Page 65 of Burning Caine
Samantha had been standing there less than an hour ago, arms wrapped around herself as she trembled. And I walked away from her because of a lie. But which was her lie? Her eyes when I opened the box or her words abouthim? And was it as bad as the ones I had been telling her?
“Sofia, I hate this.”
She returned to my desk, tight-lipped. “Done ranting?”
“She makes me feel like I’m twenty again, when I didn’t know how to talk to women.” I threw the broken paintbrush in the trash. “I’ve held her in my heart for so long.”
“You’re in love with an ideal that only exists in your head.”
I exhaled, long and slow. “I know.”
She softened, placing a hand on my arm. “You barely know her. Move on from this ridiculous obsession.”
“I’m not obsessed.”
“Did you forget about the restaurant already?” The kind hand switched rapidly to a smack. “Here’s my advice: Find someone you can be friends with first.”
“What do you think I’ve been doing all this time?”
“I have no idea. I’ve watched you for years, moving from one woman to the next, never getting close to any of them. Always stopping after your magical third date, before you risk any real connection. You compare every one of them to a figment of your imagination, so of course none of them stack up. And now here you are, angry with Samantha because she didn’t live up to your ideal of Samantha.”
“I—”
She held up the lecture hand to stop me. “Sure, you two got along well at Russo’s, but all you’ve done since then is flash your smile at her and treat her like a trophy for some testosterone-induced competition. Women don’t get to say no to the great Dr. Antonio Ferraro, do they? You keep pushing her, because you want to win, but all you’re doing is making her uncomfortable.”
I straightened my shirt. “I am not.” Sofia didn’t understand. The constant trembles, moving away from me, not looking at me, those were nerves because Samantha was attracted to me. She was not uncomfortable. Or was she?
“And on a professional level, your behavior with her today was an embarrassment. Get some self-control. You’ll run this office someday, which won’t work if you behave like that every time a pretty face walks through the door.”
“She’s more than a pretty face.” She was brilliant, engaging, and challenging.
“So are you. Start acting like it.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means I’m done with this conversation.”
“Fine.” With a sigh, I kissed her cheeks. “I’m going to the gym.”
“Again?”
“Either that or I go to Russo’s and eat everything Angelo has on display.” I patted her arm and headed for the back door. “See you tomorrow.”
“Change of plans. Pietro can’t pick me up after the gala, so I’ll need you to drive me home.”
I rested a hand on the door as my shoulders sagged. “I’m taking a cab.” The charity gala was the last place I wanted to be. I wanted to continue being angry. But maybe the free alcohol and time with familiar faces would help lift me out of this mood. Maybe I would even find someone new to take my mind off Samantha. Someone I could be friends with. Anything was worth a shot at this point.
“No, you are taking your car and driving me home. No drunken wallowing.”
“Very funny.”
“Meet me at the gazebo by the river. I’ll be there at six-thirty.”
There was no arguing with Sofia when she took that tone, but I turned around with a wry smile. She was never on time. “I’ll be there at seven o’clock, then. Try not to be any later.” I winked, expecting an eye roll in return.
But she grinned at me instead. “Seven o’clock it is, little brother. It should be a memorable evening.”
Chapter 28