Hot and Heavy, page 9
Aldo brightened up. “I didn’t know you were a nurse. No wonder I keep thinking you’re a kindred spirit. I’m an EMT. In addition to fighting fires—which women find very sexy,” he directed that comment at his brother, “I answer rescue calls as well. Did you work in a hospital in Springfield?”
She shook her head. “No, um, uh, a nursing home,” she lied, trying to mitigate the damage she’d done. Unable to look them in the eye, she glanced down at her plate, hoping that she’d gotten away with her fib.
She was going to have to break away from Kayden and Aldo soon or get a hell of a lot better at lying. Because when she finally looked up, she could see from the matching frowns on their faces that they didn’t believe her.
“What do you do for a living?” she asked Liza, in an attempt to turn the attention away from her.
“I’m the Executive Director of the Philadelphia Initiative.” Liza went on to describe her job, which sounded interesting, then she wound up launching into some story about a man from her work, Matt, who drove her crazy.
“Great job, Hazel,” Aldo teased, tugging on her ponytail. “You managed to ring the bell on Liza’s Matt Russo bitching.”
She grinned because Liza was still going strong—she really didn’t like Matt—flat-out ignoring her brother’s joke.
“Um, sorry?” Hazel murmured, suddenly wishing Aldo would pull her hair for real.
What the hell was wrong with her tonight? It was as if she’d escaped Boston as one woman and arrived in Philadelphia as someone very different.
Or…more likely…it was Kayden and Aldo. They were unlike every other man she’d ever met. And there was something about them that had her wanting to throw caution completely to the wind.
Which she couldn’t do.
The rest of the evening passed far too quickly, despite everyone ordering at least two more rounds as Hazel listened to them tell stories about their jobs, their more interesting relatives, and the fun times they’d shared. She’d never been around such a loud, close-knit group of people before. There didn’t appear to be an asshole in the bunch. The dinner was a much-needed distraction from all the shit that had gone down the past couple of days.
However, now that it was winding down, and people were standing up, preparing to leave, her anxiety reappeared.
This time, it felt even worse. Because as she watched Liza and Luca say their goodbyes—Luca and Gio fist-bumping, Liza giving Elio, who was returning to Baltimore tomorrow, a big hug and kiss on the cheek—loneliness was now lingering with the stress as she longed for a group of friends like this. It was part of why it had been so easy for her to run from Boston. There’d been no one in that city to run to.
Keeley, Gio, and Rafe rose next.
“You want to ride with us, Hazel?” Keeley offered.
Since she had no car, she was about to accept the offer, but Kayden stepped next to her. “Aldo and I will drive her, help her get settled.”
Hazel could see Keeley’s confusion—especially since it would be out of their way—but she brushed it off, shrugged, put on her coat, then told Hazel she’d see her at the inn.
Elio and Gianna were the last to say goodbye, Gianna saying she’d see Hazel in the morning and promising to bring some clothes, as well as some of her extra makeup for her to use until she replaced her own. Hazel saw the woman’s eyes drop briefly to her bruised cheek and she resisted the urge to raise her hand to cover it.
Flushing, Hazel thanked her, and then it was just the three of them.
Aldo helped her back into his oversized coat, then slung his arm around her shoulders. “We really threw you into the fire with that dinner, didn’t we? I didn’t really think about it because Kayden and I are used to the craziness attached to our group of friends. We should have warned you.”
“They’re amazing, and everyone is so nice. I had a good time,” she reassured him. “It’s just…”
“Just?” Kayden prodded.
“I feel bad about staying at the inn. It’s not even open yet, and it wouldn’t be right for me not to pay.”
Kayden tilted his head. “The inn is the only place I’d be comfortable letting you stay on your own.” He didn’t add “with your lack of funds,” but she could hear it just the same, and she started to suspect setting her up at the inn was one of their reasons for dragging her along to dinner.
