Faster Dirtier (Take Me...#5) (A Team Ferrelli Novel) (12 page)

“I can tell he’s a great guy, Siena,” I reply softly. I
don’t know what else to say in light of her ringing endorsement:
Don’t worry, we’ve already got a
booty call scheduled for tomorrow?

“He really is,” she smiles. “You guys seem to have gotten
off to a rough start, but I think you’ll make a fantastic team. He’s just
intimidated by you, is all.”

“Enzo? Intimidated by me?” I laugh. “I highly doubt that.”

“OK. Maybe
impressed
is a better word,” she allows. “But from what he told me about the test drive
you took with him earlier this week, I can tell that he likes you. He wants you
here, Ace. He wants to be in your corner.”

Oh, he
wants is to be up in
all
my corners,
I think wickedly.

“But while he’s figuring out how awesome you are, let me
know if he gives you any trouble,” Siena goes on. “He can be a handful, but
he’s worth the effort.”

“Duly noted,” I tell her, a bemused smile spreading across
my face. If only Siena had any idea what was really going down between Enzo and
me. By the way she’s talking now, I wonder if she’d actually support us being
together? Better not test that theory right this second, I decide.

“Come on,” she says, looping her arm through mine. “Alfie has
some dessert with your name on it. Literally.”

I laugh as Siena tows me back inside to spend one more
evening with my newfound family before shipping off for the night of my life in
Rome. All through that night, I can’t keep my mind on anything but my fantasies
of Enzo. I find myself counting down the hours, the minutes, the seconds, like
a lovesick girl.

“Oh god,” I groan to myself, as I toss and turn in bed later
that night. “Don’t go dropping the ‘l word’ Ace.” If there’s one thing that
would actually cool off this thing with Enzo, I’m pretty sure it’s that. I’m
not ready to ruin whatever this is by slapping a label on it. Better to let
things unfold as they will, and just see what happens. It’s like Enzo
says—there’s no time to waste, when it comes to going after the things we want.

And right now, what I want is him.

Chapter Eleven

“Well hey stranger!” I say into my phone, “I was starting to
worry that you’d forgotten about me.”

“How could I forget about my favorite sister?” Alec says
over the line.

“I’m your only sister,” I point out.

“All the more reason for me to keep tabs on you,” I can hear
the smile in his voice. “Actually, I was just trying not to harsh your mellow
over there. Didn’t want to call and check up every three seconds.”

“I appreciate it,” I tell him, “This week has been crazy.”

“Good crazy?” he asks.

“Absolutely,” I confirm, glancing at the clock. It’s just
past seven in the evening. I was putting the finishing touches on my makeup
when Alec called out of the blue. I’m supposed to head into the city in just a
few minutes to meet Enzo. My stomach flips over at the slightest thought of it.

“Staying out of trouble?” he asks, as though reading my
thoughts.

“You know me,” I answer vaguely, adjusting the deep v
neckline of my little black dress.

“Tell all your Italian suitors that you have a very large,
very protective brother back in Brooklyn,” he instructs me. “That should do the
trick.”

“And what if I want one of them to stick around, huh? What
should I do then?”

“Reconsider,” he says flatly.

“You’re such a troll,” I laugh, guilt tugging at my
heartstrings ever-so-slightly. I’m sure Alec would have a conniption if he knew
what was going down between Enzo and I tonight. All the more reason not to tell
him. “But trolling aside, how are you?”

“Holding down the fort,” he replies, “Thinking of getting a
dog and letting it sleep in your bed while you’re gone.”

“Nice,” I say, rolling my eyes. “Well, if you
do
bring a dog home, just
make sure it’s house trained first.”

“I could say the same to you,” he teases. “Anyhow, don’t
want to talk your ear off. Just wanted to make sure you’re OK over there.”

“I’m OK. I’m great, actually,” I tell him honestly. “This is
more amazing than I ever could have imagined.”

“Your face is all over the internet, you know that right?”
he asks. “That video from the party, all these Facebook and Twitter posts. You
even have a fan club.”

“That seems a bit premature,” I remark, though I can’t say
I’m not pleased as punch to hear it.

“The world already loves you Ace,” he says, “I’m not at all
surprised. But just remember, no one’s ever gonna love you as much as I do.”

“Oh, I know that,” I smile. “But as much as I’m digging this
love fest, I actually have to get a move on...”

