Chapter 7 #2
“Come on, Ella. Just one dance,” he said, calm. He left me dazed with the abrupt change. He smiled charmingly. “I promise not to step on your feet.”
“Va bene.”
Thor guided me to the middle of the dance floor. I saw no one besides the two of us. I was focused on calming myself and not looking like a fool. He took my hand and rested his on my back, the heat of his skin radiating through the thin fabric of my dress. I was a little out of orbit, to be honest.
Thor pulled me even closer, and then we began to move.
My nose brushed his chest, and I didn’t dare lift my gaze.
I drew in a deep breath, loving his scent.
Heithor smelled delicious.
“You look beautiful, Antonella. I mean, you are beautiful,” he said a little awkwardly, but firmly. “But tonight you’re stunning.”
“Thank you,” I murmured in a whisper, feeling blood rise up my neck to my cheeks. “You look… uh… very handsome too.”
“Thank you.”
I shifted my gaze to the guests around us.
“Starting tomorrow, Sean will be at your disposal.”
I looked at him. “Sean? Who’s Sean?”
“Your new driver… I’ve been thinking about what you said, and I reached the conclusion that you’re right.
Forgive me. I was an idiot to impose an unnecessary dependence on you.
Not that I would mind being your guide, but it isn’t fair to you or to Pietra.
I didn’t intend to give the wrong impression or cause discomfort with my excessive care.
I know I exaggerate a little when it comes to you and our baby, especially when… Anyway, I’m sorry.”
“Thank you… for that.”
“I’ll introduce you tomorrow.”
?And everything will be all right
It will be all right
Dancing like water with the light
Oh, dance with me
Dance with me
In the colors of dusk?
“I spoke with Norah,” he revealed when the song ended and a new one began.
Thor guided us without giving me the chance to pull away.
“I feel like I owe you more apologies than I ever imagined… I had no idea she could have said such things to you. I feel like a fucking idiot. If back then you had told me…”
“No… Please, not now.”
“We need to talk, Ella. Really talk,” he emphasized softly. “Without fights or arguments that get us nowhere.”
“I know, but not now.”
“We can plan lunch or dinner somewhere you choose, where we can talk without interruptions. Could be tomorrow or the day after?”
“The day after,” I answered quickly.
Thor seemed disappointed, but still nodded.
I knew I should have been eager and scheduled our overdue conversation for yesterday, and I truly was.
The thing was, this conversation was very important to me, especially because my future with my son depended on it.
Nothing could go wrong. I needed to think carefully about what to say.
Above all, I needed my head and thoughts in order so I wouldn’t shoot myself in the foot.
Thor spun me slowly and pulled me back to his body. It knotted my stomach. Having him this close, being safe in his arms, feeling his warmth, the solid sensation of his body, his delicious scent, made me melt inside.
With a sigh, I rested my head on his chest and let Thor lead us to the sway of the melody.
I closed my eyes and tried not to think about anything.
At some point, he laid his head against the top of mine, and then I had the impression he breathed deeply.
I smiled, loving it. Neither of us said anything for a long time.
This was our pause, and I was happy that he also wanted to preserve this moment.
It was as if, for that magical moment, everything that afflicted me disappeared.
No problems, no fears.
?Shared lips,
Divided lips, my love.
I cannot share your lips.
I share the deception,
I share my days and the pain.
I can no longer share your lips.
Oh, love. Oh, love, shared?
“It’s been a long time since we last danced together, but we’re still good… light on our feet,” Thor murmured after a pause.
“Yeah, I still haven’t stepped on your feet, and mine haven’t been trampled either, which I’m grateful for,” I said, allowing myself to tease him. “Otherwise, I’d have to hit you. That wouldn’t look good among the guests.”
He chuckled.
“Is that a threat?”
“Maybe.”
“I’ll be more careful,” he said against my ear, and I shivered.
I tipped my head back and looked into his eyes.
His intensity captured me, made my insides burn with need.
For a moment, I forgot how to speak. I didn’t realize when I moved my hand up to his left side, but I minimally registered the movement of his head when he brought his face down and stopped, very close.
My heart did a somersault.
“Thor, I…”
“Yes?”
