His hands settle at my waist. “We don’t have to solve our entire lives right now. Let’s keep doing what we’ve been doing, one step at a time.”
Emotion swells in my chest until it almost aches. “I could never ask you to leave your family for me,” I whisper.
He shakes his head. “You’re not asking. I’m offering. And I’m not leaving my family... I’m trying to add a few more to it.”
“A few?”
He pretends to think for a second. “Actually... four.” His thumb traces my cheek. “You. Ethan. Alicia. And your friend Mark. He’s like a brother to you… so he’s part of the deal.”
God... this man.
“I want to know every part of your life. Every person who matters to you. I want to be part of your world.” His voice deepens. “You just have to let me.”
I open my mouth to answer—and then there’s a knock at the door. The flight attendant tells us the doors need to close and we’ll be taking off soon.
Alexander cups my face in both hands.
“Listen. This week I’ll tie up a few things in Milan. Then comes the trip to Dubai I told you about. As soon as I close the deal, I’ll come back here for a few days. After that... there’s nothing holding me. Say the word and I’ll get on this jet and come to you. Wherever you are.”
He presses his forehead to mine. “Take your time. Call me. And we’ll finish this conversation there, once you’ve had space to breathe and think.” He kisses my forehead and speaks against my skin, his voice rough. “Don’t forget me, Cecilia... andplease, don’t let fear be louder than us. Remember what I did more than what I said. I am the man you met here. You saw me. And I gave you all of me.”
I slide my fingers into his hair and bring his face to mine. “I want you. More than you know. Don’t ever think otherwise. I just don’t want you to give up your life for me—”
He silences me with a swift kiss. “I’m not giving anything up. I’m choosing the life I want.”
Then he kisses me again, until my knees feel weak and the world narrows to nothing but him.
When we finally pull apart, he stands and straightens his trousers, muttering something under his breath with a crooked smile. He takes my hand, lacing his fingers through mine.
We leave the suite together. He kisses my forehead. The tip of my nose. My lips. “Don’t forget me, Cecilia.”
I hold his gaze, my vision swimming with tears, as I offer those same words to him in Italian.“Non scordarti di me, Alexander.”
“Mai.”[LXV]
He kisses me one last time and turns away.
I go to the window and fasten my seatbelt, watching him the entire time—leaning against the car, hands slipped into his pockets as though he’s holding himself together. When the plane begins to roll, he lifts his hand to the left side of his chest.
I press my own there, even though he can’t see me. And when the first tear finally slips free as the jet lifts from the ground, I don’t wipe it away. Wishing he were here to catch it with his lips.
Just as he did hours before.
Ethan
“Is it going to take much longer?” Alicia whispers from the seat beside me in the Sheltair lounge.
It’s the third time she’s asked since the receptionist told us Mom’s jet had landed.
“Alicia, sweetheart, even the filthy rich have to go through customs,” Uncle Mark says with a chuckle. “They’re probably just checking your mom’s bags and paperwork. They’ll let her through in a minute.”
He’d swung by our place to pick us up earlier. I came down to spend the whole weekend with Mom and Alicia and, obviously, to see Dalila before heading back.
Just thinking about her makes my mouth tilt into a smile. Things have been better. She’s even been pushing me to go out more, saying it’s not fair for me to keep spending every night on the phone with her while the guys are out living life.
But I’ve been making the effort. I’ve gone out with Conrad and José too. Nothing wild, just walking around, grabbing food, and doing the usual stuff.
I look over at Uncle Mark. He seems tired. Distant in that way adults try to pretend doesn’t show. I asked him earlier if everything was okay, but he just smiled and tossed out another one of his jokes. And I didn’t believe him for a second.
