For the first time since they’d collapsed on the bed and Lorenzo had rolled to his side to stare at Olivia, she glanced away. She didn’t want to be peering in his eyes when she told him the truth about her last two years of abstinence.
“It was easy actually,” she began then shifted a bit, suddenly not so comfortable. “Before I began to look at Jay in that way, I had always said that I’d save myself for my one true love. When the time came, I’d know. With Jay, I mistook that. I’m certain now that he took advantage of my age and basically how stupid I was when it came to him.”
Lorenzo straightened out, lifting himself onto an elbow. “Young and inexperienced doesn’t mean you were stupid, Liv.”
“I know but even teens have some dignity, right? Anyway,” she shook her head, feeling that same familiar frustration she always felt when she thought of what a pathetic ass she’d been for so long with Jay. “Live and learn. I just hate how weak it makes me feel when I think about the girl I once was. I’m not that person anymore,” she said with conviction. “It’s just that during those first two years after I moved here, I swore I’d never again fall for anyone who wasn’t as equally into me as I was into him. And since I didn’t have time to socialize or rather . . . I think I was afraid to, I had no idea how I’d go about trying to meet someone worthy. Someone who I’d know was truly sincere, especially since . . .”
She glanced down and fidgeted with the sheet on the bed until she felt his fingers lift her chin slowly. Their eyes met, and while the curiousness in his eyes was still there, she saw a hint of concern in them now. “Especially since what?”
“Especially since the whole time in those two years while he said he’d respect my wishes by not trying to make more of our friendship than what it was, every few weeks or so I’d still get a text out of the blue. Usually it’d be late at night or in the wee early morning hours, which told me he was probably drunk or high.” She stopped and chewed the corner of her lip before going on. “The texts usually consisted of something to the effect of, ‘You’ll never find anyone who loves you more than I do’ or something even more obnoxious like, ‘Say what you want; you’ll always be mine.’” She shook her head. “He always blamed it on the booze and would apologize afterward, telling me to just ignore any text I ever got from him at those ungodly hours when I had to know he was partying. Most of the time he claimed he didn’t even remember sending them.”
The concern in his eyes took on a darker gleam. “You believed him when he said you’d never find anyone who loved you more than he did?”
“No.” She shook her head quickly, pissed that it came out that way. “Especially because he always took back whatever he’d said when he was sober. But a part of me knew deep inside that the day I met someone else I’d have to cut my ties with him because I knew he still had feelings for me. I hated that we ruined the friendship we had growing up because it was actually a good one once upon a time. But that wasn’t why I held out for two years; it was just how things went down. As far as the physical holding off, there wasn’t much of that. I am human and I have my own room with a door that locks.”
She paused when she saw the glimmer in his eyes that told her he understood what she meant by that.
“Girls aren’t like guys either,” she went on. “I mean I do enjoy the pleasure of sex.” She smirked, glad his dark stare had lightened up quite a bit. “Very much so. But I don’t need the release as often as a man does.”
Lorenzo was quiet for a moment before asking in a calmer tone. “He doesn’t still say those things to you anymore, right?”
“No,” she said, slipping her hand into his. “And I blocked him, remember? So there’s no way he can get a hold of me.”
Finally, she saw an even bigger break in that unyielding hardened expression. “Good.” He kissed her lips softly, making her lie down completely as he brought his body closer against hers. “I don’t think you’re weak,” he whispered, scanning her eyes. “I don’t think you’ve ever been weak. I just think your ex has always been a manipulative asshole.” His brows shot up suddenly—curiously. “How much older than you was he?”
Now that they were older the age difference didn’t seem as significant as it used back then. But she still felt compelled to explain a few things first. “He started school late, and I started early because of my birthday. Then he was left behind twice. But it wasn’t because he was dumb. His home life was a mess. Child protective services had to be called in to check on him and his brother all the time. So when we were much younger, the age difference didn’t feel that big since we were in the same grade. Then everything changed when he dropped out of high school.”
Lorenzo lifted a playful brow. “How much older, babe?”
“Four years,” she said, and first, it seemed to not faze him; then it seemed to hit him.
“How old were you when you first started sleeping with him?”
“Fifteen,” she whispered but then added quickly. “That was just the first time we did it, but after that it was almost a year before we went all the way again because I wasn’t on birth control and afraid to get pregnant.”
“So he was nineteen and you were fifteen.” He stopped, closed his eyes for a moment then squeezed her hand and leaned in to kiss her. “I think I’ve heard enough about this guy for tonight.”
