Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 95049 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95049 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Vanessa’s eyes go comically wide. “We can leave the house? Does that mean they caught that crazy chick?”
“No, they haven’t caught her. Matteo thinks if we go out in public, maybe we can lure her out.”
She glances at Leo and shakes her head. “No, I’m not chancing anything happening to him. And I can’t believe you would even suggest it.”
“Not Leo,” I clarify, stepping toward her. “Just you and me on a date.”
“To lure her out …”
“That’s the hope,” I say. “But that’s not the reason I’m asking you out on a date.”
“What’s the reason?”
“Because I want to take you out.”
“On a date …”
I chuckle. “Yes, I want to take you out on a date. Unless you don’t want to chance it. Then we can put Leo to bed, and I can make us lasagna …”
“No.” She shakes her head. “I want to go on a date with you.”
“Good.” I take a step back, knowing if I don’t, I’ll do something crazy, like kiss her again. “I’ll hang out with Leo while you get ready. Bri and Kane should be here in about an hour or so to babysit.”
18
Vanessa
How I went from drugging and marrying Lorenzo to going on a date with him, I have no clue. And if I were smart, I would recognize that this probably wasn’t the best idea. I’m living with him because I was being threatened and he took pity on me and let me stay with him.
Yet the flirting, the banter, the amazing kiss … the date we’re currently on—it doesn’t feel like pity. It feels like my fake husband wants to date me. And I’m not sure how I feel about that.
I always told myself I wouldn’t consider settling down until my future was secure so that I could say that, unlike my mother, I was independent and never had to depend on a man. That everything I accomplished was because of me and me alone.
And it was easy to do that when I went to an all-girls boarding school. And the majority of the guys in college are so immature that they make it hard to want to date them.
But then along came Lorenzo. Not only is he a wonderful father, but he’s also sweet and responsible and selfless. He’s a good brother, a loyal friend, and if I met him five or maybe ten years from now, I wouldn’t hesitate when he asked me out on a date.
He’s like the perfect man, but at the wrong time.
But that didn’t stop me from agreeing to go out with him.
I told myself it was because Matteo was going to use the date to try to lure Leysa Santiago out. But if I’m honest, I wanted to go out with Lorenzo because I like him and want to spend more time with him, even if we don’t have a future. Which is something I think we should talk about.
“What’s going through that head of yours?” Lorenzo asks, glancing at me before putting his eyes back on the road.
“What is this … what we’re doing … what is it?” I cringe when I hear the way that came out and then try to backtrack. “What I mean is, I like you, and I wanted to go on this date with you, but if you’re looking for more, like long-term …” I groan. “I’m sorry. That sounded so juvenile. I guess what I’m trying to say is, if you’re looking for something serious or casual because with everything going on and me still in school … I’m not sure what I can commit to. And you mentioned before that you don’t do hookups, but I don’t know if you’ve changed your mind and—”
“Vanessa, breathe,” Lorenzo says with a soft smile. “We’re just going on a date. When I said I don’t do hookups, I was referring to meaningless sex. But you and I have already had sex”—he quirks a brow, and I go still, praying he doesn’t notice—“and if we were to have sex again, it wouldn’t be meaningless.”
He threads his fingers through mine, and I instantly relax.
“I care about you, and I know that your school and future career need to come first, and I’m not trying to get in the way of that.”
“Okay,” I breathe. “So, where does that leave us?”
“At Pasquale’s,” he says, nodding toward the Italian restaurant he just pulled in front of. “Having dinner and spending time together.”
“And what about sex?”
“They probably frown on fucking in their restaurant, but if you really want to—”
“Lorenzo!” I gasp, smacking his chest. “I’m serious.”
He chuckles. “How about we just take it one day at a time? Enjoy each other’s company and get to know each other. We don’t have to have everything figured out right now.”
I release a harsh breath and nod. “Okay, one day at a time.”