Stuck on You

by Patricia Mar

  “I hate horror movies, and I don’t like Star Trek,” whined Sara, but she started to dry her tears.

  “Miss Marple?”

  “Perfect!”

  She’d done the right thing coming here. For a couple of days she could pretend she was fifteen again and all would be well.

  *

  Sara had a nice, hot shower, and even managed to hum while the jet of steaming water poured over the curves of her body. She was calm – a respite from her misery was just what she needed.

  She dried herself with a towel that smelled of home and fabric softener, put on an old track-suit of Glicine’s that was a couple of sizes too big for her, dried her hair and went downstairs, ready to join her grandmother in the living room. They had prepared a snack and they would be having dinner in front of the TV. That evening was Uncle Sauro’s night for going to the bar to play bowls with his friends. A girls’ night in… A godsend.

  Grandma had her hand on the remote control and her finger on the play button, all ready to press it. Sara settled back on the sofa, between the two of them and the film began.

  But a few seconds later the doorbell rang.

  All three heads turned towards the door.

  “You expecting someone?” Glicine asked her daughter. The latter shook her head and stood up, went to the window and peered out.

  “Oh, that’s all we need!” she said in surprise and stared at Sara. “I think he’s looking for you.”

  “Me?” Sara jumped up as quickly as if someone had pointed a gun at her. “What are you talking about?”

  The doorbell rang again and Aunty Nora went to open it while Sara ran to the window to see what was going on. She put her hand to her mouth in shock. “It can’t be!”

  “Can I ask what all the fuss is about?” asked Glicine impatiently, still sitting on the couch.

  Sara turned slowly to stare at her, her face burning red.

  “Daniel. Daniel is here.”

  Chapter 29

  The Investigation Continues

  Sara was still standing by the window when Daniel Gant, looking extremely imposing, marched into the small living room. He looked taller and even more sure of himself. His eyes flashed at Sara. He was angry – really angry, and his jaw was clenched to hold back his fury. Nora stood quietly behind him. Daniel approached Glicine and held out his hand. “I’m Daniel Gant. Please forgive the intrusion. I realise that this is hardly an appropriate hour to be visiting, and I apologize for that.”

  Perhaps due to his nervousness, his accent seemed more pronounced.

  Glicine got up and shook his hand, smiling gently. “Glicine Porta, pleased to meet you – and don’t worry, sometimes circumstances dictate immediate action.”

  Daniel’s face softened suddenly and it was obvious why: he had found an ally in Glicine. Even Nora was smiling now and Sara realised she was in a minority of one. She wondered why, since it was her who was the victim in all of this. Or was she?

  Daniel turned to Sara. “I need to talk to you, right now.” He was stern and imperious, and obviously sick of beating about the bush. The girl gulped, almost frightened. Why was he so angry if he had decided to let her go?

  “There’s nothing to talk about.” She wanted to show that she was determined. She had her dignity to defend.

  Daniel turned to Glicine. “I must ask once again for your forgiveness. Believe me when I say that I normally never behave like this, but your granddaughter will drive me insane, sooner or later.”

  With great strides he marched towards Sara who had backed up against the wall.

  “We’re going to talk, my dear. Whether you like it or not.” And with one sweeping movement, he picked her up and slung her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

  Sara’s mouth dropped open in surprise, while Nora and Glicine could barely contain their laughter. What a scene!

  “Help me,” she pleaded, looking at them in astonishment, while Daniel made for the hallway, his eyes on the stairs leading to the upper floor.

  “My little one, I told you that you ought to deal with the situation. This seems like a good time,” said Grandma Glicine, winking and raising her thumb in approval.

  “Where’s your room?” he asked, without wasting any more time.

  “Upstairs,” Sara grunted, as she tried to free herself, but as well as being beautiful, Daniel’s muscles were also rock hard. It was impossible to change the course of events, so she gave in, just hoping that he would put her down as soon as possible. Being treated like a spoiled child was humiliating. Though a little voice in her head had to admit he had a point.

  “Which one?”

  She reluctantly pointed to the door on the right. He swung it open and, Sara still on his shoulders, went inside, closing it behind him with a thud.

  He put her down rather indelicately and stared into her face for a few moments. It was flushed with shame and anger. Daniel seemed to have calmed down now – in fact he was almost too calm.

  She backed away from him for the second time that evening.

  But the man only looked around him at the flowered walls, the twin beds and the multi-coloured quilts, then turned his eyes remorselessly back to her. They seemed to undress her, leaving her standing there helpless and naked in front of him.

  Sara couldn’t stand the silence and was about to speak, but he cut her off.

  “Now it’s my turn, Sara De Michele.”

  He took off his black leather jacket and threw it onto one of the beds.

  Oh, why was he so gorgeous and sexy? Those strong arms that could hold her so sweetly had been hers for such a short time. Like something out of a dream.

  “Whatever it is you want to say, let’s hurry up, okay? So both of us can get back to our normal lives.” Sara tried to save what little dignity she had left, because despite everything she knew she would be quite willing to fall back into Daniel’s arms if only he would ask her.

