Chapter 108
Vitale's gaze landed on Isabella's lips, red and full, slightly parted, like a silent invitation.
He leaned in, wanting to kiss her, wanting to end the night most intimately.
But Isabella dodged him.
She smirked, her finger lightly pressing against Vitale's chest, stopping him from getting closer.
"Just a kiss. I want to sleep well tonight. I need to work properly tomorrow. Last night was tiring enough."
Her hint was clear and straightforward.
Vitale chuckled, not annoyed by the rejection.
"Of course," he said, gently cupping Isabella's face, his thumb brushing her cheek. "I want to sleep well, too. Honestly, I've got my limits, even if I hate to admit it. I can't go wild for days and nights anymore. Not at this age. Thirty-seven is different from seventeen, babe."
His honesty made Isabella laugh.
She liked this side of Vitale.
Not the mafia boss who always had everything under control, always strong and invincible, but a man who could admit he was tired, who could joke about himself.
Isabella stopped dodging and stood on her tiptoes, kissing his lips on her own.
"Then just a light kiss," she whispered against his lips, "but make it last a little longer."
Vitale's response was to tighten his arms, pulling Isabella into his embrace, her body pressed against his.
The kiss deepened, growing hot and full of desire.
Isabella could feel his body reacting, the tension in his muscles, the growing, almost uncontrollable desire in that kiss.
But neither of them took it further.
The sound of their kissing was especially clear in the quiet night—the faint wet sound as their lips parted, the gasps as their breaths mingled, and the occasional satisfied sound, almost like a moan, when the kiss went too deep.
Those sounds made their bodies tremble, not from the cold, but from the painful pleasure of awakened desire being deliberately held back.
Twenty minutes later, Vitale finally let her go.
Both were breathless, their lips swollen and wet, their gazes locked in the air, hard to break away from.
Isabella's voice was hoarse, barely audible. "Vito."
Vitale loved it when she called him that.
There was an intimate possessiveness in that nickname, a privilege only she had.
"What's up?" Vitale replied, his arms still around Isabella's waist, not letting go.
"I'm really happy tonight. Thank you. Honestly, meeting you has been great."
Her words were simple, but Vitale understood the deeper meaning.
It meant she accepted him.
Accepted his world, his darkness, and him as a person, along with all his complexities and dangers.
Vitale tightened his hold, resting his chin lightly on top of her head.
"Good. If you're happy, I'm happy. I hope you sleep well tonight. And for Valentine's Day, let's go on another date. I'll have a surprise for you."
"Really?" Isabella's voice rose with excitement. "You've already planned it? What kind of surprise? Tell me just a little? Just a tiny bit?"
Vitale laughed, his smile mysterious and affectionate. "No, a surprise isn't a surprise if I tell you. But trust me, you'll like it. I promise."
Isabella stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly jumped up, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him again.
"I'm already looking forward to it," she said, breathless between kisses. "Vitale, you better not let me down."
Vitale returned her kiss.
"Never. Now you really should go upstairs. You've got work tomorrow, remember?"
Isabella nodded, finally letting go of his neck and stepping back, though her fingers still clung to his, as if she didn't want to fully let go.
"Goodnight, Vito," she said softly.
"Goodnight, Isabella," he replied, watching her turn and walk into the apartment building, waiting until her figure disappeared into the elevator before getting back into his car.
The next day, Isabella was surprisingly full of energy.
She arrived at the office early, efficiently tackled the pile of documents, and finished an important financial report.
After lunch, Isabella and Aria headed to a high-end mall in the center of Thalassia.
Aria looped her arm through Isabella's, her voice buzzing with excitement. "You're spending Valentine's Day with Mr. Luca? Oh my God, Isabella, I still can't believe it."
Isabella smiled, though her smile was a bit nervous. "Yeah."
"I know he treats you well," Aria teased, winking. "Some of the details you spilled when you were drunk last time? They gave me sweet dreams for days. Vitale's stamina... God, I'm jealous."
Isabella's face turned red again.
She regretted sharing too much with Aria after drinking that time.
But Aria was one of her most trusted friends, and sometimes she needed to talk, needed someone to share the weight of this complicated relationship.
"Anyway, I need an outfit for the Valentine's Day dinner. Something formal but sexy. Not too revealing, but not too conservative either. You know Vitale—he likes classy sexy."
Aria raised an eyebrow. "Classy sexy, which translates to looking elegant but easy to take off, right?"
Isabella shot her a look, but couldn't deny it.
Aria suddenly stopped, her eyes fixed on a store window.
Inside the window was a black dress, incredibly simple, almost just a piece of fabric, but the cut and the way it hung made it look both sophisticated and alluring.
Aria said, pulling Isabella into the store, "I've found the perfect thing."
