01

First impression

I watch my brothers play in the backyard while I hold on to the collar for the third time, our little dog, a small mongrel, his name is Crowley. Today my father received two visits, they were two men and Crowley has a certain aversion for male people who are not my brothers or my father, and for dark colored cars, because he was very agitated he ended up breaking the chain twice sometimes, my fear is that he will go out into the street and end up being run over.

It's Friday and my boss, Mr Stark gave me that day off, which was a miracle because he always used to give me only Wednesday off, which for me is not profitable at all because I have a lot to do at home, such as giving attention to my brothers, who are not few. Sometimes Melinda needs love advice, with her fifteen years she is already suffering for a boy. Thomas with his addiction to computer games does nothing but scold the boys and throw them out of his room. Left for me to hear their cries and distract them.

My parents have been really weird lately, I'm about to change my concept of them being loving and attentive parents when the last time I saw them playing with the kids was last week. My mother, Fiorella Delphinne, has changed in an inexplicable way, she doesn't smile anymore and if you want to remember that she has small children who need affection and attention, my father Emílio Antonelli leaves that damn office very few times and doesn't play like he used to, amazingly it seems, even in my room to say good night to me he would go every day, I miss my parents, my close family.

I finish arranging Crowley's new collar when I see Teodoro open the rustic wooden gate that surrounds our house from the others.

"Hey! Hey! You can't leave without permission, remember?" I warn him by walking over to close it back.

"But my plane crashed outside." He responds with a pout.

"But what do we agree on? When something falls outside you should ask the older ones to pick it up, like me, Melinda, Thomas or Mom and Dad." I speak firmly so he doesn't repeat it again, Teodoro and Enrico are twins and they are six years old, they are very agitated but they are the ones who brighten up my spare time.

"Okay, sorry Mili, can you catch my plane please?" He asks with shining eyes.

"Sure, wait here." I pat his blond corporal and head outside in search of the lost plane. When suddenly I hear the dog barking and I see his figure running between my legs. "Oh! No! Crowley!" I exclaim.

But those little brats tricked me! I hear whispers and laughter from both of them in the background. Furious I run after the little dog that looks like a marathon runner so fast he runs, strangely he seems to have smelled something, because he ran exactly to a place, in the distance I hear frantic barking, shit, he found a victim, luckily his small stature don't scare anyone.

"Hey! Crowley!" I scream at the sight of the little creature barking furiously around the feet of a tall man standing near the corner church.

I rush closer without having the courage to look at the man who must surely be very angry, I am horrified that Crowley would have chosen this man right away, with this immaculate suit apparently costing millions of dollars, with these black shoes that I can almost see my reflection they are so bright.

"Sir, I'm sorry... Please don't move." I ask gently as I run around his feet in order to capture the mini dog. When I finally have him in my arms I feel so embarrassed my face heats up like hell. "Sorry about that, I'm serious... Did he bite you?" I ask him worriedly.

When I finally look at his face, it's impossible not to notice his beauty, somewhat intimidated by his size that is certainly over 1.80 m tall, I try to look away but I feel a strange compulsion to look at him, this thought makes me ashamed and I feel my cheeks flush.

"No, he didn't." He just says, his voice, his voice is beautiful and charming.

"Good thing! He has sharp teeth and has some bad habits sometimes... Enrico! Teodoro!" I scream with my eyes looking for my brothers, I need to put my attention somewhere else than the handsome guy in front of me with drawn lips and a mean face.

"Are your children?" Asks the man, making me laugh.

"No! They're my brothers." I answer with a frown. Where have you seen it? Me, mother of two six-year-old grown men.

"Mili! Come get us!" They both yell and then I spot the blond heads behind some bushes.

"Excuse me... I have to go." I speak stroking Crowley's head, when I look up, I meet that man's brown eyes, they contain a strange glow, which makes my heart race.

"Please, could you let me know where I can find Mr. Antonelli?" I blink several times at the question and suddenly a chill runs down my spine.

"Emilio Antonelli?" I inquire.

"Yes." He responds promptly.

"It's my dad, do you work with him?" Please, I hope from the bottom of my heart that Crowley has not spoiled my father's business. But when I look at the man there's a surprised expression on his handsome, masculine face.

"Yes, but I'll talk to him some other time. Thanks, honey." He says and gives a half smile, what a damn smile.

I shake my head slowly and turn towards my house, I have to be careful not to trip, considering my legs are weak from the impact I had when looking into this stranger's eyes. I continue my way back to the house, I really want to look back and make sure he's still there, watching me, but I don't.

Panting and tense I enter the gate of the house that I even forget the scolding that I would give my brothers, I don't understand why I am so upset, or why I am wanting to see him again in my life. The image of the stranger's tanned face flashes in my mind, I feel the same impact again, that those dark eyes and that strong body caused in me.

But so what? I'll never see him again, and besides, a man like that just wants women for sex, to have fun for one night and then get out. I always had within me the conviction that if one day I give myself to someone, I want it to be for love, I don't just want to be used as an object and then feel empty and lonely.

But I'm human and female, I have to admit that man was breathtaking. Of course not my type, he seems too arrogant and too full of himself. Alright, enough thinking nonsense! I feel my cell phone vibrate in my pants pocket, it's a message, I open it and read: "Today, we're having a surprise party for Rocco and Jessica, you're invited to attend! :)" Malvina.