I feel the blood rush to my cheeks and my legs turn to mush. The comfortable look in his eyes when they meet mine make me instantly melt. “Yes, I’m great!” I manage tosay.
Somehow.
“You’reshivering.”
Yes. And it’s all yourfault.
“I know. I can’t helpit.”
Please stop talking and just hold me,I silentlyplead.
“Daniella,” he mutters, his deep voice soft andsoothing.
Don’ttalk…
With my hands interlocked in a soft embrace around his neck, I stare at him in anticipation of what I know is coming. He holds me even closer, his prominent hands wrapped around my waist. Bruno and his band continue to play soft tunes, and I feel dizziness and euphoria all at once. Euphoria: Antonio and this moment. Dizziness: all of the champagne I’ve consumed throughout the evening. By now, I’ve had at least two more glasses, which for me is prettyoutrageous.
“I-I,” he stutters, pauses for a second, and clears his throat. “I think I’mfa—”
I interrupt his inevitable words by kissing him. Long and soft. I don’t want to hear any more words. We stand in a long embrace, kissing without a care between us. I shiver again. Not because I’m cold, but because his hands slowly, yet strategically, move from the middle of my back, down my lower back, landing safely on my butt—andI wantmore.
Antonio’s soft lips move from my open mouth to my ear. “You’re cold and it’s late. Let’s leave. I’ll get you to your hotel room,” hewhispers.
I quickly nod in agreement and, on my first step toward our table, I stumble. Again,waytoo muchchampagne.
“You’re a tad tipsy.” He chuckles before kissing my forehead. He leads the way to our table to retrieve our belongings—my clutch and his tuxedo jacket andtie.
He drapes his jacket around my shoulders and lifts me up in his arms. “I’ll carry you. You’re in no condition to walkanywhere.”
I open my clutch, remove my room key, and hand it to him. “I’m giving you full custody of getting me into my hotel room safe andsound.”
Like a knight in shining armor, he carefully carries me outside and down a short flight of stairs to the hotel limo that is waiting for us. I feel so comfortable in his arms and comfortable in the moment. When we sit down in the limo, I instinctively rest my head on his shoulder and close myeyes.
And at this moment in time, I think I could be in love withhim.
It has to be thechampagne.
* * *
The soundof my phone chiming awakens me early the next morning. I open my eyes and reach for it.Silence,is all my pounding head keeps begging for. I turn off the alarm then close my eyes and immediately open them in a trance-like panic. I look around and instantly realize I am still fully dressed: showcase ensemble, shoes…everything. I’m not even on the bed. I’m on the couch. My head is pounding, and I remember having an extremely naughty sex dream about Antonio lastnight.
Wait, was it adream?
Champagne. Antonio. TheKiss.
Oh God. Did anything more than that kiss happen between us? Surely Antonio wouldn’t take advantage of a woman who was smashed out of her mind,right?
I force myself up from the couch and a piece of paper falls onto the floor—a handwritten note fromAntonio.
Daniella,
I wanted to see you safely to your room, and mission accomplished. Please text me when you wake up. We do have an 10 a.m. flight tocatch.
Thank goodness heisagentleman.
