Beneath the Covers (Kimani Romance)

by Girard, Dara

  Claudia caught her breath when the back of his fingers brushed across her breast, making her nipples hard. Her immediate response surprised her. He’d touched her many times before, but tonight her body was responding to him as if it was the first time.

  He heightened her senses to the feel of the satin sheets at her back, his scent, the sight of the damask walls, the sound of his breath against her ear. When he entered her, it was in the same deliberate way he’d removed her clothes. He stirred her senses, surging her into ecstasy. In return she made love to him, letting her body say what she was too afraid to. She let her body worship his. She gave him honor and a pledge of faithfulness, with no thought of tomorrow.

  He drifted off to sleep soon after, but Claudia stayed awake and watched him. She wanted to touch him—run her fingers along the stubble on his face; trace his full, soft lower lip—but resisted. How many women had seen him like this, looking as harmless as a little boy? Many, no doubt, but it didn’t matter. She wouldn’t think about them. She couldn’t make this more than it was. She had to leave.

  Claudia carefully removed the covers then began to slip out of bed, but Peter’s arm shot around her waist and held her down like an iron grip. His eyes remained closed, but his deep voice didn’t sound sleepy. “Stay.”

  “No.”

  He drew her to him and nuzzled her cheek. “Please.”

  “No.”

  He opened his eyes. “I could make you stay.”

  She lifted a brow. “But you won’t.”

  Peter sighed and reluctantly released her, but not before playfully swatting her on the butt. “You’re too stubborn.”

  She only laughed.

  He lay on his side, resting his head in his hand. “You don’t have to go,” he said as he watched Claudia change back into the teddy and button up her lightweight spring coat.

  “I can’t be seen leaving your room.” I don’t want to be seen as just another one of your women.

  “We don’t need to be secretive.”

  Claudia slipped her shoes on. “It’s better this way.” She bent down and kissed him. “Good night.”

  She checked the hallway again to make sure it was clear then left. As she turned the corner, she bumped into Roy.

  Claudia jumped back and grabbed her chest. “You scared me.”

  “He got to you, didn’t he?”

  “What?”

  “I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

  “Roy, I can take care of myself.”

  “I know a lot more about Warren than you do. He’s not all that he seems.”

  Claudia walked past and gave him a quick pat on the arm. “Go and get some sleep.”

  “He’s a fraud and I can prove it.”

  Claudia stopped and looked at him, intrigued. “I’m listening.”

  “I always wondered how he can be friends with all the women he’s been with, and why he’s into a lot of art like the theater and galleries.” He leaned forward. “Musicals.”

  Claudia shook her head. “Roy—”

  “Haven’t you wondered why he dresses so…” He raised a significant brow. “You know.”

  Claudia held up her hand, sensing where he was going. “Roy don’t go there. He’s definitely not gay.”

  “I overheard him on his cell phone telling some guy he loves him, and it sounded…you know…serious.”

  “It wasn’t—” Claudia stopped, not wanting to burst out laughing. She could imagine Peter’s response to the accusation, but she didn’t know if he wanted people to know about his brother. “He’s not gay.”

  Roy gave her a once-over full-body scan. She kept her coat tight and up close. “Just because he can ‘seal the deal’ doesn’t mean he only likes women,” he said.

  Claudia grabbed the lapel of Roy’s shirt. “In Peter’s case, he’s not pretending.” She gave Roy a light kiss on the cheek. “But you’re sweet to look out for me,” she said then walked away.

  Roy watched Claudia leave, his cheek burning where her lips had just been. He touched his face and sighed. Warren was a lucky SOB.

  The next day Peter noticed that Claudia was edgy. “What’s wrong?”

  “Roy saw me leaving your room last night.”

  “So what?”

  “He said he was worried about me. He’s afraid you’ll hurt me because…” She bit her lip.

  “Because what?”

  “He…he thinks you’re gay.”

  Peter blinked then threw his head back and let out a peal of laughter.

