The House by the Cypress Trees

by Elena Mikalsen

  “Same,” she said, falling next to him and stroking his face.

  Daniel struggled to get up but made it to the bathroom. His face looked rugged in the mirror. He needed a shave and a shower. But it could all wait. Julia was naked in the bed, waiting for him, and nothing would delay him returning.

  He jumped under the covers next to her.

  “Sorry for waking you up.” She smiled.

  “You can wake me any time, if you do it like that. In fact, I will request you do it every morning.”

  A shadow of anxiety crossed her face. Why did he say that? She was going home soon. Their love affair was short-lived; he knew that. He had to stop talking of the future. But he didn’t want to. Not with Julia.

  He stroked her breast, to stop himself from thinking. She moaned and closed her eyes. “Not satisfied enough yet?” he asked, smiling. She had spectacular breasts. He was happy to possess them for the moment.

  “Oh, I’m very satisfied,” she said. “Are you?”

  “Incredibly satisfied. But I can’t wait to be satisfied again,” he said and nibbled on her stomach.

  “Surely you can’t go again?” She raised her brows.

  “Not just yet, but give me time.”

  “Don’t you want to sleep?”

  “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.”

  She laughed, a happy throaty laugh. “Thank you for my tour of Firenze.”

  “We must go again. You didn’t see the Duomo in the evening lights.”

  Julia’s eyes brightened at “again.” She nodded. His chest felt warmer. Julia said nothing about leaving now. She must be planning to stay. With him. His entire body filled with happiness, and he rolled on top of her, supporting himself on his arms.

  “Julia,” he started. He felt her heart beat wildly; he saw her chest rising up and down at a rapid rhythm.

  Daniel was dying to tell her how much she meant to him. He wanted to tell her that he didn’t want her to go. Julia’s eyes begged for it. But as he opened his mouth, all that came out was, “I want to ravish your body all day.”

  What a blithering idiot.

  Julia blushed, but then turned away from him. He knew that was not what she wanted to hear. He rolled back onto the pillow and cradled her head again. She let him. She wasn’t angry. That was good. But he had to do better. He had a perfect woman like Julia in his arms, and he couldn’t say a few important words to her. It was so simple for other men to say they loved a woman. Why couldn’t he do it?

  He lay quietly gathering his courage but soon heard her breathing rhythmically. She was asleep. It was too late, for now. He held her and stayed awake until the morning sunlight filled the room. There was no way he could return to sleep. His mind was racing. There was Julia, his niece, and a meeting in Rome he’d almost forgotten about.

  He tried to make as little noise as possible when he got ready in the morning. The hot water felt good. Daniel was surprised he wasn’t more tired. He supposed all the sex and adrenaline helped fuel him. After getting cleaned up, he felt immensely better.

  He sat on Julia’s bed and gave her a few gentle kisses. She opened her eyes, confused, sleepy.

  “What are you doing up?”

  “I needed to wash up.”

  “Why didn’t you wake me?” she asked, lifting on her elbow. “I would’ve joined you.”

  The thought of her naked in the hot water with him, soapy suds sliding off her body, aroused him again. She noticed and placed her hand on him, stroking.

  “Julia, I have no time. I have to drive to Rome this morning.” He raised his eyes to the ceiling, pained.

  “Oh.” She sat up. “Your meeting with the museum board. I forgot.”

  “It was your idea, if I remember correctly.”

  “I know. I’m very sorry now,” she said, the duvet slipping from her grasp, exposing her gorgeous naked body.

  “Oh, to hell with it. The Italians are always late to meetings,” he said and leaned over to kiss her breasts.

  Julia grabbed his head, ruffling his hair and pressing him hard against her. She moaned as he slipped his fingers between her legs, pressing, stroking, entering. She was wet, ready.

  “You don’t have to be slow,” she whispered in his ear, already undoing his trousers. “Just take me.”

  All his control was gone then. He slipped on a condom and flipped her over, one hand on her sensitive parts still, massaging, stroking just the way he knew now she liked. She buried her head in the pillow, moaning loudly.

