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I keep staring up at Tiero’s boat and the bold letters spelling out ELLA.
Is this a sign from the universe telling me to go for it?
With a thumping heart, I walk onboard, holding onto the rail.
A three-person crew greets us. “Ella, this is Giuseppe, our skipper, Mario, our cook, and Rocco, the deckhand and steward,” he introduces them.
Ourskipper andourcook? I guess he means ours for the duration of this trip.
Turning to them, Tiero says, “I want total privacy. I’ll call you if we need anything.”
Total privacy.
I know what that’s code for, and the damn blush creeps up my cheeks again.
The crew nod their understanding and head inside while Tiero leads me to the staircase to the upper deck.
I’m overwhelmed by this display of wealth. I knew he had money—obviously… the Ferrari, the fancy restaurants, the constant security around him.
Why does his boat throw me into a spin?
As we reach the top of the stairs, I stop to take in the cozy space. Day lounges with large, comfy-looking pillows are arranged in a U-shape.
Wow, this is so nice.
The coffee table catches my attention. A three-pronged spear is inlaid under a heavy glass top. Laughing, I say, “Knowing you, I suppose this is Poseidon’s actual trident?”
“The god of the sea would ever part with his power weapon, but it’s a great replica. By the way, in Italy, we call him Neptune.”
“I know, I know.” I raise my arms in surrender. “My mistake.”
Tiero kisses the top of my head. “Good girl,” he teases.
“This is a Trident yacht, and the table came with it,” he explains. “I’m told it’s a one-off because this boat was the first one of its kind.”
It’s sweet how proud he is to own this unique piece of furniture. I smile to myself… boys and their toys.
“When I was a kid, I had this recurring dream where Neptune rose out of the water, his trident in hand, walking towards me,” Tiero says.
“Oh, was that a nightmare? In most pictures I’ve seen, Neptune looks menacing.”
“No, he didn’t look scary in my dream. Maybe that’s why I love being out at sea. Try not to laugh, but this table was one of the reasons I bought this boat.”
“So the name wasn’t the deciding factor?” I tease.
“It would have been if I had known about you.”
Oh, what a charmer. I’m sure it works on all women.
As I stand by the rail, the engine roars to life. Two people are untying the thick ropes and throwing them on deck, where Rocco stores them away neatly.
Tiero sidles up next to me, watching his crew work. He nods to the security guard on the dock, who gives him a thumbs up. What was that all about, I wonder?
“Where are we heading?” I ask with a wide grin as we both watch the boat glide out from where it’s anchored, slowly making its way onto the open sea.
“If we had more time, and you didn’t need to be back for dinner, I would have taken you to the Aeolian Islands. They are of volcanic origin. Given how much you liked Mount Etna, I thought you might enjoy seeing Stromboli as well, but we can do that another time.”
I wish we could, but I’m well aware our time together is running out.
