Chapter 10
Ten
Nova
I hurry down the stairs Christmas Day, excited that Ashton will be joining us for the holiday.
“What’s got you up so early?” Luca asks, sipping a mug of piping hot coffee.
“You’re here already!” Excitement overwhelms me as I rush over to give my brother a hug. “Merry Christmas! Did you come by yourself?”
I’m glancing around, hoping Ashton is somewhere in this house, but trying my best to be inconspicuous.
Discreet isn’t my middle name.
“Just me and Ashton right now. He’s helping Dante by moving some furniture around upstairs. I’m going to swing by Harper’s parents’ and pick her and Zeke up in about an hour.”
“They’re not all coming over?” I ask. I know Mom and Dad invited them, along with Luca’s parents, but after what I heard happened the last time they visited, I guess I shouldn’t be all that surprised.
Luca frowns. “I’m not even sure they’ll be at the wedding.”
“Don’t worry,” I say and grab myself a cup of coffee but pour tons of flavored creamer into it to kill the bitterness. “I’m sure they’ll come around. It’s their grandson they’ll miss out on if they don’t.”
“Yeah,” Luca says and sips from the mug. “I hope you’re right.”
He leans against the kitchen counter, watching me prepare my coffee.
“How’s the packing going?” Luca asks.
Next week, we move into the new house that we’re renting. “Good. I’m mostly done. I heard Dad on the phone, trying to convince the current tenants to move out by Christmas.”
Luca laughs. “I can only imagine how well that’s going.”
“He was cursing and storming into Dante’s office, still on the phone.” I shrug. “I didn’t get to hear the rest.”
He takes another sip from the mug. “Doesn’t matter. What’s the difference in one more week? Less than, since we move in on the first of the month.”
“Twenty-eighth,” Dad says, coming up from behind.
The man is pure stealth when he wants to be. “We managed to get you a few extra days before classes resume. You move on the twenty-eighth of December.”
“You really wanted me out this year.” I glare at Dad, but I’m not angry with him. He and Dante were trying to be helpful. They’re always looking after family, putting us first.
“Dante and I wanted to make sure there was ample time to get everyone settled before your first day. Especially with Zeke, for whom we’ve handled all the nursery arrangements.”
“What?” Luca turns and faces my father, Moreno.
“It was supposed to be a surprise for Harper, but your father and I ordered a toddler bed and some things for Zeke.”
I can’t read Luca’s features. He’s masking his emotions right now.
“I’m sure Harper and Luca appreciate your help,” I offer, trying to smooth things over. That was nice of Dante and Dad.
“Don’t put words in my mouth,” Luca snaps at me.
I step out of the kitchen, giving Luca his space and leaving him to deal with my father.
“What’s wrong, son?”
While Dad isn’t Luca’s biological father, he’s helped raise him as much as Dante has.
“I just wish you’d told me. We’ve been trying to scrape up money to make sure Zeke is cared for when we have him. I’ve been looking at taking on a part-time job, so has Harper.”
I stand in the hallway, eavesdropping, careful not to be seen. But I’m curious, because Luca never mentioned he was looking for work. I can’t imagine he even has time to work, with school and hockey getting in the way.
“Dante isn’t going to want that for you. You work for him. You’ll be spread too thin. And I’ve talked to him; he’s agreed to pay you the same as Ashton.”
“Wonderful,” Luca says, but there’s no hint of happiness in his tone.
“Listen, if you really don’t love Harper, there’s another way out of this—”
He scoffs, and I can hear the mug clattering and breaking, possibly in the sink. I glance over the corner to see if he threw it, but there are no shattered pieces on the floor.
Definitely the sink.
“I’m not harming a hair on her head or her son’s,” Luca says. “And if you so much as suggest it—”
“I wouldn’t,” Dad says. “I’m just trying to look out for you, Luca. I’ve always seen you as my own.”
Footsteps patter over the marble flooring, and they’re definitely coming from the staircase.
Eavesdropping is over. I hurry down the hall so as not to be caught when I glance up and notice Ashton and Dante approaching.
“Hey.” My eyes light up, and I try my damndest not to seem too eager to see Ashton. “Merry Christmas.”
Dante wanders past us, not even paying me the least bit of attention. I’m just an annoyance to him, probably the same as Luca.
Except Luca is his son.
Ashton waits a beat before the smile stretches across his face, and he pulls me into a hug. “Merry Christmas, Nova.” He plants his lips on mine, and instantly, I freeze.
I push him away, eyes wide in horror.
“What are you doing?” I ask, but I’m mostly thinking anyone can see us!
