I freaking—shivered.
Just at his touch.
Yeah.I had issues.
“Don't say that about yourself.If there's something I've learned about you—” His gaze dragged over my face.“It's that you're the complete opposite of that.”He shook his head.“I've watched you with the kids.And with my brother.And how you've pitched in and cared for my fiancée.”
Were his eyes getting wet?
“And it takes a special person to do that.Most women would have sent us all packing the second we showed up on your doorstep.”
I let out a quiet laugh and picked up a bowl to wash.Carlo refused to let my wrist go, though.“No, I would never do that.But your brother wanted to.”
Carlo's hand tightened around my wrist.“If I were my brother,” Carlo's voice was low and deep—and growly.“I would never have opened that fucking door.I'd want you all to myself.With no one else around.”Carlo's eyes stared into mine so intensely I forgot how to breathe.
Holy.
Cow.
My lady parts immediately started throbbing.
“Well,” I said, “it's a good thing Stefan is who he is then.Otherwise,” Carlo finally let my wrist go, and I started washing the bowl, “you guys would have had nowhere to go during your fake plumbing crisis.”
Carlo laughed and leaned his behind against the cupboard.Suddenly, his fingers were under my chin, and he tipped it up.“My brother's right.”His thumb glided over my lips.“That smart mouth of yours is fucking hot.”
Good.
Grief.
My poor, poor, poor panties.
First, it was Nick.
And now Carlo.
I rolled my eyes and sighed.“Whatever,” I said, and went back to washing the bowl.Carlo just laughed again.
What.
Ever.
6
Francesca
Carlo was a huge help with cleaning the kitchen.As he should be, I guess.It was his kitchen, after all.
When we were done, he thanked me and said, “I'll be outside if you want to sit for a while.”I watched him reach into a tall cupboard and pull out a bottle of whiskey and two short glasses.Then he wandered out the patio doors, closing them behind him.
I puttered around in the kitchen for a while.Mostly taking stock of where everything was and what we'd need to grab from the grocery store tomorrow.
A delivery person had arrived with some groceries earlier.But this food wouldn't last long.Not with how many people we had to feed.
I was about to go upstairs and get ready for bed when I looked out at Carlo on the patio.He tossed his glass back, draining it in one gulp.Then he slammed the glass down on the table and dropped his head into his hands.He leaned on his elbows that dug into his thighs—taking the same distressed position Stefan had earlier in our bedroom back at the castle.
My heart hurt for him.Even though he was a great big cheater.
I mentally kicked myself for what I was about to do.Because I knew what I should do—and that was go upstairs, shower, put on something sexy for my husband, and get into bed.
