‘Act surprised, act surprised, act surprised’ Aldo thought to himself
as he walked to the hotel lobby. He had spent hours researching how tocreate a meet cute ‘unintentionally’. Now that he was marching intothe lobby on one of the hotels he owns he suddenly felt nervous, like ateenager meeting his crush. He planned this out himself why was hismind acting like this? The plan was simple and everything was ready.He called Julia earlier and found out where Sarah was staying, drovethere before Sarah returned, got rid of his guards so he could appearmore approach able and stood in an inconspicuous position. He wasconstantly monitoring the revolving doors. As soon as she walks in allhe would have to do is call out to her like he wasn’t expecting to seeher , make small talk and then invite her to dinner –all while acting likehe had work to do here.it shouldn’t be too hard to come up withsomething, I mean, it is his hotel after all. As he sat, eyes fixed to the front door, repeating the plan tohimself, he failed to notice the person he was waiting for walk throughthe door. Sarah walked into the hotel lobby and made her way to theelevators. She got in and took out her phone to check the message shehad just received. As soon as she read it, she rushed out the elevatorand back to the lobby. She walked to the receptionist and talked to herfor a bit. She was about to leave when she spotted from the corner ofher eye a figure that was quite familiar. Taking two steps back, shetilted her head and caught his gaze. “Mr. Accardi?” His stern face seemed to relax when he saw her, realizing that hehad messed up the first step. She gave him a sweet smile, which hetook as an invitation and walked towards her. “Fancy to run into youhere, Miss Etoundi.” He knew what he was doing because as soon asthe last two words fell off his tongue she responded. Waving her handsfrantically she said, “Oh no. Sarah, just call me Sarah.” To which he nodded and said, “Well then you should call me Aldo.” “Noted. Are you meting someone here? “She asked, glancing at thespot where he was sited, it seemed that he was indeed alone. “Not anymore it seems. Is this where you are staying? Mr. and Mrs.Canossa couldn’t come up with better accommodation for theirwedding planner?” “Oh no, not them, me. I love Julia and justino but I’d rather notknow their families think of me.” She responded quickly. Then, as if shehad been hurt by his remark she continued, “Besides this is place isreally nice. The room is comfortable, it’s easy to find, safe and thecustomer service is great. Although I feel like I might as well loose anarm paying for this, it’s worth every penny.” She was spendingthousands of dollars every night and this man sounded like this, wasn’the making he look cheap? He seemed to have understood her reasoning but he dint intend toclear up the misunderstanding. Instead he smiled and asked “you soundaggrieved is this your hotel?” “Uh, what. I’m I not allowed to admit that it’s good if it not mine?And why do you sound like it couldn’t possibly be mine? You don’tknow me like that?” she said sounding even more unsettled thanbefore. “I do actually” he thought to himself. He gave a low chuckle, anintoxicated little laugh. For a second Sarah forgot that she was trying tofight this man. He then bent forward like he did this morning only, thistime, she could see his face and she did not try to break eye contactwith him. “So, is it yours? “He asked again staring deep into her eyes.God knows how much he wanted her to say yes. If she did he wouldimmediately transfer it to her name and give her as a wedding gift. Buthe may have failed to realize how powerful his aura was, it kept her inplace. She wasn’t breaking eye contact, not because she is so tough butbecause she couldn’t bear to move before his eyes commanded her to.She couldn’t even move her eyes talk less of mustering up the guts tolie to his face. “no.” she managed to squeeze out. “Had a long day?” he switched the topic without moving. She justnodded.“Me too. Want to grab a drink?” he asked moving back to a straightpose. Sarah finally got space to breathe. “Nope, no alcohol, not even adrop. My head is still pounding from last night. Mmph my poor liver”She sighed holding her head with one hand and rubbing her stomachwith the other. “I haven’t had dinner though, want to grab somethingto eat?” “My place? Tell me what you want to eat it’ll be ready by the timewe get there.” This was even better now he could get her to go homewith him, again. “I don’t know, it is kind of late and I really want to go to bed.” “You can sleep over. I’ll have the help prepare a change of clothesand pajamas. And I’ll bring you back tomorrow” he assured her. She smiled, “ok I’ll just let reception know.” As she made her way towards reception an evil smile crossed his lips, ifhe wanted to hurt her, the reception of his own hotel couldn’t possiblehelp her. He couldn’t help feeling that her ignorance was adorable.The two left the hotel together after opening the door for her helooked around, he had an eerie feeling that they were being watched.He shook it off and went in. As soon as the car drove off, a figure emerged from the shadows inthe rear end of the parking lot.It was an entire hour later before the luxury car diverted off the high way and on to what seemed to be a secluded road. Sarah wasn’t scared at all, after all, this was the same journey she made to get to town in the morning. However she started to wonder why he would choose to live so far away from everything. ‘It has to be a rich people’ thing she thought to herself. Both Julia and Justino’s families’ had houses that seemed somewhat secluded. She had the pleasure of traveling a little during this little wedding expedition. Whether it was Sicily, Rome or Madrid, the characteristics of old money families were similar, if not the same. Pre-modern archetechture, a not-necesarrily-old mansion with elegant (colorless) interior decoration, a huge yard which sometimes includes a garden and no technology in sight—no remote control doors or sliding gates. Oh, and a fuck load of security. Yeah, because everyone is trying to murder you when you are rich. However impressive those had