  “Be quiet, Julia, everyone’s up now,” he warned, but nearly shouted as he eased into her, the feeling familiar now and almost bringing him to the finish in seconds.

  Daniel felt like a teenager, wanting to hurry, not able to slow down, wanting her to orgasm right away. He thought of the meeting and tried to breathe slowly, pulling in and out of her at a slow steady rhythm. She pressed her bottom against him, moved her hips in circles, moaned, and he was lost. He grabbed her hips and went faster until he felt himself explode inside her. He stayed in and touched her swollen nub until he heard her scream his name into a pillow as her legs shook and she collapsed on the bed, pulling him beside her.

  “What are you doing to me?” he asked, rubbing her arms and spooning her.

  “You? I feel like I’ve died and gone to heaven,” she said.

  He laughed. “I haven’t performed my best yet. I’ve been so hungry for you, I’ve had no patience. I apologize. Five-minute sex is not what I’m going for.”

  She turned to look at him, her eyes wide. “I can’t handle any more sex with you. I will die.”

  “We must find out,” he said, kissing her on her nose. “I’m sorry, but I have to go. You have a fun day here today. All right? I’ll be back this evening.”

  “Don’t worry about me. I’ll find something to do.”

  “I need to warn you—my mum is coming in today. She is not the nicest woman. Stay away from her,” Daniel said.

  “I can handle myself, don’t worry.”

  “She is…” Daniel began, then decided against it. There was no easy way to describe his mother. Best to let the rest of his family help Julia.

  He got dressed quickly and kissed her one more time. “Later,” he said and walked out.

  He’d think of nothing but Julia all day as he did his presentation in Rome. A familiar feeling now. He would likely blow this meeting again. Maybe a three-hour drive would clear his head.

  He was approaching the family hallway when he heard a familiar voice and shuddered.

  “You weren’t in your room, Daniel Arthur.”

  Mother. Bloody awful timing, as always.

  Chapter 25

  Julia stretched in the bed. The room filled with sunshine even this early in the morning. She felt Daniel’s absence already. The day would be boring, so meaningless without his jokes, his Shakespeare quotes, his smiles, his hands on her body. She was empty, sad, bereft. She had to see him one more time before he left. Just steal one more kiss. Get one more reassuring touch. Did she really mean something to him, or was it all just in her imagination?

  She threw on a sundress and ran downstairs to his room. She had taken only a few steps toward the main hallway when she heard shouting. Daniel shouting, that was new. She slowed and backed herself into the wall. Why was he still here, and who was he shouting at? A woman’s voice responded to him. A strong British accent. Of course. His mother arrived today.

  Daniel and his mother fighting. Her heart pounded. She should return to her room and leave them in privacy. This was none of her business. But her legs refused to move. And her ears suddenly developed a superior sense of hearing.

  “It’s so like you, Daniel.”

  “What is like me?”

  “To get involved in a relationship that cannot progress. This girl is an American. She will soon return home. There’s absolutely no chance of a healthy relationship or any future there. And this is who you choose to have feelings for?”

  “I didn’t choose to ha
ve feelings for her, Mother. I chose to give her a ride. She had a dog, and I tried to be helpful.”

  “She could have sought help elsewhere. There’s a train from Rome to Firenze, for heaven’s sake.”

  Julia rolled her body on the wall and pressed her forehead against the stones. Maybe it wasn’t real. Maybe it would go away. Maybe she misheard.

  “I offered her a ride because of the dog. Mia was sick, and I thought a dog would cheer her up.”

  “So you weren’t interested in her, only in her dog? That’s cold, even for you, my dear.”

  Julia heard water being poured into glasses and a chair being pushed. She moved from the door and walked away, Daniel’s words chasing after her.

  “I was only thinking of Mia at the time.”

  So that was what this had all been about. His niece. Lizzy. Daniel never wanted her. He offered her a ride because he planned to take away her dog. He asked her to stay at his estate so his niece would get Lizzy. That’s why she had felt so uncomfortable in the beginning. All those alarm bells weren’t for nothing. She should’ve listened to Dad. He was right, as always.

