Love Me (The Elites of Cheshire shore #2)

31. Rome

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

rome

I want Flo. I want her heart, body, and soul. But she needs to be the one to make the first move. I know, if I tell her I love her she’ll run, and I can’t have that. She’s already made it clear, if I go to her, she will only believe it’s for fun and to keep it casual. Or worse, she’ll think it’s because she’s convenient. I’m giving her control here. She has to be the one to decide I’m who she wants to be with, that I won’t hurt her. My job is to show her I’m the right choice, to make her see that I won’t break her heart. That I’m not going anywhere. That love, especially the love we have, isn’t something to let go of easily. But I have a sneaky suspicion that I might be wearing down her walls. I turn off the water and step out of the shower, I start to towel myself dry when the thought occurs to me. Just because I want Flo to be the one to come to me, it doesn’t mean I’m above playing a little dirty—you know, to give her the little push she needs in the right direction. We’re supposed to be getting ready for our charity luncheon, but a little distraction can’t hurt. With water drops still sliding down my body from the shower, I’m suddenly very thirsty. Before I can second-guess my plan, I grab the door handle and walk out of the bathroom, naked as fuck, and make my way into the kitchen.

“Hey, Rome. Do you think…OH SHI—” Flo quickly places a hand over her eyes but manages to keep her fingers loose enough so she can peek through the slits.

“Ahh, bro, are you forgetting something?” My stupid-ass brother laughs from where he is sitting on the couch next to her. Damn. I didn’t realize he was here. He should be getting ready at his own place. I want to stomp over there and remove his arm from where it’s wrapped around her shoulder and rip it out of its socket.

“What might that be, Lulu ?” I reply, making sure to put extra swagger in my hips. Flo openly stares at me now, as she subtly shakes Luca’s arm off her shoulder.

“A towel, clothes, heck, even a palm leaf.” My brother actually looks disgusted.

I shrug. “I couldn’t find a leaf thick enough.” I grab a kombucha from the fridge and twist the cap. Flo has made sure there is every flavor known to man stocked there. As much as I hated it when she first made me try it, it’s now grown on me. “I was really thirsty.” I take a few deep sips.

“Thirsty or horny?” My brother levels me with a mocking glare as Flo continues to hungrily survey me. My eyes travel down her body, stopping at the diamond peaks of her nipples poking through her thin shirt, a clear sign of her arousal.

“Just thirsty,” I reply, not taking my eyes off Flo. Luca turns away from me and breaks Flo’s stare.

“Lucky I told Sof we’ll meet her there.” Flo’s voice comes out all strangled and husky, like the same tone she used when I was inside her.

“I don’t know what this place is turning into, but I’m getting out of here before I get some sort of bodily fluid on me.” Luca stands and practically runs for the door. “Call me when you’re both clothed and ready to go,” he says, slamming the door behind him. The moment the door closes, Flo drops her hand and stares at me. Her steel gray eyes alight with a blazing inferno.

“Wanna tell me what that was all about?”

“I was thirsty,” I repeat the same excuse, taking a deliberate pull from the bottle.

“You never walk around the apartment without clothes on.”

I finish my kombucha and place the empty bottle on the bench. “I do so—in fact, yesterday, I had no shirt on for most of the day.”

Flo rolls her eyes in the most adorable little way. “Not like that, asshole.” But I don’t miss the way her tongue peeks out to lick her bottom lips.

“Have you changed your mind about staying in my room, lollipop? About being in my bed?”

She gives a little shake, lifting her chin. “Nice try, Venuccio, you definitely get points for enthusiasm.” Her eyes go straight to my dick—which rises to the occasion—before moving to my face. “But not enough to find me in your bed.” And with that, she goes to the front door. “I’ll be waiting at Luca’s when you’re ready.”

