Page 57 of The One
She’s under my skin, lodged so deep I can’t shake her, and we haven’t even spoken since that day.
I don’t understand how or when it happened.
Was it when her father hit her, igniting something primal in me?
Or was it the little things? The first time I heard her voice at the airport, or seeing her all-captivating pretty smile?
Or was it when I discovered the stranger playing the guitar was her?
Perhaps it’s all of it.
Every moment, no matter how busy I am, leads back to her.
It’s maddening!
But I cannot be interested in her.
That’s why I’ve been staying away, or trying to. Yet every night, I still wander into the garden like an addict, just to hear her play.
She’s too young, too inexperienced for me to even entertain the thought. She’s never left Sicily until now, a complete novice to the world beyond.
How exhilarating would it be though, to watch her experience new things? New cultures. New food. New everything.
I can almost picture it. Her wide-eyed excitement, that shy little smile when she tries something for the first time.
No. I need to get my head straight. I like confident, worldly women who own who they are.
This girl?
She can barely look me in the eye without blushing. Though, it’s oddly endearing. It’s a stark contrast to the women I’m used to.
They chase the limelight, revel in the status that comes with being seen on my arm. I never know if they wantmeor the image of who I am. Not that I’ve ever cared. After a night out, I’m only interested in one thing.
Which is why I choose women who are self-assured, in and outside the bedroom.
Mariella? She’s not that. At least, not yet.
Hmm.
Teaching a virgin all the ways to enjoy her body, to show her exactly how to please a man, how to surrender and take control at the same time, and how to reach unfathomable heights.
Why does that suddenly sound so damn appealing?
Probably because I’ve never done it before.
And never will.
At least not with Mariella Accardi.
Age difference and inexperience aside, she’s Antonio’s daughter.
He’d lose his fucking mind, rightfully so, if anyone laid a hand on her before she’s married.
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve gone over those reasons in the past few days, drilling them into my head, reminding myself why she’s off-limits.
And yet, they keep looping in my mind, right alongside her smile and that soft voice.
No matter how hard I try, I can’t shake the pull she has on me.
