experienced regarding her couldn’t be anything less.
He rolled onto his back and rubbed his face with both hands, trying to put some order into his thoughts. He really needed to clarify once and for all his feelings for Sonia.
He desired her, yes, more than he had any other woman, but on his part things went far beyond that. He was addicted to her presence, her smile, her delightful sense of humor. He enjoyed talking to her as much as he enjoyed making love with her. They’d spent their nights together as much talking to one another as they had pleasuring each other. He knew so many things about her—what she liked, what she thought, how she felt about different things. And he’d told her things about himself no one knew, not even Linda. He’d simply opened his heart to her, and she had stepped in, never to be removed.
Pirata, who’d slept in his bed, curled at his feet, interrupted his thoughts. Noticing he was awake, the cat stretched idly before strolling toward his human companion and climbing over his legs. The white furry mass stopped on his bare chest, purring noisily, kneading his skin with sharp claws. Giovanni smiled and stroked his head, thinking of Guccio, the stray dog he’d adopted. He missed the big, shaggy, brown mongrel that resembled Scooby Doo, being just as fun and affectionate as the most popular cartoons character. He hoped his housekeeper was taking good care of him. In fact, as much as he liked Linda’s and Gerard’s house, he missed his own. He had intended to spend the holidays in England, but plans had changed. He would stay for their wedding of course, but after that he would take his leave. It was time to go home.
* * * *
Sonia’s day went by in a blur. With six teenagers and just as many guns in her care, she didn’t have time even to eat before that very moment. They had taken the train to Manchester and registered at the usual hotel where they stayed when attending competitions. The girls had taken one large, three-bed room, the boys another one, and she had her own, with a double bed and huge TV. She laid on the bed, uncurling her numb toes and eating her second sandwich with a large portion of fries.
The trip had been long—nearly three hours—not to mention the hullabaloo that awaited them at arrival. Get a cab, check the kids into the hotel, get another cab and go to the shooting range to attend the official instructors’ meeting—usually held the day before the competition. Finally, with a headache and growling stomach, she had returned to the hotel.
Now she was watching The Ugly Truth, a movie she particularly liked. She put the empty food bag on the nightstand and took another sip from the hot chocolate she’d ordered from room service. She turned down the TV’s sound and called Giovanni.
“Hey, stranger,” she said when she heard his voice.
“Hi, princess.” His voice sounded husky and sleepy. “How are you?”
“Right now I’m great, basking in a big warm bed and drinking hot chocolate.”
“How was your trip?”
“Ugh, don’t ask. It was hell, like always,” she said and proceeded to tell him briefly about her day. “What did you do today?”
“I thought of you,” he replied, making a smile blossom on her face. “I must sound stupid, but I already miss you, Sonia. When are you coming back?”
“The day after tomorrow, I think. But the good news is that, starting then, I’m on holiday for a whole month. No work, no worries, just lazing around all day long.”
He laughed. “That sounds great. Don’t forget Linda’s and Gerard’s wedding is in five days.”
“You’re kidding, right? How could I forget when I can’t stop obsessing about what I’m going to wear? I didn’t even ask where they’re going to hold the reception.”
“At the same restaurant the masquerade party was.”
“Oh, good. I loved that place. Well, I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Take care, okay?”
“You too. Dream about me tonight, will you?”
She
He rolled onto his back and rubbed his face with both hands, trying to put some order into his thoughts. He really needed to clarify once and for all his feelings for Sonia.
He desired her, yes, more than he had any other woman, but on his part things went far beyond that. He was addicted to her presence, her smile, her delightful sense of humor. He enjoyed talking to her as much as he enjoyed making love with her. They’d spent their nights together as much talking to one another as they had pleasuring each other. He knew so many things about her—what she liked, what she thought, how she felt about different things. And he’d told her things about himself no one knew, not even Linda. He’d simply opened his heart to her, and she had stepped in, never to be removed.
Pirata, who’d slept in his bed, curled at his feet, interrupted his thoughts. Noticing he was awake, the cat stretched idly before strolling toward his human companion and climbing over his legs. The white furry mass stopped on his bare chest, purring noisily, kneading his skin with sharp claws. Giovanni smiled and stroked his head, thinking of Guccio, the stray dog he’d adopted. He missed the big, shaggy, brown mongrel that resembled Scooby Doo, being just as fun and affectionate as the most popular cartoons character. He hoped his housekeeper was taking good care of him. In fact, as much as he liked Linda’s and Gerard’s house, he missed his own. He had intended to spend the holidays in England, but plans had changed. He would stay for their wedding of course, but after that he would take his leave. It was time to go home.
* * * *
Sonia’s day went by in a blur. With six teenagers and just as many guns in her care, she didn’t have time even to eat before that very moment. They had taken the train to Manchester and registered at the usual hotel where they stayed when attending competitions. The girls had taken one large, three-bed room, the boys another one, and she had her own, with a double bed and huge TV. She laid on the bed, uncurling her numb toes and eating her second sandwich with a large portion of fries.
The trip had been long—nearly three hours—not to mention the hullabaloo that awaited them at arrival. Get a cab, check the kids into the hotel, get another cab and go to the shooting range to attend the official instructors’ meeting—usually held the day before the competition. Finally, with a headache and growling stomach, she had returned to the hotel.
Now she was watching The Ugly Truth, a movie she particularly liked. She put the empty food bag on the nightstand and took another sip from the hot chocolate she’d ordered from room service. She turned down the TV’s sound and called Giovanni.
“Hey, stranger,” she said when she heard his voice.
“Hi, princess.” His voice sounded husky and sleepy. “How are you?”
“Right now I’m great, basking in a big warm bed and drinking hot chocolate.”
“How was your trip?”
“Ugh, don’t ask. It was hell, like always,” she said and proceeded to tell him briefly about her day. “What did you do today?”
“I thought of you,” he replied, making a smile blossom on her face. “I must sound stupid, but I already miss you, Sonia. When are you coming back?”
“The day after tomorrow, I think. But the good news is that, starting then, I’m on holiday for a whole month. No work, no worries, just lazing around all day long.”
He laughed. “That sounds great. Don’t forget Linda’s and Gerard’s wedding is in five days.”
“You’re kidding, right? How could I forget when I can’t stop obsessing about what I’m going to wear? I didn’t even ask where they’re going to hold the reception.”
“At the same restaurant the masquerade party was.”
“Oh, good. I loved that place. Well, I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Take care, okay?”
“You too. Dream about me tonight, will you?”
She
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