A Gentleman's Kiss Romance Collection

by Ginny Aiken

  “Oh, Jack. Well, go home and take something and get in bed.”

  Tristan, Tyrone, and Rissa were looking at him now. “Do you need to leave with them?”

  “No. I drove,” she said.

  “Could we … talk in private?”

  “Sure,” she said.

  The others said their good-byes, and Eva left her violin with an attendant.

  Jack led her out into the fan-shaped garden of Italian-clipped topiary, water displays, and French parterres. A beautiful setting for having one’s heart broken. Perhaps he could stick his head in a water fountain and drown.

  “Orange juice and aspirin and rest won’t help what ails me,” Jack said. “I don’t have the flu. I just … feel like it … sort of. I have a problem.”

  “A problem?”

  He followed her lead now as she passed through a double grotto and entered the high-walled secret garden.

  “Eva,” he said, lest she continue toward the maze garden in which he’d likely end up at a dead end, which was the way he felt already. A scent of jasmine wafted on the light evening breeze as the sky deepened to a deep blue hue.

  She stopped and looked up at him with concern in her expression.

  He couldn’t stand it any longer. Say it … get it over with. This was not some romantic interlude in which he should get on his knees. This was a confession to a woman who resented him. Was he crazy? Probably. But he’d decided to do it and do it he would.

  He’d even rehearsed but couldn’t remember how to say it. He supposed there was no way but to blurt it out.

  He grasped her upper arms, lest she slap him and run away before he finished.

  “I love you,” he said.

  She stared. She seemed like one of the statues in the garden. She didn’t blink. She didn’t open her mouth. Had she ceased to breathe? Had he shocked the life out of her?

  He’d said it. Maybe he should explain it.

  “I always cared for you. But I saw you as one of many girls who seemed to think I was that knight in shining armor on a white horse. I reveled in it, but in those days I took no girl seriously. I knew you cared for me, but so did others. After I went away, I realized what you really meant to me. More than any other woman. I’ve related to others, but my heart always returned to you. I found myself, so to speak. I found the Lord in a more committed way. I needed a career and had an opportunity to learn a trade. I realized my heart was here in my own hometown. I longed to see the Alonos again. And you. I wondered if your presence in my heart was only because I missed each of you so much. I had to return and find out. The moment I saw you that first night at Alono’s, I knew. I love you.”

  He wondered if he’d spoken in French or English. She didn’t seem to comprehend.

  But she hadn’t moved away.

  When you’ve come this far … why not …?

  He drew her to himself, enfolded her in his arms, lowered his face to her uplifted one, and his lips met hers. No sweeter music ever played than the tune so eloquently stirring in his heart, mind, and body.

  Reluctantly, he moved away. She stood staring at him with her lips parted, her face stark, and her eyes wide with astonishment. Her shoulder seemed to move slightly upward as if there were a shrug in it, and her head seemed to shake slightly. He could not read that body language. Did her shoulder shrug mean that his declaration meant nothing? Did the shake of her head mean she could not accept his love? She looked like he had said the most asinine thing one could say.

  He felt heat begin to rise into his face, and he felt a weakness throughout his body. “I’m sorry if I offended you. I just thought you should know. Forgive me if I was out of line.”

  Maybe her heart already belonged to Baldovino.

  Did she let him kiss her?

  She seemed to have melted into his arms. Her lips seemed welcoming. Or had she just been too shocked to resist?

  He was so caught up in the emotion of it, he couldn’t even be sure if she had responded or simply tolerated his embrace and his kiss.

  She continued to stare.

  “I had to let you know how I feel. You don’t have to say anything.”

  She didn’t.

  He turned and walked away, hardly knowing what direction he was taking, but hoping he wouldn’t end up in the maze garden, where he’d never find his way out.

  Eva didn’t know how long she stood there, oblivious to anything around her. Not until she heard Georgio’s voice did she return to some semblance of normalcy and realized her fingers lay gently on her lips that Jack had so thoroughly kissed.

