Page 35 of Entwined
Vaughn hesitated, his expression conflicted. “It’s not a good idea.”
A bitter chuckle escaped me. “There was a time when you would’ve jumped at the idea.”
His gaze softened, a hint of regret in his eyes. “But not now, Joey. Not like this.”
The truth in his words stung, but it was a different kind of pain—one that forced me to confront just how much had changedbetween us. Vaughn wasn’t the same man who once saw me as a challenge, and I wasn’t the same woman who could pretend none of this mattered. We stood on the edge of something fragile, something neither of us was sure how to navigate.
For now, in the quiet of my hotel room, with the night pressing in around us, I wasn’t ready to let him go. Not yet.
I groaned, turning away from the harsh sunlight streaming through the uncovered windows. My head throbbed slightly, and as I blinked into awareness, I realized I was still in the dress I’d worn to dinner the night before. The last thing I remembered was sitting on the couch, my head resting on Vaughn’s shoulder, our hands intertwined as we laughed and joked around.
“Vaughn?” I called out, my voice groggy.
Silence answered me. With a sigh, I pushed myself up and padded into the living area, half-expecting to find him lounging on the couch. But the room was empty, the only sign of life being the faint scent of his cologne lingering in the air. I figured he must have left early, probably catching the Ashworth jet back to New York. Vaughn always had a way of leaving without a trace, like a ghost slipping through my fingers.
As I turned back toward the bedroom to get ready for the day, a sudden knock at the door startled me. My heart skipped a beat as I froze, listening.
“Josephine, it’s me,” Vaughn’s voice came from the other side, calm and steady.
A smile tugged at my lips, a flicker of excitement sparking in my chest. Despite everything, I was glad for the company. Traveling through Europe had been an incredible experience, but there were moments when I wished I had someone to share it with—the art, the food, the history.
Vaughn had always been my nemesis, the thorn in my side, but lately, something had shifted between us. Our fragile friendship had become something I was starting to enjoy, and the thought of spending the day with him made my heart race in a way that surprised me.
I yanked the door open to find him standing there, a smirk playing on his lips. His presence filled the doorway, making the room feel smaller, more intimate.
“Let’s get moving,” he said, his tone brisk but playful. “I take it you haven’t been to the Colosseum yet.”
I raised my eyebrows, caught off guard by his sudden enthusiasm. “I… well, no. I was planning to go.”
He nudged me gently, the touch sending a warm shiver down my spine. “Then get dressed. We’ve got a day to seize.”
A wide smile spread across my face as I hurried back to my bedroom. I felt a ridiculous giddiness bubbling up inside me, like a schoolgirl with a crush. Vaughn had always been the one person who could get under my skin, who challenged me in ways no one else could. But now, as I pulled on a pair of jeans and a light sweater, I realized how much I was enjoying this new side of him—the Vaughn who made me laugh, who shared his time with me without the usual tension.
I glanced at myself in the mirror, smoothing down my hair. My heart still fluttered in my chest, a mix of nerves and anticipation.Whatever this was between us, it was fragile, like a delicate glass sculpture that could shatter with the wrong move. But for today, I was ready to embrace it, to see where this newfound connection would take us.
Chapter 15
Vaughn stayed with me for two more days, and in that short time, we managed to see the city from a perspective I never would’ve found on my own. We wandered through ancient streets, shared meals at quaint little trattorias, and even laughed over wine as the sun set over the Tiber River. It was a bittersweet moment when he had to leave, duty calling him back to Ashworth. He pleaded with me to return with him, but I wasn’t done searching for the pieces of myself that I’d lost along the way. He understood, though I could see the reluctance in his eyes.
After he left, the emptiness returned, magnified by the absence of his steady presence. I wandered through the city alone, and while I was used to the constant presence of paparazzi, it seemed they were more aggressive here in Europe.
I tried to ignore them, but the day after Vaughn’s departure, as I perused a small store near my hotel, a headline caught my eye. There, on the front of a gossip paper, was a picture of Vaughn and me walking through the streets, his arm wrapped protectively around me.
The headline was brutal -Widow Moves On: Ashworth Heiress Caught in Love Affair with Stepson. My breath caught in my throat, my hands shaking slightly as I skimmed the salacious article. They made it seem as if I had quickly forgotten Colson, painting me as a woman who had moved on without a second thought. Nothing could be further from the truth.
I missed Colson desperately; his absence was a constant ache that I couldn’t shake. But I was also lonely, and that’s when I realized it was time to go home. Europe could wait—I could always come back, but the solace I sought wasn’t here.
I returned to my hotel and began making arrangements to fly back to New York that evening. As I finalized my reservation, my phone rang, and Logan’s name flashed across the screen. I answered, trying to keep my voice light.
“Hey, how are you?”
Logan’s tone was anything but light. “Are you having an affair with Vaughn?”
I nearly dropped the phone, caught off guard by the accusation. “For fuck’s sake, Logan! Not even a hello?”
“Are you?” he pressed, his voice tight with anger.
I closed my eyes, frustration boiling over. “No, Logan. Vaughn gave me what I needed…companionship. That’s all. There’s nothing between us like you’re implying.”
