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I nodded as Evelyn poured us more drinks.
“Normally, I’d be upset seeing you cozy with the guy I’ve been flirting with. Seeing as you’re finally opening up, I’ll let this one slide,” Eve whispered.
I giggled as she walked away. “Eve is crushing on you, Roger.”
Roger smiled, “I kind of figured that out.”
Now, I have a slight buzz, and I’m a little drunk- just enough to talk to a stranger about everything.
“So what happened between you and your boyfriend?” he asked. Then laughed, “Ex-boyfriend, I mean.”
I responded in a serious tone, “He’s a total douchebag. I’d found out he cheated, and he elected to abandon me. Eventually, he came crawling back, saying how he’d changed. He begged to get back together and started stalking me. I was afraid he’d try to hurt me when I refused, so I told the police. He stayed away for a while, but it didn’t last. When he came back, he was up to his old tricks. It was easier for me to skip town.”
“Wow! That’s terrible. I’m sorry you’ve had to deal with all of that. No man should ever hurt a woman, especially in any physical way—He’s a piece of shit. It was a good decision for you to take care of yourself. Good for you putting all of that behind you. Your shitbag ex, it’s his loss, not yours.
“Wow. You summed it up. But why do you say that- his loss?” I asked.
“It’s not rocket science, babe. You both had strong feelings and or love for each other. He hurt you. You had enough and left. You’re the strong one who picked up your broken pieces and continued moving forward.”
His words sounded genuine. I’d never thought about my breakup like that—the fact it was coming from a guy meant something.
Maybe he wasn’t such an asshole after all, I mused.
“So, what’s the full story with your ex?” I asked him.
He stared down at his drink, a somber expression clouding his face. “I proposed in a very public way. She rejected me flat out, then accused me of trying to force her into marriage.”
Shaking his head, he took a long sip of his drink before continuing. “The tabloids had a field day. And the next day, she was on the arm of my biggest rival.”
I sucked in a shocked breath. I immediately realized the proposal must have been televised for the tabloids to pick up on it quickly. “What? I can’t imagine...” I trailed off, unable to comprehend why any woman would want to hurt him that way.
He fixed his gaze on his glass, tracing the rim with his finger. The upbeat music of the bar faded into the background. I studied his slumped shoulders and creased brow, seeing the pain this messy public breakup had caused him.
“I’m so sorry,” I said as I touched his arm. “That must have been incredibly difficult for you.”
He nodded, eyes still downcast. I wished that I could help him forget, even for the evening.
“I came here to take a break from the world for a while, I guess,” he said.
I nodded, “I understand. That’s how I felt when I left New York.”
“It’s not been easy, but I try and keep moving forward,” he shrugged. I just arrived. It’d be fun if someone would show me around.”
I knew he was flirting. Every bit of common sense in my body screamed at me not to give in to that temptation. But I couldn’t help it. He was HOT, and I saw a vulnerable side to him.
We’ve both been hurt before. What could it hurt to hang out? My conscience was tormenting me. My gut was in on the act as well. This had disaster written all over it. But my heart was telling me it might be fun.
“Just show me around Milan. I’m only here for three weeks. Besides, what’s the harm? We could be friends, and it’d be fun, especially if you stop being so mean.” He smiled as he laughed.
My instincts immediately went into hyper-alert. No!No! No! I knew that this man was trouble with a capital T. The spontaneous side of me was excited about the temptation.
I gave in to my spontaneous side. “Ok, it’s not the worst idea.” I was imitating his flirtatious behavior. “It’s a go for me… It might be fun… By the way, I’m Mandy.
I was smiling the entire time, but my conscience was already eating at me. Warning signals are already nagging me. I ignored the warning. What’s the worst thing that could happen anyway?
I spent the rest of the week hanging out at the bar where Mandy worked. We went clubbing after she got off, some of the best clubs in Milan. We’d drink too much and then say our goodbyes. We’d always leave and go our separate ways.
But today, I had a different agenda. I could feel the sexual tension crackling between us. I wanted to have a taste tonight. I invited Mandy on a private date in the garden of my hotel.