  She lowered her hand and faced Georgio.

  “I tried to get here sooner,” he said. “But that was impossible. Fortunately, I have already heard you perform your Renaissance music.”

  Eva could only nod. Making a sudden switch from the happenings with Jack to the presence of Georgio proved to be a difficult transition.

  “I’m dry,” Georgio said. “Could I get you something to drink?”

  Eva nodded and felt she’d just begun to learn to talk. “Wa–water, please.”

  She still stood in the same spot when Georgio returned with two glasses of water with a slice of lemon on the edges. He looked around and spoke of the lovely evening.

  After a few sips in silence, Georgio spoke. “Could we stroll through the gardens? I’ve never seen them.”

  When they came to a secluded spot, he turned to her. “To my regret, my agent tells me my vacation must end soon and I must return to my obligations elsewhere. I have so enjoyed our times together.”

  “Oh, I have, too,” Eva said with exuberance. “I will never forget it.”

  “Neither will I,” he said. “Could you join me tomorrow night at the beach house? There is something very important I’d like to discuss with you.”

  “Yes,” Eva said.

  He looked at her for a long moment, but she could find no words to say. He smiled then, reached out his hand, and touched her arm. “Are you ready to leave?”

  “Not just yet,” she said. “I … I will see you tomorrow.”

  “Very good,” he said and smiled. “Good night.”

  Eva found a bench beneath a tree and lowered herself to a sitting position.

  Why wasn’t her pulse racing because Georgio said he had something “very important” to discuss with her? She would be ecstatically anticipatory if things had remained as they had been with Jack.

  But … Jack kissed her. He said he loved her.

  A few weeks ago she had no one special.

  And now … would she have to decide between two men … one who had come into her life so recently … and the other one whom she had loved so ardently for years?

  With her hands clasped on her lap, Eva took several deep, needed breaths, as if she were Miss Muffet on a tuffet, expecting a spider to come and sit down beside her.

  Chapter 9

  Now that Jack had done one of the two things he’d intended to do, the time had come for the second task, which might prove to be as unacceptable as when he told Eva he loved her.

  He got the phone number that Al had while repairing the Strad and called Baldovino. Soon he was on his way to the beach house.

  A man led Jack into a front room that had a spectacular view of the ocean. Baldovino laid aside a magazine and stood when Jack came into the room. He offered Jack refreshments, which Jack refused, and the man who’d led him in left the room. Jack accepted the offer to sit in a chair across from Baldovino.

  Jack laid his violin case across his knees. Baldovino simply glanced at it, then gazed blandly at Jack.

  Jack plunged in. “This is the Alono.” He laid his hand on the case. “It can be yours.”

  Baldovino lifted an eyebrow and looked as if he’d expected that all along. “How much?”

  “It’s a gift,” Jack said. “On one condition.”

  Baldovino leaned farther back against his chair. “Ah, this sounds like a business transaction. I get the Alono and I return the girl to you.”<
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  “No,” Jack said. “I love Eva. I would not attempt to do something like this underhandedly. I can’t buy her. You can’t give her to me.” He paused a moment. “Frankly, I’m more inclined to give you the violin because you have the girl. She deserves the best, and a man trying to live without the Lord is not the best.”

  Baldovino looked amused. “I seem to be doing all right.” He lifted both eyebrows and gave Jack a quick once-over as if he might be the one who needed help.

  Jack nodded. “You seem to be. But if it hasn’t happened already, the time will come when you feel there’s an empty spot in your heart and life that even fame and money can’t fill. I’ve been there. Only God’s spirit can bring that kind of filling.”

  Baldovino gestured with his hand as if that subject didn’t matter. “Getting back to the Alono. You say I can’t give you Eva. You don’t want money.” He shrugged. “What’s your condition?”

  “My condition is that you listen to the reason I’m giving it.”

  “Proceed.” Baldovino crossed his arms over his chest.

