Page 32 of Worship
I take a bite of my food.
“Calm down over there.” Luca points his fork at Drew’s giggling face. “We’re just friends. She won’t budge.”
I almost choke on my food.
“Luca!” Drew chastises, and he smirks. Dante laughs next to her.
Luca rolls his pasta on his fork. “I’m kidding.”
I laugh and ask Dante about his newest tattoo, and the conversations ease into a rhythm around the table as we all begin to eat.
You always know when you’ve nailed it because silence befalls the table as everyone eats. After a few moments, Dante groans, “Donna, qualcuno ha bisogno di renderti a piedi nudi e incinta e lasciarti in cucina.”Woman, someone needs to make you barefoot and pregnant and leave you in the kitchen.
Drew swats his arm and laughs along with the others. “In English, for the non-Italian speaker, please?” I ask, taking a bite of my chicken.
“You don’t speak Italian. I assumed since you and Drew went to school together. Same major and all,” Dom remarks.
“No. Drew left me for a whole semester abroad, and I stayed at Columbia and learned the language of New York. Lots of ‘eff yous’ and ‘fuggetaboutits.’” I laugh. “Somebody translate what he said, please.”
Luca leans in with a mischievous grin, “He said the food is divine, and you’re an amazing cook.”
It feels likehe’ssaying it, not Dante. It also feels like I’m being told a lie, so I raise an eyebrow in question. Drew starts to cough, and I look at her surprised.
“Are you okay?” I ask, and she gives me a thumbs-up in answer while gulping down her water. I look back to Luca. “You are lying…but I don’t want to know, do I?”
“No, Angel, you don’t,” he says, tossing his napkin at Dante, who hurdles back some choice words in Italian.
I may not know what the words are, but seeing Drew’s reaction means they’re probably colorful. The laughter is compounding, and I watch Dom and Dante speak animatedly to one another. I can’t help but smile; they really are very Italian.
Luca leans in, his mouth close to my ear. “Un giorno, passerò la mia lingua nell’interno della tua coscia e morirò nelle labbra della tua fica.”One day, I will run my tongue up the inside of your thigh, and I will die between lips of your pussy.He pulls back and reaches for his beer, eyes on me.
Even after he puts distance between us, goose bumps spread down my neck, where his warm breath touched. “In English, please,” I say quietly, hoping nobody is paying attention to us.
He just shakes his head and grins.
“You won’t tell me?” I say, falling for his game.
“No. But if you’re good, I might show you.”
I don’t know what he’s said, but whatever it was, my gut says I want him to show me.
GRETCHEN ANDDREW ALMOST TOOKmy head off when I told them I was going to leave to put Ella down for the night at home. I expected as much from Drew; she always bullies me into letting her put Ella to sleep here. She even has a spare room for her with a crib. She and Dom have been secretly trying for a baby, so I know Ella is practice for her.
Gretchen, however, was unexpected, but I was happily surprised at how sweet she is with Ella. I couldn’t take my eyes off them earlier.
Seeing Gretchen making her laugh was intoxicating. So, when she offered to help put Ella to sleep, something stirred inside of me. She’s becoming more…and I sure as hell didn’t anticipate more. I’m not even sure how to define it, but she’s more than just someone I want to fuck, and I think about her more than someone I simply like.
“They’ve been upstairs now for a solid half hour,” I say, trying to hide my worry.
Dom raises his eyebrows in answer. He waves his hand dismissively, looking at the game on the television.
“Women have their methods. Best to stay out of it.”
I look at him like he’s stupid.
“Neither of them know what they’re doing. I’m going to go check on them.”
Shaking my head, I stand from the couch and walk down the hall. I sneak up the stairs quietly, making sure not to give myself away, and walk down the hallway, past two bedrooms, to look through the door that’s thankfully cracked.
