by Terri Lee
“Give it a minute,” Nico cautioned. “A perfect espresso must always be too hot to drink.”
She laughed along with the two guys.
When Nico gave her the signal, Natalie lifted the brew to her lips, the nutty, smoky aroma preparing her taste buds for the onslaught of flavor. “Strong.” She placed the little cup back into its saucer, running her tongue along the roof of her mouth. “And thicker than I imagined.”
“That's good.”
Breathing deeply as she brought the cup to her lips and took another drink, bigger this time. “I like it.”
Relieved smiles spread across two faces. While the men bantered back and forth in Italian and English, Natalie drifted in and out of the conversation. Gathering bits of information, through the exchange, about this man, this adored uncle. This gorgeous English professor who put himself through school by pulling hot water through coffee grounds into the perfect froth for people who were probably too busy to notice. Although she was sure those dark lashes had his tip jar overflowing. Watching him now, in animated conversation with his nephew, she wanted to know everything about him. She was on dangerous ground.
“You, my favorite uncle, may bring this bella donna, back to Saldo's anytime.” Pietro kissed her on both cheeks as she and Nico made to leave.
She was warm inside, not just from the hot espresso, but from the scene she'd witnessed. She'd trusted him with her secret. Now, Nico returned the favor by letting her inside his world. And she liked what she saw.
25 Bridging the Gap
They met at nine o'clock. After Tess had gone to bed. Most Italians were just heading out to dinner at that time, once the tourists had waddled off to their hotel rooms, full of pasta and wine.
“I don't want to take too many nights away from Tess,” Natalie explained to Nico, earlier.
Aside from the guilt she had over tearing Tess away from everything familiar, the two of them had never had so much time together. She found herself guarding the hours like a jealous lover.
“Of course,” Nico assured her. “Tess is your priority. As it should be.”
There were reasons enough for both Nico and Natalie to move slowly. Each of them inching their way into new roles. Trying it on to see how it fit, adlibbing the lines as they went.
Tonight, as they dined alfresco, the festive lights strung across the patio mirrored Natalie's mood. Above them, the stars played a supporting role. The waiter was sitting on his haunches speaking to Nico as if Nico and Natalie were the only two people in the place. Back home, the next table would have been complaining already, but here, no one cared. Everyone was special.
“Americans, always in a hurry to their next destination.” Nico shook his head when they'd talked about it, before. “In Italy, dinner is the destination.”
Learning to let go was a work in progress. No longer tied to the appointment book in Chloe's arms, she was free to make her own schedule. Yet a lifetime in the fast lane clung to her like the last bits of LA smog, and there were times she could still find herself bristling at the ancient pace of Rome. She sometimes wondered if Rome was called The Eternal City because every transaction took an eternity. Everything in Rome moved at a snail's pace. Except the traffic.
Nevertheless, after several months, the city was seeping into her bloodstream.
When the bus driver stopped to have a lengthy conversation with someone on the sidewalk who didn’t even get on the bus, it no longer fazed Natalie.
The fact that the butcher stopped to ask after each customer's family and ask about their day, was more charming than annoying. She smiled while she waited in line instead of tapping her foot, as she came to realize the butcher and others like him were more concerned with the connection than the sale. Her order of prosciutto could wait a minute or two. When he turned his full attention on her, as if her little order was the only order that mattered, she suddenly understood.
“I think you have the most beautiful shoulders I've ever seen.” Nico nodded at her from across the table, breaking into her thoughts. He'd already reached for her hand, as soon as the waiter left with their order. Now his eyes swept over her in appreciation, and she was glad she'd chosen the dress that just skimmed her shoulders before falling away in sheer layers of dove gray.
She felt her skin warming, as if his words were on her bare flesh, but “thank you,” was all she could manage. Her shoulders curved toward Nico, her body responding like a seedling seeking the sunlight after too many years spent in the shade.
Stan had developed a habit of withholding compliments, insisting she received enough attention from the rest of the world. Refusing to understand that the fawning crowds couldn't fill the space reserved for a husband. A lover.
When Nico walked into her corner of the piazza with his unassuming honesty and killer smile, she felt the tectonic plates of her world shifting once again.
He showered her with attention, nodding along when she spoke as if he already knew what she was about to say. Laughing in all the right places. And when he gave her a compliment it came from a place that was real. He fed them to her a drop at a time and they melted on her tongue when she whispered them back to herself.
You're beautiful.
I love the way you laugh.
But there was a different energy humming in the background tonight. A bit of static electricity crackling in the air, signaling that they'd turned a corner. They'd been dipping their toes in the water these last few days, but now she stood at the end of the dock, feet poised to jump. She saw it in Nico's eyes, too.
All through dinner, one or the other would glance up only to catch the other staring. Eyes would lock, and the question left unspoken was clear.
Are you ready?
After a leisurely dinner followed by chilled limoncello, Nico took Natalie's hand and tucked it under his arm as he led them away from the restaurant. Natalie leaned against him, safe and secure, their footsteps in tune and happier than she could remember.