  Jack took a shaky breath. “This violin should be played by a master. I’m not that. I’ll say to you what Al said to me that I couldn’t escape. I hope you won’t be able to escape it, either. It’s a free gift demonstrating the gift of eternal life with God. You can’t buy it. You can’t accomplish enough to earn or deserve it. It’s a free gift. You only have to believe Jesus is the Son of God. He died as forgiveness for our sins and He rose from the dead. You accept that in your heart and turn to a life of serving Him, and that’s called salvation from eternal separation from God.”

  They sat in silence for a long moment.

  Georgio didn’t speak or move, reminding him of Eva’s reaction the night before.

  Jack knew his condition had been met. Georgio had listened.

  There was only one thing to do.

  Jack stood. He picked up the violin case by the handle and held it out to Georgio. Georgio’s dark eyes searched Jack’s. “You’re taking a chance on losing the Alono and Eva, too.”

  Jack nodded. “I know. And that is even more reason to want you to find salvation, to be the kind of man she deserves. You can’t be that without the Holy Spirit in your life. You can’t have the Holy Spirit without believing and following Jesus Christ.” Jack blinked as if the bright midmorning sunlight against the windows were accosting his eyes.

  “You know what this violin is worth?”

  “Yes, of course,” Jack replied. “But not as much as my eternal soul. Jesus paid with His life. He gave Himself up to die for me. Anything I have to give is small in comparison.”

  “And if I don’t believe or accept what you’ve said, I must return the violin?”

  “No. I will be pleased if one of your ability plays this violin and brings pleasure to others. But I would hope this gesture will do what Al hoped it would do for me. I couldn’t forget that, and you won’t, either. Al said the violin was mine to keep, to hide, to throw away, to give away, to play. When a gift is given, you shouldn’t tell the recipient what to do with it. But never forget why it was given. I hope it will have the same effect on you.”

  Jack took a small tract out of his shirt pocket. “This briefly tells of the plan of salvation much better than I did.”

  Georgio stared at it, while awkwardly his hands lay on top of the violin case lying on his knees.

  It occurred to Jack that Georgio might not believe the Alono was in the case. He took it, laid the case on the couch, and unzipped the lid. He took it out and showed Georgio Al’s mark on the back.

  “I’m willing to pay you for it,” Baldovino said.

  “No,” Jack said. “This is not about money. It’s about your eternal soul. Your salvation.”

  Baldovino spoke thoughtfully. “I impress women with my violin playing. You could win Eva’s favor, if not her love, by giving her the Alono.” He shrugged. “Yet, you will not.”

  “No. Al said someday I would know what to do with this violin. I know … this is what I want to do.”

  Baldovino still looked skeptical. He spoke slowly. “So. You will give up your prized possession because of your faith.”

  “Yes.”

  Baldovino shook his head and a scoff escaped his throat. “Amazing.”

  “I want to talk to you about love,” Georgio said.

  Eva stopped short on the sandy beach where the two of them had been strolling after a lovely dinner prepared by Elena. She put her hand to her chest. “Oh …” She thought the world of Georgio. But she couldn’t consider making any kind of commitment at this time. Not since—

  Georgio raised both hands. He laughed lightly. “No. No. Don’t worry. I know you are in love with Jack.”

  “What?”

  “Whether you want to admit it or not, you’re in love with Jack.”

  Eva scoffed. “How can you say that?”

  “For one thing,” he said. “Last night I arrived at Vizcaya earlier than I let on. One of your friends said you had gone into the garden. I walked out there, then saw you and Jack. I made a hasty retreat back into the building.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t expect that to happen.”

  “No. No. I’m not asking for an explanation. That is your business. I suspected you loved Jack that first night I met you two at the Alono Restaurant.”

  “I didn’t give Jack the time of day that night.”

  Georgio lifted a finger and looked mischievous. “That was the first clue. But that night, you did not miss a note in your violin playing although you were obviously impressed with my being a successful violinist.” He smiled. “You spilled the water at the sound of the voice of the one who touches your heart. I have kept that in mind.”

