Beauty in Lingerie Read online

  He pulled out of me then lay beside me, the bedroom dark because we were both ready for bed. Fucking before sleep had become our routine. When his alarm went off in the morning, he usually moved on top of me again and we had a lazy quickie before we went to work. It was nice to climax before I was fully awake. He did all the work on top of me, and I just got to enjoy it.

  Now, I lay beside him, the sweat from his chest smeared onto mine. I could smell his body as well as our mutual come. The bedroom smelled of sex, but now it was the scent I enjoyed most.

  Our heavy breathing filled the bedroom as we both slowly glided back down and relaxed. My body was warm, and slowly the temperature dipped back to normal. Conway’s body always ran at a warmer temperature, so he needed time to cool off before he cuddled me into his side.

  He spoke into the darkness first. “How do you like living with me so far?”

  “I really like it.” I turned on my side so I could look at him. “How do you like living with me?”

  “Not too bad.”

  “Not too bad?” I asked with a chuckle, knowing he was teasing.

  “I like morning sex. Great way to wake up.”

  “Me too. I like sleeping with you because I imagine this is what other couples do. They make love then go to sleep in the same bed. I’m glad I get that experience.”

  He didn’t have a comment to that.

  “Are you ever going to tell me why you were so upset yesterday?”

  He was quiet again. “No.”

  “What happened to honesty?”

  “I said I would be honest with you. But I didn’t say I would share every thought with you.”

  I let the insult wash over me without letting it cut into my skin. “But I’m your friend, Conway. You can tell me things.”

  “This is something I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “Does it have something to do with me?”

  He turned his head my way, his green eyes fierce. “I said I don’t want to talk about it, Muse. Leave it alone.”

  When I sensed the anger in his tone, I finally backed off. I didn’t want to go to bed upset, so I dropped the subject. “How long are we going to stay at your parents?”

  “Until Saturday.”

  “That’s a short trip.”

  “I have work to do. I made a few more sketches, and now I need to create them.”

  “What did Nicole think about them?”

  “She liked them,” he answered.

  “Do you have a show coming up?”

  “I was thinking of doing one in six weeks.”

  “That’s pretty soon. Where would it be?”

  “New York.”

  My hometown. I assumed I wouldn’t be able to accompany him since I was a wanted fugitive in my own country. The government took tax evasion seriously. That would mean I’d have to stay here alone. The idea of not having Conway around terrified me. At that moment, I realized just how reliant I was on him, how much I needed him to feel safe. “I see. I’m guessing I won’t be in the show?”

  He shook his head. “Never again.”

  “Then I’ll stay here?”

  He turned on his side and faced me, our faces just inches apart. His muscular body was rigid and hard, the outline of his biceps visible even in the shadows. His hand moved under the sheets and grabbed my hip. “Why would you stay here?”

  “I don’t need to remind you of my list of crimes…”

  “Don’t worry about that. When you’re with me, you’re above the law.”

  “And him…”

  Conway knew what I meant. “You never have to worry about him, alright? Stop being scared, and stop looking over your shoulder. My power constantly surrounds you—at all times.” He pulled me into him, cuddling with me under the sheets. His body was like a radiator, always blowing heat. He trailed his fingers down my back, slowly feeling my soft skin over my spine. His eyes remained locked on mine, his green eyes filled with affection.

  “Alright.”

  He rested his forehead against mine then closed his eyes. His breathing changed after a few minutes, and he slowly drifted off to sleep.

  I closed my eyes and matched my breathing to his. I cherished his smell and the warmth he surrounded me with. It was easy to feel peaceful, easy to feel safe. There was something about Conway that made me feel innately comfortable. I came to this country with just the clothes on my back and without a friend to turn to, and he became my savior. He took care of me, made all my problems go away. No one else in the world would have done that for me.

  No one.

