Page 60 of Alessio

“And that’s not an answer to my question, Ginny.”

“Because I don’t know, either.”

Alessio chuckled, stepping closer to her side as they continued their walk down the street. Close enough to wrap an arm around her side, hold tight to her waist, and pull her into his body. Like this, he was able to press a quick kiss to her temple, which he did to have the softness of her skin and her scent against his lips.

Only a tease.

A promise.

A hint of what he wanted to do.

“I’ve been busy unpacking my shit,” Alessio murmured against her skin, tightening his hold on her waist, “and it had nothing to do with you on a personal level. Your presence, yes, but not you. But yes, I think about you, and what I would like from you, often.”

“Do you?”

“More than I should—feelings make things dangerous, Ginevra.”

“It always comes back to that for you, right?”

“Pardon?”

“How you feel, or what feeling something might do to you.”

He stiffened.

She wasn’t wrong.

“Yes,” he said, “and I needed to make sure what happened here, with you, had nothing to do with him.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I don’t want to have you only because he does, Ginny. And I wasn’t sure if that’s what was happening here, or not.”

She stopped their walk, turning, so both faced each other. He didn’t mind because now he saw her eyes, and she had all his attention. His truths were always in his stare.

He wanted her to know.

All of it.

“Maybe I lied,” she whispered.

Alessio arched a brow. “Oh? Hard to believe.”

“I want you to kiss me, and more, but this is overwhelming, and confusing for me. It’s easier for me to do the simple thing because I don’t have to overthink, or worry about the consequences of what this all means. And—”

Quite enough of that.

Her rambling.

He only needed I want you to kiss me, and would happily give her what she wanted. Right fucking now, honestly. Alessio liked to give everyone their space, but especially this woman and Corrado because shit was easier.

He was tired of easy.

The only way the three of them might figure this out was if they closed all the distance and opened every single door. Wide open, right?

Yeah.

Alessio leaned down and grazed his lips against Ginevra’s with a gentle kiss. At first. Enough to taste her, and the lingering bitter sweet coffee she’d been sipping on during their walk. And that’s all it took for her to inch closer, for her hand to snake up against his stomach before her palm laid flat to his chest, pressing hard.