Create: A Cariad Romance Three Book Bundle (Cariad Collections)

by Primula Bond

  ‘I guess so.’

  ‘Eight o’clock. I’ll wait outside for you.’ Antonio pulled his sunglasses over his eyes and kissed my cheek. ‘Ciao.’ He turned away and weaved between the built-up cars on the street.

  After he left, I could still feel the feathery touch of his lips on my cheek. I watched Antonio disappear through the traffic and mingle with pedestrians on the other side of the street, taller than anyone else and with hair that billowed in the breeze. At the corner, he turned from my view. A vulnerable feeling descended upon me, a mixture of loneliness and excitement.

  I came here for a good time, I reminded myself, and I’m going to have it! Eight o’clock. Via Stella. Why not? There’s nothing to lose.

  Chapter Four

  It was almost seven o’clock when I flicked through the evening dresses I’d brought with me to Naples. After meeting the immaculately clad Antonio earlier that day, I knew it would take a very special dress to make the right impression for evening dinner. He was such a deliciously handsome man and probably had a long queue of eager women ready for his charms, so there would be fierce competition from hot-blooded female Italians.

  I paused in front of the mirror. The way I’d styled my hair made me look younger and more slender. It fell over my shoulders and breasts. I winked at my reflection.

  I held up the ankle-length teal-coloured dress, low cut with thin shoulder straps. It would show off my breasts and get some attention. As I held it out and twisted sideways to see both views in the mirror, I decided it was a possible for the evening’s encounter. Then I draped the short, navy blue dress with front ruching and back band in front of my body. The figure-hugging design would show all the curves, but the top covered my breasts. Shows off my legs though, I mused. Decisions, decisions.

  Again, I twirled the dress in front of me. My caramel ringlets cascaded over my shoulders. I knew it made sense to choose the long teal dress.

  After I showered and towelled, I applied lip gloss and light green eye shadow to compliment the dress. One last check in the full-length mirror was needed. Yes, I thought, that’s the one. If that doesn’t work, then nothing will. For the first time in two years, I believed that there was plenty of life left in my body. At last, a smile spread across my face, my blush like the one I’d experienced when Tom first kissed me and I couldn’t explain to my parents why I was so happy. It might be dinner with a complete stranger but I felt as if meeting Antonio was destiny. I stifled a childish giggle. I wasn’t betraying Tom. He’d want me to be happy, and there was no denying the attraction between me and Antonio.

  ‘This is silly,’ I said aloud, and dabbed a tissue on the corner of my eye. ‘It’s just dinner. It’s not a date.’ And still I struggled with the thought of what Maddy would think if anything transpired this evening. ‘Anyway, I’m not about to jump into bed with a complete stranger who might be a psycho, for all I know,’ I assured my reflection. ‘That would be daft. Pull yourself together … he’s bound to have his eyes on younger women.’

  I picked up a small matching clutch and slid into my three-inch stilettos. At just under six foot in my heels, I stood like a goddess. In the mirror, I saw how the tailored dress clung to my curvaceous hips and how my cleavage was plumped to reveal a full, rounded figure. I pivoted on one foot and watched the flow of the dress along my legs and the smallest reveal of ankles. ‘You look the business,’ I told my reflection, ‘even if I say so myself.’

  At the entrance of Le Stanze del Vicerè, Antonio was waiting for me to arrive. There was no mistaking his shoulder-length hair. Rather than the artistic, tousled locks from our earlier encounter, he had combed and styled it in a ponytail for dinner to make a good impression that was no longer needed. He’d caught my attention already and I wanted to be his … even for one night. Don’t blow it, Stella, I told myself. Stay calm and be yourself. Antonio looked cool in his white, crumpled suit; the kind that only Italian men can wear without looking dishevelled. As I approached him from behind, he stood with hands in pockets, relaxed as the Tuscany hillside. Goosepimples rose on my arms and I couldn’t wait to be near him.

  ‘Antonio?’

  ‘Stella.’ He kissed me on both cheeks and allowed his hand to linger on my arm. ‘Thank you for coming. You look beautiful.’

