Through the Glass

by Lisa J. Hobman

  ~~~~~

  Early evening, Felicity sat watching mind numbing reality shows on the TV in her suite. She was bored and miserable. She was contemplating calling room service when her telephone rang. Perhaps Lia had come to her rescue again.

  “Hello?” she answered in a less than enthusiastic tone.

  “Ms. Johnston-Hart?” the young man on reception asked. Well, who else would it be you utter muppet? I am alone up here. As usual.

  “Yes, this is she.”

  “Ah, good. There is a gentleman in reception to see you.” Her heart fluttered. Who on earth would be here? Julian was going home. Unless his flight was delayed or he decided to stay to do some sightseeing, “Ms. Johnston-Hart?” the young man spoke again.

  “Oh, yes sorry. Did he give a name?” she enquired.

  “Yes, he says he is Vitale DeLuca.” Ohmygodohmygodohmygod!

  “Erm…did he say what he wants?” She glanced into the mirror at her reflection. Hmm, hair in a ponytail, no make-up, yoga pants, and a T-shirt. Great. Very glamorous. Not. There was a long pause whilst she presumed the receptionist was asking him what he wanted. Oh great. Not at all embarrassing then.

  “He says he is here to take you to dinner and the table is booked in our restaurant to dine in half an hour. He says he will wait in the lounge while you ready yourself.”

  Presumptuous or what?! “Oh…okay…please tell Mr DeLuca I will be down as soon as I can… Oh and tell him I apologise for keeping him waiting.” She waited whilst the receptionist relayed the information.

  “He says…ahem…you are worth the wait, Ms. Johnston-Hart.” Even though Vitale was not in the room, Felicity’s cheeks heated at hearing his words.

  “Thank you. Bye.” She hung up and dashed to her wardrobe. Rifling through, she located the little black dress that she had brought for evenings out. Not that she actually anticipated needing to wear it at all. She showered quickly being careful not to wet her hair. Once out and dried she applied a little make-up and combed through her hair. After she slipped into her dress and black stilettos, she surveyed her reflection in the full-length mirror. The dress was her favourite, sleeveless and fitted with a slash neck. The little teardrop opening gave just a hint of cleavage, very elegant and not revealing. The fitted style accentuated her ample curves. Once she had grabbed her purse she made her way down to the hotel lobby. She glanced around and spotted him.

  Her breath caught in her throat.

  He was standing with his back to her. Very tall and broad shouldered, black hair neatly trimmed into the back of his neck. He wore stone coloured pants that fitted his form very well and a chocolate brown suit jacket. Suddenly, as if he sensed her presence, he turned to her. Under the jacket he wore a button down shirt in pale blue. He looked like he had walked here direct from an ad for some high-end aftershave lotion, all casual and sultry. And that megawatt smile…Oh boy was she in trouble.

  He walked toward her, his handsome, panties-melting smile staying in place. When he reached her, he bent to kiss both cheeks.

  “Bella… Sei un gioello.” She recognised the phrase he had used last time. “You really are exquisite, Felicity.” The way he spoke her name with the rich hint of an Italian accent sent shivers down her spine. She smiled as she felt the heat rise in her cheeks again and butterflies tap-danced around her tummy.

  Pure. Unadulterated. Lust.

  She gazed up at him. “Vitale. How lovely to see you. What brings you here? We didn’t arrange anything.”

  “I know. My apologies again. I saw your work colleague…Lia? I saw her at the bar again and asked her for your number. She refused to divulge the information but told me you where staying here, and if I wanted to see you I had to go through the hotel. She must think a lot of you. She is protective, si?”

  Felicity smiled. She would have to thank Lia on Monday. “It appears so. So what did you want to see me about?” She fiddled with her hair.

  “I simply wanted to see you. No other reason than that. I couldn’t stop thinking about you. It seems you have made an impersonation on me.” He smiled.

  Felicity couldn’t help but giggle. “I think you mean I made an impression on you.”

