Page 61 of Valentino

I jump awake with a start to the sound of the coffee machine grinding the beans, what time is it?

Startled, my eyes flick around my bedroom, hell, what a night.

Since you fucked him…. Those four words haunted every second of my nightmares last night. The worst thing of all is that I know it’s true. Thinking back, I now realize that Valentino hasn’t been the same with me ever since I hooked up with Carlo.

Had I not noticed it before or was I unconsciously ignoring it?

I hate that I ruined everything between the two of us, and I know that I have.

Val was the man that I liked, he was the one I always wanted and somehow, I don’t even know when it came to a head but at some point I realized that he was never into me like I was into him and then when Carlo began chasing me….

I got tired of waiting for Valentino, I convinced myself it was never going to happen between us, but his admission last night told me a truth that he hasn’t dared to.

He did feel something; I wasn’t imagining it and if I had just talked to him instead of believing everything Carlo said then things might look a lot different now.

His words from last night come back to me…. Since you fucked him.

How would I feel if Valentino dated my best friend and flaunted her in front of me, how could I watch him with her…my stomach twists at the thought.

I couldn’t bear it.

My impatience caused me to sabotage everything I’ve ever wanted…Valentino to be mine.

“Fuck it, Anna. What have you done?”

I throw the back of my forearm over my eyes in disgust with myself.

Knock, knock a gentle tap sounds on the door, before I get a chance to answer, it opens. “Good morning, Anna,” Valentino says from the doorway before breaking into a slow sexy smile.

Huh?

What’s with that smile? I thought you hated me.

“Hi,” I grumble, I’m feeling all sorts of self-conscious, I drag my hand through my hair; I must look a treat.

“Sleep well?” he asks as he walks in.

What’s with the sudden mood change?

“Yes.”

His eyes roam over my face and I can’t even imagine how I look, I think I’ve slept all of about twenty minutes.

I feel my face turn a bright shade of fuchsia as I pull the blankets up around my neck. Maybe if I shield myself in a blanket fort he’ll have no idea of the deviant things I’ve been imagining about him all night. “Did you?”

“Okay,” he says as he sits down onto the bed beside me, the scent of fresh-linen soap surrounds him. He smells clean while I feel dirty.

His dark hair is messed to perfection, and my eyes drop to the thick veins that rope around his forearms. Why does he have to be so gorgeous?

Damn it, if ever there were a time to flick back the blankets and invite someone into my bed.

Stop.

He doesn’t feel the same way….

“What are you going to do today?” he asks.

“Working.”