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“I am,” I whispered and turned to sit at the table, where there was a formal setting of glasses, porcelain dishes, and fresh bouquets as decoration. Paul held out the chair next to him for me. Bianca and Laurence sat across from us, and we received the menus. One was twelve pages for water.
I frowned and whispered to Paul, “Who could be this passionate about water? I’ve never been so preoccupied.”
“Water is the elixir of life,” he grinned.
“I thought you said passion was the elixir of life.”
“That too. You may find yourself surprised.”
I disagreed, but I chose something that was supposed to evoke rejuvenation and energy.
The host came, and we all tasted the wine in our glasses. It had a sweet taste that I found instantly pleasing.
“You like it, Nadia,” Paul said and motioned for the waiter to fill my glass before ordering a different one for himself in Italian.
Bianca held up her glass as a toast. “You’re both invited to our wedding,”
My brows rose. “But I thought you were already married?”
“We are, but we decided to have a ceremony to celebrate every year we are together,” Lorenzo smiled as he toasted their announcement. His eyes shifted over us, and a soft smile spread across his lips. “So, when are you two getting married?”
“Never.” I didn’t dare look at Paul, but the finality in his answer was like a dagger piercing my chest.Smile through it, Nadia.
“Oh, well, then you must expect Nadia to find a man who will commit,” Bianca huffed. “Can’t you see you’ve hurt her by your rigidity?”
“Nadia is rather expressive,” Lorenzo mused, then took a warm roll and added butter. “Are you in love, Nadia? Only love stings when unrequited.”
I chewed my lip.Oh, shit. They went straight for the jugular.I didn’t know what to tell them. Paul and I were at the beginning of our relationship. “We’ve only just started seeing each other….”
Bianca tutted. “What does ‘just started’ mean? When you know, you know. Lorenzo proposed on our first date.”
“But you didn’t say yes until your tenth.” Paul placed his arm around me to warm my back. “Lorenzo and Bianca love to stir up mischief. Ignore them.”
Lorenzo laughed at Paul, then winked at me. “Paul’s upset.”
Paul leaned over and tilted my chin upward. “I’m not upset. Nadia’s mine, and that makes her special to me.” His eyes bore into mine, and everything else disappeared. He kissed me with so much passion that my toes curled. I laughed at him in astonishment.
“Okay. I stand corrected,” Bianca winked at me. “With all that feeling, who needs words?”
Paul leaned over to me and whispered, “I want your first taste, so I’ll feed you.”
My cheeks heated as I whispered back, “But everyone will look.”
He jutted his chin. “Bianca and Lorenzo understand.”
“Understand what?” Lorenzo asked.
“I want to feed Nadia,” Paul told them. “But she’s embarrassed.”
“Don’t be,” Bianca said with a shrug. “A lover wanting to share your food is a sensual aphrodisiac. Don’t pass it by. Lorenzo, feed me.”
“But I’m hungry,” he joked, and she kissed his cheek. “Now let me explain myRinaldo.” Paul, Bianca, and Lorenzo then talked about the opera we would see this evening. I had read up on the show, though Lorenzo was keen on Bernini’s sculpture, and Greek mythology in his interpretation of the composer Handel’s masterpiece. He was so animated, and I became even more excited to see his show.
Then came the meal. I hesitated when Paul held a forkful of deep-fried zucchini with caviar on shellfish and saffron consommé. The host had enthused over it. I ate it.Oh, my God.A moan escaped my lips.Divine.
Lorenzo and Bianca laughed. “Now we get it, Paul. Nadia’s emotional about food. I’d love to hear more.”
My face burned and I lowered my head. Paul leaned over and kissed my cheek. “It’s so sexy, Nadia. Lorenzo is jealous.”
