“Would you like a tour of the grounds?” I heard myself asking, resisting the unexpected urge to touch her bare shoulder.
“Shouldn’t you be...back at the party? With Kat?”
Her loyalty would make this even sweeter when she eventually chose me over her friend. The fact that I found her genuinely attractive was simply a bonus. This revenge would be far more enjoyable than I’d initially planned.
“I already told you how I feel about Katalina.”
She glanced back toward the low sounds of music. “Okay...but just for a bit. Don’t wanna be in the way or anything.”
“No trouble at all,” I said, gesturing toward a nearby path. “Shall we?”
The look of gratitude she gave me warmed me inside out. I offered my hand to help her up from where she kneeled beside Zeus, feeling the soft warmth of her skin against mine. I held on a moment longer, enjoying how perfectly her hand fit in mine.
We began with the gardens, wandering between crystalline pools, reflecting the moonlight and marble fountains where water danced and sang. The Christakis estate sprawled across twenty acres of prime coastline, a harmonious blend of classical Greek architecture that had been in my family for generations. Stone pathways wound through precisely trimmed topiary animals and olive trees.
“This place is incredible,” Tia breathed, pausing to admire a life-sized statue of Poseidon rising from a circular pool. I stoodclose behind her, my hand resting lightly on the small of her back as I pointed out the details.
“My great-grandfather commissioned most of these pieces,” I explained, my voice low near her ear. “He believed beautiful surroundings inspire greatness.”
Tia turned suddenly, finding herself unexpectedly close to me, our faces mere inches apart. “Santo, I think we should go back. This, whatever this is, isn’t a good idea.”
Instead of backing away, I pulled her closer, my hands settling on her waist. “I’ve been trying to keep my hands to myself since I saw you tonight, but it’s impossible when you’re near me.”
I leaned in to kiss her, but she placed a firm hand on my chest and stepped back.
“I won’t be your Black girl experiment,” she said.
“What I said was thoughtless and I’m sorry,” I said, meeting her eyes directly. “I never meant to hurt you.”
Tia searched my face, her expression guarded. “What exactly do you want from me, Santo?”
The question caught me off guard. I was accustomed to women not questioning my interest, simply accepting it as their due. But Tia wasn’t playing by those rules.
“You,” I admitted. “I don’t know much about you. But I know you risked your life to save mine. I know you see beauty in thingsothers overlook. And I know I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since we kissed.”
She looked away while her fingers stroked Zeus’s fur. “That’s just adrenaline and gratitude talking. It’ll fade.”
“Is that what you’re feeling, too? Adrenaline?” I stepped closer, carefully. “Because I saw how you looked at me when we danced.”
She dropped her gaze. “Katalina is my friend.”
“Is she?” I challenged. “I saw how she treats you. Friends don’t diminish each other.”
Tia’s eyes snapped back to mine. “You don’t get to judge our friendship. You don’t know anything about it.”
“You’re right again,” I conceded. “But I do know Katalina. I dated her and I never once saw her put anyone else’s feelings above her own.”
Zeus whined softly, sensing the tension, and nudged Tia’s hand. She resumed petting him automatically.
“Are you hungry?” I asked suddenly, changing tactics.
She blinked at the abrupt shift. “What?”
“Hungry,” I repeated with a smile. “You haven’t eaten anything since arriving here.”
“I...” she hesitated, then admitted, “Yes, actually. I was too nervous to eat earlier.”
“Come with me,” I said, offering my hand. “The kitchen is loaded.”