Aldo led Sarah to the room where she would be spending the night. It was spacious and well lit, equipped with a bathroom, dressing room and a balcony; neatly decorated with timeless furniture and a few potted plants. “I get why you would talk shit about my lodging. That hotel’s got nothing on this—” she remarked as she let her eyes enjoy the beauty that surrounded this room. “It is beautiful, thanks for letting me stay.” A smile of satisfaction crossed his lips. A sense of accomplishment that came from knowing that his efforts towards impressing her were paying off in the only way he wanted them to, the way only she could. Her smile, the contentment in her voice, the admiration in her words made his heart do a couple of leaps. Just then two young women walked in and greeted them with a bow. “I’m glad you like it. They’ll help you freshen up just ask them for anything. I’ll be at the table in half an hour, take your time.” He said. He then gave the two maids a thoughtful gl
The morning was beautiful for most, some more than others. Isn’t that you would expect on your wedding day? While some rose early, others lingered in bed, yet a few were awoken by a sour taste in their throat. However the method, Venice was especially beautiful this morning. Among the early risers, were Aldo and Sarah. After all it was the long awaited white wedding. As the wedding planner, of course, she had to be at the church early to check on the decor, ensure that the priest had arrived and greet the early guests. She also had to play her role as maid of honor by checking on the other bride’s maids and the groom’s men too. She was doing quite well. Before long, the groom had arrived, justino in a gray tux—clean shaven with a wide smile plastered to his face. Upon his arrival, Sarah resigned the job of receiving guest to him and went to check on the bride who had been waiting in a room somewhere in the church compound. “Nervous?” she asked when she saw Juli
The reception came to pass. It was so much fun for everyone, again, some more than others. Aldo, for example, wasn’t exactly having the time of his life for the most part. He sat and stared intently at the side passage door, as if he wanted to leave. But in all honesty, he had been expecting his special someone to walk through the door and sit by his side. That was one the reason why he chose to attend the reception party. He cared about Julia but, to be fair, the marriage had been concluded the day before; when she got the marriage certificate. Walking her down the aisle was to show support and that’s a pretty important tradition. He didn’t have to be here and he wouldn’t be, if not for Sarah. He seemed to lose his mind when it came to this woman. He may have gotten used to seeing her at breakfast and dinner, riding to and from home with her—whatever the case, he felt very reluctant to leave without her. After an entire hour of nothing but noisy conversations, go
After saying his goodbyes, Aldo made his way out of the crowd and toward the parking lot.Sarah had just gotten off the phone with Julia when she spotted the 6'4, muscular man stalking majestically in her direction.The sounds of music in the distance stopped. Her ears could only hear a faint sound. To her eyes, the scene was blurry. She could only see him clearly.The wind blew in his direction, causing his black shirt to stick to his body. The long sleeves had been rolled up, revealing his veiny fore-arms. The closer he got, the better he looked. The man knew how to put himself together, the hair, the scent, and let’s not even get started on the clothes. Everyone knows that a black shirt with a few top buttons open and rolled up sleeves is the male equivalent of dressing slutty. To be fair, Sarah was hooked, so… it was working and definitely worth the effort.“I knew you wouldn’t be able to find it” he said once he was close enough. He had spotted her standing by herself at the entra
Wrapped in each other's embrace, they explored the depths of their desire, their hands roaming over each other's bodies, mapping the contours and curves. Aldo's touch ignited a fire within Sarah, and she responded eagerly, her hands tangling in his hair, pulling him closer. His kisses grew deeper, more urgent, as they reveled in the taste and feel of her lips. His lips left hers and trailed the outline of her beautiful neck. Sarah's heart raced with a mixture of anticipation and vulnerability, her lips yearning for the connection that Aldo offered. The air was filled with soft moans and whispered words of affection, blending seamlessly with the symphony of their passion. They moved towards the bed, their bodies entwined. Until Sarah broke it off— “Look, I know this will probably be a turn-off, but I need to make sure I’m not assisting you with cheating on your partner.” “I haven’t been with anyone in 2 years Sarah, you’re good.” “OK, well, I don’t have protection. So…”she said, lo
The sun peeked through the curtains, casting a soft golden glow into the room. Aldo stirred awake, feeling the warmth of the morning wrapped around him. As he slowly opened his eyes, his gaze fell upon the woman sleeping peacefully next to him. Sarah. The memory of the previous night flooded his mind, and a smile formed on his lips. Aldo watched as Sarah's eyes fluttered open, her gaze meeting his. There was a moment of silence as they took in each other's presence, the air thick with the intensity of their connection. Aldo reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, his touch gentle yet possessive. "Good morning," he whispered, his voice filled with a tenderness she had never heard before. "Last night... it was more than I ever expected. I want you to know that I don't just want this to be a one-night thing." Sarah's heart skipped a beat, her eyes widened in surprise. No matter how many times he reassured her last night, she had worried that their encounter would be nothin
Sarah stood by the open window, a sense of anticipation coursing through her veins. In just a few moments, she would embark on a journey with Aldo Accardi, the Italian man who had captured her heart. They were about to board his private jet, bound for Milan from Venice, for a weekend getaway that promised adventure and romance.As she double-checked her suitcase, Sarah's phone buzzed, and she saw a text from her friend Julia, who was on her honeymoon. With a smile, she decided to give her a quick call before they took off."Hey, girl! How's paradise treating you?" Sarah asked, her voice filled with genuine happiness for her friend.Julia's voice bubbled with excitement on the other end of the line. "Girl, it's incredible! The beaches are breathtaking, and Justino is spoiling me rotten, even this little rug rat inside me is behaving. How are you doing? Sorry I left you alone, but you know how it is."Sarah leaned against the wall, her mind brimming with thoughts of Aldo. "Well, I'm act