Page 18

Chapter

Sixteen

The walk back down was much easier and unfortunately Alice didn’t need a ride on Robbie’s back.

They talked about high school memories and Alice felt like she and Robbie were ‘them’ again.

As he’d carried her on his back up that steep mountain climb, she’d soared physically and emotionally as only Robbie could make her do.

The connection to him was deep and abiding.

She realized she trusted him to carry her, to protect her, maybe even to love her, but she still didn’t know if she could trust him not to walk away and not to be killed.

The latter was out of his control, and she didn’t know how to solve the former.

It was peaceful in this mountain sanctuary; all the fears of Big Buddha were back in Venice or America.

No matter how she’d loved Venice and all the surrounding cities and epic architecture, it had been tainted by Robbie almost being killed.

Alice was savoring the slow pace and tranquility of this home and valley.

She could almost push all the pain and fear away and simply enjoy Robbie.

They made it back to the house and ate a delicious local dinner of meat, cheeses, dumplings, and barley soup with apple strudel for dessert. The food was flavorful and good but heavy, more Austrian than Italian and exactly what she’d expect from a beautiful high valley in the Alps.

Alice finally declared she was stuffed. Her stomach hurt, and she wasn’t keen to put a swimsuit on, but she wanted to be alone with Robbie and explore the way he made her feel. In this retreat, safe from all her worries and fears, she wanted to focus on Robbie and Robbie alone.

“You know what the cure is for feeling too full after dinner?” he asked.

“No.”

His blue eyes sparkled at her.

“What’s the cure?”

“Swimming.”

“You would say that. You’re a fish. That pool downstairs isn’t big enough for you to do laps in. You’d do two strokes and have to do a flip turn.”

“I’m not concerned with getting laps in.” He gave her a significant look.

“I’ll go change into my swimsuit,” she said, though she might live to regret it. Robbie was melting through her resistance with a blow torch, and she trusted he’d take care of her heart, body, and soul. In this moment, she had no desire to keep her distance or worry about the future.

Robbie’s grin made her feel like sparklers were waving around in her chest and abdomen. They walked together upstairs and changed into swimsuits in their respective suites. She liked the white one-piece Nani swimsuit with pink flowers on it that Madelyne had left for her.

Robbie was waiting outside her suite. He wore blue swim trunks and a smile. Her stomach flip-flopped.

“Even though I gave you a hard time, the Aquaman look was appealing,” she admitted. “But this is even better.”

“You like me clean shaven?”

“Yes, sir.”

He’d said he wouldn’t let a beard or his work come between them. There were also the fears of his imminent death and her mother, not to mention their different lives, but none of that seemed like sheer cliffs right now—more steep climbs they could make together.

Robbie eased in close. Alice appreciated each step, taking in the striated muscles of his chest, shoulders, arms, and abdomen. She loved how big and manly he was, but it was his irresistible smile and those bright blue eyes that she’d never get enough of.

Alice reached up and ran her hands along his jawline as she’d been longing to do since he shaved. He quivered in response to her touch.

“Did you just quiver?” she tried to tease, but her own voice wavered.

“Tough guys don’t quiver,” he said, his own voice low and husky.

She slid her hands along his jawline, behind his neck, and then threaded them through his thick hair. “I’ll make my tough guy quiver,” she said, smiling at the cheesiness of her own words and appreciating his mind-clouding and luscious mint, bergamot, and ginger scent.

“Will you now?”

Robbie bent closer as she arched up, her stomach tumbling with happy anticipation. Their lips met and an explosion of emotion, warmth, and depth infused the kiss. Alice was giving her heart to Robbie Perrine again, after a fifteen-year absence of his love and delight in her life.

It was risky, as she knew neither of them had any solutions for how to be together after their time in this beautiful sanctuary. Was the risk worth the reward? At the moment, it was more than worth it. She pushed all the worries and the future pain far away and kissed him more fervently.

Robbie swept her off her feet and against his chest, and she soared in his arms.

She never wanted to come back to reality.