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The garden seemed deserted at this hour, and the noise from the party became muffled. Alessia led us to a bench under a tree, and I was thankful to finally be away from the scrutiny of so many people. It felt good to find some privacy, and we both sat quietly in the dark for several minutes, savoring the silence.
I eyed her. " Your brother and I had an interesting conversation when I went out for some fresh air earlier."
She tilted her head in my direction. “Oh yeah? And?”
“I realize you might not be so wrong about your brother after all,” I replied.
She turned to face me eagerly, a snarky expression painted over her face. “Wow! You think?” Her voice dripped sarcasm; she looked satisfied with herself in the dim light of the garden.
“Hey, do not give me a lip,” I said. “You’re still not off the hook for what you did, you know.”
I could see her rolling her eyes as she shifted in her seat, her posture turning defensive. “What did I do? Tell me, Michael, what did I do? I simply left to prevent you from getting into trouble. Seems like you found your way into it, anyway. And you? Don’t act like you are blameless. Why didn’t you tell me you were best friends with my brother and were coming to my father’s seventieth birthday party?”
I looked at her in disbelief, shocked by her words. “Excuse me, it’s not like I knew who your father was. I do not recall you ever telling me your last name. How on Earth was that my fault?”
“Well, nothing stopped you from asking!” She practically flung the words at me, and I could tell she was utterly furious.
Her chest heaved up and down rapidly, and her eyes looked ablaze. She stared at me with a look that dared me to press the issue, and all I could do was stare back, dumbfounded. I was upset the moment I saw her at the party but did not allow myself to have a good look at her. I had to face something I'd been hiding from all evening as I watched her become furious and dangerous.
Her beauty remained unmatched in my eyes. Her hair was flawless. A see-through netting was the only cover for her curves and breasts, accentuated by her dress. Her lips, painted blood-red, resembled ripe fruit waiting to be plucked. The scent of her perfume filled my nostrils, overwhelming my senses and increasing my desire.
I felt my heart racing as blood rushed rapidly into my head. Desire consumed me as I saw flashing images of all we had shared in Milan. My pulse sounded like drums in my head, and a cold sweat broke out on my forehead. I looked deep into her eyes and saw the hunger there as well.
I kissed her. Her lips parted easily, accepting me as if she had wanted to do that all day. Colors sparked in my vision as I pulled her closer, and I came alive. It was as if the world had been shades of black and gray before that kiss, and now, I could see color again.
Her hands tore at my buttons, squeezing against my bare skin with familiarity. I nuzzled her back on the bench, my hand undoing the zipper of her dress. I clutched greedily at her breasts as they spilled out, and the moan that shot out was music to my ears.
I was not thinking things, through and doubted that Alessia was doing so, either. All I wanted was to take her right there on that stony bench in her father’s garden. The passion clouded my judgment, impairing my reasoning. Alessia pulled away suddenly, pushing me back from her. We gasped in unison as we collected our breaths, our sanity returning.
“This is stupid,” she said, putting her clothes back together. “This is not just stupid; it’s extremely dangerous. What if someone walked in and caught us?”
“For once, I agree with you,” I replied, following her lead to fix my clothes. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking it through. This was a mistake. Maybe we really should just let this go, whatever it is.”
Alessia gulped loudly. “You’re right. I intended it to be a one-night stand either way, so no harm done.”
Her words stung me. It sounded so finite and conclusive. I thought about all we had shared and the reality that it was truly ended. Protesting or asking for more seemed moot, and Alessia looked like she had her mind made up.
“Alright then,” I said. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Alessia. I wish you all the best.”
She got up and kissed me on the cheek softly. “The pleasure was definitely mine, Michael. Thanks for the pleasant memories.” She turned and walked away briskly, not hesitating.
I watched her go till she disappeared around a bend, then collapsed on the bench, a wave of grief and loneliness consuming me in her absence.
9
Alessia
Three months later…
I carefully jogged down the stairs of my apartment building to the waiting cab parked by the curb as it softly rained. After a week of rain, there was a brief pause in the weather earlier. It had rained again, and the dark clouds showed signs it would only get worse.
The cab pulled into the deserted streets as soon as I got in, and the heater gave me instant relief. Through the years in Paris, I loved these early spring rains. They could be a nuisance, however.
Fortunately, Jenna’s husband was in Turkey on business, and their six-bedroom beauty of a house was all ours for the day. The girls and I barely spent time together as much as we used to, and it seemed like life was moving along quickly for all of us.
Jenna had practically forced us all to clear our schedules and show up that day. “I’m turning into a mother in a few months, and I only have so much time before I face motherhood,” she had said on the group call. “So you’re all going to make adjustments to whatever plans you have and make this thing work?”
She took it a step further, playing the role of assistant to everyone by rescheduling appointments and managing calendars. I loved her for her effort and knew how she must feel. Less than three months before her delivery, she was still the only married woman in a group of five. She sometimes felt left out when we spent time together, and we had made it our mission to carry her along whenever we were together.
