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I’m not even a good sister. I’m kind of a good daughter, in the sense that I get good grades and I don’t talk back to my parents.
I have no idea how to be a good wife, much less manipulate Elio into doing something or acting in a certain way.
His eyes harden. “What have you heard about me?”
“Nothing, really,” I frown. “I remember you hanging out with Marco from some parties when we were kids. He tells me that you’re a nice guy.”
He laughs. “From Marco, I guess that is a compliment.”
“It is. And that’s about it.”
“Well then, cara,” he smiles. “Let me tell you more. I am Elio Rossi. I have a degree from Harvard Business School in economics. I’m the oldest son of the Rossi family. And soon, I’m going to be Caterina De Luca’s husband.”
I glance at him through my lashes. “I thought I was going to be your wife?”
“We belong to each other, cara mia,” he says with a smile. “This is a job that’s been given to both of us. And I very much intend to do a good job.”
His smile makes me blush, but I also feel the same kind of helplessness that has marked this whole situation for me.
“Thanks. I… it’s nice to hear,” I say.
“But you are still unhappy.” Elio frowns. “Is there… is there someone else?”
His words darken slightly, and I shake my head, lest the wrath of Elio Rossi come down on some poor guy who made my coffee or something.
“No. There’s no one else. It’s just… it’s all so unfair, you know? We’re adults. We’re our own people. And yet here we are, getting married, just like our family wants us to.”
He sighs. “That’s life. It’s the life we live. There’s nothing to be done about it, so we might as well make the best of it.”
“But don’t you think it’s unfair?”
Elio shrugs. “What I think about it doesn’t matter. What it is matters.”
“Oh, come on. You don’t have any opinion? You were forced into this as much as I was!”
“And I’m happy to be here, cara mia,” he grins.
I roll my eyes. “Well, yeah, but seriously Elio. What if we don’t get along? I mean, I haven’t even kissed you!”
“Do you want to?”
The words freeze me in place. “What?”
“Do you want to kiss me?”
I blink. “Well. I mean. Yeah, but I’m not sure?”
Elio doesn’t wait for me to say anything else.
Moments later I’m swept up into his arms. His lips are on mine.
And my body ignites.
I’ve kissed other boys before. I’m not a nun and my brothers don’t know my life. I haven’t had sex, sure, but I’ve definitely kissed.
Elio’s kiss blows everything else out of the water.
His lips are soft and firm, and when he grips the back of my neck to deepen our connection I gladly do so, letting out a little sigh while he does.