  * * *

  Vanessa wore a bright blue sundress with matching sandals. The color was brilliant against her olive skin and pretty eyes. No matter what she wore, she looked lovely. She had a natural beauty any woman would die for. “You’re going to love my parents’ house. It’s been in the family for three generations now.”

  “Wow. I’m sure it’s beautiful.”

  Carter and Conway helped Dante load the back of the SUV while Vanessa and I spoke in the entryway. It was a cloudless sky, and the heat caused our skin to bead with sweat. Sunglasses were pushed back over her forehead, and she wore a purse that sat across her torso.

  “What happened with you and that guy?” I never got the full story because Conway and I went home. Conway wanted to keep spying on her, but I finally convinced him he needed to give his sister space. She was a grown-ass woman who didn’t need a babysitter.

  “A few nights of super-hot sex,” she said bluntly. “But I didn’t see it going anywhere. He’s a nice guy, but we really don’t have much in common. Our conversation ran stale, but the passion never suffered. So I got him out of my system before I moved on.”

  “That’s too bad. At least you got something good out of it.”

  “Yeah. He took the rejection kinda hard, but he’ll get over it.”

  “What did you tell him?” I asked.

  “The truth. We have nothing in common, just good sex. So he suggested we keep having sex.”

  I chuckled. “Of course he did.”

  “But I told him I didn’t want to get attached to him, so it was easier if we just went our separate ways. He wasn’t happy about that, but he accepted it.”

  I liked the way Vanessa was real about everything. Nothing with her was complicated. She saw the world in black and white, and if she didn’t see something working out, she just moved on. Nothing was personal with her. She also didn’t settle for something unless it was absolutely what she wanted. It was another reason I respected her. “It’s hard to find the perfect guy.”

  “It is. But don’t worry, you’ll find someone much better than Conway someday.”

  Conway walked by at that very moment and gave her a glare. “You’ve been here for less than five minutes, and you’re already annoying me.”

  “It usually doesn’t take me that long,” she said with a sigh. “Looks like I’m losing my touch.”

  I chuckled because I couldn’t help it. Vanessa was the only person in the world who picked on Conway and got away with it. I didn’t even give him that much shit.

  Conway shifted his glare to me.

  I shut my mouth quickly, hiding my smile.

  Conway kept walking then picked up the last bag and took it to the car.

  Carter moved to the passenger side and opened the back door. “Get in, ladies.”

  “Muse is sitting up front with me,” Conway said as he shoved the keys into his pocket. He was in tight jeans and a green V-neck, the muscles of his arms looking veined and corded in the hot sun.

  “Who?” Vanessa blurted.

  Carter grinned. “It’s his little pet name…”

  “I mean, Sapphire,” Conway quickly corrected. “She’s sitting with me.”

  “Uh, no,” Vanessa said. “I’m not sitting next to Carter for five hours.”

  “Hey,” Carter said. “What the hell did I do to you?”

  “No offense,” Vanessa said quickly. “But I’d rather sit next
to my friend.”

  Vanessa was the only friend I had, and it meant a lot to me that she viewed me in the same way. It didn’t seem like she only liked me because I was dating her brother. We got along pretty well.

  Conway dropped the argument. “Fine.”

  “But I’m not calling her Muse,” Vanessa said. “What’s that supposed to mean anyway?”

  We piled into the SUV and buckled our safety belts.

  Conway never answered her question.

  Carter did. “It means he’s psychotically obsessed with her.”

  “Since she’s the only woman I’ve ever seen him with, I already figured that out.” Vanessa leaned over the center console and immediately touched the radio, changing it to a station with pop music.

  Conway swatted her hand away. “Chill out, alright?”

  “I don’t want to listen to your stupid rock music,” Vanessa said. “You have the worst taste in music.”

  “No.” Conway pushed her back and blocked her way with his arm. “I have the worst taste in sisters. Now sit back there and have girl talk with your friend.”

  Vanessa sat back and crossed her arms over her chest. Gold earrings hung from her lobes, and they reflected the light anytime she slightly moved. “How do you put up with him?” she asked me. “Is he this bossy and intense with you?”