Though the night air was mild she pulled the light shawl up around her shoulders out of habit. They walked along the Tiber to the Ponte Sisto. Lights from the famous bridge reflected in the dark water as a ferry with party goers slid by, laughter echoing long after they'd passed beneath the ancient arches. Their bliss was infectious, and she and Nico shared a smile, offering up their own contentment to the night, to the city.
The bridge linked the historic center of Rome with its less inhibited cousin, the medieval neighborhood of Trastevere. Pedestrians strolled past Nico and Natalie on their way to the latest hot spot in the old Jewish quarter. Another party barge floated by with revelers waving to the onlookers and it seemed like all of Rome was in a good mood. Nico stopped and leaned on the balustrade looking like a king surveying his realm.
“I've always loved this city,” he said as he turned to face her, “but never more so than these last few days sharing it with you. It's all brand new.”
“I feel brand new.” Natalie tilted her head up to him.
He leaned forward, the palm of his hand on the back of her head and his gravity pulled her into his orbit. Finally, his lips on hers. After days of watching his mouth when he talked. Watching lips spread across white teeth in an open smile. Lips closed in thoughtful silence as he listened to her stories. Now those lips were pressed against hers. Sensuous lips asking her to surrender.
If she weren't pressed up against a concrete barrier, she might have tumbled into the Tiber below. Instead she fell headlong into his kiss and the promise on the tip of his tongue. She was ready to fall, standing on a wind-swept cliff, arms open wide. She would throw herself off knowing Nico would be there to catch her.
The people around them blurred into the background, their voices carried away on a puff of wind, leaving Natalie and Nico alone on a bridge.
“Am I crazy or do I hear violins?” Natalie asked, pulling back to look into Nico's eyes.
Looking around, Nico pointed to the opposite riverbank where a small concert was taking place.
“Did you order that?” Natalie grinned.
“Of course.” He stared down at her with a playful smile, smoothing a strand of hair off her forehead. “And the moon. And the stars. How am I doing?”
“Oh, you're doing just fine.”
He ran the tips of his fingers along her neckline and across the curve of her bare shoulders. “Shoulders like these are what drive men to sculpt. You're gorgeous.”
“So are you.” The words rolled off her tongue and onto his lips.
They'd started on opposite riverbanks, worlds apart. Yet a simple smile across a piazza had Natalie feeling like they were old souls getting reacquainted.
Do I know you?
Now their steps were sure as they pushed off from the sidelines to meet in the middle of a fifteenth century bridge. So close they were sharing the same breath, bridging the gap between Los Angeles and Rome.
The miles between them were tossed into the inky depths. Swept up in the current and carried to the mouth of the Tyrrhenian Sea.
26 Plans
“Sounds like you've had a busy week,” Anne was smiling.
Natalie grinned, the taste of Nico still on her lips from the night before. “I should run right now… but I think it’s already too late.”
“Too late?”
“Yeah, I think I’m in trouble.”
Anne’s raised eyebrows opened the door for Natalie to continue.
“I know it's too early....” Natalie hesitated, looking across the room for confirmation. “And maybe I was naive, thinking it was just going to be one dinner with a good-looking Italian.”
Anne was thoughtful. “And what do you think it is now?”
“Now? After one week? I'm just afraid of what it might be.”
“What might it be?”
“An affair. Love affair.”
Anne’s silence begged to be fed.
Natalie sighed. “Love.”
How could she be using a word like love? She was too old to believe in love at first sight. But there was something she couldn't quite put her finger on. Something familiar about him.
“So you're afraid it might be love? Or afraid of love?”
“You, with your questions.” Natalie picked up the pillow and acted like she was about to throw it at her analyst. After a couple of deep breaths Natalie looked directly into Anne's eyes and confessed. “Both.”
Natalie rose from the couch and walked over to her favorite window, stretching out her legs and her thoughts.
“I don't know what I'm saying.”
“I think it's right that you take your time,” Anne said. “From what you've told me, you're both in a fragile state. “
“I know. I probably have no business getting involved with anyone at this point. I am still legally married after all.” She traced the lines of the leaded glass with the tip of her finger. She'd only recently instructed her lawyer to proceed with the divorce. A final decree would be months away. “Not only that, but we both know Humpty Dumpty isn't exactly all together.”
“Humpty Dumpty is doing just fine. Trust yourself.”
“How can I trust myself; I have a history of poor decision making.”
She thought of Nico, strong and solid. Like a wall. And she wondered if she would push against it, in her usual way, to see if it would crumble or stand.
“And now you can make a new history for yourself.” Anne was matter of fact. “However, I do advise caution. Taking the circumstances of Claudia's story into consideration, she's only been officially dead for six months. He's still in the middle of the grieving process, whether he knows it or not. And you...well divorce is also a form of death. It's not the best time to be making big decisions. With that being said, you're both adults. As long as you're aware of the pitfalls, it might be nice to spread your wings and see where they take you.”
Natalie perked up. “That's what I was thinking. There's no need to label it. I don't want to put any expectations on it. I just want to hold onto that feeling I had on the back of his scooter. I'm going in with eyes wide open.”
