by J. G. Sumner
“Yes, we have a reservation for two under the name Lupito.”
“Ah, yes. Right this way.”
Tony placed his hand on the small of Katherine’s back as they followed the host. She leaned in and whispered, “Why don’t you speak Italian?”
“Because I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable.”
“You wouldn’t make me feel uncomfortable. I think it’s hot.”
Her coy little smile made him chuckle. “Did that wine make you a bit tipsy?” Her cheeks instantly flushed.
“Maybe a little. I apologize for my behavior.” Her smile faded into a straight line as she looked to the floor.
“Nonsense, you’re behaving just fine. This is the first time I’ve seen you let loose. I’m enjoying it.”
Her posture changed. She was back to her more reserved self, making him regret mentioning the alcohol.
“Is this table satisfactory, sir?”
The older gentleman had brought them to the exact table he had requested. “It’s perfect. Grazie.”
Tony pulled out Katherine’s chair for her, and then seated himself across from her.
“May I start you off with a bottle of wine, or perhaps some water?”
“Yes, may I have a bottle of the 2007 Mocali Brunello Di Montalcino?”
“Very nice choice, sir. Would you like water as well?”
“Si. Prego.”
“Excellent. I will retrieve your drinks and inform your waiter that you’re here. John Paolo will be taking care of you this evening.” The host left promptly, allowing them some time alone.
“I presume you’ve been here more than just a couple of times if you know exactly what bottle of wine you like to drink.”
“A few times. Whenever I come to Florence, I eat here. They have great food and I think even you will be impressed.”
“I’ve been trying to not think about criticizing the food when I eat. Much to my surprise, it’s more pleasurable, and I enjoy the food more. Not every meal needs to be perfect for it to be enjoyable.”
“I couldn’t agree more. I also believe the company is sometimes more important than the food. Good conversation makes a more memorable experience.” He smiled and winked at her and watched as her cheeks instantly became rosy. She was eating this up.
The waiter appeared with two glasses and the bottle of wine. “My name is John Paolo and I’m going to be your waiter for the evening.” He poured a sample for Tony, who smelled the wine before taking the first sip. “This is exquisite. Thank you.”
He poured some of the red liquid into Katherine’s glass, and topped off Tony’s.
“Would you like a few more minutes to look over the menu?”
“Yes, thank you.”
Tony picked up the glass of wine with the intention of a toast and Katherine followed suit.
“Here’s to a very wonderful couple of days with my new friend. I look forward to getting to know her better during the time she has left in this wonderful country.”
“That was very sweet. Thank you.” She took a sip of the fruity liquid, and he watched as she let it float on her tongue for a few seconds before finally swallowing. “This is amazing. I think it may be the best wine I’ve ever had.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
“Since you seem to know your wines, I’m going to assume you know what’s good on this menu. Will you please order for me?”
“I-I don’t know what you like.”
“What? Did I surprise you?” she responded coyly.
“Perhaps a little. I just figured a strong American woman like yourself would never let a gentleman order for you.”
“Nonsense! You know what they say, When in Rome…”
“Let the man order for you?” He chuckled.
“Very funny! In all seriousness, I’ll try anything once. Surprise me.”
When the waiter returned, Tony ordered their dinners. John Paolo topped off Katherine’s glass and she seemed to settle in and relax a bit more.
To his surprise, Katherine was fun; she was smart, beautiful, and he couldn’t figure out for the life of him why she was still single. There must be something behind it.
“Tell me, do you always go by Katherine or do you have a nickname?”
“I go by Katherine; it was my grandmother’s name. When I was young, my mother called me Katie. But after my grandmother died, she started calling me Katherine. I’ve been going by it ever since. I also think it fits my job, since Katherine is a strong, conservative name. I believe it makes me sound more professional.”
“I think you look more like a Kate. You’re so beautiful, and I can see there is a fun-loving woman inside that reserved exterior. I want to get to know her more.”
She held a hand to her chest. “Well, I do believe you’re flirting with me,” Katherine said in a voice just like Scarlet O’Hara’s.
“See! I knew it. There’s a wild woman inside that body of yours.”
“I’ll tell you what, Mr. Lupito. I’ll let you call me Kate, if you let me call you Anthony.”
He placed his chin on is hand. “Now, why on Earth would you want to call me Anthony?”
“Because Tony is a boy’s name, and you seem to be all man.”
He couldn’t stop his jaw from falling open. He shifted in his seat as his pants suddenly became a little too tight for the part that was roaring to life. “I’m a little surprised. I didn’t see this side of you.”
She smiled sweetly with her head cocked to the side. “I guess you better get to know me a little better.”
“Well, I’m definitely intrigued.”
She reached her hand across the table and placed it onto his. “So, what do you say…Anthony?”
“You can call me anything you want.” He tugged on his pants, trying to loosen the constriction threatening to cut off the blood flow.
John Paolo returned the table with two plates in hand. “For the lady, I have the linguini with clams in a garlic butter sauce, and for the gentleman, I have the eggplant parmesan. Can I get you anything else?”
Tony took a whiff of the food. “No, thank you. This smells delicious.”
