by Penelope Sky
He massaged his knuckles, listening to every word I’d said. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“You are?” I whispered.
He nodded. “He’s your first love?”
“And my only love.”
“Then, yes, I’m sorry to hear that. It’s rough losing someone you love.”
“It is.”
“So, you feel guilty for having feelings for me…because you feel like you’re betraying him.”
“I never said I have feelings for you.”
A long stretch of silence passed. “You’ve never needed to. I can feel it, Vanessa. I can feel this connection between us. The second I realized we fell in love with each other’s paintings, I knew there was something special here. It’s not just physical or romantic…but something else. I’m not the kind of guy that goes after women who are heartbroken over someone else. I’m not that patient. But with you…I realized I could be as patient as necessary.”
“You hardly know me.”
“I know,” he said. “And I have the rest of time to get to know you…which I’m looking forward to.”
“It’s hard for me to imagine myself being with anyone else. I thought I would marry Griffin. I still miss Griffin.”
“It takes time. And I don’t mind waiting for as long as that takes…as your friend. When I held you, I felt this explosion inside my chest. Sex has never felt that good. Love has never felt that good. But whatever that was…it felt right.”
I felt it too, but I refused to admit it out loud.
“I will gladly settle for being your friend until you’re ready to be something more.”
“I don’t know how long that will be, Antonio. You shouldn’t waste your time on me. There could be someone much better out there.”
“I doubt it,” he whispered. “There are a lot of beautiful women in the world. All special in their own way, they’re smart, interesting, fun…everything. But I’ve never felt this way for any of them. I was never looking for something serious. I was never looking to settle down. And then one interaction with you changed all of that. You know exactly what I’m talking about…I can feel it. But you aren’t ready to acknowledge it or embrace it. That’s fine. I would rather wait until you are…because when you’re ready, I want all of you. I don’t want just a piece of you.”
I stared forward, unsure what to say to that deep confession. Antonio was mature, poetic, and unbelievably romantic. If only this had happened some other time, I might have said I found the person I wanted to spend my life with. I would have been swept off my feet, and we would be making love all night long right upstairs. If I’d met Antonio first, Bones might never have had a chance.
But I did meet Bones first. And he was the man I loved. “We’ll see what happens. But for right now, at this moment in time, we’re friends. Just friends.”
A week passed, and I didn’t see Antonio. He seemed to give me the space I needed, the space I never asked for. Our galleries were so close together, but we never crossed paths. I was sure he made that intentional, knowing I couldn’t be with him all the time. If we really were just friends, then there was no reason to see each other on a daily basis.
That embrace we shared in front of my apartment gave me a rush of feelings. It felt good. I would go as far as to say it felt right. But at the same time, my heart rejected the affection because it was too soon. I hadn’t healed yet. I still needed more time.
I was in the gallery when my family surprised me. Conway and Sapphire stopped by, along with Carmen.
“Wow, it looks so nice in here,” Sapphire said. “You’ve got paintings on every wall, and they’re all new.”
“I make a few paintings every week to keep the walls stocked,” I said. “I’ve actually been selling paintings pretty consistently. I started an email list, so old clients come back and buy new paintings. I just ship them out.”
“That’s awesome,” Conway said. “It sounds like your gallery is a success.”
“Yeah, it is.” Thanks to one special person who made all of this possible. My father could have done the same for me, but I never would have accepted it. He’d done so much for me already. “How was the honeymoon?”
“Beautiful,” Sapphire said with excitement. “I loved it there. We were right by the harbor with all the ships…and the food…I could go on and on about the food.”
“Pregnancy will do that to you,” Carmen said. “I can’t wait to be pregnant.”
“You hardly eat as it is,” I countered.
“But when you’re pregnant, you can get away with it,” Carmen said. “And people think it’s cute.”
“I think my wife is cute no matter what she does,” Conway said, his eyes on Sapphire.
Carmen and I both made a disgusted face.
Sapphire beamed brighter than before.
“Anyway,” I said. “Did you guys just stop by? Or did you want to get lunch?”
“Yes,” Carmen said. “You have an hour to spare?”
“Of course,” I said. “The shop can close for an hour.”
We left the gallery and walked up the road.
“Maybe you should hire someone,” Conway suggested. “Someone who can run the gallery while you aren’t there. You could spend that time painting.”
“Maybe,” I said. “I’ve only been in business for a few months, so I wanted it just to be me for a while. But pretty soon, I may need the help. So, where did you want to go?”
“How about that bakery over here?” Carmen said. “They’ve got good sandwiches.”
There was a slight hint of anxiety in my chest since that was Antonio’s favorite place. I didn’t want to run into him, not when my family was in tow.
“Let’s go,” Sapphire said. “I could go for a turkey sandwich and a decaf.”
“Whatever my muse wants,” Conway said, not really caring.
Looked like I was outnumbered even if I wanted to make a protest. “Sounds good to me.” We walked inside and ordered, and of course, my billionaire brother had to be the big shot and pay the bill.
