Her eyes held mine and I knew I was screwed because I wanted my best friend’s little sister. I wanted to do very naughty, very grown-up things to her. Things she had no clue about judging from her puzzled expression. I stared at the ceiling. Maybe there was a God after all, and this was his way to test me. It was a given that I would fail his test, the question was only when.
After her admittance six months ago, I’d kept my distance. I’d been on edge anyway and didn’t want to risk my friendship with Diego over the silly crush of a little girl. But, damn it, Gemma didn’t look like a little girl anymore.
Gemma walked over to the bed in the corner of the room as if she had every intention of sitting down.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
She froze. “Why?”
Heaven have mercy. “Didn’t Toni mention what happens in these backrooms and why there is a bed in here?”
Gemma’s face scrunched up and she took a step back from the bed, but she kept scanning the blankets as if she worried she might find evidence of the previous activities. It gave me time to admire her. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. I’d known her for years, had been best friends with Diego for just as many. He’d always been wary of me around his sister and I had always told him that he was a stupid asshole for thinking I’d hit on his sister. Today I knew Diego had every right to distrust me around Gemma because seeing her like that, all I could think about was to have her in my bed one day.
Shaking myself out of my horniness, I sent Diego a text, telling him that I had found a girl and was taking her somewhere to fuck. He didn’t reply, which meant he was too immersed in Dakota, literally.
“I’ll take you home now. Come,” I said.
Gemma’s gaze jerked back to me. She lifted her chin in that stubborn way of hers. “What? No. I promised Toni I’d help her until one at least. They’re low on staff.”
“Do I look like I care if Roger’s got enough waitresses who shake their asses in front of customers? All I know is that your pretty little ass won’t shake in front of anyone…”
…but me.
Gemma stared at me as if I’d grown a second head. She didn’t even blush at me using the word ass. Kitty had grown, and I really wished I would stop noticing. Diego would test one of those Bunsen burners they used in their restaurants to fry my balls if he found out. That would be a disturbing twist on Arancini for sure.
Gemma squared her shoulders and walked toward me, trying to appear tough and self-assured. “You aren’t my brother or my father, Savio.” Thank the fucking Lord for that. “You can’t tell me what to do. I gave Toni my promise and I’ll keep it.”
She tried to leave the room, but I pressed my palm against the door, smiling darkly. “I just told you what’s going to happen. I’ll bring you home. If you come on your own two legs or if I have to carry you, that’s up to you, Kitty.”
Her mouth fell open, then she shrugged. “You’re not going to do that. You are here to have fun, not play babysitter.” I lowered my arm, allowing her to open the door and step out.
She gave me a triumphant smile. I remembered the puppy dog eyes from the past and decidedly liked this Gemma better. “Don’t tell Diego, all right? I owe you something.”
I nodded. Did she really think she’d won? She turned as if to walk back into the bar. I stalked after her, grabbed her, spun her around and hoisted her over my shoulder. It wasn’t the first time I’d done it. During our fight training, I’d sometimes teased her that way but back then, she’d been a girl with the body of a girl. Now her perfectly rounded butt taunted me from the corner of my eye and my palm resting on her lean legs wanted nothing more than to discover every inch of her shaped body.
“What are you doing?” Gemma gasped, her body becoming as tight as a bowstring. “Let me down!”
She squirmed in my hold. “Savio, put me down right this second. I need to help Toni!”
I tightened my hold on her. “It’s easy, really. I can take you home, Kitty, or I’m going to take you to Diego now.”
She became slack. “Don’t tell him. He’ll be angry.” After a moment, she added. “You can set me down. I’m not going to try to run.”
“One wrong move, and I’ll call Diego,” I warned. I had no intention of calling him. I could deal with Gemma myself.
“Okay.”
I lowered her slowly and realized I was reluctant to let her go. I led her to my car. Diego would be pissed if he found out I didn’t tell him about this. “I should tell Toni where I’m going. She’ll be worried,” Gemma whispered with a fleeting glance toward the Arena. “I promised her to help out. What kind of friend breaks her promise?”
I braced my forearm on the door and peered down at Kitty’s face. “The friend who doesn’t want to be grounded for the rest of her life.”
“Since when are you a stickler for rules? You never once took Diego home when he snuck out to party with you.”
I chuckled. “Come on, Kitty. You know the rules, you’ve lived by them until now. Don’t tell me your dad would react the same way if he found out Diego was out partying all night or if it was you, especially dressed like this.”
