Page 151 of Valentino

Something about the way he says major turn-on makes me look up at him just as he looks up at me, he raises a seductive eyebrow before going back to his menu.

Hmm….

Alright…. I’ll admit it, my attraction is bordering on obsession.

He’s insanely fucking hot…. And he smells good, and he’s all masculine in my energy and damn it, he fucks like a porn star.

“Val,” a female voice calls, we look up to see a pretty blonde walking toward the table.

“Hi, Akira.” He smiles, he stands and kisses her cheek. “This is Anna.” He introduces us.

“Hello.” I smile up at her.

“Hello, Anna.” She smiles. “Watch him, he’ll break your heart,” she teases, but the smile doesn’t reach her eyes, and I know that Valentino has in fact broken her heart at one point in time.

“Oh. Okay, good to know.” I laugh and I know I should correct her that we are just friends, but I don’t.

They chat for a few minutes. “I have to get going.” She waves. “Bye Anna.”

“Goodbye.”

She waddles off in her high heels and I sip my champagne. “An ex of yours?”

He gives an uninterested shrug.

I can’t help myself; I have to ask. “How long ago did you date her?”

“A while ago…why…?” He sips his drink as an unknown emotion crosses his face, but I can’t quite work out what it is. “You jealous?”

Something about the way he said that feels really condescending. “Not at all.”

“Good.” He smiles into his champagne glass as if he has a secret and winks at me. “You know how it is, Anna.”

What the fuck is that supposed to mean?

“No. I don’t actually. Why don’t you tell me?”

I don’t know what’s going on with him tonight, but he is really beginning to piss me off.

“A man’s got to do what a man’s got to do.” His dark eyes hold mine. “Sex is just sex.”

Animosity bounces between us, where the hell did that come from?

“Good to know.”

I sip my drink as my anger grows, I don’t know what his problem is tonight but it’s a major fucking turn-off.

“Did you see Manuel today?” Romeo asks Val.

“Oh my God, yes.” He laughs. “What about….” Their voices drone off as I drift back to my inner thoughts. It feels good to be out, to be talking to people and being normal. Other than to go to work, I haven’t been out of the house for eight weeks.

Valentino stands. “Back in a moment.” They disappear across the restaurant.

Francesca leans closer to me. “I asked Giuliano why Val is suddenly insisting on staying with you,” she whispers.

“What did he say?” I whisper back.

She pretends to wipe her mouth with a napkin to hide her lips. “Val thinks that Carlo has infiltrated deeper and is going to try and hurt you.”