Initiate Me (11 page)

“He better be here to check up on her and not
something else
,” he warned in an angry voice.

Zane raised an eyebrow. “Damn, Marco, if I had known you and Milan were going to crash our little party, I would’ve taken Mia back to my place where we wouldn’t be interrupted.”

I turned and glared at him for insinuating we were an item. I could see the veins in Marco’s neck pulsating. Shit, he was angry. What a mess!

“Wow, I didn’t even know the two of you were dating,” Milan said. “You could have said something, you know; I
am
your friend. Oh, I bet Jada knows all about it.”

“I’m not dating him. Now, will the both of you just shut up! We were discussing a business thing, not pleasure.”

“We’ll see,” Zane replied, humour lacing his words.

I elbowed him in the ribs, but the bastard didn’t even flinch. “Do you have to be such a pain in the arse?”

His knowing grin had the palm of my hand itching to smack him across the head. “He was teasing me at work today, saying I was scared,” I explained.

Marco seemed to have calmed down a touch as he crossed his arms over his chest and said, “And going to this convention is going to prove you’re not?”

“It’s a bit more complicated than that,” I growled.

“No, it isn’t complicated at all,” Zane inserted. “In fact, I think it’s pretty fucking simple.”

I stared daggers at him. Refusing to engage in yet more verbal warfare, I attempted to put the focus on Marco instead. “So, Marco, have you heard from Miccah this week?

“Yeah, I did actually,” he said. “He’ll be based in Iraq for the next six months and then he should come home for a bit of a stint. But I wouldn’t hold my breath. He’s said he’s coming home a few times now, and all it does is break Ma’s heart. I miss the little shit, but damn he’s such a hero.”

“God, at least there is
one
Brunetti who is a hero,” Milan said under her breath.

Marco flashed Milan a sexy smile. “Aw, come on, you know I’ve always been a hero in your eyes, darlin’.”

“Yeah, in your
wet
dreams,” Milan scoffed.

“Okay, stop! I am not going to stand here and listen to the two of you argue. It’s all you ever do. Honestly, sometimes I feel like locking the both of you in a room together and see who will come out alive!” I spat angrily.

Marco’s eyebrows shot up and his face broke into a grin. “Geez, squirt, if you could find a room now, I’d be happy to oblige.” His eyes were lingering on Milan for way too long. Oh, boy, she was going to blow any second now.

“Me, too. I’d love to kill him!” gritted Milan. “You think you are God’s gift to women!”

They were going to have a full-on fight if I didn’t calm them down somehow.

“At least that’s what all the ladies tell me.”

“If you are all staying, does anyone want a drink? Tea or a coffee?” I gave up and headed for the kitchen, calling over my shoulder, “I’m getting everyone their usual.” I was happy to let Zane deal with their childish behaviour.

“Sounds great, squirt,” Marco called out to me in his normal, laid-back way.

“Do you want another beer, Zane?” I asked from the kitchen as I opened the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of wine for me and Milan to share and I flicked on the Nespresso for Marco.

“No, thanks,” Zane responded.

For some reason, the tone in Zane’s response sounded angry. In all the years I’d known him, I’d never heard that tone from him before. What had set it off?

I carried everything in on a tray and went back into the room. Marco was on the sofa, his legs spread, smirking at Milan who was propped up on the arm of the sofa. Zane still stood, arms crossed over his massive chest and staring at Marco as if he’d like to take him apart. One painful inch at a time.

I handed Marco his coffee and he winked at me. I peeked over at Zane and saw his eyes narrow.

He looked jealous, but of what? I was guessing Marco said something he didn’t quite like. I sat down next to my brother, glaring and narrowing my eyes at him. Marco only glared back at me.

“Thanks. I was just telling Zane how close you and Brandon have become lately,” Marco kindly shared. He was such an arse; I could just punch him. I looked over at Milan and saw her roll her eyes.

At that point, Zane came forward and sat on the other side of me, slinging his arm over my shoulders.

“Are you okay, angel?”

“Of course, why wouldn’t I be?” I shrugged, sipping my wine.

“You look flushed, that’s all.” I wanted to hide. Flushed? Hell, I was damn near on fire with Zane sitting so close to me. I could smell that scent of his, and it drove my libido crazy. “I’m fine. I’m more interested in hearing what Marco told you about Brandon.”

