Page 34 of Lodged

“Oh my goodness, Gio. He knows who I am,” she says, giddy with excitement.

“Of course, he does. I told him I needed to impress a girl, and he asked me all about you.” Her eyes shine with unshed tears, and I cradle her face in my hands.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” I ask as I get lost in her eyes.

“Nothing, absolutely nothing,” she says as she covers my hands with hers. “It’s just that you’re this incredibly amazing man, and honest to God, I don’t know what I did to deserve you.” I press my forehead against hers, breathing her in, letting her warmth run through me.

“We’ll have time to talk later. Why don’t you answer Turner’s question first.” She gives me a curious look but nods with a beautiful smile. She asks Turner for a song, which happens to be my favorite. He starts singing, and Ruin snuggles close to me. I cover our legs with one of the blankets, and I thank the stars for giving me the chance to make memories with the woman who awakened something in me I thought I would never have.

The evening unfolds as Turner performs some of our favorite songs along with a few requests from other artists. After dinner, Ruin asks Turner if she can sing a song with him, and I’m stunned when her voice fills the beach—raspy and intense. Her tiny frame transforms as she tells a story, not only with her voice but also with the way she moves her body. I’m transfixed.

It’s only when the chorus hits that I realize which song it is:Willow. When she sings “that’s my man,” she points at me, and I move toward her like a moth to a flame. When the song ends, I hug her and kiss the top of her head. We stay there, enjoying each other's company, as Turner sings one last song.

Ruin and I dance on the sand, the breeze making us shiver as the bonfire warms us up.

It’s the perfect ending to a perfect night.

Chapter 15

Ruin MacAllister

By the time Turner says goodbye after taking a couple of selfies with us and signing autographs for me and my family, the bonfire is almost out. As much as I’ve enjoyed being outside on the beach, I’m ready to go inside and get cozy with Gio by the fireplace in his living room.

I can’t believe I’ve had the best day with him, and we haven’t even kissed yet. I hope that changes soon, though, because I’m going to implode if I don’t taste his lips.

“Would you like to go to bed, or do you want me to get the fireplace going?” Gio asks, and I could swear he sounds a little nervous. I wonder what conversation we are going to have and why he is anxious about it. I hope he’s not about to tell me he has a wife and kids in Argentina waiting for him.

“You read my mind, I was hoping we could spend some time by the fireplace.”

Gio smiles, clearly pleased with my answer, and guides me inside his place.

The lights are soft, and even though the French doors and windows are closed, I can still hear the waves crashing onto the beach. I’m a mountain girl through and through, but I’m loving this time with the ocean. Maybe I’ll ask him to bring me again next summer.

“Would you like anything to eat or drink?” Gio asks as the fire starts crackling.

“I’m good for now.”

He nods and goes to the kitchen, busying himself.

“I don’t want you to think I’m an alcoholic or anything like that, but I need a little bit of liquid courage for our conversation,” he says. For the first time, I can tell he’s visibly nervous— his hands are shaking.

“Gio, what’s going on? You’re scaring me. What is it that we have to talk about?” I ask him as I make my way to the kitchen, needing to be close to him. He closes his eyes and takes a few deep breaths.

“I’m sorry. The last thing I want is to make you feel uncomfortable, but what I’m going to tell you is not something I share openly.” He grabs a glass of wine in one hand and my hand in the other.

“Please, take a seat.”

He motions for me to sit next to him on the big couch, and I do. I’m too stressed out about what’s on his mind to relax. I pressmy legs together, my hands clamping on my knees. Gio takes a big gulp of wine, savoring it. The way his Adam’s apple bobs hits me right in my core with a shot of desire.

“So, as you know, I’m the oldest of three siblings.” I nod with a smile, letting him know I’m listening.

“I don’t want to bore you with my family history, but basically my parents checked out on us when I was eighteen. I had to become the parental figure for Luca and Isabella.” Gio’s gaze is down, a hint of shame in his tone.

“Oh, Gio. I’m so sorry you had to go through that. I could never fathom growing up without my parents. I know River, my oldest brother, would have done an outstanding job raising us, but I love Mama and Daddy so much.” He reaches for my hand, and I squeeze his.

“Yeah, I can tell you come from a loving family. I’m thankful you’ve had that support throughout your life.” He smiles a sad smile before continuing. “I can’t say everything has been bad or hard, becauseAbueloBianchi made sure my siblings and I had a healthy trust fund to live comfortably and to pursue our dreams. But all this to say, when I had to take care of my siblings, I forgot about taking care of myself. I devoted my time to make sure Luca and Isa were well and thriving.” He releases a frustrated sigh, and I’m still wondering where he’s going with all this.

“Gio, what is it that you’re trying to say? You’re an incredible man. I don’t think there would be anything you could say that would make me not want to be with you,” I tell him honestly, and his eyes widen, going darker. I squirm in place, suddenly overwhelmed by the sexual tension between us.

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