Forever.
At least that’s what Olivia hoped. If thinking about what she’d once upon a time been like made her feel pathetic, admitting it out loud and especially to Lorenzo was even worse. Thankfully, Lorenzo quickly put all his concentration into his marathon amazing kisses. Olivia let herself fall into them. They were so much more profound than any of the lustful and erotic things they’d done. She forgot about everything else and focused on enjoying her amazing boyfriend’s kisses.
~*~
Lorenzo
Not only had Liv gladly agreed to have Vince and Rosie over for the Raiders game the next day, but to Lorenzo’s surprise, the Moreno clan and Romero all joined them. With the exception of Rosie and Vince, who still didn’t like leaving Ruby with anyone even for a few hours, everyone else was free of kids for the day. Angel, Sal’s youngest brother, explained his parents got their fill of all the grandkids once a month, giving the parents a little break. Manny and Max were always up for watching Romero’s kids, so he and his wife had the day to themselves as well.
Lorenzo had been busy with the guys, talking about the spread on the game and other stats on both teams when he noticed the weird expression on Liv’s face as she stared at the screen on her phone. She was sitting at the dining room table with Rosie and Grace. The only reason he even caught it was because Sofie had laughed loudly suddenly. When Lorenzo had looked up to see her standing with Sal’s two sisters-in-law, he’d searched for Liv. His eyes had just found her at the very moment her big smile had slowly fizzled as she read whatever it was that was on her phone screen.
He probably still wouldn’t have thought much of it, but she’d gotten up, bringing the phone to her ear, and gone out the side door of the kitchen.
“You in, Enzo?”
Lorenzo turned to Romero, who was staring at him along with Nathan and Isaiah. “Am I in what?”
“I already took his bet,” Isaiah explained, handing Romero a beer.
“How much did you bet him?” Romero asked.
“We didn’t bet money,” Isaiah said before Lorenzo could answer. “If the Raiders win, he gets a bottle of Jameson and tickets to AJ’s next game. Cowboys win, Nathan, AJ, and I get an advanced handgun course on the house.”
Sal and his brothers joined in asking more about the new courses Vince and Lorenzo had recently added. Lorenzo and Vince explained and gave them the inside scoop on some of the other courses they’d soon be adding.
“Oh, that reminds me,” Romero said, turning to Vince again. “I need to get that group training set up again. I got a handful of newbies that need the basic course.”
“I’ll be taking that one soon.” Liv’s voice so close by suddenly got all their attention. She slipped her hand in Lorenzo’s and leaned against him, bright eyed and wearing a sweet smile. “Only I get private lessons with my sexy instructor.”
“Ooh!” Rosie sauntered up behind Liv with a big smile and latched her arm into Vince’s. “I remember my private lessons.”
“Sounds like a lot of banging going on with those private lessons,” Romero said, laughing, and Nathan slugged his arm playfully, though he didn’t look at all amused. “What?” Romero said, flinching but laughing even more. “Guns go bang, right? That’s all I meant.”
The guys all sniggered as Nathan and Isaiah rolled their eyes.
“What’d I miss?” AJ asked as he ambled up to the group, munching on a small bowl of chips.
“Nothing,” Liv said before anyone could clue her younger brother in.
“You should have Emi join you if Lorenzo’s gonna show you how to use a gun,” Nathan said in an all-kidding-aside tone. “If she’s gonna be on her own next year in Los Angeles, we might just need to get her a little twenty-two or something. I hate the thought of her being so far from us and alone.”
“She’ll be fine,” Liv said. “I don’t like the idea of her carrying a gun.”
“Why not?” Vince and Lorenzo said almost in unison. They exchanged glances before Vince went on. “Rosie carries one.”
“You do?” Liv asked, gaping at Rosie. “Like in your purse?”
Rosie nodded. “Well, technically, I keep it in the glove compartment of my car, and depending where I’m going, I might carry it in my purse. But you should seriously think about keeping one in your van since you’re always by yourself, Liv. You never know. People might think, because you’re conducting business, you carry a lot of money on you and try something.”
Lorenzo and Vince nodded in instant agreement. It was exactly what he had in mind. As soon as Liv got the basics down, it’d be the next thing he was buying and giving her.
He hadn’t noticed she still had her phone in her hand until she glanced down at it. The guys were grabbing their places on the sofa and the bar stools behind it as the start of game was announced. Nathan rushed off toward the front door, saying he needed to grab something from his car, and their little crowd began to dwindle. Emi wandered over holding Ruby to where Lorenzo and Liv now stood with only Romero, Vince, and Rosie.
