I slammed the door quietly as I stepped into the mansion. Lorenzo would be spending the weekend with his grandma so finally! I can sleep on a stretch.
I closed his door quietly and turned toward our room, the moment I pushed the door open, I froze.
A large box sat lazily at the center of the bed, cream colored and expensive looking. A single envelope rested on top of it.
My heart began to race as I stepped closer, my fingers trembling slightly when I picked it up.
Don't keep me waiting.
I know you're tired.
Still..... I hope you like them.
That was all.....
I swallowed, then slowly lifted the lid. The first thing I saw was the bouquet.
White peonies and deep red roses...…. my flowers..... the ones I loved but never mentioned often... the ones he somehow always remembered.
Their scent filled the room instantly, soft and intoxicating. I lifted them carefully, my heart warming in a way I hadn't felt in years.
Beneath the bouquet.....
The dress...….
I inhaled sharply...…..
It was red.....Commanding...…
As I held the dress in my hands, my chest tightened and a few tears slipped down my cheeks without warning.
After speaking with mom, I realized something painful and freeing at the same time...…. I've been letting fear of the future ruin the present.
We've already lost so much time. Years we can never get back..... holding myself halfway, loving him halfway, protecting myself halfway.....… it wouldn't save me from pain.
It would only guarantee regret...…
The weight of the dress in my hands felt like a decision and for the first time in a long while, I chose not to run.
Tonight would be my answer to Alessandro...….
I rushed to the closet, heart pounding, excitement bubbling in a way I hadn't felt in years...… I wanted him to see me like this..... Wanted him to feel it.
When I finally looked at myself in the mirror, I barely recognized the woman staring back.
My strawberry blond hair framed my face softly, falling in gentle waves over my shoulders. My blue eyes...… bright, sharp, almost siren like...…. looked alive again.
I hadn't done much makeup, just enough to highlight what was already there....Simple…... Elegant and Confident.
Antonio was already by the car when I stepped outside. His gaze lifted, and for a brief second, I caught the quiet pride in his eyes...…. We weren't close like friends but I trusted him.
His loyalty to me and Lorenzo was solid and unwavering...… Knowing he was on our side mattered more than words.
The car door opened.
The car pulled to a stop and the door beside me opened slowly to a very hot and familiar face.
The white straightened shirt hugged his body sexily..... a few buttons at his chest were undone, revealing a glimpse of skin and ink beneath...….. His hair was slicked back, sharp, controlled...…. dangerous in that effortless way that made him look like trouble wrapped in perfection.
He looked like a man who owned the night.
He stretched his hand out toward me, eyes slowly raking over my body. I placed my hand in his, my pulse racing as he helped me out of the car.
Instead of stepping back, he pulled me into a warm, firm hug...…. Neither of us spoke.
He buried his face into the curve of my neck, inhaling deeply, like he was grounding himself and I held him tighter, pouring into that embrace everything I couldn't say.
The silence between us was heavy, intimate, full of things we were still afraid to name.
When he finally pulled back, I realized where we were.
A dock.....
At the far end, past a small built bridge, stood a large yacht.... beautifully lit, elegant, waiting...….. Soft lights reflected off the water.
"I wanted us alone" he said quietly.
Then, almost casually...….
"I want to spend tonight with my woman."
My chest tightened at the words...….
My woman...…
But reality crept in anyway....Celia..... My boss.... His supposed partner.....The unspoken tension that had been sitting in my chest for days.
I swallowed it down as he led me onto the boat.
Dinner was perfect.....The food, the wine, the laughter...…. it all felt unreal.
Alessandro was still Alessandro.....Same tastes..... Same sarcastic humor..... Same moods..... But there was something different too...…. He listened more..... He paused before speaking...… He noticed me.
The wine loosened my tongue before I could stop myself.
The question slipped out.
"What's going on between you and Celia?"