  I hid my smile because she had no idea what kind of man her brother truly was. I could see Conway’s eyes in the rearview mirror as he watched me, waiting for my response. “Yes…but in a romantic way.”

  * * *

  We were an hour away from the house. We drove through central Italy, seeing the countryside and endless wineries. There was so much beauty to the land that I couldn’t process what I was seeing. No picture or photograph would do it justice.

  “So, when are you guys going to have kids?” Vanessa said. “I can’t wait to be an aunt.”

  “Vanessa.” Conway’s sharp tone said everything else he didn’t say with words.

  “It’s just a question. You’re telling me you didn’t talk about that stuff before you moved in together?” Vanessa asked incredulously. “So when are you going to have kids?” She turned her face to me.

  Conway had talked about children once before, but it was a general conversation. The idea of us having children together was never on the table. Right now, we were just two people who slept in the same bed and spent all their time together. I couldn’t label us in any other way. But I had to say something to get Vanessa off the subject. “Sometime after we get married.”

  “And when will that be?” Vanessa asked.

  “Vanessa.” Conway said her name a second time, this time his tone angrier.

  “What?” she asked incredulously. “I can’t ask her any personal questions?”

  “Not a single one,” Conway snapped. “We’re almost to the house, so just be quiet for the rest of the way.”

  Vanessa rolled her eyes. “Okay, hypothetically, how many kids would you like to have someday? You know, with any man, in general?”

  This time, Conway stayed quiet.

  Children probably weren’t in the cards for me, even though I desperately wanted my own family. I was the last of my line, and if I didn’t have children, I would always be alone. “Two. A boy and a girl.”

  “Me too,” Vanessa said. “But I’m not appalled by the idea of having three.”

  “When do you want to have kids?”

  “I’m not sure. I want to be done having my kids by the time I’m thirty. So I have a few years to find the right guy and settle down. Right now, all the men my age are immature. They’re too focused on partying and having a good time. Real romance is just impossible right now. I think I want an older man.”

  “Alright, enough of that.” Conway cranked up the music. It drowned us all, masking our conversation.

  Vanessa rolled her eyes and leaned toward me so we could keep talking. “I really hope he doesn’t stay like this forever. It’s really annoying.”

  “I’m sure when you meet the right guy, he’ll finally back off.”

  “I doubt he’ll back off even then. Honestly, he’s worse than my father. And you met my father. He’s one intense man.”

  I chuckled. “I thought he was really nice.”

  “Because you’re a woman. There’s nothing alarming about Conway shacking up with a woman even if you guys aren’t married. My brother can fuck every woman in Italy, and it wouldn’t matter. But if I moved in with a guy and I wasn’t married…my father would flip. It’s totally sexist.”

  “I think the reason Conway gets away with it is because your father knows he’s a good man. He would never hurt me, and he takes care of me far better than anyone else ever has. If you met an upstanding guy who loved you, I don’t think your father would be that upset. I think he just wants to know you’re in good hands.”

  “As logical as that sounds, I think you’re wrong.”

  We arrived at the house forty-five minutes later. Just like Conway’s house, it was a three-story mansion. With black gates in the front and vineyards as far as the eye could see, it was a classy Tuscan villa. Filled with olive trees, deep green grass, and lots of shade, it was one of the most beautiful homes I’d ever seen.

  Conway turned down the music as he pulled into the large roundabout.

  “This is where you grew up?” I asked incredulously.

  “Yep,” Vanessa said. “It’s even more beautiful inside.”

  We got out of the car, and a young man came out to take our bags from the trunk.

  Conway’s parents walked out the front door, his father tall and handsome, and his mother beautiful in a black dress with her hair pulled back. His mother smiled when she saw all of us, and his father’s expression hardened in emotion.

