Page 16 of Irreplaceable

Disappointment swirled within me, and I headed for the bathroom before I could change my mind. I wasn’t ready to jump into bed with him. My body was. Oh, was she begging me to do just that.

In the past, I’d always had a firm three-date rule, even with the bad boys. Especially with the bad boys. Though, if there was a man worth breaking it for, it was Enzo.

I smiled to myself as I sat on the edge of the tub, waiting for the water in the shower to get warm. Lauren had been right—you never knew what might happen. I had a feeling this next week was going to be interesting.

* * *

The following morning,I woke to a gentle knock at the door. Koming peeked her head in, and I made sure I was decent before sitting up against the headboard.

“I brought you crutches, Ms. Harper.” She set them next to the wall closest to the bed. “A brace and fresh ice.”

“Thank you.” I smiled and slipped on the brace before placing the ice on my ankle. I hadn’t taken any painkillers since before going to bed, and it was stiff.

“We also brought breakfast.” Another man entered, carrying a large tray of food. I had to close my jaw at the sight. The presentation was incredible, showing an eye for detail.

“Wow.” I surveyed the food or, rather, the feast. In addition to the meal, there was coffee, fresh orange juice, and water. I was definitely glad I’d agreed to come stay at Mizuki House. “This looks delicious. Thank you so much.”

“May I open the balcony doors for you?” she asked. “It’s lovely out.”

I nodded, taking a bite of the granola. Mm. That was good. Crunchy and salty with a hint of sweetness. I took another and nearly groaned. Really good. “Yes, please.”

“Would you like anything else?”

I shook my head, not sure what else I could possibly want. They seemed to have thought of everything and then some. “No. Thank you. This is wonderful.”

“If you’d like something else, please don’t hesitate to ask. You can press one on the phone on the nightstand,” she said as she backed out of the room.

As soon as they were gone, I pulled out my phone and took pictures of my meal. I couldn’t help myself. It was just so sumptuous. The sheer curtains billowed in the breeze, the sound of the ocean crashing against the shore.

I exchanged a few texts with Juliana while eating breakfast, and I knew she was checking in since I’d told her I was going home with a man. I assured her I was okay and promised to tell her more later. Then I quickly scanned my inbox, but nothing urgent popped out at me. I needed to upload my photos and work on my report for the studio at some point, but they weren’t expecting those for a few weeks. Besides, I was on vacation. It could wait.

Instead, I grabbed my e-reader and picked up where I’d left off in the latest Meghan Hart novel. She lived near my hometown of Fall River, but I hadn’t read her books until I was stuck in Germany on a layover from hell. Ever since then, I’d been hooked.

For Christmas, my mom had bought me several signed print copies. You could only get them from Bibliolater—a charming bookstore in neighboring Alondra. It was funny to think that many, many years ago, I’d babysat the owner’s son, Liam.

I smiled, thinking of home. Of the stories Meghan Hart wove. I knew they were fiction, but they filled me with hope. Hope that maybe one day I’d be like her characters and find my own happily ever after. Even if that seemed like more of a stretch than ever. Still…two days ago, I never would’ve imagined I’d be here. In this insane house with an insanely hot man.

I shook my head and immersed myself in the pages as I nibbled some fruit. I was gripped by the story of a parkourathlete who was injured and the physical therapist he was slowly falling in love with. She was about to help him into the shower when I was startled by the sound of raised voices. Or just…Enzo’s voice.

I blinked a few times, disoriented. His tone was terse, and I recoiled from the anger I could hear pulsating off him. I couldn’t make out the specific words he said, but they were soon followed by a loud splash.

I hobbled over to the balcony to peer down at the pool below.

“Cazzo!” he shouted, then dove in.

My eyes went wide when I realized that he’d thrown his phone into the pool. The next thing I knew, he was climbing out of the water slowly, running his hand through his hair. He looked intense. His body perfection.

I swallowed hard as water raced down his chest and disappeared into a tight navy Speedo that clung to his skin. It left nothing to the imagination. The curve of his dick was visible, and I was totally gawking.

Then he turned and walked to the back of the property, disappearing behind a wall. Where had he gone? What was he doing? And who had he been talking to that had pissed him off so badly?

I’d been so distracted that I’d completely overlooked the view. And what a view it was. The backyard was comprised of outdoor decks, the pool, a long stretch of grass that led to the ocean. I’d guessed as much last night, but seeing it today…just wow.

I stood there a moment, careful to keep my weight off my injured ankle before returning inside to wash my face and get dressed. I had no idea what the day held, but I found myself both nervous and excited about the possibilities, despite my injury. I’d just finished brushing my teeth when there was a knock at the bedroom door.

I dabbed my face with the towel and hobbled to the bedroom before calling, “Yes?”

The door opened, and Enzo stepped inside wearing a white terry cloth robe that looked as fluffy as a cloud. His hair was still wet, his feet bare. His face seemed relaxed, nothing like I’d expect after the scene I’d witnessed earlier.