  He rolled his eyes and his tanned cheeks coloured ever so slightly. “Oh my. Yes, I think perhaps you are correct. I get a little wrong sometimes with my words.”

  She smoothed her hand down his lapel immediately regretting the intimate gesture. “Not at all. You speak English very well, Vitale.”

  “Ah, you are too kind, bella. I think we should go. Our table… I hope it is okay that I choose the restaurant here?” He held out his arm to escort her to the dining room. She took it and walked beside him.

  The panelled dining room was delightful in its rich, luxurious decor. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling and refracted shards of light around the intimate space. Classical music played in the background, and there was a low mumble of conversation. They were seated at a table for two and a smartly dressed waiter brought over a wine menu, handing it to Vitale.

  “Would you like to select a wine, Felicity?” He offered her the menu as her name danced off his tongue in the same beat as her skipping heart.

  “No, no, you choose, that’s fine.” She smiled and shivered at the way he said her name again. He perused the menu and waved the waiter over.

  “Could we please have a bottle of the Gosset Brut?” He handed the list back to the waiter.

  “Brut? Are we celebrating?” She clasped her hands on her lap.

  “I think we should celebrate your beauty and the fact that you allowed me to take you out this evening.” He leaned his hands on the table, stretched out toward her. It was almost an invitation.

  She felt her cheeks heat again. “Oh really, Vitale, you do flatter me.”

  He waved his hand dismissively. “Not at all. I simply speak the truth.”

  Over dinner they chatted mainly about Felicity’s job and then briefly about Vitale’s business. He didn’t give much away about what he did other than he had studied medicine at university but had chosen not to become a doctor. She thought it was a shame and could imagine the female patients feigning illness in order to be seen by him.

  Dinner was wonderful, three courses of the most delicious food and delightful company. Vitale insisted on paying the bill and left a generous tip. He walked her to the elevator bank.

  “Thank you, cara mia, for a most wonderful evening. It has been an absolute pleasure.” He lifted her hand and kissed it softly.

  “W-would you like to…come up for…a night cap?” Stupidstupidstupid woman. She wanted to take back the words, but it was too late. His eyes lit up and she began back-pedalling, “Obviously I know you’re a busy man and probably have things to do—”

  “No, not at all. I made sure this evening was free just for you. I would very much like to come up for a night cap.” Dammit.

  “Okay…lovely.” No. It really wasn’t. It was a colossal mistake.

  She unlocked her suite door and walked inside holding the door open for him. He glanced around. “Nice place you have here.” He turned to her with a grin on his face.

  “Why thank you. I think so, too.” She returned his grin. “I’ll get us a drink…brandy?”

  Vitale nodded, silently watching her. She went to the oak bureau where the hospitality items were kept and located the small bottle of amber liquid. As she stood there pouring their drinks he walked up behind her and slid one arm around her waist. He pulled her hair to one side and kissed her neck softly.

  Shivers traversed her spine and she felt annoyed at her body’s betrayal. “Oh…when I offered a night cap… I’m afraid I meant just a night cap, Vitale.” She clenched her eyes closed.

  He turned her around in his arms so that she faced him. “Please forgive me, bella. I cannot help it. You drive me crazy with your accent and your beautiful eyes.” He stroked her cheek and gazed at her. “Please, Felicity…let me kiss you just once, per favore.” He bowed his head toward her and pa
used briefly before covering her mouth with his. His lips were soft but demanding. His skin moved smoothly over hers, and he groaned as he slid his hands into her hair. She couldn’t deny the kiss was rather delicious, but it felt wrong. She felt guilty.

  Before she could protest, he slipped his hands to her back and began to slowly slide the zip of her dress down, down, down. He caressed her bare back with gentle fingertips making her gasp. Her traitorous body reacting once again against her will.

  “Il tuo corpo è bello…bella… Voglio fare l’amore con te,” he mumbled huskily as he kissed her. Caught up in the moment and probably on account of his Italian mutterings, she began to help him remove his jacket. He pulled it off and threw it over on to the chaise. He slid her dress off her shoulders and gasped when he was presented with her black lace underwear. “Sei bellissima,” he whispered.

