The Scent of Rome

by Lise Gold

  Michael laughed. “Yeah, me too… Just kidding,” he added. “There’s no rush, just great to see things coming together. Are you having a good time in Rome?”

  “Yes, I love it here.” Rome sank back in her chair and raised her face toward the sun. “Can’t say I’m going to mind moving here for a while. But I’m coming home first, so I’ll stop by your office next week, if you’re going to be there.”

  “That would be great.” Michael cleared his throat. “Well, I’m going back to bed, don’t want to wake up the household, but I’m looking forward to catching up when you’re back.”

  Giddy with happiness and elated beyond control, Rome’s first thought after she’d hung up was to call Nadine, but she knew that was ridiculous. They hardly knew each other and surely there would be other people she could tell instead? She messaged her father, as they weren’t very close and never had much to discuss on the phone, then contemplated calling her best friend Barbara, but decided to message her instead. It was still really early in Portland, and she didn’t want to wake Barbara’s kids. It was a little shocking to realize there really was no one else in her life who she stayed in regular contact with, and although she had her reasons for that, it was mildly frustrating having to celebrate her moment alone when all she wanted to do was talk about her new future. Rome was used to that, though. She’d worked alone, traveled alone, pitched alone… But tonight, she wouldn’t be alone, and she wanted to do something nice for Nadine, who had been so helpful and kind to her.

  After a casual stroll, Rome reached a market square with stalls displaying an incredible selection of fruits, vegetables, cheeses, pastas, meats, oils and condiments. The stallholders greeted her, and she was a little shy at first, but finally gave in and walked up to one of them when he beckoned her over. The old man rattled off a monologue in Italian, and although she didn’t get a word of what he was saying, she understood he wanted her to try his produce. The others joined in and before she knew it, she was presented with a selection of nuts and cheeses, all too good to resist. They weren’t pushy, just proud of their merchandise, and it was refreshing to see people caring so much for the food they sold. One of the stallholders spoke a little English and explained how to prepare the food, which sounded too simple to be true.

  Walking away with paper bags full of vegetables, walnuts, mozzarella, pecorino and fresh pasta, Rome felt a surge of excitement at the idea of living here. She could do this on her weekends; stopping off for coffee at every corner and exploring everything there was to see.

  Admittedly, she wasn’t a great cook, but something about Rome made her want to give it a go, and she hoped Nadine wouldn’t mind if she used her kitchen. The market was inspiring compared to the massive grocery store in Portland that she normally visited or ordered from, and although Portland was a lovely city, there wasn’t much choice on the outskirts, where she lived. She realized she’d bought way too much for two people as she carried the heavy bags back up the hill to drop them off at Nadine’s apartment, and she noticed older people used trolleys for their groceries. It took forever to get back, as she’d taken another route and got side-tracked every few steps, unable to resist stopping at the interesting boutiques and beautiful churches. Rome was a wealth of beauty, and she’d have more than enough time to see everything once she’d moved here and started her new life. My new life.

  15

  Back in Nadine’s courtyard, an old man was shouting at another man in a truck and this time, Rome was sure the conversation was getting heated. He cast her a suspicious glance as she opened the door to the communal staircase, then continued his rant while the other man yelled back at him. She quickly made her way upstairs, not wanting to get in the middle of a fistfight. When she let herself into the apartment, she was surprised to see Nadine in the living room.

  “Hey. You’re here already.” Rome glanced at her watch and noted it was only three pm.

  “Yeah, I came straight back after my meeting; I was hoping you’d still be here. I had to brief the lab team on the last formula for one of the twelve perfumes I’ve been working on. They turn it into an official recipe, so it’s easy for the factories to replicate my creations. I saw your things when I came in, and I thought I’d wait for you.” Nadine walked up to her and kissed her as if it was the most natural thing in the world. It wasn’t a welcoming peck, but a slow and sensual kiss that left Rome limp against the doorpost. “Did you have a nice day?” she asked, taking the bags from Rome.