“Very well, then. Let me know if you need anything else.” John Paolo bowed before walking away.
Katherine picked up her fork. “This looks amazing!” She took a bite and closed her eyes while she chewed. “Oh my gosh, the food in this country is absolutely fabulous! I haven’t had anything bad yet.”
Tony chuckled. “Wait until you taste their tiramisu. You’ll never want it from any place else.”
“Umm. I can’t wait.” She took another bite of food and chewed. “Tell me, do you have any brothers or sisters?”
It was only a matter of time before she asked about his family. Women always wanted to know about the man’s family. Why did it have to be tonight? Things had been going so well and he didn’t want to ruin it with his tragic story. “I did. They passed away in an accident.”
Her flirty smile quickly gave way to shock and pity. “Oh, God. I’m so sorry. How long ago?”
“It was pretty recent. The wounds are still fresh. I don’t really like to talk about it.” An awkward silence loomed over the table, like a dark cloud on a rainy day.
Tony broke the silence. “How about you? Tell me more about your family. Do you have any siblings?”
She smiled slowly but shifted her eyes to her hands that were fidgeting on the table. “I have an older brother. His name is David.”
“Does he live in New York also?”
“Yes, in Manhattan.”
“Are you close with your family?”
“I would say so. Although, lately I’ve distanced myself from them.”
“Why is that?”
She took a deep breath, seemingly bracing herself for what was to come. “Something that happened to me recently that I prefer not to talk about. I don’t want to spoil this evening.”
“It appears we ventured into some uncomfortable territory.”
&n
bsp; The silence was palpable. This wasn’t going the direction Tony had intended. He needed to change the course of the evening or else he would have to come up with a new plan.
“How much longer are you in Florence?”
“Just a couple more days and then I’m off to Siena. I wanted to stay in the Tuscany region. From there, I’m going to tour Pisa. I can’t wait to see the Leaning Tower. Does it really lean?”
“I’m from Pisa. And yes, it really leans. I think you’ll be amazed. When you’re walking inside the tower, it feels as though you’re going at an angle. It’s a very strange feeling. Of course, you’ll have to get the classic picture where it looks like you’re holding up the tower. All the tourists go there thinking it’s an original idea, only to find five thousand other people are also trying to look like they’re holding it up.”
“How long did you live in Pisa?”
“Until I was five. Then my family relocated to Tuscany where our factory is located and we’ve lived there ever since.”
“So, what should I do while in Siena?”
“Honestly, there isn’t a whole lot. Relatively speaking, it’s a very small town. There’s a Duomo just like in every other city and the town square is pretty impressive. It’s a great place for pictures and it’s lively in the evening with singers and artists. I would highly recommend checking it out. Other than that, there really is nothing. Most of the tours offered are for the local wineries.”
“Hmmm. It sounds like it would be a nice time to relax and have a spa day.”
“You’re probably right. That would be a good thing to do.”
They continued talking and enjoying their food. When they finished sharing the tiramisu and another bottle of wine, Tony paid the bill, and they left the restaurant.
“Oh, I’m stuffed!”
“Would you like to walk a bit before we head back to the hotel?”
“That would be nice. It would help me clear my head. I may have drunk too much wine.”
He smiled as Katherine linked arms with him. She was holding on a little tighter than earlier in the evening, and seemed to be trying to steady herself. She felt comfortable with him and that was a good thing.
“I know just the place we can go.”
They only had to walk a few blocks before arriving at the Duomo. Katherine smiled and placed a hand over her mouth as the majestic building came into view. It was gleaming so bright; the entire piazza was illuminated.
“Wow! It takes my breath away. I thought it was beautiful during the day, but at night, it’s simply breathtaking. Thank you for bringing me here. I don’t think this is something I would’ve done by myself at night.”
He continued to watch her. As light from the Duomo illuminated her face, her blue eyes sparkled like diamonds, the color almost completely washed out by the light. Her lips were stained red from the wine, and she had a look of innocence about her.
“Kate, I’m going to kiss you.”
She faced him, obviously surprised by his declaration. “I’m sorry?”
He pulled her close and pressed his lips to hers. At first, she didn’t respond to his touch, and then as if it came naturally, she melted like butter as he took hold. Katherine fell into the kiss. He savored the softness of her lips, the warmth of her breath, and the touch of her embrace. Every moment he held her, the harder it was to let go. She was his kryptonite and he grew weaker every moment she was in his arms. He didn’t want this moment to end. He was losing himself in her; becoming emotionally invested in the woman he was using wasn’t what he needed. He couldn’t let her impact him this much. He needed to gain better control of the situation. He had a plan for Christ’s sake. She couldn’t interfere with that plan. He abruptly ended the kiss.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.” He put his hands in his pockets in an attempt to tame the beast growing within.
She stood staring like a deer caught in headlights. Her lip gloss was smeared across the corners of her mouth. She pulled a hand to her lips, perhaps checking to make sure she didn’t lose a part of herself.
“We should go now.” He took her free hand, leading her back to the hotel.
