Elianna's POV
1 month later
I put on my sports bra and leggings then headed to the home gym.
Two weeks ago I started using it because I needed to get back in shape.
If I had any plans on returning to the states to dance, I needed to be in shape to dance.
I opened the door and he was in there.
I watched his muscles bulge out of his compressed, long sleeve shirt as he lifted the weights.
My body just froze as I watched him like a creep.
I bit my lip and crossed my legs. Stuff like that turned me on.
He groaned as he put down the weight.
I knew he had been working out for a while because his back was all sweaty.
I didn't even notice when he left the bed this morning.
When he turned around, his eyes widened when they landed on me.
I quickly uncrossed my legs and looked away from him.
I could see him turn around from me and go to the bench press.
Since that car ride, we didn't talk much.
He went back to his old habit; going to work early then coming home late.
I tried to help him. I really did but he doesn't want my help and I'm not going to force him.
I laid down my yoga mat and started doing some stretches.
I took a sneak peak at him and he was completely concentrated in what he was doing.
Stop looking at him, Elle.
I picked up the jump rope and started to skip.
Skipping and running were my main workout activities I did back home in America.
They were not as drastic as lifting weights but they were still effective. I stayed in shape.
It's not like I needed muscles or anything.
I turned back and he was sitting on the bench press watching me.
I immediately lost my timing and tripped on the rope. I soon fell to the ground.
He laid back down and continued lifting his weights.
I cringed at myself as I stood up.
Maybe I shouldn't jump rope while he is in the room with me.
I decided to give weights a try just for fun. I wouldn't use anything that I couldn't handle.
I walked up to the where the weights were and changed the weights that he used to one that I could manage.
I placed my hands on both sides of the rod and struggled to lift it up.
I could hear him sigh from the other side of the room.
I rolled my eyes before turning to him. "Do you have a problem?"
He stood up. "You're lifting wrong."
"Why does it matter? Since when was there a wrong and right way to lift weights?"
"You could hurt yourself or my weights if you don't do it properly."
I sighed. "Okay, what am I doing wrong, Mr. Perfect?"
He walked over to me. "First of all, your feet are too close. They need to be further apart to increase your stability."
I separated my feet a little more. "Like this?"
He shook his head before showing me.
"Okay," I said as I did what he said. "What's next?"
"Bend over."
I snapped my head to him. "What?"
"You have to bend over to lift the weight off the floor, Elianna."
"Oh...yeah," I said as I lowered myself to pick up the weight.
I guess other things were running through my mind.
"Great, now slowly lift the weight," he told me and I did what he said.
As I started to come up, he stood behind me and place his hands under mine.
I turned to look at him but he shook his head.
"Don't focus on me, focus on the weights."
Right, focus on the weights.
My hands started to shake and I started to feel pain in my arms. I was ready to drop it.
"Come all the way up," he said. "I'm right here so nothing will happen."
I nodded and lifted the weight all the way up.
I started to become more conscious of how close we were. My back was pressing against his chest.
I turned to look at him then he did the same.
My heart started beating faster as we watched each other.
I felt nervous when he looked at me, especially now.
The room started to get hotter and I could feel myself starting to sweat.
His hands which were beneath mine tightened a little bit around mine.
I lost all my senses and dropped the weight.
He was quick to grab it before it dropped and I looked back in front of me.
"Sorry," was all I could manage to say.
He cleared his throat before moving away from me and gently placing the weight on the ground. "Well, now you know how to properly lift a weight."
I laughed nervously. "Thanks for the lesson. I think this is the first time you ever tried to be nice to me."
He gulped down his water before answering me. "I'm trying."
Did my little speech work?
He picked up his towel and started walking to the door.
"Wait!" I automatically shouted and he turned back around to me. "Are you leaving already?"
"Yes, I've been in here for roughly two hours and I need to get to work."
"Oh," I said almost sounding disappointed.
This was the first I've seen him for the month. I know we aren't exactly on good terms but it felt good seeing someone other than Luca and the other staff.
"Is uh, everything okay?" He asked me in a weird way.
Gosh he was so awkward when he talked to me.
"Could you stay?" I asked and he raised his eyebrow. "You don't have to stay if you don't want to. I just figured we should talk and maybe try to work out some stuff."
I closed my eyes in this terrible silence and prepared myself for him to tell me the most gut-wrenching, disrespectful comment ever.
"Okay," he agreed and my eyes immediately opened.
He walked up to me. "Elianna, before we start I want you to know that everything Isabella's mother said about me was true. I will not sugarcoat who I am."
"I know," I said.
"Then why do want to talk then?"
I sighed. "Enzo, we are married and I don't even know your middle name."
"How does knowing that information contribute to our marriage?"
"We are supposed to know stuff about each other. Everything cannot be a secret!"
He was actually contemplating if he should tell me or not.
I shook my head. "Forget it. Your trust issues are off the charts."
"Emilio. That is my middle name. It was my father's name," he quickly told me.
I smiled. "Enzo Emilio Mariano. I like that name!"
"What about you?" He asked as he walked up to me.
"Angela," I answered. "My mother's name was Angelica."
"Looks like our parents had a thing for making their names our middle names," he said and I laughed.
We were actually having a conversation without any arguing and he actually made a joke. I didn't know he was capable of doing that.
We were making toddler steps now.
"Is there anything else you would like to know about me?" I asked him.
"I know everything already. I have a file on you."
He had to ruin the moment, didn't he?
"You what?"
"Elianna, you were a stranger who I was going to marry and sleep next to at night. It would be dumb if I didn't."
"So I'm guessing my middle name was on my file too?" I asked and he nodded.
Well I feel dumb right now.
He has a whole file on me yet I only learned his middle name a minute ago. How is that fair?
"Elianna, if you want to know questions about me just ask and I will decide if they can be answered or not," he told me after seeing the look on my face.
Decide if they can be answered or not? This still wasn't enough. What if he declines all my questions?
He looked on his watch. "I need to get going."
The progress we were making was slow but at least it was progress.