His breath caught at the sight of her.
She was there.
It hit him how overwhelmed he was to see her again. She had her back to the office door, but he could see that her gorgeous auburn hair had gotten a bit longer. She wore it in natural waves he wanted to touch so badly it hurt. Her skin was tanned, and he wondered where she had gone in Madrid to achieve that. He wanted to know everything about her adventure.
He went to take a step closer when Gio appeared from the back corner of her office smiling and talking animatedly. Jealousy instantly flared up in him as Aria turned toward Gio, joy evident on her face.
Gio drew her into his arms for a second longer than what Alex imagined a friend would do. He physically winced as he watched Aria kiss him on the cheek.
Alex heard Natalia’s voice coming from somewhere he couldn’t see. His heart pounded against his ribs, and sweat formed on his brow. He stepped backwards until his back hit the outer office door.
Frantically grabbing for the knob, he opened the door and closed it behind him, the dim light of the hallway cloaking him in secrecy. Grateful that no one had seen him, Alex made his feet drag him back to the elevator.
Once inside, he leaned on the wall trying to order his raging thoughts.
I’m too late. She’s moved on.
Back on the street, he rubbed his forehead, hoping to ease the pain that was building between his eyes. Walking was a challenge, but he couldn't sit down. His nervous energy wouldn't allow it. Alex stumbled past the vendors, his eyes trained on the ground. He had no idea how far he had walked or even where he was.
Looking up, he saw a cafe sign and realized he hadn’t eaten anything for almost twenty-four hours because of the last-minute decision to fly back to Italy.
His stomach grumbled angrily, and he knew he’d have to grab a bite, wondering if he could actually keep it down.
Grabbing hold of the door and walking inside, the sight of the familiar interior brought with it recognition.
When Susanna turned to see him, her smile warm, he mumbled, “No, no, no.”
Knowing there was no way he could eat there, he hurriedly turned back toward the door, his heart thundering in his ears.
Chapter Fifty-Four
“Gio!”Aria exclaimed. “I'm so happy for you. When do I get to meet her?”
“Soon. I'll bring her by the office in the next couple of days so you can all meet her.”
As Aria stepped back from his hug, she gave him a kiss on the cheek. She was truly happy for her friend.
She listened while Gio gushed about the woman who had stolen his heart while Aria was in Spain. Apparently, she was a friend who was waiting for him to realize her deepening feelings.
When Gio headed out for a meeting soon after, Aria picked up her purse to leave, waving to him as he retreated from her office.
“I'm headed out for a late lunch. Want me to bring you back anything?” Aria asked at the door of Natalia's office.
“No, I'm good. Luna left for lunch but has been keeping me on coffee. Right now, that's all I need. See you later,” she answered without looking up.
Leaving the building, Aria checked her phone as she did so often, just in case she had missed a call from Alex. Pushing down her disappointment, she walked toward the familiar cafe down the street.
Lost in thought, she grabbed the door to the cafe entrance and walked into a wall of muscle with a loud, “Oof.”
A sense of déja vu came over her, and she shivered as masculine hands held her close to steady her.
Her head flicked up in haste, her breath catching as she stared into Alex's haunted face. His eyes widened in surprise, scanning her face, his grip on her arms increasing slightly. His chest heaved in and out as it barely skimmed her own.
Flustered and confused, she stuttered, “A-Alex! What are you doing here? I thought you were in Argentina. When did you get back?”
“I, I got back yesterday,” he answered, his brows furrowed.
She thought she could hear her wildly beating heart as they stood close to one another.
