AllFreeNovel
Share Us
And when I offer her my elbow, she takes it, resting her delicate fingers in the crook of my arm. Somehow, it doesn’t bother me that she’s dusted in earth, dirt packed beneath her fingernails. Her hands are still elegant even after their menial labor.
“Thanks for letting me join you,” she says sweetly to the two gardeners.
After casting a furtive glance my way, they both give her wide, toothy smiles.
Tia follows me down the path, her steps light, and I can’t help but notice the fresh, earthy scent combined with a slight tang of salty sweat that surrounds her. It’s not the oversweet perfume girls often wear. With just a hint of citrus spice, it’s a pleasantly appealing and natural scent, and I swallow as I find myself drawn to her.
16
TIA
Unsettled by Leo’s sudden amiability when it comes to my happiness and what I do with my days, I walk beside him, stealing glances out of the corner of my eye. The gravel crunches in the silence that stretches between us, slow and steady as we stroll along the garden pathway.
He looks as sharp as ever in a full, navy blue suit and crisp white shirt. A silver tie draws attention to his hazel eyes. I almost feel bad for the slight smudge my palm left on his chest when I fell into him. Almost. Though he is the one who chose to yank me out of the dirt.
“Are you settling in well—aside from the lack of entertainment in your day?” he asks lightly, seeming to take an interest in my well-being for the first time.
“Well enough,” I say cautiously, wary of where this conversation is going or why he’s taken a sudden interest in me.
“Can I do anything else to make you more comfortable here?”
Aside from dropping dead? “I don’t think so. More freedom of mobility and my sisters for company will do me some good.”
“You miss them,” he observes. “You must be very close.”
“We are.” I smile, thinking of my four sisters dancing at the wedding, little Sofia giggling every time I twirled her.
Affection swells in my chest as I think of my four sisters, and my hand automatically reaches for the Millefiori pendant around my neck once again. Leo’s eyes miss nothing, and they land on my necklace with open curiosity.
Pausing, he turns to face me. “May I?” He gestures as if to take the pendant from my fingers.
I drop it, letting my hand come to rest at my side, and Leo leans in, his body suddenly dangerously close as his fingers lightly pluck the glass from my skin to palm it carefully by my throat.
“A gift from one of them?” His hazel eyes flick up to meet mine momentarily, and my breath catches in my lungs.
“Maria, the oldest after me. She gave it to me for my birthday.” For a heartbeat, I think about how silly I was to have lied to him about my age. I wonder, if I’d told him I was seventeen the night I met him, would anything have changed?
“It’s beautiful,” he murmurs, placing it lightly back against my skin.
The glass is warmer now, and I shiver as that warmth settles into my chest.
“Will you tell me about her?” he asks as we resume our ambling pace, making our way toward the estate’s arboretum.
The sun pours down on us with impressive force, and the well-placed trees along our path offer a wonderful respite from its heat. Glancing sidelong at Leo, I wonder once again what could possibly be the purpose of him seeking me out in the middle of the day. Why talk to me now, when he’s all but avoided me since the wedding? He must have something up his sleeve, some underlying motive, and I refuse to let down my guard.
But I refuse to let my suspicion enter my tone as I humor him. “Maria’s sixteen and very outspoken. She and my father butt heads often because she’s confident she can bend the world to her wishes if she stands her ground long enough.”
“She must take after you then,” he teases, his eyes dancing as they meet mine. “Two women not afraid to speak their minds. It’s a wonder your father’s survived this long.”
Despite myself, a giggle bubbles up in my chest, and I smile. “He’s said those exact words more than once over the past few years. Though I hardly think a woman who says what she’s thinking is anything to be discouraged. You miss out on half of the world’s intellect when you expect them to hold their tongues and simply obey what the men around them say.”
“At least half the world’s intelligence,” he inserts, his tone playful.
I cast him a sharp glance, unsure of whether he’s making fun of me or laughing with me. But the grin that spreads across his beautiful lips is conspiratorial rather than condescending.
“Then you prefer opinionated women?” I challenge. Somehow, I doubt it, though I can’t think of a single instance with Leo that would directly counter my statement. But I hardly see how he could have respect for women when he’s treated me so cruelly.
“I think it would be a disservice to society to assume all men have a more valid and worthwhile opinion than women. Take Tony Valencia, for example.” He gives a theatrical shudder of horror. “I would much rather listen to your opinions over his on almost any matter. Because yours at least stem from intelligence and a rather expansive education. I can’t say the same for him.”
