by Pepper Pace
Hadn’t he been through this before? Maybe not with a guest but with shipmates where they got hot and heavy for a few months before they returned to their real lives where they moved on with their true loves or found someone else who wasn’t out of sight.
He thought he had long ago squashed that annoying urge to fall in love with every woman that he felt a connection with. It was never real—or it was real only during a brief fling. He understood that he craved from Sidney something more than sex. But what he wanted was impossible and he needed to stop torturing himself.
He was being an idiot.
He was a professional and he needed to act like one. Never once had he ever slept with a guest even when it was a supermodel that sauntered around in the nude trying to entice him, or a middle aged wife that slipped euros into his pocket when their husbands were out of the room, because those women were just reminders that to them he was just a brief distraction. That was too close to his reality—love for the women that he’d fallen for treated him as nothing more than just a brief distraction from their real life.
Yes, he knew that Sidney wanted him to join her on her excursions and he wanted to as well. He should have been the one taking her on a tour of Rome or taking her picture as she pretended to hold up the tower of Pisa. He didn’t care if he only got four hours of sleep a night. He wanted to be with her when she experienced these new places and he wanted to be the one to show them to her.
But unless he got lost in her, he had to keep some distance between them because God help him, he could not stay out of her bed.
Rome Italy was indeed just as busy and hot as she had expected, but it was also absolutely beautiful. Remembering Gio’s words from the day before she appreciated the sites and history much more.
This time her tour group included trophy wife, husband and son, as well as the Indian couple from the VIP lounge. This one was not a walking tour and she figured that the day before the others had probably been smart enough to book a bus tour like this one.
As she listened to the tour guide with his cultured Italian accent, she realized just how much she had grown to love the Italian accent. The guides gave them time to explore the Coliseum where gladiator fights had been held and explained that it was in ruins due to the constant intentional floodings. More impressive to Sidney was visiting the site of the Circus Maximus, which was where the chariot races were held. Unlike the Coliseum that could seat 50,000 people, the Circus Maximus could seat 250,000.
They left the bus in order to visit Trevi Fountain and once again she was surprised that it was nestled in a relatively small alcove surrounded too closely by shops and restaurants, and of course teaming with tourists. Someone asked one of the male tour guides about the legend of throwing coins into the fountain. One coin meant that you would return to Italy, two coins meant that you would fall in love with a Roman and three coins meant that you would marry one. But instead of telling the sweet story he just laughed mockingly and said that the more coins you throw into the fountain, the more coins the municipality would collect.
Gio would have definitely made it into an interesting tale. She threw three coins into the fountain.
The next stop was Vatican City where they were able to have lunch before the Vatican tour.
Sidney went off by herself to take pictures and to window shop, and as she strolled down the old streets she realized that she was definitely becoming more comfortable doing this alone. Even if shop owners didn’t speak English they were used to English speaking customers and with a few gestures she made them understand that she was just window-shopping.
The people she travelled with were nice and just as enthusiastic as she was. She had thought that the loneliest thing in the world would be a person taking a cruise all on her own. But that had not been her experience. Gio had happened—but even without Gio she was becoming comfortable being in her own company.
After another pizza and a glass of wine, Sidney met back up with the group by their bus in order to take the Vatican tour. She saw a homeless woman, the only one that she’d seen since being in Rome. She was dressed in simple robes but they covered her from head to toe, which meant that she must be sweltering in this heat. She was kneeling on her knees with her forehead pressed to the ground. Her outstretched hand clutched a small woven cup to collect offerings.
It was the most sorrowful thing that she’d seen since being in Europe. Where were all the homeless? Even in Cincinnati they had a number of street people, but Sidney had never seen an old woman laid out in such a position of submission as she silently asked for an offering.
Several members of the tour looked on sadly but turned away murmuring about how unfortunate it was for such an old lady to be out in this heat and covered from head to toe begging. Where was her family? Why had they allowed her to live like this?
Sidney dug into her fanny pack for several euros. She wasn’t sure of the protocol but she wouldn’t stand out in this heat waiting for the tour to commence while this poor lady lay with her forehead on the hot ground. She dropped the coins into the cup and the woman raised her head and nodded repeatedly in gratitude.
Afterwards several people in her tour group did the same and she wondered why people waited for others to do a good thing before they would.
As the tour commenced someone asked the question that she herself had wondered. Where were the homeless? The tour guide explained that Pope Francis opened Dono di Misericordia, which is a shelter just outside of the Vatican walls. They also open their gates to the homeless in the evenings to make sure they were fed and had a place to sleep. Suddenly, the damper that she had previously felt at the sight of the older woman lying prostate on the ground eased.
As they walked through one of the tunnels leading to the Vatican, Sidney appreciated the cool breeze and the shade that brought down the temperature drastically. And then she noticed that there were several street people resting on cardboard in the cool breezeway, but none asked for a handout.
The teenaged boy who carried his phone in hand even during the tour looked at the grouping of street people and sneered.
“They stink.”
