Page 98 of The One
Mateo’s gaze flickers over me, from my wet hair to my bare arms and further down. Heat rises in my cheeks despite the chill. He doesn’t say a word, but his expression shifts, and I know he’s thinking exactly what I am.
“Wait here,” he says, his voice steady even though his eyes linger a moment longer. “I’ll just get rid of the guys.”
A few minutes later, I hear a door at the far end of the gym open and shut. Mateo appears again with a couple of towels and my dress in hand.
He’s changed into dry clothes, trousers and a button-up shirt, looking every bit as irresistible as ever, while I’m still soaked and shivering.
He slings a towel around my shoulders, using the ends to pull me closer. I look up at him, my heart stuttering. This man is my undoing, with that effortless charm and those warm brown eyes.
His eyes crinkle at the corners as he smiles down at me. Without a word, he bends his head, brushing his lips to mine, and in an instant, I forget all about the cold.
I lean into him, soaking in the warmth he so effortlessly offers, letting the world fade around us.
But all too soon, he pulls back. The loss of his touch leaves me aching, missing the warmth and steady pressure of his body against mine.
He points at a door a few feet away. “You need to get out of these wet clothes. Get changed in there.”
His voice sounds gruff and lower than usual and it stirs that fire in my core. But I do as I’m told. Swallowing my desires, I take my dress and head for the change room.
When I come back, Romeo is speaking with Mateo. Serious expressions darken their handsome faces, and I know for sure our magical bubble is busted.
Romeo is a striking man. He’s tall, good-looking, with a confidence that draws the eye, and the kind of effortless charm that turns heads in a room.
But next to Mateo?
Next to him, Romeo is nothing. Mateo commands any space without even trying. His gaze is steady, intense, and somehow magnetic.
But it’s not just his looks, it’s the quiet authority in his stance, the power in his silence, the way he holds himself with an air that’s both inviting and untouchable.
When he spots me walking toward them, his eyes light up, though the troubled look never fully leaves his face.
“I’m sorry,dolcezza,” he says as I reach him, his voice carrying a note of regret. “I’m needed at the port. Salvatore will take you back to Carloso.” He nods toward a man I hadn’t noticed standing quietly in the corner.
I’m gutted. Of course, I knew we couldn’t spend all day together, but tell that to my hopeful heart.
Salvatore opens the gym door, and just outside, one of the cars is idling. My throat tightens. This is all ending much faster than I’d expected. I give Mateo a small nod to let him know I’ve heard since I can’t quite find my voice.
But before I can turn away, Mateo catches my wrist and presses a black box into my hand.
“This is for you,” he says softly, stepping closer until his gaze locks with mine.
His thumb brushes over my wrist, and his touch lingers for just a moment before he lets go, slips into his Ferrari with Romeo, and drives off, the second car with his men trailing close behind.
I watch the taillights disappear, missing Mateo already. Will I even see him again today?
“Signorina Accardi,” Salvatore says, inclining his head toward the idling car before moving ahead to open the back door for me.
Wet clothes and Mateo’s present in hand, I slide into the backseat. I glance down at the sleek black box, my fingers brushing its edges.
What does he have for me this time?
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Mateo
Idrive to the port in a daze, Romeo unusually quiet beside me. It’s so unlike him. I need to figure out what’s going on. It has to be that waitress from the club the other day. He’s been off ever since.
Now would be the ideal time to ask when he can’t evade my questions, but my mind is too busy replaying the last hour with Mari.