“He didn’t say anything that’s not true, Mia. You
do
spend a lot of time with him, you know,” Milan said. Of all the times to agree with Marco, she had to go and do it then.

“No, I don’t! It’s only for the odd coffee here and there.”

It was odd I’d never been attracted to Brandon. He really was a good-looking guy; handsome actually with his sandy-blond hair and dimples. And he had dreamy, brown eyes. They were so dark you could barely make out the pupils. But in the short time I’d known him, I’d never felt even the slightest bit turned on by his flirtations.

Zane, on the other hand, had only to look at me to get my motor going. Which was frustrating as hell, because I had the feeling Brandon would be way easier to handle.

“I’m thinking he’s almost ready to ask you to marry him. Think she’ll say yes, Zane?” Marco was asking for trouble by teasing Zane about Brandon. “I think she’d be crazy not to marry him.”

I heard Milan laugh. God, Marco was full of shit.

“Nah, I take that back. You’d drop-kick him with that temper you have when you get riled.” He gave a mock shudder.

“Oh, please. Mia is as sweet as a lamb.”

Marco rolled his eyes. “Yeah, compared to you, Milan, anyone would be sweet.”

Milan reared back. “Me? What? I can be sweet, Marco, can’t you remember?”

He ignored her, returning his attention to me. Zane still had not spoken a word, but he was tense and stiff beside me. “Oh, I’ve seen your temper, Mia. You’re not to be fooled with when you’re pissed.”

I smacked him in the chest. “Piss off. I think it’s time you headed home, brother dear,” I told him.

Marco took one last sip of his coffee, set the cup on the table, and then stood. “Thanks for the coffee.” He leaned down to peck me on the cheek.

“‘Bout time you left,” Zane growled, his voice a cold bite of steel. “And you can quit with the innuendos about Brandon and Mia. It ain’t ever happening.”

“You should know Marco by now; he is always teasing. I wouldn’t take anything he says seriously,” Milan announced. She turned to Marco and said, “If you’re leaving, you may as well walk me to my car.”

“What, you trust me to walk you to your car?” A look of shock spread across Marco’s face.

“Just hurry up,” Milan scolded him.

Marco held out his hand and in a too-chipper voice teased, “It’s been a very interesting visit, Mia. I’m glad you’ve got Grumble Bum to look out for you.”

I wanted to throttle him if he didn’t leave soon. As soon as I shut the door behind Milan and Marco, I looked over at Zane and knew he was still angry. “Milan was right, you know. Marco was exaggerating about Brandon. There’s no need to look so pissed about it all.” But it was too late; Marco’s comments had gotten under Zane’s skin.

“And you should know this, angel,” Zane warned me. He stood and towered over me. “Paybacks are hell, sweetheart.”

Why his words of warning gave me a delicious shiver, I had no idea.

But they did.

***

ZANE

I
stared at Mia as she closed and locked the door. Finally, we were alone again, just the way it should be. But first I had to know the truth. “You sure there is nothing going on with Brandon?” I asked. “Because you sure like to tease.”

She pointed at me. “You are too territorial. I don’t belong to you, so stop acting like I do.”

I moved toward her, watching closely as she stepped around me. She did that a lot whenever I was near her. Always putting distance between us.

“Maybe not yet, but you can’t say my touch doesn’t affect you.” She grabbed the empty bottle of beer, glasses and cups and went to the kitchen. I followed her and when she turned toward me, I saw a vulnerability I’d never seen before. I was suddenly reminded of how young she was. The women I went out with were much closer to me in age, around thirty, thirty-five. I shouldn’t even be here, alone with her in the Brunetti house, much less planning a decadent three days with her. While my mind knew the right thing to do, my body didn’t really give a shit.

“So it affected me,” she finally admitted. “That doesn’t mean you get to act all jealous around my family and friends, like we are lovers.”

“I’m in unfamiliar territory here, sweetheart. I’m not your lover, not your friend. What the hell am I then?”

“You are my boss.”

I dragged my fingers through my hair and counted to ten. “I’m more than your boss, angel; you better admit that much at least.”

Mia bit her lip and stared at the floor. “You’re more than my boss.”

Holy fuck! I felt like shouting it from the rooftops. It was about damn time, too. “Tell me you want me.”

She made an irritated sound. ”You just don’t give up, do you?”

