Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 72325 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72325 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
Julian smiled. “That, too. But yeah, he’s Italian. Very few people call him Rocco, though.”
It was still jarring to see such a big, powerful man lying on the sofa. The living room already felt crowded with the four of us in here, and there was nowhere for me to sit. I could hear Piper cleaning up in the kitchen, and I knew I should join her, but I didn’t want to leave Julian. There was something almost intimate about talking to him quietly while his friends rested.
Still, I was tired. Not physically tired, but sort of emotionally tired. In my line of work, I witnessed a lot of bar fights, but most weren’t as epic as the one last night. That, on top of the injuries today, had kind of taken a toll on me.
Julian either noticed me eyeing the seating arrangements or looking tired. “Want to sit?” He started to push himself up from the armchair.
“No.” I put my hand on his good arm, stopping him. “You’re the injured one. You stay there.” That made me think of something. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“You and your friend have already done enough.” He shook his head. “Just sit here with me.” He patted the arm of the chair and scooted over, though, there wasn’t much room for him to do so.
I hesitated for just a second and then perched on the arm of the chair, my knees angled inward so that my ass wouldn’t be in his face. Unfortunately, the arm of the chair was narrow, and I immediately started to slide toward his lap. He wrapped his arm around my waist, holding me steady, but I still felt unbalanced. “Zoey really needs to get some new furniture.”
“Zoey?”
“Our friend who owns the house. She’s a singer on tour, so Piper and I said we’d come out for the night. Water the plants and such.”
Julian grinned. “I bet the plants will seem easier after dealing with the three of us.” He arched an eyebrow as he looked around the room. “So your friend is a singer? I didn’t know a ninety-year-old went on tour.”
I laughed softly. “She just inherited this place from a ninety-year-old.”
“That explains it.”
I shifted, trying to keep my balance. Julian’s hand was still around my waist, all steady and warm. Like a seatbelt. Only a sexy seatbelt.
Piper appeared in the doorway. When she saw how Julian had his arm around me, she hesitated. Then, without comment, she checked the dressing on Rock’s neck, checked his pulse, and went out.
“She’s good,” Julian said.
“She really is.” I felt a little tongue-tied, but there was something about Julian’s calm presence that made me feel comfortable. He’d always seemed like the most approachable of the three. Rock was so big and sometimes a bit grumpy. Slater could be charming and funny one moment and then do something completely wild the next. But Julian was always polite and steady. “I’m glad Rock’s going to be okay. I never got a chance to thank him for taking care of those two guys last night. He told you about that, right?”
“Yes. He’d hate to see you get hurt. We all would.”
“Next time you’re in the bar, you all get a round of drinks on me.”
“I’d say that you and your friend made up for it tonight by helping us out.”
I tilted my head at him. “You’d really turn down free drinks?”
He grinned. “Probably not. Especially not ones delivered by you.” His gaze flashed briefly to my lips, and for the first time, I wished I was wearing something nicer than jeans shorts and a halter top. It was strange because at the bar, I deliberately dressed down to discourage men from hitting on me—which was pretty much an exercise in futility given all the alcohol served. But now I resisted the urge to take my hair out of the messy bun.
Oh, what the hell. I reached up, pulling a long pin out of my hair and letting it cascade down my shoulders. Unfortunately, when I had my arms up, I lost my balance and slid down onto his lap. My hands flew out, trying to catch myself, and my palm landed on the warm bulge in his pants. It twitched and grew harder.
I snatched my hand away as if it burned. “I’m sorry,” I gasped. I tried to hop up, but Julian had his hands on my hips.
“You’re fine.”
What did that mean? That I hadn’t hurt him? That he liked me being on his lap? It felt weird being so close to him with his friends in the room and Piper out in the kitchen. It was like we were alone together—and also like we had several unknowing chaperones.
Our gazes locked in the silence, his lips parted. I could tell he was trying to phrase his next sentence.