have other ideas.
‘I promise not to bite .’ His breath tickled her ear as he stepped closer, the laughter in his voice making it impossible to object. Not unless she wanted to come across as some man-fearing spinster, anyway.
One of his arms went intimately around her shoulders, pulling her closer, until she was leaning into him . The thin fabric of his shirt was a pitiful barrier between the naked skin of her arm and his strong, iron-hard body. She could hardly pull away, but she hoped he couldn’t feel the shiver of excitement running down her spine, impossible to suppress.
‘That’s better .’ Bernard nodded, his fingers going to the right button. He squinted into the camera, taking his time with the picture, while they waited. ‘Almost there…’ He peeked at them again, his dark eyes merry. ‘What a pretty couple you make. You got lucky this time, Jon.’
She blushed. She couldn’t help it really. She realized Jon just let it slide, probably figuring it would be pointless and require too much effort to enlighten Bernard about the true nature of their relationship. What the older man thought didn’t matter anyway. He’d be in her life for a moment. That was probably the first and last time she would ever see him.
‘H e’s right.’ Jon’s breath tickled her ear as he bent his head to her, his words caressing the sensitive skin of her temples. ‘I am quite lucky to be here with you. Not what I expected when I planned my trip in Italy, but I am really grateful to fate.’
‘S top flirting with me.’ She looked up at him, trying to act exasperated and failing, utterly and completely. Her lips stretched into a smile as if they had a life of their own. He had no right to look so handsome and dazzling. His close proximity did nothing to diminish his charm. Quite the opposite, really. She saw the small golden flecks in his dark eyes, glittering in the sunlight and making her think of black granite speckled with golden dust. Only he wasn’t made of stone. She felt his warm, vibrant, and very much alive body against the skin of her shoulders and back. If any of the travertine gods of the fountain came to life, they would have looked and felt just like him, and she enjoyed the warmth of his body.
‘But I like flirting with you,’ he riposted, his smile unable to dispel the inexplicable seriousness in his gaze. ‘I like it very much, Melanie.’
‘Great, in that case forget my request ,’ she said wryly, the hot Italian sun making her brave. Who the heck cared what she said? Not Pete, nor anyone else. This gorgeous man just said he liked her, and she would be a total ass to pass on the chance to enjoy this moment to the max.
They both burst out laughing, their eyes locked as the camera clicked . Bernard’s voice brought them back to reality.
‘T hat should be a nice one, I’d say.’ He handed her back the camera, his eyes apologetic. ‘I’d better get running now, or my wife will wake up and the surprise will be ruined. I’ll see you around, Jon. If you ever want to get together, this is our address here.’ He produced a small white square of paper and scribbled a few lines with a pen. ‘Call me anytime, my friend.’
He nodded to Melanie, his gaze warm. ‘Thanks for the flowers, once again. I owe you one.’ He disappeared swiftly into the colorful stream of tourists, her eyes losing him altogether after mere seconds.
‘Y ou’ve won him over with the flowers,’ Jon commented wryly, his dark eyes enigmatic as he followed her gaze into the street where Bernard disappeared. ‘Not exactly what I had in mind, but then again, flowers weren’t a very practical gift. Next time I’ll have to give you something a bit more resilient.’
So he thought there would be a next time? Suddenly , Pete’s idea of her taking up Jon’s time didn’t seem so bad. In fact, she hoped Pete would be extremely busy with Spitieri for as long as possible.
She smiled at him, her brown eyes warm. ‘ You
‘I promise not to bite .’ His breath tickled her ear as he stepped closer, the laughter in his voice making it impossible to object. Not unless she wanted to come across as some man-fearing spinster, anyway.
One of his arms went intimately around her shoulders, pulling her closer, until she was leaning into him . The thin fabric of his shirt was a pitiful barrier between the naked skin of her arm and his strong, iron-hard body. She could hardly pull away, but she hoped he couldn’t feel the shiver of excitement running down her spine, impossible to suppress.
‘That’s better .’ Bernard nodded, his fingers going to the right button. He squinted into the camera, taking his time with the picture, while they waited. ‘Almost there…’ He peeked at them again, his dark eyes merry. ‘What a pretty couple you make. You got lucky this time, Jon.’
She blushed. She couldn’t help it really. She realized Jon just let it slide, probably figuring it would be pointless and require too much effort to enlighten Bernard about the true nature of their relationship. What the older man thought didn’t matter anyway. He’d be in her life for a moment. That was probably the first and last time she would ever see him.
‘H e’s right.’ Jon’s breath tickled her ear as he bent his head to her, his words caressing the sensitive skin of her temples. ‘I am quite lucky to be here with you. Not what I expected when I planned my trip in Italy, but I am really grateful to fate.’
‘S top flirting with me.’ She looked up at him, trying to act exasperated and failing, utterly and completely. Her lips stretched into a smile as if they had a life of their own. He had no right to look so handsome and dazzling. His close proximity did nothing to diminish his charm. Quite the opposite, really. She saw the small golden flecks in his dark eyes, glittering in the sunlight and making her think of black granite speckled with golden dust. Only he wasn’t made of stone. She felt his warm, vibrant, and very much alive body against the skin of her shoulders and back. If any of the travertine gods of the fountain came to life, they would have looked and felt just like him, and she enjoyed the warmth of his body.
‘But I like flirting with you,’ he riposted, his smile unable to dispel the inexplicable seriousness in his gaze. ‘I like it very much, Melanie.’
‘Great, in that case forget my request ,’ she said wryly, the hot Italian sun making her brave. Who the heck cared what she said? Not Pete, nor anyone else. This gorgeous man just said he liked her, and she would be a total ass to pass on the chance to enjoy this moment to the max.
They both burst out laughing, their eyes locked as the camera clicked . Bernard’s voice brought them back to reality.
‘T hat should be a nice one, I’d say.’ He handed her back the camera, his eyes apologetic. ‘I’d better get running now, or my wife will wake up and the surprise will be ruined. I’ll see you around, Jon. If you ever want to get together, this is our address here.’ He produced a small white square of paper and scribbled a few lines with a pen. ‘Call me anytime, my friend.’
He nodded to Melanie, his gaze warm. ‘Thanks for the flowers, once again. I owe you one.’ He disappeared swiftly into the colorful stream of tourists, her eyes losing him altogether after mere seconds.
‘Y ou’ve won him over with the flowers,’ Jon commented wryly, his dark eyes enigmatic as he followed her gaze into the street where Bernard disappeared. ‘Not exactly what I had in mind, but then again, flowers weren’t a very practical gift. Next time I’ll have to give you something a bit more resilient.’
So he thought there would be a next time? Suddenly , Pete’s idea of her taking up Jon’s time didn’t seem so bad. In fact, she hoped Pete would be extremely busy with Spitieri for as long as possible.
She smiled at him, her brown eyes warm. ‘ You
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