“Nope. Not at all.”
Her response was quick and made me smile even more.
“There ya go. I kept Nic away simply for selfish reasons.” Cole jumped up. “As always, it was great, Gabi. I’ve got to run. Later, Drivas.” Cole took Gabi’s hand and kissed the back of it. “Enjoy your day.”
Taking a step back while withdrawing her hand, Gabi replied, “You too, Cole.”
I was going to kick his ass the next time we were alone.
“So, did you not like the panna cotta? You left some on your plate.”
The thought of eating the last bite almost made me sad. “Don’t be crazy! I loved it. I was holding off on the last bite. Trying to savor it. Cole was ruining the mood.”
She laughed, and it rumbled through my body again. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
Scooping up the last bite, I put it in my mouth and moaned. Gabi’s mouth opened slightly, and I swore her eyes turned dark with desire. I might have been jumping the gun, but I didn’t care. There was something about that woman I needed to learn more about. She had an air of mystery surrounding her. I’d never been so drawn to anyone before in my entire life.
Reaching down, she took my plate. “Best you’ve ever had?”
“If I say yes, will you let me take you to dinner sometime?”
Her eyes lit up and my chest squeezed in a delicious way. “No. But, how about if you let me cook you dinner? That’s if you like Italian food?”
Holy fuck. Even better.
“Like it? I love it.”
Her smile grew wider as I handed her my card. “Send me a text so I can get your number and we’ll plan it.”
She nodded as I stood. Staring at her perfect lips, I added, “Now, Gabi. Send me a text now so I know you’re not blowing me off for Cole now that you know he’s SWAT.”
The giggle that came from her mouth had my dick growing painfully hard again. Grabbing her phone from her back pocket, she typed in the number on the card and ten seconds later my phone beeped.
Desire raced through my veins like I’d never experienced before. The possessive way I had told her to text me shocked me but hadn’t seemed to phase her at all. I bet she’d respond to a bossy lover in bed. I was dying to find out.
A loose strand of her blonde hair dangled in front of her eye. Reaching my hand up, I ran it through my fingers before tucking it behind her ear. Her breath caught as I traced my finger along her jawline.
“When can I see you again?” The need to feel this woman against me grew by the second.
Her tongue darted out and ran over her lips quickly while she nibbled on it a few seconds. She was deciding on what to say next. “Are you free tonight? I have tomorrow off, so I can stay up late.”
My brows lifted and her cheeks immediately blushed. “That’s not what I meant!” she said while pushing my shoulder back. The zip of energy from her touch made my knees weak.
“I only meant I wouldn’t have to be going to bed at seven!”
“Tell me what time and I’ll be here.” Please don’t let me get called in tonight. Please.
Glancing at her phone, she peered back up at me. “Seven too early?”
The urge to lean down and kiss those perfectly plump lips was hard to ignore.
“Seven’s perfect.”
A sweet, shy smile played across her face. “Just ring the bell at the side of the bakery at the door. I’ll buzz you up.”
With a grin, I leaned down and kissed her cheek lightly as I whispered, “See you then.”
The pounding of my heart in my ears was all I could hear as I retreated out of the bakery. Each breath was labored as I walked away.
Gabi Mandola had just turned my life upside down. My head was spinning as I headed down the street to where I parked my truck. I rubbed my hand over my chest, trying to get rid of the feeling that had settled in there the moment she smiled at me and those blue eyes met my gaze.
My brother Thano’s words swirled around in my head.
“The moment you meet her, Nic, you’ll know. Your breath will catch, your chest tightens like a vice clamped down on it, but it’s a feeling so good you want it to last forever. Your world will feel like it’s been turned inside out. She’ll affect you like no woman has ever done before and you can’t help but count down the minutes until you see her again.”
I didn’t do relationships. I fucked. And boy did I want to sink myself deep into Gabi and forget everything else in this shitty world. There was something very different about this woman and I couldn’t wait to figure out what it was.
