"Give me those keys. I missed riding this old lady," he says and I do just that, throwing him the key while I open the back door so he can put his bag in.

I walk around the car toward the passenger's seat and before I grab the handle of the door Enzo runs ahead of me and opens it gallantly.

"Why, thank you," I tell him naughtily in a Texan accent.

Not that I have any connection with the south but the way he courteously has opened the door for me has made it a perfect fit for Scarlett and Rhett in their southern love story.

"Such a gentleman," I mumble, smiling and taking my seat while Enzo unexpectedly bends to squeeze himself into the car and over my chest to fix my seatbelt.

How can someone, old enough to be my father, be so drop-dead sexy, sucking me into a whirlpool of sensations while stabs of arousal cross me with every breath I take?

I inhale deeply when my nostrils are invaded by his scent and I close my eyes sniffing long and deep into my lungs, unbelievably enjoying the closeness of his body to mine.

Well, uncle Enzo proves to be the surprise of my life. He doesn't look changed and still, he's a different Enzo than the one I remember. Or maybe it's just me that has changed and looked at him differently.

"Now, tesoro, ready for the ride?" he asks, smiling broadly at me, with a meaning that has ravished my insides while my eyes are glued to him. (Sweetheart).

Waiting for no reply and living me lost in this intoxicating vibe, he runs around the car after closing my door, takes his seat at the steering wheel, and opens the top of my dad's convertible coupe.

I stare at him in awe and I'm pretty sure he can read my dumb thoughts all over my face while I'm wondering which ride he means because right now I feel like riding him, right here and now.

And if I'm that smart as my dad says, I bet I've seen the same desire in his shining orbs, glaring at me while my cores become a mess of sensations.

"Readier than ever," I reply, smiling him back while he turns on the engine, pressing the gas paddle all the way to the floor and taking off in the screech of the wheels.

Our drive has been silent in the beginning, most probably both of us being deeply sunk in our thoughts, contemplating our intense and strange meeting of today.

We're taking turns in glancing at each other and smiles are spreading on our lips whenever our eyes meet.

Enzo looks much more composed than I am, though.

Don't judge me! Being around him in this vibrating tension is an experience unknown to me, melted in his stares, unable to form a coherent thought, but bright enough to understand that I have the same effect on him as he has on me.

"Are you comfortable?" he asks, grabbing my left hand that is resting on my thigh, giving it a soft squeeze as he's increasing the speed. "You used to like it back in Italy."

"Back in Italy, I was a child. And I was still unaware of what danger meant. Now, thinking about it, you were not a very reliable uncle, were you?" I reply giving him a million-worth smile and a light squeeze on his hand.

He laughs and shakes his head a few times with his stare still on the road and satisfaction in his playful eyes.

I let myself lose in that primary desire building up in my brain and keep staring at him freely, undisturbed by any worldly impediment.

No, he's not my uncle. And no, the world around us is neither our judge nor our punisher, but only the creator of our present moment.

A moment in which we are both absorbed, naked, stripped off of our past, of our family's past, and surrounded only by the magic of this unexpected discovery of us.

At times, his hand is squeezing mine, lightly, sensually, and it seems that none of us is willing to let go.

Now, why would I? Isn't this the warmest touch I've ever felt? Isn't this the most comfortable grip my hand has ever sensed and with that the entire world's blessing? Because yeah... being around Enzo feels like a blessing.

We continue the ride in the same peaceful silence, me, enjoying the warm wind brushing my face, and Enzo, never letting go of my hand and giving it squeezes from time to time, earning for each one a frail smile that he would never miss with the corner of his eye.

"It's really good to be back in NY. I guess I missed it more than I thought," he says, breaking the silence.

"When was the last time you were here?" I ask him as his eyes are rummaging the sights around, with a damn sexy nostalgia in his look.

"Well, maybe like... fifteen years ago. You were barely four at that time," he replies.

I look back at him and his mind seems to have traveled already back in time.

I wonder how on earth such a strong relationship has been built between him and my parents with such a great distance between them. What binds them so much that for fifteen years they have been nothing less but family?

"What happened then? I always knew something happened around that time but I could never convince mom or dad to tell me about it," I say and hope that maybe I'll finally find something about that most important time of my parent's past.

And now, seeing those sparkles in Enzo's eyes, I feel that my parents are not the only ones holding tight to those times.

"That was the time when your dad and I came back from Italy after a long period. Your mom was..." he sighed "... is an amazing woman and she had been taking care of you all by herself before your dad was able to join you," Enzo completes after a few moments of silence.

"Why were you in Italy? What happened?" I insist, hoping that the mystery of that time will finally be revealed.

He presses his lips in a straight line and concentrates more on the road, delaying his reply.

"That was a long time ago. I don't know why your dad keeps hanging on to it," he finally says and I can only agree with him.

Even though I never had any idea of what happened then, we had always lived with that moment in my parent's life as a constant presence.

I have always wondered what wrong my father could have done to mom that needed a whole life of love and carrying to be forgiven.

But then again my mom has always shown reluctance to my father's struggle and used to say that for her, the four years could have easily been forty, and still would love him the same.

