Why I love Bradley Grey

Four weeks have passed, and I haven't had the pleasure of seeing Bradley Grey's beauty. Thoughts of him occupy my mind three or four times a day, proving that he has become ingrained in my thoughts. Whether during my lunch break or before drifting off to sleep, my mind inevitably wanders to him.

August has arrived in Rome, bringing with it hot days gradually cooling off. As the holiday season approaches, we anticipate a surge in activity. Apart from Mother's Day and Valentine's Day, the winter months tend to be our busiest.

Alex asks me about my plans for the evening as we sit at our desks. Since there are no trucks scheduled to arrive for unloading in the afternoon, I contemplate leaving early. "I don't have any plans," I respond with a shrug, glancing at him. "What about you?"

"Evan invited both of us to a wine tasting. I think you should come," he suggests.

I hum in response, not feeling particularly inclined to dress up and go out this afternoon. "Eh, I don't know. I'm kind of tired."

"Bradley will be there," he adds, raising an eyebrow at me.

"What makes you think I'd care if Bradley was there or not?" I smile, feeling a twinge of excitement at the thought of seeing Bradley again.

Alex laughs and reclines in his chair. "Oh, please. I'm not naive. I see you daydreaming about him almost every second of the day."

"I do not!" I laugh, well aware that I'm telling a blatant lie.

"Sure," he says, rolling his eyes. "Just come. It'll be fun."

"Fine," I smile. "But only because you asked me, not because you mentioned Bradley." Alex gives me a knowing look, both of us aware that I'm lying once again. "I'll pick you up at five."

Before I know it, five o'clock arrives sooner than expected. I leave work at four and spend the next hour pacing around my apartment, making sure I look presentable, and contemplating what I might say to him if I see him. I hear a knock on my door and grab my purse and phone before opening it. "Hey, Alex," I greet him once the door is open.

"Ready to go?" He smiles at me, appreciating my appearance. "You look lovely."

"Thank you. So do you. Trying to impress Evan, I see," I wink at him, descending the stairs and stepping out onto the street.

"No more than you're trying to impress Bradley," he says, raising an eyebrow at me as we get into his car.

I bite my lip, knowing his observation holds some truth. I've spent ages making sure my choice of outfit isn't too plain or too extravagant, which led to hours of staring at my closet. Eventually, I settled on a simple yellow sundress paired with wedges. "Okay, you caught me."

During the car ride to the wine tasting, Alex talks about his deepening relationship with Evan and how he believes Evan might be the one. The look in his eyes and the ear-to-ear smile indicate his genuine commitment. Unlike our initial meeting, when sadness and heartbreak clouded his eyes, he now exudes happiness and radiates even brighter. Evan seems to have heightened the level of positivity in Alex's life, a quality I deeply admire as I notice how Alex brings out the best in him.

"We're here," Alex smiles, pulling into a sparsely occupied parking lot.

"Why aren't there many people here?" I inquire, stepping out of the car and walking with Alex towards the building. The wine tasting is taking place on the building's rooftop, and I can hear laughter and conversation drifting down to us from above.

"No, it's more of an intimate gathering. The wine producer invited only his closest friends. He did mention that his friends could invite others, so Evan invited us," he explains. I nod as we enter the elevator, feeling nervous and contemplating what I should say to Bradley. "Just say hi," Alex whispers in my ear as the elevator doors open, revealing a rooftop bustling with people.

I take a deep breath and follow Alex through the crowd, finding Evan in the centre. "Laura! So wonderful to see you again, darling," Evan beams upon spotting me, greeting me with a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"I saw you yesterday, Evan," I chuckle, returning his embrace and planting a soft kiss on his cheek.

"Well, with your beautiful face, it's always a pleasure to see you, regardless of the time," he says, giving Alex a quick kiss. "The same goes for this one," he adds, eliciting a smile from Alex.

"Well, I'm going to wander around and try some wine. I'll see you boys in a little bit," I smile before walking over to a table and picking up a glass containing a small amount of wine.

Moving from table to table, I sample various wines until I find one that captivates me. "Be careful not to get too drunk," a familiar voice with a distinct accent says from behind me, causing my heart to race. "Hello, Laura. It's been four weeks, right?"

"It certainly has," I reply, clearing my throat before turning around to face him. His beauty still takes my breath away as I admire his neatly styled hair and his white suit. "A white suit at a wine tasting. Very clever, Bradley Grey, the artist," I smile.

"I must maintain my reputation as the best-dressed," he says back at me. "Although you already outshone me on that front once before, Laura Trumpert, the florist."

I raise my eyebrows, crossing my arms. "Oh really? When?"

"At my art exhibition. You were undoubtedly the best-dressed. I felt intimidated," he chuckles. "I expected more from you today."

I laugh, glancing down at my dress and smoothing it out with my hands. "So you don't think I'm dressed nicely enough?" I tease, feigning hurt. "I never said that. It's a lovely dress. I just thought you could step up your game," he says, flashing a smile that could win any girl's heart. "Would you like to take a walk with me?"

"Hmm, I don't know," I muse, glancing between him and the wine glass in my hand. "Convince me why I should leave this delightful party to go on a walk with you."

He chuckles softly, shaking his head and looking at me with amusement dancing in his eyes. "You should leave this delightful party and go on a walk with me because I want you to," he says, and I can't help but smile, captivated by the way his nose moves when he speaks.

"Okay then, only because you want me to. Not because I enjoy spending time with you or anything."

Of course, it's primarily because I enjoy spending time with him, but that's a secret I don't plan on revealing anytime soon.

●●●●●

"Do you speak fluent Italian?" I ask him as we stroll along a street that appears to be made of gold. The sun is setting, casting a magical glow.

"Not really. I'm more fluent in French than Italian," he says, the sun highlighting his hair, giving it a reddish hue instead of its usual brown.

Bradley looks almost angelic in his pure white suit, contrasting with his tanned skin and cherry-red lips. Just gazing at him sends shivers down my spine, so I look away before I become completely lost in him.

"Really? Say something in French for me," I smile, curious to hear how his British accent sounds in another language.

He hums, pondering what to say. "Tu es la femme la plus belle que j'ai jamais vue," he says, a small smile playing on his lips.

"What does that mean?"

"I can't tell you," he says, maintaining that same irresistibly attractive smile.

I roll my eyes and playfully shove him with my hand. "Then how will I know if you said it correctly? For all I know, you could have completely butchered it."

"I suppose you'll have to trust me," he chuckles. "Now, it's your turn to say something in Italian."

"Why should I?" I smiled sarcastically at him.

"Why should you?" he laughs, his eyes sparkling with happiness. "I like the sound of your voice when you speak Italian."

Blushing from his comment, my cheeks turn red. "I like the sound of your voice when you speak French," I reply with a shy smile, savoring the way he seems to be fixated on me as if I'm the only thing that matters to him in this moment.

"In that case, I suppose we should both speak Italian and French," he smiles at me, coming to a stop in the middle of the street.

I join him, giving him a quizzical look. "What are you doing?"

He remains silent, gazing at me with the same intensity he had when we first met at the art exhibition. "Will you take me somewhere?"

"Sure, where would you like to go?" I inquire.

"Take me to your favorite place in Rome."

My favorite place in Rome? Many locations flood my mind when asked that question, but deep down, I know there's only one place that truly brings me a sense of serenity and connection with the world.

"Okay, let's go to my favorite place."