She planted her hands on his shoulders and pushed him back. Allan groaned. He was just getting into that kiss. He was beginning to get the feeling she was more excited about Italy than him.
“Are we going to take a train? If we are we better buy backpacks. It will be easier—”
Allan pulled her onto his lap and kissed her. Her wonderful taste got him each time. She was soft, naïve, innocent, and just so sweet. Pulling away always felt like torture to him, but he did to answer her.
“Yes, we’ll be taking the train. It’s the best way to see the landscape and practical since we’ll be spending only two to three days in each place. No we don’t need backpacks. We are not trekking all over Italy and camping out at the beach like hippies. We’ll get suitcases and fill them as we go along, and we’ll make sure to get Loraine some things, too. Have I addressed all your traveling concerns?”
Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. “I’ve noticed you always kiss me to stop my rambling.”
Allan chuckled. He’d noticed that too, but not because it annoyed him but because he didn’t want her to worry about anything. She always rambled when she was nervous, worried, and overly excited. “That’s because your rambling turns me on, and we aren’t exactly in a suitable place to address that.”
“Oh,” she giggled quickly sliding off his lap. “So where are we going?”
“Casa Italiano. You’ll go shopping, and then up to the room to rest while I straighten out a few details with my work. Then we’ll go sightseeing. Is that alright with you?”
She nodded, her lips parted in the brightest smile he’d ever seen, her eyes sparkling with excitement. She turned to look out the window like an animated child when they pulled out of the airport and into the first signs of life as the city began its day. “Perfect.”
Allan felt something twist in his chest as he stared at her. He realized she was just that. “Absolutely perfect.”
Chapter Five
Riana stepped into the Imperial suite. She’d never seen a hotel as beautiful as this. The moment she stepped into the lobby, it took her breath away. The crystal chandeliers wowed her, the diamond-like structure sparkling when the crystals hit the light, and the exquisite, old-fashion furniture and traditional decorations spoke of their cultural history.
“Is this where we are staying?” she whispered to Allan, in complete awe.
Allan nodded, his lips turned down in a frown. “Yes. It does look old fashioned, nothing like The Ritz.”
“Oh no, it’s just perfect.”
She turned full circle, trying to take the entire room in. “Don’t you see what they are trying to do? The best centuries were the eighteenth and nineteenth when royalty meant something more than Prince William and Puff Daddy having equal celebrity status.” She stopped before him. “Anyone into art, photography, painting, design…whatever the genre, this is art heaven. It’s like stepping back in time, I just love it.”
Allan looked down at her with a lopsided grin. Did he find what she said amusing? “What’s so funny?”
“It’s going to be wonderful experiencing Italy through your eyes.” Then he handed her to the concierge and moved down one hall, a man joining him from the counter, falling in step with him and they immediately began to speak in Italian while she went down another hall.
Now she stood alone in the middle of their suite. It was disappointing how modern it was, like there was a different designer for the suites. He or she could have at least tried to make the two designs blend.
Once she walked into to the suite, she entered the living room, which was furnished with plush couches and a glass coffee table in the middle with magazines and the hotel brochure on top. She climbed two steps up into the dining room area close to the glass wall. The table sat four people, with a bowl of fruits in the middle and all the place settings already done. Riana moved to the glass wall and looked out.
She gasped. The view matched the royalty design in the lobby. It was breath taking. One could almost see all of Rome from where she stood. She wondered if this was the reason Allan picked the room, because it would be the only reason why she would pick the room.
She pulled herself away from the view and ventured through one of the doors opposite each other. There was nothing spectacular about it. It was a normal room with twin beds, a bathroom and a walk-in closet. This was definitely not where they’d be sleeping.
Riana drew in a heavy breath, her stomach in knots. She closed the door and walked across the living room to the other room. She stumbled and then stopped. Her heart was beating so fast she thought she was having a panic attack.
“Really, Riana, you’ve already slept with the guy. Get a hold of yourself!” She then took a deep breath and opened the door without a second thought.
“Oh my…” She took slow steps inside as she admired the room.
The bed was king size with dark grey, silk beddings and a heavy, light grey comforter folded at the foot of the bed. The view was just as spectacular as the dining room’s with the light from outside falling on the bed.
The bathroom was large. The toilet was separated from the rest by a short wall, there were his and hers sinks, a bathtub that could fit three people, and a jet shower that could fit two. She could already see herself in both with Allan, doing a lot more than taking a bath or shower.
She smiled, her heart beating a little harder. Yup. She was going to enjoy the bathroom.
She turned around away from the bathroom and faced the walk-in closet. The entire wall was a closet, a two seatter facing it like in one of those bridal stores.
On the mirror, there was a note stuck to it. ‘Thought you and Riana would need the clothes and the toiletries’ and it was sighed Wilma.
Riana appreciated the thought, but she wondered who Wilma was and how Allan knew her. She shrugged, deciding to enjoy the kind gesture. She turned to the bathroom and began stripping off her clothes. First things first, she was going to have a very long, rose scented bubble bath.