Aldo guided her toward the exit, his arm still wrapped securely around her. She wasn’t used to being touched so much. And while their touches were innocent—hand-holding, a gentle hand on her back, playfully tugging her hair—they still managed to pack a punch, lighting up her libido like fireworks on the Fourth of July.
Aldo stopped when they reached the truck. “They wouldn’t have offered if it was a problem, and when you see the size of their haunted mansion, you’ll understand. You could walk around that place for days without ever running into another person.”
He unlocked the truck with his fob, walking to the driver’s side, while Kayden opened the passenger door for her.
“I’ll sit in the back this time,” she said.
Now, as before, her offer was wasted breath.
“Nope. I want you to have the heated seat.” Kayden already had her lifted into the cab by the time he finished talking. Once again, he pulled the seat belt over her, latching it, and this time she let him without resistance.
“Thank you,” she said, when he pulled away.
Kayden grinned, then gave her a quick, platonic kiss on the cheek. “Progress.”
She narrowed her eyes, and he laughed. Then he bopped her on the nose with the tip of his finger playfully.
The ride to the inn was a quiet one, though the silence wasn’t awkward. Aldo found a classic rock station and was humming along to “Stairway to Heaven.”
As they pulled up to the inn, Hazel’s eyes widened. “Holy shit. One person lived here? Alone?”
Keeley had explained during dinner that Rafe inherited the mansion from his grandpa Albert, who had lived alone in the place for decades after his beloved wife, Marta, passed away. And while they’d constantly referred to the home as a haunted mansion, it still hadn’t prepared Hazel for the sheer size of the place.
“See why they’re turning it into an inn instead of living here?” Kayden asked. “It’s too big for three people.”
The building was an absolutely beautiful, huge, three-story Colonial-style mansion with a wraparound porch, giant pillars, and large windows.
“I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Aldo parked right in front of the inn, which had a circular driveway, before turning the truck off.
“You guys don’t have to come in,” she said as she opened her door. For a big guy, Kayden moved fast. The second she turned to climb down, he was there, ready to help. She liked the feeling of his hands on her waist. And his strength.
She liked it a little too much.
A girl could get used to this.
Stop, Hazel.
She needed to get her head in the game. In the course of one dinner, she’d come to realize Kayden and Aldo—like their friends—were genuinely nice people. They’d seen her as the epitome of a damsel in distress, and they’d stepped forward to help.
That was all this was.
Because she didn’t belong in the world of people like the Morettis and the Gallos.
They were good-hearted, kind, and she… Well, she was the daughter of a bank robber, a cop killer—and she was possibly wanted by the Boston police for robbery. She was on the run, for God’s sake, so flirting with a cop would make her literally the dumbest person on the planet.
She needed to distance herself from the whole group because nothing good could come of being here. At some point, she’d fuck up, say the wrong thing, and that would be it. She’d be back out on her ass again. Or even worse, in a jail cell.
“We’re coming in.” Aldo reached for her hand.
She hesitated, something he noticed, given his frown, and that strange feeling of wanting to please him had her reaching out to take his hand before she could reconsider. She did a mental headshake at how she kept doing the exact opposite of what was smart.
They walked up the front steps as Keeley opened the huge door, smiling widely.
“Come on in.” She stepped aside so the three of them could walk in. The front foyer was wide and impressive, the first indication—since there was no sign outside yet—that this wasn’t a house but an inn. They’d put in a long counter that would serve as their front desk, though it looked more like the kind of bar you’d find in a pub rather than the utilitarian-style found in hotels. It was dark oak and ornate rather than pressed wood and laminate.
“What do you think?” Keeley asked.
“It’s incredible,” Hazel said. “I’m blown away.”
Keeley gave an excited squeal, then linked her arm through Hazel’s like they were new best friends, guiding her around the main floor, while Aldo and Kayden followed. She showed Hazel the kitchen—blowing her mind when Keeley told her to help herself to anything—the dining room, the main living room space that was serving now as a social area for guests, and the “business center,” which Keeley confided used to be Rafe’s office.
