Page 59 of Falling for Mr. October

“Not right now,” Bianca says. “Giovanni and I have to talk. Alone. You’re not the only one who gets to be closed in with him.”

He gives us a look, like maybe he has thoughts about us being alone together, but then he walks away, giving us a two-finger wave.

“Sorry about that,” Bianca tells me. “He thinks he has to step up and be the big man of the family, now that Great-Uncle Ted and our granddad are both gone, but he’s wrong of course. This is a matriarchal family, and Nonna Rose is its undisputed leader.”

“Don’t you mean you’re the undisputed leader of this family?”

“We lead as a team,” she says with a small, satisfied smile.

“Of course you do. But look, I don’t mind that your brother’s protective. I like that you have someone who’ll stand up for you.”

She gives a long-suffering sigh. “Ah, yes, every woman needs a stable full of armed men to preserve her virtue.”

I laugh. “You’ve got virtue?”

She shoves my chest, her hand lingering, and I fight the instinct to layer mine on top of it.

I only feel this way about her because everything’s so uncertain, I tell myself. Bianca is steady and reliable, so it’s natural I want to hang onto her.

“I imagine you heard almost everything your brother said?” I ask.

Her smile says it all. “Maybe.”

“So you’re aware he knows everything. I’ll need to text my own family a warning, and then I think it’s time for us to share our fake dating story with the world. Are you ready to pretend you’re a woman in love?”

“All right.”

“How do you want to play this? Can I kiss you in front of them? Touch you?”

Something heated passes through her gaze. “Yeah, I think we’re pretty good at that.”

“It’s better when no one’s watching,” I say, feeling sorry for it. “But I don’t mind putting on a show.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

BIANCA

One minute, Giovanni and I were sneaking around, having fun, kissing. We were connecting in a way I honestly haven’t connected with any man in a long, long time.

Then this morning, he told off my shitty ex in the only truly satisfying display of male dominance I’ve ever witnessed. Now, I’m doing a live broadcast with him, which is being watched by an insane number of people.

We just told the story we concocted this morning, all while Giovanni played with my hair, each movement of his hand sending little sparks of pleasure through my body. We sat in front of his phone, staring into its camera, our bodies so close together it was all I could do to keep breathing.

He brought his phone’s tripod stand with him, which suggests he thought he might need or want it sometime during his stay here. That contradicts what he’s been telling me about giving up on The Shirtless Chef, but I can hardly think about that now, with his hand on my thigh.

Questions and comments keep flooding the phone screen while we’re live.

Holy shit, holy shit, this needs to be a movie. @hallmarkchannel MAKE IT HAPPEN

OMG, I LOVE HIM.

What’s their celeb name? Gianca? Biovanni? GAH. I’m obsessed.

They are the CUTEST. This is giving me life.

I want him biblically. Like, it’s not even funny.

BRING BACK THE ABS.