Tossed Into Love
Page 29

“Okay . . . ,” Mom agrees reluctantly.
“Do you want me to set the table?” I ask, needing something to do.
She nods.
I give my dad’s waist a squeeze, then let him go so I can set the table. I help Mom put out the food. After dinner, Miss Ina insists that we catch a cab back into the city, and I make it to the shop in time to help Hector close down the pizzeria.
“Hello?” I answer my cell phone, bringing it under the covers with me. I got into bed a while ago. Even though I’m beyond tired, I have had a hard time finding sleep.
“Hey, baby.”
Antonio.
“Hey,” I say, feeling my stomach get warm. “Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine. Just missed the sound of your voice.”
Oh my god.
“You did?”
“Yeah,” he says.
I can hear the smile in his voice. I’ve missed the sound of his voice, too, which is ridiculous since it’s only been a day since I’ve heard it. Actually, if I’m being honest, I miss him.
“I miss you . . . I mean . . . . I . . . uh . . .”
“It’s okay.” He laughs, but I groan and cover my face with my hand. “Good to know I don’t even have to be in the same room with you to short-circuit your brain.”
“I don’t know that that’s a good thing,” I mumble, feeling Pool walk up my body and then stop on my chest. Opening my eyes, I see him in the dark, staring at me. He falls to his bottom before lying down.
“How’s our cat?”
Our cat? I like the idea of Pool being our cat.
“He’s good. Settling in. I left him today to go have dinner with my parents and came home to my house being just as I left it, so that’s good news. Also, I found out that Miss Ina is actually my landlord. She said I can keep him, so I don’t have to worry about giving him up or finding a new place to live. I don’t think I could give him up now that I have him.”
“I would have kept him at my place if it was a problem for you. Pets are allowed in my building without much of a deposit.”
“That’s good to know.”
“I’ll have to pay that anyways since I liked having you in my space. When you stay over, you can bring him with you.”
“Oh,” I whisper, not sure what to say to that. I liked being at his place, too, and I like the idea of staying with him again.
“What’s that ‘oh’ about?” he asks quietly.
“I guess I never really thought about staying over there more than once. I . . . I like the idea. It was nice going to bed with you and waking up with you.”
“Good,” he says, and I snuggle deeper into my covers. “Are you in bed now?”
“Yeah. I have to open the salon tomorrow, so I’m trying to get to sleep.”
“Get some rest, Princess. I’ll call you tomorrow evening when I have a chance.”
“Be safe,” I whisper.
“Always,” he whispers back before hanging up. Setting my cell down on my side table, I squeeze my eyes closed.
“Pool, I really, really like him. Do you think I’m an idiot?” I ask, running my fingers over his soft fur. He starts to purr. “I need to tell him what’s going on before this ends up like a really bad romance movie and my heart gets splattered all over the place,” I tell him, having no idea how right I am about that.
Chapter 12
PROVING A POINT
LIBBY
When I hear the knock on the door, my stomach flutters. Even though it’s only been two days since I’ve seen Antonio, I’ve missed him like crazy. Swinging the door open, I don’t greet him or even give him time to open his mouth. I jump into his arms. Luckily, he’s quick, so he catches me. His hands go under my ass as I wrap my legs around his hips and my arms around his shoulders. Then I drop my mouth down to his as he walks us back into my apartment, kicking the door closed once we’re inside. He carries me to the couch, and we both go down, with me still attached to him.
“I missed this,” I tell him as his mouth leaves mine and trails down my neck to the top of my breast.
“Me, too.” I feel him smile against my skin, then see it when he pulls his face back to look at me. “That was the kind of greeting I could get used to,” he says.
I start to laugh. “I kinda lost all thought about being classy and normal when I heard you knock on the door. I’m sure Miss Ina would frown on me greeting you like that if she knew I did.”
“And I kinda don’t give a fuck. I loved it.” He smiles, running his fingers through my hair. “Have you eaten?”
“Earlier.”
“Anything besides junk food?” he asks.
I look over his shoulder briefly while I shrug.
“Right.” He grins, then laughs when Pool jumps up onto the couch next to my head and shoves his face where Antonio’s fingers are running through my hair so that he can get some love, too.
“I think he missed you,” I tell him as he sits back and picks Pool up.
He holds him against his chest.
“He gained weight.”
“I thought so, too, but I wasn’t sure.” I run my fingers along the top of Pool’s head. “I know that he likes to eat. He’s already perfected a cute little pout to get treats whenever he wants them.”
“He’s been good?”
“Yeah, really good. He’s sweet.” I smile at him as he climbs up Antonio’s shirt to his shoulder, then stands there, looking around. “It’s nice having him around to keep me company.”
My cell phone rings. Picking it up off the coffee table, I answer. “Hello?”
“Is Libby Reed available?” a man asks.
“This is her.” I smile at Antonio when Pool leaps off his shoulder and jumps to the back of the couch.
“We’re downstairs with your delivery.”
“Awesome. Come on in. The door’s open—just come up the stairs,” I tell him. He hangs up.
“Who’s that?” Antonio asks.
An excited smile lights my face.
“My new bed.” I rush to the door as two men come up the stairs with a mattress.
“New bed?” Antonio asks from the couch.
My eyes go back to him.
“With Mac now living with Wesley, I get the whole room to myself. Which means I can finally stop sleeping on the twin. Today some people came and bought the twins, and now my new bed is here,” I explain excitedly.
I step back to let the guys through the open door.
“Where do you want it?” one of them asks, looking at me.
“Right through there.” I point to the bedroom.
They head that way, then come out a few seconds later.
“Be back with the rest. While we’re doing that, you mind filling this out?”
“No problem.” I take the paper from him and fill out the highlighted information. When they come back up, they bring the box spring and the metal frame. I didn’t get a headboard because I figured I could go online and order one when I know what I want. When they leave after assembling the bed, I rush to my room and jump on it, bouncing once and then laughing when Antonio comes down on top of me.
“This is much better,” he says.
I smile. “I thought you’d appreciate it.”
“Yeah.” He touches his mouth to mine. “You want me to help you make it?”
“If you don’t mind.”
He stands and pulls me up with him, then orders, “Get the sheets.”
Rolling my eyes, I go to the living room and grab the bags I left there earlier. I bring them to the bedroom.
Hearing him laugh, I look. “What?” I ask.
“My mom . . .” He shakes his head.
“What?” I frown, not understanding what his mom has to do with my new sheets or why he thinks it’s so funny.
“Did my mom give those to you?” he questions.
My frown grows deeper.
“No.”
“Really?” His frown matches the one on my face.
“Yes, really. Why?”
“My mom showed up at my place a few days ago with that exact bedspread and sheet set. She said she thought you’d like them. She tried to convince me to put them on my bed.”