Page 41 of Romeo
“I mean like you having to fight women off? That’s some great dating cred there.” I teased him.
“Not to me, it’s not. I never would have shared it with you but…” I paused.
“But?” she asked while not taking her eyes off me.
“You need to know crap like that. In case it comes up later. I don’t want you troubled over us… ever. Like what if Dante or even one of those maids says something and you hear about it?”I stepped closer to her and added, “And I know something is troubling you. I just cannot figure out what I did wrong.”
“Wrong?” she exclaimed. “You didn’t do anything.”
“Is it Luca?” I asked.
She looked confused and asked, “Your brother, Luca?”
I nodded. “Papa mentioned him and that was when I noticed you looked upset.”
She shook her head. “No, I’ve never even met him. It isn’t you or your family, Romeo. It’s my family actually. So just know that it isn’t you.”
I slowly shook my head at her. “I’ve heard about that line.It’s not you…it’s me.I mean a woman has never said it to me, but I suppose there’s always a first time?”
Scoffing, she said, “Well, this time, it is true.”
“Can you talk about it?’’ I asked softly. “Maybe I can help?”
“I’m not sure where to even begin?” she said as she teared up. “I grew up in New York City. In an old Italian neighborhood. The very same one that welcomed the first Italian immigrants. Little Italy. Me, Mama, Papa and my sister. My dad worked in a factory and my mom was a housekeeper. We were like a typical blue collar working family. Then my Papa moved up in life and my mother helped him. We got a bigger house and even had a few servants. We were a happy family as far as I can remember, then…”
I walked over to her and swiped the tears from her face. “Then what?”
“Damn it…” She sniffled. “You made me cry! I knew I shouldn’t talk about…” She slugged my arm. “I hate fucking crying!”
I grabbed my arm where her small fist had tried to do damage but didn’t and whined, “Owww! Calm down, slugger,” I teased.
Laughing, she swiped a leftover tear from her cheek. “You always know how to make me laugh. I love that about you.” Julianna literally jumped up on me, kissing me.
I admit this did surprise me… her sudden kiss. But I held her and took what she gave me, letting her lead.
She kissed me hard and held me close. Pulling from my lips, she said in a breathless tone, “I love being with you.”
I gazed into her eyes. “I love it too.” I carried her to the bed and sat her down. I loved her in fact. I just needed to wait until she was ready to hear it.
“Oh, good.” She looked down and patted the mattress. “We get to use your very neat bed.” She wiggled her brows at me.
“You didn’t finish telling me—”
She pouted. “Never mind about that. I think we should stay in bed all afternoon.”
I raised my brows at her. “Really?” I loved the idea but she didn’t know about the meeting. “We’ve only got…” I looked down at my watch and said, “...an hour and a half maybe?”
“Until what?” she asked.
“My father called a planning meeting. You do know that tonight is the night, right?”
Nodding, her smile and flirtation faded away.
“Don’t look like that. We can’t fly off to heaven for the whole afternoon, but we have enough time to touch the sky.”
Staring into my eyes, she smiled. “That is exactly what it felt like.”
“For me too.” I smiled. “I’d thought that I messed up with you somehow. I mean earlier, you acted like maybe you regretted touching the sky with me.”
