“There’s just enough distance to make me comfortable,” Grace says as she starts to walk out of the kitchen. “How many bedrooms?”
“Two,” I call after her. “And one and half bathrooms.”
“Perfect!” Grace yells as she wanders down the hallway.
Stella leans against the kitchen counter, facing me, and I approach her, stopping just short of touching her. It’s been torture, spending all this time with her this afternoon and having to pretend she’s just a friend. When did it become so difficult to resist her?
“She’s kind of hard to please,” Stella says with a wince.
“Your grandmother knows what she wants, and I can’t blame her for being picky. This is the place she’s going to live in. You want it to be just right,” I say.
“Yeah, but she’s being kind of snobbish about it. She likes this place because of the address.”
“She likes this place because it ticks off all her boxes.” When Stella frowns, I continue. “She had certain requests, and this condo matches with almost all of them. This is why I saved it for one of the last places I wanted to show her.”
“Pretty sneaky,” Stella teases.
“I’ll show you sneaky.” I look around before I pull her into my arms and drop a kiss on her upturned lips. “I’ve been dying to do that all afternoon.”
Stella rests her hands on my chest, her fingers playing with the lapel of my jacket. “Seeing you in action as Mr. Real Estate Man is kind of a turn on.”
“Oh, you think so? We can roleplay tonight if you want,” Another kiss, this one lingering, with a hint of tongue. “I’ll be the big bad agent and you can be my submissive client.”
“Submissive?” Stella’s eyebrows shoot up. “What do you want to do, spank me in the kitchen?”
“Don’t give me any ideas,” I practically growl, right before I go in for another kiss.
Stella murmurs unintelligible words as I take the kiss deeper, her fingers still curled into my suit lapels. We kiss for long, delicious minutes, both of us quiet, but I guess I get lost in the taste of her lips, and Stella gets lost too, because the next thing I know, I hear Grace clearing her throat loudly. I spring away from Stella like she just shocked the shit out of me.
“Just roommates, my ass,” Grace says with a mocking smile on her face.
“It’s not what it looks like,” Stella starts, and I’m tempted to tell her to quit talking, because come on.
It’s exactly what it looks like.
“Oh? So Carter didn’t have his tongue shoved down your throat just now?” Grace asks innocently.
“Nonna!” Stella’s cheeks are flaming bright red. “Why do you have to be so crude about it?”
“I’m just calling it like I see it.” Grace moves until she’s standing in between us, her head swiveling from me to Stella and back to me again. “Why are you two sneaking around when everyone believes you would make such a lovely couple?”
I rear back a little, surprised by Grace’s words. People think we would make a lovely couple? Who are these people?
“You’re just saying that because you want us to be together,” Stella gripes.
“No, I’m saying it because your brothers and your mother believe you and Carter are actually together, but that you don’t want to admit it,” Grace says, stunning us both. I know I’m stunned, and I can tell by the look on Stella’s face that Grace’s revelation is news to her too. “I haven’t bothered telling them that you’re living together. Now that I see what’s really going on, I understand why.”
Stella hangs her head with a sigh. “Daddy would kill me if he knew Carter and I lived together.”
“More like he’d probably want to kill Carter,” Grace says, then turns to look at me. “But he won’t. Not actually.”
“Thank God,” I mutter, not wanting the wrath of Lorenzo Ricci on my ass.
Though I am the one defiling his daughter on a daily basis, so I guess I deserve it.
“You’re a grown woman, Stella, living in a modern world, whereas your father is not. But you should tell him what’s going on. If I can accept it, then surely he can,” Grace says.
“I don’t need to tell my father anything, because there’s nothing going on,” Stella says, still speaking to the floor. She won’t look up, like she doesn’t want to look me in the eye. “What’s happening with Carter and me…it’s not serious.”
I don’t respond. Neither does Grace. And Stella doesn’t say another word either. The air hangs heavy with unsaid words, and swirling emotions.
The past few weeks, it’s felt like more. So much more than I ever experienced with any woman before. Stella and I aren’t just lovers, we’re friends. I don’t just enjoy her company while we’re naked and sweaty, I enjoy her company all the goddamn time. I thought she was right there with me.
But I guess I’m the only one who felt that way.
When the tension in the room becomes nearly unbearable, it’s Grace who says something first. “I’d like to make an offer on this place.”
I feel no relief at what she said, and normally I want to punch the air and shout with victory over every sale, no matter how big or small. “There’s one more condo I wanted to show you. It’s not too far from this development.”
“It doesn’t matter. I want this one. Let’s head back to your office and start the paperwork. I don’t want to lose my chance,” Grace says.
“Sounds good,” I say with a quick nod before I hightail it out of there, heading straight for my car. I let the two women walk back together, stewing in my anger and sadness as I check my notifications.
There’s nothing going on.
It’s not serious.
The words replay in my head, over and over, making me sadder. I’m not usually the one who wants to push for a serious relationship. Actually, I’m never the one.
With this woman, it was different. I was different.
But I guess that’s not the case. I’m the same. Temporary. A quick date, a quick lay, whatever, and then it’s over.
Over.
Twenty-Six
Stella
The moment I could get out of Carter’s car, I dashed out. I don’t even think he’d put it in park yet when he pulled up to the curb in front of his work. I was out and crossing the street, yelling over my shoulder I’d call my nonna later as I made my way to my apartment.
I didn’t say a word to Carter.
Once I got inside, I tore off all my clothes and took a long, soaking shower, crying unconsolably. I blew it. I fucked it all up because as usual, I got scared. I saw the misery on Carter’s face when I said we weren’t serious. That we were nothing. I saw the disbelief on my nonna’s face too, and she called me out on it when we were making our way back to Carter’s vehicle before we left the condo earlier.
“You’re going to ruin a good thing,” Nonna said.
“What do you mean?”
“Saying such hurtful things to such a good man. He’s a keeper, Stella. But I’m thinking you’re just too blind and hell-bent on self-sabotaging to see it.”