Page 60 of Comforting the Grump

“Alright, sleeping beauty,” I muttered, carefully sliding my arms under Ennio’s slight frame. “Let’s get you to bed.”

As I lifted him, I was struck by how light he felt in my arms. His head lolled against my chest, and the warmth of his breath reached me through my shirt. The scent of his shampoo—something floral and fruity—filled my nostrils, and I inhaled deeply.

I carried him to my bedroom, my footsteps careful and measured. “You know,” I whispered, even though I knew he couldn’t hear me, “you’re making it really hard for me to keep my distance.”

Gently, I laid him on the bed. His shirt had ridden up during the journey, exposing a sliver of pale skin above his waistband. He was so beautiful, so gorgeous, even asleep. My hand moved of its own accord, brushing a stray lock of hair from his forehead.

Fuck, I needed to get a grip before this whole thing got out of hand.

I carefully dragged down his sweatpants—his shirt could stay—then tucked him under the covers. He never even stirred, a testament to how exhausted he was. But some of the tension that had been present earlier had disappeared, making space for a peaceful expression on his face.

I stood there for a moment longer, watching the rise and fall of his chest, feeling an unfamiliar ache in my own. This softness,this tenderness—it was foreign territory for me. Dangerous territory. But I couldn’t make myself look away. I couldn’t stop it.

Finally, I got ready for bed myself, then slipped under the covers next to him. I kissed him softly on his forehead. “Sweet dreams, princess.”

20

ENNIO

The heavenly aroma of melted cheese hit me as soon as I stepped into Pizzeria Gabbiano. My eyes scanned the crowded restaurant, searching for that familiar face. And there he was, Cas, waving enthusiastically from a corner booth.

I weaved through the maze of tables, my heart light with excitement. It had been far too long since Cas and I had a chance to hang out together. As I approached, Cas stood and enveloped me in a bear hug that squeezed the air from my lungs. The guy was strong, with gorgeous muscles forged by many hours of physical labor as a contractor. Alas, no sparks had ever flown between us, but we had built a dear friendship, which was worth just as much, if not more.

“It’s so good to see you,” I mumbled against his shoulder, holding on maybe a tad longer than I should have.

He gave me a thorough look when I finally let go but didn’t comment. We settled into the booth, knees bumping under the small table. A waiter appeared almost instantly with menus, and we put our drink order in.

“This place is cute,” Cas said.

He wasn’t wrong. Upturned wine bottles hung from the ceiling amid fake grape vines, and the brick walls were adorned with vintage Italian posters. The decor was a little cliché, but it did work, as did the ambiance with the wood-fired oven crackling merrily in the open kitchen. “It is. It has more atmosphere than my current employer.”

Cas made a face. “Not having fun there?”

“It’s a job and pays the bills, but it’s not great, no. But it is in my field, so at least it’s valuable work experience I can add to my resume, so there is that.”

“But it’s temporary, right? You’ll be back home soon?”

“I hope so.”

“I ran into your brother yesterday, and he told me he misses you.”

My heart went soft. “I miss him and my parents too. And everyone else.”

Cas fanned himself with his hand. “And man, does your brother look hot, strutting around in that sexy sheriff’s uniform…”

I rolled my eyes. “Down, boy. You’ve got your own man candy waiting at home, remember?”

Cas sighed dreamily. “Ah yes, my beautiful Tiago. Speaking of which, how’s your love life? Marnin still keeping you sexually satisfied?”

In a classic case of saved by the bell, our pizza arrived, a work of art with its perfectly blistered crust and fragrant basil leaves. My mouth watered, and I immediately took a careful first bite. “Oh my god, this is amazing,” I mumbled with my mouth full. “They added a finishing touch of truffle oil.”

“You can taste that in one bite?”

I shrugged. “You can step into any building and see its issues right away, no? Occupational experience, that’s all.”

“Fair enough.” Cas took a big bite, then closed his eyes and let out a happy hum. “Damn, this is good.”

“How’s life with Tiago?” I asked, hoping he wouldn’t remember his last question. “I saw some pics of you gallivanting through Madrid.”

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