by Nina Singh
She really was one of the most extraordinary people he’d ever met. Not many other women would approach the prospect of an evening alone aboard a romantic dinner cruise with such fervor and enthusiasm.
On the surface, Maya seemed upbeat. But Vito could see what was below the outer shell. It was all clearly yet another act on her part. It was breaking her inside that she’d be experiencing such an activity by herself. Just like the tour earlier.
She leaned over and crooked a finger at him to come closer. “I have a confession,” she said in a conspiratorial tone and followed it with a wink.
“What’s that?”
“See, I made a bit of a resolution before I left Boston.”
That had his curiosity piqued. “What kind of resolution?”
“I decided that I was done taking the safest route, the path of least resistance.”
He blinked in question. “And what does that have to do with a dinner aboard a boat?”
“Don’t you see? It would be so easy to just skip the whole thing. And sit in my hotel room, instead. The Maya Talbot of a few weeks ago would be quick to tell you that option is the one that made the most sense. But I’m done with easy. And I’m done with being sensible. Even if it means I’m the sole diner at one of those candlelit tables meant for two.”
He couldn’t be certain who she was trying to convince. Vito or herself.
“Does this resolution allow for partners, cara?”
She leaned back in surprise. “What do you mean?”
What, indeed, was he suggesting? Where was he going with this, exactly?
Damned if he knew. He just knew he couldn’t stand the disappointment clouding her eyes despite her words of resolution and newfound bold spirit.
“I wonder if you might be up for having a partner along for this next adventure.”
Maya finally looked up. She was staring at him wide-eyed. “Vito, I don’t want to make a fool of myself by jumping to any conclusions here. Could I ask you to just come out and tell me what you’re getting at?”
He gave her a small smile. “Well, cara, it’s just that it occurs to me that it’s been quite a long while since I’ve enjoyed a nice, relaxing dinner while admiring all of Venice’s beauty from a boat on the water.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
SHE’D BEEN HALF afraid he wouldn’t show up. As much as she’d enjoyed the shopping expedition and her time at the glass blower’s studio, Maya had been unable to tear her mind from the anticipation of the evening to come.
But he was here. And, dear heavens, was he handsome. Dressed in a finely cut tuxedo and polished leather shoes, Vito Rameri had every woman he passed along the walkway nearly swooning. Or perhaps that was just Maya projecting her own reaction onto others.
She watched now as he approached her while she waited to board the ship that would serve as their restaurant. He had his hair in the same combed-back style he’d had the other day. He hadn’t shaved fully and now sported a subtle goatee.
She might as well have been watching one of her daydreams play out.
Who would have thought Maya would be thanking her lucky stars for falling into these very same waters that day Vito had pulled her out. He stopped short when he reached her side. He smelled of spicy sandalwood with a hint of some type of mint. Maya resisted the urge to lean toward him and inhale deeply of the alluring masculine scent.
“Bellissima,” he said when he approached her, looking her up and down.
“Grazie,” she replied with a small curtsy. “You’re not looking too shabby, either, Signor Rameri.”
He held out his arm to her. “Shall we?”
Moments later, they were watching the dazzling lights of Venice from the deck of an authentic galleon.
Maya wanted to pinch herself. Was this all really happening? How had she ended up in such a stunning setting with this charismatic, charming and devilishly handsome man as her companion?
“This view is unlike anything I could have imagined. It’s enchanting,” she said, her voice sounding as breathless as she felt.
“Sì. It most certainly is.”
Her heart fluttered when she realized he was staring at her profile as he spoke the words.
If only she were able to flick a magic wand and make this dream part of a permanent reality somehow. But this was a fantasy, a once-in-a-lifetime magical evening. Even if, by some miracle, they lived on the same continent, Vito was a man battling demons. The vibes he gave off made it clear he wanted to deal with those demons by himself.
A waiter appeared beside them. He carried a tray with two full wine glasses of ruby-red wine. “Valpolicella.”
They both lifted their glasses, then Vito tipped his toward hers in a toast. “To elegant evenings with newly acquired friends.”
Maya felt a squiggle of disappointment in her center. If she’d harbored any illusions that any of this was romantic for him, that last word was a cold dose of reality.
She would choose to ignore his choice of words. Nothing was going to ruin the thrill of this evening for her. If she had to pretend for a couple of hours that this was a real date with her real boyfriend then what would be the harm in that? It would be her secret. Vito didn’t need to know.
She tapped the rim of her glass to his and took a small sip. A burst of rich, fruity flavor exploded in her mouth. “Oh, wow. That’s really good.”
She took another sip, a little too hastily, and some of the wine splashed out of her glass. She managed to avoid getting any on her dress, but a splash of it landed on the side of her cheek.
Vito chuckled and pulled the satin handkerchief from his tuxedo pocket. “Here.” He dabbed the soft cloth on her skin, his face inches from hers. His touch suddenly turned to a gentle caress along her jaw.
“Vito?”
