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Sofia caught her breath and stood up looking around guiltily as she straightened her dress. “Um. Okay, then. I really don’t know what to say about that. I’ve never ever done anything like that before in my life. Um—”
Paolo straightened his clothes, too. “It’s okay, Sofia, I’ve not either.” He moved in to kiss her, cupping her gorgeous face in his hands.
She cringed away from him just before their lips met.
“What is it, Sofia?” He pulled her close, needing to feel her against him again, just for a while even if it was through their clothes.
“Nothing, Paolo.” She pulled away from him and began gathering dishes.
Astounded, Paolo watched her carry them to the kitchen. He stepped inside and reached for her as she went back toward the balcony but she shrewdly sidestepped him and continued on, not making eye contact or conversation.
When she’d finished and closed the balcony door. She faced him, hands on hips. “Paolo, thank you for coming over tonight. I had a lovely time but I need to ask you to leave now, please.” She moved to the front door and held it open for him.
“Are you serious? You let me fuck you on the balcony—and you enjoyed it as much as I did—but you won’t let me kiss you or have a conversation after that?” He scoffed.
“I’m sorry. This is all a very bad idea; I already told you that! I don’t fit into your world; I’m not rich and fancy; can’t you see that? Are you really that blind?” Tears had welled in her eyes.
Paolo’s phone rang. It didn’t stop ringing; it was incessant. Digging it out of his pocket, he saw that the caller was one of his occasional girlfriends, Felicia. He’d promised her some special time tonight and had totally forgotten. She was a wildcat when she was angry. He held up a finger to Sofia to wait a minute.
“Sorry, she’ll bug me all night if I don’t take this; I’ll only be a second. Promise.”
Sofia only rolled her eyes and walked to the sofa to sit heavily.
“I know Felicia, but I told you I’m busy right now. Where? Does it really matter? No, I’m at Vinnie’s house. Yes that’s where I’ve been all evening. Why would I lie to you about that?” She hung up on him. He slid the phone back into his pocket and turned to Sofia.
Her mouth was hanging open and tears rolled down both cheeks.
“What’s wrong, Sofia? Felicia means nothing to me.” He sat and started wiping her tears away. “You know that list of women you said I surely had; well I do have a list—I’m a man who has needs—but that list has been useless ever since the evening I met you.”
“Whoa! Really? Because that’s not what it sounded like to me.” She swiped angrily at her tears a
nd stood. She pointed to the door. “Leave now or you will regret it. I’m not a plaything, Paolo. How dare you lie about where you are if you’re not just out fucking anything that’ll let you. God! I can’t believe I fell for this, this, ruse! Get out!” She flung a flower vase at him.
He headed for the door and stopped with the doorknob in his hand. “I didn’t lie to her because she’s my girlfriend, I lied to her because I can’t have my whole circle of friends knowing that I’m here with you, Sofia. They’d blackball me in a heartbeat.”
Screaming in outrage, she threw another smaller vase at him as he stepped out the doorway.
“And that makes it any better, how? How Paolo?” She rushed the door and bolted the lock.
He heard the click of the deadbolt and her soft sobbing on the other side of the door, but he didn’t understand it. Why had it made her so upset? He thought it would have made her happy to know that he truly was a bachelor.
Giving up, he tossed his hands in the air and cursed all the way down the steps and to his car. He would never understand women.
Chapter 9
Pride Cometh before the Fall
First a month and then three months passed with nothing from Sofia. Paolo could take it no longer. But he held out for another month, barely eating, barely seeing friends. His circle was shrinking as his friends left off to be with other rich friends. His vanity was disappearing, too. He hadn’t shaved in two weeks and was beginning to resemble a homeless vagrant when he looked into the mirror. Sleep was out of the question as Sofia ate up his dreams, too. That didn’t help his looks any at all.
After four long and grueling months with no contact from her, Paolo enlisted Tomas to go check and see if she was all right; see if she had a boyfriend; see if she still worked at the diner and that her mother was still okay.
Tomas came back with an expression that Paolo couldn’t read. The man refused to say anything except that Paolo needed to go see her.
“No, sir. I’m afraid I’m not going to be the one to talk about this even with you. She does still work at the diner; she doesn’t have a beau; her mother is on the mend; and you really should go see her.”
“Tomas, dammit, man! Just fucking tell me whatever it is! I can’t go back there begging to her like some lovesick puppy after she threw me out. After she threw things at me.” Paolo slammed his hand down on the desk. He was fatigued and haggard all through his being. He simply wanted answers.
“Sir, with all due respect, put your pride in your pocket. Better yet, toss it out the window as you drive to her apartment.” Tomas did something he’d never done before; he turned and walked out of the room and Paolo heard his footsteps descend the steps.
