Page 80 of Always Be True: Tino
“I am. The bathroom is two doors down. I’ll lay out a clean toothbrush and a few other things you might need. Feel free to take a shower if you want. Clean towels are on the shelves over the toilet. Now, I’ll let you get yourself situated while I lock up downstairs.”
“Thank you again for everything.”
“You’re welcome.” He closed his eyes for a few seconds. “I don’t usually entertain guests, so give me a holler if there’s anything else you need. Toss your dirty clothes down the steps when you’ve changed. I’ll run them through the washer before I turn in for the night. It won’t take long to dry them in the morning.”
He almost made it out the door when she stopped him. “There is one thing I need, Tino.”
“What’s that?”
She tossed her makeshift sleepwear onto the bed before closing the distance between them. Her hands slid around his waist as she pulled him close for a quick hug. “If I haven’t said it enough, I really was glad that you were there tonight. Not just for me, but for Clarence, too.”
It was so damn tempting to heat up the embrace, but only a complete asshole would ask more than a little comfort from a woman who’d been through such a traumatic experience.
“Me, too.” He held her close for several seconds before stepping back out of reach. “You’ll feel better after a good night’s sleep. We both will.”
Not that he expected to have one with her just on the other side of a thin wall. He went into full retreat before he lost control and begged her to let him hold her all night long.
—
Natalie waited until the sound of Tino going down the steps to the living room below had faded before going in search of the bathroom he’d mentioned. It was late, and she was tired, but a shower sounded heavenly.
She smiled when she spotted the collection of toiletries that her host had provided her with. The shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel had all come from different hotels. He’d also laid out the promised toothbrush along with a disposable razor, a hairbrush, and a tiny bottle of body lotion. Right next to the motley collection was a bottle of ibuprofen.
Bless the man, he’d thought of everything.
Just like his bedroom, the bathroom was clean and orderly. Tino hadn’t had time to do a quick polish, so it had been that way before they’d arrived. Interesting, although maybe it was stereotyping on her part to think that a place shared by three brothers would be messier. Finding out the man liked things tidy added one more bit of information to the puzzle that was Tino Gianelli.
As she brushed her teeth, she studied the red mark where the teenager had smacked her. Her cheek still hurt, but at least it wasn’t swollen. With luck, by tomorrow, a little makeup would hide the evidence from the people at work, not to mention her grandfather and parents.
After stripping off her clothes, she stepped into the shower and pretended the heat of the spray would wash away the fear left over from the assault. It worried her that those boys had intended to steal the new computers. She’d have to see what she could do about installing a security system in the computer lab. There was no way she’d let some juvenile delinquents rob the other kids of a chance at a better future.
Ten minutes later, she dried her hair as much as possible with a second towel and pulled on the T-shirt Tino had given her. It hung more than halfway down her thighs and covered far more than most of her own nightgowns. She tried on the shorts. Even after cinching the drawstring as tightly as she could, they still threatened to slip down off her hips. One good tug would probably send them tumbling to the ground, but luckily no one was likely to test that theory.
Pausing to study her image in the mirror on the back of the bathroom door, it was just as she feared. She looked awful, especially with the red blotch on her face and her hair drooping down in wet ringlets. The oversized shirt and baggy shorts were just the icing on the cake.
The only way this night was ever going to end was if she went to bed and slept through the rest of it. She bundled up her dirty clothes and the wet towels. Tino must have been listening for the bathroom door to open because he was waiting when she tossed everything down the steps.
He ignored the soggy mess at his feet as he stared up at her. He might not have laughed out loud, but there was no mistaking the amused twinkle in his dark eyes.
“Not a word, Tino.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Then he gave up and snickered. “Think if I snapped a picture to post online, you might inspire a new fashion trend?”
“Stuff it, Gianelli. I’m going to bed.”
“I’m just saying.” Then his voice gentled. “Sleep easy, Natalie. You’re safe here with me.”
“I know.”
She meant that. With every fiber of her being, she knew the man staring up at her would stand between her and any threat from the world outside. She loved that about him. In fact, she loved everything about the man. Unfortunately, they still had some serious issues to work through, and tonight wasn’t the best time to start that process.
Even so, for the longest second, she stood poised at the top of the stairs, not sure which way to go—into the sanctuary of Tino’s room or down the steps into the temptation of his arms. Maybe she was a coward or simply too tired to take that first step. In the end, she offered him one last smile and went to bed.
