Chapter Twenty-Three
Maria
Paolo Gicchio wasn’t like other men I’d dated. For one thing, he was the oldest man I’d gone to dinner with having the intention of becoming more than a business connection. It wasn’t a bad thing, either, I’d just never been interested in older men. I’d certainly admired them from afar once or twice before, but that was it.
There was something about Paolo, though, that caught my attention and held it. He had dark hair with the hairs around his temples silver—not gray, like Bianca had said. They made him look distinguished. Not that he needed any help in that department. He dressed impeccably and had an air of sophistication. He was wearing dark pants that fit snuggly and made it clear he was blessed with a large package. He left the first three buttons open on his white shirt that put his chest hair on full display. He didn’t have too much chest hair, either. It was just enough that made me want to place my hand there and play with it while I cuddled up against him in bed.
Would he hold you the way Dom holds you, though, like he’s willing to take a bullet for you? To protect you at all costs?
I shook my head, clearing those thoughts from my mind. I couldn’t be thinking these things. I didn’t even know why I was. I was out on a date with Paolo. Not Dom.
“My new collection has a slip dress named after you, Maria,” Paolo said, his fingers circling the rim of his glass as he studied my expression.
Paolo was intent on me, his eyes never leaving mine once. You could say he was intense with his admiration. It definitely made me feel important, like I was the only thing that mattered in this exact moment. I supposed I wasn’t used to all the attention he gave me, though. Especially not on a date.
The only other person who had ever given me this much attention was—
I heaved a sigh, getting pissed with myself for letting my mind wander to Dom again. This was outrageous. I needed to go out on a date and not think about him. I’d never done it before, so why now? I had to tell you, I wasn’t sure if it was rational or not, but I was blaming the orgasms. Frankly, I was starting to wish I’d never had the damn things. They were causing me more stress and confusion than they were worth.
“The Maria,” I replied, letting the name fall from my lips in a whisper. “I like that.”
Paolo sat erect, his shoulders never slouching or slumping as he grew serious. “You would look beautiful in it. I must show you the new line and have you try your namesake on. Would you like that?”
I nodded, reaching for my glass of red wine. “Very much. It’s a date.” Oh, shit. Was it too soon to say that? We hadn’t even finished this one. “I mean, it’s a plan. A solid plan that we should definitely set aside time for and do.” Ugh, I sounded like a buffoon.
He chuckled, the noise was boisterous in the otherwise intimate and quiet restaurant. The lighting was dim and there weren’t many people around. But that was probably credited to the quaint two-person table he’d gotten for us right next to the fireplace. “Have I told you tonight how ravenous you look?”
Ravenous? I nearly choked on the sip of wine I had dancing on my tongue. I set my glass down safely back on the table where it belonged, lest I spill it when he shocked me with his words again. This man was suave, to say the least. I didn’t need to go on a date with him to know that because it was simply his personality, but it didn’t make it any less intimidating. “Beautiful, yes. Ravenous, no,” I finally replied.
He placed his arm on the table casually, his eyes never once leaving mine. They were glued to me, like if he stared long enough he could see straight through to my soul. It was making me want to reach for my drink again. “Tell me about the magazine. You’re coming out with a new issue soon?”
I nodded and decided to make the most of the night, so I placed my hand in his, allowing his fingers to curl in my hand, his thumb gently caressing circles over it. My body broke out in goose bumps, and I knew between the way he spoke, the things he said, and his touch, I was a goner. “Can you keep a secret?” I asked, my lips curling upward as I spoke with excitement. “I’m the acting editor-in-chief for this one. It’s my trial run, but if all goes well, then I’ve got the position.” I smiled, pretty happy to be able to tell someone outside of my family about my promotion. Maybe I shouldn’t have, but I felt comfortable with Paolo, and he knew my family, so it made it easier.
His eyes widened. “That’s wonderful, Maria. In that case, we’ll call this a celebration, as well. You deserve to be celebrated doubly.”
I licked my lips and shook my head. “No, I don’t. It’s not that big of a deal. It’s my family’s publication, so I feel like it was only a matter of time before—”
He shushed me so softly, so delicately, my heart practically melted into a puddle. “It’s not good to cut yourself down like that. My family, we celebrate all of our successes. Even if they’re not really successes.” He laughed, this time a deep roar sounding from his throat. “You mustn’t overlook these things. They come but once in a lifetime, and we’re only given this one life to live.”
“So you must live it,” I finished, playing with the necklace I was wearing with my other hand, my eyes darting off to the side.
“Exactly,” he exclaimed, enthusiastically. “You know it, too.”
I cleared my throat. “I read it somewhere, actually.” In my mother’s pregnancy journal, to be exact. “It’s easy to forget when you’re living your life, though.”
“No, no!” he insisted, taking my hand and squeezing it in his. “You must remember this because tomorrow isn’t promised, Maria. It’s important we live the day we were blessed with. I live by that notion. You should, too.”
“I’m really glad you sent those flowers,” I replied, my eyes darting between his as I thought about his words, letting them wash over me one more time. “Both bouquets, actually. They were truly gorgeous.”
He winked, and my ovaries practically fluttered. Darn, Bianca had been right—he was dreamy. “I didn’t hear back from you after the first one.”
“You don’t like to be ignored,” I noted my observation.
He disputed, “No. I like to go after what I want, and I want you, Maria.”
I swallowed, the lump in my throat nearly stopping me. “You want me?”
“We make magic together in the industry, am I right? You’re a very attractive woman. You’re intelligent, and family means everything to you. You have all the qualities I look for in a woman. You are”—he stopped himself, placing a hand on his chin—“the complete package.”
I laughed, my breathing coming out shaky. “No one has ever said that to me before. You’re the first.” That is what the first part of that sentence implied. Geez, I was sweating. Why did he make me so nervous?
“I’ve lived my life, and this much I know to be true. It’s hard to find someone you’re passionate about in every way. I could see how passionate we could be about each other.”
Just then, the waiter came over and took our orders, so I didn’t have to answer Paolo. Frankly, I was happy about that because I wasn’t entirely sure what to say. It was interesting to be admired by a man the way he admired me. No one cared about me that much. Well, Dom, but that was different. We were friends. He had to look at me that way, and we had that stupid arrangement.
As the waiter was walking away with our orders and menus, Paolo turned to me and grinned. “I heard they have an extensive dessert menu here, but they have a cheesecake I thought you would be most interested in.”
Cheesecake? Sirens went off in my head, remembering the time Dom had coated my lips with our arousals, and I’d licked it clean, telling him it tasted better than cheesecake .
I retracted my hand, placing it in my lap, and shrugged. “I’ve been here one other time, and they actually have really good tiramisu. I’ll probably just order that.”
“If that’s what you want.”
I nodded. “It is.”