Page 66 of Knotting Hill
“Storm. I know this is rude, but can I come up? I need to talk to you.”
Confusion hits me. “What about?”
“It’s personal.”
He peers into the camera guilelessly. He doesn’t look like a psycho predator, but there again, I know his rep.
“I don’t want to have sex with you, Franco,” I state clearly.
He snickers. “No, I get that. But this isn’t about that.” His face turns serious, his usual sexy smile not in sight.
I chew the inside of my lip and then shrug. I push the button to let him in and then open the front door to wait for him. I stand sentry, arms folded as he runs up the stairs, not in a rush, butin that manly way, that is decisive and proves they’re in great shape. I cast an eye over his hot bod, and groan inwardly.
I’m weak.
“What is it?” I ask to deflect.
He smiles. “Can I come in?”
I shake my head. “Not until I’m convinced you aren’t here to accost me.”
“If you really thought that, you wouldn’t have let me up.”
Okay, well, he has me there. I don’t need to worry about him. He seems like a lost little puppy.
“Fine, come in, say what you need to and then leave.”
“Got it.”
I step back and shut the door, following him to the sofa where he seats himself and sits forward, elbows on his knees.
I sit on the armchair and pull my legs up, curling up as I wait. He has gone nervous, and that is rather interesting.
“Wine?” I ask eventually, indicating the open bottle of Rosé on the table.
“Yes, thank you.”
I get up to fetch another glass and pour some wine into it. I slide the glass over the coffee table to him and curl back into my chair.
“Please know that I’m desperate, or I wouldn’t have come here.”
“How did you even know where I live?” I blurt out.
He looks up and meets my gaze. “I’m Franco. I know everything around here.”
I snicker at the arrogance but concede he is probably right.
His face creases with worry, and his voice is soft with emotion as he says his next words. “My grandmother. She is not well. Her heart. I wanted to ask you to talk to your father.”
I go still.
I have absolutelynoidea what to say.
“Uhm…”
“I know this is a lot to ask you. We have the money, but they say we have to pay through insurance, which we cannot get for her.”
“What do you need from him?”
