Page 69 of Jump-Start
“Leonard, come. I’m making vegan lasagna and need your help,” Sofia says, waving me over to the stove where she is. I shoot Chiara a glance, noticing the way she’s zoning out, lost in her thoughts.
“I need one minute,per favore,” I say to Sofia, and she gives me a slight, warm smile before assuring me to take my time. I nod my head in the direction of the backyard door, and Chiara walks through it, checking to see if I’m right behind her with a tilt of her head. I place my hand between her shoulder blades to signal I’m right here.
“He’s been taking Mamma on dates, visiting her in Italy, telling her he’s been in love with her for years, and more things I can’t even think about without getting nauseous,” Chiara explains, settling down on an old lounge chair, which clearly has seen better days.
Everything about this little house is old. There are more cracks in the walls than I was able to count in the half an hour I was alone. The colour of the bricks used outside for the facade are faded. The furniture inside is well-loved and old as well, but there is something about this tiny place that screams home. A family is meant to live here, there is no doubt about it, and I’m glad Chiara’s Nonna is no longer living here by herself.
“We should file for a restraining order,” I say, and Starling gives an agreeing nod. I’m glad she isn’t fighting me on this. It’s too important.
“I should have told her years ago. I shouldn’t have kept all of this to myself. I put her in danger, and I don't know what I would have done if Tim—” She cuts off abruptly, swallowing hard and blinking rapidly at the ground.
“This is not your fault, Starling,” I remind her, my fingers twitching because they’re desperate to reach out and run a comforting hand over her arm. I manage to contain the urge.
“Yeah, it is. But she knows now. She knows, and it will keep her safe. Tim won’t do anything stupid, I know he won’t. He’s a well-known personality in London. He can’t risk tainting his reputation,” she says, but I know she’s convincing herself more than me. My feet take a step toward her before I can stop them. Chiara stands and moves toward me too, just a little.
“What do you need from me?” I ask, and she finally lets go of her restraint and brings her hands to my neck. Mine shift to her hips.
“I need you to distract me. Take my mind off it,” she begs, and I stare at the blue sky behind her, thinking about what I can tell her. Only one thing slips through my head.
“I’m going to take you on a date tonight,” I say without giving myself another moment to hesitate. Her eyes light up a little at my words.
“Where to?” she asks, tilting her head up with a small smile.
“Somewhere you’d never expect me to take you.”
CHAPTERTHIRTY-FOUR
chiara
I’ve never gone on a date before. In my twenty-four years of life, no one’s ever asked me to go out with them. It’s never bothered me either if I’m being honest. Casual hookups have been my norm since I was eighteen, but I never minded because I was too busy for a boyfriend, first with uni and then with work. I’ve had lots of sex with guys whose names I can’t remember anymore. I don’t know when that information slipped from my mind.
That’s a lie.
I’m lying to myself because it’s easier than admitting every person I’ve been with was erased the moment Leonard kissed me for the first time. Once I’ve felt his mouth move with mine, memories of past hookups were obliterated, replaced by the feeling of undeniable fulfillment. The only face I see now when I imagine sex or anything related to it is Leonard’s, which is a big problem I’m doing my best to disregard. It’s bad enough I allowed my head to accept my feelings for him.
I’m supposed to be getting ready for our date, a great distraction from what the fuck happened this morning at Nonna’s house. Tim started dating Mamma, most likely to get close to me. He was at the house like he was part of the family. I had to share every horrible word, touch, or feeling he’s ever done or inflicted in me. To see her face, horrified and guilt written all over her features, broke my heart. I shouldn’t have kept it from her, but when she was living with him, I couldn’t say anything without risking her losing her place to live. After she moved out, I didn’t see the need to share what he did when I visited her. I should have known keeping something like this from the person I love the most would be a horrible idea.
My eyes flutter shut for a moment before I shake my head to force all of those thoughts away. The dripping of my wet hair against the bathroom tile reminds me I should blow dry it and add some makeup. Once I’m satisfied with the way it looks, I slip on the navy blue summer dress I brought on the trip. It hugs my curves in a way I know will capture Leonard’s eyes permanently, bringing a smile to my lips.
“Sweetheart? Are you almost ready? We have to go,” Leonard says after a single knock. I open the door, still grinning because I’m excited to go on my first date ever, and with Leonard out of all people. It makes me giddy. “Fuck,” he mutters under his breath as his eyes take in their fill of my appearance.
The same word leaves me when I notice how handsome he looks. Leonard could wear a reusable shopping bag and look stunning, but this outfit, the matching navy-blue dress shirt to my outfit and black pants hugging his hips perfectly, makes him somehow even more attractive. His tattoos peek out from under his rolled-up sleeves, his short coils styled in place. It almost hurts to look at the tight line of his shoulders in the shirt, his defined collarbones visible underneath it because he left the top buttons undone. The veins on his hands stand out more today than I’ve ever seen them before. He’s so breathtakingly stunning, I get dizzy when he places his hands on my hips to bring me flush against his upper body. An explosion goes off in my chest, setting everything inside of me on fire. It should be painful, but I welcome the heat, especially as it settles between my legs.
“That’s one hell of a way to burn yourself into my brain for the rest of eternity,” he says, causing a blush to spread across my cheeks, warming the tips of my ears.
“That was the goal,prestante,” I reply, and he smirks down at me.
“Is that another word for ‘asshole’ or something nice for once?” he teases, and I run my hand up his hard chest, forcing desire into his gaze.
“Look it up,” I offer, the smirk never leaving his lips as he fixates all of his attention onto my mouth.
“Are you ready to leave?” he asks, his mouth dropping to mine, but I press my index finger to his lips.
“Do you prefer lipstick or lipgloss?” I reply, and he kisses my finger, dragging me closer by my hips. My finger drops from his mouth so he can answer.
“Doesn’t matter to me, little demon. As long as either will end up all over me later.” He uses my surprise to press a kiss to the sensitive skin below my earlobe. “You shouldn’t taste as sweet as you smell, Chiara,” he says with a little groan.
“I also shouldn’t want your mouth on me all the time. Nothing makes sense anymore,” I reply. A low chuckle leaves him.
