Page 91 of Beautiful Desire

“I mean, why do it? You’re not a part of the mafia, are you?”

When she waits for my answer, I swallow hard before giving her a firm shake of my head.

“That’s what I thought, which is why I don’t understand why you would do it.”

“I know it seems wrong to you. This isn’t me trying to be a part of the mafia. I don’t want that lifestyle. But Fabi has helped me out and saved my life in more ways than one, so when he mentioned he was looking for a new place since the feds were sniffing around the other one, it was a no-brainer. I offered him my restaurant.”

“Wait,youoffered? Why?” she asks, completely confused.

“Did you really think Fabi would ask me to use my business? If so, then you don’t him as well as I thought. And to answer your question, like I said, he’s saved my life in more ways than one.”

“But what does that even mean?”

Placing my finger over her mouth, I say, “Shh. I’ve answered your questions, but you still haven’t answered mine.”

Her eyebrows pinch together as she looks at me quizzically.

“You still haven’t told me why you left me in Florida.”

Her shoulders slump, face down-turned.

“Oh,” is all she says.

I can see the wheels turning in her head while she tries to figure out what she wants to tell me.

“The truth,” I tell her.

Blowing out a breath, she nods her head once. “The truth. Well, I made a rule years ago after a relationship went very bad to only ever have one-night stands with guys. A relationship was too much work, and all it did was bring on lies and commitment issues from the men I was seeing. So instead of continuing to keep trying and getting my heart broken, I decided I was going to take charge of how and when things happened, which is how I came up with the no names, no numbers, and only one night rule. I know that may make me sound like a whore, but I promise I wasn’t. I only hooked up with guys when Bob and my hand were no longer working.”

“Bob?” I asked, confused. “Who the fuck isBob?”

I can feel myself getting jealous over this Bob guy, which is a new feeling Elle has brought out in me. She’s trying not to laugh, which only makes me more upset.

“You think this is funny?”

At that, she bends at the waist and laughs even harder. I give her a couple of minutes, and when she stands back up again, she’s wiping her eyes and still laughing.

“Bob isn’t a person. It’s athing,” she manages to say before she starts laughing even harder.

Okay, now I’m even more confused.

“Come again?” I ask as I place my hands on my hips, waiting for her answer.

“B.O.B.,” she gets out before she’s chuckling again, but once she sees my less-than-impressed face, she stops. “B.O.B. stands for battery operated boyfriend.”

Now it’s my turn for my eyes to go wide and be shocked. Seeing the confusion on my face, she decides to clarify for me.

“In other words, a vibrator.”

My body instantly relaxes as relief courses through me. She meant a vibrator, not some guy named Bob. But that still doesn’t answer my question.

“I understand why you left all those other guys, but what I still don’t understand is why you leftme. Don’t you feel this?” I ask as I move my hand back and forth between us.

“That’s exactly why I left. Because of the fact that Ididn’twant to. This was the first time in over four years I felt something. I feel this pull toward you all the time, and it scared me. I didn’t want my heart broken again. So, I left. I thought I would be able to put you behind me and move on, but every time I tried, we were brought back together somehow. Every time I would manage to not think about you for five minutes, you either showed up or your name was brought up into conversation, and I’d have to start all over again.” Acting shy and turning her head away from me, she says so quietly, “I know that’s stupid.”

“No, it’s not. I get it. But you don’t have to be afraid of me. I won’t break your heart.”

“How can you be sure?”

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