"Why?" I ask, although with every passing second, I feel the adrenaline in my veins subsiding. I increasingly realize how wrong it is to be in his arms and feel more secure than anywhere else.
His embrace loosens. "Family just isn't for me. I prefer to enjoy life, do what I'm really meant to do."
Do I hear wistfulness in his tone? Or is it rather resistance, as my questions spoil the mood?
"But family is…" I interrupt myself. This is pointless. Imagining that Vico could be fundamentally different is just wishful thinking. I need to stop seeing things that don't exist.Moreover, this leads nowhere. Except to guilt, and I already have more than enough of that.
It was wonderful. For a moment when both our realities seemed far away. But now, it has to be over.
I peel myself away from his embrace, release my harness, and try to put on a determined expression. "Shall we test the restaurant?"
Immediately, he takes a step back, running his hands through his hair. "Yes, definitely," he says hurriedly, turning away.
As soon as he puts distance between us, I breathe a sigh of relief. I must ignore the part of me crazy enough to miss his proximity.
Even if I were unattached. Even if I weren't about to buy the Olivetta family estate and thus permanently destroy his family. And even if Vico wanted a relationship—with a daydreamer like me. Vico and I, that can only end in disaster.
