Page 23 of ‘I Do’ for Revenge
He said, ‘This conversation is over. You’re welcome to stay until you’re on your feet. But that’ll be the extent of our relationship.’
‘Flatmates.’
‘Essentially.’
Her eyes narrowed on him and, for the first time since he’d met her, Vito saw something that looked suspiciously calculating in those golden-brown depths. But then it was gone.
She bent down and scooped up Benji and said, ‘Okay, fine. I’ll stay out of your way as much as I can. You’ll hardly know I’m here.’
Vito watched Flora leave the room, her wild hair spilling down her back. He wanted to reach out and wrap a lock of that hair around his hand and tug her back and finish what they’d started.
He cursed. What a time to discover that he really did have a conscience.
Later that evening, Vito was back in the apartment after spending the rest of the day in the office. A day where he’d been distracted and irritable. A day where he couldn’t stop replaying that kiss in his head. Probably one of the most chaste kisses he’d ever experienced but one that had left him on fire.
And then he’d had to endure an interminably boring business dinner.
He hadn’t seen Flora or the dog on his arrival back at the apartment. Sofia was gone for the day. He presumed Flora was in bed. It was late. He imagined her in bed, alone, her hair spread around her head like a halo... He took a healthy swig of his whiskey, hoping the burn would eclipse the other burn.
He was standing at the window, looking out over the view of Rome. It never failed to buoy him up. To remind him of how far he’d come. Restoring his father’s legacy and pride in the family name.
What’s it all for, though, if you’ve no one to leave it to? Is a brand really going to last without someone to protect it?
He scowled at his reflection and at the insidious doubts infiltrating his head. He was quite happy with his life of no entanglements. And today he’d had the sense to walk away from a potentially explosive one.Flora.An innocent.
Just at that moment, he caught a moving flash of silver out of the corner of his eye. He tensed and turned around. ‘Flora? Is that you?’
Nothing for a beat and then, from outside in the hall, ‘Um, yes, it’s me.’
‘What are you doing?’
‘Going out.’
Vito frowned and put the glass down on a table. He walked to the door and looked into the corridor that led to the reception hall and almost choked at what he saw. Flora, but not Flora. A different woman. His brain was melting and his entire body was going up in flames.
Somehow he managed to croak out, ‘What are you wearing?’
Flora was trembling all over but refused to let Vito’s reaction put her off. She knew the dress was audacious. It was why she was wearing it. It had been a hand-me-down from one of the women at the shelter, along with the matching four-inch stilettos that she could barely walk in. The woman had said, ‘Take it—with your figure it’ll look amazing.’ Flora had taken it, as much out of politeness as anything else.
But this evening she’d realised it was perfect for what she needed.
To get rid of her virginity.
If she couldn’t do it in this dress, then she might as well take a vow of chastity. Vito had laid down a gauntlet earlier. Even if he didn’t know it. Flora had realised that she didn’t want her innocence to hold her back. She had no great romantic illusions after growing up in a loveless environment. This was a very practical decision. She wanted Vito, therefore she needed to remove the impediment: her virginity.
She said, ‘I’m wearing a dress.’ But even as she said that she winced. It was just a scrap of material really. Thin straps and a low V-neck, with hundreds of little silver medallions stitched into the fabric that moved and shimmered with every breath she took. She couldn’t wear a bra with the dress so she felt very conscious of her breasts under the thin material.
It fell to her upper thigh, just about scraping the edges of decency.
Vito’s eyes were almost bugging out of his head. He said, ‘That’s not a dress, that’s an invitation to sin.’
His reaction galvanised Flora. ‘Good, I was hoping for that effect.’
His gaze moved up to meet hers. ‘Why?’
‘Because if my virginity is such an impediment I intend to get rid of it. If you won’t be my first lover, then I’ll find someone who will. You made me realise today that I don’t want my innocence holding me back.’
She turned around to leave and prayed that she wouldn’t humiliate herself by falling flat on her face in these ridiculous shoes.