Under My Skin

Chapter 8

The next time the door opened, it startled me out of my slumber. At some point, I fell asleep but didn't remember. I sat up in bed to see Enzo enter in his running clothes. Sweat stained his shirt down his chest and his back. He was out of breath and paid me no mind. Meanwhile, the sun had yet to rise, and I still wore his bathrobe.

After he entered the bathroom and turned on the shower, I changed into my clothes for the first time in two days. This situation made me aware of the simple privileges in life that I had taken for granted. With that in mind, having my glasses back painted a clearer picture of everything around me.

Not even twenty minutes passed when Enzo exited the bathroom in just a towel, which hung low around his hips. Unable to resist, I leered at his body from across the room. He had a tattoo of a snake slithering up the natural curve of the V-shaped muscle connecting his hips to his pelvis.

Enzo caught me staring out of the corner of his eye as we made awkward eye contact. I broke it in an instant and prepped my suitcase to bring it downstairs. As I zipped up the main compartment and stood the suitcase up, I heard Enzo toss the towel on the bed. I froze.

Despite my better judgment, I looked at him from over my shoulder. His broad back faced me and I saw the rest of his tattoo. The caduceus staff lined his spine, and a second snake constricted the length of it. The wings at the top of the staff contorted in the movement of his shoulder blades as he got dressed.

While buttoning his shirt, Enzo turned towards me. I averted my eyes and returned my attention to the zippers of my suitcase, which I already opened and closed twice.

When I rose to my feet, Enzo asked, "Are you ready to leave?"

"Yea," I mumbled with flushed cheeks.

Enzo approached me, but I couldn't face him while blushing.

"You know, this whole scenario could have been avoided if you didn't sleep in my bathrobe."

He stood behind me. I could feel Enzo's presence in my personal space. One more step closer and our bodies would touch. To defend against his charms that brought about a terror that danced along my skin, I reacted with sass. 

"Or, you could've gotten dressed in the bathroom."

I turned to make a run for the door but staggered back before colliding with Enzo. He donned a stupid smug smirk on his face as he watched me flounder from embarrassment.

"Can we go?" I sapped as I reached for the door.

Although the smirk never faded, Enzo scolded me with a hint of amusement, "Watch your tone."

I yanked the door open and stormed out, "You just know you're hot, huh?"

Sergio stared at me confused from his post in the hallway. He offered to take my suitcase, but I decided to carry it myself to prove a point. I didn't know what the point was, but I was determined to prove it. Instead of making a rebellious stand, I struggled down the stairs and out the front door.

To my surprise, Aunt Gioia crossed the street with a present in her hands. She handed it to me as Angelo put my suitcase in the trunk of a black SUV.

"What is this?" I asked with reluctance. 

It was a smaller box that still required two hands to hold. It had a blue ribbon tied around it to keep it closed.

Aunt Gioia had no shame, "I heard from your mother that you're going on vacation with Mr. Vitale, and I just thought I'd give you a little present to show the family's approval of this match. I hope it fits."