Chapter Nine
Will took advantage of his day off to catch up on paperwork and go to the gym.
And, knowing what he was about to endure, he got off twice. First, in the early morning, hand slicked over his cock, coming all over his stomach, and again, during the shower he took after his punishing workout.
It was all pointless, though, because the moment he walked onto the long porch that ringed the whole first floor of the Sweetheart Inn and saw Enzo leaning against one of the intricately carved support poles, he became hard, instantly.
Enzo, in his paint-smeared clothes, dirty and sweaty and flushed, was hot enough.
Dressed in a pair of dark jeans and a short-sleeved black button-up that clung to his chest and his biceps, his hair curling over his forehead, gaze intent on Will, he was so gorgeous Will wanted to cry with it.
“Hey.” Even his voice was deeper and rougher, the sound sliding over Will like velvet over his skin.
“You . . .uh . . .clean up good,” Will said. He’d almost decided against saying it, but then he reminded himself that he was supposed to be bowled over by him. That was the whole point of this.
That he looked as awestruck as he felt.
Enzo’s grin was crooked and charming. “Well, yeah. I was hardly going to show up in my painting clothes.” He paused, maybe just noticing that Will was still hovering in the vicinity of the door, unsure how close they were supposed to get.
He knew Joy had been downstairs, and there was almost no way she wasn’t watching them now.
But he also didn’t know how close Enzo wanted him to get.
“You gonna come over here?” he murmured, gesturing with one of his hands.
Will didn’t typically notice hands. To him, they’d always been tools. But Enzo’s were long and slender, beautifully formed, like the works of art he created with them.
“Uh, yeah. Wasn’t sure you wanted—”
“Come over here,” Enzo said firmly, and a moment later his arms were folding around him, tugging him close. It was just like the other day, except that instead of the sharp-sweet tang of Enzo’s sweat, he smelled delicious. Practically freaking edible.
Will slid his hands over his back, felt Enzo’s muscles tense and relax and told himself that this ludicrous idea still made perfect sense.
“A day off looks good on you,” Enzo said. His fingertips brushed Will’s chin.
Will’s breath stuttered. Wildly trying to convince himself this was all pretend.
But the look in Enzo’s eyes looked so real.
“Uh, thanks?”
“And . . .” Enzo smoothed a hand down his chest. Probably feeling the way Will’s heart was rabbiting like crazy. “You look good, too. Real good. Good enough to take a bite out of.”
Please do.
But instead of leaning in closer and encouraging him, Will look a step back. It would be so easy to lose himself, to fall into the magnetism of this man, but he needed to resist.
Kate’s warning slash reminder was still echoing in his head. He’s not sticking around.
“Where are we going?” Will asked. “I’m hungry.”
“Me too,” Enzo said and waggled his eyebrows.
Will laughed, the sound surprised right out of him. “You’re ridiculous.” But the over-the-top comment had been a much-needed bucketful of cold water to his desire.
They were play-acting, that was all. Putting on a good show. Enzo had already told him he was going to make it good. So of course it needed to be convincing.
“Oh, but sweetheart, you love it.” He paused. “Let’s go. We’ve got reservations at Rudy’s.”
Rudy’s was the most popular restaurant in town, and as a result, would be full of Indigo Bay residents, even on a Wednesday night.
No doubt the rumors were already circulating because Enzo had made the reservation for two—though Will supposed they could assume Enzo’s plus one was Giana.
Will told himself he was not surprised as Enzo reached out and took his hand, squeezing it gently as they walked down the stairs towards the sidewalk.
It was only a five minute walk from the Inn to the other side of the tiny Indigo Bay downtown, where Eliza sat, on the other side of the park.
“How’s the mural coming along?” Will asked, shortening his longer strides to match Enzo’s.
At least once he’d been tempted to swing by Cherry’s, ostensibly to check on things there, but really to see the mural—or maybe even to see Enzo—but he’d resisted, promising himself he’d get plenty of Enzo tonight.
“More progress,” Enzo said. “I’ve got the outline mostly done. Though I might do some more fine detail.”
Will could hear the deep satisfaction of a job going well in Enzo’s voice. An undeniable excitement.
“Good. I can’t wait to see it tomorrow morning.”
“It’s not much to look at, yet,” Enzo cautioned.
“Says you. Says me, the person without a single artistic bone in their body? It’s pretty freaking incredible.”
“Aw, my mom was right. You are a fan,” Enzo teased as they turned the corner. The park, flanking Indigo Bay’s main square, was still green.
