“Nothing. Come on, let’s see what’s going on upstairs.”
My mind is still stuck on his unfinished sentence as we walk upstairs. He was staring at me with such intensity that it seemed like something important. Damn it.
We get to the kitchen, and the guys are standing next to the island, clearly waiting for us.
Ash points at the box in front of him. “Gemma, I forgot to give this to you earlier. Luna sent it for you.”
“Really?” Warmth settles in my stomach at my new friend’s kindness.
“Yup.” He holds it out to me.
I grab it from him, surprised at how light it is.
Ash winks at me. “She said you should open it when you’re by yourself.”
Heat rushes through my body like a raging wildfire. Damn that woman and her big mouth. I bet she rubbed her hands together like an evil witch at the thought of having Ash tell me this, hoping I’d get embarrassed.
“Well, I better go then. Thanks for everything, Ash.” Without glancing at any of them, I turn around and head upstairs as fast as I can.
After closing the bedroom door behind me, I sit on the bed and open the box. I take out the three books that are on top and feast my eyes on them. Witches and vampires. Very nice. Can’t wait to get started on those once I’m finished with the others. I put them on the duvet and see what else is inside. The only thing left is something in nondescript wrapping paper.
I take it out, undo one of the corners, and slide my finger under the edge to open it. The paper slips off easily, revealing a white-and-blue box. A personal massager, the same one I have at home, hidden way back in the bottom of my closet, just in case anyone ever snoops around.
Licking my lips, I shake my head at the heat that rushes back through my body. I should have known what was inside the moment Ash told me to open it by myself. Luna Lunatic strikes again. I swear that woman has no boundaries.
What was she thinking sending me a sex toy? She probably sent it as a joke to make me squirm, because when on earth would I even use it, especially now that Matteo is sharing my bed.
Speak of the devil, Matteo enters the room following a quick knock and a half-second wait. Because that would be so incredibly helpful if I was in the middle of changing or other . . . uh, things. My fingers are lightning fast, and I grab the massager and push it behind me under the pillow. The last thing I need is for Matteo to know about this sex toy. He’d probably tell me we should use it together just to mess with me.
Giving me a quick once-over, he averts his gaze to the bed. “Did Luna send you more books?”
I clear my throat and nod. “She did.”
Good thing that wasn’t a lie. I’m not the best at hiding my feelings, especially once any kind of connection is established with a person. My mamma used to say that I wear my emotions on my face and that it was one of her favorite things about me. As I grew older, especially after she died, I learned she was one of the only ones who believed it was a good thing. My dad, in particular, wanted me to hide my emotions and thoughts, arguing that people like us die if others can read us like an open book.
Since I couldn’t just flip a switch and undo something I’ve done my entire life at that point, he decided hiding me was the best option, as he didn’t have my mom to keep me “in check” anymore, and I was too old for a “babysitter.” Just another reason to reinforce my belief that he never deserved my mamma. To this day, I don’t understand what she saw in him. When I asked her once, she said he wasn’t always like this, but she never explained further.
Noise from the bathroom jolts me out of my thoughts. Yikes. I need to stop zoning out so much.
Maybe a little nap will help. There really isn’t much a nap can’t cure. Closing my eyes, I let myself fall back on the bed, only to have the vibrator poke me in the back. Damn you, Luna. But also, thank you, Luna. I admit that yes, it’s been way too long without my toys, and I could really use an influx of endorphins.
Whereas I’m not sure I’ll be able to do anything with Matteo here, it’s nice to have just in case.
Mumbling comes from the bathroom. What is Matteo doing?
I turn toward the door, and I notice he left it slightly open.
I hear that same noise again, but this time it’s accompanied by other sounds.
Curiosity gets the better of me, and once the box is put away, I tiptoe to the small opening in the door. It’s just enough for me to see inside the space, specifically the shower, and holy shitballs, my breath catches in my throat.
Matteo’s standing in the shower under the spray with the water cascading down his muscular back and butt. His body resembles that of a Greek god: a narrow waist, defined leg muscles, broad shoulders, and well-developed arm muscles. His tattoos only accentuate his perfect physique, truly making him a sight to behold.
With his head leaning against the wall, and his left hand propped against the tiles, my attention shifts to his right hand because it’s busy, and so damn full.
Full of his incredibly large erection. My eyes widen, and I swallow. Having a vibrator or even a dildo is one thing, but seeing a cock in real life, it’s drastically different. Ally tried to show me some porn once since she thought it would be fun, but after two minutes of it, I was done.
If it had been something like this, I would have popped some popcorn and stayed for the show.