Page 7

Chapter

Six

Alice savored her caprese salad for lunch.

The creamy buffalo mozzarella and tangy balsamic vinegar were a step above any variation of the salad she’d eaten in the states.

She had a bite of Robbie’s wood-fired pizza, a specialty Napoletana loaded with meat, which the waiter explained wasn’t typical of their pizzas.

Thankfully, the waiter spoke English and the food was as iconic as the view.

Robbie was happy to find the meat pizza on the menu. He ordered a side of Romano chicken to ‘get full and get enough protein’.

Their guards sat at a table close by, eating their own lunch. The two had been working to be inconspicuous all day, blending in with the crowd in T-shirts and slacks and sunglasses as well as two large men could. They were a reminder that danger and Big Buddha might not be far away.

“You have some cheese …” She gestured to the side of his mouth where a bit of cheese was trapped in his beard. Though his beard and hair were thick, he kept them clean and presentable.

“Thanks.” He grabbed at his napkin and wiped at it. “Better?”

“No.” She hid a smile. Reaching over, she plucked the cheese from his beard with two fingers. The side of her thumb brushed his mouth. She startled and yanked in a breath as his blue gaze intensified on her face. One simple touch and she longed to touch him more.

“Thank you,” he said in a husky tone. Was he thanking her for getting the food out of his beard or for touching his mouth? She wanted to touch his mouth with a lot more than the side of her thumb.

“You and Chase and your ‘brotein’,” she teased to lighten the moment, pulling her hand back and wiping the cheese on her napkin.

He flashed her a grin amidst that thick beard, his blue eyes lighting up. “A burly man needs his brotein.”

Alice laughed along with him. She felt light and airy in this fabulous city teeming with architecture and history. She loved the uniqueness of the canals, bridges, and narrow alleys shooting off every which direction. Without Robbie, she would’ve been hopelessly lost.

Without Robbie. She sneaked a peek at him.

He’d almost devoured his large pizza, and the chicken was long gone.

He had decent manners, didn’t chomp with his mouth open, but he was a large man who consumed a lot of food.

It didn’t bother her. She liked how massive he was and that he was a hundred percent man.

That yellow suit in the boutique’s window would’ve been hilarious on Robbie but also enticing.

They’d laughed so hard because they both knew he wouldn’t be caught dead in something like that.

Preston would not only wear a suit like that, but he’d buy it without a glance at the price tag.

He was ‘preppy’. Preston was handsome and suave, but Robbie was the most appealing man she’d ever known.

Her mother had called Robbie ‘an uncouth ogre’ and worse.

Alice could only imagine what her mother would say about the beard and long hair.

She had always believed Robbie was Alice’s way to ‘rebel’.

Alice hated that. She wasn’t rebellious, and Robbie was a catch, not some scuzzy guy who would ruin her life.

If he had stayed with her, they could’ve built an incredible life together. Yet she would’ve felt guilty for forcing him to stay, and guilty for going with him. It was a conundrum she’d never been able to solve. Even now.

Those memories pulled her lips into a frown. She picked at the rest of her salad, no longer hungry, though the combination of buffalo mozzarella, capellini tomatoes, fresh basil, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar dressing was delicious.

“Are you going to eat that?” Robbie asked as she twirled her fork through the balsamic covering her plate.

“No.” She smiled and pushed it toward him. “The mozzarella has to have some protein in it.”

“I think about fifteen grams.”

She smiled that he knew that. He’d always been into fitness and nutrition.

She tried to eat in moderation and be active, but counting carbs or hitting the gym had never been her style.

Robbie had always told her that her curvy body was ‘the best shape of any woman around’.

She was confident and didn’t let it bother her that she wasn’t thin, but she missed Robbie looking at her and telling her that she was perfect in his eyes.

He polished off her caprese salad and the rest of the focaccia bread.

They waited and waited for the bill. She could tell Robbie was chafing, but she feasted on the latticework and arches of the connected and colorful homes across the waterway.

She also liked watching people walk by on the wide sidewalk or boats cruise by on the Grand Canal.

