After the third ring, Matteo trudged over to open the door, wondering who would disturb him so late in the night. Couldn’t Freddie wait until morning? What could be the emergency? He opened the door to blast him when his eyes popped out at seeing a tired Amelia on his doorstep. For a minute, his mind went blank, and he couldn't believe his eyes. Was he hallucinating? Was she really here? He rubbed his eyes to focus better and found her still standing there. “Emelia?” he breathed unsteadily.“What? Am I not welcome anymore?” asked Amelia breathlessly. Realization hit him and he blinked at her with disbelief. She really had come back! A lazy smile lit up his face, and he pulled her luggage inside, allowing her to enter. “How did you come back?” he asked, his gaze not leaving her even for a second. Amelia smiled and closed the door, turning to face him finally. “You wanted me to find my dreams, and I did. Pursuing an MBA is my dad’s dream, not mine,” she admitted breathlessly, her ch
“Any problem, my accountant?” Amelia rolled her eyes and flashed him a sweet smile, all the while groaning inwardly. “No, Matteo umm, boss.” He looked quite pleased with her address and squeezed in a chair beside his. “Here you go. You can use the spare laptop there. I’ll tell you what to do right away.” Amelia stood like a statue, wondering how she would squeeze in there. “Come on. Get moving, accountant.” She rolled her eyes at his enthusiasm. Why was he so excited? She squeezed in through the tiny space and collected the laptop he pointed at. Sitting with it on her chair, she waited for Matteo’s intervention. “What’s the password, boss?” Matteo chuckled and sat down beside her, leaning almost over her. With his arm resting at the back of her chair, she was almost in his embrace! This was what she had been dreading. Now all she could feel was her arm brushing against his chest and the heady smell of his aftershave tingling in her nose. It was the worst torture possible. “So this
Amelia wanted to correct him about their fake engagement, but his phone buzzed with an incoming call from a customer and he released her hand. Amelia went back to her work while he got to his. The rest of the time, she didn’t meet him since he and Freddie went away on a customer call. It was almost seven in the evening, and Amelia wrapped up her work for the day. In Matteo’s absence, she didn’t know if it was time to leave. Her phone buzzed with an incoming call, and she frowned at the unknown number. Who could it be? Accepting the call, she held it to her ear. “Yes?” “Hey, Matteo here. I’ll be late tonight. I’m fixing a Porsche at a customer's place. Why don’t you go home?” Amelia felt relieved to be able to go home, but instantly frowned as a thought hit her.“Where did you get my number from?” She could hear Matteo’s chuckle at the other end and scowled. Was he mocking her? “I found your mobile phone lying around inviting me to give myself a missed call.” Amelia rolled her eye
Matteo parked his car and rushed into his shop, his face creased with worry. He found Bruce still there, just as he instructed. “Matteo, some men came over to get Rob Phantom, and he left with them a few minutes ago.”“Yes, I’m aware. Thanks for staying over, Bruce. You can leave if you’re done for the day.” He went towards the office, feeling bad for Amelia. She would be so tired, cramped up in the small office room all day. He opened the door, and she jumped up, startled out of her mind. “Hey, it’s me, Cara! Don’t be afraid. Phantom has left.” He went inside, but Amelia was too scared to hear a word he said. She rushed straight towards him and clung to him, holding onto his torso for dear life. She was a brave girl, but seeing Rob Phantom back for revenge, she had the eerie feeling that he had no plans to spare her tonight. Her sudden move surprised him but he wrapped his arms around her soft body as a strange feeling of belonging spread all over him. He wanted to protect her fr
“Matteo, I can handle this, please,” whispered Amelia, unable to take in the torture any longer. She knew she couldn’t resist him for long. “I don’t want you to. Let me help you, Emilia.” His voice was hoarse, laden with desire and it made her heart race. She quickly rinsed the last pan and handed it to him. “Umm, can you put a shirt on?” Matteo placed the pan down, his eyes sparkling with interest. “Why? Does it affect you so much?” Amelia shook her head vigorously, her body taut with awareness. She could feel him close behind her, slowly grinding his growing arousal against her, making her blush. “No, not at all!” She gasped, but his arm snaked around her waist, and he pulled her flush against his bare body. “You can’t lie to me, Emilia. I know you want me as much as I want you.” His lips grazed the soft skin below her ear, slowly, provocatively, trailing to her chin. Another gasp escaped her lips when he whirled her around to face him, his eyes searching hers. “Look into my ey
Amelia woke up in an eerily quiet apartment later. Where did Matteo go this early in the morning? Last night, she had heard him talking agitatedly over the phone in his native tongue. Was something wrong? Freshening up, she went into the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee when her glance fell upon the ready breakfast and note Matteo had left for her. Memories of their brief encounter filled her mind. Would Matteo have kissed her if his phone didn’t interrupt them? Maybe! She picked up the note and read it. She sighed, realizing he had started the day already. After half an hour, she was at the shop, working on the laptop. There was an email from Matteo assigning her more work, and she busied herself with it for the rest of the time. A knock on the office door had her alert. “Yes, come in.” Bruce opened the door and peered inside. “Miss Amelia, your friends are here to meet you.” Amelia grimaced, knowing who it could be. Although she had no wish to see them, she couldn’t drive them ou
The next morning, Amelia again woke up to an eerily quiet apartment. She got ready and trudged to the kitchen to find a hot, steaming breakfast ready for her. So Matteo had come back at night. She was now convinced that he was avoiding her. She got ready and reached the shop to start her day. Just like the previous day, there was a work-related email from Matteo, although he was missing from the shop. It bothered her a lot, but this time she didn’t call him. She went home after a boring day to face another lonely night. Maybe she was misunderstanding him! Maybe he really was busy! She made dinner and retired to bed early after having hers. She didn’t call Matteo to ask him about his dinner plans. For almost a week, Amelia didn’t see Matteo. She had completed all the work he had given her. Therefore, there was no point in staying here anymore. After another dismal day, she returned to the apartment to pack her stuff and leave. This time she wouldn’t return! Zipping up everything, s
He drove away towards some unknown destination while Amelia watched the vibrant nightlife of the bustling city. He headed towards Brooklyn Bridge and she smiled at the connection. The bridge had been a part of her life with Matteo. She was planning to check out the iconic bridge when she faced the accident that changed her life forever. It was near the bridge that she found Matteo’s body shop. Her first sightseeing tour of the city was at the bridge and its nearby attractions. Now her first date seemed to be the bridge again. “Are we headed towards the Brooklyn Bridge?” She turned to see him smile. “You’ve crossed the Bridge by car. Last time you experienced the Manhattan side, mostly. This time we’re going to DUMBO.” “Where?” Was he kidding her? Matteo gave her an amused look, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “DUMBO stands for Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass. It’s an iconic tourist spot now with lots of things to do. You’ll see.” Amelia couldn’t wait to check