  If Daniel had only asked, she would have gladly given Lizzy to the sick little girl. But Daniel never asked. He preferred to lie to her. Pretended to care about her so he could take her dog. Well, he was a man—why not get laid in the process? An extra benefit as he fooled her, made a joke of her, took advantage of a stupid American tourist.

  What an idiot she had been to believe someone like Daniel could fall for her! That she would ever belong in a place like this. A plain teacher. He was an A-cup kind of guy, and she was a curvy Texan who’d never been anywhere, had a family she’d never met, and rescued little mutts in foreign countries.

  It was time for this fantasy to be over. Julia took a quick shower and got dressed, hurriedly packing all her belongings. She didn’t bother folding. She needed to get out before she burst into sobs. Her fingers found the painting as she shoved the items into the suitcase.

  Julia closed the suitcase and dragged her belongings out of the room and down the stairs. She looked carefully around the main hall. The last thing she wanted was to run into Daniel’s mother. There was no sight of her. She looked for Francesca, always in the kitchen.

  “How are you this morning?” Francesca asked.

  “I’m leaving.”

  “Where are you going? Daniel said he is in Rome today. I hope we make more baking? We make pizza and you teach me tortillas?”

  Julia’s heart sank. This was the end of the happy fantasy she had been living in. “I can’t. I’m sorry. I have to go.”

  “What’s wrong? Sit.” Francesca gave her a chair.

  “It’s nothing. I’m fine.” Julia’s throat tightened.

  “I see when a heart is broken, Julia. I also broke my heart when I was a young girl.”

  “My heart is not broken,” Julia protested. But her heart protested the lie, and tears burned her cheeks.

  “Oh, no, no, cara mia.” Francesca hugged her. “You tell Francesca. What did Daniel do?”

  At the mention of his name, Julia sobbed harder. “I heard him talking to his mother. He said he only wanted me here because of the dog.”

  “Il cane? No.”

  “Yes. She asked why I was here, and he said because of the dog for Mia.”

  Francesca handed Julia a towel to wipe her tears.“Dio Santo.”

  “He is a bastard. You got any good curse words you can teach me in Italian?”

  “You love him, yes?”

  “Yes.”

  “I will kill him when he come back from Rome.” Francesca shook her fist.

  “No, don’t. You can’t make someone love you. I’m just gonna go, all right? I need your help, though.” Julia stood up and took the painting out of her bag.

  “What help?”

  “I came to Italy because I received a gift of a painting. This one.” She handed the painting to the kind woman. “I know it’s Lake Garda, in the town of Malcesine, but how do I get there from here?”

  “Si, si.” Francesca regarded the painting, rubbing her chin. She pointed to the mountain behind the house. “Monte Baldo. Lake Garda.”

  “How far away is it? Can I take a train or a bus?”

  “You have to take two or even three trains. Too much time. I ask Vittorio to take you.”

  “Oh, I don’t want to impose.”

  “It’s no trouble. He drive you there. You pay him a little money, he buy his wife Fiorina a gift on the way back, okay?”

  “Thank you so much.” Julia hugged Francesca. She smelled of plums and fresh dough, and Julia knew she’d miss her forever.

  “Wait here and have focaccia. I will go find Vittorio.”

  Julia waited and snacked on Francesca’s food, trying not to cry. She texted Dad.

  —Going to Lake Garda, Malcesine. Wish me luck—

  —So no more dog and British guy—

  Julia closed her eyes in pain.

  —All done with—

  —Good. Go find Giulia. Give her my love—

  Julia put away her phone and placed her head in her hands. Lizzy. The poor dog she loved so much. There wasn’t even a way to say goodbye to her. The puppy was still at the hospital with Mia. Julia would have to leave without seeing the cute little face ever again.

  The house in the clouds had shattered her heart into a million pieces. How long would it take for her to put it back together? She stood up. Perhaps it was best she didn’t see Lizzy. Daniel got what he wanted. The dog was his niece’s now. Julia would leave quietly and try to forget this place, the dog, and the mistake she had made.