It was sweet to see couples snuggling as a gondolier rowed them slowly past and intriguing when a police boat went by with the unique European whir-whir sound.

The police boat and a larger tour boat rocked a gondola with their waves and the couple almost tipped into the water.

Their surprise and then laughter made her smile.

She looked to Robbie, but he was frowning at the crowd on the nearby Rialto Bridge.

“Are you all right?” she asked.

His blue eyes darted to her. “All seems well.” He tilted his chin to their protectors.

“I didn’t realize you were focused on security.” She shivered, almost forgetting the danger and death. She felt a world away in this idyllic spot with the sun sparkling off the water, surrounded by architecture and history, with Robbie by her side.

“Apologies.” He gave her a chagrined smile and rubbed at the back of his neck like he used to always do. “The crowds are a concern, and I don’t like to sit for too long. ”

“I remember,” she murmured.

Their gazes caught and held. His blue eyes held a longing that made her stomach give a happy leap.

There were many memories, and all of them but their last fight and the way her mother had loathed him were good. Could the pain of fifteen years be overridden? The memories of being alone and yearning for him weren’t good.

At that moment, the waiter came and presented the bill, thanking them and asking if they wanted wine or coffee to linger with the view. They declined.

As soon as Robbie paid, he stood and hurried to get her chair.

“Thank you,” she murmured. Interesting that her mother could call this man uncouth when he was as gentlemanly as any man she’d dated. He always treated Alice with respect and kindness.

“I know you declined wine or coffee, but … gelato?” He pumped his thick brows as they passed a refrigerator case containing a spread of frozen flavors a couple doors down from the restaurant.

“Yes, please.” She clapped her hands together, and that brought a twinkle to his blue eyes.

They sauntered over to the counter, a variety of colors displayed. She chose a scoop of limoncello on a sugar cone. Robbie asked for three scoops of Biscoff, Kinder, and Nutella in a waffle cone.

“Your flavor choices are like a teenage boy,” she teased as the girl handed over their ice cream and Robbie paid.

He grinned, obvious even through his beard. “I still love all the same flavors I loved at eighteen.” He gave her a meaningful look.

Her cheeks flared red, and she focused on licking her tart lemon flavored treat. It was refreshing and creamier than ice cream at home.

They waited for their guards to grab their own gelato, then walked slowly over the crowded and famed Ponte de Rialto or Rialto Bridge and along the wider streets to the main square, Piazza San Marco.

“I think we should have gelato after every meal,” he declared. “You have to admit it’s infinitely better than at home.”

“I’ll admit this is the best gelato I’ve ever tasted, but we can’t have it after every meal.”

“Why not? ”

“If we do, I’ll gain twenty pounds in two weeks.”

“Nah.” He shook his head and glanced at her. “We’ll be moving a lot.”

“Spoken like a man who could gain twenty pounds and no one would notice.”

He shrugged. “You could gain fifty pounds and everyone would notice because you’d still have the best shape of any woman around.”

Alice’s eyes widened at him repeating the phrase he used to say. “You like my shape?” She shouldn’t have continued to ‘fish for a compliment’ as Natalie used to tease about, but she wanted to hear from Robbie that he was attracted to her.

“I love your shape,” Robbie corrected. He looked her over, and heat filled her chest and cheeks. “I always have.”

A large tourist group pressed against them and broke the moment. They had to weave through people in the busy square. Robbie shifted his gelato to his left hand and wrapped his right hand around hers, guiding her. The contact felt significant and thrilling, especially after his comments.

They made it to the southern end of the island and the docks.

She finished her gelato as Robbie followed directions to a ramp that had a large white boat tied off.

It looked to be able to accommodate fifty tourists, but they and their guards were the only ones on the tour today.

A smiling young man named Geraldo was their tour guide.

Their guards took up stations in the front and the back of the boat.

They started the tour circling the west end of the island, then coming around to the north and entering the Grand Canal.

They weaved through the interior of the island, passing many boats, most bursting with tourists snapping photos on their phones.

Alice wished she had her own phone to take photos.