* * * *
Riana walked out of the room when she heard the door open. A smile automatically dominated her face when she saw Allan. “Hey, I’ve been waiting for you.”
“Aha,” he responded noncommittally, his eyes moving over her. She could almost feel him touch her and that meant trouble.
“Why don’t you take a shower and change your clothes. Wilma—whom I’m assuming you know—stocked the bathroom and the closet, so we are good for two days.”
He took a step closer to her and his eyes settled on her bosom. “She’s my secretary.”
She moved into the living room, placing the large couch between them. “Allan, sightseeing first, you promised.”
He stopped moving and looked up at her. She held his gaze and pointed behind him. “Go through that door. All that you need is inside there. I’ll just wait here for you.”
After a long pause filled with complete silence, Allan groaned and then quickly turned around, forcefully shedding his jacket as he stomped into the room. Riana let out a sigh of relief, falling onto the couch. She wanted Allan as much as he wanted her, but she didn’t agree to stay with him in Italy for two months only to spend it indoors.
It only took a few minutes for Allan to get ready. He looked good in khaki shorts and a linen button down shirt. Almost like the rest of the human males. The other normal male gesture he made was holding her hand as they walked the streets of Rome.
The first place they went to was the Trevi Fountain and it looked just like the scene in the movie La Dolce Vita. Riana threw a coin in and made a wish. Allan found it hilarious and Riana was sure a little naïve but he still indulged her by throwing his own wishing coin in.
She hoped his wish would come true, because with every minute that went by, hers was. She was living a fairytale she only saw in movies.
From there they walked to the museum Castle San Angelo and looked out at the superb view of Rome. It was hard for her not to feel excited and romanced seeing the romantic city laid out
at her feet.
If Allan was trying to get her to fall in love with him by taking her to the city of love, he might just succeed.
They then went to the longest and widest staircase in Europe, the Spanish Steps, which led to the church of Trinita Dei Monti and watched the choir sing with the other tourists. It was a little embarrassing standing in a church with Allan hugging her from behind and kissing her neck. She felt like she should be praying for forgiveness or something, but the other tourists looked at them like they were watching true love exist before their eyes. It was funny seeing how uncomfortable that made Allan and he quickly dragged her off to the Colosseum.
That got to Riana. The impact of being in a monument that old was like nothing she’d felt before. It made her feel like she’d died and gone to art heaven. She wanted to sit right in the middle of the monument and soak up all the inspiration and just paint. Her fingers were already itching for a paint brush. Its beauty was just…she wasn’t sure there was a word that effectively described how being there made her feel.
She was grateful to Allan because without him, there was no way she would experience the passion and all the feelings bombarding her at the moment.
She fisted his shirt in her hand, dragged him behind a pillar, and kissed him with all that inspired passion. He kissed her back and laughed until he felt how serious she was. He turned them around and pressed her against the pillar. She felt his hand on her thigh as he pulled her leg up then he released her, quickly ending the kiss. After a few minutes of fighting to clear her passion hazed vision, Riana noticed the security guard with a cheshire smile on his face.
She felt a little disappointed and very embarrassed for being caught. Nothing could have topped making love at the Colosseum, which she knew would have happened if they weren’t interrupted. She could still feel him pressed against her belly, his hands shaking on her waist as Allan struggled to regain control.
She stepped away from him and began taking pictures before the security guard threw them out. She moved around, Allan following behind her quietly keeping his distance. He told her it was best until he could either get something cold to cool off his body or return to the suite, which he was all for. She voted for lunch and as may cold drinks as he wanted. He groaned his disapproval but agreed.
The day was off to a wonderful start and she didn’t want it to end. There was so much to see and so many places to go and she only had two days to do so.
* * * *
Allan’s fork halted at his mouth when he heard her groan. He looked up. Her eyes were closed as she pulled the fork out of her mouth with a sweet sigh. She’d done that with every dish she’d sampled that day, and it was getting damn difficult not to drag her back to the hotel. They almost didn’t make it out when he saw her in that short white dress—thank you Wilma—her damp curly hair free around her shoulders.
He noticed she didn’t wear makeup except for lip gloss and he liked that about her. It made him realize the only reason he’d liked his women dressed to perfection from the hair on their heads to the nails on their toes was because he’d liked having a trophy on his arm.
But Riana was no trophy. She was something else. Something much better. He just didn’t know what exactly. He hadn’t put his finger on it yet.
She picked up a meatball with her tiny fingers and lifted it to her mouth. Her lips covered half of it as she took a slow bite. She savored the taste and rewarding it with another eye closing sigh before she tossed the entire thing into her mouth. She sucked the sauce off her fingers with a smile, her head leaning lazily to the side.
Fuck! Allan had never been so turned on in his life. All he could think about was her savoring a part of his anatomy in the same way.
Damn! Fuck! He shifted uncomfortably on his chair as he watched her lift another fork full of pasta to her supple lips. They either had to end their touring early or he had to occupy his mind with something other than those lips on his…
“How do you like Rome so far?” he blurted out, settling his fork back in the pasta bowl. There was no way he was going to be able to eat with how tight his stomach was with lust. He needed to relieve the pressure first and she was having too much fun to attend to his needs.
