Alex could hear the smile in her voice when she answered.
“So, you like dancing now, huh?”
“If it’s with you, yeah, you bet I do.”
“I love dancing with you, too.”
“Oh really? Guess I made quite an impression on you so far,” he answered, loving this new flirty tone of hers.
“I guess you did.”
She sighed heavily and he could hear her moving around.
“So, I wanted to ask you about something. About what I said to you last night. On the beach.”
“I remember,” she answered softly.
“I meant it when I said I won’t rush you, Aria. I have no expectations except to spend time with you. I know how I feel, but I also know you need time. I won’t bring it up again until you do. Are you alright with that?”
He sat on the sofa, putting his cup on the end table.
“Yes, and I’m grateful. But I do have feelings for you, Alex. Just need more time to process them.”
“Take all the time you need. I’m glad you called. I like hearing your voice before my day ends.”
“Me too. I guess I’ll head to bed then.”
When they hung up, he leaned his head on his sofa, looking up at the ceiling, his heart light.
When his phone rang, he didn’t look at the ID, assuming it was Aria again.
“Miss me already?”
“Not really,” a female voice said flatly.
Who isthisnow?
His head snapped forward and he pulled the phone from his ear, seeing it was an unknown number.
“Sorry,who’sthis?”
“Hey, Alex. It’s Corinna, Aria's friend. I asked her to give me your number. Seems you two might be spending time together while you’re here. Just wanted to have it in case of an emergency.”
“Oh, hey! I’m glad to have yours now, too. Yeah, spending time with Aria is the plan. But I'll be in Positano indefinitely. I canceled my next assignment the other day. I haven’t told her that yet, but I will soon. I want to assure you that everything I've said to her is true about my feelings and my intentions. I’m not going anywhere anytime soon.”
“You sound like a very old, very proper English chap, but I’m glad to hear it,” she said, making them both laugh. “Alex, I called because I need you to understand something. I will kill you slowly and painfully if you hurt her.”
Alex coughed to hide his burst of laughter as she continued.
Corinna’s tone turned serious as she continued. “I heard what happened with Bella and I'm choosing to believe what you said, but if I ever see her in the condition she was in that night?—”
Her voice broke, and she paused. Alex became very serious, sitting up on the sofa.
“Aria is special, Alex. She is completely selfless, guileless. She's been like that her whole life and losing Nicholas changed her. She never lost the love and care she has for others, but she lost herself.”
“Corinna, I would never intentionally hurt her. Bella and I have been over for almost a year. She cheated on me. She will never be a part of my life again. Aria has shared some of her pain with me in the time we’ve spent together, and it broke my heart. I’d never do anything to add to that pain,” Alex said as he stood and paced his living room.
Corinna cleared her throat, as she tried a few times to continue talking, her voice squeaking until words formed.
