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“Shall we take a gondola to my flat?” he asked. “We’ll have a lovely view of the Grand Canal along the way.”
She met his gaze for the first time since they had entered the square. Alec’s hazel eyes took on an amber glow in the setting sunlight as he stared back at her with his usual intensity. But there was an edge of vulnerability about him now that made him seem years younger. It was as if she was seeing Alec, the Alec she had known, once again. And, unlike his caresses this morning, this was intentional.
Lottie suddenly had trouble swallowing. In the space of a moment her throat had gone bone dry.
“Yes,” she said in a thin voice she barely recognized. “That sounds perfect.”
Alec helped Lottie into a gondola and took the seat across from her. She was avoiding his gaze again, just as she had for the last hour or so. She might have possessed a hearty streak of cynicism, but Alec acknowledged that Lottie was still too unguarded to be working for a man like her uncle. Learning to conceal one’s soft underbelly was of paramount importance in this line of work, though even Alec was finding it increasingly difficult to do so the longer he was in her presence. Showing her around the square, holding her so closely outside the basilica while she blushed under his touch, watching that look of curiosity melt into awe as she took in the sights—it was just the sort of thing a honeymooning couple would do. Just the sort of thing he had dared dream of once…
As the gondolier launched them into the bustling canal, Lottie’s eyes widened first with surprise and then delight. She shot him an excited grin as they sliced through the water. Alec’s lips curved as her head swiveled back and forth, eagerly taking in the busy waterway with her painter’s eye. Their gondolier began warbling a tune. Something about thwarted love. Normally Alec hated this bit. It was drivel for tourists. But being with Lottie made it tolerable.
No. Far better than that.
Her gaze came to rest on him then and he wanted to believe with every fiber of his being that her eyes softened, just a little, because of him.
“You look rather content,” she said.
Alec raised an eyebrow. “And you sound rather surprised.”
Lottie gave a little shrug. “Only because I haven’t seen you like this since…”
Since he had come barging back into her life.
Alec shifted in his seat. “Yes, well. I suppose it’s due to my surroundings.”
She nodded but kept focusing on the Venetian gothic structures that lined the canal. “It is beautiful here. I can see why you made this your home.”
I wasn’t speaking of the city.
But Alec kept the words to himself. There was no point. She was leaving. And if he couldn’t get a handle on himself, she would need to make the journey without him. Neither spoke for the rest of their ride, though the canal provided plenty of distractions. Once they docked, Alec helped Lottie onto shore, paid their gondolier, and led her toward the battered palazzo he called home.
As they turned onto his narrow street, Alec caught sight of a small dark-haired boy with large brown eyes sitting on the front steps of his house. A smile touched his lips as the boy clambered to his feet and waved enthusiastically.
“Who is that?” Lottie asked.
“Nico. He lives in the flat below mine.”
The boy rushed over to them, explaining in Italian that he had been waiting for Alec’s return ever since their luggage was delivered earlier. Then he began detailingeverythingthat had happened during Alec’s brief absence. But his excited rambling about a particularly enterprising pigeon was cut short when he finally took notice of Lottie and sketched a grand bow. “Buon pomeriggio, signora.”
Lottie returned the greeting and seemed utterly charmed by the little scamp.
Alec pressed his lips together, trying not to smile too much. “Nico, this is my friend, Miss Carlisle,” he explained. Alec had been teaching the boy English for the past few months, and he was a remarkably quick study.
Nico’s face lit up. “I am honored to meet a friend of the professor.”
“And I am honored to meet you as well, Nico. Have you lived here long?”
Alec flicked her a warning glance that she ignored. Of course she would not miss a chance to do a little digging…
“Two years,” Nico said proudly. “We are very lucky to have found the professor. He is the most generous—”
“All right, Nico,” Alec cut in. He could feel Lottie’s speculative stare as he slipped the boy a few coins. “Go down to the trattoria and bring back some risi e bisi for dinner. It will be too much for the two of us, you know how big those portions are, so take some for yourself as well.”
He nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, Professor!” Then he darted down the street.
Lottie followed the boy’s departure then turned back to him. “That was clever of you.”
Alec stepped away to open the palazzo’s heavy front door. “He won’t take anything otherwise. He already knows I charge a pittance for rent.” But even Nico wouldn’t pass up the chance to sample the Venetian rice and peas dish that was popular this time of year. He gestured for Lottie to enter first, but she stood on the front step, head tilted back to take in the palazzo’s faded beauty. “Youownthis place?”
