Page 25 of Tempted Hearts
“It’s true.” Delaney jumped to my defense. “One time, we were having Taco Night at the Inn and Cole gave us all margarita-making lessons. I remember telling Parker,” she said, her tone softer now, “it was the first time I felt like you really let your guard down around me.”
Talking about myself was not my favorite thing to do, but I appreciated the sentiment.
“I remember that night clearly. And the following morning too. Unfortunately.”
“Yeah.” Delaney laughed. “That was a tough one.”
“So what’s the trick?” Juliette asked, her eyes bright. “To a good margarita?”
“Fresh lime. That’s the whole secret. If it comes from a bottle, it’s already ruined.”
“How did you become a pro-margarita maker? Did you bartend?”
“Hell, no. I don’t have the patience. Beck.”
“Ahh, of course. He’s a great bartender. Makes the best Cosmo I’ve ever had.”
We talked about drinks. Beck. His and Mae’s wedding plans. Parker and Delaney’s wedding. Turned out Juliette and I had a shared a fondness forStar Wars, although I wasn’t sure why it shocked her so much that I was a long-time fan. I forgot how tired I was, caught up in the smell of wood-fired pizza and good local wine. Before we knew it, the restaurant had cleared out.
“I honestly thought we’d be the first ones to leave,” Delaney said when Parker noticed we were one of three last tables remaining. “You guys must be wiped.”
“No big deal,” Parker said. “Just your regular, inter-continental finance-rescuing day.”
“Thank you both,” Juliette said in a rare moment of seriousness. “I feel incredibly stupid for leaving that backpack and don’t know what we would have done if you hadn’t come.”
“You’d have figured it out,” I offered, knowing it to be true. “But we’re glad to be here.”
Juliette’s smile reached her eyes.
And it was true. This was the last place on earth I expected to be twenty-four hours ago, but I was glad it shook out this way. I’d have to make a note to leave room in my life for a bit more spontaneity.
“So should we hit the sack?” Parker offered.
I caught Juliette’s gaze.
Same room. But she was off-limits. My buddies may all have broken our bachelor pact, but I wasn’t planning to follow in their footsteps, and fucking around with Delaney’s best friend wasn’t on the cards.
Maybe I should have more seriously entertained leaving Italy.
“Sounds good,” Juliette said, breaking eye contact with me. “Tomorrow’s a big day.”
If we made it to tomorrow.
Strolling back, not a problem. Separating from Parker and Delaney. Easy. Watching Juliette grab a slip of fabric from her suitcase and disappear into the bathroom? Torture.
Thankfully, despite my errant imagination, it was a pair of cotton sleep shorts and tee.
“Oh,” was her startled response when I came out of the bathroom in boxers.
“I probably should have warned you. These,” I said, folding my clothes into a neat pile beside my bag, “were for Parker’s benefit. I usually sleep nude.”
In bed, with the covers to her waist, Juliette continued to stare. I was used to it, but not from her. Usually I could tell what women were thinking when they looked at me that way. Or more precisely, finding themselves in my bedroom, their attraction was a forgone conclusion. But Juliette seemed less impressed than most by abs that were, admittedly, becoming harder and harder to keep.
She stared, but in a way that left more questions than answers. Curious. Confused.
“Go ahead,” I said, plugging my phone in and climbing into bed. “I can tell you want to say something.”
“It’s just… that’s not at all what I thought you’d look like. Under your shirt. I mean, glasses.”
