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“Mi sono persa nei tuoi occhi. I’m lost in your eyes, Nadia. The light in you gives life.” Paul had said it to me before and I understood it more now. My seeing Rome for the first time enlivened him.
We were about to head to the top of the dome, when I saw a row of pews opened for sitting. “I’d like to say a prayer for my dad.”
There was a solemnness in his expression, which vanished so fast I doubted if it was ever there—but it convinced me there was something being kept from me. So I prayed for strength and courage because I was in no way ready for anything but my father’s full recovery.How I wish he could see this. The beauty and history.It definitely wasn’t something I could show in pictures.
“Let’s go,” Paul whispered. We then walked up the many flights of stairs to the top of the dome. I stared in awe at the amazing view of the whole city and all its splendors, from Rome’s grand loggias to its elegant Baroque palaces; there was so much to see and admire. Even the ancient ruins stood out in opulent beauty.
He kept me close as he’d done at the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Back then, I struggled protecting my heart from his affection in the arrangement. Now, I stood excited in his arms, and I trusted him at my back. He wouldn’t let go because he wanted to be with me.
We were next escorted to the Sistine Chapel. There was a line ahead to go in, but we were allowed time alone. It was everything Renaissance paintings were—religious, vibrant, and expressive. The humans were depicted with powerful strength and with dramatic movement and expression. Every scene told a portion of the journey of life all the way to the end.
“I feel like a hypocrite. Some people make pilgrimages to pray here.”
Paul listened, then offered his own thoughts. “We can still be respective and appreciative of the artistry and design. That’s what I choose to do.”
We spent another hour gazing over statues, tapestries, and paintings before crowds of tourists flooded everywhere. Some immediately recognized Paul, and he was surrounded by cameras and requests for selfies until Laurence respectfully alerted security to move us along. But Paul was polite and gracious with every one of them. I smiled at him when he returned to my side.
“You’re amazing, Paul.”
“I’m just me. Let’s eat.”
Laurence drove us back to Rome and off the main thoroughfare to a simple side street on a cobblestone road and stopped at the corner. “There it is, Paul. Our café has moved across the street,” Laurence enthused. “This place makes a coffee that will wake you up. They also have the best cream-filled brioches for your sweet tooth, Nadia.”
“You had me at sweet,” I told them, and they laughed with me.
Once inside the busy café we couldn’t miss the hiss of the espresso machines and the pungent aroma of freshly ground beans. Laurence went in and was immediately absorbed with old friends. I admired how well he seemed to connect with everyone. As for Paul, he radiated sexy sophistication, and many turned to stare at him, which he seemed to ignore. We were seated by the window, and Paul ordered fruit cream brioches, yogurt, and fresh fruit with our espressos. Music was turned on somewhere in the café. It was BeethovenFür Elisethat even I was familiar with.And here I am with a famous composer and pianist.
“Tomorrow night, we’ll eat at La Pergola restaurant with a couple of my friends. Lorenzo Rossi is a conductor at theTeatro La Scala, and he’s married to soprano Bianca. We’ll see her perform in Handel’s opera,Rinaldo.”
“Our date?” I asked and bit my lip.
He touched my face to turn back to him. “Yes. Our date, as I promised.”
Paul leaned over and kissed my smile, and my pulse sped up. He was not backing down, and I didn’t know how to handle it. I was waiting for the rug to be pulled from under my feet, but Paul was being nothing more than attentive and charming with me.
“Grazie,” I said as our brunch was served.
Paul took a deep sip of his cappuccino and grinned. “Molto bella, very nice. Now let me fill you in on my friends.”
“Oh, I get to know this time. Not like you did with Aurora?” I chided him.
It still bothered me that I came so ill prepared to meet someone so close to him.That he sexed me in the middle of her vineyard.
“Aurora adores you and she has her own hedonist past. She believes passion is the elixir of life. She would be more worried if we weren’t all over each other. She’s also the one of the few I trust and can relax around. I wanted you to also experience being free without worry. The Rossi’s situation is different. Bianca is Lorenzo’s wife, number four. They may joke about it, but it would be better if you’re not surprised.”
My mouth dropped open. “He’s been married four times?”
He chuckled. “There it is; Nadia’s blown-away look.”
I pushed his shoulder playfully. “It’s a normal reaction, but thank you for telling me. I don’t want to offend them.”
“I know.” He took a bite of my brioche. “So sweet, but not as sweet as you.”
“I am sweet,” I joked.
“You taste sweet,” he said in a salacious tone, and chuckled when I covered my face.
“What don’t you notice, Mr. Crane?”