  “I did…” Rome needed a minute to catch her breath after the kiss had taken it away. “It was really nice,” she stammered, unable to hide her grin. “But something else—there are two guys fighting downstairs. Should we be worried?”

  Nadine walked over to the window and looked down at the courtyard. “There’s no one out there now; they must have left. But let me guess. You’re talking about an old man with a flat cap?”

  “Yes. And a guy in a truck.”

  Nadine laughed. “That old man is my neighbor, Luca. And he’s always angry about something, but since the new mayor’s been elected, his rage has escalated. Our garbage hasn’t been picked up regularly, so I’m guessing that’s the garbage truck you saw. There was some scandal between the mayor’s office and the garbage collection service and so they’re under investigation. The previous mayor was a crook too, but this woman has been bribing people left right and center, so it’s been a little unstable when it comes to council services.”

  “Right.” Rome laughed too. “He seemed pretty upset about it.”

  “Well, so am I, but there’s nothing we can do but run down the stairs when the truck finally shows up.” Nadine went into the kitchen and placed the groceries on the dining table. “What did you get?”

  Rome sighed as she stared at the bags because she’d already forgotten how to prepare them. “I was actually planning on cooking for you. Or at least I was going to try,” she added with a chuckle. “You’ve been so nice and helpful, and I thought about taking you out tonight, but then I walked past this wonderful market nearby and I couldn’t resist buying lots of food even though I have no idea what to do with any of it.”

  “You went to Trastevere market? It’s where I go, too. They have some great produce there.”

  “Yes, but…” Rome felt foolish for coming in with groceries, as if she’d expected Nadine to help her. “I didn’t think you’d be back already…”

  “That’s okay. We’ll do it together, I love cooking.”

  “Are you sure?” Rome pursed her lips. “You must be tired and hungry after getting up early, especially since we didn’t get much sleep.”

  Nadine shot her a flirty smile. “Tired? No, I barely had a full day. Hungry? Yes.” She traced her thumb over Rome’s mouth as she licked her lips. “But not for food. I rushed back in the hope of seeing you before you left.”

  Rome shivered, her chest heaving against Nadine’s. “I guess I’m a little hungry too,” she whispered, parting her lips when Nadine kissed her again. Before she knew it, she was pushed up against the kitchen table and Nadine’s hands were under her dress and on her behind, squeezing her while she deepened the kiss. “I also signed the contract,” Rome continued in a breathless pant.

  “You did?” Nadine’s eyes widened, and she lifted Rome up and spun her around like she weighed nothing. “Congratulations, we need to celebrate.”

  Rome chuckled as Nadine put her back down. She was surprisingly strong for her build. “I get the feeling you celebrate a lot.”

  “Any excuse. Life needs to be celebrated.” Nadine shot her a mischievous look. “And there are many ways to do that.” She turned Rome around, then moved her hands to her breasts as she stood behind her, kissing her neck.

  Rome closed her eyes, tilted her head to the side and leaned back against her. It felt amazing for someone to crave her so much. Nadine’s hands cupped her breasts over her dress and held her possessively as her tongue trailed up her neck. Rome reached behind her to lace her fingers through Na
dine’s hair, but she took them and placed them palms-down on the table.

  “Bend over and spread your legs,” she whispered in her ear, and at that moment Rome needed the support of the table because hearing those words suddenly made her legs give way. She bent over the surface, supporting herself on her lower arms and gasped when Nadine’s feet spread her legs apart. Her hand slipped between them, cupping her center from behind until Rome let out a groan and pushed herself back against Nadine’s hips. This woman knew exactly what she needed to drive her to the edge before she even knew it herself.

  “Yes!” She threw her head back and gasped when Nadine’s fingers moved inside her panties, squeezed her ass hard, then moved lower, finding her wet and ready. Her touch sent a jolt of lightning through Rome, making her hips jerk. When Nadine pushed inside her, Rome cried out and met her fingers, moving back with every stroke. The way Nadine took control was beyond sexy, and Rome didn’t think she would last long as she felt her core tighten with each thrust. Nadine wrapped her other arm around her and lowered her hand into her panties at the front, circling her clit until Rome collapsed over the table and moaned louder. She fell into a strange state, as if she was both in her body and watching herself from above, shuddering at the explosive orgasm that Nadine drew out of her while she bent over her, moaning softly into her ear.