  “It’s because you like the arts, and he thinks you dress too well,” Claudia added, barely able to keep the amusement from her voice.

  Peter laughed even harder.

  Claudia started laughing, as well. She fell against him, and he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “And he overheard you telling your brother you love him, and he thought—”

  “That he was my lover?” Peter finished.

  She nodded and they shared a look then burst into fresh peals of laughter.

  “What’s the joke?” Frank asked.

  Peter waved his hand, begging to stop; Claudia wiped tears from her eyes, unable to respond.

  “Well, I hope you two can get yourselves together. We’re ready,” Frank said in a stern tone.

  Peter covered his mouth and nodded; Claudia drew in her lips and made a guttural sound indicating her acknowledgment.

  Peter managed to control his amusement, but his eyes continued to dance. He glanced up and saw Roy and waved.

  “What are you going to say to him?” Claudia asked, suddenly anxious.

  “Nothing,” Peter said then swept her into his arms and claimed her lips with a kiss that had her mind spinning. He then released her and smiled. “I think that says everything.”

  She stared at him, wide-eyed and shaken.

  “This time I’m not doing it for the camera. Now our affair is no longer a secret.” He strolled away, pushing his hands in his pockets.

  Claudia stood speechless. So did all the crew members. Then they broke out into a loud applause.

  Ashley rushed up to her. “Oh my God, that was amazing. You’ve got so much color in your face you hardly need any makeup,” she said, dusting Claudia’s face with a brush. “Somehow I knew something would happen between the two of you.” She continued to smile.

  “Hmm,” Claudia said, not knowing how to respond.

  “You two sizzle. That energy had to go somewhere. You lucky girl.”

  “Hmm,” Claudia said again, feeling her heart sink. With that one action, her affair with Peter had lost its magic and wonder, and she knew it would just be fodder for gossip and speculation.

  “Too bad it won’t last,” Ashley said bluntly. “I see this happen all the time.”

  Claudia groaned inwardly. It had been less than ten seconds and already she was getting advice she hadn’t asked for.

  “Especially on movie sets,” Ashley continued. “And in the theater. They usually never survive the real world. I mean, how can a real relationship survive after traveling to exotic locations, wearing terrific clothes and staying in a castle?” Ashley swiftly inspected Claudia, tucking a stray hair behind her ear, then nodded. “You’re all set.”

  Claudia looked at Peter. Ashley was right, of course. Their affair couldn’t last. But she hadn’t expected it to.

  When something’s too good to be true, it usually is. That’s what her mother kept saying through Claudia’s painful recovery from her accident. After weeks of no response to her letter, Claudia had begun to believe her, although she still had a faint hope that Peter would at least try to reach her. He didn’t.

  “I just knew he wouldn’t stick around,” her mother had said. “Handsome and with all that money? No wonder he didn’t come back. He just wanted a good time and that was you, for a while. His type always has someone else waiting in the wings. I’m glad I had your brother get some of your things out of his apartment. It’s time to move on, just as Peter apparently has.”

&nb
sp; “Maybe I should have told him about—”

  Her mother firmly shook her head. “No, you did the right thing.” She grabbed a tissue and tenderly brushed away Claudia’s tears. “You didn’t want him to marry you out of pity. You’re young and you have so much ahead of you. This is a good lesson. You’ve got to depend on yourself. Don’t expect anyone to take care of you or be there for you. You’re my star. I’ll never forgive him for not replying to your letter or trying to reach you, but it’s best this way. You need to forget him. Look what love did to my life.

  “But at least your taste is better than mine. Your father comes from a long line of losers, but I was in love and thought it didn’t matter. Don’t make my mistakes. Choose reason over emotion every time, and you won’t regret a thing.”

  And Claudia hadn’t, and wouldn’t. As Ashley had said—it was the exotic locations and fascinating experiences they had that made the relationship work, but could it survive two careers or the harsh reality of deadlines, overdue bills and family? Eight years ago their relationship hadn’t gone through the fire—it had had an almost fantastical, fairy-tale quality. Then fate snatched it away.