“Then enjoy it.” Anne pulled off her glasses. “Trust that you've developed the tools to enter into a grown-up relationship and that you have the strength to be honest about what you need.”
What she needed was more of the kisses they'd shared last night. When her heart swelled at the touch of his lips, her brain responded with the signal that everything was as it should be. For once her brain and her heart were in perfect sync.
She knew him.
Though she was a woman with a life halfway around the world waiting for her to return, she was in Nico's world now. She was determined to embrace the moment, and just let it breathe on its own.
For the first time in her life she didn't have a plan. Or a back-up plan. And she felt deliciously free.
27 Amalfi Coast
Natalie's hand surfed on the wind as Nico drove the get-away car. She glanced over at him, strong hands on the steering wheel, Wayfarer's hiding hazel eyes. James Bond confidently shifting gears as they hugged the curves of the Italian coastline in his Alfa Romeo.
They were on their way to Positano. Nico's family home on the Amalfi Coast. Tess's plans for a weekend slumber party with her new best friend left Natalie free until Sunday night.
Nico jumped at the chance to get out of town and Natalie jumped with him. Bags were packed and thrown in the tiny trunk of the roadster for the three-and-a-half-hour drive. Now looking down from the winding road to the surf crashing along the shore, Natalie felt at home. It had been too long since an ocean breeze blew through her hair.
Nico reached for her hand and placed it on the gear shift, laying his hand on top. They shifted gears together, laughing over their silliness.
She felt like a teenager, about to have sex for the first time. Except she wasn't nineteen, she was a woman who knew what she wanted. What she wanted was to open up to this man who kept looking over at her with a smile that had her wondering if he was nervous, too.
They'd been dancing around the perimeter for two weeks now, easing into the idea of taking the next step. Piling up layers of trust like steppingstones. Then Tess, with her weekend plans, handed them the perfect excuse for a romantic trip.
When Nico broached the idea, Natalie breathed easier, knowing it was just as important to him that their first time be special. Like their first kiss. It deserved to be beautiful. The longing in his eyes as they made their plans told her all she needed to know.
The late October sun was low in the sky by the time the car nosed its way through the narrow roads leading to town. Natalie pulled the collar of her sweater tighter around her neck as the warmth of the day began to fade with the sunset.
Her first glimpse of Positano was during the golden hour. Those magical minutes every photographer covets, when the world is bathed in a bullion light. Slowly the gold turned to red and finally blue as twilight settled over the cliffs, and homes glowed from within as lights came on all over the city. It took her breath away, and she was glad Nico had pulled off on the side of the road to allow her to drink it in and tuck the memory away for safe keeping.
“We're almost there,” Nico said as he pulled back onto the road.
They left the city behind them and climbed higher, as the road got narrower. Finally, Nico turned the car onto a dirt lane that ended in front of a large stone house. Lights were already on.
“We have a family that watches over Villa Serenità for us.” Nico nodded at the house as he unloaded their bags. “Giovanna will have made everything nice, wait and see.”
Natalie loved the name, Villa Serenità. House of serenity. True to its name, the house welcomed her with open arms the moment she stepped across the threshold. A fire crackled in the huge stone fireplace spreading warmth and light across the room. She looked up at the beamed cathedral ceiling, then back at Nico.
“Wow. You said your family had a little place in Positano.”
Nico shrugged sheepishly as he dropped the bags on
the floor and came up behind her to circle her waist. “I said, piccolo. Italians always say piccolo. It's a term of endearment. And remember, it's not my house, it belongs to the entire family.”
Natalie turned in the circle of his arms, crossing her hands behind his neck, thinking of her own terms of endearment.
Nico pulled her close and kissed her. Softly, then again, nudging her lips apart, his tongue warm in her mouth. When he pulled back, he kept of bit of her lip between his teeth and she opened her eyes to see him staring down at her with an intensity that matched her own desire.
Taking her hand, he led her into the adjoining dining room, where Giovanna had set out a feast for the travelers. The table groaned under platters piled high with meats and cheeses, olives, figs and breads and a stack of mini-lemon tarts at the far end. A caprese salad beckoned, slices of tomatoes sandwiched between fresh wedges of buffalo mozzarella and basil drizzled with olive oil.
“You did tell Giovanna it was just the two of us, didn't you?”
“She's always afraid someone might go hungry.”
Natalie picked up the bottle of oil on the table and grinned at the label. “Di Natale? You have your own olive oil?”
“It's no big deal. Everyone presses their own olives and has a family olive oil in these parts.”
“Maybe no big deal to you, but color me impressed.”
Nico twisted an imaginary mustache. “My master plan is working.”
They carried their plates and glasses of wine back to the living room where they set up an indoor picnic near the fire. Legs stretched out on the faded tapestry rug, backs up against the couch and ankles and elbows bumping together, they balanced plates on their laps and dove into the feast.
“What is it about driving that always makes me so hungry?” Natalie asked around a mouthful of bread dredged in Di Natale olive oil.
“I think it has something to do with evolution. Deep inside we still have the ancient soul of an explorer and the instinct for survival.”