Page 49 of Attraction (Mobsters + Billionaires 3)
Ford sits next to me, stiff at first, but as the evening and libations go on, he leans his shoulder against mine. The contact sends tingles up my neck and down my arm, making me feel like a teenager with a crush.
God, I’m ridiculous.
I run an escort service. I’ve had sex with nearly all of my employees, with the exception of Anthony and most of his crew. I’ve had enough sex with enough people to know that threesomes are more fun than foursomes and my prostate doesn’t care to be stimulated. Having a plump woman sit on my face while a ripped guy gags on my cock used to be one of my favorite pastimes.
But nothing has been more satisfying than my little bird allowing others to see these small affections. It reminds me that there are people in the world who can see color with words and emotions. If someone like that were to look at me right now, my chest would radiate like the sun, a bright yellow-orange that’s forceful enough to power every building in Manhattan.
I haven’t seen much more than Ford’s neck and forearms. Even at the pop-up pool party a few months ago, he wore a T-shirt and the longest damn shorts on the planet. Yet I know with every cell in my being that he is my man and I will spend the rest of my days making sure he knows how much he is loved and appreciated.
God, I sound like Hopper with his RICO agent.
We get into the third hand of poker, and Ford gets a text. He’s usually very scrupulous about not using his phone on poker night, but based on his worried expression, an exception is about to be made.
“Something wrong?” I ask, leaning in.
“My grandmother has been staying with my mom and dad, and she’s being very stubborn about her health. She’s been short of breath all day, and my mom is insisting she go to the emergency room. They’re in a big fight about it because Yay is refusing. Mom wants me to call and talk to her. I’m the only one she listens to.”
I gesture for him to do it, and he stands from the table, walking to the corner. We pause the game and listen in. I’ve never heard him speak his grandmother’s native language, and I love that he’s allowing us to see this additional layer of himself.
The phone call ends quickly, and he announces to the room, “I got my grandmother to agree to go to the hospital, but that means I must leave a little early. I’m so sorry.”
“Go take care of your family,” Joe says, patting his arm.
We agree on a quick break, and I get up to walk him to the door.
“Your family’s in Scarsdale, right? Do you want me to go with you?”
He shakes his head, letting me hug him. “That is so sweet of you to offer, but it’s going to be a long night, and my family is alot. It’s not that I don’t want you there, but my head will be in a million different places, and I need to be focused. And you…you unfocus me,” he says, red staining his cheeks.
Ditto.
“We can’t have that, can we?”
He shakes his head, then snakes his arm around my neck. We kiss, and I miss him already. I should hate it, but I don’t.
“Can I text you later to see how you’re doing?”
He nods. “Of course. Don’t worry if I can’t get back to you right away. My family often looks to me to handle these sorts of things.”
“You’re a good man, Ford Bradley.”
“So are you, Luca Stefano,” he says before slipping out the door.
* * *
“Luca!”Ford says as he opens his door, his eyes falling to the bouquet of white peonies, heirloom roses, tulips, and dahlias in my hands. “These are so beautiful.”
Honestly, I’m thrilled he’s happy to see me. I’m showing up unannounced, but he mentioned that he was back in the city because his grandmother is seeing a specialist here. I’ve got a million things going on today, but I couldn’t go another second without putting my eyes on him.
He takes the flowers from my hands and gestures for me to follow him into his bright living room. I love this space because the large picture window overlooks the enormous tree in Ford’s private little front yard.
I slide to a stop when I realize we are not alone.
He’s said he has a bunch of brothers and is the only one who took on some of his mother’s Thai features, but the contrast is startling.
A handsome couple, clearly Ford’s parents, stands. His mother is breathtaking with luminous kind eyes, high cheekbones, and glossy black hair. She’s on the shorter side and very slender, while Ford’s father is taller and rugged with sharply styled reddish hair and Ford’s striking green eyes. They are surrounded by three men close to Ford in age, all of whom are some flavor of tall, ripped, and redheaded. I’m not a small guy, but I look damn near diminutive next to these ruffians.
Two have his father’s green eyes, one has his mother’s smile, and one shares the tiny dimple on his chin that Ford and his father have. All are stylish in their own way, though distinctly more casual than Ford’s nerd-model style.
