Stuck on You

by Patricia Mar

  “Yes, Samuele… I think it’s a really sweet idea,” she said, sincerely. Sure, maybe poor Debora would be mortally embarrassed at being in the spotlight in such a public place, but this kid would certainly have made her birthday memorable.

  “That’s why we need you,” resumed Teo, with conviction. “We’re practicing the last steps right now, down there. Come on, it’s really simple, you’ll pick it up in no time. And just think of Debora’s face when she sees you!”

  The model glanced at Samuele and at Sara, then winked and said, “I’m in, I think it’s a brilliant idea. Sara, do you mind?”

  “I’m in too – it’ll be fun.”

  “You two are the best! Come on!” Teo and Samuele led them to an area of the park where there were about twenty other kids, Samuele turned on the stereo and the Rihanna song Te Amo came on. The boy blushed visibly at the idea of making a fool of himself like that, but what is love after all, Sara thought, if it’s not taking a risk? She found herself almost envying the young lad’s courage.

  Her silent reflections were interrupted by Teo, who began to teach them the simple steps of the improvised choreography. To the rhythm of the music, Sara and Daniel found themselves imitating the movements of others, and they looked at each other and laughed, for all the world like a couple of carefree teenagers. Spank was tied to a bench nearby and stared at them curiously.

  After half an hour, one of the boys, wearing a crumpled denim jacket, suddenly shouted, “Teo, your phone!”

  The boy turned off the stereo and answered the call in a quiet voice. After a moment he turned to the others. “Split up… Debora’s coming!”

  “What about us, Teo?” asked an amused Daniel.

  “Sit on a bench, chat, kiss… A bit of imagination!”

  “Why didn’t I think of that?” said Daniel, slapping his forehead, then he took Sara by the hand and led her over to the bench. Sara stiffened slightly at the sight of a crouching Spank watching them with alert eyes.

  They sat down. Daniel put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. Sara was surprised – she hadn’t been expecting that. Not that she minded.

  “Well it is a date, right?” Daniel smiled a smile that would have bent the most rigid will.

  Sarah decided to go along with the script without saying anything. She wanted to see what her companion would do, so she put her hands on his shoulders, touching him for the first time with an intimate, almost brazen gesture. If they had to pretend, why not do it properly?

  What a strange feeling. It was so nice that her stomach had just done a somersault, or maybe two. Sara raised her eyes to meet Daniel’s. He was staring at her intensely, and all trace of lightheartedness seemed to have vanished. Everything around her went blurry, except for his face.

  The silence was broken only by Sara’s heartbeat. She’d spent her whole life chasing this kind of emotion.

  “I’m about to do something very silly – or maybe not….” Daniel was serious, incredibly serious, while the contact between their eyes and bodies became more intense.

  Daniel slid a hand onto Sarah’s neck, and his fingers caressed it, as light and delicate as feathers. Sara felt her muscles relax. Magic. An incredible state of grace.

  And it happened.

  Daniel leaned in towards her like a cat studying its prey and ready to devour her, put his mouth over hers and, in an instant, stole away her heart and her thoughts – every bit of her was consumed by that kiss, at first gentle and then gradually becoming more daring, curious and confident. But before it all became a waking dream, something crept through the blissful mist that enveloped her – a mist from which she was dragged with a violence that almost made her feel sick.

  In the still, sunlit air, the voice of Rihanna singing Te Amo echoed through the trees. Sara opened her eyes and saw Daniel staring at her, as confused and excited as she was. Neither of them moved for a fraction of a second.

  “Wow, you two really went for it! Come on!” said Teo, dragging them relentlessly to where the others were waiting.

  Sara and Daniel continued to stare at one another in a daze, and it took them a few seconds to realize what was going on around them. They smiled, then got into position for the dance while a redheaded girl with long pigtails and an upturned nose raised her hands to her mouth and blinked tears of emotion from her eyes. As Rihanna sang Te Amo, people who were walking past formed a ring around the lovely little scene and began to clap in time with the beat. Sara and Daniel found themselves laughing again, while Debora was happily crying in that corner of the world that had become her kingdom.

