No Strings Attached

CHAPTER 46

My eyes flutter shut as I feel Vincenzo's hand resting on the curve of my waist, pulling me close to him as he pulls me out of the way of a cleaning lady.

I give her a small smile as she continues to walk down the corridor, Vincenzo's hand making no indication of moving, and for some reason I don't tell him to.

I feel butterflies swarming my stomach as his thumb traces circles on my hip, feeling as if my legs are jelly as his touch makes me swoon.

I'm almost grateful when we get to the kitchen, so I can sit on the Island Bench before my legs give out.

"What do you feel like?" he asks almost absentmindedly, looking through the pantry.

"Whatever's there, I don't mind," I reply, feeling the same tension from before make it's suffocating way back to us.

"Bacon and eggs?" he asks, "There's avocados, tomatoes and mushroom here too," he adds.

"Yeah that sounds good," I smile, "But I don't like mushroom," I say almost sheepishly.

He raises an eyebrow at me but shrugs, "I'll have yours then," he says.

Olive theory, but make it the mushroom theory.

I watch as Vincenzo suddenly stands up to his full height, placing everything on the bench before he looks at me and suck in a sharp breath.

"Did you mean anything you said last night?" he asks in a quiet voice, walking over to me until he's standing right in front of me.

"I was very drunk," I chuckle nervously, heat crawling up my skin like tiny bugs.

"Ana that's not what I asked," he says, his hand coming up to gently grip my chin as he pulls my face closer to his. "Did you mean any of it?" he asks again, our lips brushing against each other.

"I-I- uhm," I stammer, not feeling confident enough to lie to his face right now.

He hums in response, brushing his thumb over my bottom lip, parting them just the slightest as I feel my heart begin to pound.

"Enzo I said a lot of things last night," I say, not sure where to take it from here.

"Enzo?" he repeats, a small smile on his face, "I thought that was only your nickname for me when one of us is drunk," he chuckles.

I can't bring myself to say anything and he sighs. "Ana be honest with me and I'll be honest with you," he urges, standing up slightly so now I'm looking up at him.

"I was honest last night," I whisper, unable to bring myself to repeat anything I stupidly said last night.

I'm almost taken aback at the smile which spreads across his lips, wider and more genuine than I've ever seen it before.

Fuck I love his smile.

"You have dimples," I blurt out, pointing to his cheek as his smile quickly disappears.

"Say it again," he says simply.

"What? That you have dimples?" I ask in a confused voice.

"No sweetheart," he murmurs, forcing me to squeeze my thighs together. "What you said last night," he says.

Tell him. Let him in. Please.

"It sounds stupid to say," I mutter, embarrassment flooding over me.

"What does?" he asks, his tone teasing as I groan.

"This was never supposed to happen," I say in an exasperated tone. "I hate you. Remember?" I almost laugh.