The vibration of my phone in my pocket pulled me from my dirty thoughts. Cole’s name scrolled across it and I instantly laughed at the beginning of his message.
Cole: Please tell me you didn’t get a date with her!
Me: Dinner tonight at her place.
Cole: I hate you. Greek bastard.
Me: That’s what you get for hiding that bakery from me asshole.
Cole: I hope your dick breaks out in some weird rash.
Me: You still have hope with the other hot chick that works there.
Cole: That’s true. I still hope your dick breaks out in a rash.
Laughing, I didn’t respond as I got in my truck and started it up. Before pulling out, I glanced at the clock.
Six hours until I could see those beautiful eyes again.
THE SMELL OF basil filled the kitchen as I got out my great-grandmother’s recipe for chicken parmigiana. I found myself singing “Tied Up” along with Olivia Newton-John and Charity. The song was blaring from her room. Her obsession with Olivia had caused me concern when we first moved in as roommates. After countless hours of hearing her songs, going to two concerts in Vegas, and repeated viewings of her movies, I was a bit of a fan myself. Nothing like Charity though.
“Why are you cooking dinner? I told you I had a date.”
Glancing over my shoulder to Charity, I replied, “I know. I’m making dinner for someone else.”
I turned before I could see her reaction. Charity was pretty much the only friend I had in Colorado Springs. Well, besides the ladies from knitting club and Max and Liza.
She was next to me in a flash. “Really? Who?”
“Just someone I met earlier down in the bakery. It’s sort of a thank you dinner. He helped get rid of Ms. Loft once and for all.”
Charity took a step back, held up her hands and said, “Wait. Hold on. Back things up a bit here. First off, Ms. Loft is gone? What happened?”
“She freaked out on me and I might have accidentally called her a name when I thought I was thinking it.”
Laughter roared from Charity. “It’s about damn time.”
“Funny, Max said the same thing. No thanks to you though. I wouldn’t have thought it had you not have said it earlier in the car.”
“You can thank me later. Now tell me about this date.”
With a quick chuckle, I shook my head. “It’s not a date. It’s a thank you dinner.”
She leaned against the counter, folded her arms and stared at me.
When she quirked her eyebrow up, I knew I needed to be truthful not only with her, but with myself.
“Okay fine. It’s a date!”
Charity grabbed my hands and began jumping. “Oh my gosh, this is the best news! Finally your vibrator will get a break!”
I stopped jumping with her and pulled my hands back. “Hey!”
Staring at me like I was the one who was insane, she tilted her head. “Since I’ve known you, Gabi, you’ve only gone out with one guy and I’m pretty sure you were not getting any nookie from him.”
My mouth opened, but I couldn’t argue with her. Jack was a nice guy, but we never hit it off. We went out a few times and that was it. He never even tried to kiss me.
“It’s just dinner. And really, Char. Nookie? What are we, ten?”
She bumped my shoulder. “Oh! I see it in your eyes. You want the nookie! Who is he?”
The heat on my cheeks was hard
to hide. “His name is Nic Drivas. He’s a police officer.” Peeking over to her, I added, “A SWAT officer.”
Her eyes widened. “Shut up. Was he in uniform?”
Sinking my teeth into my lip, I couldn’t help but think of Nic in that tight black T-shirt. It had been a long time since a man had made my body come to life like he had. “Oh, yes he was in his uniform. Well, kind of I guess. Everything was black, including the two-sizes-too-small shirt he had on.”
“Holy shit. You totally want nookie! If he is SWAT, he’s got a rocking body.”
I nodded. “That’s putting it lightly. He was all muscle.”
“What did he look like? Oh, my gosh! My roommate is finally replacing her BOB with a real life dick!”
I pushed her away. “Stop it! I’m not looking to have sex. It’s just dinner.”
“Liar. It’s written all over you face. Now, answer me. What did he look like?”
Putting the knife I had been chopping the basil with down, I faced her. I couldn’t help but smile when I thought about Nic.
“He’s tall and built. Really built.”
