The Italian's Fake Fiancée

40

Paige swallowed. "Should she tell him it was because she was in love with him and was hoping he would date her? Or should she lie outright and deflect his questions? In the end, she decided on the truth.

"My ex treated me horribly and no, am not still pinning after him." Her voice was bitter, skipping entirely the reason she was still single.

Leo's face fell. "Do you...Do you care to elaborate on that a little more?" 

No matter how casual he tried to make that sound. Or how disinterested he tried to sound. Paige couldn't help noticing the subject was of interest to him.

So she lifted her chin. Feeling like she was being bared open and wondering what his sudden interest in her past was. "Why don't you tell me about your love life instead."

She had expected him to close off after asking that question. Instead, he leaned back in the chair and smiled. Amusement dancing on his lips at the look on her face. Had he realized what she was trying to do?

"Where do I start?"

Now she has been presented with the opportunity to dictate where he would start. Paige didn't know what to ask. "Em... you can start by telling me how many women you have dated before. Wait a minute, no tell me how many women you have ever been in love with?"

Leo threw his head back and laughed. A raw, masculine laugh that did things to Paige's body. "From my college days till now I have dated eight women but was only ever in love with five."

"Those five must have been special for you to have loved them."

He fished out a cigarette from his pocket and cupped his hand around it, lighting it. "You think so?" Leo spoke around his cigarette, and Paige nodded her head, but he didn't see it.

The night had gotten quieter and Paige sensed somewhere in the house. The party must be coming to an end.

Leo lifted his head and put his lighter into his pockets, gave a long drag of his cigarette, and smiled at her.

"The first woman I ever loved was older than me."

"How old?"

He puffed out smoke from his mouth and smiled at her. "Five years my senior."

The scent of tobacco reached her, and Paige frowned. Why was he always smiling at her anytime he took a long drag of his cigarette was it that relaxing for him or was he drawing courage from it? Perhaps the topic wasn't an easy one for him to talk about like he tried to make her believe.

As if reading her mind, or was it the look of displeasure on her face, Leo took another drag from his cigarette and then squashed it with his shoe. "I had been pining after her, I had my heart all out for her but she didn't like me. That didn't stop me from trying, however, the result was the same. One day she came to me saying she was ready to be my girl. We dated briefly until I discovered she had decided I might just be of use to her anyway. I had what she wanted. Money."

His mouth tightened, and Paige could feel the bitterness from there to where she was sitting.

He gave a harsh laugh, seeming to get into the mood to talk. "The second one said my love was too intense and overbearing for her. I tried to change that. Turns out she was a lesbian and she was just using me."

"I see you have a knack for picking the worst set of women," Paige murmured. Feeling sorry for him and trying to imagine what it must have felt like. 

"Fate has never delt me a good side *bella.*" His gaze rested on her and he seemed to be thinking about something which Paige couldn't help but feel concerned her. He grinned at her. "I think I will stop here and skip the rest of the soppy story. Surely you don't want to hear it."