  The thrill of those words, spoken with softness, filled me with joy until I blushed. ‘Thank you.’ I gazed at his face and the slicked-back hair behind his ears. There were no signs of betrayal in his eyes. He’d meant every word. My gaze travelled down to his suit and white shirt. Dressed in white, he resembled a tall alabaster column, immovable and steady, ready for me to recline upon after my long, arduous journey through a wilderness. ‘You look … so different,’ I told him. ‘That’s a lovely suit.’ I couldn’t resist the touch of the fabric on my fingertips as I brushed along his lapel.

  ‘This?’ he said, and shrugged. ‘I knew I needed to make an effort for a beautiful lady.’ Antonio linked arms and said, ‘Let’s eat. I am absolutely starving. That is how you say it, yes?’

  I laughed. ‘Yes, that’s right. Absolutely starving.’

  Entering the Viceroy Room, I gasped at the beautiful fresco ceiling.

  ‘This is lovely …’ As we stood by the doorway, Antonio watched me bask under the painted cherubs and lovers floating in the air. Across the room was a small wooden table set for two. A waiter pulled the red and gold seats from under the table and gestured for us to sit. The open doors leading to the balcony allowed the warmth and light of the evening sun to fall upon us. Antonio’s skin tones warmed from the reflection of the peach-coloured sun, while the shadows from his brow intensified his brown eyes.

  I followed the pattern of the matching red and gold drapes hung by the doors, slowly tilted my head to see the fresco and ornate plasterwork. After I lowered my gaze, Antonio rested his face on his hands, savouring the moment that I was enjoying. His smile was infectious, as if it could light up the darkest room, the strength of it making me lower my gaze toward the table.

  ‘What a beautiful room,’ I commented, blushing. The embarrassment of being watched like a child in a sweet shop was ridiculous.

  ‘I stay here each time I come to Naples. It gives me a sense of peace.’

  ‘I feel that too.’

  ‘Shall I order for both of us? Which kinds of food do you like, Stella?’

  ‘Anything, really … I don’t mind. Surprise me.’

  Antonio read through the menu, the faintest lines by his eyes as he concentrated, his dark eyebrows moving in time with his delectable smile. ‘Shrimp Fra Diavolo.’ His eyes sparkled as he whispered the words with an impish smile. He gestured to the waiter. ‘Due porzioni di gamberetti Fra Diavolo e due bicchieri di vino verdicchio, favore. Grazie.’

  ‘Grazie, signor.’

  ‘So, what are we having?

  ‘Food of the devil.’ Antonio’s smile broadened. ‘You will enjoy it.’

  ‘Sounds great. I can’t wait.’

  ‘The jalapeño peppers are hot … is that OK?’

  And so are you. ‘Yes.’

  ‘So tell me more about you. Where do you live and what do you do?’

  ‘I’m just a plain old housewife.’

  ‘You are anything but plain.’

  I looked away from him. Although compliments had been rare in the last two years, having them directed at me by somebody I’d only just met made the situation too incredible. ‘Oh … well, I feel plain. Having been married to Tom for most of my adult life, there really isn’t anything exciting to tell you.’

  ‘Everyone has a story, Stella. I see it in your eyes. There is something … dynamic waiting to burst out. Tell me anything.’

  ‘I live in Cheltenham, which is in the south-west of England. I have a small, detached house, which I shared with Tom for many years. We got married when I was 20. We stayed together for 13 years until he died two years ago.’

  ‘He was a very fortunate man. You look fabulous. It would be rude to mention your age … but I
thought you were younger. What is your secret?’

  ‘Are you flirting with me?’ I looked up at him through my long lashes, a playful gaze to gauge his attention.

  He reclined into his chair. ‘Do I need to?’

  ‘No, but it feels good to have your attention.’

  ‘You had my attention from the first moment I saw you.’

  I pulled the red, folded napkin from the table. ‘You really are a smooth talker,’ I said, and spread the napkin over my lap.

  ‘Smooth would imply that I was not telling the truth …’ Every time I saw him smile, another piece of hard exterior crumbled away from my persona. ‘And I am telling the truth. There is absolutely no need to say anything other than what you need to hear.’