He returned the whisper, his lips less than an inch from mine, warm breath spreading over my skin. Expectation filled me.
Heithor was going to kiss me… again!
He didn’t move any closer, as if he were giving me the chance to escape before it was too late. I wasn’t going to run, even if my reason screamed that it was the prudent thing to do. But who cares?
To hell with the consequences!
Being good all the time is exhausting. I wanted a little more emotion that night. I could give myself that. The consequences would come, I knew, but it was better to deal with them with a sweet taste in my mouth than to deal with them dry.
I lifted my face, looking at him from beneath my nearly closed lashes, waiting for him to complete the path…
“Heithor?”
He and I turned our heads toward the sound. Norah. The pleasant mood shattered all at once, giving way to embarrassment and disbelief.
I pulled back with no resistance from him.
“Excuse me,” I grumbled, leaving.
I shouldn’t have been so surprised to see Norah there. The thing was, I had believed, clung to the illusion that he had given her a nice kick in the ass.
Why the hell was Heithor still with her?
It wasn’t as if I expected him to come running to me. Fine. I wanted that, but I didn’t dare dive that deep into the fantasy.
Have I already said he’s an idiot?
***
Deborah’s visit on Sunday resulted in an incident when she let slip about Ben’s participation in one of my classes and all the details Thor shouldn’t have heard.
I know she didn’t do it on purpose, nor would she have gone deeper into the subject if it hadn’t been for Pietra’s encouragement, the bitch.
And so, an innocent comment meant to invite Thor to come to one of the classes ended up turning into trouble for me.
He did not seem happy. I thought I should be happy about that, because it seemed like jealousy.
And, well, we only get jealous over what we like.
That meant Thor still felt something for me.
Well, I would have been.
But then he accused me for the millionth time of having something with Ben.
***
After leaving yet another appointment with Gamble, I felt more than ready to have that conversation with Thor and finally settle this situation.
I only hoped my courage lasted until the meeting.
And so I wouldn’t risk weakening, I decided I would call him once I got back to the mansion and schedule a dinner for that very night.
But first, I asked Sean to take me to the mall.
I took advantage of the outing to get my hair and nails done too. I had no plans, but it didn’t hurt to look presentable, right?
Maybe I should get waxed too…
Bzzzzz! Bzzzzz!
A check of the screen stopped my plan not to answer.
“Ciao, papà.”
“What is going on with you?”
I shrank at his hardened tone. “Nothing.”
“Why didn’t you come spend vacation here like you agreed with your mother? Is your schedule so full that you can’t dedicate your damn vacation to seeing your family?”
“No, of course not, Dad. I… I had a few setbacks, that’s all. Besides, last semester was very intense, and I’m also interning.”
“Interning,” he murmured to himself, and I knew that was a failed move. “You didn’t tell me that in our last conversation.”
“I started during vacation.”
“What’s the name?”
My heart plunged. “Name?”
“The name of the company. Or does this company have no name?”
“It’s a very small company, still growing.”
“I don’t like the idea of you interning at some half-assed company. You should be interning here, at a prestigious company like Vicenti Creativi, which, by the way, will be yours… Ma va bene. At least you’re learning something.”
I almost breathed in relief.
“Are you coming for Christmas?”
“I don’t think that will be possible,” I answered, prepared for his lecture.
“Is there something you want to tell me?”
I wanted to tell the truth. Free myself from the lies.
“There’s nothing, Dad.”
“All right, Antonella. You can explain that to your mother later. I have to go. I’m entering a meeting in a few minutes. Have a good day.”
“Dad, I…” I began, but he had already hung up.
It wasn’t as if Dad was known for being the epitome of sweetness. His coldness was familiar. His lightning-fast resignation was not. In general, Rocco was very determined and fierce. He never ended a conversation without first dissecting me.
“Are you sure you don’t want to lighten the highlights?”
I looked at the hairdresser and smiled, putting the phone into my purse.
I forgot my father and focused on my business.
Pietra started calling me nonstop on my way back to the mansion, but I didn’t answer, since I was already close. I entered the mansion with the shopping bags in my hands. The living room opened before me, and P was there, sitting on the couch beside Aunt Martha.
“Pietra, I bought some baby clothes that are so beautiful! You need to… Dad?”