by Annie Seaton
She settled on a dress she had bought on a whim. It had reminded her of one of her paintings. It was like the dress she had worn out to lunch with Nic, but it was lower cut at the front.
She grinned as she slipped it over her head and crossed to the mirror, nodding with satisfaction as her reflection confirmed what she’d hoped for.
The top of the words that Nic had painted on her breast were clearly visible above the low neckline of her dress. She’d taken a very careful shower earlier, not wanting it to wash off, although it would probably take a good scrubbing with turpentine to remove the word. She was well used to that; it was a wonder the skin on her face wasn’t wrinkled like an old canvas. It received a daily dose of turpentine to remove the paint stains each night before she headed to work. Gabriel could barely cope with her paint-stained fingers. If she turned up with paint on her face, he would really frown. If she turned up with paint on her breast, he and Papa would go ballistic.
Her smile grew as she wondered what her family would think of her pseudo-tattoo. She fluffed out her hair with her fingers and settled down to wait for Nic. It was the happiest she had been for a long time, and although it felt good, confusion filled her. Is it because he values my work? And wants to show it? Or is it because the chance of escaping to the city is almost within reach?
But the image that came to mind as she stared at the landscapes propped against the wall was of a dimpled chin and full, sexy lips.
…
Nic drew a quick breath when Gia pushed the gate open as he pulled up in the roadster. Her dress was a bright slash of colorful flowers. Huge red poppies dotted a yellow background. It hugged her breasts and was nipped in at the waist before flaring out just above her knees. Long, bare legs were the first thing Nic saw as he climbed out of the car and met her at the gate.
“Hello, Sleeping Beauty. I didn’t have the heart to wake you when I left.” Nic bent and captured her lips with his. She murmured against his mouth as she pressed into him.
“Kiss me like that some more and we won’t get to dinner.” Her voice was low and throaty, and Nic closed his eyes, giving himself into the warmth of her skin.
“Where is my shy little waitress? The temptress is back.” He was tempted to take Gia back inside, but then he looked at her. Her eyes were highlighted with a gray shadow, and her lips were painted deep scarlet to match the poppies on her dress. She’d dressed up for dinner. He’d take her out.
He put his hand up to his own mouth. “Uh-oh. Am I wearing lipstick now?”
Gia grinned and shook her head. “One of my few extravagances. It doesn’t come off.”
“Good.” Nic dipped his head and kissed her again. When he pulled back, his eyes dropped to her chest and he smiled. The soft swell of her breasts peeked out above the low neckline of her dress. The top of the word he had painted there this morning rose above the brightly-colored fabric.
Coraggio. Still emblazoned on her breast.
“Hmm. The lipstick is obviously as good a quality as the paint I used. It hasn’t come off, either.” He held her chin and gently turned her head from side to side, pretending to examine her closely. “The blue cheeks are gone, which is a plus. Not sure if the fancy restaurant would like that look.”
Gia turned to the car and opened the door. “Take me there. I’m starving.” She glanced at him from beneath her eyelashes. “If I’m presentable enough?”
“Are you fishing for compliments? You look stunning. I’d like to call into your family restaurant. I don’t think they’d recognize their gorgeous, confident daughter.”
“Uh-uh.” Gia shook her head with a laugh and pointed to her breast. “Do you want to be shot at dawn?”
The restaurant was an exclusive establishment tucked into the corner of the fortified wall that surrounded the village and looked down over the western valley. She smiled at the owner on the way in; everyone knew each other in the village. Word would soon get back to her family that she was out with Nic Battistoni. When they were seated at the table on the high terrace overlooking the olive groves to the west, Nic ordered a bottle of champagne.
Gia narrowed her eyes. “Dom Pérignon? Do you know how expensive that is?”
Nic laughed and nodded at the waiter. “Two glasses, please.” He took her hand and held it on the snow white linen tablecloth. “Yes, I do. But this is a celebration.”
She tipped her head to the side. “A celebration?”
He shook his head and waited till the waiter returned. The man fussed with the bottle before he paused, looking at her, his eyes wide. “Gia?”
“Hello, Stefano. I didn’t realize you were working here. What happened to your work at the olive grove? I thought you’d been promoted to manager?”
The waiter shot a quick glance at Nic and their joined hands on the table. He shrugged. “Second job. Caro’s having another baby and can’t work.”
“Number three?”
Stefano shook his head. “Number four.”
“Well, congratulations. And pass my best wishes to Caro.”
Stefano stood there with a wistful look on his face. Nic cleared his throat and the man jumped, and then he popped the champagne and filled their glasses before going back to the bar.
“What was all that about? He looked like he was about to cry when he recognized you.”
Nic watched Gia as her face colored. “Old boyfriend. Papa was disappointed when I broke it off with him.” She shuddered. “Dio. What a lucky escape. Caro’s younger than me, and she’s having baby number four.”
Nic smiled as she shivered.