  Was I that easy to read? ‘There’s no secret. I’ve been very happy in life so far. Tom loved me and provided everything I needed.’ I fumbled with my napkin to avoid Antonio’s inquisitive gaze.

  ‘And what about you … what do you want from the rest of your life?’

  ‘I want to do everything I haven’t had a chance to do before.’ I stared at him, forcing a half-smile that masked my inner frame of mind, but it was no use pretending because Antonio knew what I was feeling. And he knew that I knew! ‘I’ve always loved art, but Tom loved cars. And I like the sun, while he was more at home under a leaking car engine. But that didn’t seem to matter then … just being with him was all I needed. Now I want to do all those things that I never did when I was younger.’

  ‘And those things are?’

  ‘I know this will sound silly, but I wanted to be a sculptress when I was at school …’

  ‘It is not silly at all. So you came to Naples to see great art. Synchronicity.’

  ‘Yes. I figured it was better to start in the right place and get some inspiration.’ That was the very moment I realised I was falling for him, a complete stranger who was unravelling the real me that I’d buried so long ago. Staring at him across the table, dressed in white like a holy saint coaxing me to confession. My pulse quickened and I turned away to feel the breeze blow upon my face.

  ‘When we met today, you could not take your eyes off Venus. What do you like about her?

  ‘Her body and how that makes me feel. I don’t know, really … I like how she makes me feel alive … like a passionate woman.’

  Antonio leant back in his chair, one arm resting along the back. One look into his eyes and his smile made me forget who I’d become. He was slowly extracting the person I’d repressed, and rather than it being a torturous, painful experience, I loved it. In the stillness of the room, I knew the old Stella was being restored.

  ‘As much as Tom loved me, I lost something along the way. Does that make sense?’

  ‘Yes it does.’ Antonio took hold of my hand across the small table. ‘Are you still searching? Or have you found what you are looking for?’

  I glanced sideways from my view of the city. He waited expectantly, hoping for the right answer. ‘I’m not sure.’

  The waiter interrupted our flirtations to place the meals on the table. The aroma of the peppers and garlic wafted in the air as I looked into Antonio’s smiling eyes. There was something terribly delicious about our Italian cuisine and romance, as if the two were inextricably linked, and when Antonio tasted the sauce and closed his eyes, it was as though he was being touched by a lover’s hands. His lips pursed as the peppers hit his palate. ‘Bello,’ he said to the waiter, and kissed his fingertips in true Italian style.

  The waiter bowed slightly and left the room.

  The same taste hit my tongue. ‘This is wonderful. Ooh … that’s hot. But it’s delicious. Thank you.’

  ‘It is my pleasure.’

  ‘So what do you do?’

  ‘I have a small business in Venice. I am a self-employed fashion and glamour photographer. So like you, I also love the way bodies look. My mother and father were poor but they always encouraged me to do what I wanted. When I was a child, I would sketch people wherever they were. In our village, we would sit outside in the afternoons, so there was always someone to draw. As I grew older, it was as if I could see inside a person and capture who they really were. While I attended school, my father worked hard and saved for me to go to university. It was there that my love of photography flourished. After university, I worked for small agencies, but I wanted to work for myself. My father always said that I could be whatever I wanted to be … that the only thing that would stop me would be me. Of course, he was right and I remembered his advice each time I wanted to give up.’

  ‘That’s great. And you look so happy with your work.’ No wonder he seemed so grounded.

  ‘I have been fortunate.’

  ‘I couldn’t help noticing your drawing of Venus. You’re very talented.’

  ‘Thank you. I came to see Venus today because I too love the work. Of course, I did not stay long because I needed to find you.’

  We looked at each other across the table. ‘I’m really sorry about that, Antonio.’

  ‘I will go visit her again tomorrow before I leave for Venice.’ His reassuring tone melted me.

  ‘You’re going home so soon …?’ And as soon as the words rushed from my mouth, I felt my cheeks redden.

  ‘Do you want me to stay?’

  Oh God, why didn’t I just dig myself a big hole, and jump into the bloody thing? ‘I just thought … I’m enjoying your company.’

  ‘And I am enjoying yours too, but I think we both know that already.’ He paused and took a long swig of wine. ‘However, I must go back to work.’

