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He supported her as she sat up from his chest. He’d held her all night. She tried to ignore the warmth that unfurled with the realization. He’d probably stayed in hopes of morning sex, but that so wasn’t happening, not with the way she felt.
She didn’t hate the way he sniffed at her hair, though. “You smell of gunpowder.”
Shit, she hadn’t been up for showering yesterday, and then she’d forced him to go down on her. She must have tasted like sweat and the gunpowder he’d noticed. After coming, she’d sobbed like a baby. Okay, maybe she was a little embarrassed. Her eyes skittered away as he helped her to stand.
“Wait, you can’t be feeling shy, can you?” Antonio murmured near her ear.
She used her good hand to gesture at her body. “I’m a mess.”
“And I helped you to get that way.” He leaned close, kissing the uninjured corner of her mouth. “You tasted fantastic coming all over my face.”
“I did not,” she muttered, shuffling toward the bathroom on her own steam.
She talked Antonio into turning the water hotter than he initially set it. Hopefully the heat would blow away some of the aches. He somehow conned her into doing nothing as he pulled the showerhead free to use on her. The way it pulsed the tension out of her neck was divine, especially since he was careful not to let it hit her hurt shoulder directly. The dislocation had torn the muscle, and she’d be wearing the sling for a while to help it heal.
Her worry flittered away as Antonio washed her hair, rinsing the shampoo out carefully.
After drying her and helping her to dress, Antonio redressed in his own snotted-up suit. She tilted her head to test the tightness of the bun he’d finessed. He’d gotten it just right.
“What?” he asked when she stared at him a little too long.
“Nothing.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “That’s not a nothing face.”
“I just never thought you’d be so good at taking care of anyone but yourself.” She cringed at how that sounded. “Sorry. I meant to say ‘thank you.’”
He gave her the smile that was a little lopsided and not at all fake. “You’re right. I normally wouldn’t take care of someone like this.” His finger slid gently down her nose.
“Ah, shit,” she said, her eyes widening. “Does that mean this thing is becoming, well, a thing?”
He laughed. “Why do you look terrified?”
She scowled back. “We agreed, Antonio. Casual. What the fuck are you even doing here?”
His finger trailed along her hairline. “I’m surprised myself, but I’m not ready to define whatever this is. Are you?”
She opened her mouth, decided there was nothing good to be said, and blew out a breath instead of answering.
His lips quirked up. “I’ll admit, I’m not bored with you at all.”
“Jackass,” she muttered, moving toward the door. “Let me check the hall. I don’t want anyone seeing you leave my room. They’d get the wrong idea.”
“Or the right one,” he murmured behind her.
Her shoulders tensed as she opened the door. There was no need to worry. The Coronella boys were giving her hallway a wide berth like usual.
“All right, it’s clear. Now, scat.”
He paused beside her. “Until next time, Vespa.”
She told herself she wasn’t disappointed at all when he didn’t kiss her before strolling away.
The morning had already grown late. She’d never been an early riser, so that would be no surprise to anyone. Besides, she’d been injured, dammit.
The way she wanted to squirm under Giulia’s eyes after she entered the kitchen, though, made her feel like a naughty kid. She gave the woman her normal hard frown as she snatched up some of the freshly baked bread.
“How are you feeling?” Giulia asked.