Then they all headed up the wide staircase, stopping at the first landing.
Keeley pointed down one long hallway. “Gio, Rafe, and I live in the left wing on the second floor, and your room is in the right wing. It’s perfect because you’ll have your privacy, but you won’t be too far away if you need to find us for something.”
“This is all too kind.” Hazel was overwhelmed by the sheer generosity of what Keeley was offering. “You really do need to let me…pay you.”
Hazel had a credit card. She’d only used it once at Crossings. She’d applied for it as an emergency backup plan because there had been a few times in the past when she’d worried about being able to keep the heat on in their apartment. She’d bitten the bullet and gotten the card to use as a last resort.
If Keeley agreed to take her money, Hazel would use it to pay her. It was the only way she could afford to. Then she’d have to figure out how to pay that bill later. She was suddenly becoming an expert at robbing Peter to pay Paul, making all of today’s problems tomorrow’s issue.
“You’re not giving me a penny. I’m glad to have you here. I’m always outnumbered in this house, but with you staying here, and Gianna working during the day, the guys are now the minority.”
“Shit.”
Hazel turned around, realizing Gio and Rafe, who were just joining them, had overheard.
“We didn’t consider that, did we, Gio?” Rafe asked.
Gio grinned. “That’s okay. Just means Aldo and Kayden need to start spending more time here. To shift the tide back in our direction.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Aldo said.
“Okay,” Keeley said, as she started toward her own bedroom. “Aldo, Kay, you guys have gotten the grand tour of this place enough to know the lay of the land. Take Hazel to room three, while I pop over to my room to grab her a pair of pajamas. Rafe, do you mind running back down and grabbing one of those complimentary toothbrush/toothpaste bags we put together for guests who forget theirs? I neglected to get it while we were down there.”
“No problem.” Rafe headed down the stairs, Gio following him, to grab some bottled water for her as well.
Kayden gestured down the hall, opposite from the direction Keeley went. “Come on. We’ll show you the room.”
The door to room three was unlocked, so Aldo opened it, the three of them stepping inside.
Hazel stood speechless for a few minutes, trying to take it all in.
Kayden talked as he guided her through the small sitting area to the larger bedroom with en suite bathroom. “They combined several of the bedrooms on this floor to create a bank of luxury suites. The third floor has the more traditional hotel rooms—just a bedroom and bathroom.”
They’d given her a suite. God, she could fit most of her apartment back home in this room.
“It’s too much,” she said again, mostly to herself.
“You keep saying that,” Aldo countered. “It’s just a room in a house that’s not currently being used. Keeley, Gio, and Rafe are happy to let you stay here.”
“It’s just…no one has ever…” Hazel shut up fast. She was saying too much, revealing too much. Between driving through the night, the fire, the beer, and the honest-to-God feeling of being overly full—something she wasn’t used to—she was forgetting to shield her words.
Keeley returned before Aldo and Kayden could question her, handing her the pajamas as well as the toothbrush and toothpaste. “There’s soap, shampoo, conditioner, and all that jazz in the bathroom if you want to take a shower. I think I’m going to call it a night, unless you need anything else, Hazel.”
She shook her head. “I don’t. This is all perfect. I can’t thank you enough, Keeley.”
Keeley waved her thanks away as if it was unnecessary, then she lifted on tiptoe to kiss Kayden on the cheek. “Good night. Gio and Rafe—the night owls—are downstairs, watching TV. They’ll lock up after you guys leave.”
“Night, sis.”
Keeley left, and once again she was alone with Kayden and Aldo. It occurred to her belatedly that the three of them were standing in a bedroom.
“You sure you’re okay?” Aldo asked.
She nodded. “I’m good. Really good. I…thank you. For dinner and this.” She lifted her arms. “For everything.”
“We’ll come back tomorrow and check on you,” Kayden said.
