Chapter 44: Never been to a bonfire

The kiss didn’t last long. Santino eventually pulled away, knowing he might not be able to control himself if he continued. He slowly loosened his hold on her wrists and looked down at her flushed face.

"You enjoyed that, didn’t you?" he asked with a satisfied smile.

He took in her embarrassed expression before moving away and sitting up on the edge of the bed.

Soraya immediately pushed herself upright as well, but she kept her face turned away from him. She couldn’t bring herself to meet his eyes, especially when she knew he would tease her about what had just happened. Before he could say anything, she quickly got off the bed and hurried into the washroom, locking the door behind her.

"I let him kiss me again, and I even allowed him to do it," she whispered to herself in disbelief.

She stood in front of the mirror, staring at her reflection. Her cheeks were still flushed, and the memory of his lips against hers returned vividly. She could almost feel the warmth of his kiss again, making her heart flutter despite her efforts to calm herself.

Soraya shook her head, trying to push those thoughts away. "I promised herself that I wouldn’t let Santino win me over so easily, yet somehow, I keep finding myself unable to resist him."

She had spent a huge time with Emilio as his girlfriend, but she never felt like this as she felt with Santino. Soraya couldn’t describe her current feelings.

Soraya turned on the tap and splashed some water over her face, hoping it would help her regain her composure. After turning it off, she picked up the towel and gently patted her face dry before leaving the washroom.

As soon as she stepped out, she noticed Santino standing near the bed with his phone pressed to his ear.

"Yes. I’ve decided to spend the night at the resort with my wife," he said. He paused when he noticed Soraya approaching. "Wait! I’ll let her speak to you."

He extended the phone towards her. "Angelo is on the call."

Soraya took the device and brought it to her ear. "Hello, Angelo?"

"How was your day? Did you enjoy your work?" Angelo asked.

"Yes, my work went well. What? Mom and Dad want to throw a party for me?" Soraya repeated, sounding surprised. "But I thought revealing my identity could be dangerous. After all, I was abducted from our house when I was just a child. What if something like that happens again?"

Santino watched her while she spoke. His sleeves were folded up to his forearms, and the top three buttons of his shirt were undone, leaving part of his neck exposed. A chain hung loosely around it, catching her attention.

I don’t remember seeing that chain before, she thought, briefly studying it before returning her attention to the call.

"Sora, there’s still time before the grand party and the official announcement of your identity. Why don’t you come home with your husband sometime? Or you could come alone and spend a few days here. How does that sound?" Angelo suggested.

The phone’s volume was loud enough for Santino to hear the conversation clearly. He immediately joined in, raising his voice so Angelo could hear him through the phone.

"Then I’ll come and stay there too, Angelo!"

Angelo laughed from the other end of the call when Soraya switched on the speaker. "Santino, how are you going to manage your work if you come along? Everyone at home will be on alert the entire time."

"Don’t worry about that. I’ll send Soraya to her family home for a few days soon," Santino assured him.

As he spoke, he looked directly into his wife’s eyes. Soraya stared back at him in surprise, clearly not expecting him to make such a decision on her behalf. She hadn’t even discussed visiting her parents with him, yet he seemed to have already made up his mind.

"All right, then. I’ll let you two go. Enjoy your time together," Angelo said before ending the call.

Soraya handed the phone back to Santino and looked at him curiously. "Will you really let me stay at my parents’ house for a few days?"

"Hmm. But I’ll come to see you every evening," Santino replied without hesitation.

"You lived perfectly well without me for twenty-four years," Soraya remarked, giving him an unimpressed look. "I don’t think you’ll have any trouble managing a few days without me."

She turned away from him and settled onto the bed, intending to take a nap. "I’m feeling sleepy and tired. I want to rest for a while."

Santino watched as she pulled the sheets over herself and closed her eyes, making it clear that she didn’t intend to continue their conversation. He smiled faintly but didn’t disturb her. Instead, he headed into the bathroom to take a shower.

Soraya slowly opened one eye. Once she was sure he was in the bathroom, she turned onto her other side and stared at the ceiling.

"Santino is becoming sweeter with each passing day. But can he really leave everything behind for me?"

Her gaze wandered around the spacious suite until it settled on the balcony doors. Curiosity got the better of her, and she pushed the sheets aside before getting out of bed.

As soon as she stepped onto the balcony, her breath caught at the sight before her. The vast sea stretched out in front of her. She leaned against the railing, taking in the view, before noticing a bonfire burning on the beach below. A few people had gathered around it, enjoying the evening by the shore.

Soraya took out her phone and began capturing a few pictures of the beautiful view. She was so absorbed in taking photographs that she didn’t notice Santino approaching until his arm settled comfortably around her shoulders.

"Santino?" She tilted her head to look at him and found him standing beside her in a bathrobe. A faint, pleasant fragrance lingered around him, making her realize he had just finished his shower.

"I thought you would be sleeping," Santino remarked, glancing at the phone in her hand.

"I was planning to, but then I noticed the balcony and couldn’t resist coming out." She put her phone aside and pointed towards the beach. "Look! They’re having a bonfire down there. Shall we go and join them? I’ve never been to one before."

"Neither have I," he admitted.

Soraya turned towards him with a surprised expression. "Really? You’ve never been to a bonfire?"

He shook his head, amused by her reaction. "I’ve spent most of my life attending business meetings and dealing with people who would rather see me dead. Bonfires were never part of my schedule."

She felt a little tensed up to hear that. "Then, it’s the time you should also enjoy this moment of your life."