His parents ignored him, but some others looked at him as if appalled. Sidney could already see the type of man that he would grow up to be.
By the time that the tour of the Vatican ended she had to admit to being exhausted. Despite the heat and the crowd, this time she had enjoyed the history lesson and the art. One day she would look back at all of her pictures (except for the fake Michelangelo ones since she had deleted them all) and she would relive her experiences in Europe.
She was happy to see Gio waiting for her once again as soon as the bus let them off at the dock.
He handed her a bottle of sparkling water. “Tired?”
“How did you know?” She asked while taking a long drink of the cold water.
“Experience. Let’s get you inside. How does a hot bath sound?”
“Oh, like heaven.” He covered her hand with his as they walked until soon they were walking hand in hand.
She saw trophy wife staring over at them. Sidney decided that she wasn’t going to worry about it if Gio wasn’t.
Back in her room, he ran her a hot bath and then insisted on washing her back.
“Did you get to workout?” She asked as he ran the washcloth over her neck and back.
“Yes I did and I went swimming.” He had been distracted as he thought about her.
“A swim sounds good on this hot day.”
“Yes, Italy is always hot.”
“Do you live in Italy?” She asked curious to know more about him.
“Yes, I rent a flat right outside of the the Amalfi Coast. I share it with a few friends since I’m only there less than half a year.”
“The Amalfi coast?” She said, impressed.
He dipped the washcloth into the water and lathered it again. “I live in Sorrento, actually.” This was his neck of the woods and he would love to be the one to show her the sites i
n his town. To hell with it! He only had less than a week with her and he was going to enjoy her company.
“Tomorrow you have the Pompeii excursion scheduled but if you prefer I can take you on a private tour of Amalfi. Since you are a foodie, I know a family that provides a cooking demonstration and then you get to eat the fruits of their labor.”
She gave him a pleased smile. “Cancel the Pompeii excursion. Your idea is much better.”
“It’s a long drive so we will have to leave the ship as soon as it docks.”
“Are you okay with driving for so long?”
He smirked. “As long as you sit in the front seat with me.”
“I can do that.”
He ran the washcloth over her breast and watched her dark nipple bead tightly.
“I fear that I intend to soil you after such a luscious bath…” he said.
Gio and Sidney napped until it was time for dinner but instead of the VIP lounge or the buffet they dined in the ship’s exclusive steakhouse. Gio once again held her hand as they strolled around the ship.
“I’ve been on so many excursions that I haven’t had much time to enjoy the ship.” Sidney said as they walked past the jazz club after dinner.
“I know. This ship is jammed pack with activities, which doesn’t lend to time for relaxation.”
“I don’t want to relax. This is a once in a lifetime trip and I want to do everything. It’s just that back-to-back excursions can take a lot out of you. But I refuse to rest until I return to the States.”
“Would you like to go to a crew party?”
“Crew party?” She gave him a curious look.
“Yes, below deck we have wild parties. It’s pretty fun, though.”
“Is it okay for me to attend?”
“Absolutely, as long as you’re accompanied by a member of the crew.”
She squeezed his hand. “You’re not worried about people seeing us like this?”
Gio raised her hand to his lips and kissed her fingertips. “No. There is no hard rule against you and I being together--although it can be frowned upon. I mean they don’t want your waiter trying to seduce all the ladies during dinner. However, no one knows us, right? I work exclusively in the VIP area of the ship.”
Sidney looked at the other people milling around and realized that none of them would know that Gio was her butler. It was easy for him to hang out with her above deck but if he was comfortable going below deck with her than it meant he was comfortable with her.
“Let’s do it,” she said.
Gio escorted her to the lower deck. She noted that he continued to hold her hand with no worries. The lower deck was small and with the amount of crewmembers that lived below deck it was noisy—but there was also a festive atmosphere.
As they passed people everyone happily greeted them as if they all knew Gio.
“It’s a different world down here,” he said as he guided them through twisting corridors.
“Gio! Are you going to the party, old man?” A young man asked. He had a thick accent that Sidney couldn’t pinpoint.
“On my way,” he announced while keeping it moving. Finally, she began to hear dance music.
“Do you like to dance, Sidney?”
“I love music and I love to move to it—so if you call that dancing…”
He chuckled and opened a door that led into a huge room with flashing disco lights. The music was booming with a techno beat and most everyone present was on the dance floor.
“Do you want a drink?” He asked as he led her to the bar.
Once upon a time she would have wanted a drink in order to loosen up, but she didn’t need it. She was happy and having a good time doing something totally unexpected.
“No. Let’s just dance?”
His brow quirked upward. He had changed into pants that fit so perfectly that if he gained a pound, he’d bust out of them. His thin, shirt had the sleeves pushed up to his elbows and they showcased his perfect abs and pecs.
His amber colored eyes settled on her in appreciation as she began to move to the beat of the music. He loved that Sidney was so open and accepting. She just danced with no worries, no trepidation, in a new surrounding around a ton of people that she’d never met before.
