Turn Towards the Sun (24 page)

“H
ello?”

“Ciao Ava.” Francesca sings.

“Ciao Francesca.”

“You sound sad Ava?”

“No
,
I’m fine. I just woke up.”

“You jus
t woke up? It’s ten o’clock!
Why you’re not at work?” She asks in her adorable version of English.

“Long story.” I mutter.

“Yes
,
okay I have
an
espresso machine for you. I bring it now?”

I’m not sure if I need it
anymore,
but I don’t want to go into that with his sister.

“Sure. I’ll be here.” I get up and go brush my teeth. I look in the mirror at my red, puffy eyes, caked with mascara. Awesome. I quickly wash my face and put on some eye cream. I hear a knock on my door.

“Ciao Ava.” Francesca enters
and
kiss
es
me on both cheeks.

“Hi Checca.” My mood is still sullen.

“Yes, what is the matter Ava?”

I fight back tears. I do not want to involve his sister in our relationship. I feel a lump in my throat that threatens my ability to speak. I’m really falling apart over this guy.

“I’m just very
tired,
Checca. And I was laid off from my job.”

Her mouth opens in exaggerated horror. “Oh no!”

“They closed the whole office.” 

She rubs my back. “It will be okay. Enzo will take care of you.”

I bristle. That’s how all of this started. I
shrug,
trying to avoid the subject. She reaches out and holds both of my hands in hers.

“It’s okay Ava.”

“I don’t know if it is Checca.” I can’t stop the flow of tears now.

Her face fills with concern.
“Why so sad Ava?”

“He won’t talk to me. We had an argument and now he says he thinks we need a week to think.” I sob.

Francesca nods. She already knows.

“Enzo is a man.
Men,
they don’t think like
women,
no?
He is scared Ava. He hasn’t felt this way in a long time, maybe never I think.” She
pauses,
and I can tell she’s thinking if she should tell me something.

“Ava… he loves you. He thinks he scared
you,
and you will run away. He’s just trying to protect his heart.”

I
melt,
knowing he confided in his baby sister about me.

“I love him too Checca.” I continue sobbing.

“Give him the week Ava. He’ll be back.”

I throw my arms around her. “Thank you.” I wipe tears from my face.

“Now,” she says, kicking into designer mode again, “Let’s hook this machine up, no?”

I count the days waiting for Enzo to return. I’ve kept myself busy, exploring the city with Gabby. I’ve looked for a few jobs but found no leads. My parents begged me to come home until I finally convinced them that I’m not starving and penniless. Yesterday
, I
celebrated July 4th with Gabby and her family
.
We went to
a
park
to watch
fireworks and had a cook out. It was fun but the irony of celebrating Independence Day alone was not lost on me.

Every time I stop and think about how much has
happened,
I just can’t believe it’s been such a short time. I thought I was going to enter my thirties a
bitter and
lonely woman. Now with my birthday a week away, there’s still a chance that will be my reality.

Enzo should be back tomorrow. I haven’t heard a peep from him in six days. New code name- Mr. Control.

Maybe he’s gotten over
me. He has women at his beck and call constantly. He can have whomever he wants.

I tossed and turned all night and know I’m
gonna look like a hot mess
. I just hope he wants to see me.

I study my face in the bathroom mirror. My sun kissed glow is a distant memory. I put on some blush trying to perk up my complexion. I go in the kitchen and make some coffee. My phone vibrates.

Hot and Bossy: I’ll be there in thirty minutes.

Thank God.
He wants to see me. I run and brush my teeth and spritz on some perfume. I grab a book and try to relax. His knock comes precisely thirty minutes later. I let him in and stare for a moment at his perfect face. Enzo’s expression is neutral, revealing nothing. He came straight from the airport and is dressed in a gorgeous Italian business suit. Still can’t get over how he stays so cool in the heat.

I try to
smile,
but his face remains blank. I brace myself. He’s going to end it. Just accept it and try not to cry until he leaves. He walks over to my dining table and puts his phone and his laptop bag down
,
keeping his back to me. He runs his hands through his hair before he turns to face me.

“Well?” His voice is emotionless. “What have you decided?”

I fe
el tears at the back of my eyes
threatening to fall again. Francesca’s words come back to me. “He’s trying to protect his heart. He’s afraid you’ll run.” I move towards him but he stiffens, stopping me in my tracks.

“There was nothing to decide Enzo. I’m in love with you. I want to be with you.”

He turns away.

I approach cautiously and run my hands down his back.

“Please Enzo, talk to me.” His head is
down,
and I don’t know what to expect at this point.
“Please,”
I whisper.

“Ava.” He speaks but doesn’t move. He hasn’t turned to face me.

“I need to know you take me as I am. I need to know you want to be in my life and won’t run away. I know I’m intense. My life is not traditional. I can’t have the love of my life stuck in Phoenix while I travel the world. I need you with me.”

The love of his life?

“I know Enzo. I didn’t realize
how much I need to be with you
until you stopped talking to me. I can’t go a day without seeing you or hearing your voice. It was torture.” My voice is small as I try to get him to understand. “I thought you were going to leave me.”