  He crushed his mouth into hers again and held her with one arm at the small of her back whilst he unbuttoned his shirt with the other. He released her momentarily to slip his trousers off. She clenched her eyes closed again. Scooping her up in his arms, he carried her over to the bed and laid her down hovering over her, his arousal evident through his black fitted boxers. “Si…si…bellissima.”

  Nervously, she looked up at him. “I’m so sorry but I have no clue what you’re saying to me, Vitale, even though it sounds so beautiful.”

  “I am telling you that you are beautiful, and I want nothing more than to make love to you now.” He slowly bent to kiss her again but she froze. “Felicity…what is wrong? Are you alright?” He lay down beside her and stroked her cheek. Her eyes began to sting with unshed tears and she bit her lip.

  “Vitale…I’m so sorry. I can’t do this. I can’t sleep with you.”

  “But, cara mia, what is wrong? Did I upset you? I know you said no to begin with, but…but I did not mean for you to feel pressured…you seemed to enjoy—” He looked genuinely concerned, which made it worse.

  A tear escaped. She pulled herself to a sitting position. “No, you did nothing wrong. You’ve been lovely. You’re a very attractive man and I’m pretty sure I’m completely loopy…but—”

  A look of confusion took over his handsome features. “Loopy? I do not know…what is this loopy, cara?”

  “Crazy, Vitale. It means crazy. And I must be because I’m here in New York, single, and alone, and a sexy, intelligent, Italian hunk of a man is trying to seduce me and here I am crying like an idiot.”

  “Bella, why is it that you cry? Can I help? Are you unwell?” God why does he have to be so effing nice?

  She let out an exasperated sigh. “Vitale, I can’t sleep with you because I’m hopelessly in love with my ex-husband. My ex-husband, who doesn’t even want me. There I admitted it to a complete stranger. A complete stranger who desires me and wants to have sex with me!” She laughed derisively. “I am totally mental! I must be.” She threw her arms up and looked over at Vitale, who sat there looking sexy and unkempt in boxers and his open shirt with his sculpted hairy chest on show. Goodness, he really is delicious.

  “He is your ex, yet you still love him?” Vitale continued to look bemused and there was no wonder.

  “Yes. I left him years ago. I thought I wanted a different life, but I was wrong. And now…he doesn’t want me anymore. It serves me right.”

  “Bella. Have you spoken to this…this…ex?”

  “Jim…his name is Jim, and no…I haven’t spoken to him because I’m a coward, and he would trample all over my heart, which is exactly what I deserve after how I treated him. I do need to get over him. I do. But I’m just not ready yet… I’m so sorry for wasting your time. Really I am.” She looked into to his eyes and saw compassion.

  “Well, I think he must be the loopy one.” He smiled and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. “You are a beautiful woman, Felicity. And I want you very badly. But I see your heart belongs to another. I would be more than happy to help you get over your ex…but as you say this is not what you desire right now, and so I will step aside.” He lifted her hand and kissed it.

  “Vitale…you are so very sweet. And so gracious. I feel terrible and incredibly stupid.” She suddenly felt very self-conscious about her semi-naked body. Somehow understanding her discomfort without her uttering a word, he dragged the comforter from the end of the bed and wrapped it around her.

  “I will leave now. But if you would like to get out for a little sightseeing or to have coffee…lunch perhaps…you have my card. Please do not hesitate to call me…and if you should suddenly change your mind, I am happy to help you with your…how you say…exorcising the ex.” He smiled that sexy, wonderful, perfect smile and her heart sank. She wondered if she was passing up a potentially wonderful relationship with an extremely attractive and pleasant man. But she really wasn’t the type of person who could just sleep with someone for pure gratification. At that moment in time, she sincerely wished she was.

  Vitale dressed himself and Felicity pulled on her robe. He kissed her softly on the cheek. He smelled so good and she wanted to pull him back to the bed and take advantage of his offer to help exorcise Jim. But she knew that as soon as things got hot and heavy the reality of her heart would spring to the forefront of her mind once again. And so she said goodbye and thanked him for a wonderful meal and apologised again.