  I noticed it anytime Mr. Barsetti stared at his son. His expression seemed to harden, but that intense look was just a mask for the love underneath. And when he looked at his daughter, he showed a different look entirely. It was much softer, much kinder. And I could see the pride he felt toward both of them.

  It was humbling to watch, to witness a family love as strong as theirs. I’d never been close to my father, and my mother had a lot of issues. We weren’t a happy family, not like this. Perhaps that was why Nathan went down the wrong path and got himself killed.

  “Vanessa.” Mr. Barsetti hugged her first, bringing her into his chest and kissing her on the forehead. “You look nice.”

  “Thanks, Dad. Mom got it for me.”

  “Makes sense,” he said with a deep voice. “Your mother has great taste.”

  “I know.” Vanessa moved to her mother next and practically jumped into her arms. I could see the closeness between them. They were friends as well as mother and daughter. They held each other with smiles on their faces.

  Mr. Barsetti hugged Conway next, gripping him tightly before kissing him on the forehead. “Glad you’re here.”

  “Me too,” Conway answered. “But I’d drive ten hours to eat a meal home-cooked by Lars.”

  Mr. Barsetti smiled then clapped him on the back. He moved to me next, his hand moving to my elbow as he leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. “Hello, Sapphire. I’m very happy to see you.”

  I noticed Conway only allowed his father to kiss me on the cheek. Carter was also family, but he hadn’t earned the right. “I’m happy to be here too. Your home is breathtaking. Conway said he has a lot of great memories here, and now I can see why.”

  “Thank you,” Mr. Barsetti said. “That’s very kind of you.” His arm circled my waist, and he patted me on the back.

  Mrs. Barsetti came next and hugged me, giving me a kiss on the cheek. “You look beautiful, Sapphire. That blue dress is perfect for you.”

  “Thank you,” I said. “Conway got it for me.”

  “I’m glad my son has great taste,” she said. “And not just in clothes.” They moved to Carter next and greeted him with the same affection that they greeted their own kids. I watched them interact, feeling a
distant pain in my chest.

  I wasn’t a jealous person. The only time I felt it was when I saw Conway with other women. But now I felt it in a whole new way. I was jealous of the love of this family, the way they were bonded together so deeply.

  Conway circled his arm around my waist, his face pressed to mine. “What’s wrong, Muse?”

  “Nothing.” I turned back to him and smiled.

  When he didn’t smile back, I knew he didn’t believe me. “I’ll ask again later. But you’ll answer me next time.”

  * * *

  We sat in a large dining room that could easily accommodate fifty guests if they had a bigger table. A big window overlooked the yard, the large oak trees and the vineyards in the background. The landscape reminded me of Conway’s home, and the resemblance wasn’t a coincidence.

  Conway had obviously had a happy childhood.

  His uncle Cane and aunt Adelina were there as well. Cane bore a startling resemblance to Mr. Barsetti, the same facial features and the same build. His demeanor wasn’t quite as rough as Mr. Barsetti’s. He had a more playful attitude. Adelina was gorgeous just the way Conway’s mother was. Even at an older age, she was still remarkably pretty. It didn’t surprise me that Conway and Carter turned out to be two of the most handsome men I’d ever seen.

  An older gentleman served us, bringing us a first course of salad and bread, and then the entrees. Despite his age, he still held himself upright. He moved a little slower than the average person, but he didn’t seem upset to still be working.

  Mrs. Barsetti caught me staring at Lars. “He’s been in the family for a long time. He used to take care of Crow when he was a boy.”

  “Wow,” I said. “So he’s like family.”

  “No,” Mr. Barsetti said. “He is family.”

  “We’ve encouraged him to retire, but he said he doesn’t want to.” Mrs. Barsetti held her glass of wine, her dark hair pulled back to reveal her slender neck and the necklace she wore. There was an ordinary button hanging from the chain. “Says without a purpose he would be lost. But we hired a few extra people to give him a hand. Now he takes a midday nap and goes to bed immediately after dinner.”