Each blockage is a blockage. Each impasse is an impasse. You have to find a solution; there is no recipe that fits each one of them.

Roberto Azevedo

Haven Pierce's POV

"Buongiorno, Haven!"

I stood frozen in my place when I heard the cheerful voice of Nico who was already sitting on their favorite breakfast table near the pool area enjoying his breakfast with his cousin. I averted my gaze in their direction as I couldn't help but remember last night...

Last night. I instinctively touched my lips recalling the unexpected kiss Santi gave me after my outing with Noah. I still didn't understand why he did that because, after the passionate kiss he showed me, he just marched out without saying a word.

"Come on, please join us for breakfast." Nico invited happily, completely unaware of the tension between me and his cousin who remained silent until now.

I shook my head regretfully, clutching the yoga mat under my arm. "Thank you but I am good. I want to do some yoga in the lawn area since the weather is so nice."

"You don't have an outing with your friend today?" The consigliere asked pleasantly. Something about his tone made me look in his direction sharply. I threw an accusing look at the man who was sitting next to him but the devil merely raised an eyebrow while looking back at me.

"I am not sure," I replied nonchalantly. "Because he has an interview via video conference for the internship he applied for this morning."

"I see." Nico nodded with a bright smile on his face. I think there was something off about this guy because he was extra jolly and friendly this morning. "Then, why don't you join us for breakfast before your workout? It's been a while since we have breakfast like this."

I was about to turn down his offer because the last thing I wanted was to sit next to his evil cousin but I didn't have the heart to reject his friendly offer. Sometimes I hate when my conscience gets the better of me. With great reluctance on my part, I forced my legs to sit on the table and have breakfast with them.

Nico didn't waste his time placing food on my plate. I slid my gaze from Nico and then to his cousin. Did he tell him about our incident last night? Was that the reason why his cousin was extra friendly today?

As I started digging into my food I couldn't help but throw a dagger look at the Don who remained silent until now. How could he ignore me like this when I was supposed to be the one who had the right to be mad because of his unexplainable behavior last night?

"What?" He asked innocently while looking at me as if he didn't steal a kiss from me. He was unbelievable.

"Aren't you going to say something to me?" I queried, giving him a challenging look. I think the least he could do was apologize for his behavior the night before.

He sat back in his chair while staring at me with an amused expression on his face. "About what exactly?"

My lips parted in disbelief. "Yesterday evening," I reminded him with an acid look I threw in his direction. "Aren't you going to apologize for your unsolicited actions yesterday? I think you owe me an apology, Mr. Marchesi."

His upper lips twitched with a smile while his eyes held a devilish glint in their depth. "Nope. I don't think so. I don't think I need to apologize for the thing I did not regret doing."

I stared at him in disbelief while Nico cleared his throat to get our attention. "Uh, I'm still here and I am curious what you two are you talking about? Care to share what happened to satisfy my curiosity."

"Why don't you tell your cousin what you did last night? I'm sure he will agree with me that what you did was wrong." I suggested tartly, throwing an annoyed look at him.

The devil merely raised his eyebrow there was also a cunning smile playing on his lips. "Are you certain that you want him to know? I have no problem sharing that with anyone but I think you rather keep that in private."

"Oh, come on, guys..." Nico complained looking at me and then his cousin with an exasperating expression. "I'm really curious, here. What the hell happened last night?"

"Butt off, Niccolo." He reprimanded his cousin with a stern look. "Why don't you give us some privacy so we can talk in peace?"

Nico glanced at us sourly. "I thought we're the powerful trio? How could you leave me in the dark about what happened yesterday? I'm so hurt by your cold shoulders, guys."

I couldn't help my shock while gazing at Nico walking back inside the house with his plate and coffee cup in his hands. I don't understand what he was saying, since when did the three of us become a powerful trio? As far as I am concerned I don't have that kind of relationship with them.

"Well...?" Santi asked pleasantly once we were alone in the pool area. He was looking at me with his eyes held unmistakable in their depth.

"Aren't you going to admit that what you did yesterday was wrong?" I challenged, sending a dark glare in his direction.

He sat back from his chair and gave me a sly grin like a fox in sheep's clothing. "No. I told you that I am not in the habit of saying sorry for the things I didn't regret doing. Especially if I am satisfied with the result."

"But what you did is wrong! How can you do that knowing that I am your ward, my father trusted you to take care of me, and then you take advantage of me? Don't you have morals?"

He tilted his head to the side slightly. "Take advantage of you? If I remember it correctly you're the first one who stole a kiss from me and I am just returning the favor last night. And I also have the confidence that you enjoyed my kiss yesterday."

"That's different." I protested, trying to forget the kiss. "We both know that I was high at the time that I kissed you once—"

"—Twice."

"Fine. So I kissed you twice but that doesn't mean I have control over my body at that time. Someone drugged me and I was not in my right mind that day so your logic doesn't apply here."

