There’s a queen bed with a plush navy velvet quilt, a television mounted on the wall and two armchairs with ottomans by the window. Thankfully, the drapes are closed, effectively blocking us out from the world…and my guards.
On the side table that sits under the television, there’s a basket of snacks and a few bottles of soft drink and water. God, I love Anna, she’s thought of everything.
I look over to the closed bathroom door.
He’s just in there.
Okay, let’s do this, I knock softly three times. “Giulio,” I whisper.
No answer.
I knock three times again. “It’s me.”
The door opens and big brown beautiful eyes come into view and my heart somersaults in my chest, my smile nearly beams from my face. “Hi.”
“Hello.”
He pulls me in for a hug and we stay in each other’s arms for an extended time. Connected by closeness.
He’s big and warm and he makes me feel so safe.
He’s just so….
He takes my hand in his and leads me over to the armchairs, he tentatively sits down on one. I frown, it seems like an awkward place to sit, I nervously sit down in the chair beside him.
“Hi.” He smiles as he picks up my hand and kisses my fingertips.
I watch him in a detached state and his face falls. “I’m sorry.” He instantly releasees my hand.
“For what?” I ask.
He puffs air into his cheeks. “I don’t know what happens to my brain when you’re around.”
“Why?”
“I can’t not touch you.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s like….” He pauses as if searching for the right words. “I’m so drawn to you, I don’t mean to be so forward every time I see you, but I honestly can’t help it.” He shrugs. “It feels unnatural not to touch you.”
I get up and sit on his lap, I brush his black hair back from his face and smile down at his beautiful face. “I don’t want you to help it,” I whisper.
“What must you think of me?”
“How so?”
“Last time we saw each other and I dragged you into the bathroom….” His voice trails off as if disgusted with himself. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for that to happen.”
I frown. “You wish that didn’t happen?”
“I didn’t say that?”
“Giuliano, what are you saying? Stop talking in riddles, I don’t understand.”
“I’m saying that I know that you’re not that kind of girl and I’m sorry that I treated you as if you are. I lost my head for a moment.”
I stare at him, confused.
“Like tonight, for instance.” He pulls his fingertips through my long dark hair as he articulates his words. “I haven’t snuck into your bedroom for the normal reason a guy would sneak into a girl’s bedroom, I’m here because….” He pauses. “It’s the only place I can see you alone, and I know how this looks and I don’t want you to think that I’m here to take advantage of you.”
Oh….
“I don’t.”
“And….”
I put my fingertip over his lips. “I like that you’ve snuck into my bedroom to see me and I liked that you dragged me into the bathroom the other night, and I like what we did.”
His eyes search mine.
“And I like the way you make me feel and I don’t care how it looks because this is between me and you and only us.”
We kiss softly, our lips lingering over each other’s.
“I just don’t want you to feel rushed,” he murmurs.
“I don’t.”
He gives me a crooked smile as if mollified, has he been worried about this?
He picks up my diamond necklace and rearranges it on my neck. “This is beautiful.”
I hold it in my hand, “Enrico bought it for me when my father died, it’s so special. I never take it off.”
“I’d never take you off.” He whispers as his eyes drop to my lips.
“Well….” I stand, unsure of what this means. “What do you want to do, then?”
He looks around the room and shrugs. “We could watch a movie.”
“Okay.” I pick up the remote and pass it to him.
“You don’t want to choose?”
“No.”
He smiles as if amused and points the remote to the television on the wall, he begins to flick through the channels.
“What?”
“I thought you would want to pick.”
“Why?”
“Because that’s more like you.”
“You think I’m bossy?” I ask, affronted.
He holds his hands up playfully.
“I am not bossy, Giuliano,” I reply. “I just happen to know that I won’t be watching the movie because I won’t be able to concentrate, so you may as well pick what you want to watch. The word you are searching for is thoughtful.”
He chuckles and flicks through the channels. “If you say so.”
“That’s not being bossy.” I smirk.
“Okay,” he mouths.
“Have you seen this?” he asks, it’s an Avengers movie, I’ve seen it a hundred times.
“No,” I lie.
He hits play and stands and pulls back the covers on the bed, I glance down at what he’s doing and then back up at him.