Aria's smile weakened. Alessandro's words made her feel like she could be his priority, like a relationship with him was possible, like anything was possible. He missed her. He thought about her and he missed her. If only his words were true… but she couldn't let herself believe his sweet words.
"It's only been a couple of days." Aria looked up at him.
"Too long." Alessandro sighed.
"What was the work function tonight?" Aria changed the topic not ready to face the guilt that she felt or her own feelings.
"We've signed a new contract and we were celebrating it with the other company reps."
"Congratulations."
"I didn't do much." Alessandro laughed.
"Ah yes, you're the big boss." Aria chuckled. She propped herself up and looked at Alessandro's face. His eyes were rich brown with specs of gold, like earth after rain with scattered autumn leaves. Breathtaking.
Alessandro kissed the tip of her nose. It was a different kind of intimacy to what they just did. It felt heartwarming and comforting. It felt like flying in the clouds and being embraced by the sun.
"I saw you the other day in the Cabot Square. You were with a small girl. I didn't come up as I wasn't sure if you'd want me to." He furrowed his brows, daring to touch on the subject that bothered him highly.
"I saw you, too." Aria started to draw circles on his chest with her fingertips, amused at the dark hair and its patterns of whirls. "Charlotte had an interview in the company in the finance district. I looked after her daughter, Suzie."
Alessandro took a moment to process that information realising that his mum was right.
"So, you do not have kids?"
"No!" Aria looked at him with confusion. "Shit, do you have kids?" Her eyes widened.
"No." Alessandro replied quickly. "Just checking."
"And that's why you shouldn't be sleeping with a stranger!" Aria huffed, playfully punching his arm.
"But, you're not really a stranger. Not anymore."
"Hmmm, perhaps not." Aria agreed with hesitation.
"I recall the name of your friend. I think you mentioned her before. Is it the same Charlotte that works in the cafe with you?"
"Yes! You have a good memory." Aria tilted her head. "She worked in the cafe with me and Jess while she picked herself up again but it was only temporary before she were to find something better and more stable for herself." She sighed. "That's also why I am working a lot of 16-hour days at the moment. We need to recruit her replacement."
"It sounds like a shit thing to do to leave you alone with that amount of work."
"No, don't say that. Charlotte joined the crew after her deadbeat husband divorced her. Of course, he cheated on her and then left her and Suzie without a penny or a roof over their heads." Aria said it as if it was given and that every man was like that. She believed it and didn't expect Alessandro to be any different. "As much as I'd wish for Charlotte to stay with us in the cafe, the cafe is not going to provide her enough of income to help Charlotte take care of her daughter. She did what was right by her child and I will always support it. Besides, I could always choose to change opening hours. But my consciousness doesn't allow me to disappoint all of our morning or evening regulars who come in either before or after their hospital shifts."
"That sucks for Charlotte." Alessandro agreed, remembering his own upbringing as a child of a single mum. "I hope that you know how amazing you are for helping your friend."
"Hardly an amazing feat. Children are our future and we must protect them. It takes a village and all." Aria shrugged. It was never a question of whether she should or shouldn't support Charlotte and Suzie.
"How is the recruitment going?"
"Not great. We advertised just about everywhere and no one applied yet."
"So sorry to hear that. If you have a horribly long day again tomorrow, let's get some rest." He planted soft kisses on her face encouraging Aria to lay down on his arm. It didn't take long for Aria to start to snore lightly. Alessandro smiled as he looked down at her angelic face. Her golden hair rested on her cheeks, her skin was pale but her cheeks were still red from their activity, her lips were plump and deep pink, her long eyelashes casted a shadow on her smooth cheeks. All his worries vanished when he held her in his arms. His feelings for Aria only grew.
Aria woke up at her usual time, with the alarm drilling through her eardrums.
Alessandro reached out for her phone and turned the alarm off.
"Good morning, Angel." He planted a kiss on her forehead and moved hair from her face. "I am sorry that you didn't get much sleep."