But what was he thinking? She knew him and more importantly she trusted him.
Gio began to dance, moving fluidly with the funky beat of the music. She gave him a surprised look. He looked amazing, great in bed, wonderful conversationalist and he could dance. Why in the hell was this man single?
He knew how to move in synchronicity with her. Sometimes his body would be only an inch away as they danced and other times he would hold her in his arms, their bodies flush together, only to spin away or spin her away.
They must have danced for an hour before Gio, now glowing in sweat lead them off the dance floor. Several people clapped him on the back in greeting but no one seemed to think it was odd that he was here with her—and of course they would know that she wasn’t a member of the crew.
“How do you like it down here among the crew?” He asked as they sipped on a tasty cold drink laced with fruit and some type of alcohol.
“I like it. It’s livelier than the club that we saw above deck.”
“Yes. We work hard but we party harder.” He looked over at the DJ. “I’ll be right back.” He stood and moved through the crowd.
“Hello Miss Wyatt.”
Sidney had been so busy looking at Gio’s booty in his form fitting pants that she hadn’t seen the man approach her. It was the blond butler, the one that worked with the trophy wife’s family. She felt sorry for him, especially after knowing what Gio had to do for just one person.
“Hello,” she greeted him. He took Gio’s seat and then offered his hand. She accepted it in what she thought would be a shake, but he brought it to his lips and kissed her fingers.
“I’m Nicco Montague. Are you enjoying your cruise so far?” He stared at her intently with light blue eyes.
“Yes. It’s a great cruise,” she replied. “So much to see.”
“I trust that Gio is treating you well?”
Instead of answering she just sipped her drink and watched him. He was very attractive, but there was an aloofness about him, even though he was talking to her directly.
“You know, I was supposed to be your butler but Gio and I were forced to swap.” His eyes dipped down quickly to her breasts before meeting her eyes again. She remembered the way Gio’s shirt was plastered to his body and wondered if her blouse was doing the same. She tried not to peek down as she listened to the man.
“I saw your clients,” she said. “They seem…privileged.”
He sneered before quickly wiping it away. “Par for the course. It would have been better if I had remained your butler.”
“Why didn’t you?” she asked.
“Well…I am the Head Superior Genie, so I am forced to make decisions like this all the time. Gio,” he shrugged. “He’s a good butler but he’s not equipped to work with such a large family.”
“Oh?” she asked, annoyed that he was throwing shade at Gio. She might not know butlers, but she knew that Gio went out of his way to personalize his service. “Hasn’t he been doing this job for years?”
“Yes, he has. Which is why he is still just a humble butler.”
Sidney would have been pissed if not for the fact that at that very second she heard the beat of a familiar song. It surprised her and her ears perked as she listened.
Gio suddenly appeared. He grabbed her hand without acknowledging Nicco.
“Come on! Let’s dance. The DJ is playing Nightmares on Wax. The London Boiler Room Set.”
She squealed. She’d never heard a Nightmares on Wax boiler room. She jumped up and followed him to the dance floor.
“I’ve never heard this!” She exclaimed as she and Gio really began to get down on the dance floor.
“The DJ found it.” He had to shout near her ear to be heard. Everyone that h
ad previously been resting went back to dancing at DJ Nightmares on Wax seductive beat.
Sidney forgot all about Nicco, but he continued to watch her.
Chapter Fourteen
They were in Gio’s cabin. It was late and Sidney didn’t want to go all the way back up to the penthouse. Besides, she wanted to see Gio’s personality reflected in his living space.
His cabin was surprisingly nice although just one room with a separate bathroom. And of course, there was no balcony—just a portal window. But it was spacious enough for him to have a double bed that took up one half of the room. The other half contained a partition that was separated by a curtain and it had the television set, which appeared to be able to swing around to accommodate the bedroom. There was a small sofa, cocktail table and a desk/dresser. There was also a guitar in the corner.
The first thing she realized is that he was very neat. Nothing was out of place. She couldn’t say that about her small apartment back home. She had shoes, make-up and a laundry basket filled with clean clothes cluttering her space.
On his dresser he had a few trinkets, and personal care items. There was a colorful throw on the sofa and some books on the coffee table. She moved to the guitar.
“Are you good at this?”
Gio moved past her and picked it up. He strummed for a while, and a thrill went up her body. He was better than good.
“Shall I serenade you, Beautiful Sidney?” His eyes twinkled.
She nodded enthusiastically.
He stopped playing and chuckled. “I cannot sing.” He put the guitar back on its stand.
“Oh, thank God,” she gushed.
He raised one brow and even though the other dipped he didn’t look as if he disapproved. “Why? You do not wish to hear me butcher a song?”
“No. I was beginning to think that you were too perfect to be true.”
He laughed. “I’m far from perfect Sidney.” He swept off his shirt and tossed it into the corner. His perfect chest gleamed from their sweaty escapades earlier on the dance floor. She swallowed and he paused in undoing his pants to look at her.