  ‘That’s good. I’d hate to think that you missed something important because of me.’

  ‘But tonight, I am all yours and I want to know everything about you. Tell me more about why you love that statue?’

  ‘I love the way she stands … how she seems so in control of her own destiny. I love the way she looks … her beauty. She’s perfect. And, of course, she’s the goddess of love.’

  Antonio laughed. ‘Yes, she is. What an excellent choice.’ He grinned across the table as I blushed. ‘Would you like to come with me for one last look? It would be my pleasure.’

  ‘I’d love to, but please allow me to treat you.’

  He stretched out his hand as if he was closing a transaction. His broad fingers clasped around mine. ‘Deal.’ The handshake lingered and I watched his thumb caress my hand before we pulled apart.

  Outside the hotel, the evening sun had dipped on the horizon, and the chilly night air blew through the open doors and onto my arms. The waiter took away the plates as we sipped the last of the Verdicchio wine.

  ‘It is getting cold. I’m going to my room. Will you join me for the rest of the evening? I will order a bottle of wine and we can watch the sun go down. ’

  I looked at my watch. Nine o’clock. Yet I felt warm inside, either from the food or wine, or long-lost feelings of latent passion I couldn’t tell, but I didn’t want the evening to end. In so many ways, Antonio that was the total opposite of me, and yet he seemed to know me so well. He knew exactly what he wanted from life, where I had been so unsure. But right at that moment, all of my dreams and ambitions that I’d lost during my marriage were resurfacing. I wanted to be like Antonio, to face each day as if it was my last.

  ‘Yes. I’d like that very much.’

  Chapter Five

  From the bedroom balcony, I gazed at the lilac skyline that descended over Naples. Headlamps and streetlights spread across the city until they slowly tapered toward the hills. High in the sky, Venus glittered among the smaller stars.

  I closed my eyes as sea air pushed inland to cool my arms and cleavage. I felt invigorated, alive, as though I’d found the missing piece from my life. Or maybe I’d rediscovered what was already inside, lying dormant for all those years. At that moment, I was more content than I’d been in the last two years and an intense desire to capture some happiness swept through me.

  A bottle of Verdicchio had been delivered to the room, a
nd Antonio poured some into two fluted wineglasses. He stepped out of his black shoes and nudged them under the small bureau desk. I didn’t stir as he held a glass before me, studying me as I leant against the balcony wall, arms folded around my waist to plump my breasts, eyes closed and a wistful smile on my face.

  ‘Stella?’

  I woke from my musing and saw the wineglass in front of me. ‘Oh … thanks. I was miles away.’

  ‘You looked so peaceful. What were you thinking about?’ Antonio sipped some wine, his manicured fingernails holding the fluted stem as if it was a rose.

  I took my glass from his hand and looked away toward the stars. ‘I was just dreaming about Venus … and why they call it the evening star. I wondered what it would be like to be up there, looking down on us.’ I leant my body against the opposite door jamb to face Antonio, bodies toward each other, our faces turned toward the sky. With a sideways glance at Antonio, I yearned to kiss his pouting lips.

  In the silence, I heard him breathe and the delicate tap of the glass against his teeth. I dangled my already empty glass in front of my crotch and sighed. The exhaustion of the day and the hot, spicy meal made me feel tired. As my head tilted toward my left shoulder, I saw Antonio smile and the nightlights form a reflected star in his dilated pupils. But the one thing I desired was out of my reach because I was too scared to make the first move.

  ‘Do you want another drink?’ he said, pointing at my glass.

  ‘No thanks.’

  Wine threatened to spill over the rim as Antonio poured himself another drink. I placed my outstretched hands on the railing and arched my aching back, my dress clinging to my waist and hips, trailing down over my legs. I stood with one foot on tiptoe and the delicate fabric draped over my slender ankle.

  His glass chinked on the bureau as he left it behind and tiptoed across the wooden floor to stand behind me. With his long fingers, he massaged my shoulders and I felt the tension in my knotted muscles subside. As I bowed my head, Antonio slowly lifted ringlets from my back and let them cascade over my cleavage. The soft touch of his pleading fingertips kneaded into my neck as my arms relaxed and shoulders dipped.