He had it so bad for this woman and she had no clue. Though he couldn’t admit he was worried about returning to New York. The industry he worked in, the people he knew… Paige was right. They might look down on her.
And he couldn’t have it.
Chapter Eleven
Paige was living in a dream world and no way did she want reality to intrude and burst her precious little bubble.
Since their return from Italy almost three weeks ago, it had been work as usual. Taking care of Matty throughout the day, doing their usual activities, teaching him what she could, going on play dates, museum visits, to the movies, playing with him on the giant rug in his bedroom. He was such a happy, inquisitive child and she enjoyed her time with him, loved him more and more every day.
But then there was his father. Ah, Matty’s father owned her nights. He came home from work every evening, devastatingly sexy clad in his perfect, expensive suits, the hungry look he’d shoot her from across the room as he was attacked by Matty hot enough to set her panties on fire.
They would eat together after Matty went to bed and talk about their day, Paige picking at her food, her body in a constant state of arousal from his heated stares, his casual caresses from across the table. He would take her hand and bring it to his mouth, slowly kissing her fingers. Dart out his tongue for the occasional lick, making her entire body ache for his.
And then…he would take her back to his bedroom where they would remain for the rest of the night, naked and entwined together in his giant bed, until she finally fell into an exhausted dreamless sleep pressed against him.
She truly believed she’d died and gone to heaven.
He was late tonight, calling her just before five to let her know that he had a dinner meeting and wouldn’t make it home ’til after eight. It was past nine and she’d put Matty to bed well over an hour ago. Worry filled her when she hadn’t heard from Matteo, that he hadn’t come home yet. Where could he be? She didn’t feel right in calling him. They may have some sort of insular relationship that played out in the luxurious penthouse apartment he called home, but they rarely ventured outside the walls together.
So really she had no right to call and ask when he might be coming home. He’d probably think she was a nag, probably believe she was overstepping her boundaries. They weren’t in a real relationship, just some sort of fantasy world where they didn’t allow reality to intrude.
How she hated it. There was no real definition to what was happening between them. Things hadn’t changed much since before they left for Italy, beyond her essentially moving into his bedroom. She didn’t protest the move, of course. She was in rapturous heaven every night, lying naked in the middle of Matteo’s bed, having him do the most wondrous things to her body with his mouth, hands and tongue before she so gladly returned the favor until they finally joined their bodies as one.
Again and again and again…
Paige had done things with Matteo she’d never done with another man. Shockingly intimate, deliciously wicked things that made her blush just thinking about them. She gave her trust to him so easily because he’d earned it.
Only during these moments alone was when the self-doubt would creep in, settling over like the blackest of clouds. Where she would worry about her place in Matteo’s life, if he were ever going to do anything to truly bring her into his public world. He didn’t seem eager to make any sort of statement with her on his arm, so she tried her best to let it go. Let it be.
Deep inside, she worried. And she hated herself for it.
They hadn’t told Stasia about their new…affection for each other either, though Paige had been dying to. She wanted to confide in a friend, although she wouldn’t go into too much detail since Matteo was Stasia’s brother, but still.
Matteo had never mentioned it, though Stasia and her husband Gavin had come for dinner twice since their return from Italy, and Paige merely followed his lead. If he wasn’t ready to tell his sister, then neither was she.
But yet again, his quietness drove her crazy. Why couldn’t they announce to the entire world they were together? Or, at the very least, let his sister know? Why did they have to act like their being together was some sort of dirty little secret? She didn’t understand.
He frustrated her. As much as she loved being with him, his reluctance, his quietness drove her mad. She couldn’t even clearly say his behavior was a show of reluctance. Matteo kept his emotions that close to his chest. So close, she couldn’t tell how he really felt.
The door finally opened just past ten and she shut off the television, rising to meet him in the foyer. His suit was rumpled, his tie askew, and his face was darkened with five o’clock shadow.