Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 136915 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136915 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
“Oh that’s so sweet of him,” Aurora said, her cheeks flushing.
I shrugged. “He knows I don’t want a bought present.”
I sank back down, my back against the wall and Aurora did the same.
I wondered why she was here.
She gave me an awkward smile. “This might sound strange, but I’m not here because of me. I’m here because someone asked me to.”
I raised my eyebrows.
“Amo?” she said as if she wasn’t sure if I knew the name.
I didn’t say anything but my heart began racing.
“Amo Vitiello, you know him?”
I smiled. “I know him, yes.”
“He got my number from Aunt Aria and called me fifteen minutes ago. It was all very strange. Well, he asked me to go to you and call him again. Is that okay?”
I nodded.
Aurora picked up her phone then waited for Amo to pick up. “Yes, she’s beside me. You’re welcome.”
She handed me her phone and my pulse sped up even more. My mouth became terribly dry. “Hey?”
Aurora regarded me closely.
“Happy birthday, Greta.”
Amo’s voice was deep, low and growly with sleep, and my belly heated unexpectedly.
I swallowed, not sure what to say.
“I know this might seem stalkerish but I simply had to wish you a happy birthday.”
“You remembered?”
“I can’t forget,” he murmured, and I was sure I’d combust with heat any moment.
“Wasn’t your mother confused that you wanted to call me?”
“I lied. I told her I needed Aurora’s number because of the wedding.” The last word was quieter than the rest. The wedding. His wedding.
“Oh, that makes sense.”
Amo sighed, and I imagined he ran his strong fingers through his dark hair. “I know I shouldn’t say this, but I want to see you again.”
I stared down at my thighs, frowning. I should say no. I wasn’t sure where this was heading, only that it was a tunnel without a light at the end. “I have a dance rehearsal in New York in a week that I wanted to cancel but I could go.”
“Come.”
“Okay.”
“There’s more I want to say, but I can’t do it over the phone. One week.”
“One week.”
“Don’t take Nevio with you.”
I pursed my lips. My brother wouldn’t agree to stay in Vegas when I flew to New York no matter what I said. “I’ll try.”
“Can Aurora keep a secret?”
“Shouldn’t you have worried about that before you called her?” I asked with a hint of amusement.
“I did, but my desire to call you was stronger than caution.”
I closed my eyes. “She can.”
At least from almost everyone, except for Nevio. For some reason she seemed unable to lie to him.
“Good. See you in a week.”
“Okay.” I hung up and took a deep breath, wondering what had just happened. What was this?
When I opened my eyes, Aurora was watching me with an open mouth. “What’s going on?” Her voice was hushed, shocked.
“I don’t know.”
She shook her head as if she couldn’t believe it. “Amo’s going to marry in a few weeks.”
“Don’t tell anyone about this, okay?”
She blinked at me. “Okay.” I could hear the uncertainty in her voice.
“Not even Carlotta or your parents, and definitely not Nevio. Swear it.”
“Greta—” A growl sounded, followed by a sharp shhhh.
The bathroom door swung open and Nevio stepped in, messy bed-hair and only in low hanging boxers. He paused with a coffee cup against his lips, eyes narrowing when he saw Aurora beside me. “Girl talk?”
He handed me another cup of coffee and as he bent over me, I caught Aurora checking him out with a look in her eyes I finally understood. It had never quite made sense to me, but since I’d met Amo I could feel it deep in my belly. Our eyes met briefly and she jerked to her feet and almost knocked Nevio’s cup out of his hand. Some of the hot liquid spilled on his naked chest and boxers, causing him to hiss. “I’m not into fire play,” he snarled. I didn’t understand, neither did Aurora from the look of it. She grabbed a towel from the floor and awkwardly patted Nevio’s chest then seemed to think better of it and thrust it at him, her head turning a deep red. He caught it with cocked eyebrows.
Aurora looked like she was about to have a nervous breakdown. Anxiety was something I was intimately familiar with so I recognized it immediately.
“Can you give us privacy?” I asked my brother.
He seemed taken aback. I never did girls talks. He shrugged. “Sure. Come over later.” With another skeptical look at Aurora, he turned to the door.
“Happy birthday!” Aurora practically screamed at him.
One corner of his mouth lifted in a dubious smile. “Thanks, Rory.” He reached out and ruffled her blond hair, then he left.
Aurora stared at the closed door, her lower lip trembling.
“You okay?” I asked carefully. I could see that she wasn’t.
“No,” she said miserably and sank back down beside me. She covered her face and I worried she’d start crying. I wouldn’t know what to do then. Maybe call Kiara. Instead of crying, she let out a muffled scream against her palms then peeked at me through the gaps between her fingers. Her blue eyes were moist but she wasn’t crying. “Why do I act so stupid around him?”