Chapter 30
LIANA
We’re quiet the entire car ride home, which I’m thankful for. I don’t need Massimo coming at me with any smart-ass remarks about what happened in the club tonight, or even worse, resort to being his charming self and make me even more confused than I already am.
My brain is going through a whirlwind of emotions, and silence is exactly what I need. I need to think. Figure out what tonight means for Massimo and me moving forward.
Being in that club is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before—obviously. But more than that, it excited me like no other. I never thought being in that kind of atmosphere would have that kind of effect on me, but after tonight, I’ve learned it’s a place I would one hundred percent go back to.
Then there’s Massimo. The way he made me feel—made my body feel.
It was a moment of curiosity that turned into weakness I can’t let happen again.
It’s ridiculous the back-and-forth that’s going on in my head, but I have to stay true to what I’ve always told myself. I cannot open my heart to someone who can easily break it, and from where I’m sitting, Massimo Bonetti could be my downfall.
He finally speaks when we get back to his place. “Are you going to continue ignoring me?” he asks as I walk down the hallway toward his room.
“I’m not ignoring you.”
When I get inside, I go straight to the closet and grab my pajamas. I avoid eye contact with him as I go to leave the room and use the shower down the hall.
“You call this not ignoring?” he says before I’m able to step out of the room.
I pause, glancing over my shoulder to look at him. He’s wearing the clothes he wore to the club, but he didn’t bother fully buttoning his shirt or tucking it into his pants. It’s messy and annoyingly sexy.
“I’m tired and have a lot of work to do tomorrow, so I’m going to take a shower and go to bed.”
He narrows his gaze on me, and just when I think he’s going to argue, he nods and says, “Fine,” then walks into the closet.
I let out a relieved breath that this didn’t turn into another one of our arguments, but I do find it a little suspicious how well he took that. After what happened, I assumed he’d expect more once we got home, and while I’m grateful he’s not pushing anything, it still has me wondering why.
Internally, I shake my head as I make my way to the bathroom; this isn’t something that should bother me. It’s exactly what I want.
After taking a shower, I head back to the room. A dimmed light escapes through the crack in the door, and when I open it, I’m surprised to see Massimo lying in bed with his back facing me, the light coming from my nightstand.
Is he awake?
I want to call out his name and see, but if I can get away without talking about what happened tonight, then I’m going to do that.
Turning off the light, I slip into bed and close my eyes, praying he won’t say anything.
When a few minutes go by and he hasn’t, I take that as a sign, then roll over so my back is facing him and close my eyes, willing my mind to shut off and get some rest.
After tonight, I’ve come to the conclusion that things have gotten too comfortable between Massimo and me.
If I’m already willing to open up and explore things sexually with him, it’s only a matter of time before he’s barreling through the wall I have around my heart.
I need to get away from Massimo Bonetti.