Matteo drinks his espresso and sets the cup down on the counter. “So it’s a no. You can tell them all that. I’ll get you the number.”
He walks back to the counter where he left his phone.
“No need to hurry. It can wait,” I say and drink my espresso too. “I’ve got somewhere to be.”
He looks up from his phone with a grin, none of the darkness left in his eyes.
“So that part went well too? She’s finally yours?”
I nod, grinning right back as the dream returns to my mind in all its bright glory.
“Yes, she finally is.”
“And you’re gonna keep her?” he asks with a smirk.
It’s a valid question, given my history with women and relationships, or lack there off.
“Yeah, I’m gonna keep her. Forever, if she’ll have me,” I say and mean it the way I’ve never meant anything before in my life.
“Then let’s hope she does.”
He pats my shoulder, sends my father’s contact info to my phone, then leaves the kitchen.
Forever is a long time.
And at the same time, too short, if we’re talking about spending it with Alice.
So I better get to her fast. And get started on that forever.
37
Alice
The night air is cool and smells of roses and the ocean and all those good things I never had the time, or the inclination, to actually notice before. The night was either for tracking down criminals, or sleeping. Alone in my bed. And for having nightmares. All my nights were like that, with precious few exceptions.
Tonight blew all those preconceptions away.
He took me to dinner and then we went dancing. It was a lot like that first date we went on in San Diego. We danced the night away, or I did, while he just watched. I still feel that gaze on me now, lustful and loving at the same time, lingering, warming my skin from the inside out. Even the cool ocean breeze can’t touch it.
We closed down the club. And now we’re sitting on the beach, right next to water, spray from the breaking waves landing on my hot skin every so often.
We’re waiting for the sunrise. But I don’t think we’ll actually last that long. I am ready to go see the villa or five-star hotel room, or whatever else he rented for us tonight.
But he’s been quiet since we got here. I’m leaning against his side, my head on his shoulder, my arms wrapped around his waist, and he’s holding me right back.
“Are you very tired?” I ask, looking up at his face. The night isn’t so very dark anymore, so I can see his gorgeous features clearly.
He pulls me closer and kisses the top of my head. “For you? Never.”
But he sounds tired. Or distant maybe. I can’t really tell. What if he’s tired of me already?
A lot of models and women who at least looked like models kept coming up to him in the club. He never took his eyes off me, as he sent them all away. But I can’t compete with any of them in the looks department.
“So let’s go to that villa or hotel room, now,” I say, holding him tight. “There’s better ways to kill time before sunrise than sitting on this cold beach.”
“You cold?” He asks and wraps his arms tighter around me.
I look up at him and grin. “That is not the point I was trying to make.”
