Page 83 of Valentino

My stomach flutters, he’s been touching me tonight, nothing major or groundbreaking, just a gentle brush past or holding my hand, and I know it’s all in the name of our fake relationship, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like it.

It feels good, maybe a little too good.

He’s got a girlfriend…. And who can forget that he’s a criminal….

Hell, my cousin isn’t the only one with terrible taste in men.

I stand and lead him up the stairs, he’s still holding my hand and with every step we get closer to the top this all feels a little too comfortable.

What I wouldn’t have given to have Val want to see my bedroom back in the day. I lead him down the hall and into my old bedroom. “And this is it.” I shrug, half embarrassed.

His eyes roam over the space. “Is this how it used to be when you were younger?”

“Pretty much the same since I left home for college.” I nod as I look around.

He walks around, he looks over my bookcase as he runs his finger along the back of the spines. “Crime and thriller.” His eyes dance with delight as they rise to meet mine. “How ironic.”

I roll my lips to hide my smile.

He walks over to my dressing table and leans over to look at the Polaroid photos I have pinned around the edge of it. “No photos of me?” he teases.

Only because I didn’t have one.

“I hardly knew you back then.”

“You knew me better than most people.” He keeps looking over the photos.

My father appears at the door. “Hey.” He smiles.

“Oh hello, Mr. Russo.” Val seems uncomfortable to have been caught in here. “Anna is just showing me her bedroom.”

My dad looks around with a smile. “It’s just how she left it.” He gives me a sad smile. “I miss the days she lived at home.”

“Aww Dad.” I hug him and he puts his arm around me and kisses my forehead. “How did you guys meet?” he asks us.

“Umm.” I try to think.

“We met at the library when we were eighteen,” Val replies without missing a beat and I smile at his make-believe stories.

“She was wearing a pink cardigan.”

My dad laughs. “Oh yes, I remember that.”

Wait a minute, so do I.

“We got introduced by Giuliano and he walked off and left us alone and I remember thinking that she was the most beautiful girl that I had ever seen.”

My dad smiles and I do too.

“And from that moment on I was smitten, I used to hang on every word she said to me.” He smiles wistfully. “Not that there were many of them.”

We chuckle.

“And you didn’t ask her out back then?”

“I guess . . .” he shrugs casually, “I wasn’t good enough for her back then. Too young to have a girlfriend yet and I knew that if she was to date someone, she deserved someone more settled.” He smiles sadly over to me. “Didn’t stop me from always wanting to though.”

My smile fades.