We sat at a table near the window with our coffees and lunch and talked about the wedding and the honeymoon. My brother seemed happy with Sapphire, even happier than he was before. He was different before she came along, a lot quieter and brooding. All he cared about was money, success, and booze. But once the jewel of his life came along, his priorities changed. He showed a more vulnerable side that I liked to see. Even if I hadn’t liked Sapphire personally, I would love her because she made my brother better. But fortunately, she was an awesome sister to have.
“What’s new with you?” Sapphire asked me. “Besides the gallery.”
All three of them looked at me, wanting me to talk about Antonio. They all knew about him because my father couldn’t keep his damn mouth shut. “Nothing, really. I sold a few paintings this week. It’s been a pretty hot summer, so I’ve been eating a lot of gelato.”
They all wore a look of annoyance, wanting me to discuss the elephant in the room.
But I refused to mention Antonio, not when he was just a friend and nothing more. I drank my coffee and kept my eyes on my food.
Conway stared at me but didn’t press me on it.
Carmen practically exploded because she’d been holding her breath for so long. “What about Antonio? Have you seen him since?”
I rolled my eyes. “Shut up, Carmen.”
“Oh, come on,” she said. “We’re all thinking about him, so you might as well spill it.”
“There’s nothing to say,” I said. “He’s just my friend.”
“Her apparently hot friend,” Carmen said to Sapphire. “If he didn’t already have a thing for her, I’d be swooping in…”
“Then swoop in,” I said. “You can have him.”
Carmen laughed sarcastically. “That would drive you crazy, and you know it. You like the guy.”
“I don’t want to talk about this, alright?” I said. “He’s just a—” I almost dropped my coffee when Anto
nio walked inside, dressed in jeans that hung low on his hips and a t-shirt that made his arms look incredible. His chiseled jaw was as sexy as ever, and I remembered exactly how those big arms felt wrapped around me. I remembered the heat between us when he held me close. I remembered losing my breath because the chemistry was so scorching. My body naturally hummed to life when I looked at him because I found him deeply attractive, his mind and his body.
When I stopped talking, Carmen’s eyes drifted to him. “Look who it is…”
Shit. I hoped he wouldn’t see me, but the place was so small, it was only a matter of time before he spotted me.
Carmen raised her hand. “Antonio!”
You’ve got to be kidding me. “Carmen!”
“What?” she asked innocently. “Can’t say hi to your friend?”
Why was this happening to me?
Antonio stopped when he heard his name, and once his eyes took me in, he changed his direction and came my way, grinning in his typically charming way.
Conway immediately watched him, examining him like a protective older brother. He’d never liked Bones, could barely say two words to him. He wouldn’t like anyone, because in his eyes, no one was ever good enough for me.
Antonio was about to walk into a trap.
Confident as ever, he approached me and three strangers. He greeted me before he spoke to anyone else. “Vanessa, how are you?”
“I’m good…” I could have come up with something better than that, but words failed me when I needed them the most.
He patiently waited for me to introduce him to everyone, and when that didn’t happen, he did it himself. “Allow me to introduce myself. Antonio.” He extended his hand to Carmen first. “Family? You have the same features.”
“Carmen,” she said. “And yes, we’re cousins.”
He turned to Sapphire next. “Nice to meet you.”
“Sapphire,” she said. “This is my husband, Conway.” She smiled when she said the word husband, grinning from ear to ear.
Antonio extended his hand.
I expected Conway not to take it, to grill him with a million questions. But instead, my brother stood up and shook his hand.
I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
“Nice to meet you.” Conway gave him a firm grip and looked him in the eye. “How about you join us for lunch?”
My mouth dropped open. “Seriously?”
Antonio and Conway both turned to me at the same time. Conway glared at me, and Antonio seemed genuinely bewildered.
“You’re just going to invite him to eat with us when you know nothing about him?” I asked in shock. “You don’t know anything about this guy. He could be a rapist or something.”
Antonio lowered his hand, and instead of being offended, he smiled. “Uh…I’m not a rapist. Just so everyone knows…”
Conway continued to glare at me. “Knock it off, Vanessa. I’d like to meet your friend.”
“You’ve never cared about any of my other friends before,” I snapped. “You never made an effort—”
“Vanessa, be quiet.” Conway threatened me with his hostile gaze. “You’re overreacting.”
The only reason why my brother was being so polite was because he wanted me to forget about Bones. But if Antonio were just some random guy, Conway would have growled at him like a watchdog. He wanted Bones to be a distant memory so much that he didn’t care who showed an interest in me.
Antonio picked up on the tension. “I’m going to grab a coffee. I’ll be right back.” He headed to the counter so we could talk in private.
Conway sat down again, his wedding ring standing out because he’d never worn jewelry before he got married. He kept his voice low so no one would overhear us. “If you don’t want to die alone, I suggest you knock it off. Antonio seems like a nice guy, and I’d like to get to know him.”
“Because Father liked his ten-second interaction with him?” I asked incredulously.
“No,” Conway said with seriousness. “Because this guy doesn’t kill anyone. That’s why I like him. Griffin set the bar pretty damn low.”