“So back to our celebration.” He let go of her hand and picked up his glass and waited for her to pick up hers. “A toast to you”—he smiled at her and a rush of feeling buzzed though him as she smiled back—“the up and coming new artist, the mysterious Gia Carelli will be having her first exhibition three weeks from today.”
“Three weeks?” Gia put her glass down and her eyes widened. “From today? Oh, Nic. I can’t be ready in three weeks. And besides I’ve been having second thoughts today.”
He held up his hand. “No second thoughts allowed. You are having an exhibition.
He sat back and watched her deflate in front of him.
“The studio’s a mess.”
“I’ll help you clean it up.”
She shook her head. “The catering. There’s no way that can be organized in time.”
“All done. Next?”
“Um…”
Nic lowered his gaze to the soft swell of her breast. “How about you look down at the single word gracing your beautiful skin?”
Gia dropped her eyes, too, and Nic was pleased to see a slow smile spread across her face.
“Now tell me. What does it say?”
“It says ‘coraggio.’ Her smile widened as Gia pushed her chair back.It scraped on the tiled floor.
“I can do it.” She came around to his side of the table, leaned down, and kissed him full on the lips, in front of the whole restaurant. In front of all of the staff who knew her. “I can do it.”
Her excitement was infectious, and Nic grabbed her hand and lifted her fingers to his mouth. “Of course you can, and it is going to set your career on a stellar path. You keep producing beautiful work, and you will soon be known all over Europe.”
Gia moved back to her chair, and Nic thought if eyes could sparkle, hers would rival the stars he had painted her beneath last night.
“I’m having an exhibition!” She hugged her arms. “Gia Carelli from Castellina is an artist!”
“Of course you are. You always have been. Having an exhibition doesn’t change that.” Nic put a serious note into his voice. “Have you thought about a business manager?
“What? Why would I need one of them?
“Because, my sweet, I predict you are going to make a lot of money.”
“Enough to move to Florence?”
“Probably enough to move to Paris, or Rome, or New York… wherever the mood takes yo
u.”
She sat across the table from him and shook her head. Disbelief was written all over her face. A surge of affection—that’s all it is—ran though him. It was the same—but sort of different—to the feeling he got when he donated to the children’s hospital. This was more personal, and he wondered what it meant. Maybe, if—when—she moved to Florence, they could spend some time together. But he had a feeling that she was about to leave him far behind in the art world.
No. It didn’t matter.
He didn’t want a close connection with anyone. He would enjoy letting Gia go and watching her fly away.
That’s how much I believe in her.
“Nic? Nic?”
He stared at Gia and realized she had been talking to him.
“Sorry, I was dreaming of your successful career.”
“Would you be my business manager?” Her voice was shy and she dropped her head as she spoke. Nic could see her confidence fading fast.
“I know you’re busy with your work and everything…and your own painting, but I was wondering if…”
Regret filled Nic as her voice trailed off and he shook his head slowly. “I hope I haven’t overstepped the mark, but I’ve already made a call and asked someone I know—through my work—if they’d talk to you. It’s not the sort of thing I do.”
Nic had no doubt he could do it with his eyes shut, but Gia deserved the attention of someone who could give her more time than he could. Ben was not only one of his most trusted staff, but a good friend. He would set her in the right direction and help her to liaise with the right people. Nic didn’t want to tell her that although he was based in Carrara, he frequently traveled back and forth to the States. Not yet. And maybe not for much longer anyway. His gut burned as he thought of the argument with his father this afternoon, and he picked up his glass and let the cool wine soothe his throat.
He could have told her who he was, but he wasn’t going to. Not yet. When it was all done. He didn’t want to put the next week he had left with her at risk.
He wanted Gia to feel that she had achieved this with the quality of her work, and not because of the Baldini name behind the show.
I’ll tell her later. When it’s all done.
He pushed away the thought that he was being selfish, because he knew that if she thought he’d been lying to her, there would be no show. When the time came, he would explain why he had been secretive, and how important this board position was to him.
Her face colored and she mumbled softly. “Sorry, I know it was a lot to ask of you.”
He reached over the table and took her hand in his. Her nails were short, and it appeared no matter how much she scrubbed them there was always a rim of colored paint on the side of her fingers.
“No, Gia. It’s not because of that. It’s because you need someone who can give you the right advice and spend time on your career.” He wrinkled his brow. “I have to go back to work at the end of next week, and I wouldn’t have enough time to help you properly. Like you deserve. You have to realize that this show is going to put you up with the big players, and you’ll need a plan.”
She opened her mouth, but he interrupted her before she could speak. “But I’ll be down here both weekends to help you get the studio ready. All you have to do is keep painting and then get glammed up on the day.”
Her smile was shy. “If you’re going to come down for the weekends…would you like…to save booking somewhere to stay…it would make sense…if you stayed with me.”
Nic smiled. “I’d love to take you up on that offer.” He let a devilish smile cross his face to cover the guilt that rippled through him. One day he’d show Gia the villa. Next time he came back. If she’s still here. “But on one condition.”
Gia frowned. “What’s that?”
