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When he’d asked me where I intended to take up my residency, I’d faltered for a few seconds before asking him to excuse me, pretending I’d seen my parents and needed to go to them. I resolutely walked away and looked around for any friendly harbour in the large ballroom of the Hilton Hotel.
As we parted company, him to the next one of his students he’d spotted in the crowd, and me to goodness knows where, every cell in my body seemed to come alive and I knew that Salvatore was once again sharing the same air. I understood it would only be a matter of time until he found me. The confusion I found hard to swallow, was that I was excited to the point I could feel the butterflies that had taken flight and yet I was seething all at the same time.
Grabbing a drink from the silver tray of a passing waiter, I smiled at him in thanks. Then I gulped the small glass down, hoping to wash away the nerves that were beginning to take over my body, and carried on walking, unable to find anywhere I felt I could stop and survey the room from.
‘Dr Giordano. May I be one of the first to congratulate you.’ The booming voice of one of the most elderly, yet also more intimidating professors found me and by the way several heads turned around me, I knew my title would have been heard by the one man who I was still convinced didn’t deserve to hear it.
‘Thank you, Professor Bright.’
My body jumped awake as a large hand at first found the small of my back and then as it snaked its way around my waist before taking a firm hold. A hold that left me in absolutely no doubt I was going nowhere further without him.
During the brief conversation, my breathing stalled when Salvatore had come alongside me, making me jump at our connection and then still. I had seen the look of puzzlement on the elderly professor’s face as I struggled to regain my poise at being so close to Salvatore.
‘I said you should have eaten more today.’ Salvatore had reacted quickly, making an excuse for me and placed a quick kiss to my temple. Before whispering in my ear, ‘Found you, little bird… consider your wings clipped.’
His breath coming into close contact with the sensitive skin around my ear had me reeling at the sensations now careering around my body. My body ignited at the closeness of him. I recognised very quickly that had we been somewhere more discreet I would have climbed him like a tree.
My own thoughts, fuelled by all the alcohol I’d drunk in less than an hour, caused a girlish giggle to fall from my lips.
Salvatore raised his eyebrow at me in question, as he moved his head away from mine and offered his hand to Professor Bright, ‘Hello, I’m Salvatore, Dr De Luca’s very proud husband.’
‘Dr De Luca?’ Professor Bright questioned as he swept a strand of his long, white hair off his face and pushed the bridge of his glasses back up his nose, obviously feeling the need to read us both.
‘De Luca is my wife’s married name,’ Salvatore offered as his fingers strengthened around my waist as he pulled me tight against his side.
‘Oh,’ Professor Bright retorted, looking between the two of us. ‘I see.’
‘We will have to see about getting it changed, won’t we, Serafina?’ Listening to Salvatore, I knew without a doubt that he’d asked the question with a huge, captivating smile across his face and feeling the pull to witness it, I turned my head to look up at him.
‘I think that depends,’ I answered, knowing I was goading the devil, but unable to help myself.
The smile stretching over his face stayed, but the crinkles at the corner of his eyes disappeared and his eyes showed his displeasure.
Not missing a beat, Salvatore made our excuses to the Professor and keeping an even tighter hold over me, we were moving as one across the ballroom.
‘I think that depends.’ He sarcastically repeated the words, not really requiring an answer from me.
I knew I wanted him. However, I was determined he wasn’t going to get me without a fight. I needed to hear him repeat some of what he’d said in the car earlier. I understood he hadn’t told me he loved me, nevertheless telling me his heart resided with me and that I was it, was as near as damn it and the romance reading woman inside of me needed to hear them again before I gave in.
My feet were struggling to keep up with the pace he was setting as his anger engulfed him. The ballroom was full, but on instinct the sea of people parted to allow us through. Aware that the two of us were making a show as we moved through the thick throng, I offered up a small smile and as many thanks my now dry mouth could summon up, in a bid to calm the situation.
Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, I saw the person I was ashamed to say I hadn’t given a second thought to since Salvatore had turned up at my flat this morning.
Patting a couple of acquaintances on the back and stepping backwards and right into our path was Nick.
Fuck.My stomach flipped over. The alcohol buzz I’d been riding swiftly dissolved. With a sick feeling inside me rising fast, I let out a small, yet what I hoped was hardly distinguishable, gasp.
In the last conversation we’d had about this event, he had said it wasn’t for him and he wasn’t attending.
Looking down to the floor, I leant against Salvatore, hoping to steer him left of the problem, but to no avail. I really didn’t want to be having this conversation right here and now.
Salvatore wasn’t a man to be led, and I knew when he stuck firmly to his intended path, stiffened, and dug his fingers into my side, that he’d read not only my body language, but also the probable situation that was now not more than ten feet away.
‘Serafina.’ Nick opened his arms up wide in greeting and I took note of the slight slur to his tone.
No, please, just no.Our relationship wasn’t something a man like Salvatore would want to, let alone take the time to, understand.
Salvatore stopped us dead in front of him.
