Page 75 of Attraction (Mobsters + Billionaires 3)
He snorts into his wine glass, perhaps just as tipsy, and wiggles his ass in my lap. I take that as ayes.
Warmed by the hearty meal and the company, we sit back and enjoy the view as pink begins to tinge the horizon. We finish out another bottle as the sun makes its gentle appearance.
Gio, looking no worse for wear, shows Darnell to his room, then piles Ford’s many expensive suitcases into the back of his funny little ATV-type vehicle. We bump along an old vineyard path for a kilometer or so, aiming up the foothills, where a handful of smaller villas dot the misty, wooded landscape.
“This looks like a fairytale,” Ford whispers as we pull up to our villa.
I thank my friend again for his generosity and lead my man into the sweet, magical slice of Italian architecture. The structure is old but modern and filled with stately but comfortable furniture.
“I love this.”
“Me too. When we were talking in bed, this was the first place I thought of. Obviously, if you want something closer to a village, we can arrange that easily.”
“Don’t you dare. We have to be back in New York by the weekend for the food drive gala, and I want to enjoy you here for a few days.”
I kiss his forehead, loving the way he melts into me.
The morning sun is on full display as we get settled, so I draw the heavy curtains before we crawl into the elegant, tufted bed together. Dropping off quickly, we cling to each other under the warm blankets, and I can’t imagine being anywhere else with him.
20
FORD
I can’t believeI’m waking up in Italy. I can’t believe I’m waking up in Italy with amobster. Most importantly, I can’t believe I’m waking up in Italy withLuca.
Leaving my powerful lover in bed, I slide into my favorite floral silk robe and put the water on to boil. Gio has a simple stovetop espresso maker, and within moments, I’m sitting in the villa’s little outdoor area, with rows and rows of verdant grapevines sloping down the hillside and Lake Como in the middle distance.
Based on the sun in the sky, I assume it’s at least early afternoon. Perhaps I should worry that we’ve completely messed up our sleep schedules, but the early-morning meal and this view are completely worth it.
The peaceful scenery reminds me that I’m not anything like I thought I would be ten years ago. I reflect on how innocent I was back then, trying to navigate finance while navigating my sexuality while navigating the predators that thrive in the collegiate and financial environments.
The story I like to tell myself is that I got very lucky, and though that is partially the truth, it is definitely not the whole truth. I learned some very hard lessons before I found my footing in being exactly myself.
I’d love to say that I came to that conclusion on my own, but I didn’t. My mother and father have always loved and accepted me, but they didn’t really know what to do with me. It was my grandmother who taught me to never hide who I was.
After everything with Fallon, I decided she was right. That’s when, slowly but surely, I began to add colorful details to my wardrobe, and as my bank account grew, so did the quality and audacity of my clothing. The expensive glasses, the bespoke suits, the gorgeous little details…everything to put me back together as the real me.
Only, I hadn’t fully followed my grandmother’s advice. I let one near-miss incident and a few trifling men turn me off from exploring an intimate life. It left me audacious in fashion but still hiding from my sexuality.
This thing with Luca…I’m finally no longer hiding from my own desires. I still have flashes of that night, but I know I’m safe with Luca.
As I nurse the delicious espresso, a small plate with a stacked sandwich appears in front of me. I glance up and…
“Luca. You brought me food,” I say, reaching up to receive his kiss. He’s only wearing sleep pants and something about his bare chest and feet…it’s all very sexy, but he feels like home too.
I tuck away that feeling to examine later.
“Can’t let my little bird go hungry, can I?” he asks, cupping a possessive hand around my neck as he kisses my eyebrow.
Fuck, that’s so good.
Looking out over the vista, Luca breathes in a large yawn, scratching his belly. “I needed this more than I realized.”
“Me too. I’ve beengo go go. And I may have been doing that to avoid any semblance of a personal life,” I admit.
“Here I go, ruining it for you.”
His fingers return to my neck, stroking it while he kisses the top of my head. I rest my temple on his hip while his fingertips graze the sensitive skin of my neck and collarbones.
