Page 89 of Tristano

My eyes sting at how open and honest he’s being. To hear him say all those wonderful things when for the last several years, all I have heard is about how I’m fucking my life up.

Tristano makes me want to be a better person, but not because I’m not a good person now. No, he makes me want to be better because together we are better.

“Me too,” I whisper, leaning forward until our foreheads touch.

We stand like that a moment before he pulls back. “Go take your shower.”

I raise on my toes to peck his lips before I head down the hall. When I turn around to look at him, he’s standing there staring at my ass. I shake my head, loving how his eyes can’t seem to leave me.

Maybe for once, I found what I’ve been looking for.

* * *

“That was fast,”Tristano says as he stands from the couch.

I didn’t want to take too long in the shower, so I did the whole wash my body, leaving my hair up in a messy bun before adding deodorant and some nice-smelling spray thing. Then I threw on a T-shirt and a pair of shorts. Slipping my feet into some flip-flops, I was happy with my look.

Seeing him looking at me now as if he could eat me up, yeah, that makes it worth forgoing the makeup and hair.

Taking my hand in his, Tris pulls me out of the door. We make our way down the front steps and onto the sidewalk.

“It’s a nice day,” I say as I tilt my head back, letting the sun hit my face.

“It is,” he murmurs, his eyes on the street around us.

I smile, he’s always on alert.

As we walk, Tristano points out different businesses. His favorite pizza place, the dry cleaners he uses, and more. By the time an hour has passed, I feel like I’ve lived here my whole life instead of only a little bit. He brings this place alive with each story he shares, from the time he puked on Enzo’s shoes after one night of too many drinks to the time he gave Declan a piggyback ride.

I feel like I lived those moments with him.

Maybe that’s what it is about Tristano. Anytime he talks, he is so enthusiastic about it. He lives each day to the fullest, always finding the positive in every situation. That charisma he oozes bleeds into others and makes them as excited about life as he is.

I realize then that he’s my balance.

He helps counteract the thoughts that have long lived inside my head.

“Tell me, ice cream or coffee?” he asks, making me smile.

“Coffee. I could go for a caffeine boost.” I press closer to his side, needing to feel more of his skin against mine.

“Let’s cross here then.” He points across the street. “We’re going there.”

I look at the sign above the building.

Paradiso.

“That’s Italian for paradise, right?”

Tristano nods as he opens the door to the shop. “It is. You learning Italian now?”

As we step inside, I glance up at him. “I maybe already learned it.”

He opens his mouth to speak, but then the barista greets us. “Good afternoon. What can I get you two today?”

After we place our orders, Tristano pulls me into him, wrapping his arms around my waist.

“So why did you learn Italian?”

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