Chapter 20 #2
She nodded, stamping her lips. “Everywhere I go in this room… bam , he’s looking. You have no idea how uncomfortable it was to change into my pj’s.”
I cocked a brow at the old man. “You’ve seen more of her than I have.”
She scoffed and hurled her pillow at my head. It bounced off me and flopped to the floor. “Quit playing. I’m serious.”
I rolled my eyes, unhooked the frame, and turned the image to face the wall. “Better?”
She breathed a sigh of relief, taking the pillow I handed back to her. “Much better, thank you.”
“Goodnight, Gemma.” I flopped back in bed, suppressing the smile tugging at my lips.
◆◆◆
We arrived at the banquet at seven sharp. Lombardy’s famous Castello, now a carefully preserved museum for tourists and history buffs, reeked of money and old stones.
Gemma gaped, marveling at the eighteenth-century establishment, enchanted by its old charm.
We passed the baroque courtyard, and she paused to view the tall stucco columns and vaulted frescoes.
I’d been here too many times; the place bored me, but this was her first visit, so I bit back my impatience.
While she admired the castle, others admired her in her silk, sage green dress.
Her hair sat piled high, a few loose strands framing her face, and her deep red lipstick reminded me of the most expensive wine. I craved the taste of it.
The orchestral music mingled with the clinking of glasses and the murmur of conversations.
The air, thick with expensive perfume and the aroma of roasted meats.
Gemma stood by my side as I introduced her to my good colleague, the Chief Operator of Cammarata Co, Sergio Benati, and his American wife, Cassandra.
“So…” Cassandra’s already too high voice shot up another octave. She waggled her brows at Gemma. “The proposal! Spill. How did Enzo do it?”
“Cass…” Sergio cut her off with a roll of his eyes.
She gave her husband a playful swat on his chest. “Oh, stop. You know I’m a sucker for this sort of thing.”
Gemma sipped her champagne. “Trust me… it wasn’t a rom-com type proposal.”
“C’mon Gemma.” The woman insisted. “I want every juicy detail.”
Gemma’s brows bounced, no doubt recalling all the juicy details. “Well, let’s see. He kidnapped me from my bachelorette party, chased away my real fiancé, and coerced me to marry him while holding my father at gunpoint.”
The woman blinked, flute glass hovering near her lips. Then she burst out laughing, her gaze snapping to mine. “You sure found one with a sense of humor.”
Gemma’s triumphant smirk had my teeth grinding. She enjoyed this a little too much. “That’s my little wife…” I forced a teeth-flashing smile. “Hilarious.”
“All right, Psycho.” She tilted her glass, the light catching the crimson stain of her lipstick. “You tell the story.”
“Psycho?” Cassandra’s gaze darted between us, her smile faltering.
“It’s our… thing.” Gemma wrinkled her nose and rubbed my arm. “He calls me his little wife. I call him Psycho. Keeps things interesting.”
Cassandra nodded in agreement, although her wide eyes didn’t seem to agree at all. “Oh… how sweet.”
Time for damage control. “The reason Gemma loves to exaggerate my proposal is that I was unoriginal. We were at Gemma’s favorite restaurant, and she had one too many...” I gestured, mimicking drinking.
Gemma stabbed her heel into my foot and laughed aloud. The sound strained.
I cleared my throat, ignoring the throbbing in my toe, and continued my fabricated proposal. “Anyway, she spaced out in the middle of dinner. Not a cute spacing out, either. Have you ever seen a person zone out like some vampire-zombie hybrid?”
Cassandra frowned, but nodded out of politeness, no doubt.
“Not the prettiest sight, if you ever see her do it in person.” I extended my hands, capturing both Cassandra’s and Sergio’s full attention. “I pulled out the ring and snapped her out of her daze by professing I wanted to spend my life with her. The rest, as they say, is history.”
Gemma worked her jaw back and forth as if a bone sat lodged in her tooth. “You’ll be history, mate ,” she muttered under her breath.
Since we were in public, I seized this opportunity to act like a real husband. I kissed her cheek, letting my lips linger as I breathed in her frangipani scent. “Did you say something, my little wife?”
“ Ahem .” The pinched muscle between her brows proved she faked her sweetness. “No, Psycho.”
Cassandra deposited her empty glass on a passing tray. “Well?” She waved her hands as if hurrying us. “Where’s your ring?”