  “I’ll say it again…” Nadine shot Rome a grin as she clumsily turned back around; unsteady on her feet, still catching her breath and looking baffled. “You are so into this.”

  Rome laughed, then shook her head. “You have no idea. Even better; I had no idea.” She pulled Nadine close and ran her hands under her T-shirt, scraping her nails over her back. “It’s like you take away my inhibitions; I have no shame with you. I feel free.”

  “Free is good. That makes me happy.” Nadine lifted her arms when Rome took off her T-shirt, then ran a hand through her hair. “How about we continue this in the shower?” She raised a brow and shot her a mischievous smile. “There are a lot of fun things we can do in the shower.”

  16

  Rome rolled up the sleeves of the yellow kimono-style dressing gown she’d borrowed from Nadine and unpacked the abandoned groceries. After more mind-blowing sex in the shower, they’d made out under the running water until they were too hungry to continue. She felt relaxed, happy, invigorated even. Her short stay had not only changed her life in terms of her career, but it had also woken her sexually, and made her realize there were more things to life than just work. That was a lot, and even though she was reluctant to go back, she sensed she might need the five weeks away to process everything.

  Rome was a beautiful, fascinating city, full of rich history and she loved the vibe, the food, the wine, the weather and the way it made her feel inside. She understood why Nadine loved it and she felt lucky for being able to spend more time here. Rome had been her last call, her last chance, but now it hit her that each previous rejection she’d suffered had been worth it—coming here was her destiny.

  Of course, Nadine had something to do with her fondness for the city, too. The striking creature beside her, dressed in a satin, black dressing gown that made her look a little gothic with her long, dark hair, had messed her up like no one else ever had, and right now, Rome didn’t know up from down. It was just a fling of course, because how could it ever be anything more? She’d never been into women, and Nadine didn’t date because she was an escort. It was all too ridiculous for words, but it didn’t stop her from wishing she could stay in this wonderful bubble for a little longer.

  Just like her apartment, Nadine belonged to another world; one she would never fit into. Her philosophies on life, her carefree spirit, her timeless beauty and her sexy nonchalance were surely too inspiring to settle for a boring app developer like her. Rome shook it off, because right now, she didn’t want to think about it and besides, if it wasn’t going anywhere, none of that mattered.

  “What do I do?” she asked, looking at her purchases. “I can count the times I’ve cooked on one hand, and none of the attempts were a success.” She chuckled. “I don’t know what I was thinking; it was the market, I guess. Seeing all the fresh stuff and being able to taste it was fantastic, but actually putting it together is another thing.”

  “Don’t worry, it’s very, very easy.” Nadine picked up a tomato and closed her eyes as she smelled it. “You’ve got some great ingredients. Put the mozzarella on a plate with some sliced tomato, sprinkle with rock salt and just drizzle olive oil over it. We can quickly fry up the radicchio with crushed garlic and throw some walnuts on top, and the pasta is easy too. We’re just going to boil it for a couple of minutes, then keep some of the boiling water and add pecorino and black pepper. Trust me, it’s delicious.” She started cleaning the radicchio with care and ease, almost elegantly. But then everything Nadine did was elegant, and Rome tried to keep her eyes on the tomatoes so she wouldn’t cut her fingers while distracted.

  The old blue-tiled kitchen with wooden surfaces and an enameled sink was fitted with copper taps and shelves full of cookbooks and dried herbs. Plants intertwined with string lights were hanging from the ceiling above the dining table in crocheted baskets. It was fairly dark in the apartment with the lowering sun, but Nadine clearly loved dim lighting and candles, and the latter were burning on the windowsills and on the mid-century sideboard that held vintage porcelain tableware.

  “Do you cook a lot?” Rome sliced the tomatoes and plated them.

