Free Rooted (The Pagano Family Book 3) by Susan Fanetti Page B

back in his pocket and closed the distance between him and this beautiful girl standing aroused and nearly naked with him. He brushed her hair from her face. “Rain check. Yes. Absolutely.”

~ 5 ~
     
     
    Theo and Carmen had time to get their clothes back on and get themselves under control. They had time to make out a little more and almost lose that control again before Eli knocked on the door.
     
    Theo really was gorgeous, and he really was hot. Carmen had been turned on to full blast, and now she felt frustrated and restless. But also relieved—there’d been surprising intensity between them even as they’d merely talked, and maybe even hooking up with Theo at all would lead her down a path she wasn’t prepared to travel. She’d need to think about it. Rosa’s woo-hoo girl tendencies might have saved the day here.
     
    Eli carried Rosa into the apartment, with Jordan coming in right behind. Rosa was conscious, but boy, was she drunk.
     
    Theo took in the tableau of Eli holding Rosa draped drunkenly in his arms. “This is how you take care of a lady, Elias?”
     
    Ignoring his father, Eli turned to Carmen. “Where should I take her?”
     
    Rosa stirred then and giggled. “Take me to bed, Mountain Man!” At least, Carmen thought that was what she’d said. Her mouth and tongue weren’t exactly on the same wavelength. But Eli looked embarrassed, and maybe a little annoyed, so yeah…Rosa had said something along those lines.
     
    Carmen hoped her sister would black out. She didn’t need to remember this display. As she indicated to Eli that he should follow her to Rosa’s room, Carmen noticed that her little skirt had hiked up. She was wearing a thong, and Eli’s hand was smack on her bare ass.
     
    He saw her notice and had the courtesy to look sheepish. “Sorry…I just…it shifted and…”
     
    “It’s fine. Let’s just get her tucked in.”
     
    Carmen turned the covers back, and Eli laid Rosa down—gently, gentlemanly. Suddenly somber, with a chance of weepy, she grabbed his hand. “I’m sorry if you think I’m a slut or something and hate me.”
     
    He gave her hand a squeeze. “I don’t. I think you’re drunk. Sleep it off, Jersey Shore. Big day tomorrow, remember.”
     
    Carmen didn’t even have to ask why he’d called her Jersey Shore. She didn’t like it, but she knew what he meant. She’d thought the same thing herself. That was kind of the whole point of being in Paris—to shake the cliché off Rosa’s shoulders.
     
    Rosa’s hand went slack and fell away, and she rolled over. “Fancy date,” she mumbled and then was quiet.
     
    Eli gave Carmen another sheepish look and then left the room, closing the door after him. Carmen settled her baby sister better in bed, taking off her sandals—and oh, her feet looked sore—and removing her bigger jewelry. She’d have to sleep in her clothes and makeup, though.
     
    As Carmen tucked her in, there was a knock on the door. When she opened it, Theo was standing there with a copper pot from the rack in the kitchen. “I thought she might need this?”
     
    Carmen grinned and took the pot. “Good thinking.” She set the pot on the floor next to the bed, closed the curtains, and then left Rosa to sleep it off.
     
    When she came back into the living room, the Wilde men were still there, in the midst of an argument on low volume. Theo was clearly pissed about the state Rosa had been returned in, and Eli was angry that he was being blamed. Jordan watched his family argue as if he were at a tennis match, his head swiveling back and forth, occasionally trying to intercede.
     
    Carmen went to Theo and pulled on his arm, trying to back him off. “It’s okay. Rosa’s an adult. She makes her own choices.” She turned to Eli. “I assume you weren’t force feeding her booze?”
     
    “No! I tried to get her to stop, and then she copped a big ‘tude about who was I to tell her what to do. So I shut up and kept an eye on