Chapter 13. The Introductory Dinner Party

Elena POV

Nico’s lips graze my cheeks…almost a kiss.

Almost.

And then the gym door swings open.

“Damn!” We both exclaim.

Riccardo walks in, towel over his shoulders.

He pauses, eyes flicking between our too-close bodies.

“Everything okay here??” He asks, voice neutral, but brows raised.

Nico straightens up and climbs off me slowly like he’s not embarrassed at all.

“Just helping Elena stretch,” he says.

Riccardo looks at me, then Nico, then walks past us without a word, heading for the bench press.

I sit up quickly, cheeks burning, heart pounding like a war drum.

Nico tosses me a wink.

“Next time, we’ll skip the massage and go straight to what we both want” he says.

And just like that, he walks away.

Leaving me hot, bothered, and breathless on the mat.

Dear God.

What am I getting myself into??

***

It’s later in the afternoon that my mom walks into my room, after I