But the last thing I needed was to answer questions about where I had gotten another man’s clothes.
I let out a small sigh and opened the door.
A huge part of me wanted to see him again. Wanted to see him in the morning light after our kiss. After he had touched me so intimately.
A small part of me was nervous, not knowing how I would react or how I was supposed to react.
I realized soon enough that my worrying had been all for nothing because even though the house was fairly big, it didn’t take me long to realize I was home alone.
Elio left.
A small note on the kitchen island caught my eye. In neat, masculine handwriting, it read:
Tommaso should be here to pick you up soon. Eat breakfast. Leave the plate in the sink.
E.
I blinked before moving my eyes over to the breakfast food on top of a warming tray with a glass cover.
It looked appetizing, but I wasn’t very hungry. I was disappointed.
I walked back to the bedroom and got ready for my day.
Tommaso wassilent when I got inside the car, but I didn’t miss the flash of concern in his eyes.
I let out a small sigh and leaned back against my seat. “Nothing happened, Tommaso. I snuck out last night, and Elio followed me. I couldn’t go home after because my dad had held a small party until late, so I spent the night in his guest bedroom.”
It seemed as though he was trying to determine whether I was telling the truth. I thought he was more worried over the fact that Elio might have taken advantage of me than he was of me remaining “pure,” like how so many in our circle were weirdly concerned about.
He nodded and pulled the car away. I shut my eyes, not wanting to say any more, but like every time I closed my eyes, memories of the kiss flashed inside my head. It looked like I might be spending my entire day thinking about that.
I didn’t know if it was a good thing or not. I was supposed to try to get over my crush on Elio. It obviously wasn’t working, and I was afraid I would end up hurt even more when all was said and done.
But the alternative was to do what Elio said and forget it ever happened.
Then I would just be waiting for the day when Dad finally cracked and forced me into an arranged marriage despite Valentino's objection, or worse, wait for the day he finally cracked and killed me.
I let out a small sigh and opened my eyes, meeting Tommaso’s in the rearview mirror. I shot him a small smile that I didn’t exactly feel before looking away from him and out the window.
I didn’t want to think anymore. I had a headache.
I could feelhis eyes on me.
I didn’t care. I was nowhere close to being drunk.
Perhaps a few more drinks, and that would be a completely different story. I looked down at my martini glass.
Probably not a good idea to get drunk in public, but he was here, and I knew he would take care of me, no matter what, even if I could feel the anger coming off him in waves.
I knew I wasn’t completely innocent either. I was purposely egging him on.
Two days had passed since that moment in the alley when we shared our first kiss. Elio had been avoiding me. It wasn’t like I had seen much of him before, but these past two daysfeltas if he was trying hard not to be anywhere I might be.
And while he didn’t want to talk about the kiss, I did.
I didn’t know what that would help, but it had to be better than going back to the way things were.
I didn’t want to go back to the way things were.
