The Italian

I frown. “I don’t even know to be honest.”

“Are you sure he was in your bathroom?”

“No.” I shrug and glance around at Maso and Marley who are leaning up against the wall at the front of the bar, watching me from a safe distance. “Maybe I imagined the whole thing. It does seem random, doesn’t it?”

“Did he seem creepy the night you met him? When he asked for your number.”

“No, but then he gave me the look that day at Enrico’s. It seemed so out of order, and it threw me.”

“The come fuck me look?”

“Uh-huh.” I sip my drink and shrug. “I don’t know; I’m probably imagining the entire thing. He could be married with five kids.”

“Where’s your other friend gone—the gay guy?” She frowns.

“Oh, Giorgio has been in Roma. He comes back this week.”

“How long has he been gone for?”

“Two weeks, I think. He works between the two offices. I’m looking forward to him coming back. I’ve missed him.” I smile as I watch my friend, and I tuck a piece of her hair behind her ear. “You look well, Nat. Milan agrees with you.”

“Thanks.” She smiles. “You, too. How’s it going with Mr. Italy?”

“Good. Great, actually.” I smile back at her. “He’s so fucking beautiful, Nat.”

“Liv, just be careful. This guy broke you twice already.”

“I know, but it’s different now.”

Her eyes hold mine. “Have you met his family?”

“No.”

She rolls her lips, unimpressed.

“Only because it’s been hectic. He’s had so much on, and there are people in the fucking house all the time.”

“What do you mean?”

“There’s security, drivers, cooks, and house maintenance. I’m lucky to get him alone for two minutes. If we do, we go to bed and end up fucking all night and I forget everything I wanted to talk about.”

She gives an over exaggerated eye roll. “Oh, poor you, cooks and cleaners and a sex god. Sounds woeful,” she mutters dryly. “How do you cope?”

I smirk. “When you put it like that.”

She raises her glass and we clink them. “To Italians.” She smirks.

“To Italians,” I repeat with a giggle. My phone vibrates on the table, and the name Rici lights up the screen. “Hello,” I answer.

“Hello, my bella,” his deep voice purrs down the phone.

A goofy grin erupts at the sound of his voice. “Hi,” I breathe.

Natalie rolls her eyes at me.

“We are just coming out of the offices now. I’ll be there in five minutes,” he says.

“Okay, see you soon.”