“I panicked,” she offered, after a moment’s hesitation. When in doubt, tell as close to the truth as possible. “I…wasn’t expecting to meet anyone. Here. In Italy. That’s not why I came.” She swallowed, trying to focus her mind. But Michael was there, his handsome face in her eyes when she blinked, so she shuddered a little. “I got out of a relationship a few months ago.”
Nico frowned. “So?”
“I’m not ready to complicate that. I shouldn’t have…I mean, it was…this afternoon was…really…mind-blowing,” she said with a small smile. He returned it and her tummy exploded with butterflies and unicorns and rainbows.
“It was.” His swift agreement kicked up her pulse another notch.
She rushed on. “But I shouldn’t have let it happen.”
His expression showed a hint of frustration.
“I mean, I wanted it to happen. I just should have known better.”
“Are you still in love with this man?”
“Which man?”
“The bad break up?”
“Oh, God, no,” she blanched.
There was a pause as he digested this. “So you’re going to be celibate for the rest of your life?”
“Um, no. I guess not.”
“And it was how many months ago?”
“Six. Almost seven.”
“And yet you think having sex with someone else is somehow wrong?”
She heard it and knew how silly that was. “It’s just…not why I’m here,” she repeated, aware of how lame it sounded.
“So you don’t want to see me again?”
She was completely floored.
“That’s why you crept out? Leaving only this rather beautiful hat?” He gestured towards the door.
Heat stained her cheeks. “Do you want to see me again?”
His expression shifted, something like doubt clouding his eyes for a moment but then his response was swift and concise. “Apparently.”
She stared at him, words not immediately coming to her. “But…why?”
He laughed, a deep, throaty sound that was so attractive it curled her toes. It had been so long since she’d heard a laugh like that – simple and lined with pleasure. A laugh that didn’t spark fear because she knew it would never last long enough.
He took a step towards her and she held her ground, wanting him to touch her, needing to feel his skin on hers even when that made zero sense.
What was she doing? This was madness. It didn’t matter what he said, nor what he wanted.
“I can’t.” Now she did take a step away from him, wrapping her arms around her torso.
“You don’t want to?”
“I want…” She bit down on her lip. “What are you saying? What do you want?”
“More of what we did today.” His response was instant.