He swings around and grabs my shoulders.

“Leave you? I’m not even capable of it Ava. Do you know how difficult it was for me not to call you for a week? I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I wondered constantly what you were doing, what you were thinking. Who you were with.”

“Why didn’t you call?”

“I know I overwhelmed you with my question. I wanted you to have time to think
alone,
and I knew if I called you
,
I would beg you to get on a plane and come to me. I want you to be here with me in my world because it’s your decision.” His eyes finally reveal the soft, sweet man I know. “I just hoped your decision would be yes.”

“It was always going to be yes Enzo. I never questioned it.
Yes,
I was overwhelmed. I was raised to take care of
myself,
and I’ve never had a man come in and take control of my life like you have. I didn’t know how to handle it. I went to work the day you left and found out they closed the office. I wanted to call
you,
but I didn’t want you to think I was running to you because of that.”

He’s staring at me as I speak. “And then you got drunk with your friend.”

“I did. I was a mess that day Enzo.”

“
I’m not controlling you. This is just the way I live. I love that you are smart and have your own ideas. I would never want to change that about you. But my life is different. I don’t work nine to five like regular people. I’ve worked hard for everything I
have,
and I want to share it with you. I want you to be happy and have everything your heart wants.”

“All my heart wants
is you.”

He softens his grip on my shoulders and pulls me to him. His tight embrace swaddles me as my mouth finds his. I feel my entire body relax as I revel in the pleasure of his kiss.

He pulls back and stares at me with those eyes again. Saying
nothing,
he walks me over to the
couch, sits me down,
and promptly starts undressing in front of me. I’ll never get sick of seeing his naked body.

“Lif
t.” He motions to my hips and
removes my shorts and panties. I lift my
arms,
so he can remove my tank top, he plants soft kisses along my body as he does.
Oh what a glorious feeling to be kissed and touched by this man.
He opens my legs and runs a finger up and down the length of my labia, sliding his finger in and out occasionally. I moan.

He raises his finger to my mouth. “Suck.”

I suck gently in response.
I’m surprised this doesn’t freak me out. How is it possible to feel so comfortable with him already? I would do anything he asked me to do right now.

“See how delicious you taste?”

I’ve never had an experience like this. It blows my mind a little. He’s so erotic, completely in touch with himself. In touch with me.

His hands stroke the inside of my thighs as he blows hot breath directly on my clit. I move my hips in response. His tongue replaces the motion of his finger. He is so fucking good at this. I rock my hips in time to his
tongue,
coaxing him to keep going.
My hands tangle in his hair as we move in unison.
I know I’m going to
climax,
and I can’t wait to feel the release. The pressure is building, building, oh yea right there, right there.

He stops and pulls me down in a kiss, once again allowing me to taste myself on his lips.
He slips two fingers inside me and pumps them in and out quickly. I’ve never seen as much passion and intensity in his eyes as I do right now. I throw my head back and close my eyes.

“No. Look at me Ava.” His voice is hoarse and breathy. I look up and hold his stare
.
He lowers his mouth between my legs again, keeping eye contact with me.

“Do you want to come baby?”

“Yes.” I breathe.

“Tell me.”

“I want to come Enzo.”

He sucks hard on my
clit,
pumping his fingers in and out of me. I know it’s going to happen any second now.

“Oh Enzo, oh fuck!”
M
y body convulse
s with
pleasure as I collapse back into the couch, sated.
He lays his head on my lap, breathing heavy.

My Enzo is back.

I reach down and stroke his hair. “I want to please you now.”

“You already did. Your pleasure is mine. And we need a towel.” He points to the floor. He came because I came? Hot Damn!

I run in the bathroom and grab a towel. He takes it from me and wipes my wood floors
.
He crawls back on the couch, wrapping me in his arms.

“Happy?” He whispers in my ear.

“I couldn’t be happier.”

“Stay with me?”

“Always.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep Ava.” He teases, echoing my own wor
ds. He
holds me in his arms
as I
drift off to sleep.

I open my eyes to see Enzo sitting next to me typing away on his laptop. I blink several times and look at the clock. Three o’clock. I slept the day away. After the restless week I had, sleep was just what I needed. And sex. I stretch and smile and realize we are both still naked.

“Ciao.” Enzo’s sweet tone comforts me.

“What are you doing?”

“Booking our plane tickets to Italy.”

“
Italy!
”

“We’re going next month. You have a passport I hope?”

“I do.”

“We’ll go to Florence where you will meet my sister, Sophia. Francesca is coming too.”

Hmm. I wonder if he’ll let me bring a friend.
“Can Gabby come?”

“You want your friend to come?” He stops and considers my request.

“That’s a good idea actually. Francesca and I will have to work some of the time.” I sit up and kiss his cheek.

“Make sure she has a passport.” I grab my phone to call Gabby, still butt naked.

“Hey. Do you have a passport?”

“Yes. Why?”

“Because we’re going to Italy next month.”

“Italy? Are you serious?”

I explain Enzo’s business plans and how he thought I should have a friend. “How often will you have a chance like this Gabs?”