The morning that followed was one that consisted of a terrible headache and my mother ranting to me about my recklessness. "You could have been killed, Heidi, we were worried, and you were out getting drunk!" she shouts, and I massage my temples, trying to soothe the pounding that her overly loud voice is only multiplying.

"I wasn't getting drunk; I had a few glasses of wine and that was it. I'm here now and I'm not dead so everything is fine!" I retort and she rolls her eyes before pinching the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger.

"That's not the point!" she continues shouting and I want to be swallowed up into the nothingness where her incessant voice isn't attacking me.

"Then, what is the point?" I throw up my arms in protest as my father walks into the kitchen. He moves towards my mother, his hand rubbing her back and I force myself to not roll my eyes.

It's always them both against me, that's it.

As soon as my father is added to the conversation, I know that I'm done for, that's there's no way of me getting my point across.

"Honey," my father says to me in warning, and I want to rip my own hair out in frustration. "All that your mother is saying is that you could have told us that you were planning on drinking instead of us having to find out through the ruckus you made this morning."

"I made a ruckus because no one answered the door and I was forced to climb through a window," I counter and my mother sighs.

"This is not how I wanted this morning to go. The Emiliano's were supposed to be visiting and it was going to be a relaxed day... but no. You have to go and ruin it by drinking yourself silly," my mother's voice is much lower now and I can tell she is barely containing her anger.

Vienna and Terrone walk into the kitchen as soon as I match the dots. Ignoring everything else that came out of her mouth I follow up with, "The Emiliano's?"

"Yes, they're old friends of ours. We haven't seen them in years, and we thought it would be good for a reunion. They have a son..." Vienna says suggestively, and I want to shrivel up into a ball and die. I know exactly who that son is... Niccolo.

"We thought we'd invite them over and chat by the pool," my mother says, and it only gets worse and worse. This cannot be happening. The doorbell rings. "Oh, that will be them," she moves towards the door and before I can take another breath, I make my way quickly up the stairs and towards my bedroom.

Okay, what do I wear? How am I supposed to act? Am I supposed to act like I know him or are we supposed to pretend like this is our first meeting? I didn't tell my mother about the fact that he walked me home and I most certainly didn't tell her about the soft way he touched me before he left. I didn't say anything. I can't tell if that is a good thing or not.

Taking a brisk shower to wash the remnants from last night away, I grab a plain black bikini and take out a small dress to wear as a cover-up. Moving towards my dresser, I grab a pair of sunglasses, to shield my hungover eyes from the too bright sun and tie my hair up in a knot.

Grabbing a book to distract myself, I finally take a deep breath before leaving my room and walking down the stairs. As I pass the kitchen, I grab a glass of water and head out into the garden. My nerves grow when I see Nico laughing with my mother. My eyes then flicker to his parents.

Willing myself to walk outside, I give everyone a bright smile. "Ah, here is my daughter, Heidi. You finally decided to make an appearance," my mother gives a small dig, but I don't let my smile falter.

"It's nice to meet you, I've heard lots about you," I smile towards Nico's parents and then turn to face him. Nico throws a smirk my way before holding out his hand. I take it hesitantly, his palm rough against mine.

"It's nice to meet you, Heidi," he says, and the same feeling curdles in my stomach. The feeling that I could melt at his words and never recover. I simply give him a smile and nod.

"This is Lorenzo, Mila and their son Niccolo," Vienna explains, and his parents give me a warm smile. "Can I get anyone anything to drink?" Vienna changes the course of the conversation, and I can finally breathe again.

Trailing away from the group, I sit down on a sun lounger and grab my book. I am immersed in a world that I would give my life to be in before I am snapped out of it when someone sits down on the sun lounger opposite me.

"What are you reading?" that deep voice speaks, and I look at him above the frame of my sunglasses. His white shirt is tight against his skin, giving me an eyeful of the muscles that lay beneath.

"A book," I give him a smile and he rolls his eyes.

"I hadn't realised who you were last night, if I had known, I would have made my introduction more... formal, I guess you could say," Nico says, and I furrow my brows at the idea of him treating me differently due to knowing who my family are.

Finding that I am far too hot to be covered in the thick material of my dress, I pull it off and place it at the end of the lounger. Turning to face back towards Nico, I watch as he holds his weight with his hands placed behind him and his eyes rake down my body - touching every inch of my skin, his gaze burning me more than the hot rays of the sun.

Grabbing the bundle of clothing, I throw it at him, and he laughs as it hits him in the chest. "What was that for?" he smirks, and I roll my eyes.

"I don't remember my eyes being anywhere else," I state, and Nico shakes his head, his eyes still flickering, occasionally, to places they shouldn't be.

