Total pages in book: 163
Estimated words: 163540 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 818(@200wpm)___ 654(@250wpm)___ 545(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 163540 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 818(@200wpm)___ 654(@250wpm)___ 545(@300wpm)
We stare at each other. “Why?”
“I want to talk to you.”
“No, you don’t, Rici, you want to scream at me.”
“You can’t blame me for being angry. After the night we spent together, I wake up to that.”
I cross my arms in front of me. “I’m know, I’m sorry.” I sigh, disappointed in myself. “I don’t know what came over me.”
His eyes hold mine. “Can we get a drink?”
“I guess.” I gesture up the street, and he falls inline beside me. The two of us walk in silence until we get to a bar and restaurant.
We take a seat and the waiter comes over. “What would you like to drink?’
Rico gestures for me to order first.
“I’ll just have a mineral water, please?”
He frowns subtly. “I’ll have a blue label scotch, please.”
“Sure.” The waiter leaves us alone.
Rico’s eyes hold mine as he waits for me to speak… so I don’t.
“Well.” He opens his hands to me. “Start talking.”
I shrug.
“You obviously have things to say. Say them.”
This is it; the moment I know I have to be completely honest or I have to cut my losses and walk away. I can’t keep harboring this resentment toward him.
“You really hurt me when you left me in jail. It’s not something I can forget so easily. And it wasn’t in a lover kind of hurt, it was a humanity hurt kind.”
He drops his head, taking a moment to himself.
“I thought we were friends,” I whisper.
“Bella, I couldn’t deal with you and the drug thing back then. My whole world had collapsed. I was battling many demons—too many to name.”
Empathy wins and I put my hand on top of his on the table. “Why didn’t you just talk to me?”
“I couldn’t.”
“Why didn’t you call me when you had calmed down?”
“I was ashamed of the way I treated you.” He looks back up, and his eyes search mine. “For that, I’m truly sorry. I can’t turn back time. If I could, I would.”
“But you didn’t even call me when I got here. It doesn’t make any sense.”
“I was letting you settle in for a week, and then I was going to accidently bump into you.” I frown. “But then I saw you on that date and I went…” His voice trails off. “Things haven’t gone to plan.”
We sit in silence for a moment, staring at each other. “You know you’re a really bad driver when you’re angry,” I tell him.
He smiles and turns his hand over to take mine. “Then stop making me angry.”
I smirk, and that buzz between us is there again.
“How does this go, Enrico? What is this between us?”
“Rici. You call me Rici.”
I look down as I try to articulate what I want to say. So clear in my head, so clunky in real life.
“You said we had more story between us,” he says.
“I did.”
“Can you honestly say that you feel like you turned the last page? Because I can’t.”
“No,” I say. I watch as the twinkle returns to his eyes, and I exhale heavily. “I’ll make a deal with you. You pick me up and take me on a date tomorrow night, and I’ll wipe the slate clean.”
“How about we just talk about it tonight?”
“And stop doing that.”
“Doing what?”
“Hypnotizing me with your sexiness.”
He smiles brightly at me. “No promises.”
I stand. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”
His face falls. “You’re leaving already? Your drink hasn’t even arrived.”
“Yes. I’m leaving.”
He opens his mouth to object, and then shuts it, silencing himself. “See you tomorrow night.”
I kiss him on the cheek. “Tomorrow.”
Enrico
I would have preferred to stay in with her tonight but I need to make an effort, so here I am. I knock on the door and Olivia opens it in a rush.
My breath catches at the sight of her. She’s wearing a red strapless dress. Her long blonde hair is up, and I’ve never seen anyone more beautiful.
“Bella,” I whisper as I look her up and down. “So beautiful.”
She performs a twirl for me. “You like?”
I take her in my arms as my cock hardens. “I love.”
I can’t stop myself; I lean in and kiss her softly. Not kissing her feels unnatural. It’s the weirdest thing. I want to talk her out of going out, but I won’t because I know she wants this. “Let’s go.”
She grabs her purse and shawl, and I take her hand and lead her downstairs. My car is waiting in the parking lot, and I glance over to see the four cars parked with my bodyguards inside them.
My every instinct is to drop her hand, but I know I’m already skating on thin ice. I grit my teeth and let her hold my hand. Just this once.
“What’s this car?” she asks as she takes in the black Audi.
“This is my sensible car.” I wink as I open the door for her.
“Are you going to be sensible tonight, Mr. Ferrara?” she teases.