Page 231 of Valentino

I begrudgingly hold my drink up to his. “To getting to know each other again properly before we have any difficult conversations,” he tells me.

“But what’s the point of getting to know each other if I already know the outcome of those difficult conversations. And besides, I already know you.”

“A lot has changed with me since we last met.”

“Like how?”

“You met me at my worst.” He glances over to me. “I now want you to meet me at my best.”

“But why would I meet you at your best if we already know the outcome?”

He rolls his eyes. “Vay. Cay. Tion.” He clinks his drink with mine and takes a gulp. “Unable. To. Have. Difficult. Conversations. Listen when I speak, woman.”

I take an unsure sip, this isn’t going to end well, I already know it.

But the masochist in me wants to investigate this best version of Valentino that he talks about.

“It’s three days, Anna,” he continues. “Don’t we at least owe it to ourselves to wait three days before rushing into any rash conversations?”

Hope blooms. “Maybe.”

“And don’t you need to be fucked a whole lot more before you return to Rome?”

“Well.” I widen my eyes. “Obviously.”

“That makes two of us.” He sips his drink as mischief dances in his eyes.

“Blue pills are easy to come by, so I hear,” I tease. “Plenty of those in Milan.”

“Less talking.” He holds his drink up toward me. “More drinking.”

“Because we’re on vacation?” I ask dryly.

“Exactly.”

VALENTINO

“Oh my God, we are going to be so late,” Anna huffs, she’s still in a towel and finishing up her makeup.

“Who cares.”

“I’m here to stake out this restaurant, Valentino. It’s a Michelin star and they’re going to give our table away,” she stammers in a panic. “If I miss this booking I am so dead.”

“Well, you should have gotten off your back earlier, shouldn’t you?” I grab her hips and give her a playful pump.

“Funny, seeing you were the one on your back.” She puts her long gold earring in. “Can you go now?” she says.

“What?”

“You’re dressed, aren’t you?” She looks me up and down.

“Yeah, so?”

“Can you go down to the restaurant and get our table, order us a drink and I’ll be there as soon as I get dressed. Five minutes tops.”

“Fine.” I lean down and kiss her neck and glance up into the mirror to catch sight of the two of us together. Her long dark hair is curled, and her face is made up, wearing only a towel, she is absolutely gorgeous. I’ve never met a woman as beautiful as Anna Russo.

A weird sense of familiarity falls over me, as if this is exactly where I am meant to be.