Chapter 7 #3
“I told you. I’m not tripping. He’s shoving me. Tell them I’m not clumsy, Kayden.”
Kayden hesitated, then said, “You called me delicate,” in a tone that was pure payback-is-a-bitch.
“Sure, you’re not clumsy,” Gio teased, casting a glance at her brother and releasing her arms.
This wasn’t the first time Rafe or Gio had been in a position to catch her. She’d tumbled into Rafe’s arms twice since the inexplicable desk slide during her first week here.
Keeley, undeterred, hugged Gio. Rafe studied her in Gio’s arms and felt the same stirring that was becoming too familiar. And uncomfortable. Because watching Keeley and Gio embrace never failed to send a rush of blood straight to his cock.
“Okay. Peace out,” she said to the room at large, flipping them the peace sign.
“Pizza’s here,” Tony announced, glancing out the open front door. “I’ll go get it.”
“Cool,” Aldo said. “Come on, Elio, we can grab some napkins and the beer from the fridge. Looks like we’ll have to eat out on the porch. Every flat surface in the house is covered with boxes.”
“I’ll start moving some chairs out there,” Liza said.
“I’ll give you a hand,” Luca said, following his cousin to the dining room to start dragging out seats for everyone.
Gio and Rafe started to follow, but Kayden stopped them.
“Can I talk to you guys for a second?” he asked.
Rafe had a brief moment of panic, wondering if perhaps they’d overplayed their hand, revealed their attraction to Keeley, and Kayden had noticed.
Kayden was a good friend, and Rafe never wanted to do anything to screw that up. But his desire for Keeley was definitely testing his restraint, his resolve.
“Sure. What’s up?” Gio asked.
“I was hoping the two of you would keep an eye on Keeley for me while I’m gone. She wouldn’t thank me for asking, but…this is the longest I’ve been away from her since our parents died, and it would set my mind at ease to know you were watching out for her.”
“Of course we will,” Gio replied quickly, placing a hand on Kayden’s shoulder.
Rafe nodded his assent, guilt preventing him from speaking. He wanted to do way more than keep an eye on Keeley.
“Great. I can’t tell you how happy I am that she’s working for you, Rafe. That last boss of hers gave off creepy-ass vibes.”
“Did he harass her?” Rafe asked.
“No, nothing like that,” Kayden hastened to say. “I just didn’t like the way he looked at her sometimes. Of course, that was probably just me being overly sensitive. Keeley’s always drawn male attention.”
“Because she’s beautiful,” Rafe said, the words slipping out before he could think better of them.
Kayden nodded. “I know, dammit. Not sure how I made it through her high school years. Always a bunch of immature idiots hovering around her.”
“Doesn’t sound like that’s changed much,” Gio said. “Some of her dating stories…”
Kayden groaned. “Tell me about it. She’s a magnet for losers. It’s the only way I can think to explain it. And it kills me too because she’s grown up to be an amazing woman.”
“She really has,” Rafe agreed.
“She’s going to make some lucky guy an incredible wife.
I pray every night she’ll meet a good man, someone who will love her for exactly who she is and make her happy.
I keep telling her she’ll find the right guy eventually, but after so many years on her own and looking, kissing all those damn frogs, as she calls them…
” Kayden sighed. “She wants to fall in love, wants what our parents had, and I can’t fault her for that because I want the same thing. ”
Kayden and Aldo had graduated from high school the same year as Tony, the three of them, plus Rhys, the oldest in their gang of friends. Kayden had put a few good dating years on hold when he became Keeley’s guardian at the ripe old age of twenty-five, sacrificing a social life for his sister.
“You’re both going to find what you’re looking for,” Gio said, squeezing his shoulder. “You just need to hang in there.”
Kayden smiled, then walked out to the porch, the smell of pepperoni and cheese filling the air.
Gio started to follow, but Rafe held him back. “I think Keeley’s been talking to that guy, JT.”
“How do you know?” he asked, scowling.
“I overheard Liza asking about him.”
Gio digested that information, then turned his attention back to Rafe. “You ready to admit it?”
Rafe nodded. But Gio wanted to hear the words.
“You want her too, don’t you?” his friend pressed.
Rafe gave him a sad grin. “Yeah. I do. But, Gio, my feelings haven’t changed about wanting a long-term relationship.”
“I know, but…” Gio ran his hand through his hair. “If we pursue this, I don’t see me walking away from Keeley…ever.”
Rafe knew that was true. His friend was falling, and falling fast. “I know that, so maybe we don’t pursue it. Only you do.”
“You could do that? Walk away without ever knowing…” Gio frowned. “You’re attracted to her too, even if you don’t like admitting it. What if we leave the decision up to her?”
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
Gio stared at him a long time, and he got the sense his friend could see more than he wanted him to. Because Gio was right. He wanted Keeley more than he’d ever wanted another woman.
Rafe schooled his features the best he could, hoping Gio didn’t see any of the confusion—or desire—drowning him.
“Might be a moot point anyway,” Gio said at last. “Do you think we waited too long to make a move?”
Rafe foolishly rejoiced over Gio’s use of the word we, even though he knew that pronoun was wrong. Then, he shrugged and sighed heavily.
“I don’t know. I really don’t know.”