  “Have you any idea how absolutely impossible you are?” He threw up his arms in frustration. “I’d like to know why you’ve done everything possible to sabotage our relationship? How much paranoia is there in that pretty little head of yours?”

  Ok, he was really very angry.

  “It’s not true—”

  “Oh, sure… and all because of a photo shoot. Pictures – stupid bloody photos. I haven’t been unfaithful to you, not even in my imagination. There’s only you in here,” he said, pointing to his head, “and in here,” pointing to his heart. “I thought that respecting and loving you was enough.”

  “If you came here to fight then you might as well leave,” she retorted, trying to put on a determined front despite the fact that she was shaking like never before.

  “You’re as stubborn as bloody mule,” he groaned furiously.

  “I’m not stubborn.”

  “You’re going to drive me crazy, you’re impossible.”

  “You’ve already said that.”

  It was clear that Daniel was trying to calm down, but he was struggling – Sara’s resolute attitude made him seethe. He stood there in silence, staring at her with grim eyes as though he could reason with her just by looking at her.

  “Anyway, what respect,” she continued, “when everywhere I go I find photographs like those? When you let a model touch your almost naked body? It was as if you weren’t mine any more – as if a stranger had taken my place and you had let her. I can’t bear it, I love you too, you idiot! And this is killing me!”

  How unfair – she was about to give in. She put her hands to her face and turned away.

  Silence… the terrible silence while Daniel thought before answering.

  Suddenly, through Grandma Glicine’s baggy tracksuit, she could feel the heat coming from his body on her skin. Typical – for the umpteenth time he’d caught her looking an awful, dishevelled mess.

  His put his hands on her shoulders. “Sara, I’ve been doing this kind of work all my life, and I’ve learned to be uninhibited. I’ve never had proble
ms with photo shoots that were a bit more explicit. And none of my exes ever complained – in fact some of them actually seemed proud to be dragging a male specimen of that type around. It was all part of the game.”

  “I’m not your exes,” Sara bit her lip, trying to hold back her tears, but her voice came out in hiccups.

  Daniel kissed her neck, making her skin pulse. “No, you aren’t. I knew you were different.”

  This time Sara kept silent – she couldn’t formulate a coherent thought, nor even half of one. All she felt was Daniel’s breath on her skin, his hands on her shoulders, his body pressing down on hers in that possessive, familiar way.

  “I never thought that my work would be a problem, that somehow it might offend you.” There was no trace of anger in his voice, only regret and tenderness. “I gave you my all, I showed you all of me, and you knew what I felt for you. What did I care what other people saw? It didn’t matter to me. But it mattered to you, and I’d never really thought about that before. I’m sorry for being so insensitive.”

  Sara hadn’t expected an apology, and confusion suddenly filled her mind and her heart, which were so hopelessly surrendering to her feelings.

  “When I asked you if you’d be jealous in my place, you said no. It hurt. It felt like I didn’t mean anything to you.”

  He turned her gently towards him so they were looking into each other’s eyes.

  “I was angry when I said that. But I’ve thought about it a lot while we’ve been apart. I’d be mad with jealousy, I swear I would. I’m pretty sure that I’d act even more crazily than you’re doing.”

  He smiled shyly, and Sara could see sincerity written all over his wonderful face.

  “I’d punch any model, and the photographer, and anyone else who laid eyes on your body. I’ve never felt anything like that before. I was so shocked by how I felt.”

  “You didn’t get in touch. You didn’t want to talk to me.”

  He stroked her cheek as though she were a precious, delicate flower. “I thought that being apart for a while might help us understand each other better. And when I got back I was going to deal with everything. I didn’t want to lose you.”

  “And I called you from that bar.”

  “Yeah.” Daniel’s face stiffened. “Who is this Marco guy?” he asked impulsively, a flicker of unease crossing his features.

  Sara smiled and grabbed his hand, pressing it to her face. “Nobody. I made him up to try and get you jealous. Stupid, eh?”

  “You can’t imagine how I felt, stuck on the other side of the world and convinced that you’d already started over and were going out with another guy, someone who…” He fell silent.

  Sara moved her hand and placed it on his lips. “I could never do that. I only love you. I don’t want anyone else in my life. It’s you or nobody,” she proclaimed comically, making him smile. “You, or I’ll just die alone.”

  “You were drunk and in a bar with someone else. I nearly went out of my mind. I immediately booked the first flight back. I was terrified that my silence those weeks had been too much. But you were always with me, always – I never did anything that might have hurt you.”

  Sara pulled away from him. She believed him – but so what? What about what she had overheard in his apartment? The conversation with Alessandro?

  “By now you must have realised that I was at your house when you came back.”

  Daniel nodded.

  “When I saw the keys and the shopping bags in the kitchen, I realised that you’d been there,” he said, lowering his head resignedly. “I went to your house and Virginia told me everything. You’d preferred to run away rather than talk to me.”

  “How many times was I supposed to let you hurt me?”

  Daniel glared back at her again, sat down on the bed, then continued. “You thought I was talking about you,” he said quietly. “It’s you who’s got no faith in me.”

