands might fall to my hips, but his lips are still traveling over my neck. “Aren’t you out of district?”
“I just got off, but if this is why you need my help tonight, then I’m out. If you’d keep your hands off each other, the house would probably be done by now.”
Mauro stops and puts me all back together, fastening my overalls back in place and kissing me on the forehead. “We’ll continue this later.”
Leading me out first, I go back to painting the wall. “Hi, Cristian. Thanks for helping.”
“Yeah, yeah. You owe me. Your friend is still giving me the cold shoulder and her dad keeps asking when I’m going to make good on our date. I’d lie, but I think he’s having me tailed.” Cristian sits on the dining room table.
Mauro and I share a look that has me biting my lip remembering how he took me from behind last night right where Cristian is sitting.
“Jesus.” Cristian hops off the table. “Is there anywhere I can sit in here?”
Mauro and I laugh uncontrollably. “Not really.” Mauro shrugs like it’s no big deal, while my face heats with embarrassment.
“I have to hear you screaming my brother’s name like he’s God all fucking night and now you drag me to a place where I have to imagine the two of you fucking in every corner?”
“Tell me about it. He grabs her ass every time he passes her.” Luca joins the party, crumpling up the sub wrapper in his hands. “It’s disgusting. These innocent eyes cannot unsee what these two do.”
We all laugh because Luca’s eyes have probably seen more than all of us combined.
“Come to the backyard. I need your help with this fountain.” Mauro winks at me. “Be right back.”
I place the roller down in the tray, not willing to let them handle this huge-ass fountain alone. It could very well land on all three of them. I linger by the window looking from afar to make it seem like I think they’re macho, but I’m ready to lend a hand at any second.
They each evaluate the situation and offer their take on how to move it. Cristian even looks like he’s doing a little diagram with his hands, directing the other two. Luca and Mauro squint their eyes and lift the edge, quickly putting it down. I told Mauro we should hire a service but he swears him and his brothers can handle this.
The statue isn’t even lifted off the base yet and they’re arguing.
“You bringing Maddie to dinner on Sunday?” Cristian asks, pretending to see what’s under the fountain.
They’re all delaying the inevitable.
“Yeah.”
“Big step.” Luca chimes in.
He’s right, it is. And though I’m looking forward to it, I am a bit nervous still.
“Ma’s already met her. I had her at the sandwich shop, she loved her, told me she saw our future together. I’m not shaking in my boots.” Mauro’s confidence shines through and I can only hope he’s right.
“What about the firehouse? You take her there yet?” Luca asks.
Mauro’s already shaking his head. “Not yet.” The sureness of his tone evaporates like sun beating down on a puddle.
“She knows you’re a firefighter, what could you possibly be afraid of?” Cristian asks.
I hate that I’m eavesdropping. Especially since I’ve shifted so that I’m not right in front of the window anymore, proving how badly I still feel like I need reassurance that he likes me.
“Let’s just move this fucking monstrosity, okay? You’re always jabbering on like a bunch of chicks.” If I wasn’t supposed to hear their conversation, I’d scold him for his depiction of women. Besides, I know what he’
s afraid of and they don’t.
I give it to the three of them, they somehow get the fountain moved to the outside of the yard where the service is supposed to pick it up tomorrow.
The three of them walk toward the house and I run back to my roller, trying to lather on some layers.
“Let’s order pizza,” Luca says, finding his spot on the table, watching me paint.
The rest of the crew is packing up for the day and we all wave and say goodbye.
“You just ate,” I say, not turning around.
“I’m a growing boy, Maddie.”
“I can’t eat all that cheese, it’ll upset my stomach. I’ll get a salad,” Cristian says.
“Pussy,” Mauro coughs out.
Cristian comes up to my side and grabs the edger, stepping up on the ladder and helping out. He’s changed out of his uniform now and is in a tapered pair of athletic pants and a t-shirt that says Cop-A-Feel and an arrow pointing down. For some reason, he’s still wearing his belt with his gun on it.
“There’s something about a police officer out of uniform with his gun still on his belt painting a wall. Where’s a camera when you need it?” Luca pretends to snap a picture.
“I’m not going to lay this thing down just anywhere. Besides, it’s better than the two of you idiots watching her work.”
Mauro comes up behind me, his hand covering mine on the roller handle, moving it up and down the wall as he grinds against me. “Here, I’ll help.”
I slide my ass out, effectively moving him away. “That’s not helping.”
He laughs, pulling his phone out. “Gino’s or Lou’s?”
“Gino’s,” we all agree.
“Damn, we’re all Gino’s?” Luca asks, disbelief in his tone.
“I told you, she’s already like a Bianco,” Mauro says and I try not to let my heart leap out my chest, purposely ignoring his comment.
Madison Bianco.
I already knew when I was sixteen years old writing it on my binders that it had a nice ring to it.
27
Mauro
Vote Then Read: Volume I Page 220
