Page 73 of Between Steel and Secrets
“Is that what you’re going to call me from now on?” I’m amused by her antics. I crash next to her on the bed, our thighs bumping up together as my arm brushes hers. “And I think it’s frenemy,” I correct her.
“You would know.” She flashes a wicked grin and leans closer like she’s going to kiss me.
My breath catches in my throat, and I wait for her lips to descend on mine.
The heat, the spark, there’s sizzle in the air, the charge of electricity humming instinctively all around us.
Bristol pulls back, her blue eyes darkened like two sapphires as she glances at my lips. She clears her throat and stands, clearly flustered. “Agenda?” she asks again, but this time her cheeks are bright red.
I love the flush on her face, knowing it’s because she wants to kiss me.
“No agenda. Just a weekend of fun.” I reach for her hand, pulling her to sit beside me.
Her breathing is more pronounced, louder as she breathes entirely through her mouth, like she’s just run a marathon.
“You okay?” I ask, glancing her over.
Her hand is strangely cold, but her cheeks are a rosy red and sweat coats her forehead. I’ve seen this before, and I pull her to sit with me on the bed. “Don’t go fainting on me, Firebreather.”
“You’ve got to come up with a better nickname, Moretti.” She rolls her eyes at me, but there’s a hint of a smile playing at her lips, like she isn’t quite mad.
“You’re just jealous that you haven’t come up with anything better than my last name.”
Bristol shrugs.
She knows I’m right.
“How are you feeling?” I ask, staring at her, wanting her to be honest with me.
“I’ll be okay.” She forces a smile. “So, what do you guys do on the weekends around here?”
I refrain from telling her how Luca and Ashton typically spend the weekends up at Dante’s compound, working for him.
“Whatever.”
“Wow, you really know all the words, don’t you?” she mocks, and I stand, grabbing her hand, dragging her out to the living room.
“Liam, where are we going?”
“To play a game.” I lead her to the living room and put her on the couch. “I’ll be right back.”
“Okay.” She plops down on the sofa and glances around, taking everything in.
I head into the kitchen, where Ashton is making Nova and himself breakfast. “Are you and Luca heading to Dante’s this afternoon?” I’m surprised they haven’t left.
“We’re spending the weekend here. After what happened at the preschool, Luca isn’t comfortable leaving Harper and Zeke alone, and I tend to agree with him.”
“Who is Dante?” Bristol asks.
I glance up, seeing her standing on the other side of the breakfast bar. She grabs a seat at the bar, waiting for an answer.
So much for putting her on the sofa and having her wait there. Of course, she’s not Zeke, but it’s not as though he listens to me, either.
“Luca’s father. They both work for him,” Nova says, revealing far too much information than she should to Bristol.
What the hell, Nova?
“Oh, what does his father do?” Bristol asks, and there’s a brief silence that fills the space.
