The Slayer (Untamed Hearts #2)(145)

Alaine stirred, blinking up at him. Her eyes were heavy-lidded and bloodshot. “You okay?”

He nodded and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Yeah. Just gonna go get some coffee.”

“Mmm.” She snuggled into the covers, her eyes closing once more as she rolled onto her side and went back to sleep.

She had gotten up sometime early in the evening, showing up in the kitchen wearing a pair of shorts and a blue blouse Chuito knew belonged to his mother. Her hair was mussed, her eyes had been bloodshot and still puffy, but she was calmer and looking for food like Chuito had been.

Then the two of them danced for most of the night, because it was their engagement party and the least they could do was enjoy it.

They’d partied their asses off like they weren’t sure about tomorrow.

He watched her for a few more minutes, unable to sort through the rush of feelings. It was probably a good thing the bud was still muting everything a little. He needed more time to get his thoughts together.

Chuito rolled out of bed and found his jeans, because they’d f*cked again when they finally crashed back into bed. He forwent underwear in the name of caffeine. He was still pulling up the zipper when he walked out the door, but paused when another door opened.

He looked down the hallway, seeing Nova bare-chested and barefoot, buttoning his jeans like Chuito was. His black hair stood up at odd angles; his eyes were bloodshot, but Nova still mumbled, “Buenos días.”

Chuito just gaped at him, the bud and lack of caffeine making anything other than shock impossible. “Buenos días,” he repeated sarcastically. “Have fun last night?”

“Sí.” Nova didn’t even have the good grace to be apologetic about it. He just walked past Chuito and held up a hand when he saw his glare. “Save it. I need coffee first.”

Chuito needed it too.

So badly.

He followed Nova to the kitchen but paused when he got to the living room. Tino was sprawled out on the floor next to the couch, with Junior’s sister sleeping over him, using him like a big Italian pillow. Her friend was on the couch next to them. Her arm hung over the side, her fingers in Tino’s hair as if she couldn’t resist touching him even in sleep.

“I guess chivalry’s not dead after all,” Nova deadpanned as he looked at his brother sleeping on the floor.

“How do you figure?” Chuito gave Nova an incredulous look. “I feel like we’ve just been pillaged by Italian pirates.”

Nova didn’t bother to deny it as he walked to the kitchen. Chuito’s mother had one of those one-cup coffeemaking systems, and Nova made himself at home as he set to work on the quest for caffeine. He dug creamer out of the fridge, even though Chuito knew Nova drank his coffee black.

Nova turned to Chuito expectantly, and Chuito shook his head in response. “Do not ask me how my mother takes her coffee.”

“Fine, I’ll wing it.” Nova kept the first cup for himself and started drinking it as he made the second cup. “On a scale from one to ten, what level of freak-out am I dealing with? In my defense I need to point out that I did smoke more than I should last night, and your mother is easily the hottest Latina I’ve ever met in my life. Those are deciding factors.”

“You f*cked my mother.” Chuito held out a hand to the coffeemaker as evidence. “You are so lucky I’m still half-blitzed.”

“Right?” Nova laughed and then took another sip of his coffee. “I dunno where your mother got that shit, but it f*cked my ass up.”

“You f*cked my mother,” Chuito repeated slowly.

“But it was just one time.” Nova blinked at Chuito lazily, betraying the aftereffects of the bud. “That doesn’t count.”

“It counts,” Chuito assured him. “What is it with you Italians? It f*cking counts.”

“One time is like shaking hands.”

“No, it’s not. Sticking your dick in someone is not the same as shaking hands.”

“Friends f*ck one time,” Nova explained as if it made perfect sense. “It’s not a relationship. It’s a moment. It doesn’t count.”

“You don’t forget things,” Chuito reminded him. “My mother is in your brain forever.”

Nova gave him a wide smile against the rim of the coffee cup. “Yes, she is.”

Chuito shook his head at that. “No.”

“You know how sometimes you meet a genuinely beautiful, sensual woman, and you think she’s gonna be amazing in bed, but it just doesn’t work out. It was all smoke and mirrors.” Nova’s smile grew broader, more devious. “This was not one of those times. I need to start seeing older women.”

“Carajo.” Chuito looked away in disgust.

“I should do Miami a favor and buy your mother a Ferrari. A woman like that is made to drive a highline, Italian vehicle.” Nova turned to walk out of the kitchen with two cups of coffee in hand. “And it’s the least I can do. I just found out my grandfather wants to ice me, but I have zero stress this morning. That shit never happens.”

“Buy me a f*cking Ferrari!” Chuito shouted at him. “I’m the one who has to look at you and know about this shit!”

Nova raised one of the cups in response.

“Fucking Italians.”