Page 257 of Valentino

The wind howls, the rain hits the windows, and the weather has been wild all night.

Valentino slept through the entire thing, how could anyone sleep so deep?

His phone lights up on his side table, and not for the first time. I’ve seen it light up often since I’ve been awake but as I’ve been dozing in and out of consciousness, I was happily ignoring it.

I go to the bathroom and come back to stand at the side of the bed, finding myself staring at the god in my bed. He’s on his back naked, the white blankets are pooled around his groin. One hand is up under his head with his bulging bicep on display. The other is across his chest, his forearm has ropelike veins that course up the length of it.

A broad smile creeps over my face as I watch him, and I swear I will never take this view for granted.

Valentino Leone is one beautiful-looking man…. And his packaging isn’t even the best part of him.

His phone lights up again, who is that?

Whoever this is, they’re going to have to wait, it’s Saturday and he’s entitled to have a weekend. Today he’s sleeping in.

I grab his phone and tiptoe out of the bedroom and quietly close the door behind me. I make a cup of coffee and sit on the lounge, his phone is blowing up with texts.

Are you okay?

Why haven’t you answered?

Do you want us to bring your bags up?

Bags up, wait a minute, he must have security with him. Oh no they’re going to be freaking out if he’s not answering.

I turn the television on and watch the news and have another coffee, and twenty minutes later, the messages are still barraging through.

“Oh my God. Go. Away.”

Ring, ring, ring, ring.

Fuck.

I swipe it open. “Hello.”

“Uh….” A man hesitates on the other end.

“Who’s speaking, please?” I ask.

“This is Gino; can I speak to Valentino, please?”

“He’s asleep right now.”

“He doesn’t sleep this long. I must insist you put him on the phone.”

“No. He’s not available to talk right now, but I’ll get him to call you as soon as he wakes up.”

“No.”

“No?” I frown.

“That won’t do. If you don’t put him on the phone I’m going have to come up there.”

“That isn’t necessary.”

“I’m at the front door, Anna.”

Click. He hangs up….