The inside of the store was even more luxurious than it looked from the outside.
Dark wooden floors, soft lighting, and abstract art paintings hung on the walls.
A female salesperson in a perfectly tailored suit approached, her smile professional but not overly eager.
"Ladies, can I help you with anything?"
Aria pointed at the dress in the window. "That one. Let her try it on."
The salesperson glanced at Isabella, then nodded. "Of course. Please wait a moment."
A few minutes later, Isabella was led into a fitting room.
The fitting room was spacious, with thick carpeting, mirrors on three sides, and lighting carefully adjusted to the most flattering angle.
Isabella took off her coat and sweater, leaving just her underwear, then picked up the dress.
The fabric felt like liquid in her hands.
Smooth, cool, almost weightless.
She carefully slipped it on, zipped up the side, and turned to look in the mirror.
Then Isabella gasped.
"Oh my God."
The woman in the mirror was almost unrecognizable to her.
The black fabric clung to her body like a second skin, from her chest down to mid-thigh, where it abruptly ended.
Yes, the hem of the dress only reached mid-thigh, meaning if she bent over even slightly, her underwear would show.
Worse still was the top part.
The neckline was a deep V, plunging almost to her navel, but cleverly crossed under her chest, lifting her breasts and making her cleavage look deeper and more enticing.
The problem was that if Isabella tried to pull the dress up to cover more of her chest, the hem would ride up even higher, exposing more of her thighs and hips.
On the other hand, if she pulled it down to cover her thighs, the neckline would dip so low it would nearly reveal her nipples.
Isabella took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.
This dress couldn't possibly be this year's trendiest style.
It was practically lingerie.
A piece designed to drive men crazy and make women feel dangerously exposed.
"Isabella?" Aria's voice came from outside the door. "Are you done? Let me see! I can't wait!"
Isabella groaned, covering her face with her hands.
She couldn't step out in this.
No way.
But Aria was waiting outside, and so was the salesperson.
And she did need an outfit.
Finally, Isabella took a deep breath and adjusted the dress as best she could.
She pulled the neckline up as much as possible, even though it meant the hem rode up higher, then pushed open the fitting room door.
Aria saw her and froze on the spot.
A few seconds later, Aria let out a loud whistle.
"I regret being a woman right now. If I were a man, I'd be all over you. No, I'd marry you. Vitale really hit the jackpot. Your figure, oh my God, how can your figure be this perfect?"
She circled Isabella, admiring her like a piece of art, clapping her hands excitedly. "This dress was made for you! It hugs every curve, highlights your waist, your hips, your chest... Perfect! Isabella, you have to buy it!"
Isabella's face was already red as a ripe tomato.
She crossed her arms, trying to cover her chest.
But that only made her cleavage look deeper and more alluring.
"Stop getting so excited," Isabella warned, her voice tight with embarrassment. "I'm not buying this dress. No way."
Aria stopped circling and raised an eyebrow at her. "Why not? You look insanely sexy! If Vitale sees you in this, he'll probably pin you to the restaurant table right there—"
"Aria!" Isabella cut her off, lowering her voice. "There are people around!"
There were a few other customers in the fitting area, pretending to look at clothes, but Isabella could feel their sneaky glances.
She pulled Aria closer. "This dress shows way too much skin. I want to have a nice Valentine's Day with Vitale, not throw myself at him. I don't want him to think I'm desperate."
Aria rolled her eyes dramatically, like she was acting in a play.
"Come on, Isabella, you've got to make him a little excited. That way, your night will be extra sweet. Are you really okay with him just kissing your cheek? God, didn't you tell me you've already slept together a few times? You can't still be this shy, right? You've already done all sorts of things in bed, and now you're blushing over a dress?"
Isabella glared at Aria but couldn't argue back.
Yes, she and Vitale had explored each other's bodies in bed, done bold things she'd never imagined before.
But that was private, in the bedroom, when it was just the two of them.
Wearing this dress in public felt completely different.
It felt like a statement, an invitation, like saying, "Look, this is my body, I want you."
And besides...
Isabella glanced at the price tag inside the dress.
The price made her gasp.
"And I just saw the price," Isabella whispered, her fingers unconsciously tugging at the fabric near her hip, which only made the dress ride up higher, showing more thigh. "It's crazy expensive. I can't do it."
She turned to head back into the fitting room, ready to take off this torturous dress and change back into her comfy sweater and jeans.
But Aria grabbed her wrist.
Aria's expression suddenly turned serious. "Let me buy this dress for you, okay?"
Isabella's eyes widened in shock, and she shook her head.
"No way. Are you insane? Aria, this dress costs two months of your rent! I can't let you spend that much on a piece of lingerie for me."