by Lily Zante
“I know that gossip, rumors, despite what they are, they still hurt. And some of mine have a basis in reality because I was a player. But I’m a changed man now. I left that life behind years ago. Maybe I’ll still pay the price each time my past hits me in the face. But the last thing I want is for you to get hurt. I’ve missed you, Ava. Can we at least be friends, if nothing else?”
She had been expecting a drawn out attack, more bickering, and then a delicious round of making up. Only he had gone and apologized straightaway, taking out all the intermediate steps.
Only the last one remained.
“Okay.” She was not about to tell him that she had missed him, too, or that she was thankful for a few more weeks in Verona.
“Friends?” asked Nico, pulling her hand gently until she was forced to lean in toward him, the wooden ledge between them preventing their bodies from touching.
“Ava?” He shot her one of his smoldering, heart-melting looks, and all thoughts about discussing his past love life vanished from her mind.
She had been given more weeks with him. It made sense to make the most of them, and that meant no bickering at all.
“Friends,” she said, a little stiffly, but the stiffness melted the moment he brought his lips down to hers.
She was touched by electricity that surged through her. Any attempt at playing it cool disintegrated as soon as his tongue sought out hers. She gave in to his urgency and kissed him back with a fervor that took her by surprise.
“That looks painful,” Silvia purred.
Beside her Connor echoed, “Get a room for chrissake.”
Ava and Nico pulled apart and she found herself with Connor and Silvia on either side of her. By the time Ava had registered their presence, Gina reappeared from the side door.
“Good morning to you all!” Gina trilled. She slid her petite frame behind the reception desk and beamed at them as if it was a normal occurrence to have such a coterie gathered around the desk, none of whom were checking in or out.
“Breakfast?” asked Connor, turning to Silvia. He gave her a peck on the lips.
“Darling, after the night we’ve had, I need to eat.”
Revolted by the exaggerated display of affection, Ava recoiled in horror. But she caught Connor’s glance her way and knew he wanted to see her reaction. Probably mistaking her expression of revolt as a sign of jealousy, he gave her a self-satisfied grin.
“Shall we?” asked Nico.
“Shall we what?”
“Shall we talk?”
“No,” replied Ava. “We can talk later.” He always brought out the sensual side to her.
And there it was again. Her best intentions to remain as “friends only” had no hope in hell of happening.
Chapter 22
They lay in bed, reveling in the afterglow of their messy lovemaking.
Nico smiled. Ava had initiated this. Not him. She needed him; she had given him a second chance.
He would see to it that he never let her down again.
Lying there in the quietness of the pensione, Nico felt a warmth radiate through the entire length of his body. Ava lay snuggled up against him and she now stared up at him, her face dewy, her eyes shining.
He turned to his side, unable to keep his hands off her body. With his fingers he traced light lines across her collarbone and heard her mewl in delight, before his hands skimmed along her arms.
She inched closer to him, moaning softly. Encouraged and with mounting excitement, his fingers disappeared beneath the sheets and sought out the smooth, soft skin of her inner thighs.
“Again?” she squealed in delight, rolling her body closer. Just as he was about to dip lower and give her another one of his deep, wet kisses, he stopped suddenly and groaned.
“Dammit. I have a meeting I need to be at.” He yanked his wrist upwards and scowled at his watch.
Ava moaned in disappointment and gripped his back with her long fingers. She rolled closer against him and the soft swell of her breasts teased his chest. All at once he felt the blood coursing through his veins as heat pooled in one place.
But he really had to go.
The temptation before him was too great, but if he stayed and gave in, as every fiber of his body screamed at him to, he might have consequences to suffer later.
Desire or duty?
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, gazing at her pensively. “I hate to leave you. Believe me, there’s no other place I’d rather be.” He took a moment to gaze down at her dreamy expression. Her messed up hair cascaded around her shoulders as she stared back at him seductively with her large molten eyes.
The woman had bewitched him. It was almost impossible for him to leave the bed.
“But then again,” he murmured, seeing her full lips stretch out into a smile. He hovered closer towards her and the feel of her fingers just below his stomach sealed the deal. He moved over her, covering the full length of her body with his, before pressing his body against hers. He gave her a long, lingering kiss as a low groan fell from his lips.
Pulling away would be impossible.
Giving in was all there was.
Taking her now, being consumed by her, was all he could do.
The scheduled phone call with the manager of the Cazale Roma could wait.
***
Elsa had been transported to a world of serenity and beauty, so overwhelmed was she by the Duomo, Verona’s stunning cathedral.
Edmondo had chosen this as his first place of interest for them to visit.
He had taken his time showing her beautiful frescoes that were hundreds of years old, and the octagonal Romanesque baptismal font carved out of a single block of marble and decorated with carved biblical scenes.
He held her spellbound with stories about the twelfth century church so elaborately crafted and filled with gems. It was architecturally beautiful from the outside and filled with a myriad of things to see inside.
It had been a most wonderful way to spend the time. Ava had been so thoughtful in planning this for her.