"Morning." Aria uttered lazily. "It is quite okay." Alessandro kissed her breasts as she stretched. Aria giggled at him when she opened her eyes. Rolling on top of him and planting the most fleeting kisses on his handsome face. Her naked body was pressed against his.
Alessandro sat up while embracing and kissing her.
"It's going to be a long day." Alessandro said with upset. "I can already say that I won't be able to do anything aside of counting down the minutes and seconds until I can see you tonight."
"Oh." Aria just remembered her promise feeling conflicted about it. "Yeah… unfortunately, I do finish quite late again. I'm closing the shop tonight."
"Opening and closing in one day? Again?"
"Yes." Aria sighed. "Jess is opening with me but I am doing the last two hours on my own. She is working another waitressing gig tonight."
"Hmmm… would you be okay if I meet you at the cafe?"
"I-…" Aria hesitated. "That should be fine." She forced a smile.
"Considering the fact that you will have a very long day, I'll bring you some dinner. Is there anything you fancy?"
"I can get dinner at the cafe."
"My dear Aria, as delicious is the food you have in the cafe, I am not sure if you can live of it forever." Alessandro planted a very persuasive kiss on her neck. She was still sat across his lap, very naked, her skin was still pressed against his.
"Probably not." Aria agreed.
"Hmm…" Alessandro agreed. He stopped kissing her and looked her up and down. Aria automatically covered her chest in sudden bout of shame. "No." Alessandro shook his head in disapproval. "Don't hide those glorious curves from me."
"But…" she wanted to argue that she wasn't the best thing to look at.
"I need to get a good image of this so that I can daydream about you for the whole day."
"Alessandro, you should be working not daydreaming. You must do something to earn your salary! Unless you've got the job for your pretty face?" Aria tilted her head as she teased him.
"Oh, you…" Alessandro laughed, reaching for her sides and tickling her. Aria fell over to the side in fits of laughter. "You flirt. I have a Greek-God-statue body and a pretty face? You think that's all there is to me?"
"No." Aria shook her head. Her eyes landed on his crotch. "There's also a sizeable package. It's a whole deal."
Alessandro laughed cheerfully as he tickled her more. He stopped and his smile softened before he leaned in and kissed her again.
"You make me laugh, Aria." He stated the obvious.
"I'm a fat funny friend." Aria shrugged. "So, Mr Director, what are you actually meant to do today? Go for a date with some investors and dazzle them with your smile?"
"My smile doesn't work on most of the investors as 99% of them are very straight middle-aged white men."
"What about that 1%?"
"They're the old white men who should've long retired."
"Are there no women in the field left?" Aria asked curiously.
"A few. Too few unfortunately." Alessandro lowered down and planted kisses down her abdomen.
"You need to find more straight female investors or gay men investors. Or settle for a few bisexuals. You might have a better success rate of either dazzling them with your smile, your biceps, or…" Aria blushed.
"Is that why your cafe is so popular? You dazzle everyone with your smile?" Alessandro asked teasingly as he lifted his face after kissing her just above the navel. "Or with those curves?"
"Hardly." Aria sneered.
"I really don't want to get moving. I could spend an entire day in bed with you." Alessandro flopped down in defeat, placing his head on her stomach.
"And what would you do?" Aria asked naively.
"Have a take away and have sex with you in every way imaginable." Alessandro looked up at her. Aria thought he looked particularly adorable. She caressed his head with a soft smile.
"I do need to open the cafe today." She sat up and planted a kiss on his forehead. "As soon as we get a new recruit, I might just about get a day off."
"Day sex sounds amazing." Alessandro said dreamily. "I could see your body and admire your every curve while hearing your moans."
"I need to get ready." Aria pushed him off but they both were still gleaming. His comment didn't put her off, but instead she felt an excited twinkle. Alessandro watched her vanish in the bathroom and then come back out wrapped in a wet towel. He dressed himself while still glancing over at Aria who tied her hair back and put on a clean pair of jeans and T-shirt.