  It wasn’t long before her ride arrived, but, as the car left the estate, Julia trying not to look at what she was leaving behind, someone honked at them.

  “Gian,” Vittorio announced.

  Julia sank in her seat. She hoped to rip this bandage clean off, but it wasn’t so easy with this family.

  “Julia, where are you going?” Gian asked. He was the only human in the car, but the face of a little white puppy with brown spots popped up in the window, panting.

  “Oh, Lizzy.” Of course the dog had to add to the heartbreak. Julia teared up. “I’m leaving, Gian. I have to go find my mother.”

  “Amanda and I want to have a special celebration for you. To thank you for saving our daughter. You can’t leave,” Gian said, getting out of the car and coming closer, the puppy following him on her chubby little unsteady legs. “We open our best wine. You stay, okay?”

  Julia sat tighter in her seat, looking away. “I can’t. I’m sorry. It’s wonderful that Mia is all better, but it’s time for me to leave. I’ve overstayed my welcome. Daniel is gone to Rome, and I want to leave before he is back. You must forgive me. I don’t want to be rude. I just have to go.”

  “I don’t understand.” Gian looked confused. “Something happened? You don’t like it here?”

  “Oh, I love it here. You’ve all been so kind. It’s just time for me to go.”

  “Daniel.” Gian nodded with understanding. “It must be Daniel. Idiota. He never grows up. I’m sorry. He is a very good man, but sometimes he is not a man but more like a young boy and still doesn’t know what he wants.”

  Julia realized she was seconds away from crying. “Vittorio, can we please go? I can’t…” She covered her face with her hands. “I’m sorry, Gian.”

  “I tell Amanda. I’m sorry you are leaving,” Gian called after them as the car drove away.

  “Thank you,” Julia said to her driver.

  It was time to forget Daniel and his family.

  Chapter 26

  Meeting his mother under ordinary circumstances was no pleasure, but on the day he was rushed and his thoughts were occupied with Julia it was sure to be utterly painful. Daniel approached her with caution and gave her the required hug and kiss. She smelled of London, of mold and mud and stale old buildings. He had already forgotten that smell, here in Tuscany, where everything smelled of grass and wine
and fruit.

  “Mum, I do apologize, but I’m off to Rome for the day. Final meetings with the museum board.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “You reek like cheap American perfume, Daniel.”

  “What?” He supposed that was better than her saying he reeked of sex.

  “I’ve heard all about your companion. How long is this girl going to remain here?”

  His anger bubbled. “As long as I can convince her to stay. She had other holiday plans, but I hope she changes them.”

  “She is not right for you.” Mother touched his shoulder.

  Daniel pulled away. “I don’t recall asking for your opinion. And you haven’t even met her.”

  “Daniel, I didn’t raise you to be rude. I spoke with Louisa. I know enough. I also see you emerging from her room early in the morning.” She pointed at his wrinkled clothing, with her manicured fingernail.

  “You didn’t raise me to be a snob, either. I like Julia, and I dare to believe she likes me too. I enjoy her company. It’s not up to you to judge whether she is right for me.”

  “It’s so like you, Daniel.” She sat down on the sofa and shook her head.

  “What is like me?”

  “To get involved in a relationship that cannot progress. This girl is an American. She will return home shortly. There’s absolutely no chance of a healthy relationship or any future there. And this is who you choose to have feelings for?”

  “I didn’t choose to have feelings for her, Mother. I chose to give her a ride. She had a dog, and I tried to be helpful.”

  “She could have sought help elsewhere. There’s a train from Rome to Firenze, for heaven’s sake.”

  Daniel’s blood thrummed in his ears. He wanted this conversation over with and quickly. What should he say to get her off his back? “I offered her a ride because of the dog. Mia was sick, and I thought a dog would cheer her up.”

  “So you weren’t interested in her, only in her dog? That’s cold, even for you, my dear.”

  Daniel poured himself a glass of water. His mother got up from the sofa and did the same.

  “I was only thinking of Mia at the time,” he said, pulling up a chair. This was going to take time, and he’d be late for his meeting.