They can be really confusing when they want, and "they" has just included Enzo.

I frown unhappy and pout in annoyance, turning my face away and staring out on my right side.

"Not so cool of an uncle, are we?" I mumble with disappointment.

Enzo laughs loudly at my spoiled reply and raises my hand, kissing softly my knuckles.

His lips spread millions of sparkles meeting right on the back of my neck.

"You're cute, do you know that?" he says, and as if he knows exactly what his kisses are doing to me, he keeps doing it, softly, barely touching my skin.

"Yeah, but still not cute enough to be treated as a grown-up person," I say scolding him, feeling still treated like a kid, protected by everybody around from something I've thought it's my right to know.

"Well, I can treat you as a grown-up person... in my own way," he says in a husky voice, and my stare shifts to him.

I see him cockily smiling at me with one curled-up corner of his lips and I just can't wrap my head around this way of flirting.

Because he's really flirting. He is, isn't he?

"And what does your own way mean, uncle Enzo?" I say, pitching the word uncle.

He turns his eyes to me, looking at me with those black orbs and I hold high his stare, doing my best not to show the overwhelmedness that is actually pressing my chest. 

"That attitude over there might get you in trouble, young lady," he speaks in a tone that makes me skip a heartbeat, and before I have the chance to lash back at him we cross the gates of my parents' mansion and Enzo stops the car at the front door, honking three times to announce our arrival.

That brings mom and dad out instantly, rushing their steps to us, all giggling and smiling.

"Enzo, my man!" dad says and they hug strongly, tapping their backs while mom stands behind dad, waiting her turn.

"Good to finally see you, brother," my dad continues and steps aside, giving space to mom.

Enzo grabs her in a stronghold, spinning her around two full times while she giggles.

"Put me down, Enzo!" she shouts at him, laughing loudly. I walk closer to them and dad pulls me in a hug.

"God, you both look great," Enzo says, sliding mom down while dad wraps his other arm around her shoulders, holding us both, definitely showing who mom and I belong to.

I look at him strangely and he winks, ignoring my questionable stare. 'Okay dad, that was weird' I say to myself, knowing him so well.

"I see you still like my coupe," dad speaks and walks to pick up Enzo's bag.

"Nostalgic much?" mom mocks.

"I've always liked that car," Enzo replies.

"Come. Let's get inside. Dinner will be ready soon," dad informs us and we walk in together, dad carrying uncle Enzo's trolley and holding mom with his right hand and mom with her own right arm curled around Enzo's waist.

And me, following them like a puppy, not fitting at all in their trio.

"I hope you had a good flight. We have a guest room ready for you and you can freshen up before dinner. We'll be waiting for you down in the dining," mom says and Enzo plants a kiss on her forehead while I walk in, dropping my bag and shoes at the foot of the stairs.

"It was tiring but couldn't wait to get here. I really missed you, guys," Enzo replies before he follows dad, and mom gives him an angelic look that speaks more than she has wished while hugging him one more time.

"Hey, you really shouldn't have. I already have a hotel reservation in the city and I'll move to a penthouse in one week only," Enzo says.

"Not for discussion, Enzo. You'll stay here, with us," mom refuses stubbornly and leans against his chest one more time, hugging him with one arm. "What you do after that one week it's none of my business."

From the middle of the living room, I'm glancing at Enzo, hanging there for a few good moments, ignoring my mom's hug as his eyes land on me, making me blush and look sideways.

There is definitely more meaning than he can control in that stare, and I suddenly feel anxious to know more about that intensity he has in his eyes.

Feeling hazy, I smile slightly and stroll to the stairs where my father is waiting.

"I'm going to freshen up a bit as well," I tell dad and he hugs me.

"Are you alright, pumpkin?" he whispers and I nod, trying to look normal, but everything is anything but normal.

A kind of special vibe is floating around us together with Enzo's arrival, giving me a feeling that there is a huge history involving the three of them, mom, dad, and Enzo.

Besides the very obvious happiness they all three show for meeting again after so many years, there is also tension around, and I'm sure of that because dad has felt the need to show his possessiveness, highlighting who is the alpha in the room and keeping mom and me always in his eyesight, always close, either hugging or gently kissing.

'Well, this seems to be the beginning of a very special friendship', I say to myself and walk slowly up the stairs, leaving the three of them behind and hoping that the rising tension will fade away eventually before we seat all for dinner.

Once in my room, I crash on the bed on my back with a sigh and pin my stare at the ceiling.

Uncle Enzo's scent, deeply soaked into the fabric of my clothes, is still lingering in my nostrils and I close my eyes, enjoying the mesmerizing smell of musk and mint.

I suddenly miss Enzo's arms curled around me and his eyes admiring me in intense stares just like he has done in the airport when we locked our eyes the first time.

I'm afraid there is an addiction building up and that can only bring me trouble, I know it. But I don't seem to be afraid, rather anxious about what it's to come next.

Because judging by his acts, closeness, and his deep glares into my fixed eyes, there is definitely something coming next, whether I like it or not, whether I want it or not.

I have a feeling Uncle Enzo is someone I want to know better, someone I want more of, a man I want to discover soon and fully.

*****
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