Page 122 of Resisting the Temptation
Emma looks up at me while she shakily inhales and exhales, anxiety swirling in her eyes. I give her hip a reassuring squeeze. I’m positive there’s nothing for us to worry about.
We follow Papà to his office and sit in the two chairs on the opposite side of his desk.
He leans back and steeples his fingers, looking between Emma and me with a scrutinizing expression.
“Papà, Emma and I are together.” No point in beating around the bush. This conversation needs to happen.
“Is this true, Emma?” Papà asks, and Emma nods her head.
“Yes, Mr. Rossi.”
“Sono innamorato di lei.” I’m in love with her.I declare in Italian.
His thick eyebrows raise to his hairline. I didn’t think he’d be so surprised, but I probably should have. I mean, I haven’t had a serious girlfriend since Janessa, so for me to show up with the coworker I was adamant about not hiring and declare we’re not only in a relationship, but I’m in love with her is probably a total surprise. Even if he’s the one who sent me with her to Utah in the first place.
“Lei si sente allo stesso modo?” She feels the same way?
I look over at the girl of my dreams, the one who declared her love for me in a gas station parking lot. “Sì.”Yes.
Papà beams,glancing between the two of us with something akin to pride in his eyes. “This is excellent news! Let me get Katrina to draw up some paperwork for you to sign just to make it above board. As long as you’re not neglecting your duties because of your relationship or being inappropriate in the office, I see no issue with this.”
Emma’s shoulders slump with relief. “Thank you, Mr. Rossi. I promise this won’t affect our work.”
Papà waves his hand. “Bella,for the last time, call me Enzo. Or better yet, call mePapà! We’re family now. And I’m not worried about you at all. You work much harder than any of the boys.Beniamino, however…” he trails off and shakes his head.
Emma’s answering giggle is so sweet it makes my teeth ache in the best way.
“Perhaps you should trade offices with Alex, so Ben can’t spend all day staring at you.”
“Absolutely not. She stays right where she is. If my performance starts lacking, then we can talk about it, but I promise I won’t spend all day staring at her.” Just… some of the day.
Papà clearly doesn’t believe me, and he’s enjoying messing with me. “I’m in the process of getting Emma her own truck—”
I shake my head. “I can take her where she needs to go.”
“Ben,” Emma chides. “Our jobs aren’t always going to align. I can’t keep relying on you to take me to job sites. What happens if we have emergencies at two different sites?”
I don’t think I’ve ever pouted in my life, butboydo I want to right now. “Fine. But once you move in, your work truck stays here, and I’ll bring you to work and take you home.”
Papà laughs, and Emma looks at me incredulously.
“We aren’t moving in together anytime soon,” she argues, but it’s weak.
“We’ll see,Dulzura. We’ll see.”
By the end of the next week, everyone is over the shock of our relationship, and everything is back to normal.
Well, anewnormal.
A new normal where Emma and I eat lunch together in one of our offices. A new normal where I get to kiss her when she comes into the office. A new normal where on Friday mornings, I pick her up for work, and she brings a bag to sleep at my houseall weekend.
Emma didn’t want to move too fast, so she refuses to spend the night during the week. I know she’s still worried about me getting sick of her, but she doesn’t need to be. I want more time with her, not less.
I’d pack her stuff and move her in immediately if I thought she’d agree to it.
I can’t get enough of her.
But I know this relationship is new, and she’s still wary, so I’ll be patient and take whatever she’s willing to offer. I’ll earn her trust one day at a time and prove I’m not going anywhere.