She knew she’d been the one to move first. But Vito didn’t hesitate to respond. In the next instant, she felt his firm lips against hers as his other hand moved around her and down to the small of her back. His tongue moved over hers, the sensation sending shock waves through every cell in her body. He tasted of wine and mint. His heat suffused through the surface of her skin. Never had a kiss turned her insides to molten lava or had the effect on her that she felt right now.
It ended much too soon.
A sudden jostling of the boat pulled Maya out of his grasp and back to her senses. For a moment neither one of them spoke or moved.
Something shifted in the vicinity of her heart. It all suddenly made so much sense. Having Vito’s lips on hers had set her nerve endings on fire. Had she ever felt such a jolt to her insides when Matt had kissed her? She didn’t have to think hard to come up with the answer. With Matt, there had never been fire. Or any kind of electricity. She’d been fooling herself. She had to admit, once and for all, that the attraction to Matt had been more about finding a place for herself. In her defense, she really hadn’t known. Not until now, when she finally had something to compare it to. Now that she’d met Vito.
Dear heavens. What had she gotten herself into? Maya struggled for some composure. She would take this experience with Vito for what it was. A magical, enchanted evening that had opened her eyes to what true passion really could be. As temporary as it was.
Vito stuck the handkerchief into his pants pocket and turned back to look out toward the city.
“Tell me, is the wine as good as the bottle you enjoyed in your hotel room the day of your uncompleted gondola ride?”
Maya ducked her head, trying to recover some semblance of control. “I have to be honest and say that I don’t really remember. I didn’t really bother to try and savor the taste of that wine. The point was just to drink it fast enough to flush away the harsh memories.”
“Well, then we’ll make sure you get to enjoy every drop of the wine you’ll be served tonight.”
“I will. And I’ll make sure to enjoy
it slowly,” she said, reaching for some kind of normal conversation though she was still shaking inside, from the effect of his kiss as well as all the realizations that had come with it.
He nodded with a smile. “Quite slowly.”
They watched silently as they drifted out farther into the lagoon. The palazzo and cathedral they’d toured just yesterday were both lit up majestically against the Venetian skyline.
“It’s not difficult to see how a city such as this inspires such unforgettable art,” Maya commented. The view before her would compel most people to try and capture it in some type of permanent way.
Vito turned so that he was facing her profile; she couldn’t bring herself to look away from the city lights. “You really are quite visual, do you realize that?”
“So you mentioned. You said more than once during our St. Mark’s and palazzo tour that I had ‘a good eye.’ To quote you directly.”
“So I did. It happens to be the truth.”
“Well, I’m going to take it as a compliment.” She tipped her head in a slight bow. “Thank you, my good sir.”
“You’re quite welcome. And it’s most definitely a compliment. Too many people sleepwalk through life without appreciating or so much as noticing the beauty that surrounds them. You are clearly not one of those people.”
“I’m glad you think so.” Though it didn’t really do anything for her, did it? This talent she had that Vito seemed to want to point out. She was stuck at a dead-end job with her personal life in shambles. She would have much preferred a talent for recognizing lying, cheating scoundrels before accepting their marriage proposals. She still hadn’t told anyone back home about her broken engagement. That thought gave her pause. She wasn’t hurt anymore so much as angry with Matt. How dare he put her in the position of having to disappoint her beloved family? She’d worked so hard all her life to avoid doing so. Yet another realization that she wasn’t hurt so much as she was angry.
“You’re scowling,” Vito commented.
Maya groaned inwardly. She refused to let Matt intrude on any more of this fantasy night. Her feelings for him were growing duller by the minute. As if he were some kind of distant memory of a past mistake she’d never be foolish enough to make again. Not now that she’d met Vito. She flashed him a wide smile. “Not anymore.”
The moon appeared from behind a cloud and silver light fell over the surface of the water.
“So, tell me what you do back in Boston, cara. It occurs to me we never discussed how you spend your days.”
Maya wanted to ask Vito to take back the question. She could still taste him on her lips. That’s what she wanted to focus on right now. And the chance that he might kiss her again before the night was over. She didn’t want to think about her ordinary, mundane, daily routine. This was supposed to be her fantasy, after all.
A fantasy which didn’t involve her boring cubicle behind the front counter of her uncle’s plumbing business.
* * *
“Tell me, cara.” Vito prompted. “What do you do for a living? We can start there.” Vito realized he was genuinely curious about her. His first impression of her as a jilted bride-to-be had gradually worn off and now he could see the dynamic and fascinating woman she truly was.
He wanted to know more.
“Let’s see if you can guess what the answer to that may be.”
“Ah, I am being challenged, I see.”
“Let’s see how well you do.”
Vito rubbed his chin, not that he hadn’t speculated about what career she might be in. “Hmm. Well, I recall reading in an article that Boston is quite the location for movie shoots. I believe several recent blockbusters were filmed there. Are you maybe involved in the film industry?”
Maya gave him a thumbs-down with her free hand and shook her head. “Try again.”
“All right. I also know that several well-known international ad agencies have satellite offices in Boston. Do you work for one of them? Designing ad campaigns, perhaps?”
