Seduced by the Italian Billionaire by C J Howard

Author:C J Howard [C J Howard]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Literature & Fiction, United States, African American, Romance, Hispanic, Multicultural, Hispanic American
Amazon: B00K0Q7CBE
Published: 2014-04-28T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter6

Benito came rushing over to my apartment, trying to tease out what was wrong over the phone, but I just couldn't get the words out, no matter how hard I tried. And even when he wrapped me in his arms before sitting me down on the couch, I still couldn't, afraid he'd think my anxieties were silly.

He took my hands, kissed each of them, and looked into my eyes. "What's wrong? Why do you want to cancel? You can tell me anything."

"I just don't want to say what it is. You might think I'm being paranoid or silly."

"Any concern you have about this family dinner, I promise I won't think you paranoid or silly. I'll take whatever you're worried about very seriously. So tell me."

"I just can't."

Avoiding his eyes, I stared at the tan-and-brown fabric of the couch.

"Felicia, tell me."

I didn't answer.

Benito removed one of his hands from mine and gently lifted my chin to make me meet his gaze. "There should be no secrets between us, remember? Nothing hidden from each other."

I realized instantly he was right, and that I myself had said that just days earlier.

I sighed. "All right. I'll just come right out and say it, then. What if your parents don't think I'm attractive enough to be with you? What if they're surprised that I'm not like...a supermodel? What if they don't think I'm worthy of you?"

Benito sighed. "Now, that all is a little silly."

"Is it, though?"

"Being that you're the most gorgeous girl I've ever met, it is."

"But I don't mean the way you see me; I mean the way the world sees me. I'm not supermodel and I know it. And I don't want your parents to be disappointed."

"My parents will think you're just as gorgeous as I do. You have beauty that radiates from you, and someone would have to be blind not to see it. But your looks won't even matter to my parents. They only want to get to know who you are on the inside."

"Well, okay. Then, here's the other thing, more of a cultural thing maybe. You're white -- I'm black. What if your parents have a problem with this?"

Benito shook his head. "I can understand why you'd be worried about something like that, but they won't. My father is the most open, accepting man on the planet. He doesn't have a prejudiced bone in his body. He will be glad to see me happy, no matter what the skin tone of the girl I am with. You could be purple, green, or blue and he wouldn't care."

I expected Benito to continue and say something similar about his mother. But he didn't.

"And your mom?"

His gaze traveled to a point just above my head before returning to my face.

"Well, my mother; she is...."

I studied Benito's face, waiting for him to finish the sentence, but he seemed to be struggling to find the right word.

"Racist?"

"No, no. Not exactly."

I pulled my hand from Benito's and sprang up from the couch. "Not 'exactly'? Oh, that's it.

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