Tilting my face up to his, I quickly searched his face. He still had a worried look in his eyes, but he didn’t come right out and ask me. I was glad of that, because I didn’t think I could deny it again and be convincing.
“What do you mean?”
Tenderly, his hand splayed wide over the small of my back. His fingers were sliding back and forth. “You went away. Into your head,” he added. “I just mean you were thinking so hard.” He trailed off.
“I know. I’m sorry.” Sighing, I hid my face in his chest, and after a second, I felt him sigh. His arms tightened around me.
“It’s reminding you of that night, isn’t it?” Matteo ducked his head and whispered into my ear.
Even more confused, I continued to sway. What did he mean that night? And that’s when it hit me, and with it came a fresh wave of sadness.
It tightened my chest until it was almost painful. Matteo was talking about the night we had danced under the twinkling lights and could finally be together without anyone being suspicious.
“You look beautiful,” a smooth, masculine voice said from behind my right shoulder, and I couldn’t help it. I jumped a mile.
Spinning around, my heels caught in the hem of my long red dress, and I almost went down. I would have fallen on my face if Matteo's hands hadn’t come down hard around my hips to steady me.
Lifting my chin, I met his eyes. Those beautiful gold-flecked eyes that seemed to get darker when he looked at me.
“Thank you,” I whispered. “I didn’t think you were coming tonight.” I was so hyper-aware that his hands were still on my hips. His fingers were digging in with an air of propriety.
As much as I loved his hands on me, especially when they were on my hips and waist, because it usually meant he was going to kiss me, I knew he couldn’t do that here in front of everyone.
No one could know about us.
Not yet, anyway.
Plus, I was enjoying having him to myself. I liked the fact that he could kiss me when we snuck out together without our families butting in.
Being with Matteo was taboo and forbidden and hot.
“I didn’t think so either, but…” he took a step forward like he couldn’t help himself, drawing me so close to his body so that only an inch separated us. “I couldn’t stay away. Not if there’s a chance to see you, Sophia.” Reaching down, he tucked a curl behind my ear and lowered his lip to it. His lips brushed against my earlobe.
I stifled a moan.
“I can’t stop thinking about you,” he whispered, and I felt my heart take flight.
In the three months since our first kiss, Matteo had become thebest thing in my life. Sweet and tender, his kisses made me ache, but not once had he pressured me for anything else.
It was me who pushed for it, because if I was going to lose my virginity to anyone, I wanted it to be him. Matteo wanted us to wait, though, because he was a gentleman.
“I can’t stop…” The hair on the back of my neck stood up on end, and I stiffened. “I think people are starting to stare at us,” I mumbled.
It was like someone had zapped him with a cattle prong. He stepped back, throwing his head back and laughing so loudly that more than one set of eyes darted towards us.
My eyebrows shot up. What the hell?
“That’s cute, Sophia,” he said in a loud voice, still laughing in his booming voice. His eyes were serious, though, and they seemed to want me to play along.
Cracking a smile, I giggled into my hand. “I knew you would find it funny.”
This was all an act so that no one would suspect our real relationship. If they saw the way we looked at each other, the game would be up, though. We couldn’t hide our feelings when we looked at each other.
“So you wanna dance?” Matteo shoved his hands into his pockets.
My eyes widened. “Do you think that’s a good idea?”
The words were barely out of my mouth before he was leading me into the middle of the dance floor. Couples swayed and spun around us. Older couples, married couples. We were the only people dancing from our age group, but I didn’t feel out of place.