I moved closer until our bodies were only a few feet apart. “Hell, I probably have no right being here. I’m way too damned old for you. And your entire family would skin me alive if they knew what I was thinking right now, but I’m not giving up. Not until you tell me straight out you aren’t attracted to me. If you can say that with total honesty, then I’ll leave you alone. I won’t bother you again. You have my word.”

I only prayed I could keep it.

“No,” she blurted and paused for a few seconds. “I don’t want you to leave me alone,” she whispered. It was so faint I barely heard her. I started forward, but she shook her head.

“But I need time. I’m still hurt over you rejecting me the night of the wedding.”

“Fuck, angel, I didn’t reject you. I let you go; there’s a difference!” I yelled. A crazy thought struck me: was she scared of being intimate with me because she was a virgin? She seemed fine that night, but then again she was tipsy.

“Well, I don’t see it as having much difference.” Her voice wobbled as she spoke.

“Are you really that scared of me, sweetheart, because you are a virgin?” Her cheeks turned pink.

“No! Geez!”

I grinned. “Well, that’s good to know. A guy likes to know these things ahead of time.”

“Can we please change the subject now?”

I thought of the reason as to why I’d come here in the first place. “Actually, I came here to ask you something.”

“Well...I’m waiting, so spill the beans. I haven’t got all night, you know.” She was cute as fuck with her arms folded across her chest. And man, what a set of breasts she had.

I cleared my throat. “Do you still want me to teach you?

“T...t...teach me?” she stammered.

“About
sex
,
”
I reminded her.

“What, when—” God, I loved it when she blushed.

“At the wedding, you asked me if I would be willing to teach you all I know about
sex
. Now, I’m not sure how much Brunetti or Sinclair wine you drank that night, but I know you want me. Still want me. And I want you.”

She chewed on her lower lip and tried to move further away from me. She scooted past me and sat on the sofa, nervously twirling her hair around her fingers. Her nervousness only aroused me more. I couldn’t help it; I burst out laughing. “You having trouble remembering that you propositioned me, angel?”

“Um...no...I’m just really worried about Jada at the moment, and Max of course. You know,” she wrung her hands together nervously, “with what they are going through with all the IVF treatments and endless appointments at the fertility centre. If I could carry a baby for them myself, I’d do it.”

Mia would do it, too; she had a heart of gold. I suddenly pictured Mia pregnant. She’d be beautiful. A woman like her would want kids, I thought. I could already picture her teaching a little dark-haired child how to cook, play board games and any other hobby or sport she excelled at.

I cupped her chin and stroked her jaw. “I’m sorry they need to go through the process of IVF. They have a great team of doctors and with the right attitude and a little faith, a lot can happen. And Jada is strong. Look at what she went through. She's lucky to be alive.”

“All thanks to you.”

“But it still bothers you, doesn’t it? Do you want kids of your own one day, angel?

“Yeah, I love kids. I can't wait to have them.”

She smiled, and it warmed my heart. I winked and wrapped my arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. “You know that nothing will keep you from getting what you want if you want it that badly.”

“Thanks...I think,” she said.

I leaned toward her, noting the way her lips parted and her breathing increased. “You know what I think, angel?”

“W-What?”

“I need to kiss you. I think if I don’t touch you, I’ll die,” I murmured as I closed the gap between us and pressed my lips to hers. I inhaled her gasp of surprise and pulled her close. As my tongue dipped inside her mouth, I knew I’d been right about one thing:

For someone so innocent, her kisses were potent.

***

MIA

I
couldn’t think.

I couldn’t move.

The feel of his lips against mine was Heaven. His tongue played and teased.

My body turned to liquid fire in seconds. I should’ve pushed him away, sent him home. Instead, I lifted my arms and wrapped them around his neck. He groaned as if he couldn’t get enough of me and was pleased with my response. Sliding his arm beneath my knees, he pulled me onto his lap. My body felt so light against the power and strength of his body.

He lifted his mouth from mine and whispered something against my neck, then moved his lips downward, teasing me beyond measure. I leaned back, giving him permission to lick a fiery path along my chin and collarbone before he zeroed in on the buttons on my white blouse. He kissed my cleavage and dipped his talented tongue beneath my white satin bra. I arched against him, desperate for more. I was so hungry for him to touch me everywhere.