Four Week Fiance (Four Week Fiance #1)(21)

“Uh huh,” I said and looked on the ground for my phone. “Nonno,” I said as I grabbed the phone up, “are you still there?”

“Mila!” He sounded stern. “You scared me. What is going on? Should I come up and—”

“No, Nonno,” I said, feeling guilty. “It was TJ. He snuck up behind me.”

“Your TJ.” He sounded happy.

“Nonno, you know that isn’t true,” I said, making sure I didn’t say anything that would make TJ suspicious. “I’ll call you later, okay?”

“Yes,” he said softly. “See? You are not alone, Mila. Not now. Not ever. You’ll always have TJ.”

“I wish.” I sighed and hung up the phone and then jumped as I saw TJ in front of me. “How are you so stealthy?” I groaned. “I didn’t even see you walking towards me.”

“You were too busy on the phone,” he said, his eyes peering down at me. His skin seemed to radiate warmth in the moonlight and I longed to reach up, grab his hair and pull him down to kiss me.

“Yeah, I was.”

“Who were you talking to?” he asked, his tone slightly rough. “Troy?”


“No, I was talking to Nonno,” I said and tried not to roll my eyes as he brought up Troy. I wished I’d never mentioned him now. It seemed to me that he wasn’t going to let it go. I wasn’t sure what I was going to say about ‘the breakup’ that wouldn’t make me look like a loser or a liar.

“Good,” he said softly and then was quiet. We stood there standing next to each other and were quiet as we stared out at the lake. It was eerily quiet now and I tried to concentrate on the reflection of the moon in the water instead of the feel of TJ’s arm as it rubbed against me gently.

“What are you thinking?” he said softly after a few minutes and I looked over at him. His eyes were bright and curious, and I wondered what he was thinking as we stood there together.

“How strong you look,” I said stupidly as I stared at his muscles.

“Thanks for the compliment.” He grinned. “That’s a first.”

“And a last.” I laughed.

“Do you know why I’m strong, Mila?”

“No?” I shook my head, not sure where he was going.

“I’m strong so I can carry my lady from my car to the bed. I’m strong so that I can protect her when she’s scared, keep her warm when she’s cold, love her when she’s sad, and f*ck her when she’s horny.” He grinned at my gasp and then flexed his bicep muscles at me. “These guns are about more than looks, Mila. These muscles are to keep my woman happy. These muscles are so I can hold her up when her legs are wrapped around me and her back’s against the wall. These muscles are to keep her up when I’m sliding into her with such force that she doesn’t think she can stay upright by herself anymore.”

“You’re gross,” I said, my face flushing at his words. All I could think about was what it would feel like to have him pushing me back against the wall and touching me, sliding into me. Ugh, I didn’t want to have these feelings.

“You don’t really think that,” he said with a self-assured grin.

“Yes, I do.”

“No, you don’t,” he said and he lightly touched the side of my face. My skin tingled under his fingertips and all I could think was, “Oh shit, what does he know?”

“I do,” I squeaked out and he laughed, a long lazy laugh, his eyes boring into mine with amusement.

“You know how I know you don’t think that?” he asked softly and leaned forward, his lips close to mine as he continued gazing at me.

“How?” I said and I swallowed hard as I felt his breath against me. If I leaned forward, even an inch, we would be kissing. OMG, I could be kissing TJ Walker if I wanted to. My heart was about to jump out of my chest as my brain screamed at me.

“Mila?” I heard Sally’s voice calling out into the midnight air and I wanted to groan. Why did she have to choose now to come looking for me?

“I’m here,” I shouted back, though my mind was racing in confusion. Was TJ flirting with me? And if he was, why? What about Barbie? Why weren’t they back in his bedroom, f*cking each other’s brains out? Not that I was complaining, of course. The last thing I wanted was for them to be all over each other.

“What are you doing?” She walked towards TJ and me, and I saw her eyes widen as she took us both in. “I was worried about you when I woke up and saw that your bed was empty.”

“I just came out to speak to Nonno on the phone and TJ happened upon me,” I explained before she jumped to conclusions and said something stupid like, “I’m glad your seduction plan worked already, Mila.”

“He happened upon you?” Sally asked, grinning as she yawned. “What’s that? Old English or something?”

“Sally, are you sleepwalking?” I asked her, starting to feel a panic in my bones. Oh, God, what was Sally going to let slip?

“No.” She moved closer to me. “I woke up and I noticed you weren’t there, so I came out to make sure you were okay and not moping.”

“I’m fine.” I gulped.

“Why would Mila be moping?” TJ decided to join the conversation.