Page 44 of Because I Need You
It wouldn’t help me today, either, considering that I was standing in the corner of the luncheon that Will was hosting for select teachers. I’d been speaking to some of them when I caught a whiff of a familiar cologne, and those memories came flooding back. I excused myself and stood in the corner near the door, watching and praying Will wouldn’t spot me and call me over. I watched as he shook hands with the man, smiled and laughed with him, all while my stomach roiled. I couldn’t do this. I thought I could, but I knew it was just a matter of time. My conversation with Nadia replayed in my head. It was the first time I’d said, aloud, that I wasn’t cut out to be a politician’s partner. Even if it hadn’t been for the cologne, I’d know it was him. I’d know him anywhere. After all, it was because of me that he had a scar on his cheek.
“Trouble in paradise?” Giovanni’s voice made me jump.
“Nope.”
“Liar.” His voice was low. Under any other circumstance, it would have turned me on. He seemed to notice that was the case because his demeanor shifted. I hadn’t even looked at him, I was still staring at Will, at the man he was speaking to, but I felt the instant Giovanni’s demeanor shifted from flirty to on edge. “Who’s he talking to?”
“I don’t know.” I swallowed.
“You’re shaking.” He touched my shoulder, and I nearly jumped out of my skin.
“Don’t touch me,” I snapped, finally looking up at him. He dropped his hand, dark eyes unwavering on mine. I knew he was trying to read me, and I knew he wouldn’t. Couldn’t.
“Who is he?” There was an edge to his voice now, a gruffness that pulled at me because it told me he was in my corner.
“I don’t know,” I said again. I really didn’t. I’d never found out his name. I couldn’t even point him out in a lineup if it ever came to that, because I couldn’t remember his face. At least, I thought I couldn’t, until this moment.
“Does William know how you feel about this guy?”
“I don’t feel anything about this guy.” I gritted my teeth and made myself look at him. “Stop. Asking. Questions.”
He stared at me for a long moment, those dark brown eyes far more in touch with the storm brewing inside me than I wanted to give him credit for. He’d kept his distance up until this moment. Given the circumstances, I shouldn’t have felt this tug that magnetized me to him, that made me yearn to reach out and touch him, that made me want to tell him everything about my past because I knew he wouldn’t judge me and he’d protect me. I wasn’t sure how, but I knew that deep in my marrow. I wondered if this was what all of the women felt when they let their guard down for him, when they let him waltz into their lives with the force of a tornado and leave them just as quickly.
“You’re going to tell me,” he said. “Maybe not right now, but you’re going to tell me.”
At that, I laughed, and I was so grateful for it. “You seem sure about that.”
“I am sure about it.”
“Good luck trying to get anything out of me,” I said. His eyes danced; it was the only indication that he was enjoying this. Otherwise, his jaw was set and his expression was lethal, and fuck if it didn’t turn me on more than the damn charm he threw around.
“I always get what I want.”
“That doesn’t surprise me.” I smiled and decided I needed to change the subject. “Where’s Natasha?”
“No idea.”
“Wow. I thought you’d keep tabs on your girlfriends the way you seem to keep tabs on me.”
“I don’t keep tabs on my girlfriends.” His eyes were dancing again, his mouth pulling into a slow, sensual smile. “I only keep tabs on my wife.”
I groaned, rolling my eyes, and looking away, hoping to hide my blush and how much those words affected the area between my legs. Why they did, I didn’t know, but every time he said it, I reacted. My eyes landed on William again, who was slapping the man in the back as he said goodbye and moved on to someone else. My eyes stayed on the man as he walked in our direction. He was leaving, which was great, but we were standing next to the only exit, which meant he’d see me. I held my breath, but refused to look away, refused to cower more than I’d already cowered. Even if I felt like throwing up, I’d keep my eyes on him and let him know I was doing just fine, that he hadn’t broken me. It was a lie, but it was a lie he didn’t need to know. He glanced up from his watch and looked straight at me. I saw the moment realization kicked in. His entire neck and face burned. He looked at Giovanni beside me, and suddenly it was him who looked like he might puke. If I needed a sign about Giovanni’s reputation, that reaction said everything I needed loud and clear. His feet shuffled faster as he made his exit. I exhaled shakily and felt my eyes burn with angry tears. I counted to ten, breathed through it, blinked, and composed myself. Giovanni didn’t say another word and I was immensely grateful because if he had, I might have lost my shit. Will caught my eye then, waving me over with a huge smile, until he saw who was beside me, and then his face paled a little.
