I glanced down as my heart battled my head, then slowly lifted my hand and slipped it into his and stepped closer to let my body surrender to his. His warm hand pressed against the small of my back, and I rested my head against his chest and began to sway with him to the music.
“Mm,” he purred as he kissed my head with contentment.
Slowly, I closed my eyes and relaxed, and with the release I let go of the tight hold on my memories and allowed my mind to drift back to our past.
“Come on.” Elio lifted me by the waist and hauled me onto the dance floor where at least a hundred other guests were slow dancing to a live orchestra. I had borrowed a dress from Andrea but still felt completely out of place as he insisted I dance with him.
“Dancing is the perfect way to be with someone without any need for words, without a care in the world. It’s just two people listening to music intimately. I want to experience everything with you, Sienna.”
“Elio.” I loved that he wanted my firsts to be his, but...“I want to, I just don’t know how to.”
“Lucky for you.” He stood straighter and gave me his famous sexy smile. “I’m an excellent teacher.”
I looked around, feeling awkward. I didn’t belong there. I didn’t belong anywhere, it seemed.
“Hey.” He held my chin. “Form to me, and I will do the rest. I promise.”
“Can I ask you one last question?” I was immediately plunged to the present as he whispered into my hair. His hand gently rubbed my bare back.
“Mm?” was all I could say as I fell deeper under his spell.
“Do you still love me?”
I knew he felt the waver in my step, but I quicky regained my composure. Carefully, I leaned back to look at him. I was sure a thousand and one emotions were evident as they danced across my face.
The fact was I had never stopped loving him, and I was scared, so damn scared to be hurt again. I wasn’t sure if I could ever recover from another heartbreak.
“Can we address that one another time?”
He nodded and removed his hand from mine, running the backs of his fingers down my cheek, then he tipped my chin up and hovered over my lips.
Giving in to my heart, I pushed up on my toes and pressed my lips to his, letting the world drop away. His kisses were gentle and tame, and I moaned, loving his taste. The hand on my back slipped low into the back of my dress and touching the top of my lacy thong.
“Oh, Sienna,” he groaned painfully against my mouth, “there’s so much you don’t know and so much I want to share.” His hand moved to my heart and rested there a moment then slid down between my breasts to finger the pendant. “To think a part of me has been sitting right here all these years.”
I held on to the lapels of his jacket, needing an anchor.
“I hate how scared I am around you,” I confessed. I felt like my heart might burst if I didn’t share what was happening inside. “I hate how much I ache for you when you aren’t there, and then when I’m with you I ache in a different way. Like an addiction that feels so good and makes everything seem right, but deep down inside you know that drug might run out and leave you in its terrible wake.”
“I’m so sorry, Sienna.” He pressed his forehead to mine. “You must know that I never, ever wanted to hurt you.”
I nodded. I knew he was telling the truth, but sadly, the damage was already done.
“We’ll just take it one step at a time, okay?”
“Okay.” I settled back into his arms, needing to be held.