She nodded. “Right. I got that.”
“He’s got dark hair, almost black. Some stubble on his face with the most beautiful hazel eyes and olive skin I’ve ever seen.”
Wiggling her eyebrows, she asked, “Italian?”
I shook my head. “Nope. Greek.”
She stumbled back. “What? Like full-on Greek?”
Shrugging, I answered, “I’m not sure. He sure looked like it.”
Charity grabbed my shoulders. “You know what they say about Greek lovers, don’t you?”
I frowned. “Who is they?”
“That doesn’t matter. You know what they say?”
Laughing, I tried to break free of her hold. “No, enlighten me, Char.”
“Well, there is one thing they say, but I’ll save that for later. Gabi, they are sex gods! Sex. Gods. Alpha’s in and out of bed. Slightly possessive of their women, which works for me and is hot as hell. And they can’t keep their hands off their women. Always feeling them up.”
I stared at her with a dumbfounded expression. “Where do you come up with this stuff?”
“Do I need to Google it for you?”
“No, that’s quite all right. I think I’ll wait and get to know him before I label him in one of your groups.”
She let go of me. “Oh, it’s not one of my groups. I’m telling you now. I know. I’ve had Greek cock before.”
“Oh, my gosh, Charity!” I exclaimed. “Really?”
Lifting her eyes up to the sky, she seemed to be taken back to a moment in time that I knew I didn’t want to hear about. “It was the best sex I’ve ever had in my life. I lost my virginity to that boy.”
I went back to chopping up the basil. Charity had no problem sharing every detail about her life with me. I, on the other hand, shared very little. The less lies I had to remember the better. I told her my parents died when I was in high school and the rest of my family lived in Italy. Charity never really asked me anything about my childhood. Every now and then I would share something that I didn’t think would hurt to share, but for the most part my life was not an open book like hers.
“What was his name?” I asked.
She looked up and smiled. “It’s kind of funny. His name was Nicholaus too.”
I dropped the knife and turned to her. My heart started pounding.
“Don’t look at me like that, Gabi. I went to high school in New York. Your Greek dick is not the same as mine.”
A sigh of relief washed over me before I snarled my lip at her.
Charity laughed. “I’m pretty sure that’s a common Greek name.”
“Yeah. I’m sure it is.”
Her eyes roamed over me as she took a step back. “Um, you’re not wearing that, are you?”
I looked down at my clothes. I had on sweats and a cropped black T-shirt.
“No. I’m going to change.”
“What are you wearing?”
“Um, well. It might be a little . . . smutty.”
She laughed. “Is it the black dress we bought a few weeks back?”
“You mean the black dress that you forced me to buy? Yes.”
“Holy shit. Who are you and what did you do with my best friend? Inviting a guy to dinner, cooking for him, and dressing like a whore.”
I wasn’t surprised Charity was shocked by my actions. I was as well. But it was time for me to move on with my life. My cheeks heated as I let out a giggle. “I don’t know! It’s like my libido is in charge. Besides, it’s been a while since I’ve dated.”
She nodded. “She’s tired of plastic. She wants real dick. Greek dick.”
I rolled my eyes. “Why are we friends?”
“Because I speak the truth. Look at me and tell me you don’t want some Greek dick.”
Laughing, I grabbed the fresh pasta I had made earlier. “Don’t you have a date to get ready for?”
“Yep, as a matter of fact I do. And this girl is hoping to get her own dick tonight.”
Ugh. “Seriously? Keep your dick thoughts to yourself.”
“When is he due? I’d fix your hair, but Scott’s expecting me at seven.”
The buzzer for the front door went off. Charity and I both looked at each other.
“Please tell me your date is picking you up.”
She shook her head and smiled wide. “Nope.”
“Oh crap.”
I STARTED WRINGING my hands together nervously.
“What time did you tell him to be here?”
“Seven! It can’t be him, it’s just after six.”
The buzzer went off again.
We both rushed over to the intercom, pushing and shoving each other out of the way to try to get to it first.
