STEFANO {Published/Sample Only}

19

Something slammed against my stomach, knocking the air out of me and I popped my eyes open, jolting up but being weighed down by the man sitting on top of me, eyes glaring.

"So," he groaned. "Am I allowed to move now? I've waited almost... let's see... twelve hours..."

I rubbed my eyes, peeling them back open to the room bright- too fucking bright. And I was on the couch. Oh shit...

"You know I flew to New York to feel you wrapped over me, not sleep alone all night. What happened? Why didn't you come back to your bed?"

I stifled a yawn, then another, gradually waking while flashes from last night slowly pieced together. I had been lying here, staring up at the ceiling, trying to calm the panic... calming it a little too much apparently... the panic... because... "Fuck..."

"Yes... I have two hours left before I have to go so I started the fire back up in your room..."

Huh... I looked back at Mark, sitting right on top of me... then I flashed my eyes to the front door... remembering Luca barging in. "Get dressed!"

"Well that defeats the purpose..."

Jesus Christ. "We need to get out of here!" I pushed down on the cushion, forcing myself up to sitting, sending him off my stomach and onto his feet.

"How about..." He twisted back, body moving right for me.

"No! Luca could come back! Sofia, Giorgia- any second. They do that shit all the time! We need to get the fuck out of here!" He needed to get out of here.

But he wasn't moving, he was just shrugging. "So what if they come back? I've met them before- at the wedding."

He wasn't serious right now. What if Luca or Sofia walked in with his naked ass an inch from my face? "So what?" I pointed to his body and then to mine. "Obviously they'd get a little fucking suspicious."

He was still just shrugging, smiling. "They'll find out eventually."

Oh my god... It was too early for this merda. "I've got this shit under wraps, last night was a slip- you showed up unexpected- I was sloppy. Last night was too fucking close. You have no idea what..."

He threw his hands up, surrendering as he backed away. "Okay... sorry I just showed up."

Dammit. "Fuck... no... that's not..." I stood up, walking over to him, wanting to touch him but knew I wouldn't be able to stop. "That's not what I meant." I leaned down, staring at his lips that were hard pressed, no smile. "You're the first man I've let in, please just give me a minute to adjust- figure this shit out."

He rolled his eyes up to mine, blowing out a heavy breath. "I'll go get dressed, but I was expecting a different morning so please give me a minute to adjust," he winked, pulling at the waistband on his briefs before turning away. Fuck... I rolled my eyes to the door, head shaking. This nosy fucking family, why me.

I walked back to my room, ignoring the fact that he was getting dressed right in front of me, putting on more clothes while I just wanted to rip them right back off. Then I ignored his eyes on me while I pulled my jeans on, forcing myself to walk past him, forcing myself to ignore the tangled sheets that his body had been rolling in- without me.