  Finally, just as they had planned, Daniel stepped forward and walked over to Debora, who stood with her mouth hanging open, looking as if she’d just seen a ghost. He took her hand, raised it to his mouth, kissed it, and then dragged the girl to the centre of the dance, which suddenly stopped. Samuele was waiting in the middle, holding a red rose. Debora looked profoundly moved.

  Smiling with pleasure, Daniel let go of Debora’s hand and returned to Sara’s side.

  Daniel and Sara could feel each other’s presence. Something had happened between them, even though it had begun as nothing more than a game. Without saying anything, Daniel laced his fingers with hers and they stood in silence, watching the two young people and hoping that the same magic would touch them too.

  Chapter 11

  Cinderella and Prince Charming

  The door finally opened. It was like entering a magical world where everything was possible. She, a modern Cinderella, was going to the ball in a pair of ripped jeans and with a fearful heart; her lungs bursting with held breath and anticipation as she wondered whether following that foolish instinct had been a wise choice. He was Prince Charming, irresistible and with old-fashioned gentlemanly manners. A unique combination. Daniel had already walked into his castle while she stood waiting at the entrance, aware that she was about to enter the wolf’s lair where she would be defenceless.

  Daniel turned to look at her for a moment, smiling seductively. “Aren’t you coming in?”

  Spank, freed from her leash, had run away and was probably already planning how to attack her when she least expected it. “Yes, I’m coming…”

  Sara found herself walking in a bright, spacious room, whose large windows opened onto a terrace with a breath-taking view. “If only you could see yourself,” said Daniel, sitting down on a huge L-shaped beige sofa and kicking off his shoes. “Do you mind?” he asked, noticing Sara had a perplexed expression.

  “Not at all, feel free.”

  How could she tell him that she found that gesture incredibly erotic?

  She turned her back to him and started examining the décor, which seemed like a combination of modern – though not extreme – and classical styles, the latter given especially by the use of fine woods. Strangely enough, there were no pictures of him anywhere. Sara moved over to a window, where there was a big, black grand piano, so shiny you could see your face reflected in it. “Can you play it?” she asked, glancing through the window. She was feeling a combination of violent emotions which she was struggling to suppress. She didn’t want to feel uncomfortable, she wanted to let herself go without over thinking… She was tired of being in control of everything – and in any case, it was impossible to control what she was feeling.

  Neither could she forget what had happened in the park – their kiss and the way they had held each other’s hands all the way to Daniel’s attic, which overlooked Piazza di Spagna. He had offered to cook her his super-special omelette, but Sara was afraid that it might be more than just a few eggs that got broken. What had happened between them? And what was happening now? Daniel walked over to her and casually touched her shoulders. Sara felt his breath on her neck and his presence by her.

  “I love playing the piano – I learned to do it when I was a kid. It’s relaxing.” He stretched out his hand and intertwined it once again with hers, as though he didn’t want to let her go. Sara let him, and he drew her over to th
e wide black leather stool and sat down, leaving enough space for her beside him. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and began playing, his tapered hands touching the ivory and ebony keys so gracefully that Sara’s fear ebbed away. The notes of Debussy’s Claire de Lune filled the air with their melancholy.

  Sara felt happier than ever before. She kept looking at Daniel’s hands, so confident and expert, and at his face, he was totally immersed in the music. Where was he? To what magical part of the universe had he travelled to have such a contented expression on his face? It was in that moment that she realized just how much she liked him and how much she wanted to be part of his life. Sara didn’t usually fall head over heels in love – not after so little time anyway – but she had to admit that if her rationality and her emotions had a fight, the latter would win by a knockout. She bit her lips hoping to taste the kiss they had shared in the park again. Daniel tasted nice, and the memory of his soft lips was still vivid in her mouth like a pleasant aftertaste. She accidentally blushed at that unique, secret emotion. The music stopped. Daniel turned to her and smiled.

