Page 35 of Amadeo
Oh no, I could never give him that. There was no changing what had happened. No going back. God, how I wish it were that easy. Shaking my head, I turned to leave. “That was all I wanted to—”
He grabbed my arm and stepped up close to speak to me softly, “Even a murderer gets due process, doctor. Their day in court. I wasn’t insulted by the slap. I deserved that for accusing you of aligning with the mafia the way I did. However, I don’t feel like I deserve this constant distrust from you. This actual resentment I currently see in those beautiful eyes of yours. I need you to explain to me what I did in the past that keeps that angry glint in your gaze whenever you look at me.”
I made a mistake and that was to look into his eyes as he spoke. Before I even knew it, he had his arms wrapped around me, his mouth over mine. Before I could retrieve my sanity, I was wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing him back. I’d never felt so attracted to a manever. Not like this. Something in his scent, his eyes, his smile. I felt a pull, like a magnet tugging at my very soul. Telling me to taste him, get close to him and enjoy his presence.
The kiss we shared was just like before. Astonishing in its wildness, its heat, its control over us both. Our desperation to be as close as we could– had us pushing up against each other –as close as we could. My breasts were pressing his hard chest. The world disappeared, reality left and I only knew this. The room then seemed to spin around me as my knees actually went weak.
Amadeo finally broke the kiss as we were both breathless. He stared into my eyes. “We have something between us that we may never find again. Please reconsider your grudge and let me in on the reason why you cannot be with me.”
His words were like a bucket of ice cold water. Hitting me full on with a stunning reality check. I took a large step back and actually had to attempt to keep my balance.
Reaching over, he tried to steady me.
Raising my hands at him, I kept him back. Then reaching up, I softly grazed my fingers over my just kissed lips. His kisseswould undo me and capitulate me into a lost world of fire. I slowly shook my head at him.
He took my hand and raised it up to his lips. Turning it over, he kissed my palm.
Damnit, if my body didn’t tremble at the heat of his mouth on my skin. If I weren’t careful, this man could take my heart, take me, take it all. The realization of this near possibility hit me hard. I could easily be seduced by him and fall from the heavens to hell just like—I yanked my hand from his gentle grasp and turned to grab the door handle.
“Dr. Ribisi,” he called to me.
At his use of my formal name, I halted with the door slightly ajar.
“I can clearly see that you feel the same attraction as I do. So I need you to tell me the truth,” he implored. “I think a mistake has been made. Some mistaken identity. What if you are wrong about me and we missed out on a beautiful life together?”
Yes, it probably would be blazingly beautiful. He could also make me laugh. He told wonderful stories too. Never a dull moment, never a pause in his sincerity. I wished that we could try for this beautiful life…I turned around and asked, “You said you were in Italy two years ago, correct?”
He nodded. “I was there for my father.” Cocking his head, he looked curious. “So that is where this bad deed occurred?”
I nodded as I could clearly see he didn’t know what had happened in the timeframe I mentioned. How could that be? Maybe he left Milan and never knew what had ended up happening? Or he was so uncaring that he’d forgotten? I looked into his warm gaze and knew that couldn’t be true. I also couldn’t tell him everything as there were others involved. People I had to protect. I just couldn’t chance it. “Listen, I can see that perhaps I misjudged you. And yes, I am really attractedto you. I mean damn, just look at you. And I am flattered to no end that you think I’m…” I shook my head as I realized I was babbling.
“But…” He cocked his head at me. “I can hear one coming.”
I slowly nodded my head at him. “ButI can see no future for us. Let us say that I am wrong about believing you had done it. Even if that were true, I still couldn’t date you. I can’t date anyone. It is just a fact. One I cannot deny.” I turned and quickly left the bathroom. If I told the truth, running away would be what I was really doing. Running from what seemed like a great guy, a great kisser but he was also a great danger to me.
Amadeo clearly didn’t understand the position I was in, I could see that. He wasn’t in on the deal I’d made either and I realized this yesterday. Even if he wasn’t the man I’d believed him to be, I still had to accept the fact that I couldn’t break that deal. My loved ones depended on it.
When I went over to the bed—all I could do was stare.
The bed was empty. No Deacon. How could that be?
Looking around, I also didn’t see my nurse. “Amadeo!” I shouted.
He came rushing out and immediately saw what I did. He reached for his phone and then looked down at it as he huffed out air. Raising his head, he asked me, “Let me use your cell?”
I dug it out of my pocket and handed it over.
“Damn…” Then he tapped in a number and spoke quickly, “Tito, Deacon is gone.” He winced as a loud voice came over the cell. “Yes, but I was in the restroom.” He listened, then replied, “No, my cell died earlier.” He then sighed and handed me the phone. “They’re going to look at the video footage.”
“And when they do, they are going to see us heading into the bathroom together,” I exclaimed in a bit of a panic. “The hell am I gonna do?” My heart was hammering in my chest. Then Ishook my head. How could I worry about my circumstances? “I should be worried about my patient and my nurse,” I grumbled aloud. “Not myself.” I stomped my foot. “He shouldn't even be able to walk yet!”
“And he didn’t walk,” a voice came from the doorway.
We looked over to see an angry looking Stephano.
“The camera showed someone in a hood,” he explained. “This person unhooked him from the machines and simply tossed him over their shoulder.”
“What?” I asked in shock. “Deacon was ill but he is not a small man. And what happened to my nurse?”
