Total pages in book: 161
Estimated words: 151410 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 606(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151410 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 606(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
She gave me a tight, little smile before she returned her gaze to the book, but it was obvious that she wasn’t actually reading.
I pushed to my feet and walked over to her. “Is it okay if I sit here?” I motioned at the vacant chair across from her.
She put down her book on the table and nodded. Her dog Momo, a white fluff ball, was curled up on her lap. Her Rottweiler Bear wasn’t around. “Where’s Bear?”
“He’s been even more protective of me lately so I’m keeping him up in my room when others are in the garden.”
“You mean when Nevio is around,” Alessio added as he walked past us.
“He doesn’t like any of you,” Greta said gently, but firmly.
“I once read that dominant dogs have trouble with other alphas. He sees them as rivaling predators in his territory,” Davide piped in.
I pursed my lips, then turned back to Greta. “Dogs are sensitive to emotions. He probably senses your distress,” I made sure to say this in a bare whisper so the nosy guys wouldn’t overhear this part of the conversation too.
Greta stroked Momo’s fur, her dark eyes flashing with wistfulness, even pain. So far I’d only dealt with unrequited love, which was already difficult, but Greta’s love to Amo had been returned and then ripped away. I imagined that was a thousand times harder, especially if you had to watch the person you loved marry someone else.
“Nevio sees this whole situation as confirmation of something he’s always believed: that love is stupidity. An emotion that weakens you, while hatred makes you stronger,” Greta whispered. The way she looked at me tightened my throat.
I shrugged as if it didn’t matter.
“So even if Nevio had feelings for you, which I don’t know because it’s not something he’d admit even to me, he’d fight them as a weakness.”
I bit my lip, my eyes slanting to Nevio, who kept throwing glances our way despite being in a match against Massimo.
Greta went to bed early, without eating pizza but the rest of us settled on the grass across from the huge trees where Massimo and Nino had attached a canvas so we could watch a movie outside. I shivered. It was chilly tonight and my still damp hair only intensified the sensation.
“Rory,” Nevio called, pulling his sweater over his head and tossing it at me.
I caught it before it could hit me in the face. I put it on without protest, trying not to smell the fabric.
“Gross,” Giulio commented. “I wouldn’t want Nevio’s sweat all over me.”
“You’re lucky I’m too old to rub your face all over my axle,” Nevio said, baring his teeth.
I stifled laughter at the disgusted look on Giulio’s face. “Alessio did that once.”
“Because you were sniffing in my personal stuff.”
I grinned. Huddled in Nevio’s sweater, I watched the movie. It was past midnight when Davide and I finally headed home.
“Wait,” Nevio called.
I stopped and turned to see him jogging after us. He probably wanted his sweatshirt back, which I was still wearing. Davide hovered close to me like my personal bodyguard and I almost rolled my eyes. I couldn’t help but wonder if Dad had given him a secret mission to watch Nevio and me.
Nevio stopped beside us and gave Davide a questioning look. “Go ahead. I don’t think Rory needs a bodyguard on our premises.”
“She’s not supposed to be alone with boys.”
Nevio scoffed. “Get lost.”
“Go,” I said firmly. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
Davide made a face but he finally walked off. At thirteen, he still often switched between utterly childish and surprisingly adult behavior.
“Sorry,” I said with an embarrassing laugh.
Nevio stared at the spot where Davide had been with a dark look then he shook his head and gave me a sardonic smile. “I bet your mom told him to keep an eye on me.”
“No way.” My voice came out completely false sounding.
Nevio’s smile broadened. “I know I’m the ticking bomb here. They all want to make sure you aren’t in my vicinity when I go off.”
“That’s not true.” I motioned at his sweater. “I forgot to give this back to you.” I began to pull it over my head but felt my shirt being dragged up with it. Of course I’d manage to get tangled in a sweater. A warm hand brushed my skin and tugged at my T-shirt, keeping it in place while I pulled the sweater over my head. My cheeks burned from the time inside the sweater and embarrassment when I met Nevio’s gaze. He was still holding my T-shirt. I stared down at his hand. He released the fabric. I handed him his sweater to break the silence. “Here.”
“That’s not why I ran after you,” he said with a smirk.
“No?”
He reached into his pants and pulled something out, which I couldn’t make out because it was hidden in his fist. He held it out to me and uncurled his fingers.