  Eva relaxed somewhat, now that Georgio wasn’t asking her for a commitment nor expressing undying love for her.

  She said coyly, “Then why did you kiss me that night, right here on the beach?”

  He spread his hands and looked askance. “That was a kiss? Ah.” He scoffed then. “That was more like the tuning note before the violinist plays. I can do much better.”

  He leaned forward and Eva jumped back. They both laughed.

  “Actually, though,” he said, “let me count the reasons. You are a beautiful woman and I am a man. I like you. Beyond my own selfish reasons, I wanted to confirm to myself and to you that you are in love with someone else, whether or not you choose to admit it.”

  “I … tried not to.”

  “Now, a kiss is more like what you and Jack did in that garden.”

  “He kissed me. I … I don’t think I kissed him.”

  “Oh, ho!” Georgio exclaimed. “If that was not a kiss, then God didn’t make little green apples.”

  Eva ducked her head and looked down at the sand. “I really don’t know what happened. I was surprised. Then shocked.”

  Georgio lifted her chin with his fingers. “Let me shock you further.”

  Shocked she was, when Georgio told her what Jack had done in giving him the Alono.

  As he continued the story, Eva realized, however, that she should not be shocked. It sounded so much like Grandpa, and now she realized how Jack demonstrated his commitment to the Lord in his settling down to a business, being faithful to the church, and using his musical ability for the Lord.

  But this was a much bigger issue than what she thought of either Georgio or Jack as men. “Did his gift have an impact on you?”

  Georgio sighed. “I suppose I’m reluctant to be too serious about all this. But Jack was right. I left that Alono on the couch all day. I wouldn’t touch it. I’d pass through the room or in the hallway and look in its direction. I no longer see it as just a wonderful violin. I see it as possibly the only way to a relationship with God.” He looked up toward the darkening sky. “Jack was right. I cannot face the Alono without knowing there is a decision for me to make.”

  Before she could even ask if he wanted to talk about such a decision, he stopped walking and faced her agai
n. “How does this make you feel that Jack gave away the Alono?”

  The seagull that spread its wings, lifted off from the beach, and soared out over the ocean simulated the burden that left her heart.

  Tears welled up in her eyes. “I realize I was never really so much upset about Grandpa giving the Alono to Jack. My resentment of Jack was because I felt rejected by him. I loved him.”

  “You love him now.”

  Eva nodded.

  “I will give you the Alono. It belongs to you and Jack.”

  “No.” Eva was adamant about that. “I understand Grandpa now. The Alono is a witness to his faith in Jesus Christ. Now it has been that to Jack. Whatever it might become to you, it is something that should be played by a person of your ability. And … Jack’s having given it to you makes me love him even more.”

  Georgio sighed. “You could not love him if he gave you the violin you wanted. And yet you love him for giving away the violin you wanted. Women! Who can understand them?”

  He laughed and put his arm around her shoulders. “I do love you in a special way, Eva.”

  She looked up at him and nodded. “And I love you, Georgio. For the person you are. Not just because you’re a great violinist.”

  He smiled. “Let us seal this mutual admiration society with a temporary farewell dinner Friday night at the Alono Restaurant. Okay?”

  Chapter 10

  Jack didn’t know what it was about. Baldovino had called his shop and invited him to dinner at the Alono Restaurant on Friday night. He was led to the table where the violinist and Eva sat.

  She looked particularly beautiful in a colorful Spanish-style dress and her hair back in a French chignon. The glow of the candle danced with light and shadow on her face, which wore a soft expression, and her eyes seemed to glow with warmth. Was that the look of love—for Baldovino?

  Was this a thank-you dinner for the Alono and for Eva? Maybe Baldovino wanted to gloat that he had won the girl.

  Baldovino had a silly grin on his face. Eva spoke to Jack but avoided looking into his eyes. She and Baldovino seemed to be speaking an indecipherable eye language. Jack felt like knocking his water glass over and making a dash for the back door.