“I’m actually thinking of taking some self-defense classes out in Los Angeles once I get out there,” Emi said, pulling Liv’s attention away from her phone.
She’d been staring at it with that concerned look again. Emi smiled sheepishly once she had Liv’s attention. “Remember that website I showed you about that gym out there?”
Liv smiled as Rosie laughed softly. “Oh, the one you told me about? In East L.A?” Rosie asked Liv. “I Googled it.” Rosie’s eyes went even brighter. “Maybe Liv and I can drive out there and take the class with you once you’re settled.”
Rosie winked at Liv, and Lorenzo peered at them just as curiously as Vince did.
“I thought the same thing when Emi showed me the gallery photos of the place,” Liv said as she sunk her teeth into her bottom lip. “It looks really, uh . . . nice.”
“Why wait ’til you go to L.A?” Vince asked, squinting at them as confused as Lorenzo was.
“Yeah,” Romero agreed. “Plenty of gyms offer self-defense classes down here.”
Emi giggled as Rosie reached for Ruby and took her in her arms. Lorenzo couldn’t be sure, but the girls seemed to have an inside joke going on. He made a mental note to grill Liv about it as soon as he got the chance. Then Rosie shrugged, changing the subject back to the Raiders game, and Emi strolled away. Just as quickly, Romero lost interest in what they’d been talking about, walked off toward the end of the sofa, and joined his wife Isabel.
“What was that about?” Lorenzo asked with a smirk, squeezing Liv’s hand.
“Nothing.” Liv smiled playfully. “Just a gym in Los Angeles Emi’s heard wonders about. I think it started out as a boxing gym or something, but it’s branched out, and they offer a lot of other training besides just boxing now.”
About to ask what was so wonderful about this boxing gym, Lorenzo was distracted by Nathan, who walked in the front door, holding a large bouquet of flowers in a vase.
“Who had flowers delivered?” he asked.
When no one answered, Romero chimed in, “I’ll take the credit. Bring them on over to Izzy.”
“Nice try,” Nathan said, setting the vase down on the dining room table. “The envelope says Ms. Romero.”
“That’s Izzy,” Romero insisted.
Lorenzo turned just in time to see Isabel nudge Romero and roll her eyes laughing.
“Late birthday gift for Emi?” Liv offered. “They’re pretty,” she added without much thought, but Lorenzo’s head was already working.
“They’re lilies,” he pointed out, and Liv turned to look at him, bright-eyed, but he lifted a brow and shook his head. “They’re not from me.”
Her bright eyes morphed into a confused expression as she turned back to the bouquet. Sofie and Emi were already admiring the bouquet curiously, and Lorenzo and Liv watched as Emi took the card.
“Do you want me to open it?” she asked, turning to Liv.
Liv nodded then addressed Nathan, who was already in the kitchen, grabbing a beer from the fridge. “Who delivered them?”
“I don’t know,” he said, walking back to the dining table where Emi was reading the card now. “They were on the porch steps. Who’s it from?” he asked Emi.
“It doesn’t say.” She turned to Liv, holding up the small card in the air. “It just says ‘Thinking of you, darling. Always.’ But it’s not signed.”
The expression on Nathan’s face was instantly exactly how Lorenzo suddenly felt. Annoyed as shit.
“You don’t have a boyfriend, do you, Em?” Nathan asked.
She shook her head, seemingly a little embarrassed at first. “No!” Then she gave Nathan a sharp look. “And I’d admit it if I did. I am a senior now, you know? Almost eighteen.”
“So who’s this from then?” Nathan asked, his tone a bit accusatory.
“I don’t know,” she said, sounding annoyed herself now as she placed the card back on the bouquet. “We don’t even know for sure it’s for me.”
“Well, if it’s not from Lorenzo to Livi, who else would it be for?”
Nathan asked the question as if no other possible explanation existed for it, though Lorenzo could already think of two annoying possibilities. Sofie started in on Nathan, comparing him to her brothers when she was Emi’s age. Sarah and Valerie, Sal’s brother’s wives, joined in on the razzing as Lorenzo’s eyes met Liv’s.
“They’re lilies,” he reiterated, staring at her. “Darling.”
Visibly, Liv picked up on what he might be implying, but she shook her head.
“You and my brothers are the only ones who’ve ever given me any flowers.” Glancing in the direction of the flowers for a moment, she turned back to Lorenzo and added, “Since I’ve lived here anyway.”