“Your daughter seems to be a good influence on my son,” Edmondo commented, holding the door open for Elsa. They walked out of the coffee shop where they had stopped for a warm and milky latte.
“She is a good girl, my Ava,” Elsa said. “I worry about her. She has had a bad time of things lately.” They walked along the street, these two strangers who were now starting to feel at ease with one another.
“That was rather unfortunate, though I don’t know the whole story. Nico has not said much about it.” They continued walking at a reasonably slow pace. Elsa turned to look at him. She did not like the idea that news about her daughter’s woes was being broadcast everywhere. Even if it was just to Nico’s father.
“It wasn’t her fault.”
“Of course not,” Edmondo reassured her. “I see that the young man in question has chosen to follow her all the way here? Does he think there’s any hope of a reconciliation?”
Elsa snorted. “He should have saved himself the air fare. You can tell what sort of a man he is. I believe he has now set his sights on someone else, a lady I often see at the hotel. A blonde-haired woman.”
Edmondo coughed lightly. “Silvia.”
“You know her?” she asked in surprise. Edmondo kept his eyes fixed on the street ahead. He shook his head slowly. “I know her,” was all he would say on the matter.
“Tell me, Elsa. Are you ready to go back or would you like to see something else?”
She did not have to think about it too long. Edmondo was pleasant and easygoing, and it was freeing for her to have the company of someone her own age. For too long now she had felt like a third wheel. Always around to help her daughters, to be the child-minder, cook and have them all over, be there to listen to their troubles. Of course her girls were good; they doted on her and they were there for her always. But as time went on and the girls became busy with their own lives, she started feeling more like an “extra,” instead of a “part.�
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Today, she felt back in touch with life. Though she had a great social life back in Denver with her group of friends, she did not have any male friends. In fact, she had never considered the idea of meeting anyone after her husband had been taken so suddenly and so shockingly from her.
Being out with a man felt different to being out with her women friends.
She wasn’t looking for romance, and so this subtle friendship felt uncomplicated. Easy and simple.
Edmondo was kind and attentive in a different way than her women friends. She liked this new and different feeling. She liked to think that he was enjoying himself, too. If he was asking her to come and see something else, surely that implied that he was.
Who was she to refuse such an offer?
“I would love to,” she replied, her enthusiastic voice louder than she had intended.
“Good. There is another stunning church, the Basilica di San Zeno Maggiore, but I think we can do that another day.”
Another day? Elsa’s heart gave a little leap for joy. Edmondo was already thinking of other places to take her.
“We could go to Castelvecchio. I think you might like it. It is a medieval fortress, dating back to the fourteenth century and it’s also a museum of art. Would you like to see it?”
Elsa’s eyes shone. “I would. It sounds wonderful. Thank you.”
Edmondo cleared his throat before asking, a little shyly, “And then perhaps, afterwards we could stop off somewhere and have a late lunch, or an early dinner? We’ll both be hungry by then,” he added. “I’m not sure how long we’ll be.”
She looked at him with soft eyes, sensing his shyness at asking her.
Beaming a huge smile that came from deep inside, Elsa said, “That would be lovely.”
She found herself looking forward to the rest of the day very much.
Chapter 23
Tori wriggled in her high chair and pushed away the spoon of mashed up avocado and banana that Rona attempted to force into her mouth.
She was hungry, Rona knew it, but she was also overtired, and hungry mixed with overtired did not make for a good combination.
The trip to the airport had overexcited her, with the rush of people and the wonders of being in a new and unfamiliar place. It had not helped that Carlos had gotten her overexcited by messing around with her constantly. He was going to miss his little girl. Tori had cried, holding onto to his neck for dear life as he said goodbye and left to board his flight.
“Stop that!” Rona snapped. Tori slammed her hand down on a spoonful of food. Globs of slimy green gunk smudged everywhere, including on Rona’s face.
Enjoying the effect she had just caused, Tori banged her fist down again, before Rona slammed down the plastic feeding bowl and wiped the little girl’s hands clean.
Rona was not at all amused. Damn Carlos for leaving. And damn his father, too. She knew he could easily have gotten another person to help out at the restaurant.
Carlos had only been gone a couple of hours and already she was exhausted.
The easy sound of laughter drew her attention and she looked away from the bunch of tissues smeared with green, to see her mother and Nico’s father walking in, looking the perfect picture of contentment.
Rona stared at them in disbelief as she looked from Elsa’s flushed and happy face to Edmondo’s relaxed one. He looked at ease, and so did her mother.
“Mom?”
“Hi, honey.” Tori perked up and made a giggly noise as Grandma approached. Elsa headed straight over to her.
“Did Carlos get off all right?”
Carlos was the last thing on her mind. Rona sat forward and furiously scrubbed the high chair’s feeding table, needing something to do. She waved her hand, dismissing Carlos completely.
“Nice day, Mom?” She glanced at Edmondo and tried to soften her words with a smile.
“I had a wonderful day. Thanks to Mr. Cazale.” Elsa beamed at him, her face aglow.
Edmondo dismissed her remarks graciously. “It was I who had a wonderful time. It is always a great thrill to show Verona to visitors. I love to see it for the first time through their eyes.”