I grab a pair of leather loafers from my shoe rack. We’re going to a low-key charity event. It’s pretty tame compared to some of the other ones we attend, but it happens to be the one Deeter cares the most about. Ven Industries only brought a few seats, but lucky for us, Sav managed to make sure they were on the same table as Deeter Group. There’s a reason why she’s the best. I cross my apartment, swiping my keys and jacket, and open the door, before making my way to pick up Luca and Flo a few floors below. I messaged him to meet me at the car in five minutes or I’m leaving to pick up Nanai without them. He just responded back with the saluting emoji. Smartass.

“I went for red because you never know, I might meet some hot guy at this…” Nanai turns to Flo in the backseat of my Bentley SUV, showing her the lipstick she’s applying.

Flo raises her eyebrows. “Charity event?” she finishes for her grandmother. Gotta love the fact that, even at eighty-three, the woman is still on the prowl.

“Yes, I know that, but what’s it for? What if someone asks me how I feel about the new seahorse exhibition?”

“Umm, Nanai? I don’t think there’s a charity for that.” Luca twists in his seat to face Nanai and Flo in the back, and scrunches his face as Flo fixes the edges of Nanai’s lipstick because the arthritis in her fingers makes her grip on the lipstick tube slightly crooked.

“Don’t listen to Luca, Nanai. The men at this event are going to be tripping over their feet to sit next to you.” I peer at her through the rearview mirror, catching the small wink she sends me.

“That’s why you’re my favorite grandson-in-law.” I do a double take; did she really just say that?

“Hey, what about me?” Luca scoffs.

“You are my grandson, it always trumps grandson-in-law,” she tells him, and he snickers as I roll my eyes.

“Here, let me.” Flo takes the tube from Nanai and applies lipstick expertly in a moving vehicle. I bite my tongue, but my shoulders shake with the laughter I’m holding. Nanai is already practicing for when we “run into” Brian.

“It’s a charity for seeing eye dogs.” I snicker. I drive to the entrance, so Luca can help Nanai and Flo out before I park the car.

I spot a familiar face as I make my way to the entrance. “Hey, Sof.” I hug her and collect the ticket for my plate.

“Hey, Rome.” Her eyes sparkle when she spots me. “I saw Luca and Flo with Nanai, I was wondering if you were coming too.” Out of all my friends, I’m not surprised to see Sof here. Anything to do with animals, and Sof Faluccino is either a part of the board or among the biggest donors. It’s one of the things that makes her so special. Her philanthropic endeavors know no bounds.

“Please tell me you’re sitting with us?”

“Don’t worry, I had my seat switched after Flo told me.” She laughs. Having Sof sit at our table is a welcomed addition.

“I thought you were dating that woman with the purple hair,” Brian’s gruff voice comes from behind us, “or do you change women as frequently as you change watches?”

My muscles tense. Shit. Sof doesn’t know Flo is pretending to be my girlfriend. We haven’t exactly put it on blast with our friends yet.

I turn on my heel and offer him a tight smile. “Brian.” Standing next to him with her hand tucked into the crook of his arm is Nora.

“I’m definitely not the girlfriend. Flo would find it hilarious if she heard you say so. I’m just a friend of this big lug.” She offers Brian an easy smile as she lightly pats my forearm. Fuck. Flo must’ve briefed her, because the lie that rolls off her tongue is so effortless it’s got to be well practiced. Brian’s scowl remains in place as he slowly scans us before dismissing us completely and going into the event.

“Don’t worry, Flo’s already told me everything,” she whispers in my ear, confirming my suspicion.

“This is going to be so fun,” I mutter, shaking my head and following after them. My gut tells me this will be anything but fun.

“I know,” Sof whispers beside me and giggles. I spot Nanai and Luca speaking quietly to each other in a corner. I guess he was pointing out Brian and Nora, because the next thing I know, Nanai is approaching them. Her eyes focused on the man she plans to bring to his knees. She is a force. One I’m glad to be aligned with.