She gave him a smile that could only be described as sad. “I’m afraid it’s not as exciting as any of that,” she told him. “In fact, it isn’t terribly exciting at all.” Then added under her breath, “What an understatement that is.” She must have thought he didn’t hear her.
Maya took another small sip of her wine, deep in thought. Then she released a long, resounding sigh. “I do the numbers for a business my uncle runs. A plumbing business. I keep the books for him.”
Her response took him by surprise. She didn’t seem the type for an office job. Frankly, she didn’t appear as if she could sit still long enough. But then, what did he know? How often would he have to remind himself that they’d literally just met a couple of days ago?
“If you don’t mind me saying, cara, I can tell by the look on your face that you quite hate it.”
“You are quite the observant one.”
“So then why do you do it?”
Maya appeared to be weighing her answer. But before she spoke, the waiter appeared once more to announce they were to be seated for dinner. They followed him off deck to an intricately set table with a tall lit candle as the centerpiece. Vito heard Maya’s gasp of pleasure as she took her chair.
He’d felt torn when he offered to accompany her. Her disappointment as she’d talked about having to miss this cruise had sent a mixed bag of emotions churning around in his chest. He didn’t need to complicate things by spending any more time with her. But watching her earlier as they’d stood on deck sipping wine, and given her delighted reaction when they reached their table, he had no doubt coming here with her had been right.
It felt right.
Now that they were in the better-lit dining room, he indulged himself in studying her. She wore a simple red satin dress. But it looked far from simple on her. The delicate material hugged her feminine curves and accentuated her figure. The bright color did wonders for her olive skin tone and chestnut hair, which she wore in some type of complicated up-do that made him want nothing more than to take it down and run his fingers through her thick curls.
“I know I keep saying this, but this is all so spectacular.”
So are you, was the immediate thought that came to his mind. Vito bit his tongue before he could say the words out loud. He’d learned long ago that empty compliments could sometimes do more harm than good.
One waiter set a large wooden salad bowl in the center of the table while yet another placed the first pasta course in front of each of them.
“I can’t believe the sheer number of calories I’m consuming on this trip,” Maya remarked. “I’ll have to walk for miles each day to even come close to covering it. For the sake of my hips,” she said with a small chuckle.
“You have nothing to worry about, cara. Not as far as your hips go—or anything else, for that matter.”
Now why had he gone and said that? He’d just warned himself to keep such comments in check. Maya’s cheeks reddened to a color that almost matched the hue of her dress. Luckily, the sommelier appeared just then to pour them more wine.
Once they were alone, Vito figured he’d better get their conversation flowing again. To get past the awkwardness of his previous comment.
“So, you never did tell me why you stay in a position which makes you so unhappy.”
Maya released a deep sigh. “I studied finance to help my uncle.”
“With his business.”
She nodded. “That’s right. He had a bookkeeper who swindled him. By the time the crimes were discovered, the man was nowhere to be found. He’d finagled the books and embezzled a staggering amount of money.”
“I see.”
“For years after that, my uncle didn’t trust anyone else to do his bookkeeping. He tried to do it himself. On top of maintaining the business. The extra responsibility really took a toll on him. He worked nonstop.”
“So you saw to it that he had a bookkeeper he could trust.”
“That’s right. I knew he could use someone he didn’t have to worry about stealing from him to help lighten his load.”
Vito leaned over the table. “It was commendable of you to assist him in that way.”
She lifted one elegant shoulder. “My uncle’s done a lot for me. His whole family has. They took me in when they didn’t have to. After I lost my parents.”
“Isn’t that what family does?”
She bit her lip. “Maybe. They could have let me disappear into the US foster care system. Some relatives would have done just that.”
“So you felt obligated to become his employee.”
Maya stilled in the process of lifting her fork. “What? No, I didn’t do it out of a sense of obligation.”
Her words surprised him. Did she not see it? “I’m sorry if I’ve made any kind of assumption.”
“I did it out of love. And respect. My uncle stepped up when he didn’t have to. He made sure I had a roof over my head and food on my plate.”
“He sounds like an honorable man.”
“He is. My aunt and my cousins, too. They gave me a family when they didn’t have to.”
Something about her history still wasn’t falling into place. Vito couldn’t explain it. There was a piece missing. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it.
It occurred to him just as their main course arrived.
“It surprises me that you studied finance in the first place. Regardless of the motivations,” he stated once the servers had left their table.
“Why do you say that?”
“It’s not a subject that I would think matches your personality. Or your interests. You clearly felt compelled to do it for the sake of your family.”
She quirked an eyebrow at him. “And you can tell all that after a simple sightseeing tour with me?”
Referring to a visit to two of Europe’s most historic examples of architecture and classic art as a “simple sightseeing tour” was a bit belittling. She was getting defensive. Not the direction he’d intended the conversation to take at all. He simply wanted to know more about her. He wanted to discover all that he could so that he could form a strong basis for memories once she left Venice and walked out of his life for good. He wanted to know what made her tick.
