“What’s awkward?” The guy looked around, not at all feeling the vibe.
“As flattered as I am—” I paused as Elio sat down next to me and wrapped an arm around the back of the seat.
The guy stared at him then leaned back and raised his hands for a moment then let them settle nervously on his thigh.
I smiled at him in sympathy. “Gentlemen, I’ve been through a lot this past week, and sleep is the number one thing on my mind at the moment.”
“Understood.” The guy gave a glance at Elio then cleared his throat and stood. He sputtered an excuse and hurried off toward the house.
It wasn’t long before we all were saying goodnight and heading up for some much-needed rest. Who knew what tomorrow would bring? But my experience as a reporter had come to the surface over the past few hours, prompted by all I’d observed tonight. As off as I felt, I was ready to hone my skills and do some digging.
I stripped out of my dress and slipped on a gray silk robe, easing onto a chair that was placed to look out over the hills. I kicked my feet up on the chair next to me and watched some guests pile into their cars. I saw their lights as they wove along the winding roads and disappeared into the dark night. The moon peeked out from behind the clouds, and as I relaxed, I wondered what in the world I had witnessed tonight between my mother and Aunt Noemi. I tapped my nail on my lip as I let my mind run through all the possibilities that it could have been about.
“Hey.” Elio was standing in the doorway, and his gaze positively burned as it dragged down my body to where my robe had fallen away from my hip. “I just wanted to check in before my meeting with papa.”
“I’m good.” The heel of my shoe dug into the fabric of the chair, a dead giveaway I was lying. He stepped inside the room, closing the door behind him. His hands were in his pockets as he approached me, but as he got closer, he reached out and dragged a finger from my ankle up to my knee and down between my legs, brushing over my arousal. He moved behind my chair, brushed my hair back, and started to gently rub my shoulders.
I moaned at how good it felt.
“No matter how bad this gets,” he whispered, “we always have us.” I nodded, unable to speak. I needed to hear that. “I’m sorry I can’t stay.” He kissed my neck.
“I’ll be here if you can.”
“Leave the heels on.” He chuckled before he left me, slipping out of the room just as silently as he had appeared.
* * *
Morning came, and the sun shone brightly through the window. Wyatt had left to chase another story, and there was a part of me that wished I could have joined him on the assignment. I loved being a journalist as much as he did, but my own leads were about to take me in a very different direction. Right now, my attention needed to be here.
My thoughts wandered back to last night. I had hoped Elio would come to me, but his father’s meeting must have gone late because he never returned. My need for him was strong, but sleep eventually overcame desire, and I needed that too. It was a new day, and I wanted to get digging on my mother and what she had told me, not to mention Mariano and what he was up to.
After a long shower, I slipped on a sun dress and headed downstairs where I found a very hungover Anna wearing sunglasses and one hell of a scowl.
“I know that look.” I gave her a sympathetic smile as I waved at Donte, who was prepping something green in a blender. “Can I get you anything?”
“If I wanted your sympathy, I would have asked for it,” she muttered hatefully. “Donte, for God’s sake, are you growing that fruit for the smoothie or what?”
Donte rolled his eyes and smirked as he turned up the blender to full speed. Anna groaned and covered her ears at the shrill sound of frozen fruit being roughly puréed.
I handed her a bottle of aspirin from the cabinet, but she swatted my hand away, sending the bottle flying across the room.
“I said I don’t need your help, orphan girl!” My mouth dropped open at her words. “Don’t give me that innocent look. I’ve been on to you since you arrived here.”
“Ms. Anna.” Donte shook his head with disbelief.
“You’re the help, Donte. Know your place.” She slipped off the stool and stuck a finger in my face. “I have been part of this family since they arrived here a decade ago. Elio is mine. Mariano is my good time.” Stale bourbon poured out of her pores. “I will not let some alley cat from the streets come in here and screw it all up. I know all about you and your rise to success, but the truth is, your parents didn’t want you, and guess what, everyone here is just being nice because you had your face on a magazine cover. Do you really think Andrea and Piero are okay with who you are? Open your eyes, Sienna. This family has an image to uphold, and having some orphan hanging around doesn’t look good for their reputation.” She pointed over my shoulder. “So, there’s the door.”
I shook my head as her words cut through to my lifetime of insecurity. How could she say something so incredibly hurtful without even knowing me? I wanted to snap back something witty, but sadly, the word “orphan” rocked me off my game.
“I believe you were going to go pack?” She flicked her wrist at me and snatched the jug from Donte before sitting back down at the island.
“Right,” I muttered with a nod. “Got it.”
I turned on my heel and came face to face with Francesco.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” I swallowed back my emotions, “I just need some air.”