“Yeah.” His gaze burns into mine, melting me into a puddle. “I think I’m beginning to.”
At that moment, another guest walks up to the bar to order a drink. Smiling at him, I step to the side to give him room on the counter. Belatedly realizing that I’m now standing dangerously close to Sébastien. I’m about to move when Sébastien’s fingers move lightly over my bare arm. The contact of his skin against mine sends enticing electric shocks throughout my body, paralyzing me. Unable to meet his eyes, I try to focus on the people in front of us rather than the intoxicating man standing next to me or the sweet sensation of his fingers. But it’s a losing war. He touches me in slow strokes. Up and down. Back and forth. And as much as I fight my attraction to him, I can still feel his heat slowly crawling deep inside, warming me, seducing me.
The music, the people, the laughter, William and our fight from before, it all fades into nothing. The entire world suddenly becomes the small space between us, beating—pulsing—to the rhythm of his touch.
For a brief and very foolish instant, I picture myself reaching for his hand, whispering in his ear to take me back to his apartment. We wouldn’t make it past his door before our clothes were discarded on the floor. His mouth on me, on my breasts. His cock inside me. His head thrown back, his beautiful lips whispering Valentina, Valentina, Valentina. And just when I didn’t think I could debase myself anymore, I would beg him on red knees and a mouth that tasted like him to take me. Beg him to fill the gaping hole that William tore with his hands and his body. Sébastien and I would build a paradise with our sins while I set my whole world on fire and watched it burn to ashes with him moving inside me.
“Valentina! Come here, darling. I’d like to introduce you to someone,” Joanna says, breaking the spell of the moment. She focuses on Sébastien and smiles saucily. “Do share her, you rascal. You’ve kept her long enough, don’t you think?”
“No, I don’t think so,” Sébastien counters smoothly, making her laugh.
Blushing, I take a deep breath and put some much-needed space between Sébastien and me and the images of us guiltily playing in my head. I try to smile at Joanna and nod, feeling as though I’m drunk or disoriented.
“I should go.” I look him in the eye, unwilling to admit even to myself that part of me wishes he’d ask me to stay. Because, God help me, I might.
“One day you’re going to stop running away from me. And when that day finally comes, I’ll be here waiting for you,” he whispers softly, his words a caress. “Now go … before I change my mind and decide it doesn’t please me to share you with others after all.”
“I’m not yours to share,” I say quietly, wondering if he can hear the fast beating of my heart.
“Luckily for me, I’m not one to give up so easily.” He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear and slides the side of his finger along my neck ever so gently as he draws his hand back, leaving a trail of desire behind. Time freezes. Every cell in my body sighs in pleasure as it begs for more. “Besides if you keep running into something good, maybe that’s fate telling you that you shouldn’t let go.” He smiles.
He walks away from me. My gaze follows him until he reaches the same woman from the elevator. Noticing him, she smiles with the practiced ease of a woman who knows she’s attractive and alluring. He places the same hand with which he touched me not five minutes ago on the small of her back and guides her toward the living room.
I give my head a tiny shake. Get your shit together, Valentina. Falling for a man like Sébastien would not only be stupid and bad for the heart, it would be fatal.
Stepping away from the bar, I go in search of the hosts, putting Sébastien out of my mind. The last thing I need is another complication in my life.
MY FEET SLIP ON wet grass. Rain falls hard on my skin, feeling like whiplashes as I run through the forest. I try to catch up to her, ignoring the punishing sounds of thunder, but the distance between us keeps growing. She laughs and tells me to hurry, that we’ll be there soon. Hands grasp air. Her name bounces off my tongue over and over again. But she doesn’t stop. She never does. My eyes burn. Desperation floods my veins. Her steps take her further away from me until she disappears into the night, and I’m left all alone.
Like always.
Aching for her.
I wake up, drenched in sweat as a current of desperation and sorrow hums underneath my skin. Then I hear the same sound of thunder that haunted me in my sleep cutting through the silence of the room. It raises the small hair on my arms.
Wide awake now, I glance in the direction of the clock.
2:40 a.m.
Fuck.
Sitting up, I rub my eyes with the heels of my hands as the ghosts who I pray to haunt me forever and leave me all at once disperse like fog. I sigh and get out of bed, knowing that I won’t be able to fall back asleep. Nothing new there. Insomnia and I, we’re old friends.
I’m about to go to my studio to paint when I hear the faint melody of a Spanish guitar coming from outside the French doors. I follow the music that reminds me of a warm summer night in Barcelona. I reach for the handle and open the door that leads to the balcony. Immediately the cool air of the night envelops me like a thick cloak. I go to stand in front of the railing, place my hands on it, and close my eyes. Inhaling deeply, the smell of rain fills my lungs as it wets my fingers.
The Andalusian melody helps to clear my mind, pulling me out of the black hole of my thoughts. I realize the direction of its source. Leaning over the railing, I look directly below me to find Valentina. She’s sitting in a metal chair under the protection of my balcony, the same gray cardigan from the other night wrapped around her slim shoulders. My cock stirs at the sight of her, the creamy color of her skin, and that damn gorgeous mouth of hers.
“Hey,” I say, the light rain falling down on the back of my head. Like her, the rest of my body is shielded from the rain by the balcony above.