  Chapter 18

  Italy

  It would end in Italy among the rich cultural heritage of undiscovered towns, fine baroque architecture, white sandy beaches, culinary delights and fine wine. With its typical Mediterranean climate—hot, dry summers and long days of sunshine—Italy allowed the crew to shoot some of the best scenes yet. They traveled through unforgettable landscapes blanketed with blooming flora and an assortment of trees including palms, olives, lemons and oranges.

  After resting for a day, they filmed Claudia and Peter taking a hot-air balloon ride to visit a small hilltop town with a spectacular view of southern Italy’s countryside. The streets were narrow and mazelike and whitewashed, providing excellent contrast and background imagery. That night, under a pitch-black sky punctuated with thousands of stars, the town awoke. Musicians of all ages appeared and played traditional music while some of the spirited residents shared their dances in the old ways.

  An entire day was set aside to film Claudia and Peter learning about wines made from that part of the country. As they drove, they were met with rows and rows of grapevines stretching off into the distance. Since the time of the year they’d arrived was not the time of harvest, which was August to the end of October, Peter and Claudia were graciously given a private tour by the town’s mayor, a tall, deeply tanned individual with a wonderful laugh, who in exchange for his time wanted to be featured in one of the episodes. Frank obliged. The crew was allowed to tour the best wineries and meet famous wine producers in the area and taste their best wines, all while exploring the beautiful countryside.

  Disappointment struck twice, however, when Frank discovered that their next intended episode, featuring the making of Italy’s finest olive oil, would not be possible because the olive harvest began in October and ran through February, and their filming would be completed by the end of summer. Both disappointments regarding the wine and olive oil were the direct result of Lance not attending to detail. He had relied on information pulled off a website instead of contacting the tourist board in the area. Frank knew then that he’d be letting Lance go, once they got back home. In addition to his role filming some of the scenes, and providing lighting, he’d been assigned the job of scheduling all locations, making sure everything went as planned. It was evident that he wasn’t up to the task, and Frank was thankful the mishap had happened in only one location. Again thanks to Frank’s genius, instead of filming the cohosts actually making olive oil, he decided to develop a skillfully narrated version using Peter’s recognizable voice as the voice-over, explaining to the viewers the different techniques used. As a result of the mayor’s influence, Claudia and Peter were filmed visiting and dining at some of the best and most ancient olive oil mills in Italy. Ashley had a lot to do, and she had to be creative with the wardrobe selections.

  She was relieved to have brought along an assortment of accessories, because changing what the hosts wore was vital to avoiding stagnant scenes.

  For a full dining experience, the meals had olive oil in or with everything. They particularly liked an array of tempting appetizers where olive oil was drizzled over nonpasta dishes, such as roasted peppers, marinated artichoke hearts and sliced eggplants. The day ended with an invitation to the mayor’s house, where they were able to taste the light and fruity extra-virgin olive oil produced in the northern part of the area and compare it with the stronger and spicy oil produced in the southern part. Before the filming, none of the crew, including the hosts, had any idea that olive oil could taste so vastly different, and Claudia had been unsure that it would be interesting. She couldn’t imagine why anyone would want to see olive oil being made, and she was pleasantly surprised by how fascinating the process was.

  Early the next morning, Claudia sat on the terrace of the bed-and-breakfast, knowing she didn’t want to leave. While the rooms were certainly not as opulent as those in Hawaii, Bermuda or France, they were bright and airy and furnished in the relaxing pastel colors seen all over that region. Plus, it was close to the Mediterranean Sea.

  She especially enjoyed the owners, two white-haired middle-aged sisters, Brigitta and Natalia, who were fluent in English and French as well as Italian.