“We visited the Duomo and then Castelvecchio in the afternoon.”
Rona pursed her lips together tightly, trying to keep her words under control.
No doubt sensing that there was about to be some sort of family dispute, Edmondo turned to Elsa, thanked her for her lovely company, and excused himself and left.
“He even offered to drop me to the door. Such a gentleman. I can see where his son gets his manners from.” Elsa sat down across the table from Rona. “Can I take her?” she asked, squeezing Tori’s chubby little hand gently.
“I wish you had been around to take her earlier. I’m shattered. Now that Carlos is gone, this isn’t going to be much of a holiday for me, you know that, Mom?”
Elsa lifted her granddaughter out of the high chair and hugged her to her chest, planting a big kiss on her cheek, then sat down with her on her lap, completely avoiding Rona’s comments.
“Mom!” Rona all but stamped her foot petulantly. Elsa looked up calmly.
Rona met her mother’s cool gaze and was immediately at a loss for words.
“You really should visit the Duomo sometime. It’s a beautiful building.” Elsa smiled at Tori who had snuggled up against her chest. She was sleepy and curled herself up into her grandmother’s comforting body.
Rona started tapping her feet on the floor. “Shall we get something to eat? Maybe go back to that little restaurant in town?”
Elsa stifled a yawn. “We ate on the way back.”
“You did?”
“Yes, we walked so much. We were so hungry at the end and Edmondo wanted to take me to a little restaurant near the fortress.”
“You and Edmondo?” Rona crossed her arms.
“That’s right,” Elsa said calmly.
Rona’s eyes narrowed and she grew irritable the more Elsa talked. “Sure, you go ahead, Mom. You take a nap, and maybe tomorrow we’ll do some sight seeing of our own.”
“I’m not sure what my plans are for tomorrow,” Elsa said, a little hesitantly. She kissed her granddaughter and handed her back to Rona. “She looks as though she’s going to fall asleep any second now. Put her to bed, honey. It might be a good idea for you to get some rest too. You look a little tired yourself.”
Rona stared at her mother, speechless.
“Goodnight, honey,” Elsa called as she toddled off for a good night of rest.
Chapter 24
“You’re smiling again,” said Ava.
“I can’t help it.” Nico said, kissing her fingers, wrapped around his.
They were walking back from having dinner. The long, delicious afternoon of their reunion had crept toward the evening and the sky was a dark plum-colored purple by the time they left the restaurant to return home.
Nico felt so light and carefree that he would have jogged back from the restaurant, if Ava had let him. The tension that had gnarled itself into a ball around his neck and shoulders for days had all but melted away.
The effect she had on him intrigued him more each day. He hated that they had wasted over a week keeping their distance.
“I wonder where my father took your Mom,” said Nico, remembering what had brought him back to Ava this morning.
“My Mom would have loved it no matter where they went. She’s enjoying her time here. I think she already loves Verona as much as I do.”
Nico slipped his fingers out of her hand and encircled her waist with his hand, drawing her closer to him. “And what is it that you love about Verona?” he asked, kissing her quickly on the lips as she looked up at him.
“The buildings, the food, the Duomo.”
“Is that all?”
“The pasta, the wine, the seafood, the restaurants.”
“Anything else?”
“The hotels, the service, the culture.”
“Nothing else?”
A
va cocked her head to the side, pretending to think, then opened her mouth to make an announcement and closed her lips tight, just as quickly. “No, nothing else.” She forced away the smirk that had started to settle on her lips.
“Nothing else. I see,” Nico said. He nodded his head slowly, playing along.
They reached her door and Ava turned the key and walked in, expecting Nico to follow. When he didn’t, she gave him a quizzical look.
“Aren’t you coming in?” she asked, cocking her head and raising a beautifully plucked eyebrow.
His hesitation seemed to get the better of her curiosity.
“Nico?”
“I’ve got an early morning meeting tomorrow.” He hesitated. “I really should go.” He found himself caught up between his feelings of strong desire for her and logical reasoning that instructed him to deal with business matters that needed his attention.
He had already overridden his logical mind’s reasoning once today.
Ava looked disappointed. “Are you sure? We don’t have to—”
“I know.” He leaned in and kissed her lightly on the lips, as if the very touch of her would be enough to ensnare him again.
“We could talk, have a cup of coffee.” She smiled at him provocatively.
He looked down at his shoes; otherwise she would entice him in. He knew he couldn’t resist her. Not with those eyes and those lips. He closed his eyes tightly and summoned up the willpower to move away. He took a step back.
Now that things were good between them again, his mind was freer and the possibilities he saw for his future presented themselves easily. He knew he still needed to visit the Cazale hotels, bring each one up to his standard so that they matched the Casa Adriana in terms of excellence and customer experience. Ava had been here the entire month, and now that he admitted it to himself, he had held off carrying out this task because he didn’t want to be away from her.
Throughout dinner he had been formulating a plan. Now that fate had allowed her a few more weeks here, it seemed perfect.
