SHADES OF LOVE

CHAPTER 17

"He's really making Max work for it," Leo noted, wiping the light sheen of sweat off his shaved head with a hand towel.

You turned to watch, seeing Ignazio wrestling with the instructor who was bigger than him—and Ignazio was no small man himself. Standing over six feet tall and two hundred pounds of body weight, Ignazio Boschetto was a formidable opponent. Plus, he'd been wanting to check out Leo's Krav Maga classes himself since after you'd shared your interest in it, and it seemed he had some of the moves down pat. "Thanks for letting him jump in."

Leo looked at you, his dark eyes steady and calm in that way he had. He'd been teaching you more than just how to defend yourself; he'd also taught you to focus on the steps to be taken, not the fear. Although he didn't ask it, you could feel the unspoken question in the air. You decided it was best to answer it, since Leo was doing you a favor by letting Ignazio monopolize his co-instructor. "He's a tad...overprotective of those he loves. It's innate to him."

He reached down and grabbed the bottle of water sitting just off the side of the training mat. After a minute, he said, "You told me he's away a lot, right?"

"Uh... Yeah." He didn't even live there, but you didn't bother to correct him.

"I have a wife and a daughter. I can imagine how that feels." When he looked at you before taking a sip, you saw the understanding in his thickly lashed dark eyes and you were reassured that you'd brought Ignazio to the right place.

Leo was easygoing and had a great smile, and was genuine in a way that you'd rarely come across. But he had an air about him that warned people to tread carefully. One knew right away that it would be stupid to try to pull anything over on him. His street smarts were as obvious as his tribal tattoos.

"So you bring him here," he said, "let him work it out and let him see you taking care of your own protection. Good idea."

You smiled. Leo's studio was located in a revitalizing area of your hometown. It was a converted warehouse, and the exposed brick and giant sliding loading-bay doors added to the atmosphere of tough chic. It was a place where you felt confident and take-charge.

"I've got some ideas." He grinned and jerked his chin toward the mat. "Let's show him what you can do."

You dropped your towel over your water bottle and nodded. "Let's."

* * * *

Just like the previous weekdays, you'd woken up at the usual time to get ready for work, and so had Ignazio. Every day he'd helped you with breakfast, drove you to work in his hired car and dropped Alice at Elsa's before going to the recording studio. And it would be like that for practically two weeks. Christmas break wouldn't be over for a few more days, so you were enjoying the most of your free time, especially with Alice and Ignazio.

"Wear the Givenchy one." You watched as Ignazio was picking out the clothes he'd wear for the day. "You look hot in it."

He glanced over to where you sat on the edge of the bed with a cup of coffee in your hands. His mouth curved in an indulgent smile.

"What?" you said with an easy shrug. "It's true."

Closing the drawer with his hip, he walked over with the sporty Givenchy embroidered black sweater and dark jeans draped over his forearm. He wore only black boxer briefs, affording you the joy of admiring his big, fit body and lightly tanned skin.

"It's uncanny how often we think alike," he said. "I picked out these jeans because I know how much you love them."

That made you smile. You swung your legs, too full of love and happiness to sit still. "I do."