  Each morning, breakfast was provided on the terrace—and the guests got to taste several of southern Italy’s famous breads, which were made in an ancient stone oven. Along with the bread were tasteful seasonal fruits: black and green figs, sweet pears and red oranges, grown by the sisters in their garden. Whenever they could, Brigitta and Natalia had breakfast, lunch and dinner with the crew and enjoyed telling them about life in the town. Claudia wasn’t sure she’d keep her figure with all the eating they kept doing, but she never had the willpower to refuse what was offered. Besides, she could always work off several pounds by spending more time with Peter.

  Natalia and Brigitta loved seeing them together. They told Claudia so one evening while she stood enjoying the setting sun under a tree where Peter had left her after a long stroll and a delicious kiss goodbye before he went to meet with Frank.

  “A woman in love is one of the prettiest things in the world,” Brigitta said.

  “You’re such a happy couple,” Natalia added.

  Claudia smiled, because she knew people liked to say that even when they didn’t mean it. All young couples appeared happy.

  “I can see you don’t believe me,” Natalia said with a knowing look. “It’s because you think too much up here.” She tapped the side of her head. “Instead of in here.” She tapped her chest.

  “I don’t mean to offend you.”

  “I take no offense. You’re young and you don’t know as much as you think yet.”

  “That Peter,” Brigitta said. “He is a good man. Sturdy, strong.” She winked. “Rich.”

  Claudia couldn’t stop a smile. “Yes, but I have money, too.”

  Brigitta waved the thought away with a quick motion of her hand. “It’s always a lot more fun to spend a man’s money. It’s even better when he spends it on you.”

  Natalia nodded. “That Peter of yours reminds me of my Giuseppe.”

  “Giuseppe?” Claudia asked, surprised. She knew the two sisters had never married. “Was he a nephew or brother?”

  “He was my heart. The man I was to marry. We were engaged and would have married right away, but I wanted to wait until the war was over. I was a practical woman and thought it was the right choice. He never came back. I’ve always regretted that.” She clasped Claudia’s hand. “Grasp a chance when it comes. You may never get another opportunity again.”

  Claudia took Natalia’s words to heart and seized every opportunity she got to be with Peter both on and off the set. But she knew that opportunity would soon end. She had made a lifetime of memories with him and knew it would be hard to say goodbye. But she had no other choice.

  She thought about their aff
air as she sat on the terrace and rehearsed how she would part with him.

  Suddenly, Frank ran out onto the terrace. “Start packing.”

  “Why?”

  “There’s a storm warning.”

  “A storm? Why didn’t they tell us earlier?”

  “Brigitta just told me. She heard the warning on her shortwave radio. They are evacuating the entire area.”

  With so much going on with the project no one on the crew had bothered to turn on the radio, since most of the stations were in Italian and they hadn’t seen a need to listen to English stations such as the BBC or the Voice of America.

  Sirens pierced the air.

  Brigitta came to the doorway. “It’s going to be bad, very bad. Whenever you hear the sirens, you know it’s going to bad. With Natalia’s help, I was able to get all of your plane tickets changed.” She handed them to Frank.

  “Oh, here comes Natalia.” The older woman’s face reflected the sobering news.

  “It’s bad, bad. They are warning of pounding rain and extreme flooding. They are evacuating everyone. The last time we experienced a storm like this, the entire town was under water for over a week and twenty people lost their lives, including a family of four. You need to go right now, if you don’t want to get stuck here before the airport closes.”

  The siren continued to wail.

  “Where’s Peter?” Claudia asked.

  “He’s with Roy and Lance getting extra footage for filler scenes. We’re going to need them. It looks like we’ll be losing a week out of the schedule because of this.”

  “But—”

  “Don’t worry. I sent a message to them. Ashley will be traveling with you. Come on. We don’t have much time. You two will fly out on the first plane. The rescue team is sending a helicopter for Peter, Roy and Lance. They will fly out on the next flight right behind Eugene and myself.

  Claudia stood, wanting to scream while looking up at the clear sky, not believing that it would soon transform into gray storm clouds. Once again, fate would separate her from Peter without a formal goodbye.