Chapter 7 #2
I wave to Molly on my way out and head home.
Carlo’s, I mean. How quickly it’s starting to feel like such a home is unnerving in a way that challenges everything I thought I knew about myself.
I’m used to being on my own, having my own space for the last 7 years.
I craved it when I aged out of foster care, and I needed that control and stability of running my own house with no one else having a say.
No one could take my things away, yell at me for being in the way, or tell me to be quiet when I was excited to talk about something at the dinner table.
Celeste was already on her own for years when I aged out, and I’m sure I could have gone to live with her in NY, but I needed to be on my own and figure out what my life would look like.
When I pull in and make my way up the stairs to the apartment, my heart starts to flutter.
I’m excited to see him, to ask about his day, to tell him about working on my shading, which I know he’ll appreciate.
We didn’t go to work together this morning, and didn’t see each other at the hub when we came back in from our routes.
Warmth courses through me at how much I’ve discovered I like having someone to share with when I get home.
Specifically, I’m really starting to like sharing with Carlo.
I use my key to open the door just in time to hear him call out, “Hey, Castillo!” When I walk inside, my heart goes from fluttering to an absolute racket in my chest. He’s shirtless, barefoot, and in grey sweatpants on the couch, watching some action movie with his new best friend Gomez draped across his shoulders.
His hair is damp and deliciously tousled, obviously fresh from a shower.
My mouth goes dry as I openly gawk at him.
I try not to look at the bulge, but I can’t help it.
My eyes slowly go up to take in more tattoos he has on his chest. Fuck me, his right nipple is pierced with a little ring, and it’s so hot.
He’s mostly stuck to walking around fully dressed in the time I’ve been here, though I’ve had a few quick glimpses of his muscular back coming out of the bathroom in only athletic shorts or a towel.
He’s been trying so hard to be a gentleman to me in his space, and apparently that’s been a good thing for my heart and general well being.
I’m short circuiting right now, and his slow smirk says he can tell.
“See something you like, roomie?” I swallow hard and try to get my shit together. He’s been so good to me, and I owe him some honesty.
“I’ve always liked looking at you, and you as a person a lot, Carlo.
That’s never been an issue,” I confess quietly.
“I just don’t like to mix work and my personal life, it has a tendency to get messy and end badly.
Been there, done that, zero stars. Would not recommend.
” His eyes search mine as he gently puts Gomez on the couch, gets up, and moves closer.
“Want to tell me what happened?”
“It was stupid of me. I got sweet-talked into a date by the boss’s nephew at my old job, and it wasn’t bad.
It went on for a few weeks before it was clear he and I were not that compatible.
When I ended things, there wasn’t any obvious retaliation from my boss for breaking up with his precious nephew.
He started to get extremely finicky, though.
I was a delivery driver for his small, gluten-free food company to get his products to grocery stores and farmer’s markets.
He started nitpicking things he never used to, like all of the sudden having a very specific way he wanted my delivery reports filled out and a new, super particular method for stocking the truck.
Finally he called me in and said my performance was not up to standards, showed the documentation of things he had issues with, and I was let go.
They were things he never cared about before, and I corrected them as soon as he brought it up, but it was obvious why I really got fired.
There were whispers about me too, that I was only dating Scott to stay in his uncle’s good graces and move up.
It was a good paying, solid job that I really liked, with a boss who treated me well until I broke up with his nephew.
It sucked how it all went down. I don’t want it to happen again.
I’ve always loved the freedom of driving, I went and got my class B license and everything. I need this job.”
His jaw is grinding, fists balled like he wants to fight both my former boss and his nephew, before I see him take a breath to release the tension.
“I hate that you went through that, men who abuse their power are the absolute worst. You know it wouldn’t be the same in our situation, right?
There’s no power imbalance, I’m not the boss’s nephew and we are on the same level.
I would never in a million years hurt you, Tania.
At least not on purpose or for revenge. Until you trust me, I know they’re just words, but I mean them.
” His hand comes to my cheek, and once again I find my eyes fluttering shut, nuzzling into his palm on instinct.
It feels so nice to simply be touched by him.
His palm is warm and slightly calloused, the roughness waking up all of my nerve endings.
“I know you’re right. It’s not the same situation.
Maybe I just need some time to build that trust, ok?
We’ll keep getting to know each other and spend time together,” I murmur.
I open my eyes and lift my gaze to his, and his face is alight with the most dazzling, happy smile.
My heart is testing the limits of my ribs as it beats a furious rhythm.
“I can be patient, sweetheart. You’re more than worth it.” Then his grin goes back into his standard, teasing, lopsided smirk. “I’ll go put a shirt on, I forgot after my shower. Sorry if it’s inappropriate, but I’m also not that sorry based on how it made you look at me.”
I lift my chin in challenge. “How was I looking at you?” That makes his grin go completely shit eating.
He leans in close, his lips brushing my ear.
Every sense of mine goes haywire with his proximity.
I can smell the heady spice of his body wash and shampoo, feel the heat of him permeating my every pore.
When his husky voice flows into my ear like sweet honey, I have to bite back a moan.
“Like a starved woman looking at a feast. I love knowing you’re just as affected by me as I am by you.
I’ve wanted you for over a damn year, Tania, so it’s on now that I know you feel the same.
I’m just as starving as you. Since you seem to like my nipple piercing so much, you might like that I have another part pierced, too,” he whispers, his voice turning to pure gravel at the end, the warmth of his breath and lips across my ear making me shudder.
As he walks away, he looks at me over his shoulder.
“Turn the movie off and put on whatever you want, ok?” He just tosses that out so casually, like he didn’t inform me he has a pierced dick in his previous sentence.
With that, he leaves me practically panting as he goes into his room.