“No, but I should have trusted my instincts. Something felt off, and I ignored it. I thought he was you. Or maybe that’s just what I wanted to believe.”
His body stiffens, and it’s obvious that bothers him…a lot.
“You did nothing wrong, Gabi. There never should have been any question about who you were talking to, and that’s on me.”
I’m not sure that’s a fair assessment, but when his thumb grazes my jaw, it’s all I can do to focus on his next words.
“I’ll never let him hurt you again.”
“Did you…beat them up?” I ask.
“Something like that,” he answers vaguely.
Silence stretches between us as I settle my face against his chest, soaking up his warmth. He combs his fingers through my hair, his heartbeat a steady, calming rhythm that almost lulls me to sleep.
It’s slightly unnerving how much I like this. I don’t even hug the closest people in my life, and I wasn’t sure how I would respond to this kind of intimacy. Even though I craved it, I feared I might never be able to relax enough to enjoy it.
Right now, I’m so relaxed I’m entertaining thoughts about climbing inside his hoodie and burrowing against him like Beppe does.
I shift slightly, pressing closer to him, and it’s impossible not to notice the huge, solid length beneath me.
“You have an erection.” The observation tumbles from my mouth before I can stop it.
Smooth.
“I’m aware.” A dry breath scrapes out of him. “Do you want me to move you now?”
“No.” My grip on him tightens. “Not yet.”
He nods, and I tilt my head to look up at him. “You’re still wearing your mask.”
“I’m shy.” He shrugs.
I don’t believe that for a second, but I suspect he means it as a joke.
“I like it.” I reach up, brushing my fingers over the material. “We can stay anonymous…or, at least, you can.”
“Still trying to keep things casual?”
The inflection of his voice changes, and even through the modulator, I detect a note of tension. This conversation didn’t end well last time, but I’m too embarrassed to admit I don’t want to get attached.
I don’t think I’m a casual kind of girl, given that I’m still not over my first and only love nine years later. I already gave my heart to someone else, and I can’t tear it in half. But even if I could, this thing between us can’t go anywhere. The mask feels like armor—a way to protect myself from getting too close to him.
Faces are intimate. Micro expressions. Eye color. The million little details we unconsciously study in every interaction. If I knew those things about him, it would only make it harder when I have to leave this behind for Riccardo.
“You told me you aren’t good for me,” I remind him. “The mask keeps things simple. You won’t have to worry about that when you’re with me, because I won’t even know who you are.”
“I also told you I’d ruin you,” he answers darkly.
“Well, maybe I want you to.”
God, that sounded really dirty.
He lets out a rough exhalation, his erection throbbing beneath me. I want to reach down and explore every inch of that solid, heavy weight. Now that I’ve felt it, my curiosity won’t let it go.
“Can we do something besides talk?” I ask.
“What do you have in mind?”
