Chapter 11 #3
Seven gave him a hard once-over, then stared pointedly at his towel and semi-hard-on. “Go put some clothes on. I don’t want the delivery guy thinking this is the beginning of some porno where the hot guy bangs the pizza man.”
“We’re not even eating pizza.”
“Irrelevant,” Seven cried. “Go.”
Enzo’s laugh was loud, echoing off the walls and warming Seven’s insides. He took the stairs two at a time, checking to make sure Enzo was out of sight one last time, before the elevator doors opened, dumping an awestruck delivery girl right into their living room. His. Enzo’s. Enzo’s living room.
What was with all the slip-ups tonight? Seven was getting way too comfortable.
The girl wore a red windbreaker and a baseball cap. She had blonde hair and brown eyes and freckles that reminded Seven of Noah. He hadn’t been in the group chat. He was probably working or talking Adam off some ledge.
“This smells so good. I was drooling the whole way here,” she confided. “But not on the food,” she added, giving him a laugh and a smile.
“Yeah, Mama’s has the best food. I’ve been craving it all day,” Seven admitted, taking the bag, eyes widening when she brushed her fingers with his.
She was definitely flirting with him, pushing her hair behind her ear, shifting closer as she talked, making aggressive eye contact that Seven was very much not used to.
“You look really familiar,” she said. “Do you go to Strawbridge?”
“Uh, yeah,” Seven said, then jumped as an arm fell heavily around his shoulder.
The girl’s eyes went wide as Enzo made a show of planting a sloppy kiss on Seven’s cheek, taking the bags, and handing the girl a twenty dollar tip.
They’d already tipped her in the app. She looked between the two of them like she couldn’t quite grasp that they were a couple, then backed away towards the waiting elevator.
“Let’s eat, baby. I’m starving,” Enzo said, somehow driving home the point that Seven was taken and dismissing the girl at the same time.
“Oh, uh, right. Bye. I’m Maggie. Maybe I’ll see you around school.”
Before Seven could respond, Enzo said, “Bye, Mandy.”
“It’s Maggie,” she said a moment before the elevator doors closed in her face.
Once the girl was gone, Seven turned and slapped Enzo on the shoulder. “Oh, my God. What was that about? You were so rude just now.”
“I’m rude? She was flirting with you right in front of me. She’s lucky all I did was get her name wrong,” Enzo grumbled.
“What’re you gonna do? Beat up a sorority girl?” Seven teased.
“She started it.”
“She was just being nice.”
“I’m Maggie, tee-hee,” Enzo said, his voice going high as he pretended to brush hair behind his ear. “As if that would work.”
“You’re so catty. You’re not a nerd in a hot body, you're a mean girl in a hot body.”
“Why does everyone keep saying that?” Enzo muttered as he padded barefoot into the kitchen.
Seven took in his black athletic shorts that revealed thick thighs and well-muscled calves and a white t-shirt that fit him like he’d had it tailored to his body. Knowing Enzo, he probably had.
Enzo grabbed two forks, then Seven’s hand, all but dragging him back upstairs to the bedroom with their rations. Once they were sitting side-by-side on the king-size bed, Enzo grabbed the remote.
“What do you want to watch?” he asked. “Should we find a show?”
Seven was too busy opening the plastic container filled to the brim with pasta to give Enzo his full attention. He immediately stabbed a tortellini then popped it into his mouth, moaning in ecstasy. “I should just marry your mom.”
“Well, she’s already married and they’re my Nona’s recipes. And if you want to marry her, you’re gonna need a ouija board or a necromancer ‘cause she went and died on us years ago.”
Seven sighed like he was put upon. “I suppose you’ll do.”
Enzo glowered at him. “If you don’t tell me what you want to watch, I’m just gonna put on whatever I want.”
“Like what? The Barbie movie?” Seven teased.
Seven sucked in a breath as Enzo’s hand suddenly gripped his jaw, turning his face towards him sharply, his voice dropping an octave to say, “I’m not sure I like your tone.”
Seven stuck his tongue out at him because he was too busy trying not to pop a boner in Enzo’s very loose boxer shorts.
“Behave,” Enzo growled.
Seven’s insides shivered, a heated pulse of want blooming in his core. “Sorry, Daddy,” he managed.
Enzo leaned in, sweeping his tongue along Seven’s bottom lip. “Good boy.” Seven sat frozen, Enzo’s fingers burning his skin, until he released him and turned back to the television as if none of that had happened. “Do you want to watch something? I can put on music if you prefer.”
“Put on your favorite movie,” Seven said. “Your real favorite movie, not whatever testosterone-driven action movie you tell people you like.”
Enzo narrowed his eyes at him, examining him closely. “Are you just planning on mocking me the whole time if I do?”
“Depends on the movie,” Seven countered with a saccharine smile.
“Brat,” Enzo muttered under his breath as he toggled to whatever movie he planned to share with Seven.
