AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The point was Cami was more than his baby sister’s best friend and she had been for a long time now, whether he wanted to admit it or not.
The farther he got away from the coffee shop, the stronger the desire to shove her from his mind and reconstruct the wall that she had inadvertently tore down, became.
But for the first time, he fought that urge and let Cami Martin consume his mind.
Chapter 3
Enzo couldn’t wait to hop in the shower and wash the day off of him. It was a hot and sticky August day and even though the restaurant had air conditioning for the days when the ocean breeze wasn’t enough, it didn’t help much today when he was in the kitchen helping get out orders. He was ready to forgo washing his clothes and just toss them in the trash.
He dropped his keys on the table and reached for the hem of his shirt.
“You’re home!” Ella popped out of the kitchen, a too-big smile on her face, and her long brown hair pulled back into a ponytail.
He released his shirt, letting it stay in place. How did he not see her bike outside? “Why are you here?” he asked, ignoring how ungrateful he sounded. He was tired. All he wanted was a shower then to finish reading his book on the Battle of the Bulge.
“I found a new couch I think would work perfect in the living room, but it’s going to clash with the paint we chose, so I brought some new color samples over. I thought we could look them over, and you can tell me which one you like best.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose and reminded himself he hired her. It didn’t matter that he did it out of the kindness of his heart; his baby sister needed to build her portfolio, and he wanted to see her succeed. She was hired to do a job, and that was exactly what she was doing. He just wished he didn’t have to be so involved. Though, the thought of giving her free reign to do as she pleased terrified the hell out of him. God only knew what she would turn his place into.
After long hours at the restaurant, his home was his personal haven. He could get away from the hustle and bustle of work, sit on his couch with a beer, listen to some music or watch a documentary, and he was happy. He wanted his home to reflect that, and if she painted his walls yellow, he would have a stroke. He could always tell her exactly what he wanted, but Ella didn’t always listen, and it was a chance he wasn’t willing to take.
“Do we have to do it right this second? I had a long day.”
“Was it busy at the restaurant?”
“Just a bit.”
“If you need me to come back to the restaurant, I can.”
Ella was his best waitress, having worked at the Shack since she was a teenager and helping out way before that. But it was time for her to live her dream, and she couldn’t do that while waiting tables.
He shook his head. “Absolutely not.”
“But it’s not fair that you’re working yourself into the ground.”
“Don’t worry about me.” Not that his words would make a difference. Ella worried about everyone. She was so much like their mother he wondered if she even realized the similarities.
“Cami told me you helped her with her tire.”
His entire body stiffened at hearing Cami’s name. Ever since he allowed himself to see her as the beautiful woman that she was, he couldn’t stop thinking about her. “It was nothing.”
“I do appreciate you helping her out.”
“Did you think I’d leave her stranded?” he asked.
“Of course not.”
“I wish I had,” he admitted and watched Ella’s eyes widen in shock.
“Enzo!” She swatted his chest. “Why would you say that?”
Because he couldn’t stop thinking about that red bra he’d found in her trunk, wondering how she’d look with the strips of lace covering her pert breasts. He let the image linger for a moment before shaking it away. “Because she’s a royal pain in the ass. Do you know she has never changed a tire in her entire life, and she tried to tell me how to jack a car up?”
“You say it like you’re surprised. That’s Cami. No one can do it better than her. It’s a control thing.”
“She needs to work on that.” As a kid she’d been bossy, acting as leader of the pack, but Ella and Krissy never seemed to mind. As Cami got older, the bossiness had proven useful in running a successful business, but it was also keeping her from letting people take on some of the responsibility that she shouldered.
“She’s tried. Krissy and I call her out on it. She doesn’t even realize she’s doing it half the time.” Ella held up the paint swatches. “So what color?”
