Page 26 of The Broker
“Oh.”
“Yup.”
“I leaped to conclusions, didn’t I?” Her voice is rueful. “Sorry about that.”
“You cooked dinner for me. It was delicious. There’s nothing to forgive.”
She rolls her eyes. “Don’t get a swelled head; I cooked dinner for Angelica.” A smile plays on her lips. “Thank you for the vegetables, by the way. I expected the worst when I opened your refrigerator, but it overflowed with produce. That was very considerate of you.”
“It was nothing.”
“Take the compliment, Dante,” she advises, repeating my words from earlier. “It’s not as if I hand them out that often.”
I laugh. “Fair enough.” I load the empty plate and our glasses into the dishwasher. “I never finished giving you the house tour. Want to see the rest of the place? While you’re here, I thought you could work out of my office if you’d like. That’s on the top floor.”
“On the same level as your bedroom.”
Am I picturing her in my bed?Yes.
Do I need a cold shower as soon as possible?Also, yes.
For fuck’s sake, Colonna. Her daughter—your niece—is fast asleep. Get a grip.
I’d originally envisioned the top floor as a big open space with a bed in the middle and a desk on one side. But after living with the layout for a while, I decided I needed to be able to close the door to my office. So, I took the path of least resistance and simply installed a set of doors.
Long story short: You have to go through my bedroom to get to the office. Which would be fine if it’s just me using the space but another thing entirely when Valentina’s involved.
I show her around. “This late at night, you can’t see much from the window, but during the day, this room has the best view in the house. You can see the Salute from here. Will this work for you?”
She gives me an odd look. “Dante, this is right next to yourbedroom.Are you sure you want me here? You do realize I work late into the night, right? I don’t want to disturb you.”
“It’s fine. I’m a pretty sound sleeper. If I wake up, I’ll just fall back asleep.”
“What about if you have a guest?” Her cheeks go pink, and she avoids my gaze. “That would be beyond awkward.”
It takes me a few seconds to figure out what she’s talking about. “You think I’m going to bring a woman home while you and Angelica are living here? Give me a little credit, Valentina. I’m not going to do that.”
“Umm, okay. As long as you’re sure.”
“I’m sure.” I don’t know where she gets the idea that I’m going to bring someone home. I haven’t dated anyone seriously in. . . I can’t even remember how long.
“I like your elliptical.” She’s looking at my bedroom. “It looks a lot nicer than mine.”
“Feel free to use it. And the shower, too.” I point in its direction. Great. Now I’m thinking of her sweaty and naked and wet. I need to get the hell out of this bedroom. “Want to see the rooftop garden?”
“Absolutely.”
It’s a clear, crisp night without too many stars in the sky—there’s too much ambient light for that—and there’s not a cloud in sight, so a full moon bathes us in its silvery glow.
Valentina shivers as she looks around. “I remember this building when you first bought it.” A smile touches her lips. “I thought you were mad when you announced you were going to work on it yourself. Leo and I made a bet about how long it would take for the structure to simply fall down.”
“Who won?” I take off my coat and wrap it around her shoulders.
She grips it with her fingers and pulls it closer. “Nobody. None of us could have predicted this.” She looks up at me, her eyes luminous. “This is beautiful, Dante.”
She’s so close. Her jasmine scent drugs my senses in a way the whiskey couldn’t. There’s a full moon night, and in the distance, a singer croons an old French love song, its lyrics seductive and yearning.Give your heart and soul to me,she sings. And I want to.
My head moves forward a fraction of an inch.Do it,the voice of temptation whispers.You know you want to kiss her. You’ve wanted to kiss her from the moment you met.