"Two can play that game, Heidi," he says, his voice nothing but smug as he grips the hem of his shirt and pulls it off. I beg and plead with my eyes to stay stuck to his blue gaze, but they eventually give up and trail down the length of his torso. Holy hell. My eyes are glued to the hard muscles on his stomach, to the minimalistic tattoos splayed across him, to the way he is quite literally gorgeous. I don't try to hide my gawking because why should I? He certainly didn't. It's when my clothing is thrown back at me that my eyes snap back to his.

"Fair play," I say, and he gives me a victorious grin, flashing his dimples.

"What's your name?" a voice rattles me and sends my heart racing. Nancy appears next to me, and I act as though she didn't just scare the shit out of me. She looks at Nico expectantly and he gives her a small smile.

"I'm Niccolo, but my friends call me Nico," he responds, and she gives him a smile in return. "And what's your name, little lady?" he asks, and she gives him an even bigger smile.

"Nancy... are you Heidi's boyfriend?" Nancy blurts out and my eyes go wide as Nico chuckles. When his gaze meets mine, I force myself to look away. I open my mouth to say no but he beats me to it.

"Something like that," he laughs, and I shoot him a glare. "I'm joking... we're just friends, nothing more, nothing less," Nico confirms, and I feel like I can breathe again. Knowing Nancy, she'd tell everyone in sight, whether she knew them or not.

"Will you be Heidi's boyfriend?" she asks, and I wonder when a six-year-old got so invested in people's lives. Nico rubs the back of his neck and I feel myself cringe from head to toe.

"Depends on whether your sister will let me," Nico answers her question, and the same feeling gnaws at me. "From what I've learned from her so far she can be very stubborn," he says, and my brows knit together before last night's fiasco refreshes in my memory. I'm not stubborn... just cautious.

"We're just friends, Nancy, and I plan on it staying that way," I give her a tight-lipped smile, not even looking in the direction of Nico. I pray that it is the last of her questions and that she is satisfied with our answers.

But when is my life ever easy?

"Do you want to be Heidi's boyfriend?" she fires another question his way and she only receives a laugh from him. Please, if anyone is listening, kill me.

"You ask lots of questions," Nico says, sitting forward and resting his elbows on his knees. Nancy gives him a grin, urging him to answer, and I want to shrivel up in a ball and die.

I've never been more thankful for my mother when she walks up to us and distracts Nancy from her array of questions. "What are you doing harassing, Niccolo?" she laughs, and I've asked myself the same question many times over the last five minutes.

"He's Heidi's boyf-" I cut off her already barely audible voice.

"It's nothing she was only asking him a few questions," I say and give my mother a smile that hopefully says, please take her away. Nancy has already done enough damage.

"Well, we're going to go down to the Emiliano's. Are you two staying here or are you coming with us?" my mother asks and before I can respond with an answer, Nico is already talking. I keep my eyes trained on my mother and anything other than the richness of his voice.

"We'll meet you down there soon, I think we're just going to chill out here for a while," he suffices, and I nod my head, agreeing.

"Okay, text me if you need anything," my mother says her usual phrase and I give her another nod. I'm surprised she's willing to leave the entire house with me and a guy - that she hasn't given me her usual story about teen pregnancy.

I watch as she walks away, taking Nancy with her. Everyone chatters as they walk back inside, leaving me and Nico alone in the garden.

"Sorry about her, she really has no filter," I laugh to ease the awkwardness of Nancy's incessant ways, and Nico waves his hand haphazardly, dismissing my apology.

"No worries," he shrugs.

"You didn't have to stay here you know, you could have gone with them," I say, my hand holding my book so tight my knuckles pale as I look around.

The garden is overgrown in some places, although the patio is rather clean, and the pool looks as though it has never been used. I could never leave a place such as this for so long, no matter the situation. If I owned this house, you would have to drag me by my ankles to get me to leave - whether my life depended on it or not.

"But I wanted to," Nico says and his eyes flicker to mine again. "Believe it or not, Heidi, I want to spend time with you, get to know you."

I am taken aback by his words, by his interest in me yet he hasn't even known me for five minutes. "Why?" I ask. No one has ever expressed such an open interest in me.

"I am yet to find out the answer to that question," he simply says, and I am left more confused than previous. But then his words from last night about me drawing him in present themselves.

Nico moves closer, his knees touching mine and my breathing hitches as our skin meets.

"I hope you find out soon," I mutter, trying to ease the tension building in me. It was a terrible idea to leave us alone together, not because I fear what Nico might do but because I fear what I might let Nico do.

"I hope so too," his deep voice rumbles as his hands inch towards me. I will my face to remain neutral as his fingers skim the outside of my knees. My body seems to become alight and my breathing unsteady.

"Want to go for a swim?" I blurt out, my cheeks warming with a deep blush.

I am granted with a flash of those dimples that I am afraid I am going to grow too fond of. Tearing my eyes away, I look towards the clear body of water that only lays mere inches from us.

"I'd love to, Heidi," he says before standing and holding out his hand. Taking it, I ignore the rush that his touch sends through me, and I maintain my neutral expression.