  Chapter 23

  March 2012 – Three Years and One Month After the Break-up

  Felicity’s cell phone rang in the early hours of Sunday morning. Startled, she clambered out of bed and fumbled for her phone.

  She finally spoke, out of breath. “Hello?”

  “Felicity…There’s been a break in…at the gallery.” Lia’s voice was filled with distress. “They’re gone. The forgeries have been taken.”

  Felicity sat bolt upright. “What?! When?” Panic washed over her. “I-I…what about the other pieces?”

  “That’s the weird thing… Nothing else was taken. I can’t call the police, Felicity. If I call the police and they find out that only forgeries were taken they will wonder why we didn’t report them. We can’t report them now. We’d been in so much shit… I don’t know what to do. I’m so scared.”

  Felicity was shaking and her heart was beating so loudly she could hear the pounding in her ears. “Lia, are you okay? Are you safe?”

  “Y-yes. I’m fine. Just a little shaken. We’ll need to get someone in to change the locks.”

  “Hang on…why were you contacted about this and not me?” Felicity asked, puzzled.

  “I guess Franco forgot to update the database with the security firm. It’s no biggy. Don’t worry. I’m fine. Just a little upset.”

  “Where are you? I’ll come and get you.” Felicity rushed the words out.

  “No, no don’t do that. I’m home now. The doors are temporarily secured and the security firm has been instructed to guard the premises. It’ll be fine.”

  Felicity sighed. “Okay, well if you’re sure. I’ll be in early and I’ll try to deal with this. We’ll come up with something… I promise, Lia”

  “The thing that’s scaring me the most is that whoever was in charge of the forgery racket knows that we know something… Why else would they break in now to take the pieces? What if they come after us?” Lia sounded terrified.

  “No…no…I think that now they have the paintings they have exactly what they want. Maybe it’s over, Lia. I really hope it is.”

  “Me too, Felicity, me too. I’ll see you soon.”

  Sleep evaded Felicity for the rest of the night as she tossed and turned wondering what the hell to do next. Eventually, giving in to her wakefulness, she showered and dressed quickly, leaving the hotel without eating. She arrived at the gallery early to find Lia already inside assessing the damage.

  She rushed over and flung her arms around Felicity’s neck, sobbing. “Oh, Felicity, I’m so scared.”

  “Hey, shhh. It’s okay. I’m sure it’ll be fine now. I think it’s over. Like I said last night, they have what they want. T
hey didn’t take any of the other pieces.”

  Lia was shaking uncontrollably. “But what if they come after us?”

  Felicity placed her hands firmly on Lia’s shoulders. “Lia, you need to calm down. I will figure this out. Why would they bother coming after us? It’s not like we really know anything. I’m going to the UK next week to meet a new artist, and I’ll think all of this through. When I return, we’re going to report this whole thing, first to Franco and then to the police. We’ll do it together and back each other up. I just need to think it through.” She bit her lip. “And maybe if we leave it awhile the criminals will think we’re going to do nothing. If they are watching us, they will see things going on as normal. That way they won’t know to expect the police. I need to put everything down in writing and get the facts straight so that you and I are not implicated at all. We need to be kept out of this whole thing, or it could ruin both of our careers.”

  Lia chewed on a fingernail. “Do you think that will work? If we wait I mean?”

  Felicity nodded. “I hope so. I think…I think so.”

  Lia closed her eyes for a moment. “Okay. Have you booked your flight for the UK and everything? Hotels and a car?”

  “Not yet. I need you to do that for me whilst I start compiling a report. Franco knows about the trip. but he doesn’t know the reasons behind it as yet.”

  “Okay. I’ll get on it right away. Will you be flying business class or first class?”

  “Oh…I’ll just fly regular economy. It’ll be fine.” Felicity turned toward her office.

  “Economy? Ewww. How come?”

  “No reason. Just go ahead and book. I’ll be fine in economy.” She went into her office and closed the door behind her.