“Right, right,” Alec says, “I understand. You’re a celebrity
now. Don’t have time for your poor, sad sack brother...”

“I’ll give you a call this weekend and bore you with all the
details of my fancy new life,” I promise him. “Talk to you soon, OK? Love you,
Alec.”

“Love you too Ace,” he replies, and we both hang up.

I let out a big breath I didn’t realize I was holding as I
look myself over in the mirror. Even without the help of my personal hair and
makeup team, I think I clean up just fine. I’ve chosen my favorite black dress,
a short, simple piece that’s tight in all the right places. The only jewelry I
wear is a pair of vintage pearl earrings, and my hair is done in a loose up-do.
I smudge on some classic red lipstick and chic liquid eyeliner, slipping into a
pair of sleek black heels.

“Here goes nothing,” I whisper to myself.

With my heart in my throat, I grab my keys and sneak down to
my new car. I don’t want to field any questions as I head out, looking all
vamped up. I’ve packed a toothbrush and a change of clothes, feeling for the
world like I’m back in college with my one-night-stand bag. Only, the thing I’m
about to begin with Enzo doesn’t feel like an impending one-night-stand. Hell,
it couldn’t very well be, since we’ll be seeing each other every day. As I slip
into my car and take off toward the city, I promise myself that I’ll tell Enzo
how I feel by the end of the night. I’ll tell him that he intrigues me, that I
want to know everything about him, that he does the wildest things to me, even
from afar...

Or in middle school terms, I’ll tell him I
like him
like him.

The drive into Rome takes no time at all, and soon I’m
pulling up to the address that Enzo texted me earlier today. My mouth falls
open as I stare up at the hotel he’s booked for us. It’s a grand, towering
building, overlooking the bustling streets of Rome. A valet offers to park my
car as I step out into the piazza before the hotel. I realize all at once that
this is my first taste of the historic city. And what a taste it promises to
be. Squaring my shoulders, I make my way through the front doors of the
glamorous hotel.

I glance around the elegant lobby, looking for my “date”.
Enzo said that he’d be waiting for me when I got here, but I don’t see him
anywhere. That is, not until I cast my eyes over toward the hotel bar—a room
done up in dark, sleek wood and dim lighting. My entire body goes numb for a
second as I spot him at last, leaning his elbow on the long bar.

He’s wearing a navy blue sport coat and fine wool slacks,
cut to perfection as usual. His every muscle is highlighted by his attire, but
tonight it’s his face that arrests my attention. Where his expression is
usually mischievous, even arrogant, tonight it’s earnest. Straightforward. I
can tell just from looking at him that the Enzo I’m going to meet tonight is the
real deal—not the persona he adopts for the racetrack. I smile as I spot the
two martinis sitting before him on the bar. He even remembered my drink.

“Fancy meeting you here,” I say, stepping up next to him at
the bar.

His brooding eyes blaze as they snap my way. I can feel the
heat of his gaze as it moves up and down my body, lingering on my curves before
settling on my face. Enzo’s face breaks into a genuine smile as he wraps an arm
around my waist.

“You came,” he murmurs, laying a daring kiss on my neck.

“Of course,” I breathe, surprised and delighted by his
intimate touch. I glance around the bar, as if expecting to find a paparazzo
lingering in the corner.

“You can relax,” he tells me, “I made sure no one would find
us here. Besides, no one knows to hunt us down together, do they?”

“I suppose not,” I allow, pressing my body to his side. “I
see you have two drinks again. Mind if I have one this time around?”

“By all means,” he tells me.

We each take up a glass, clinking them together before
taking long, luxurious tastes. A perfect dirty martini. As if this night
couldn’t get any better.

I’m amazed by how comfortable it feels, being here with
Enzo. We make quick work of our drinks, stealing glances at each other over the
rims of our glasses I lean into his embrace as he keeps his arm wrapped firmly
around my waist. It feels like we’ve known each other for years, not days. But
then, we’ve certainly squeezed quite a bit of action into this first week,
haven’t we? And it’s only Friday night.

“You look incredible,” he tells me.

“You don’t look too shabby yourself,” I reply, running a
finger along his scruffy jaw. “I love some stubble on a man.”

“And I love a dirty mouth on a woman,” he murmurs, letting
his hand skirt down over the rise of my ass. “Those texts of yours gave me
plenty to think about this week, Ace.”

