Page 56 of Maddest Temptation

The sight of her almost brought me down to my knees, and like a perverted fuck, I watched Francesca walk out of the hospital. It was early autumn, and she wore a purple floral dress that offered me a privileged view of her legs. What was she thinking, she was going to catch a cold this way. I couldn’t help looking at her legs and imagine them wrapped around my waist as I–

I shook that image away and focused on the task at hand. It wouldn’t do having her affect me this way every time I saw her. Francesca was like a blazing star, much like the sun. She was heat, she was light. Her beauty was blinding. And here I was, a black hole, a tragedy in the making.

She was walking my way, so I left the shadows. The moment Francesca saw me she halted. She looked both ways, probably thinking about running, but there was nowhere she could go that I wouldn’t follow.

One by one her feet moved my way; I stood there still, trying to get my bearings. A gust of wind hit her, and her scent traveled my way, and I breathed it in greedily.

Francesca stopped before me and hugged herself. “What are you doing here?” she grilled me.

Good question, what are you doing here, Cassio?

I watched as her enticing sapphire eyes narrowed and she looked both ways, then past me, and then finally she met my eyes. Francesca opened her mouth and then closed it.

“We need to talk,” I blurted before she had something else to say.

“Talk,” she scoffed. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“I wasn’t asking, Francesca.” My voice sounded harsher than I desired.

She had this effect on me, I couldn’t control myself when I was so damned near her. Her eyes, her scent, her smart mouth, her beauty, it was too much. So, anger was the only way to ward off these… feelings I had whenever I was close.

“I have nothing left to say to you.” She was digging her nails into the palms of her hand, and I hated she was hurting herself because of me.

“There’s a coffee shop down the street,” I said, ignoring her observation.

“I’m tired, Cassio,” she said weakly, and I almost caved then.

Francesca, despite her alluring beauty, did look exhausted. She looked thinner and paler, and there were deep circles under her eyes. Her hair was tied in a messy bun, held up by a pen, which I had the urge to pull out and watch as it fell over her shoulders, I always loved her hair.

“It won’t take too long.”

“The last time we talked it didn’t end so well,” she stated.

Was this how she thought about our kiss? As a mistake? It hadn’t been one of my best moments, but the kiss had been stellar. I knew she thought so as well, Francesca had melted into me like butter on a hot piece of toast.

Mistake, my ass.

“Come,” I said and turned to walk away.

16

FRANCESCA

Stronzo.

Did he really expect me to follow him? “I’m not a dog.” I snapped.

Cassio glanced back and cocked one brow. I rolled my eyes. He was not going to let this go.

One thing I still remember about him was that Cassio could be persistent. It could take seconds, minutes, hours or even years but he always got what he wanted. I was exhausted, and Mamma wasn’t doing any better. Although the nurses tried to keep me company and make my days brighter, it was like the sun had stopped shining.

Sighing out loud so he could hear my frustration, I took the first step toward him. A wave of cold air hit me, and I shivered, I’d forgotten my coat in Mamma’s room and was too lazy to go back for it. Now I was paying the price.

“Do you ever check the weather?” He complained but removed his suit jacket and offered it to me.

I begrudgingly grabbed it from his hand and put it on. Cassio looked forward and I took that as a chance to shove my nose into his jacket and inhaled his intoxicating scent.

Night had struck Chicago, and usually, I wouldn’t be this relaxed walking in the streets, but shamefully, I was. Cassio’s presence still made me feel safe. It was something I tried to deny even now as we walked together, but the truth was harsh.

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