There is a reason why I tend to be selective with the charity events I attend. I find them boring as shit. Not that I’m not a big fan of everything they do—I donate as much as I can to multiple charities, I just find the spotlight at these events uncomfortable. Another speaker takes to the podium as a round of quiet applause sounds in the room. Today though, I’m loving the excuse it’s giving me to touch Flo. I drape my arm over the back of Flo’s chair, letting my fingers drag along the soft, exposed skin of her arm. All I want to do is run my lips across the delicate skin, to breathe her essence in. I drop my hand to her stocking-clad thigh. Fuck, Flo’s legs are stunning, and the soft black net of the stockings only enhances it. Having her next to me in a beautiful tight dress is changing my mind about coming to these things.

I push a strand of her light lilac hair off her shoulder, exposing the light column of her neck. Oh, and sitting across from Deeter, getting Ven Industries that much closer to taking over his company, is an added bonus. Flo throws her head back, the sun catching her high cheekbones as she laughs at something Sof just said. I can’t for the life of me tell you what, I’m too mesmerized by her. She tightens her hand in mine and sends me a stunning smile over her shoulder. I want to thread my fingers through her hair and smash my mouth to hers, showing everyone in the room she’s mine. I want to hear her scream my name again and she shudders beneath me. Flashes of our night together run through my head, and I adjust in the seat to give my pants more room. One night was never going to be enough. I need forever with her. I twist a lock of her hair around my finger, loving the color contrast of the strands around my finger. Florence Liu-Savino is an enchantress, and she has my soul locked in her dad’s medallion tied around her neck.

“I’m sorry, what was your name again?” Deeter pours a glass of water for Nanai.

“You can call me Cordelia.” She smiles sweetly at Brian, grabbing the glass and taking a sip. It wasn’t her birth name, but it is the English name she has adopted since moving to America.

“How long have Rome and Florence been together?” The coy way Deeter is questioning her has my guts twisting. He doesn’t believe us, that much is clear. We didn’t prep Nanai for this kind of questioning, and I’m starting to worry this might be our downfall.

Nanai’s gaze flits to us. “These two have pretty much been inseparable for years. I believe it’s called soul mates. It just took Rome a bit of time to make his move.” She cups her hand around her lips, and whispers loudly, “He’s shy.” Something inside me aches, wishing everything she is saying right now is true and not for show. It’s a whole new level of pain being close to the woman you love but having her not love you back the same way. Florence smiles and rests her head against my shoulder. The ache in my chest hurts a little less when she touches me. Without thinking I press a kiss to the top of her head.

“That’s very different from the womanizing figure he’s portrayed as in the media. Rumor has it he’s quite the ladies’ man.” Brian Deeter is a dog with a bone. Flo stiffens ever so slightly, it’s almost unnoticeable. Except I notice everything about Flo. Everything.

She’s never liked seeing things written about me or Luca on the gossip sites. She threatened to write a “sternly worded email” last time and threatened to send out cease and desist orders.

It was fucking adorable.

“I guess that teaches you not to believe everything you read then. It could cause a person to make uninformed and somewhat poor decisions.” She clinks her class with his raised one, toasting the fact she just owned his ass.

“Did I mention I love your Nanai?” I whisper into Flo’s head.

She tilts up her chin to find my eyes, a seductive smile on her delicious mouth.

“Told you she would have the man crying in the first ten minutes.”

I check my watch. Eight minutes exactly. Like clockwork. A smile splits my lips. The devil works hard, but he is Nanai’s bitch.

“Do you attend many charity events?” Nanai asks, her gaze flicking between Brian and Nora, who is being decidedly quiet.

“I only attend a handful, but anything to do with animals, I always make a priority, my late wife was very fond of animals,” Brian replies, shuffling in his seat, uncomfortable under the intensity of Nanai’s scrutiny. Well, maybe there is a redeeming quality to him.

“I’m glad to hear that, you can always tell the heart of a man by the amount of charity he does. My Rome does a lot of charity work,” she gushes.

I bite the inside of my cheek. My Rome? Jesus, she is laying it on thick. Flo must think so too; she picks up her wine glass in a poor attempt to hide her smile, her shoulders shaking just a little with unrestrained laughter.

