Page 14 of I Would Beg For You

In seconds, I’m bundled in the warm back seat as Valentino settles next to me. There’s no armrest between us this time, but he sticks to his side of the car.

The ride takes place in comfortable silence.

Hmm, I guess we’re going to pretend the orgasmic experience Valentino rendered was just par for the course. Fine by me. I have no words, anyway. I just want my bed to crash in.

Carlito, his driver, always being a man of few words as far as I can recall, doesn’t talk during the ride home, either. He reminds me of the character of Lurch fromThe Addams Family—scary-looking, but kind at heart and gentle in his ways. He’s always been there, and he’s always been nice to me.

The lulling quiet allows my mind to wander. Soon, it dawns on me little by little. Valentino will be next door. For how long, who knows? As a powerful businessman, Marcello Andretti was considered high society in the same circles my dad gravitates around. His son and heir will be walking the same paths, too.

Which means I’ll be seeing him everywhere.

“Are you attending the governor’s ball?” I blurt out.

Where the question comes from, I have no clue. Or wait, I do. Thinking of our overlapping circles brought to mind the masked ball to celebrate the upcoming New Year’s holiday. I can already picture Valentino in a dark mask. Not a stark one, but also not an embellished one like a harlequin’s. Something like a Venetian mask, maybe. Sexy. Sinful.

My soaked panties are now sticking even more to my pussy. At this rate, even the crotch of the jeans will be ruined.

The car eventually drives up along the streets of our quiet secluded neighborhood, full of winding roads lined with tall stately trees and an impressive array of large homes set back on two to five acre lots. Carlito turns into a circular driveway and comes to a halt in front of my front door. Before I can shrug out of my relaxed position, the door is opening and there’s Valentino standing by my side, giving me his hand to help me exit.

As soon as my feet touch the ground, the front door of my house flies open, and out comes a raging figure in a brown robe spitting out foul curses.

“What the hell are you doing with him, Naomi?” my father demands.

Before he can reach us and cause even more of a scene, I move away from Valentino and intercept my dad. I hope Valentino leaves soon, but he remains behind me while I’m pushing hard on my father’s shoulders to stop him from flying at him in a rage.

“I got a lift, is all.”

“With him? What was he doing at the airport?”

To his credit, Valentino stays quiet and lets me take charge.

My legs are growing weaker. I have no time for this drama. And no way will I let him know we shared the same flight.

“Well, you said no Uber. And Elliott wasn’t there. Valentino was also in Arrivals.”

“You could’ve waited.”

“She would’ve frozen on the pavement, Smith. Anyone in their right mind wouldn’t let that happen.”

I close my eyes briefly. Did Valentino seriously just imply my dad is senseless?

“We landed earlier than planned,” I say, trying to placate both of them. “Once we cleared the storm past Utah, it was smooth sailing and a quick trip. Elliott would’ve come at some point, but I was tired, Dad. I forgot my Xanax in my suitcase.”

Some of the bluster drains out of my father’s body. Thank goodness. He knows how much I hate flying and what it must mean for me to take a flight without my meds.

It’s easy to hustle him into the house at this point. I turn toward Valentino who’s still standing there watching us. I have a feeling he would’ve escorted me to the door, and is now waiting for me to go in.

I mouth ‘Thank you’ while I keep moving, not wanting my father to get riled up again. I receive a small nod in acknowledgement. As the front door is closing, I can see him turn around to head to his house next door.

A sense of warmth and peace flows over me in the vestibule. Damn, if I don’t pull myself together, I’ll end up in a puddle right here.

I reach out and hug my dad to me. “I missed you.”

I didn’t come home in the four months I was in Salt Lake. You couldn’t get me on a plane, no way. He’d never visit, busypolitical bee that he is, so here we are, seeing each other again after so long.

“Let’s talk tomorrow, okay?” I start toward the stairs, suddenly remembering my suitcase and carry-on are still in Valentino’s car.

Guess he’ll have it delivered soon. Right now, I need to sleep.

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