“What?” We asked in unison.
Cassandra beamed, shaking her head in a playful manner. “The engagement ring? I see Gemma is wearing a wedding band, but where’s the ring?”
“You’ll have to excuse my wife, Enzo.” Sergio leaned forward and slapped me on the back. “She’s a hopeless romantic.”
No such ring existed, but a strange ache settled in my chest. For the first time, I imagined it: me, on one knee, Gemma’s surprised face. I wanted that. With her . The realization hit me hard, followed by a sudden sense of loss. I robbed myself of the opportunity, robbed her as well.
“At the jewelers… being refitted.” Gemma rolled her eyes, but a smile played on her lips. “Turns out Enzo has no idea about ring sizes.”
I playfully snatched her hand. “Hey, can you blame me? Look at these spindly fingers!”
She chuckled, swatting at my chest. I secured her hand, preventing her from whacking me again.
Cassandra leaned into her husband’s shoulder and hummed. “I must say, you two make an adorable couple. Don’t you agree, Sergio?”
Sergio winked and raised his glass. “Congratulations to you both.”
“I am curious, though.” Cassandra placed a finger to her lips. “Whatever happened to the gorgeous blonde? What was her name… ah, Valentina.”
Valentina. Her name alone stirred nothing, not even a lick of desire. But what could I expect from someone who was no more than a casual fling? I’d ended things with her months ago, long before Gemma entered the picture.
A pink hue stained Gemma’s cheeks. Embarrassment? No need. Valentina, though a stunning model, couldn’t rival Gemma’s strong-willed persona, especially given the pretty package of pale skin, espresso hair, and rich amber eyes. Gemma was captivating. Rare. Mine .
Sergio cringed, snagged his wife by the elbow and shot me an apologetic smile. He turned to his nosy wife. “Let’s go to the buffet and put something in that mouth of yours.”
“What? What did I say…” Cassandra mumbled as they stormed off.
“Interesting couple.” She sipped from her glass.
A waiter carrying hors d’oeuvres passed, and she followed after him. Anything to escape my presence, I bet. Well, she couldn’t go far.
By the time the banquet ended, and we bid my colleagues goodnight, Gemma didn’t saunter to my car… she stalked. I hit the unlock button; the beep echoing in the awkward silence. She pivoted on her heels and pelted me with a murderous glare. “A vampire-zombie hybrid, really?”
No wonder she’d been seething all night, deliberately mingling with just about everyone at our table in a desperate attempt to avoid me. I’d hit a nerve. Rubbing the back of my neck, I felt a grin tug at my lips. “You have a problem with my retelling, but not your own?”
She threw her hands in the air. “At least I told the truth!”
I slanted forward, getting into her personal space. “Who said I lied? You do sometimes get this spaced-out look about you.”
She smacked her hands on her hips. “I do not!”
A car vibrated in the distance, threatening to distract us, but I wouldn’t let her off so easily.
“Oh, yes, you do.” Joking aside, I adored her zombie stare.
I seized her arms and angled her close, our noses almost touching.
“And in the future, when you slight me in front of my work colleagues, be ready to receive as good as you give.” My gaze dropped to her mouth, her parted lips practically an invitation.
Her eyes, golden depths ablaze with heat, held mine.
This woman drove me insane. No wonder she’d nicknamed me Psychopath.
“Who’s Valentina?” She threw the name out there as a diversion from our close proximity, the rise and fall of her chest giving away the effects of our closeness.
I squeezed her shoulders, drawing her even closer. Her breasts pressed against my chest, the urge a physical ache. “Jealous?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” A flicker of amusement crossed her face before her control slipped, her lips parting in anticipation despite herself.
“Good. Don’t be. No woman in the world can compare to you, Gemma,” I whispered each word so softly, making no mistake of my desire.
The instant her eyelids fluttered shut, she yielded just a fraction. My lips feathered hers, at last sampling the kiss I craved.
She recoiled, shielding her mouth with the back of her hand. “Don’t you ever try to kiss me again,” she hissed, breathless and shaky, then hopped into the car.
For a brief instant, she’d caved. Enticed to give in. Why fight this? Her restraint… intrigued me. Sooner or later, those walls she built would crumble. The spark between us zapped, a living entity, ready to explode. Tonight, I’d let her pretend our chemistry was nonexistent.