  Sara sat down beside him and took his hand. She needed his touch as well as his words and explanations. Now she knew she’d been wrong – that he loved her even though she had doubted it. “Explain it all to me, I’m here now.”

  Daniel looked at her. “I fired my agent.”

  Confused, Sarah looked back at him.

  “I spoke to her about wanting to select my jobs more carefully from now on. I told her I wouldn’t be posing naked any more. I couldn’t fix the past but I could do something about the future.”

  There was so much tenderness in him that her chest felt like it was bursting with happiness.

  “She was adamant, though – she kept saying that the best offers were always for me half-naked. I reminded her that I was thirty now, and had a nice little nest egg put aside – more than I’d be able to spend in a lifetime – so I could afford to be a bit more picky about what I wanted to do and what I didn’t want to do. I wanted to meet you half way. I wanted to prove to you that you meant more to me. While you were eavesdropping,” he said, with a mischievous smile, “I was speaking to Alessandro about the fact that I’d lost a great woman, but that I had priorities. My priority was you, Sara. But you never gave me the chance to tell you because you ran away.”

  “And you followed me.”

  “And I followed you, yes. I’d follow you anywhere. I’ll never let you leave me. I won’t let that happen again, because I missed you so much those weeks in LA that it was torture. It was like a part of me was missing. I never want to feel that way again. I don’t want to torment myself any more about what I could have done to keep you from running away from me.”

  Sara was so overwhelmed by this unexpected revelation that she couldn’t speak. She clutched him to her tightly, as if they were inseparable.

  “I really thought I’d lost you, Daniel.”

  “And I thought I’d lost you too. We really are idiots, the pair of us – we’ve got to learn to talk to each other, to communicate. We mustn’t let our fears and our pride take control.”

  “All this has totally drained me. I’ll admit it, I’ve never felt anything like what I feel for you now, and I was just so afraid that I started believing in my paranoia… I convinced myself, when all I had to do was believe in us.”

  “And I’ve been taking too much for granted, when I should have been talking to you, understanding your doubts. Instead of pretending that we could solve everything just by having sex.” He gave her a cheeky look and patted the bed.

  “Daniel Gant, you’re terrible.”

  He raised his eyebrows at her and she laughed.

  It really had happened – Daniel was here with her, in Gubbio! He had poured out his heart and had decided not to do any more naked photo shoots so that she wouldn’t have to suffer, and while she was thinking about how everything had miraculously sorted itself out, Daniel gently pushed her back down onto the bed and stroked her face and her neck. “You know, I have a powerful urge to take off this track suit of yours, right now.” He pulled down the zip and bent down to kiss the skin underneath.

  “But my grandmother and aunty are downstairs.”

  Her remonstrations were made less than convincing, though, by the way her body began to arch to accommodate the movements of Daniel’s fingers, which felt hot to the touch as they passed over her body. She’d missed him like crazy and every inch of her body demanded his attention, demanded to be satisfied – demanded a dose of Daniel Gant. He smiled at her, revealing the dimples at the sides of his mouth that she found so irresistible, his white shirt, which by now was unbuttoned, giving him the look of a pirate looking for treasure. And by God, the treasure was her.

  It didn’t take them long to get rid of their clothes and squeeze into one of the twin beds without worrying about blankets or sheets.

  “How naughty!” joked Sara, as she caressed her boyfriend’s body.

  “I reckon Nora and Glicine know what’s what – they’ll understand that… that we have to make up.” He kissed her ear lobe and then began to nibble it, as his hand slid down to torture her with pleasure.
>
  Between one groan and another, Sara couldn’t contain herself any longer. “I love you Daniel Gant, with all my heart. You’re perfection for me – you’re my everything.”

  The look of joy on Daniel’s face warmed her heart. “And you, Sara De Michele, will be my only love, forever. Never forget it.”

  The restrained passion that they’d held in check for weeks now was burning with such intensity that it erased every other thought, and they began to kiss and to devour one another, tangled in each other’s arms, skin against skin, heart against heart, whispering and sighing, while their worlds, which had once been divided, now fused together, becoming one and never to be separated again.

  For that night, Miss Marple would have to wait. There were more urgent matters requiring attention.

  Epilogue

  What Goes Around Comes Around

  Two months later.

  December had arrived. The city was full of hustle and bustle, Christmas was just around the corner, and everywhere you looked there were fairy lights and decorated trees and everything was full of the dreamlike atmosphere that Sara loved.

  She was euphoric that day because they’d planned on finishing their Christmas shopping for gifts to put under the tree, but her sister Virginia didn’t seem to share her enthusiasm. One of her exams had gone badly. Sara was sorry, of course, but she could always take it again. It wasn’t the end of the world – I mean, it wasn’t like somebody had died or anything.

  Virginia, though, had insisted on going for a walk in the park – she said she wanted to walk a bit of tension off in Villa Borghese. Goodbye, shopping!

  About an hour later they were walking down one of the park avenues which was lined with almost bare trees. Sara pulled her warm coat tightly round her and tugged her hat down over her forehead. There was a cold wind and the park was almost deserted.

  Virginia held her by the arm almost as if she thought she might try and escape while she nattered on about this and that, absent-mindedly messaging all the while.