“Nanai.” I cough into my palm. Apart from Ven Industries’ charity contributions, I do a lot of personal charity, but I prefer not to announce it.

“I don’t know if I should be jealous or not.”

“Of what?”

“That I am now going to have to fight my own grandmother for you.”

I lean down to whisper in her ear, “Lolli, you will never have to fight anyone for me because you already own me wholly.” Flo not so subtly uncrosses her leg only to recross them again, adjusting herself in the chair. Fuck, with each passing day I wish more and more that what’s between us isn’t just for show, and that she really is my girl, and I could kiss her not because Deeter is here but because I want to.

“Hey, Sof, did you see the puppies?” Flo asks, effortlessly changing the conversation.

Sof instantly straightens in her chair. “What where?”

Puppies? What the fuck is Flo talking about.

“Flo, there are no puppies—” Luca shakes his head but Flo butts in.

“Rome and I will show you.” She tightens her fingers in mine. I don’t need any more encouragement; I stand, following Flo’s lead, leaving Nanai and Brian to continue on with their pleasant chat. Well, Nanai is having a pleasant chat, Brian might be wishing he’d kept his mouth shut.

When we are a safe distance from the table, I drop my hand to her waist and pull her into me. “You might be more devious than your Nanai, you know that right.” I kiss her cheek as she lets out a lighthearted laugh.

“Yeah, well, where do you think I inherited my wit from?” She smiles up at me.

“Flo, the only puppy I see is my brother with the way he trails after you.” Luca rolls his eyes as he catches up to us.

“I’m going to let this one slide,” Sof replies, “because I don’t think I could spend another moment listening to Brian, but the next time you tell me there are puppies, I better find them, or else there will be hell to pay.”

“I did spot a bar, it’s not puppies, but it overlooks the golf course.” Luca shrugs his shoulders and points in its direction. “We could just wait there before going back in to save Brian.”

I snort. My brother’s choice of words is hilarious and well placed. By the time we return to the table, Nanai is going to have Brian questioning why he was even born.

“You guys go ahead, I just need to use the bathroom.” Flo is already making her way toward the doors. Luca and Sof make a beeline for the bar, almost racing each other to see who can reach the alcohol first, but I have other plans. I follow Flo making sure the bathroom is empty before closing the door and turning the lock in place.

“I believe you have the wrong bathroom.” Flo’s gray eyes ignite as she lifts her chin in a challenge.

“Definitely not.” I tuck my hands into my pants pocket.

“Then what are you doing in here?”

“This.” I wrap my arm around her waist and lift her off her feet, pulling her soft body into my chest. Pushing her back against the wall, I cage her in and crush my lips to hers. Flo’s legs instantly wrap around my waist. Her arms lock around the back of my neck as her mouth fuses to mine, and she grinds herself down on me. Blood thrums through my veins. As much as I want to take things further, I’m not going to fuck her in a bathroom. And until she admits she’s mine, this is the most we’ll ever do.

She pulls her lips away, her chest raising and falling. “Fucking best puppy auction ever.”

“You mean adoption,” I breathe against her neck, loving the way her skin pebbles underneath it.

“Yeah, that one.” She leans her head against the tiled wall. I tweak at her peaked nipple, watching how it beads through her dress.

“Just say the word, lolli, and I’ll have you screaming my name while your hot little pussy is wrapped around my cock.” She sucks in a sharp breath, her eyes going hooded. But then a devious little smirk takes over her face.

“Maybe, you just need to say the word and I’ll have you screaming my name.” She wiggles her hips right over my cock and I groan against her neck. “Just like that.”

She drops her legs from my hip and sneaks under my arm, adjusts her smudged lip gloss, and runs a hand through her hair, taming the strands I had my fingers in. “You might want to fix yourself up a little.” She winks. “Don’t forget we have another study session tonight.” She undoes the lock on the door and leaves me standing there in the ladies’ room with a raging hard-on.

Fuck.