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He backed away then, released my wrists, and took a deep breath.
“Don’t you dare regret this again,” I warned him, my lips still wet from his kiss.
“You think I regret our first kiss?”
“Don’t you? Why else would you pretend it didn’t happen? For two full weeks.”
“Why? I think you know exactly why, Brooke.”
I did. But that was beside the point.
“They’re going to miss us,” I said, with more regret than I’d had while packing up my stuff from the apartment I’d shared with my boyfriend for three months. Having to separate from Cos should not hurt more than breaking up with Evan. But it did. With Evan, I’d felt betrayed. Hurt. Angry. But the idea of not being in Cosimo’s arms again, immediately, was something entirely different. Like he was ripping my heart right out of my chest.
“I’ll go first,” he said. “You’d take longer.”
He went to reach for the door, but I stopped him. “Oh no, you don’t. I’ll have you know I can out-pee anyone. It’s a particular talent of mine.”
“Out-pee?”
My god, on those rare occasions Cosimo smiled, I wanted to put him in my pocket and never let him out.
“Pee faster than anyone. Even guys. Trust me on this.”
He let go of the door handle. “I’ll take your word for it.”
Feeling like Rose on the front of the Titanic, which was probably not the best analogy being that it sank and all, I paused just before heading back inside. The gloves were off. If Cos could pull me into a dark alley and kiss me silly with his brother sitting just inside, then I could flirt with the man even though I wasn’t supposed to. “You’re not the only one with hidden talents, Cosimo.”
I could tell that one hit its mark. He groaned, a low, masculine sound that I could imagine would be similar to the one he’d make after slipping into me for the first time.
“Show me.”
I froze, just as I’d been about to open the door. Our eyes locked.
“When?” I asked, not wanting this to end the same way as our first kiss, with another two-week period of silence.
“Neo is staying over tonight,” he said. “As Marco is bringing a date home. And if I come to you—”
“He’ll wonder where you’re going.”
At least Cos seemed as bummed about the fact as I was.
“We’ll talk. Figure it out,” he said. “You better go.”
Without another word, I opened the door a crack, peeked inside, and saw nothing. Although I really did have to pee, realizing I’d already been gone too long, I headed back inside. Holding my breath, aware we were gone way too long, I prepared for strange looks from Neo and Thayle, but they were gone. Our table was empty.
What the hell?
I sat back down and noticed them then, playing darts in the corner of the bar. Quickly grabbing my phone to look as if I’d been here for a while, I stared at it. Unable to focus.
“Cos isn’t back yet?”
When I looked up, Thayle was standing next to me. “I guess not. Spoke too soon—here he comes now.”
As Cos walked up to the table and grabbed his beer, as casual as could be, I had to give him props. He looked nothing like the guy who pinned me to the door a few minutes ago. In his place was the cool, collected Cosimo Grado. Proprietor of Grado Valley Vineyards. Eldest son and loving brother. Mr. Serious. Clark Kent, if you will.
But I knew better now. When Thayle asked us to play a round of darts, we agreed. We walked across the bar, not looking at each other. Not even acknowledging the other’s presence. When we reached Neo, I put my beer on the same high-top as Cos and Thayle and looked at my phone as it buzzed.
It was a text. From Cos.