“We can’t spend all day and night in your bed. As much as I’d like to, we’ll have to work hard.”
Gia tipped one finger to her lips. “Oh, but we’ll be tired after our hard work, and I’m sure we’ll have to go to bed sometime.”
“Speaking of which…maybe we should order and then we can go back to your place and see what needs to be done.” He moved his fingers slowly up and down the inside of her wrist. “How long it’s going to take to get the space ready…and how much time we’ll have left to play.”
He turned and raised his hand to summon Stefano over to take their order. He was eager to get home and do something about the way Gia was looking at him.
Chapter Nine
The next week passed quickly. It was the happiest Gia could ever remember being. For the first time, the emotion and the happiness that came from her painting spilled over into the rest of her life. They painted together, they walked, they slept—she smiled to herself—well they spent a lot of time in her bed. They laughed together. Nic moved his painting equipment over from the villa and spent the days and nights at her cottage. The only thing that niggled at her was how he had taken over—almost as though she needed looking after. She shook her head and dismissed her doubt. That was unfair. He didn’t need to help her, and he was doing so much to ensure her show would go off without a hitch. Her independence was still there. Seeing Stefano in the restaurant the other night had cemented her determination to get away from the village.
If Nic could help her do that, she would take everything he offered. She loved being with him, he was great fun, and he made her laugh and…the sex was amazing. Her stomach muscles gave a little tug just thinking about him.
He would leave, but she would have fun while he was here. Once she managed to put aside that feeling of being overwhelmed, and a little out of control, her happiness was complete. She worked at the restaurant each night, noticing many a curious look between her father and brother, but she put her head down and worked quietly.
Gabriel caught her arm one night as she hurried past him back to the kitchen. “Gia, I heard you were out the other night. You haven’t taken on more than you can handle, have you?”
She looked up at her brother and fluttered her eyelashes. “You mean, a man?”
“No, I mean Nic. He’s a bit out of your league, isn’t he?”
Hurt suffused her chest, and she bit back the angry retort that sprang to her lips. “Whatever you think.” She would not let her family take over her happiness. Pushing past her brother, she kept her head down as she walked toward the kitchen. “I’ve got meals to take out.”
Finally, on Friday night, she summoned up the courage to mention Nic to her father. Although the village grapevine—and her brother—had probably filled him in on the details already.
It had been a busy night and the kitchen was chaotic. Gabriel had hired two extra girls from the village to work in the restaurant, and Gia had run all night, taking orders, delivering meals, and clearing tables. Finally, the last guest paid their bill, and Papa summoned Gabriel and Gia to the table beside the door.
“Come over here, my children. I think we all deserve a break. That is the biggest night we have had so far this spring.”
“Bodes well for the summer season.” Gabriel smiled.
Gia leaned back in the chair and looked into the courtyard as Papa lifted a bottle.
“Limoncello, Gia?”
She nodded. Anything to help fortify my courage.
“Just one, though, you know how silly wine makes you.”
Mou-Mou brushed the side of Gia’s leg, and she reached down and pulled the cat up onto her lap, trying not to pull a face at her father. She kept her head down and ran her fingers across the soft fur as Papa filled Gabriel’s glass and then half-filled hers.
“To a successful season.” His loud voice boomed across the empty courtyard.
“Papa?” Gia spoke hesitantly. Mou-Mou stretched up and snuggled into her shirt. She focused on the cat, stroking the pet to calm her own nerves.
“Yes, bella.”
“I… I have met someone, and I would like to bring him to lunch tomorrow. Would that be all right?”
“Of cou
rse, of course. That is wonderful to hear. I had heard a little whisper.” Papa’s face split into a huge grin and his drooping moustache wobbled. “He is not from the village?”
“It is Nic that bought my paintings. Nic Battistoni who is staying at the Baldini place.” Gabriel glanced at her sharply. She was tempted to poke her tongue at him; the look of disapproval on her brother’s face was uncalled for. It was none of his business.
“He is from Florence. Well, for now, anyway.” Gia lifted her head. “He works at Carrara, and he is going to help me…”
“So he told you he works for the Baldinis?” Gabriel’s stare was intent. What is his problem?
“Gabriel, leave your sister alone. It is wonderful that she is seeing a young man.”
“But—”
“Enough.” Papa held his hand up at Gabriel and turned to her. “That is all good. Any friend of yours is welcome at our table. He was a very nice gentleman. I will look forward to talking to him again.”
She took a deep breath and the cat jumped off her lap. That went well. While the going was good, she forged on… “And Papa, there is something else I want to tell you.”
His eyes narrowed and Gia could see he was expecting to hear something he didn’t like.
God, am I so transparent? She sat up straight in her chair, lifting her chin.
“Nic is helping me with my art.”
“Helping you? How? By buying your little pictures?” Papa shook his head. “He paid too much for them, I think.”
Gabriel hadn’t spoken and was looking from one to the other, following the conversation with interest. Her temper began to simmer and she fought it back, remembering the faith that Nic had in her work