Ashton points up at the mistletoe in the hallway. “I put that up this morning.”
I jab him in the elbow and reach for his hand, dragging him away from prying eyes or the surveillance cameras. I know every secretive spot that can’t be seen.
“Come with me.” I usher him into the hall closet with me. The stained-glass window filters the daylight just enough to keep our presence hidden.
I saunter to the back of the closet, pulling him with me. “I’ve been wanting to kiss you,” I whisper, tiptoeing to reach his lips.
Ashton is several inches taller than I am, and he leans down, scooping me into his arms and sitting on the bench, tugging me onto his lap.
Our mouths fuse with a fiery heat that builds like a volcano, waiting to erupt.
His fingers trail across my hip and then up to my neck. He gently guides the edge of my turtleneck down, taking witness of his mark having mostly disappeared.
“Did anyone ask about it?”
“The giant hickey you gave me?” I laugh and pull back slightly. “Thankfully, I have plenty of sweaters with high enough collars, no one thought to ask.”
Ashton doesn’t apologize.
He grins.
“I kind of wish you would show everyone. Let them know you’re mine,” Ashton says, and then he steals another taste from my lips.
His hands are back around my hips, keeping me pressed against him on his lap.
“Possessive much?” I mumble, quite pleased with his attachment to me.
From what I’ve heard and seen, he doesn’t sleep with anyone twice. The mere fact he’s still interested has me mentally doing somersaults.
He’s staring at my lips, like they’re the main focus of his world. “Don’t label me,” Ashton says and plants a quick kiss on my mouth.
I whimper from the loss of contact and run my fingers through his hair. I pull his gaze up to meet mine. “Do you really want my brother finding out about us?” I ask.
He huffs, and the kisses are momentarily stopped once again. “No, but the entire team knows. We weren’t exactly being quiet. Everyone saw us at the party after the game that night.”
Actually, we were being quiet, but it was us making out and everyone watching that has rumors flying around us.
“How long until Luca finds out?” I ask. I can’t help but wonder if I should tell him, or if Ashton should do it. They’re teammates and best friends.
But I’m his sister.
“Pretty soon if he comes looking for us,” Ashton says, and I grumble, standing up. Already, I miss the warm feel of his hands on my body.
He stands and brushes a stray hair behind my ear. “You look flushed. Go to the bathroom and cool off for a few minutes.”
“And what about you?” I ask.
“What about me?” His smile vanishes. “I’m cool as a cucumber.”
I glance down his body and eye his jeans, where his cock is hidden away. “Really?”
“I’ll wait it out in here for a few,” Ashton says and drops one more kiss on my lips before I sneak out of the hall closet and hope no one notices me.
I’m more than just a tad excited when the twenty-eighth rolls around and we move into the rental house on campus.
It’s a nicer property than the dorms that I toured, and I still can’t believe it’s ours for the semester.
The house is a five-bedroom two-story, with lots of living room and study space. It’s bigger than Luca’s previous digs, which housed him, Ashton, Liam, and Jessie.
Funny enough, I never met Jessie. Not when I visited Luca’s house on weekends or even when we moved out. He was never around, even less than Liam, who barely shows his face at home.
Which is fine with me. Living with boys isn’t my first choice, but Dad insisted I stay in the same house as Harper and Luca. I find the whole situation a bit strange since they’ll be married soon and Harper has a kid, but whatever.
As long as Zeke isn’t crying in the middle of the night or keeping me from studying.
I haven’t really spent much time with the little one. I met him on Christmas Day and gave him lots of tickles and cuddles.
He was enthralled with the toy train set that Dante and Nikki got him, which seemed to keep him pretty entertained, except when Harper had to chase after him, repeatedly.
Harper and Luca are down the hallway, with Zeke directly next door.
Ashton’s room is at the opposite end of the hallway. “I call dibs on this room!” I say, grabbing the one across from Ashton, before I even so much as open the door to ascertain its size.
Ashton’s door is wide open, and he lies on his bed, reading a magazine.
I poke my head in, curious if he’s just taking a break or finished already.
There aren’t any boxes in his room, nothing for him to unpack. He could help in the kitchen, but he’s hiding out, probably until someone else notices.
“All done in here?” I ask.
He points at the dresser. “I just had them move it with my clothes inside.” The smug look on his face greets me.
“You want to help me?”
“I’ll pass,” Ashton says and flips the page of his magazine.
“Okay, I wasn’t asking.”
He grumbles and shuts the magazine, climbing off the mattress. He stalks across the hallway, glances down in the direction of Luca and Harper’s room before hurrying into my room and shutting the door rather abruptly.