He smiled at me that kind of smile that was filled with cynicism. "It doesn't matter if you gave me consent or not. All I know is that you enjoy that kiss as much as I have. You cannot deny it I could feel it when you kissed me back."

"Lies!" I could feel that my cheeks were warming up. How dare he imply that I enjoyed his kiss last night? You did, girl... an evil voice inside my head whispered. I mentally winced and continue to deny it.

He leaned forward on the table until our faces were only inches apart from each other, his dark eyes sparkling with delight while staring deep into my eyes. "Then how can you explain the tongue part with our kiss? You could have pushed me away when I first pulled you in my arms but you wrapped your hands around my neck and kissed me back."

"So I might kiss you back but that's only a moment of insanity on my part," I admitted reluctantly, avoiding his intense stare. "The kiss last night was a mistake like those two other kisses from before. Let's just pretend that those kisses didn't happen, shall we?"

His eyes lowered and focused on my lips. I could swear that I forgot how to breathe for a moment. "How can I do that when everything I gaze at your lovely mouth all I can think is those kisses we shared?"

"Why did you even kiss me last night?" I asked inquiringly. Because that damned kiss didn't let me sleep even a wink throughout the night thinking what might be the reason for his actions. I kept on tossing and turning in my bed frustrated to know the answer. Now was the right time to demand a response from this devil.

He shrugged nonchalantly, propping his elbow on the top of the table to support his face with his hand giving me a fascinated look that's when I realized that his right hand had bandages. "I just feel like doing it."

My mouth was hanging wide open while staring at him in utter disbelief. "Just feel like doing it? Are you serious?"

"Si."

"What happened to your hand?" I asked offhandedly, trying to sound uninterested.

His eyebrow arched. "Concern, are you?"

"No." I bit back, clenching my jaw. "Not in the least."

He glanced at his bandaged hand with a self-mocking smile. "It's nothing. I just got in a self-accident last night. You don't have to worry about this small wound."

"Who says I'm worried?"

"I just assume that you are."

I took a deep breath while shaking my head at the same time. "Back to our topic a while ago."

"We're not done yet?"

"No. We're not. Let me remind you that we'll never be going to cross that line," I told him firmly while completely aware of how my heart was pounding so hard in my chest. "Are we clear with one another?"

"We already did." He contradicted cheerfully, his eyes held mischief. "The moment our mouths meet there's no turning back. We already crossed the line from being a guardian and ward to sampling the dangerous waters that are waiting for us."

I shook my head resolutely. "No. No. No. This is a mistake. We can't let a few kisses jeopardize our platonic relationship. We should stick to being strictly guardian and ward from now on. Let's just forget the kissing whole thing."

"I don't think so."

I scowled in his direction. Why he was stubborn about this? I was left speechless at his behavior. "Excuse me?"

"We cannot deny this attraction any longer, Haven. Sooner or later this force that drew us together might be fatal for both of us if we continue to ignore it."

I stared at him in disbelief. "Do you hear yourself? What in the hell are you talking about? Attraction? I don't have that kind of thing for you! For me, you are nothing but my legal guardian. Do you understand?"

Instead of being mad at my mean words he just smiled at me wolfishly, his eyes sparkled with delight. He leaned even more until our lips were almost touching. I fought back the urge to draw back because he would probably just accuse me of being scared of getting close to him. "Are you sure, Signorina?"

"Y-Yes..." I answered breathlessly.

He stared intently into my mouth and then slid his gaze into my eyes. "Very well, do whatever you want and I'll do mine."

"W-What do you me...mean." My heart gave a weird thud. Maybe because he was close for my comfort and it has nothing to do with him as a person.

He gave me a self-satisfied smile like the very devil, his eyes glinted playfully. "As I said, we need to address this whatever we have between us. We cannot live in harmony over the summer if we keep on avoiding this hot tension."

I groaned out loud, burying my face with my palms. "Oh, my God! Do you hear yourself? This is crazy. What makes you think that you can do whatever you want?"

"Because I'm Santi Marchesi." He answered unapologetically. "And I will do whatever I want and no one can stop me. When I set my eyes on something nothing can stop me until I get what I get it."

I shivered involuntarily. "Is that a threat?"

His upper lip curled with a sly smile, his dark eyes were locked on me. "Why? Do you see it as one?"

I could feel that my mouth went dry. I tried to clear it before answering. "No," I answered bravely. "I am not easy to get kind of girl. Your kisses do not affect me. I will not be one of those women who previously graced your bed. I have much self-respect for myself."

"Glad to know," He said in a lowered voice that made me shiver down my spine. "Because you're certainly an extraordinary girl. And never compare yourself to those women."

My heart fluttered at his words. I knew that I shouldn't trust his words because everything about him from the roots of his hair to the tip of his toes screams slyness but my silly heart wasn't listening to my warning.

And that's more dangerous than anything else when my heart starts to mess with my reasoning. Because if I am not careful I might fall into his net and I would be the one to be left with a broken heart.

It would be a shame to let a man like him trample my heart callously and have my first experience with romance be traumatic. Nope. I'm smarter than that.