Page 30 (2/2)
“I’
“Look at you,” I said softly “You’re here”
“I’ve been here alht you orking in Italy until the spring”
She seemed so pleased with herself, so certain I’d be happy to see her She didn’t understand how hard it was for me to stand beside her, to even be in the sah her Lala years She’d been a rival then, an adversary in pigtails, as likely to laugh as burst into tears Even though she was six years younger than me, she’d always outplayed me on the violin
Then she’d grown up and become Alice, the most beautiful woman in the world Not just the ht, talented, e woht wo I asked of them sexually, women who’d debase themselves for me at a word
None of thes for Alice She was real with e, she’d carved out a special place in my heart She still played the violin better than h the years—but she was also so fucking perfect she made your soul ache
I rubbed lass down on a table, because I needed my wits about me
“Not in a drinking mood?” she teased When she smiled, her Nordic cheekbones made her face look like a heart Her mouth was so fuckable No, Milo No This is why you can’t be near her
I cleared allery?”
“I was getting a headache downstairs Your parents are wonderful, but their friends talk so much I don’t kno they had a son like you”
When I raised a brow, she elaborated “I mean, you don’t talk a lot You’ve always been so quiet Mysterious”
Was she flirting? Didn’t she understand that I was dangerous? We were alone inthere was no one to stopout all the perverse impulses she sparked in me
“Does your head still hurt now?” I asked It took all er down her velvet cheek
“No, I’m fine It’s not that bad I feel better now that you’re here You look great, Milo, really You have those…” She gestured, blushing “Those dark, cal eyes”
Holy shit If she didn’t stop looking at me in that worshipful way, I couldn’t be responsible for the things I did to her
“Why don’t we go downstairs?” I said, tearingfor your headache If you don’t take soet worse” I took her arlass in my other hand “She’ll want to fawn over you anyway”
We went down the curving staircase, otiated tables of cookies, cakes, and canapés I touched the suide her I’d forgotten how tall she was, how she could alhtly easier to be close to her with others around us They could pull h I felt equally fucked
“Ma,” I said, e finally found her in theHer head hurts”
“Oh, my dear” My mother cupped Alice’s heart-shaped face between her hands and frowned “Let’s see e can find for you”
We? I had planned to pass her off to my mother and blow this party before my self-restraint snapped Instead, ed both of us to the kitchen It was as busy as the rest of the house, as the caterer’s assistants prepared artistic spreads and the hired waiters refilled trays of chaave it to Alice, along with a tall glass of water Once she took it, Ma led her to a chair at the long marble counter
“The headache’s not that bad,” Alice said as my mother clucked over her “I’m fine, it’s just a little crowded here I mean, it’s a wonderful party I just haven’t been to a lot of them lately”
“Poor dear It’s only going to get lass “Maybe you should take Lala home”
“She goes by Alice now,” I said “And I’ve been drinking”
“Pah A few sips of chane”
“It’s okay,” Alice cut in “I took the train froet home on my own”
“You can’t ride back on the train if you’re not feeling well Milo can drive you howolf “Where are you living, dear?”
“In the old Michelin building, near Lincoln Center”
“Why, that’s so close to you” Ma grasped hted at the coincidence I tried not to frown “You were going to leave soon anyeren’t you?”
She was prodding me to say yes, because she’d raised her Italian son to look after woht entice arded the two of us Alice started blushing again
“I guess it’s up to Alice,” I said, a little surly “She said she could get home on her own”
“But why should she, when you’re here?” My mom patted my arm “You don’t enjoy a lot of noise and conversation either You too are so similar”
“Okay, Ma” She was only going to get worse the longer we stood here I turned to Alice, pushing down a sense of dread An hour back to the city, stuck in ether She was so beautiful, so vital and lithe and talented
Fuck
Chapter Two: Alice
I huddled into the ser s
eat of Milo’s sports car, resisting the urge to hug myself I’d hoped to run into hi treat Milo Fierro, time crush, had just opened the door of his car for me, and invited me into its interior Then he’d shut the door and walked around the front while I sucked the drool back into ot, the h race
When he got in the other side and looked over atunder my skin, because that always happened to me
“I’m not drunk,” he said “Not even a little”
“I know”
“If I was, I wouldn’t drive you”
“I know, it’s okay” I stretchedto be cool “I’ off now”
He didn’t answer In fact, he let out a breath that sounded suspiciously close to a sigh as he started his car The engine roared and settled into a huhts bearand front stoop
Neither of us talked, although it was quiet in the car Why did I feel shy around Milo, considering I’d known hi as I could reh he always acted like a distant friend when he was aroundin his car—just the two of us, together—would provide masturbation material for months to come
“So how does it feel, being back in New York?” he asked, finally breaking the silence
“Awesome” I took aweird or manic “I s, but it’s not as big a cultural scene as Manhattan There’s not as much to do, and the New York Metropolitan Orchestra is the best in the world, so when they invited h”
“Makes sense” He shifted gears as we revved onto theto come after you”