  “A couple of times a week. Just when I feel like it.” Nadine handed her a big bottle of olive oil. “And when I do, I usually cook for Luca too. You know, the grumpy old man you saw outside earlier.”

  “Really?” Rome thought Nadine was joking at first, but her expression held no sign of that. “Why?”

  “Because he’s lonely. His wife died four years ago, just before I moved here, and ever since, I have dinner with him twice a week, if my schedule permits.” She grinned. “He loves my melanzane alla parmigiana.”

  “That’s so sweet of you.” Rome didn’t think it was possible to like Nadine even more, but she’d just gone up in her estimation once again. There weren’t many people who would go to the trouble of cooking and having dinner with their grumpy old neighbors, and she admired her for being so kind.

  “It’s not, it’s just the decent thing to do.” Nadine handed her the bag of pasta to throw into the boiling water. “He’s also becoming a little forgetful, so I like to keep an eye on him, and sometimes we go to church together. His son is building a house in Sicily and he can move in with his family once it’s ready, but he doesn’t want to leave Rome, and he hates his daughter-in-law for no reason other than that she’s Sicilian…” Nadine shook her head and rolled her eyes. “But I’m glad he’s going to be looked after properly soon, whether he wants it or not.”

  “Should we invite him?” Rome asked.

  “No, absolutely not.” Nadine chuckled. “I’ll check on him when you’re gone. Tonight is all about us.”

  Half an hour later, they were sitting on Nadine’s balcony, watching the sun go down and eating delicious food. “How is it possible something so simple tastes so good?”

  “Simple, fresh and local ingredients taste the best.” Nadine twirled some pasta around her fork and held it out for Rome, who took the bite.

  “Mmm… so good. And so easy to make.”

  “This is called caccio e pepe. It’s the traditional pasta dish of Rome and you’ll find it on most menus. Artichokes are also pretty popular. I like the deep-fried ones, but I can’t do that here as the smoke from the fat might impact my ventilation system.”

  “You have a ventilation system in this old apartment?”

  “Best of the best, it cost me a fortune to have it installed. Haven’t you noticed it doesn’t smell ‘old’ in here, like on the staircase and in the hallway?” Nadine asked.

  “I guess now you’ve mentioned it, yes, it does smell neutral in here. But why?”

  Nadine hesitated as she twirle
d more pasta around her fork. “I’ll show you after dinner.”

  Rome narrowed her eyes, then slowly shook her head as she stared at Nadine. “Could you be any more intriguing?”

  “You think I’m intriguing?” Nadine seemed genuinely surprised at her statement.

  “I do. You’re stunning, funny, intelligent, you have this amazingly talented nose and you create your own perfumes. You’re cultural and live in some kind of dreamworld, yet you’re also very grounded. You’re sexy as hell and incredible with people—you know how to play your clients but you’re sincere in real life…” Rome hesitated. “You’re also kind and caring, which totally contradicts the air of nonchalance you gave off the first time we met.” She raised a brow. “And for some mysterious reason, you have a top-notch ventilation system in your apartment.”

  A softness took over Nadine’s features as she processed Rome’s words. “Thank you. That’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.” She smiled. “But I happen to think you’re pretty intriguing too, Miss Foster. You give the impression of an Icelandic fae; hauntingly gorgeous, cute and petite with eyes like the waters around winter fjords. You’re the smartest person I know, and you’ve come up with an idea that is going to change the world. You’re someone who will make a real difference and you don’t even brag about it because you’re genuine about your cause and incredibly modest.” Her smile widened, and a naughty sparkle appeared in her eyes as she lowered her voice. “That, and you make this really sexy noise when I make you come.”

  Rome grinned sheepishly and took a sip from her wine. “Okay… but so do you.”

  “I do not.”

  “Yes, you do. And it’s the most wonderful sound in the world.” Rome spooned some more pasta onto her plate. “And you know what’s even more wonderful? Knowing I made that happen. It’s like I’ve discovered this thing that I’m really into and now I can’t get enough and…” She rolled her eyes. “God, I sound pathetic, don’t I?”