“Yeah?” I ask, taking a long swig of my drink. “Well,
thinking is nice and all. But right now, I don’t think it’s the thought that
counts.”

“Actions speak louder than words, huh?” Enzo grins, pulling me
onto his lap right there at the bar. “Well, I promise you—my actions will have
you
screaming
louder
than you ever have before the night is out.”

“If I may borrow a phrase from you,” I whisper, “Prove it.”

Without another word, Enzo plants me lightly on my feet and
waves down the bartender. “Send two more of these up to room 503,” he orders.
“We’ll be waiting.”

Enzo’s fingers lace through mine, and all at once he’s
leading me to the golden elevators on the other side of the lobby. I was too
nervous to eat dinner, so the first martini is already hitting me harder than
it might otherwise. Between the buzz and the anticipation of being alone with
Enzo, I feel like I’m walking on air.

We slip into the elevator car, and the doors whisper shut
behind us. In the very instant it occurs to me that we’re truly alone at last,
my back hits the wall of the car, Enzo’s body pinning me in place. He kisses my
neck deeply as my head falls back, a low moan rising in my throat. His hands
run down my sides, slipping down over the firm rise of my ass. I gasp as he
hikes my dress up from behind, sliding his hands over my bare ass. His fingers
dig into me as pulls my body to his, letting me feel the hard rise between his
legs.

“Is that all for me?” I grin, laying my hands on that
incredible length.

“You know it is,” he says, running his hands up along my
back.

“Good,” I murmur, “I can’t wait to take every inch of it.”

The elevator dings as a groan escapes his lips. I’m
surprised he doesn’t just sling me over his shoulder and carry me to the room,
he’s so turned on. Instead, we make a game out of acting composed as we traipse
down the hallway, not even holding hands. I lean casually against the wall as
he unlocks the door to room 503. I stride across the threshold, but stop short as
I take in the space that opens before me. I have about two seconds to gaze upon
the high-ceilinged, elegant interior, the hardwood floors and deep red walls,
before Enzo scoops me up into his strong arms.

I feel myself spinning in the air as he whips me around to
face him. Locking my ankles around his tapered hips, I bring my mouth to his in
a hard, searing kiss. I kick off my heels as Enzo steps out of his loafers and
dress socks. When the socks come off, it can only mean one thing. In three long
strides, he carries me across the room, laying me out on the dark crimson bedspread.
He kneels over me, every cell in his body straining with want of me. I let my
knees inch open as he comes closer, and closer—

Until a sharp knock rings out from the door, and a voice
calls, “Room service!”

We laugh, both having totally forgotten about our second
round of drinks. Enzo hurries to answer the door and receive our two martinis
as I tuck my legs beneath me on the sprawling king sized bed. He sits down
beside me and hands me the drink.

“We just can’t seem to catch a break, can we?” he laughs
gruffly, his erection still throbbing beneath his slacks.

“Well, what do you expect from a forbidden affair?” I ask
theatrically, doing my best old Hollywood starlet impression.

“I never expected any of this,” he says seriously, sipping
his drink as he runs a finger down my bare arm. “I never expected you. When I
saw you at the party that first night...It was like there was something in you
that I recognized. In that whole sea of happy shiny faces, it’s like yours was
the only honest one. You stood out like a beacon. You still do.”

“Until all this fame ruins me anyway, right?” I ask, sidling
closer to him.

“Nothing could ever ruin you. Not for me,” he says, his
voice riding low in his chest. “I hardly even know you yet, Ainsley. But I’ve
been living on the very edge of death long enough to know a thing or two about
living. And you, Ace, are truly alive.”

“That’s funny,” I whisper, “Because it feels like this is
the first night of my life.”

Keeping my eyes trained on his, I settle onto my knees
before him. I take a deep swig of my martini, then dip the tip of my finger
into the glass. I bring my fingertip to my chest, letting a drop spill down
between my breasts. Enzo’s eyes are on fire with lustful amazement as I lick
the gin off my finger.

“You still thirsty?” I grin.

Without a word, Enzo snatches up our drinks and sets them
aside. Burying a strong hand in my hair, he tugs my head back, exposing my neck
and chest to him. Keeping his eyes on mine, he wraps an arm around the small of
my back and brings his mouth to my chest. His tongue runs along the space
between my small but firm breasts, lapping up the drop of booze. A great
shudder runs through me as he licks along my skin, and a smile breaks out over
his face.