Page 131 of The Temptation

“No, I wouldn’t.”

Moving towards the bed, I sift through the piles of clothes I stacked there when I unpacked my suitcases, looking for something to put on.

I decide on a sundress and slip it over my head.

“No bra?” Romeo asks.

I shrug. “It’s just us here, so I’d rather be comfortable.”

His eyes narrow. “The doctor’s on his way, Lucia. You’re putting a fucking bra on.”

He pushes to his feet, and I don’t miss the way that move makes him flinch. He should be in the hospital, but since he doesn’t want to go back there, I’m happy to step in and play nursemaid. I might even look online and see if I can find a sexy nurse’s outfit to wear while I’m doing it.

“Actually—” He cuts himself off as he rummages through the clothes until he finds what he’s looking for. I roll my lips to hide my smile when he holds out a pair of tights and an oversized hoodie. “Put these on instead.”

I take the clothes from him and set them on the bed, reaching for the hem of my dress.

My teeth sink into my bottom lip as he snatches the clothes off the mattress and pushes them into my chest. “You can get changed in the bathroom,” he grumbles.

I walk the doctor to the door and thank him for coming, then head back to our bedroom. He’s the same one who came to visit me at Dante’s house, but I was so out of it that I don’t remember much of it.

He told Romeo he needs complete bed rest for at least the next few days and handed over a script for painkillers and antibiotics, just in case the wound shows signs of infection.

Since he has so many internal stitches, he’s not allowed to lift anything heavy or drive for the next six weeks, which didn’t go down too well.

I saw the steely determination in Romeo’s eyes when he was told that, so I already know he’s going to defy those orders the first chance he gets. But I’ll try my darnedest to make sure he doesn’t.

He’s still sitting on the edge of the bed, scowling, when I return. I move around to the side where he’ll be sleeping and proceed to fluff his pillows.

“You heard what the doctor said,” I say, pulling back the covers and gesturing for him to get in.

“This is bullshit,” he mumbles under his breath as he stands and rounds the bed.

He stripped out of that dreadful hospital gown before the doctor arrived and slipped on a pair of sweats—sans underwear—which, to my disappointment, he leaves on when he climbs under the covers.

“It’s only for a few days,” I say softly, covering him as he lies back.

“Two days too long. And if he thinks I’m not going to drive for six weeks, he’s fucking delusional. I have shit to do.”

“I’m going to call Dante and borrow one of his drivers. I need to get your scripts filled.”

“I don’t need a fucking driver, Lucia,” he snaps.

I ignore his outburst because I understand he’s frustrated. “Technically, you should be in the hospital, so be grateful you get to heal here instead.”

He blows out a frustrated breath, so I drop to my knees and lean in to place my lips on his cheek.

“Please try to do the right thing. I almost lost you once. I can’t go through that again.”

His features soften slightly when he side-eyes me. “I’ll try,” he mumbles.

“Good boy.”

“Don’t call me that,” he says, frowning again. “I’m a fucking man, not a boy.”

I let out a small laugh as I lean in to kiss his cheek again. “I won’t argue with you about that. You’re all man, Mr De Luca. Every delicious inch. Now, what would you like to eat?”

He lifts one shoulder. “Anything you cook. I love all your food.”