Page 23 of We're Not Strangers Anymore

“And the whole thing with my mom– I don’t know. I just wish I had a dad like the kind you see in the movies. Or a mom like my friends had growing up.” Hearing the crack in her voice makes my chest hurt. I don’t know what to make of the feelings she’s brought out in me since I started watching her. I just wanted to protect her, always. Even before this mess with Frank. Now that I’m getting to know her, I’m not disappointed like I thought I’d be. It makes me want to be around her even more.

“Hey, I’m here now. I may not be as good as having a dad but I’ll still take you to play catch and teach you to drive.” I playfully hit her shoulder and she laughs with me. Finally, The same gorgeous laugh I heard the other night.

“Funny you say that because I do not have my license.” She giggles.

“Of course you don’t, you’re a Chicago girl living in Detroit.” I smile. “You’re different, Rowan.” I say, taking a drink of the port and handing it back to her.

“Oh yeah? How do you gather?” She says with a shy smile.

“Well for starters I stalked you for a year.” I say casually.

“Ayear?You watched me for a whole year?” She says, her eyes wide.

“Yeah. You were living in southside Detroit, someone had to keep an eye on you.” I say, averting my gaze. I could feel my cheeks heating with embarrassment.What is this woman doing to me?“But you just do things differently. You’re tough. But you’re soft too, you’ve just never been given the safe space to be soft. Most women in Chicago try to act tough, but they do everything for the attention. You get attention without seeking it. I don’t even know if I’m makingsense, Row. Stop making me talk.” I laugh it off but I know I sound like an idiot. She stares at me for a moment and I can tell her guard has come down a bit. She needs a man like me. In control so she doesn’t have to be. A part of me hopes she wants to stay once I let her go– If I let her go. It’s a stupid thought.

She cups my face, her thumb stroking my jawline and I feel my shoulders relax for a moment. “I’m not soft,” she says, leaning in and crashing her lips into mine.

I never knew just the feeling of a woman's lips against mine could get me to feel–things.I don’t know what it is, I just know I want more, and more.

We kissed until our lips were swollen last night. At some point we fell asleep. We both got so drunk off of the port, we laughed our asses off until our stomachs hurt. It was a good night, but now that the morning sun is coming up, Luciano and Pops are going to have my ass if I don't get to work today. Dad is going to meet with Conejo’s associates to discuss some orders of business and Luciano and I are meeting with Conejo. We don’t know how things are going to go down today– if it’s going to be civil, or if we’re going to get caught up in some trouble. We have to prepare for the latter.

I wake Rowan, watching as she squints her eyes at the morning light.

“I’m dropping you off at my moms today. You’re going to cook Sunday dinner with her and my sister Laila–get to know them and all.” I inform her,

“You have a sister?” She yawns.

“Yep. The one and only. And she’s a real judgy bitch so don’t let her scare you. She’s cool once you get to know her.”

“Please,” She scoffs, “I tricked you into thinking I wasn’t scared of you. Besides, I love to cook so it sounds like a plan to me.” I knew that about her. I would always see her through her apartment window cooking elaborate meals just for herself. The girl needed to shut her fucking curtains but never did.

“Hey I-” I stutter, “I had a lot of fun with you.”

“Wow I’m so flattered. Chicago’s biggest fuck boy actually had fun with me?” She laughs. Is this how women felt when they’d try to make conversation with me after sex? I can’t help but laugh with her, though. She’s the first woman that has ever made me laugh aside from Laila. She’s also the first woman I’ve ever actually sat and talked to all night too. I wasn’t much for conversation with women. It’s a big reasonwhy I’d never approached Rowan like a normal person. I was fascinated by her, but I didn’t want to make promises I couldn’t keep. I knew it was highly unlikely for me to go from having multiple women to being tied down to one. At least that’s what I thought before she was here with me.

Grayson

I ring the doorbell to my parents house and see my mom approaching the large, white double entry doors greeting Rowan and I with her familiar warm smile. Rowan reminds me a lot of my mother, there’s a sort of maternal comfort in them, but they both would absolutely punch a grown man in the face.

“It’s about time you introduce me to the missus!” She says, opening the door and motioning us to come in.

“Hi Mrs. Santoro, I’m Rowan.” Rowan says with a polite smile.

“Please, call me Sophia, it's a pleasure!” My mom greets Rowan with a hug, and leads us to the family room.

“Where’s pops?” I ask my mom.

“He left for his meeting two hours ago.” She says casually. He usually heads out early when meeting with a potential threat, he likes to stay a step ahead, it gives enough time to scope out the situation.

“Well I’ll let you two get acquainted before Laila gets here. I’m going to pick up Luciano and we’ll be back around six for dinner.” I toss over my shoulder as I exit the family room and out the front door.

“You strapped up in case shit goes south?” Luciano asks as he settles into the passenger side of the escalade.

“Always. You heard from pops since he left?” I ask.

“Nah but you know how he does things.”

“The man needs to learn how to communicate. Anyway, we’re meeting Conejo at Rathskeller on the southside. Make sure the boys are keeping a lookout on every corner.” I command.

---