I took a deep breath, insulted by the remark. “And you’re so much better? I’m sure Sapphire loved being a prisoner for—”
“Don’t go there.” He looked like he wanted to flip the table over. “I’ve been patient with you because you’re going through a hard time. I love you, so I’ve been pretty damn understanding. I hate seeing you in pain. I hate the rubble Griffin left behind. But my patience is worn out, Vanessa. I’m sick of your dramatic bullshit, and I’m not putting up with it anymore. The whole reason we’re here is to check on you. Don’t forget that Father is the one who made the decision, not me. I could be doing anything else right now, but I’m here with you—as are all of us. So instead of pushing us away and making an idiot out of yourself in front of this guy, chill the fuck out.”
Just when he finished his sentence, Antonio came to our table with a mug in his hand. “So, is that invitation still on the table?” He stood next to the chair, not crossing the line I’d drawn on the floor.
Conway stared at me, still pissed.
Antonio looked at me, his warm eyes full of patience.
I didn’t want to be angry with my brother, not when he’d always been there for me. And I didn’t want to make Antonio feel unwelcome, not when he’d always been so kind to me. It wasn’t his fault that I actually liked him. “Yes.” I finally looked him in the eye. “Please join us.”
He smiled slightly before his eyes lit up with approval. “I’d love to.” He sat down and set his cup on the table, keeping his posture perfectly straight and his shoulders squared. Steam wafted from his coffee toward the ceiling. He looked at me for a moment longer, quickly reading the expression on my face before he turned to my family. “I bought one of Vanessa’s paintings. It’s hanging in my apartment right now, in the living room. She’s very talented. I’m sure you guys already know that…but she is.”
Carmen grinned from ear to ear as she listened to him talk, affected by his sexy voice just the way I was. “She is. We’re all so impressed by her. No one else inherited this talent.”
Conway cleared his throat.
“You aren’t a painter,” Carmen said.
“You design lingerie, right?” Antonio asked. “I love painting, but I think you might have the best job in the world.” He wore a playful grin, indicating he was joking.
Conway obviously liked the compliment. “There are worse ways to make a living. And it’s how I met my wife.” He moved his arm around her shoulders.
“That’s awesome,” Antonio said. “And you’ve got a little one on the way?”
“Yes.” Sapphire moved her hand to her stomach. “They’ll be here in a few months.”
“Congratulations.” Antonio turned back to me. “You’re about to be an aunt. Very exciting.”
“Are you an uncle yet?” Conway asked. It was shocking my brother was asking him anything considering he hated seeing me with a man at any time. He usually intervened in my dates, didn’t aid in them. But now he was talking to Antonio like a friend, making him feel welcome instead of barking at him like a guard dog.
“Yes.” Antonio drank from his mug. “I have two nieces.”
“Aw, that’s nice…” I was learning this information for the first time. It was strange that I didn’t know Antonio at all but I enjoyed his company so deeply. I was comfortable around him even though there was no foundation to our friendship. We just clicked. “How old are they?”
He turned back to me, clearly excited by my interest. “Seven and four. They’re beautiful little girls—like my sister. But don’t tell her I said that. She’s got a huge ego.”
I chuckled. “Your secret is safe with me.” It reminded me of something Conway would say in confidence, before my parents stabbed him in the back and told me what he said.
“Does everyone live in Florence?” Antonio asked.
“No.” Conway rubbed the back of Sapphire’s
neck. “My wife and I live in Verona. But we actually have some exciting news…” He turned his gaze to me.
I already knew what he was going to say before he said. “You’re serious? You guys are moving back to Tuscany?”
Sapphire couldn’t keep the words in her throat. “Yes! We’re looking for a house right now.”
“What?” Carmen almost knocked over her coffee mug when she threw her arms down. “That’s so awesome! Do your mom and dad know?”
“Yes,” Conway answered. “We told them last week.”
“You have no idea how happy you just made them.” My parents were hurt that I was heartbroken, but they were also happy I was right down the road. Both of my parents stopped by to see me whenever they felt like it, and they were overjoyed to have my close by. Now their son was back in town, just when he was starting his family.
“I think we do,” Conway said confidently. “So, it looks like the two of us will be seeing a lot more of each other.”
“Good.” My brother could be a jackass sometimes, but it didn’t change the love I had for him. “I miss seeing both of you. Now Sapphire and I can hang out all the time, bringing the baby along.”
“We can have those family dinners every week,” Carmen said. “It feels like our family just got a little bigger.”
I felt Antonio stare at me, so I shifted my gaze to him. He wore a gentle smile, his eyes lit up with affection. His thoughts were clearly written on his face, his adoration for me obvious in the glow of his coffee eyes.
“What?” I asked.
He grinned before he looked down at his coffee again. “You’re cute, that’s all.” He said the words out loud, not caring that my brother and cousin heard it. His confidence always dictated his behavior, made him indifferent to the opinion of others. He didn’t care what anyone thought of him, and that made him even sexier. “I like a woman who’s close with her family. I’m exactly the same way.”