As nice as that sounded, Hazel knew it was time to end things before she said or did something stupid. “No. That’s okay. I can figure things out from here.”
Kayden didn’t accept that response. “I’m sure you can, but that’s not why we’re coming back.”
“Then why?”
“Because we want to see you again,” Kayden replied.
“Why?” she repeated.
Aldo laughed. “You ask more questions than a toddler.”
She waited for him to elaborate, or to at least answer her, but he didn’t.
Before she could push the issue, Kayden stepped closer, leaned forward, and gave her a soft kiss, right on the lips. She might have been able to convince herself it was just a friendly buss if he hadn’t lingered a few seconds too long.
And she didn’t have a chance to recover after he pulled away because Aldo was there, giving her the same gentle, too-long-for-friends kiss.
“Good night, Hazel,” Aldo said when they parted.
“Good night,” she echoed, her head spinning.
“We’ll see you tomorrow.” Kayden made it clear the subject was not open for discussion, in that voice that was to blame for the reason she’d spent the entire evening sitting in damp panties.
“Sweet dreams,” Aldo said, as the two of them left, shutting the door behind them.
Yeah. There wasn’t going to be a damn thing sweet about her dirty, dirty dreams.
She couldn’t wait to fall asleep.
Chapter Eight
Aldo was whistling as he walked up the sidewalk to Kayden’s front door.
Freaking whistling.
He’d woken up with a huge smile on his face. And a huge something else, which he’d taken care of in the shower, the image of Hazel’s flushed cheeks as he and Kayden kissed her good night, helping to bring him to completion in record time.
Kayden must have seen him coming because he was standing in the open doorway, rolling his eyes as he spotted Aldo’s shit-eating grin.
Not that Kayden had a leg to stand on. The guy looked almost giddy, which was a far cry from his typical too-serious expression.
Aldo walked right up to him, cupped his face in his hands, and gave him a big kiss on the mouth. He’d intended for it to be a quick one, more hello and happiness than sexual, but when Kayden gripped his hips and smashed their crotches together, it took on a life of its own for a minute or two.
“Sleep well?” Kayden asked when they separated, stepping aside as Aldo walked into the house, the two making their way to the kitchen and the coffeepot. Aldo had spent as much time in Kayden’s house as he had in his apartment over the past decade. Aldo had a key, clothes in the closet, beer in the fridge, and toiletries in the bathroom.
“Like a baby.” Aldo grabbed a mug from the cabinet. Kayden already had a cup poured, so he took a seat at the small kitchen table. Aldo added some cream to his coffee, then joined him.
“What’s today’s plan?” Kayden asked, as Aldo sat down, kicking back in the chair, his legs stretched out in front of him, crossed at the ankles.
They both had the day off. Thank God. Because there was no way in hell Aldo would have been able to concentrate on his job today. He was too anxious to get back to Hazel.
“Thought we were heading over to the inn to check on our girl.”
Kayden shook his head. “Our girl, huh? You think she would agree with that assessment?”
Aldo took a sip of his coffee. “Probably not, but that doesn’t change the facts. Regardless, we should come up with a game plan.”
Kayden ran a hand through his hair, a sign he had something heavy on his mind.
Aldo wasn’t surprised by Kayden’s hesitance. His best friend was the kind of guy who thought before he acted. And then he thought twelve times more.
“So we’re going straight to game plan? Doesn’t this feel like something we should have a conversation about?”
Aldo leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table. “We’ve spent years looking for what we want, Kay. We’ve discussed our hopes and dreams for the future a thousand times, and we know we both want the same damn thing. We’ve put the effort into making those dreams come true by doing a fuck-ton of dating and fuck-ton of fucking. I know the type of woman you’re attracted to as well as I know my own. Do you really think we need to discuss whether or not Hazel is someone we want to pursue?”
Kayden sighed, then shook his head. “No. We don’t need to talk about that part. Because you’re right. We know what we want. But that’s not what I’m concerned about.”
