Christ, I hope he doesn’t notice.
I clear my throat and begin moving to the music, but I can’t help but drink him in. It’s been ages since I last saw him. And he's never held me like this before, his hand warm at mywaist, my fingers trembling in his. We've known each other my whole life, but this...this is different. His scent is new. A blend of leather and something else, something that fills the air between us and makes my head spin.
And then he smiles.
One that transforms his entire face into something breathless. His eyes crinkle at the corner and the slight lift of his lips is enough to make me forget everything.
“Emilia.” His voice is deep and rich, like a blend of expensive whiskey and dark chocolate but with hints of steel. “So, you’re a doctor now.”
“Yeah,” I manage.
“A trauma surgeon. Your mother and brother must be so proud of you.”
What about you, I want to ask. Stupid. It’s stupid that I want this much from a man who thinks of me as “little” anything, but I can’t help it. I want him to see me as…more. As an object of desire and not just the girl who grew up alongside his family. Not just Luca's twin sister.
Is that too much to ask?
“They’re proud,” I whisper, suddenly angry with myself. With him. I push back and break contact between us. “I… Excuse me, Antonio. I need to use the ladies’ room and, um, freshen up.”
I turn around and practically stumble away before he can react. I manage to find my way to the restroom and sigh in relief when I find it empty. I walk to the sink, not daring to look up at the mirror in case I see how red my cheeks are. Instead, I run the water over my clammy hands, hating how I act whenever I am near him.
Why do I have to revert to an awkward teenager when Antonio Rossi is near?
The bathroom door opens, and I glance up at the mirror to watch Gabriella walk in, her brows furrowed with concern.
“Emilia,” she whispers, stepping behind me and placing a hand on my shoulder. “Are you okay?”
I nod, smiling as I run a hand through my hair. “I thought I was over him, Gabby.”
“Oh,sorella,” she whispers, her voice laced with pity. “I know all too well what it’s like to be in love with someone and not have them love you back.” Maybe that’s why Gabriella is the only one in the Rossi family who was ever able to see how deep my feelings run for Antonio. Even the man himself doesn’t know, and if he does, he’s never acknowledged it. “Do you want to hide in here a little longer?”
I nod, and we stand in silence for a while before I decide to break it. “Do you think I should tell him?”
“What do you think?”
“That I’m old enough to confess my feelings to a man I have liked for ages instead of running and hiding from him every time I see him,” I say, more to myself this time. “I think I should tell him.”
"You're a braver woman than I am. How about a glass of champagne for liquid courage?”
I turn around to face her, nodding. “Just one, I want to remember this night clearly—whatever happens.”
“Perfect,” she beams, sliding a hand around my arm. We walk out, set on heading straight for the bar, but I skid to a halt, my heart crashing into my stomach so hard it knocks the breath out of me.
Standing by the bar, with a flute of champagne, is Antonio, but he’s not alone. Next to him is a stunning woman with long dark hair that falls to her waist and a body that’s practically an hourglass. She’s standing so close to him, staring up at Antonio like the moon and the stars hang over his head. My chest tightens when she touches his shoulder, and I almost throw up when he says something that makes her throw her head back and laugh.
And then he looks up, and his eyes lock on mine for a moment. My stomach twists, and I clench my fists, my nails digging into my palm, when Antonio turns away from me to lean in close and whisper something into the woman’s ear.
“Emilia…”
I turn away from Gabriella, away from Antonio Rossi, eyes locked on the exit. I ignore all calls of my name, intent on getting the hell away from this place before I break down.
The pain is sharp, and I hate the longing—the desperate wish—to take the woman’s place. Crippling disappointment that it’s not me begins to rise. It’ll never be me. I have no right to feel so betrayed.
Antonio never made me any false promises. He never said he loved me.
But that doesn’t make me love him any less.
Chapter One