“Looks like Emi has a secret admirer,” Rosie joined in on the teasing. “And these look too expensive to be from a high-school boy.”
Sofie followed Rosie’s lead, seeing as how Nathan’s face only contorted further with Rosie’s comment. “Nice,” Sofie said, winking at her own husband across the room with a wicked grin. “I dated a college boy when I was still in high school.”
“What?” Nathan said, setting his beer down on the table and taking the card from the bouquet. “Are you sure that’s all it said?”
He opened it and read it as Rosie and Sofie laughed, watching him inspect it with a frown. Then he studied the front door for a moment as if there might be an answer there. Nathan did what Lorenzo had an urge to do and examined the card even further as the girls continued giggling.
Since meeting her brothers, Lorenzo was beginning to feel more comfortable with them. He might’ve joined in on ribbing Nate if he weren’t feeling just as annoyed by the question of who’d sent those flowers himself. Just as quickly as her brother had dismissed that the flowers were for Liv, Lorenzo’s gut had dismissed that the lilies were meant for Emi.
The action between the Raiders and Cowboys suddenly had Romero on his feet cheering and Nathan rushing to get a glimpse of what was going on.
“Yes!” Romero said, fist pumping as the Raiders scored.
“You don’t even like the Raiders,” Nathan protested with a frown.
“Yeah, but I don’t hate them as much as I do the suck-ass Cowboys.”
“Hey,” AJ said, pointing at Romero from where he sat. “Those are fighting words in this house.”
“Those are beat-your-ass words,” Nathan corrected AJ as Romero laughed even louder, waving them both off.
The subject of the flowers was dropped for the moment. Lorenzo decided to let it go until they were alone later, but there was no way they weren’t getting back to it. For a moment, he actually questioned if the way Liv had been peering at on her phone or the reason why she walked out to make a call had anything to do with the flowers. But he wouldn’t go there. It wasn’t fair to her since, so far, she’d been upfront and honest about everything. If she knew who the flowers were from, even as nervous as she’d appeared when admitting to other things she thought might make Lorenzo angry, she’d tell him. At least Lorenzo was sure as hell counting on it because the last thing his suspicious ass needed was even the slightest reason to question her honesty.
~~~
Liv sat on his sofa, switching the channels on the remote as Lorenzo returned from the bathroom. As much as he loved seeing how comfortable she was now being at his place, he’d waited long enough. He hated to ruin such a perfect day, but this was something they needed to discuss.
“So,” he said as he sat down next to her.
Liv regarded him after leaning her head against his shoulder and smiled sweetly. “So what?”
“Any ideas who those flowers might’ve been from?”
Her smile waned a bit, but instead of appearing concerned about his question, she shrugged. “I think we both have an idea who they might be from if, in fact, they were meant for me.”
Lorenzo refrained from responding with sarcasm but didn’t even try to hide the fact that he didn’t believe for a second those lilies were for Emi.
“Does your ex know your middle name?” Liv nodded but didn’t say anything. “Does Elton?”
“I never told him, but it’s on all the paperwork for my loan and when I signed up for the training.” She took a deep breath then let it out, touching his face gently. “Let’s just say for argument’s sake that they were from either of them. What does it matter? Guys could send gifts and flowers to women they’re interested until they’re blue in the face. As long as the women aren’t interested, they’re not going to get anywhere with them. And you already know who the only guy I’m interested in is.”
“I just don’t want it to be the start of anything,” Lorenzo said, trying not to sound as irritated as this whole thing made him.
Even if either of these assholes were technically disrespecting him by sending his girl flowers with messages that were out of line, this wasn’t her fault.
“It won’t be,” she said but clearly saw how unconvinced he was of that. She gave him a hopeful smile then kissed him softly. “If I had to guess, the flowers are from Jay. I don’t think Elton would do that. The guy is a little creepy, but he’s always been very respectful, and he’s never said anything to me like what was written on that card. That sounds more like Jay. I cut him off completely, remember? It’s all he has left. But just like with everything else about him, I’m not going to bother to acknowledge it in any way.”
She moved over and climbed on his lap, straddling him, and ran her fingers through his hair, kissing him a little deeper this time. Instantly hard, Lorenzo brought his hands around her, squeezing her ass over her jeans. If anything could mollify his possessive heart so quickly, it was this.