He had no intention of making fun of him. He’d honestly never felt more comfortable in his life. He stabbed another piece of pasta, bringing it to Enzo’s lips. He opened for Seven without looking, then chewed thoughtfully as he hit play.
Seven grinned as the opening strains of All-Star by Smash Mouth started playing. 10 Things I Hate About You. “This is your favorite movie?”
“Heath Ledger is hot as fuck in this movie,” Enzo said. “His character’s got…what is it you guys call it? Rizz.”
Seven barked out a laugh, shaking his head. “Easy, grandpa.”
They made it through half the pasta and a shocking amount of the tiramisu before Seven tapped out with a groan, pointing down at his rounded belly until Enzo patted it.
Once they’d cleared the containers to the side, Seven dropped a pillow into his lap and gestured to it.
Enzo’s eyes widened, but he went easily, lying between Seven’s legs, head propped up just enough to see the movie.
From this angle, Seven could see just how unfairly long his lashes were.
He combed his fingers through Enzo’s now mostly dry hair, his eyes on the movie, but his thoughts on the man beside him.
And his mother. Somehow, Enzo had made him forget about all of it.
The police station, the arrest, the press…
If Seven had been home alone, he would have spent the night spiraling.
But Enzo had taken his mind off things without even trying.
Enzo’s voice jerked him from his thoughts. “Whacha thinking about?”
He looked down to find his head craned back to look at him. “You.”
“Me?” Enzo asked, giving him a suspicious look. “Should I be worried?”
Seven shook his head. “No. I was just thinking I was lucky you were there today. I’m great when it’s someone else’s crisis, but not one this close to home. We would have had to just accept a public defender and hope for the best. My mom would still be sitting in jail.”
Seven shuddered at the idea of his mom in an orange jumpsuit.
“I would have never let you deal with that alone. We’re gonna find who’s actually behind this and get these charges dismissed so we can all get on with our lives. I promise.”
“I trust you,” Seven murmured.
Enzo looked stricken. “You do?”
Seven’s heartbeat kicked at the hopefulness in his tone. Seven chewed on his bottom lip, studying Enzo’s face for a bit before he said, “Yeah. More than almost anybody.”
Somehow, Seven found himself on his back, Enzo hovering over him, his gaze pinning him to the mattress. “Say it again,” he demanded.
“I trust you,” Seven said.
Enzo’s breath seemed to catch, his face doing something complicated before he choked out a strangled, “Promise?”
A sudden yawn overtook Seven before he could answer, his mouth opening so wide his jaw cracked. “I promise,” he said as soon as he could manage it.
Enzo suddenly sat back on his knees, aggressively yanking the comforter out from beneath Seven. “Let’s go to bed.”
“What?” Seven asked, looking at the television. “We’re still watching the movie.”
And he was kind of hoping he’d at least get off before bed.
Enzo shook his head. “You’re exhausted. It’s been a long day. Let’s just get some sleep. We both have work tomorrow, and I need to start prepping your mother’s case.”
Seven could barely contain the swell of feelings surging through him. “Are you sure you have time—”
“Don’t even finish that sentence,” he said, tucking them both in, then gathering Seven against him, making him the little spoon.
He buried his face in Seven’s neck, kissing his pulse, breath teasing the little hairs at the nape of his neck.
Seven tipped his head further in invitation.
Enzo took it, sucking a bruise where his neck and shoulder met, then licking over the spot.
Seven bit his bottom lip, swallowing the whine building in his throat.
Seven pushed his ass back against Enzo’s half-hard cock, making it known that he was willing.
Enzo groaned. “Sleep, you brat.”
“You started it,” Seven pouted.
“And if you go to sleep now, we’ll get up early and finish it,” Enzo promised.
“What if I want it now?” Seven asked, tone sullen.
Enzo nipped his ear hard enough to drag a surprised squeak from him.
“Be a good boy and maybe I’ll fuck you awake.”
Seven’s cock twitched, a moan escaping before he could stop it. “Promise?” he asked, hating how desperate he sounded.
Enzo huffed out a laugh against his neck. “Promise. But only if you sleep.”
Seven tried. He did. Another ten minutes passed before he asked the question he’d been dying to ask earlier. “Did you pay my mom’s bail?”
“Is it going to make you mad if I say yes?” Enzo countered softly.
“Mad, no. But…we’ll never be able to pay that back.”
Enzo’s lips brushed his neck softly. “I’ll consider it your dowry.”
Seven’s heart tripped behind his ribs. “You’re crazy. That’s so much money.”
“You’re worth it.”
Seven was almost positive that wasn’t true. But who was he to argue?
He yawned once again. Enzo pressed another kiss to his throat, then his lips were at his ear. “For what it’s worth, I would have paid the two million if it came to that. Now, go to sleep.”
Seven had to swallow the lump in his throat to say, “Yes, Daddy.”
He’d wanted it to sound sassy, but it just came out a little broken. Still, when he closed his eyes, he easily drifted off to sleep.