“Did you tell him six or seven?”
Pushing her as hard as I could, Charity jumped to avoid the chase lounge and fell. “I said seven! I’m positive.”
I pressed the button and took a deep breath and cried out, “H-hello?”
“Gabi? Is everything okay?”
I jumped back and covered my mouth. Whirling around, I looked at Charity who was now sitting in the chair, wearing an I told you so expression. “Are you going to answer him, Gabi?”
“Right!” I quickly hit the button again. “Um, yes. This is Gabi. Everything is fine. I um, I stubbed my toe. Nic?”
“Yeah, it’s Nic. I hope you don’t mind me getting here early. I couldn’t wait to see you again.”
My hand dropped to my side as Charity walked over to me and whispered, “Oh hell. He wants nookie too! Greek dick, meet Italian pussy.”
“Shut up!” I said while I pushed her away from me.
Lifting her hand, she called out, “I’ll be in my room with Liv!”
Turning back to the intercom, I pressed it again. “Sorry, my roommate was talking to me. Come on up, I’ll buzz you in.”
I stood there like an idiot as I stared at the door. There was no time to change my clothes or touch-up my makeup.
Shit! Shit! Shit!
The knock on the door caused me to jump. Taking in a deep breath, I walked over and opened it. Clearly I was not prepared for the sight before me because I gasped. If you looked up Greek god in the dictionary, there would be a picture of Nic Drivas next to it.
My eyes leisurely roamed his body. He wore jeans, cowboy boots, and a tight long-sleeve black shirt. He was holding a bottle of wine in one hand and flowers in the other. I didn’t even care I was ogling him.
Oh yes. I want to have nookie with this man.
“S’up?”
Oh gosh. Did I really just say that?
Nic’s gaze moved over my body slowly. The air between us instantly charged, and I was suddenly wondering if I had shaved my legs.
Please let me have shaved my legs. There was no time to shower now.
“Damn, you look hot.”
I glanced down. Huh?
Jerking my he
ad back up, I replied, “I’m wearing sweats and a T-shirt.”
He was staring at the only skin I had exposed. My stomach.
“You make sweats and a T-shirt look hot as hell, Gabi.”
I let out a giggle. “Um, well I’ll change in a bit, these are my cooking clothes.”
Nic lifted a brow and asked, “May I come in?”
“Yes! Gosh sorry about that.”
A slow smile grew over his face. His stubble had grown even more from earlier today, making his dimples harder to see.
My eyes glanced down to the wine.
“I hope you like shiraz.”
“I love it! Do you mind if I open it now or do you want to wait until dinner?”
“I’m game for having a glass now. What’s for dinner?”
Smiling, I replied, “Chicken parmigiana.”
Nic closed his eyes and groaned. “Damn, that’s one of my favorites.”
Swallowing hard, I tried not to think about how I wanted to push him onto the sofa and crawl all over him.
Ugh. Stop it, Gabi.
“Want to help?” I asked as I walked into the kitchen.
Nic followed me and replied, “I’d love to help.”
Glancing over my shoulder, I asked, “How good are you in a kitchen?”
He chuckled and reached for one of my aprons that was hung up. I couldn’t help my smile when I saw the apron he had put on as I read it.
Caution . . . hot stuff coming through.
“You’d be amazed at the things I can do with these hands.”
Digging my nails into my palms, I fought to keep the groan from leaving my lips.
Oh, I can only imagine what you could do with those big, strong hands.
Swallowing hard, I tried to ignore the throbbing between my legs.
“Basil. I love basil.”
Smiling, I said, “Good. It’s from my own herb garden.”
“Nice.”
“Do you want to pound the meat?”
The moment I said it I knew I had made a faux pas. Nic’s eyes widened in shock and his smile looked a tad on the evil side.
“Wow. You’re moving faster than I thought. I’d love to pound your meat, Gabi.”
He moved closer to me and I held my breath. The way he stalked up on me had my stomach in a fluttering mess.