Page 16 of Private Reserve
“Yeah, you fucking are,” Gio says, and Luca just laughs.
Bad boy written all over him, Luca pushes off the doorframe, his eyes locked on mine as he moves toward me, a slow swagger as seductive as the man himself. He gives off such a sensual vibe that my body starts humming. I’ve never quite reacted this way to a stranger before. It could be because I feel like I know him after listening to Gio’s childhood stories—not to mention seeing him with his lover.
“So this is Olivia, the girl I’ve heard so much about?”
“You heard about me?” I ask, and watch him exchange a look with Gio. Something passes between them, something warm and familiar, something that makes being in their combined presence exciting…titillating.
“Of course. Nothing gets by me,” Luca says and takes my hand in his. Oh my God, the man has a smile of an angel, but fucks like the devil himself. I should know. I watched him.
“I’ve actually heard a lot about you, too,” I say, working to keep my voice steady. “Gio told me childhood stories.”
He exchanges another look with Gio then says, “I’m the head vintner around here now.”
“Oh, the wine guy. I guess I should get to know you better, then.” I tease, feeling an instant camaraderie with him.
His grin widens. “I think so. I’m sure Gio does, too, considering we’ve been friends since childhood and there’s not much about him that I don’t know,” he says.
Does Gio know his best friend has a male lover?
As his hands swallow mine, I feel a distinct connection, not to mention a flutter of nerves in my belly, probably because he’s Gio’s best friend and in some ways reminds me a lot of him. Both are well built, athletic, and have a commanding presence.
He presses warm lips to my hand and drags me closer. Heat sizzles through me as I become intensely aware of him. The pull is strange, considering I’m in love with Gio and have been for years.
“Bella,” he says in Italian, even though he speaks perfect English with no accent. Since I’ve picked up a bit of Italian with Gio, I know he’s saying I’m beautiful.
“Grazie,” I say in return, then take in his lighter skin coloring. “I heard you were born in the states. Gio mentioned it once,” I say, curious about him.
“Grew up in Oklahoma until I was five,” he says, his voice a low, tortuous caress that slides through me and takes me by surprise. “I helped Gio perfect his English, and he helped me with my Italian.”
“I’m from Arkansas. We were practically neighbors.”
He dips his head. “Another Bible Belt baby.”
I nod, and scrunch my nose “Yeah, my father is a minister.”
He grimaces. “That must have been hell.”
“That’s one way to put it,” I say, remembering all the lectures, the proper behavior I was to display at all times. God, it’s no wonder I’m so screwed up when it comes to sex. I steal a glance at Gio, who is perched on the end of his desk watching us carefully, a new intensity about him that I’ve not seen before. I focus again on Luca, and he seems to have the same force field around him. It fans out from his body, sizzles in the air, and my nerves jump as it hits me like an electrical charge. Whoa, what the heck?
“So you’re a preacher’s daughter,” Luca begins, and I wonder if Gio senses the strange pull between his best friend and me. “They usually turn out one of two ways.” He pauses and steps closer, invading my personal space. “Good girl, or rebellious. Which one are you?” he asks openly.
Luca is clearly a no-holds-barred kind of guy, and I like that about him. Hell, I wish I could be more like that, wish I could just open my mouth and say what I’m thinking.
“I guess I must be rebellious,” I say. “I did just marry Gio, and no one back home knows it. Dad would kill me if he ever found out what I was doing. Mom would likely have a heart attack, and my brother Sean, well, he’d be on the next plane, for sure.”
“Rebellious is good,” he says, his voice a deep, sizzling whisper, and my stomach flutters again. “And what they don’t know won’t hurt them,” he adds, and I get the distinct impression this bad boy is talking about sex—dirty, salacious, hold-me-down-hard sex—all the things I can’t seem to vocalize. “This place is pretty important to Gio,” he says, shifting the conversation smoothly. “And the favor you’re doing for him…well, let me just say it’s damn good of you to help out like this.”
It surprises me that he knows about the ruse. But then again, he’s just told me he knew everything about Gio.
“It’s not like I’m not getting anything out of it,” I say, trying to be casual, even though I would have done it without any tit for tat. Gio needed my help, and despite our past, I’d always be there for him. “Gio is going to make a call to his uncle, and I’ll be able to pad my resume helping here.”
He smiles at me then turns to Gio. “Can I see you for a minute,” he says, his eyes darkening as he looks at his best friend. “There is something important we need to talk about.”
Gio nods and then pushes off the desk. He brushes his knuckles along mine. The contact sends heat charging through me. “I’ll be right back.”
“I’ll be here organizing your things,” I say and reach for the files to occupy my hands before I drag him to me and demand he take me on his desk.
He gives me a wink, but I notice there is a different edge to him when he’s around Luca. It’s subtle, and most people likely wouldn’t pick up on it, but most don’t know Gio the way I do. I study them for a minute. The two are close—I can feel their affection for one another—but Gio’s body is a little tighter, his voice a little deeper. Does he know what Luca wants to talk about? Could it be bad news about the winery?
