Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 98321 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98321 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Enzo laughed. “Yeah, some guys are like that. Okay, so why don’t we move you in Saturday?”
“Okay.” A shiver moved up my spine, and I pulled the covers over my body again. “We’ll be married then.”
“You’re right. We will.”
Silence, during which both of us imagined it. Would we share a bed? The thought of it—scandalous yet thrilling—quickened my breath. As if he’d read my mind, Enzo spoke again.
“You can have your own bedroom here. I’ll clean out the guest room.”
I tried not to feel let down. Of course we’d have separate rooms. “Is that . . . is that okay?”
“Sure. I don’t have many guests anyway. Will you need an office?”
“I can get along without a home office,” I said.
“Should I rent a truck or do you think we can get everything here in cars?”
“I don’t think we’ll need a truck. It will mostly just be clothes and books. I’ll leave my furniture and kitchen stuff for JJ.”
“Great. So Saturday, then.”
“Saturday.” I thought for a moment. “What are we going to do about the, um, wedding night?”
“Oh yeah. That.” Enzo exhaled. “Maybe you should plan on staying over here that night. I don’t want people to see me dropping you off at your condo.”
“Right. Okay. I’ll—I’ll pack an overnight bag.”
“Sounds good.”
Another silence, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. I realized I didn’t want to hang up yet. “So have you written my vows?”
“I worked on them a little,” he said. “What about you?”
“I wrote a few things down.” Then I giggled. “I really cannot wait to hear you say them.”
He groaned. “Please remember that my guy friends are going to be there. Don’t emasculate me.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” The mention of his friends reminded me of what I’d done earlier tonight, and I felt compelled to confess. “But I have to tell you something.”
“What?”
I took a breath. “I broke a rule.”
“Let me guess. You told someone else.”
“I’m sorry!” I said, sitting up taller in bed. “It just came out!”
He groaned. “Who was it?”
“Blair.”
“Oh.” He actually didn’t sound that upset. “Is she going to tell Griffin?”
“She said she wouldn’t. She said he probably wouldn’t want to know anyway.”
“Yeah. I could see that.”
“Anyway, I apologize. If you want to tell one more person to make it even, you can.”
“Nah. The fewer people that know this isn’t real, the better.”
I picked at a loose thread on my comforter. “Right.”
“And Cole told me Cheyenne knows. So we’re even, I guess.”
“Cheyenne knows? What does she think?”
“She has a twisted mind. She thinks it’s romantic, like two people getting married so one of them can stay in the country.”
I laughed. “I suppose it’s similar.”
Enzo yawned and groaned like he was stretching, and I pictured it—muscles straining at clothes. Unless he was naked and in bed already. My breath caught, and I crossed my legs, squeezing my thighs together. My nipples tingled.
“Well, I guess I’ll hit the sack,” he said. “Night, Lucy.”
I smiled. “Night, Ricky.”
I ended the call, set my alarm, placed my phone on the charger and my glasses next to it on my nightstand. Switching off my lamp, I lay in the dark on my back, covers tucked beneath my armpits, willing the hum beneath my skin to subside.
As much as I hated to admit it, Enzo’s voice had the power to turn me on. His face too. And his body. Those lean, sculpted muscles. Would I get to see him naked? Could I walk in on him changing? Getting ready for bed? Accidentally sneak a peek while he was in the shower at some point? What if he was, you know, diddling himself in there? Wasn’t that where guys jerked off the most? In an attempt to be sexier, I’d once tried to surprise Tate in the shower but he’d just been annoyed by the invasion of his privacy, and whatever mood I’d hoped to put him in was totally ruined. I’d apologized, grabbed a towel, and retreated.
Something told me if I tried that with Enzo, things would go down a lot differently.
Immediately I scolded myself for even thinking it. I had no proof Enzo wanted me like that. And wasn’t it better if he didn’t?
Business partners should not have sexual affairs, and that’s all we were.
Still, I fell asleep with the words gratified first and fully shooting through my mind like fireworks.
On my wedding day, I woke up early.
As soon as I sat up, I looked over at my closet door where my wedding dress hung. On the floor were my shoes, satin peep-toe pumps in a gorgeous shade of chili pepper red a couple shades darker than my hair. I’d been to the salon yesterday for a trim and some fresh color, a mani-pedi, an eyebrow wax, and lash extensions. Blair and my sister had also talked me into getting some other strategic waxing done, just in case, and even though I did it, I assured them no one was going to appreciate it but me.