  As though he had read her thoughts, he stretched his fingers towards Sara’s mouth, letting his thumb pause a second at the corner. The girl smiled back, not really knowing what she was doing. Her instinct told her to stand up and make a run for it but her heart was telling her to be bold and to seal their friendship with another kiss. Only one – one that seemed to last forever. Her heart started beating hard again, so hard that the sound was deafening. So loud that she actually seemed to be able to hear it, like a real noise. Damn… there was a real noise! It was Spank again, growling and standing much too close to her. The dog was pulling at her trousers again, as Sara tried to free her leg, her smile turned into hysterical laughter.

  “I think your beloved Spank wants to kill me.”

  Unwillingly, Daniel took away his hand, and the magic was gone. He bent down under the piano. “Hey, young lady, why are you behaving like this? Sara’s a friend…”

  Friend, friend, friend… Right, though people don’t usually do what you just did to their friends, Daniel… Spank didn’t seem to agree, but in the end she trotted off with her tail between her legs and Daniel turned back to Sara to continue what they had started – and realised she was no longer there. She had taken advantage of the distraction to take control of herself and put her escape plan into effect.

  “I’m starving, where’s this special omelette you promised?”

  “Come with me, I’ll show you my favourite room in the house – my kitchen.”

  Sara followed him into a comfortable kitchen in white and dark wood. She was surprised by the familiar, warm atmosphere she found there. “Do you like it? I spend hours in here, I love cooking.”

  “Yes, I like it a lot.”

  “Great…” was Daniel’s only reply, as he opened the huge double door fridge and started taking out ingredients. Sara watched him move about confidently. He was really sexy. Suddenly and spontaneously, she imagined Daniel totally naked. She tried to push away the image – this wasn’t the right moment! They were supposed to eat? But she had to admit that she would have liked to sample that delicacy…

  She leaned on the counter and tried to look natural and unflustered. “Can I give you a hand?”

  He looked up at her, and a black curl fell over the middle of his forehead. “Come here.”

  That request was enough to make her feel like her legs were about to fail her. Sara went over to him. “Here I am, master chef.”

  Daniel chuckled and put a box of eggs on her hands. “You’ll find the plates over on that shelf,” he said, pointing. “You beat the eggs, while I look for my secret ingredient.”

  “Yes, chef!”

  They were both surprised by how naturally they moved around each other in the kitchen – it was as though they’d been doing it forever.

  While the eggs sizzled in the pan, Daniel laid the table with a green linen tablecloth. Everything was perfect: that moment, that entire day, even the accident in the lift had been perfect, and that perfection had led her right there, to the ideal date. When they finally sat down at the table, Sara forgot about everything, she could only feel a huge wave of emotion crushing her chest in a pleasantly painful way. Daniel, the smile never leaving his face, was telling stories about his travels and his past, and all of Sara’s anxiety seemed to have disappeared; she could be herself without feeling uncomfortable, with no risk of being awkward.

  The noise of the cutlery and their voices mingled together like the delicious ingredients of that lunch, until Daniel suddenly said, “Try this, Sara.”

  It didn’t matter what it was. Daniel raised his fork, the same fork which had touched his lips a few moments before, to Sara’s mouth with a sensual, familiar gesture that left her speechless. It was as unexpected as thunder in a clear sky. Sara looked at him, enchanted, and he gazed back at her with sweet firmness. From the look on his face, it was obvious he knew what he was doing. The chemistry between them was undeniable. Her lips opened slowly to allow the morsel into her mouth, and she held her breath as she savoured it. Daniel raised himself up slightly, leaned over towards her and kissed her closed mouth. It was celestial. He then withdrew slightly and lightly touched her cheek, his eyes never leaving her.

