Excelsior

Chapter X: An affair

Cold wind whipped soflty the windows that night and the lights were off in the drawing room as his pulse was racing. He tapped the window with his knuckles as he stared at St. Dominic Heights. The lights of the mansions that rose above them were similar to those lights you could see on towns that settle in mountainous areas.

"Dinner is served, Mr. di Bardi"

He didn't reply.

"May I go?"

He continued without answering. The penthouse was quiet, only the noise of the knuckles hitting the windows could be heard.

"Yes," he turned heavily to see the butler, "you may."

The man nodded and went to the elevator.

William checked his watch two or three times. He stared at the screen for a moment as his hand trembled, and when it rang, he replied frantically. He smiled and adjusted his tie. He heard the elevator bell ring and its doors open and he walked to the hall. Lilly came out and admired a painting.

"Do you like it?" he asked with his hands in his pocket. "It's a Fontanelli... my dad bought it twenty years ago.

"I love it."

William helped her to take off her coat and put it in the closed.

"I brought dessert," she said, giving him the cake.

They both walked into the drawing room as Lilly looked at the pieces of art.

"You seem to be proud of your lineage. The decoration here makes me feel in Milano."

"My dad certainly was moved by Italian architecture. It made him feel at home, so when he got this place, he remodeled it to make us feel like we were in Europe."

"So you live here?"

"No." He replied. "My dad got it while our house was being remodeled. Now I use it as a second home and sometimes rent it." He pointed out the window. "I live over there, in Saint Dominic Hights. The view is magnificent, just as how you look tonight."

Lilly blushed and they continued into the dining room, where they dined on pasta and drank a bottle of red wine in the silence. The candles on the table were the only source of light. They laughed, talked and even cried telling memories.

At the end, William led Lilly back to the living room, where he delighted her with his musical skills playing on the piano that had more than a century of existence.

"Is Dearick waiting for you tonight?" he turned on the seat.

"No." She whispered. "I told him I would go out with some friends."

"Good," he nodded, "and you're not lying."

They laughed.

"What about Mrs. di Bardi?"

"What about her? I told her I'd be home tomorrow morning. You know I was in Hong Kong this week, did Dearick tell you?"

She nodded:

"So you're not lying."

"No, no my dear. I didn't tell her when my return would be, just that I would be home tomorrow. I don't like lies... I hate them!"

"I see." She frowned.

"I have not shown you this place, have I? How rude."

William showed her the big white office, small and blue study room, and then went upstairs to the master bedroom, which had a door leading to a balcony. Lilly went out and rested her arms on the small wall that was adorned with two tall Solomonic columns. The panorama from there clearly showed the horizon of the mountains and the wind blew on her face. She took her hands to herself and stepped back.

William watched her from the dark as he removed his belt and threw it onto the bed. He took off his shoes, and set the jacket aside. He unbuttoned his shirt as he walked slowly towards Lilly.

Lilly rested her arms on the wall again and her eyes misted. She felt mysterious hands touching her hips, and Mr. di Bardi getting close to her as he kissed her neck and back. Without protesting, she turned around.

"I have wanted to do this since we first met," said he, looking at her bright and blue eyes that he found moving.

They both kissed and felt their bodies. Lilly then realized that she hadn't seen William with his wedding ring the whole night.