“Hard not to be,” Will said, shrugging awkwardly. He didn’t think he’d be this bad on a regular date. Maybe that was how he should approach this. His palm was damp, and he was afraid he’d gross Enzo out, but he showed no hesitation in gripping it tighter.
They walked around the statue of Eliza, Enzo’s gaze skimming over it.
Will thought he was going to make some comment on the artist or his creation, but instead, Enzo turned to him and said, “You’re wrong, you know.”
“I’m wrong?”
“You have plenty of artistic bones in your body.”
“I do?” Will braced himself for Enzo to make some joke about a certain bone, but instead, Enzo’s expression turned serious and intent.
“What you’ve created with Cherry’s? That’s a form of art. Every time you invent a new, insanely delicious ice cream flavor? Or a new sundae? Or devise a milkshake that makes me want to weep it’s so goddamn good? That’s art.”
“Oh. Oh.” Will couldn’t pretend he was anything other than pleased.
“You’re very talented,” Enzo said.
Will grinned at him. “I guess we’ve both got a thing for competency porn.”
Enzo shot him a hot look as Will let go of his hand to open the front door at Rudy’s, ushering him inside.
Maybe this wasn’t a real date—maybe they were pretending to be crazy about each other—but Will liked treating Enzo like he was special.
Because he was special.
Enzo sauntered through the door and approached the hostess station. “Good evening,” he said. “Reservations for two. Moretti.”
The young lady had an appropriate reaction to Enzo’s appearance.
Enzo believed everyone in town remembered him as only that young, messed up kid. But this girl wouldn’t. Not now. Her jaw dropped and well, it made Will feel a little better that at least he wasn’t alone in being blown away by how stunning Enzo Moretti was.
“You must be one of Luca’s brothers,” she said in an awed voice.
“Cousin,” Enzo said in clipped tones.
Will didn’t think. He just slid up next to him and put his arm around Enzo’s waist, tugging him closer in what no doubt looked to everyone else like a firm declaration of possession.
Enzo leaned into him, glancing up at him from under those curling black lashes. Did he even flutter them a little?
Jesus, he was potent.
No wonder the hostess was stammering, searching through her tablet.
“I requested a booth,” Enzo said. He glanced up at Will, longer this time, his gaze going positively gooey. It’s fake, it’s fake, it’s all goddamn fake. “So I can cuddle with this handsome hunk of a man.”
“He is . . .uh . . .yes,” the girl said. “I’ve got your reservation right here, Mr. Moretti. If you’ll follow me.”
Will had grown up in small towns. He knew exactly how they were and so did Enzo, obviously, because as they followed the hostess to their table, he was undeniably aware of every gaze in the place following them and the whispers in their wake.
Will kept his arm firmly around Enzo’s waist, even though the aisle between the two rows of booths wasn’t that big, because he was supposed to be persuading the town they were dating, and if he was really dating Enzo, he wouldn’t let go of him for a second.
“Here we are,” the hostess announced, stopping in front of a cozy-looking booth.
“Oh, perfect. Thank you,” Enzo said, shooting her the most potent smile in his arsenal.
At least Will had believed it was, until Enzo turned to him as he slid into the booth. “You gonna share with me?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
Will’s fingers gripped the seat cushions. “Like I’d want to let go of you for a moment,” he said.
Enzo beamed, taking his seat next to Will like it had always been his. “Good,” he said. “You want some wine? Did you know since Luca moved to Indigo Bay, he’s been an unofficial wine consultant for Rudy’s?”
“I did hear that rumor,” Will said. “But I’m not much of a wine drinker.” He shrugged at Enzo’s semi-outraged expression. “I grew up in Florida. You think we have decent wineries there?”
“I grew up here and we definitely didn’t, but then I moved to San Francisco and lived with Luca’s sisters.
I wasn’t used to real wine, or dry wine, and at first, I didn’t like it either.
But it grew on me. Now I love it. Especially when we’re talking the good stuff, and Luca makes sure they stock the good stuff here. ”
“For him and Oliver?” Will questioned as Enzo picked up the wine list and began to peruse it.
Enzo nodded. “Do you want to get something else? I was going to get a bottle of this pinot noir, but if you’re not going to have any . . .”
“Oh, maybe I’ll try some,” Will said. After all, what would it hurt? “If you think it’s a good starter wine.”
Enzo flashed him a smile. “I think you’ll like it. Luca mentioned it was nice and fruit forward. Suggested I try it when I said we were coming here tonight.”
Will tensed. Realizing for the first time that pretending they were dating for Enzo’s mom meant they were pretending to date for everyone else, too, including friends like Oliver and Luca. Friends he didn’t particularly want to lie to.