She allowed him to pull her along for only a short distance before suddenly stopping. “Wait a minute. Don’t I get a say in this? Doesn’t it matter what I’m thinking? I need to know what happened back there. Can we talk about this?”
“I’m sorry. I got caught up in the moment. All of the lights …you’re so beautiful. I don’t know what I was thinking. I just couldn’t help myself. Don’t worry; I won’t let it happen again.”
“It was beautiful. I’ll admit you caught me off guard, but it was amazing. I’ve had an incredible night with you. If only we were in a different time and a different place. Maybe something could happen between us, but you don’t need to apologize. I need to thank you; you have done more for me than you can even imagine. I think, in a strange sort of way, you saved me.”
He choked on his breath. “I’m not sure what you mean when you say I saved you. I expected you to slap me across the face for being presumptuous.”
She laughed. “I would never do that. You’ve been a perfect gentleman. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed myself.”
A million questions were going through his head, none of which made any sense. He struggled between right and wrong, yin and yang. Should he just let her go or continue to be selfish and put Katherine in harm’s way in order to save his own skin? He had no choice; he was a monster and was going to subject her to whatever he had to in order to get out of this country.
“Come. Let’s get you back to the hotel. You have another full day tomorrow.”
“Okay. Are you sure? I wouldn’t mind walking around a little more.”
“Yes, I’m tired, and I still have some work to take care of tonight.”
“Oh, okay.”
As they walked back to the hotel, instead of setting a leisurely pace, he practically dragged her by the arm. Once he got her safely to her room, he headed back out to the family factory. He needed to get to the safe. He needed for this to be over. He needed to be able to move on with his life without looking over his shoulder all the time.
Chapter Seven
Katherine woke feeling slightly hungover; her head was throbbing and she was sick to her stomach. She had no desire to get out of bed, but her time in Florence was limited. She needed to put on her big girl panties and get moving. She pulled off the sheets and traipsed into the bathroom. She frantically searched through her toiletries for that bottle of magic pills. Finally, after pulling everything out, the bottle of ibuprofen rested alone in the toiletry kit.
She didn’t normally drink as much as she had the previous night, but the wine and the company was a nice change from the cloud of sadness that had been hovering over her lately. Being with Tony, laughing, and actually enjoying someone else’s company was something she wasn’t ready to turn away. She reflected on the walk to the Duomo. The magnificent building was basking in a sea of lights radiating in the night’s sky. Romance was in the air, and she got caught up in it, especially with Tony’s kiss that caused her knees to weaken. When his lips first came in contact with her, thoughts of Mike and the other woman flooded her mind. In that moment, something clicked; her life had started over. Traveling to Italy was a chance to a fresh start to a new life. And that’s when she lost herself in Tony’s kiss. He was the fresh start she needed.
Tony’s kiss was magical—like a fairytale. She felt like Cinderella at the ball. Fireworks lit up the sky as the handsome prince picked her out of a crowd and claimed her as his with the simple act of a kiss. Then, the image of Mike replaced Tony’s and shattered her fantasy into tiny unrecognizable pieces.
She hadn’t thought she was ready to kiss another man so soon after Mike. If anything, she wanted nothing to do with men, let alone anything resembling what was blossoming right before her. But when Tony planted his lips on hers, her body tingled and warmth spread over her like she was sitting on the beach
on a hot summer day. The depth of his kiss reached to her knees, making them buckle; she had held onto his neck tightly to prevent from falling. His lips…those lips commanded her body, taking control, and claiming their territory. They coaxed her closer and closer until his tongue gently guided her lips apart, searching for a deeper connection. Her body was a bundle of nerves sending impulses with every touch and sensation. It was nothing she had experienced before. But then he’d stopped. Why? Was it all her imagination? Was she the only one who could feel this connection and the sparks that could’ve ignited a five-alarm fire?
It had been a long time since she had those feelings from a kiss. Had it even happened with Mike? Thinking back to recent times, it had been a couple of years since there had been that kind of passion. They became comfortable with each other, thus allowing their flame to dim and Mike had apparently rekindled that passion elsewhere.
Katherine filled up a glass with water and popped the two little pills in her mouth. She swallowed them with little difficulty before picking up her toothbrush to get rid of the stale taste in her mouth. She tied her hair back into a tight bun, and threw on some khakis and a button-down collared shirt. She applied some mascara and a little lipgloss before grabbing her backpack and heading downstairs. Instead of waiting for the elevator, she took the stairs, running down as quickly as possible. She wanted to try and catch Tony before the cooking class.
There was no sign of him in the dining room. Despite being out of breath, she let out a heavy sigh, deflated. She placed her backpack in a chair and walked to the buffet for some pastries and coffee. As she settled in at the table, she reviewed her itinerary. She had only one day left in Florence. A pit formed in Katherine’s stomach; she loved this city and wasn’t ready to leave it, or Tony, yet. He was great company and provided so much insight into the city. It was nice having a friend in a foreign country.
She finished breakfast and was disappointed when Tony didn’t show up. She quickly gathered her things into the backpack, with the exception of the map, and headed out in search of the cooking school. The walk didn’t take long. Like the entire city, it was a relatively short distance away.