After a longer kiss than he expected, she pulled away and looked him in the eyes. The arousal in her eyes was a living thing. It was enough to make Lorenzo want to can the talk about the fucking flowers. He was already having visuals of her beautiful naked ass up in the air. But she licked her lips and addressed the issue again.
“Don’t get mad, but comparing you two is inevitable. Mostly because I’m trying not to make the same mistakes I made with Jay. So far, you two couldn’t be any more different. But from the beginning, one of the things I was most impressed about you is what a man you are. I’ve always said this about Jay and I used to think it was because I’ve known him from the time we were kids. I’ve never seen him as a man even when he technically became one. It’s also why it never felt like I was seeing someone so much older than I was. I know a four-year age difference isn’t huge—”
“When you’re fifteen and he’s nineteen, it is,” Lorenzo said, swallowing back the growing distaste for her ex.
“I know, baby,” she said, running her fingers through his hair again. “But what I’m saying is Jay’s always been notoriously immature for his age. Even with this whole Margie thing. He really should just man up. He’s still trying to talk her into the abortion, and it’s sickening because he knows damn well how emotionally fragile Margie is. This whole thing is already been harrowing for her to deal with. Forcing her to do something she’s so against could be devastating for her, and he knows it, yet he’s only thinking of himself.”
This was news to Lorenzo. “Emotionally fragile?”
Liv, nodded, her playfully aroused expression flattened. “I won’t get too into it because it’s too personal and she asked me not to ever share it with anyone. I didn’t know it until we were in high school, but Margie has always suffered from depression. It’s why she’s so introverted and shy. It’s also why I’m sure she fell for Jay, but the worst thing is I told him about her. He knew what he was doing when he decided to toy with her feelings. Margie had asked me not to say anything to anyone when she confessed her deepest secret, and at first I didn’t, but one time when he made a comment to me about Margie being an oddball, I felt compelled to explain to him why she’s the way she is. He promised not to say anything, and as far as I knew he never had, but she texted me today saying she was really depressed, so I called her, and she was a mess.”
For the first time ever, Lorenzo saw the complete disgust Liv felt for Jay now. While it was a bit of a relief to see it, Lorenzo himself didn’t think he could like the guy any less than he already did before she told him all this. The need to get this guy completely out of her life grew more alarming the more Lorenzo found out about him.
“He’s insisting she have the abortion. And now he’s using her depression against her. I guess she opened up about it to him, and he’s trying to scare her, saying that because of her mental state and his family’s background the baby would likely be taken away anyway. I guess his brother is into some major illegal stuff now, and it’s well documented that Jay’s parents and the house he still lives in is not fit for raising children. I managed to convince her today that it’s bullshit. No one is gonna take her baby away just because she’s on anti-depressants. But she still sounded so sad. I hate that she’s so alone because she still won’t tell anyone about it and I’m so far I can’t be there for her.”
“But you can be via the phone and the Internet.” This time it was Lorenzo who ran his hand through Liv’s hair to try and assuage the obvious guilt she was feeling. “I’m sure she knows you want to be there for her. You’re a good friend, sweetheart. Most girls wouldn’t have forgiven their best friends like you did for getting involved with an old flame of theirs.”
Liv leaned in and kissed him sweetly in apparent appreciation for his calming words. He kissed her back a little deeper so ready to put this subject aside and move onto other things.
Old flame. It was as significant as Lorenzo would let Jay be in Liv’s life. She’d said it herself, and no matter what the idiot was up to with those flowers, long-time friend or not, he was nothing more than a mistake in Liv’s past. He had as much right to be part of her life still as Linda had to be a part of Lorenzo’s.
As if he hadn’t been rock hard from the moment Liv had straddled him, kissing her now was making him nuts. He slipped his hands inside the back of her jeans and moaned against her mouth at the touch of her glorious ass. She squirmed as their kissing got more intense, and he spread her ass cheeks, already thinking about how far they’d get tonight.
“Fuck me,” she whispered against his lips before diving back in and sucking his tongue wildly.
Yep. Any talk of Jay was over. Lorenzo scooted to the edge of the sofa as he continued to consume every inch of her mouth eagerly then stood up with her in his arms. She wrapped her legs around him as he rushed off with her toward his bedroom.
Without a doubt, this was the best way to deal with the tension of his newfound suspicions. Dealing with this immature idiot by simply ignoring him wasn’t going to be as easy as Liv seemed to think it was. Lorenzo would put that thought aside for now. Tonight he’d talk her into spending the night, and he’d have his way with her in every position he could think of. Explore every single part of her body. Even the most sacred. All night.