Page 365 of Valentino

“Okay.”

He leans in and kisses me, softly at first and then it deepens. I feel a swirl of arousal pass through me. “I like you.”

“I like you too.”

“We should take it slow.”

“Yes.” I force a smile, “We should.”

The uber pulls up and we part before he kisses me again. “See you on Sunday.”

“Okay.” I climb into the backseat and he blows me a kiss as the car pulls into the night.

I text Allegra.

Oh my god!

Had the best night ever.

I put my phone back into my bag and smile out the window, I feel very grown up and accomplished.

No regretful wake up tomorrow.

* * *

CHAPTER THREE

Saturday night,

The line to Exotico is long and I’m here under sufferance but Allegra is meeting her speed date and who am I to rain on the parade. We shuffle forward in the line and I scroll on my phone, “I thought he would have called me today.” I murmur.

“You’re seeing him tomorrow for a damn family lunch, calm down clinger.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” I put my phone back into my bag, “This guy has me acting crazy.” We shuffle forward in the line some more and blacked out car pulls up and a group of men get out. “Is that his friends?”

“Not sure.” Allegra studies them and then the last man gets out before the car pulls away, “Oh yes look, there’s the Valentino.”

I giggle, “I love how you call him the Valentino.” I crane my neck to see if my Bruno is here too.

“He would be a Valentino though, wouldn’t he? The name just suits him.” She whispers as we watch him walk up the stairs. He has an aura around him that screams confident power. “Seriously,” She whispers, “How can any man be so hot?”

“I don’t know.” My eyes linger on the fine specimen. The doorman unhooks the red rope and they walk straight through. “What do you reckon they do that made the girl say that they run the illegal part of Italy.”

“Put it this way.” She twists her lips as she thinks, “I’m guessing it’s not speeding fines.”

“Hmm.”

“Honestly, I don’t know why you’re pursuing this thing with Dante; you already know it’s going to end badly.”

“Admittedly, the first night I met him here I did think that, but since the speed dating thing I think he’s not as bad as I first thought. Maybe he’s just friends with the bad ones.” I shrug, “Guilty by association kind of thing and besides, we don’t know that they’re actually bad. We don’t know the girls who told us that for a bar of soap.”

“True.” She agrees, “They do look deliciously bad though.”

“Right.” I giggle. My phone vibrates in my bag and I read the message.

Hi Halle,

Been thinking about you all day.