  Sara started panicking. She felt as if she was falling from a great height, as though she had dived off a cliff into a sea as blue as Daniel’s eyes. She had no control of herself any more, the words slipped out of her mouth, whispered and muffled. “You said you didn’t want a fling with me.”

  He was surprised and he couldn’t hide it. He sat back down, confused, with the expression of someone who was wondering what he had done wrong. Obviously he hadn’t been expecting a reaction like that.

  “And I still don’t.”

  “So why all this? What it this mean? If you don’t want to have a fling with me, if you want us to be friends, you should know friends don’t behave this way.”

  Daniel frowned. “I never said I wanted to be a friend of yours, or at least not just a friend. I said I wanted to get to know you.” Sara understood the difference, and her panic grew even more intense. She hated seeing her feelings and fears exposed this way. Seeing that she didn’t answer, Daniel went on. “I really like you, Sara, and I’ll admit I didn’t want to rush things with you, I wanted to get to know you better before doing anything. I wanted you to get to know me – not the cover boy, the real me, my life with Spank, the piano, my passion for cooking and all the other little things that define me, not just the cameras and glamour.”

  Sara said nothing and remained as immobile as a rock, whipped by the waves. Daniel continued. “I was sure you’d be able to see through my public image. You never wanted anything from me, and that drew me to you immediately, but then going out with you really sealed the deal. It just felt so good, in a way it hardly ever has.” Impulsively, he stretched his hand to take Sara’s and caress its back with his thumb. “You should know that I’ve just come out of a relationship which lasted a few months. We split up as friends. It just didn’t work between us. I thought you had the right to hear about it from me. I really want to keep seeing you, Sara, and I hope you want to keep seeing me too.”

  He was being honest, she could see it from his expression, and he deserved her to be honest too.

  “I like you a lot too, Daniel. But I’m scared by how fast everything’s happening. I’m scared of the fact that there’s no connection between me and your world and your life. And I’m scared of how fast you seem to start and finish your relationships. At least that’s what the magazines my sister reads say.”

  Daniel burst into laughter and kissed her hands gently. “Don’t always trust gossip. I could go out with a friend, and they’d make it look like she was my latest flame.”

  “I’m a friend too, or something like it.”

  “No, you’re not, not to me. Or rather, I’d like you to become my best friend, and to be my best friend for a very long time…�
� he said more seriously. “Does that scare you too?”

  “What I’m saying is that we don’t know each other well enough, and I need some time. We’ve talked on the phone once or twice and seen each other maybe three times, which makes us pretty much complete strangers. I can’t rush, it’s just not in my nature.”

  “In that case, I’ll wait for as long as you need. It’s going to be fun seeing all your defences gradually crumble until you surrender completely,” he smiled impishly, while he continued to torture her hand with calculated slowness and stare at her as though planning to eat her whole.

  Sara gave him a provocative look, excited by the idea that he really wanted to court her. “My dear Mr Gant, you will need commitment. You don’t think I’m easy prey, do you?”

  “I don’t give up, when I feel that it’s worth it. Ever.”

  He was determined, and that reassured Sara, who smiled at him happily. It felt as though they were setting sail for a journey. A journey they would make together…

  Chapter 12

  A lot, Everything, Too Much!

  “So you didn’t see the bedroom, then?” asked Virginia, as she got ready for a movie night with her sister. “Nope, I only saw the huge living room, the kitchen and the bathroom… yes, I had to go at one point, I admit it. Anyway, the bathroom’s enormous too and it’s all done out in black marble. Spectacular.”

  “You’ve been in Daniel Gant’s bathroom…” she sighed in a dreamy voice.

  “Stop taking the mickey.”

  Virginia raised her eyes to the ceiling. “So, when are you seeing each other again?”

  “He said he’s going to call me tomorrow. He’s staying in Rome for another few days, luckily, before leaving for I don’t know where on some fashion shoot.”

  “He’s lucky to travel so much. Maybe he’ll take you along on one of his trips.”

  Sara gave her a glare.