Geraldo pointed out all manner of buildings, points of interests, history of Venice, and hotels or houses famous people had stayed in or been spotted near.

He was delightful, and Alice was almost distracted from being so near Robbie.

Almost, but not quite, as Robbie’s arm or hand brushed hers or his huge form overshadowed her.

She’d always been confident in her own skin, but she wasn’t used to feeling small at five-ten.

Robbie made her feel feminine and attractive, and she knew he did love her shape.

Rialto Bridge was teeming with tourists as they glided under it. The boat slowed and idled close to the bridge and Geraldo asked, “Photos of my lovely couple?” He made a camera gesture with his fingers up by his eye, clicking as if they were taking a photo on an old school camera.

“Oh. I have no phone,” she said. It was weird to not have a phone and not have any work responsibilities, but she hadn’t thought much about it today.

Robbie pulled his phone out, opened the screen, and handed it over to Geraldo. The man gestured to them. “Get closer, beautiful lovebirds.”

Robbie wrapped his arm around her and pulled her in to his side.

Alice’s mouth went dry, her body heated up, and her heart thumped harder.

It was natural to wrap her arms around his lower back and waist and cuddle into him.

He was huge, firm, warm, smelled delicious, and was the most enticing man to touch and be touched by.

She’d always felt like Robbie was a warrior of olden days and like she was more important than a queen to him.

Geraldo snapped multiple angles and then handed the phone back.

Robbie released her to take the phone and slide it into his pocket.

She felt the loss of his touch clear through.

She grasped the railing and focused on the gorgeous stonework and arches of the bridge so she wouldn’t inadvertently reach out for him.

They motored back to their starting position. Robbie tipped Geraldo and they both thanked him.

“What next?” she asked.

“I think you’ll like it.” He smiled and walked her over to another dock that was teeming with the swan-like gondolas.

She clapped her hands together. “Oh, yes please.”

Merrick conferred with three men she assumed were their gondoliers, and then she and Robbie slid into one gondola and Merrick and Price each got in their own gondola.

Merrick’s gondolier led the way. She and Robbie sat side by side in the middle of the long, thin boat while their gondolier was in the back, preparing to maneuver them through the water with a thick wooden pole.

She could hardly wait for their gondola ride; it looked romantic and perfectly Venice.

They pushed away from the dock. At the same time, three tour boats motored out of the docks, quickly gaining speed as they headed for the exterior of the island.

The waves rocked their small craft. Alice gasped and leaned into Robbie.

He wrapped her up tight and secured her against his side. “It’s all right. It’s safe,” he murmured into her forehead.

Alice cuddled into him, appreciative of his strength and reassurance. His unique mint, bergamot, and ginger scent flooded her senses.

The ride didn’t get less hazardous. The guide pushed their way into the Grand Canal with his long pole, explaining the water wasn’t deep so he could reach.

The Grand Canal was busy, full of large boats similar to their recent boat tour and what they’d seen on the canal during lunch.

The gondola rocked violently as they maneuvered through traffic.

Their guide was confident and kept them moving forward and not capsizing like Alice feared.

Finally they turned into a smaller canal, a side street.

“Now i meie amici , you relax,” the gondolier advised in a heavy accent. “Quiet waters.”

“Oh, thank heavens,” Alice said.

He was right. They went through narrow canals, under bridges, and past nearly deserted side streets, some of them likely the streets they’d traversed this morning.

She couldn’t be certain, as many of the buildings had similar architecture, colors, and geraniums and petunias flowing out of window boxes.

The view and the ride were intriguing. She enjoyed the experience. Especially being pressed close to Robbie, feeling the brush of his soft beard or warm breath against the side of her face or neck, the strength in his arms and chest as he held her close.

Could she get used to that beard? Could she get used to this unfamiliar and thrilling Robbie? Could they have a second chance?

A second chance wasn’t smart for her heart and could mean mortal peril to Robbie. She needed to straighten away from him so Big Buddha wouldn’t somehow find out she was falling for him again .

No. She wasn’t falling for him again, even though Robbie was nearly impossible to resist. She’d be strong.

After the gondola ride.