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He takes the hand resting in my lap into his and brushes his thumb slowly over the back. Strangely attuned to the slightest movement of his fingers, each tiny stroke makes my heart race disturbingly fast.
Jeez, stop touching me!
“Honestly, it’s not necessary, Gualtiero,” I push out rather breathily.
It’s the first time I’ve said his name. It feels strangely familiar, and he senses it, too—his eyes sparking the moment his name rolls off my tongue.
“I insist, Ella,” he asserts in a tone not to be argued with, and I get the impression he always gets what he wants.
His gaze simmers with undeniable heat, and I find it hard to breathe. This has to be a by-product of the adrenaline still coursing through my body after our close call, right?
Only now do I realize how much I’ve put myself in harm’s way and shudder in horror. Best not to contemplate this. It would do nothing to calm me, and I’m in desperate need of finding some composure.
Gualtiero is looking at me expectantly. Right, he wants an answer. But no words leave my mouth.
He’s too close, his stare too intense. I’m perspiring here.
Someone help, please!
Rattled, I let my glance fall to the floor. But all I see are his shiny black dress shoes. Maybe I could count the specs of dust on them to distract myself?
“Ella.” My name falls from his lips like sweet music.
He waits till I lift my eyes. “Ella, have dinner with me,” he says softly.
In the recesses of my mind,alarm bells keep ringing… but why? My muscles tense as if ready to take off.
Is it because I’ve never had an insane attraction like this to anyone before? Let alone to someone I only met minutes ago?
My gut tells me if I spend any more time with him, I’ll be swept away.
Why does it feel like I know him? Know him on a soul level? It makes no sense.
He’s so familiar, like I’ve known him forever.
To be honest, this is rattling me more than the car incident from earlier.
Gualtiero, on the other hand, appears calm and collected. How can he not be affected by what happened? Are attempts on his life nothing unusual? It’s peculiar to say the least.
One thing is becoming clearer with every passing second, though. I should stay far, far away from this man. In fact, I should turn around right now and run as fast as I can in the opposite direction.
My body is primed and ready to flee. Yet my feet are glued to the ground.
I’m held by some power emanating from him. Electricity buzzes between us.
I shake my head to snap out of it.
Say no to his dinner invitation, I plead with myself.
I gather my courage and raise my head to meet his gaze again. “I can’t have dinner with you.”
Gualtiero looks at me, unimpressed. Clearly, he doesn’t get turned down often—if ever. I bet women jump at the opportunity to be with him. And I would too if my self-preservation hadn’t kicked in.
He opens his mouth to speak, but my phone vibrates in my purse.
Rhia… she’ll be wondering where I am.
Shit, I’ve forgotten I left her in the souvenir shop.