He checked his watch. In another…six hours! He groaned closing his eyes, he wasn’t going to last that long!
“Allan, are you all right?”
Allan opened his eyes and met her worried ones. “Yes, I’m fine,” he said with a strained voice. He picked up his fork and forced the pasta into his mouth for emphasis.
Her face brightened again. “Good. I’ve never had so much fun in my life! It’s so wonderful here I may never want to leave. And the food, wow, I mean wow. The Italian restaurants at home don’t even come close. Every ingredient they use is so fresh and juicy. Did you know they make their own pasta from scratch, no one does that anymore and—” She suddenly stopped pulling her lower lip into her mouth. “I’m rambling again, aren’t I?”
And turning my balls blue! He smiled. “I don’t mind.” The hell he didn’t, but what else could he say? Let’s go to the bathroom so that I can release myself inside you?
Her brows arched the way they did when she was worried. “I know you must have seen all this before. I just hope it’s not boring for you.”
He reached across the table and took her hand. “I like seeing Italy through your eyes. It feels like I’m seeing it for the first time. I like that and it’s more exciting than ever.”
She smiled. “I’m glad.” She bounced excitedly in her chair. “So what next?”
Allan chuckled. “More sight-seeing, and then finally back to the hotel and we can order dinner in our suite. Is that agreeable?”
“Most definitely,” she said, her eyes widening as she looked over his shoulder. “Oh, I like that.” Then she was up out of her chair and rushing for whatever it was she saw without another word.
Allan turned around after her, laughing. He watched her try to communicate with the street vendor, pointing at a hat in his cart but the man was more interested in placing ornaments in her hair as the woman with him fastened a beautiful pendant around her neck both praising her beauty in Italian. Finally Riana turned to him with a helpless smile on her face.
Allan shook his head chuckling. He stood up and signaled for the waiter. “Portare il conto laggiù per favore.” He pointed to Riana asking him to bring their bill to where she was, then he turned and leisurely walked to her rescue.
“Allan, I have no idea what they are saying but I like the stuff they are putting on me,” she confessed laughingly.
Unable to help himself, he leaned down and captured her lips in a long, slow kiss. He pulled away, his eyes on her flushed face. “You look beautiful.”
The vendors began to clap and Allan chuckled when Riana hid her face in his chest. He stiffened when the man started talking about young love and how he should always make sure his piccola bellezza stayed happy because she had a smile that rivaled the intensity of the sun. It warmed him right to his heart.
Riana didn’t notice his reaction because the lady had already pulled her away, showing her more jewelry that would make her more beautiful for him so he would love her more. Riana just laughed, not understanding a word but having the time of her life.
He’d heard this type of sales pitch before—using a person’s emotions to close a sale. But for some reason, Riana and him being referred to as a couple madly in love sat wrong with him. He was spared further contemplation when the waiter arrived with their bill. He pulled out a few notes from his pocket and handed them to the waiter, telling him to take the change as his tip in Italian. Then he turned to the vendors and told them to give Riana anything she wanted. Allan then retreated, taking a seat at the table close to her, silently watching her trying to communicate with the vendors. He would have found the scene funny, but he was too disturbed to enjoy it.
* * * *
Riana watched Allan sit silently a few feet away from her, clearly deep in though
t. She feared he was worrying about work and how much he’d neglected just to entertain her.
Maybe they should just go back to the hotel?
“Gratzie,” she said to the vendors and held up one finger as she pointed back to Allan with her thumb. “Could you give me just a minute. I just want to make sure he’s all right.”
They responded with holding up a finger and pointing at Allan, too. Riana laughed, realizing too late that she should have brought an English-Italian dictionary with her.
She moved toward Allan and stood next to him. She smiled. He hadn’t noticed her yet. She pushed her fingers into his raven hair and tugged his head back. “Earth to Allan?”
His lips twitched in what looked like a forced smile. “Get what you like?”
“What’s wrong? Are you worried about work because we can always—wow!” she exclaimed falling onto his lap when he pulled her down. He pressed his lips against hers in a disappointing, chaste kiss.
“I’m not worried about work.”
She would have asked what he was worrying about, but he turned to the vendors and said something to them in Italian.
Riana sighed, nibbling on her lower lip. That was the end of that discussion.
The vendors brought almost half the cart plus the sun hat she was admiring forward, placing them all on the table until they overflowed. She sat up straight on his lap. “Wait, that’s too much. I don’t need all that.”
Allan continued speaking to them, all three of them ignoring her.
“Allan!”
He turned to her with a patient smile. “Honey, your protest has been duly noted. You aren’t bankrupting me, more like filling their pockets. I’m sure you can share some of them with Loraine.” He kissed her on the cheek. “We leave Rome the day after tomorrow and you may not find the same things elsewhere.”
“But—”
Her Venice Affair (The Albury Affairs) Page 7
