Some Like It Hotter (Sweet Life in Seattle #3) (4 page)

“What are
you
still doing here?” Lindsay stares at Giovanni with irritation when she gets back to her studio. He’s sitting at her kitchen table with Dagmar. They’re both drinking, Dagmar leans toward him while giggling like a teenager.

“He’s an intense one, that’s for sure,” she says. “I invited him to come along tonight.”

“
What
?”

“He told me he is a doctor—a surgeon.” Dagmar smiles at Giovanni as if he’s being a naughty boy. “Is it true?” She glances over at Lindsay. “Or is he only making fun with me.”

“Fun
of
me,” Lindsay corrects her. “And yes, it’s true. In fact, I’m sure he has
many
important doctorly things that require his immediate attention.”

“Come on,” Dagmar insists. “I say we bring him along as a bodyguard. He said he used to be a bouncer.”

Lindsay’s eyes flash over to Giovanni, wondering if there’s any truth in it. He’s certainly big enough to be a bouncer.

Dagmar reaches across the table and wraps her fingers part way around one of his muscular biceps. “I’ll bet you can handle yourself
everywhere
.” She smiles and then flashes over to Lindsay. “And you like men who can handle themselves, don’t you?”

“I don’t need a bodyguard.”

“It’s not such a bad idea.” Dagmar releases his arm. She leans back and takes a drink from one of the glasses, making a face at the strong taste. “Some of those guys can become real pests.”

Giovanni, who’s been watching this conversation in silence, finally speaks. “Where are you two headed exactly?”

“You didn’t tell him?” Lindsay asks with relief.

“He didn’t ask.” But then Dagmar leans toward Giovanni again. “Lindsay and I are going to Spielbank Europa
.
”

“Dagmar . . .” Lindsay tries to stop her friend from saying more. “He doesn’t need to know our business.”

“What’s Spielbank Europa?” he asks.

“Nothing,” Lindsay says quickly, but Dagmar won’t shut up.

“It’s a casino.”

Giovanni’s brows draw together. “Is that where you meet men?”

“Yes.” Lindsay moves in swiftly, taking away both of their glasses and dumping the contents out into the sink. “And unless you want to meet men, I’m afraid you won’t find it very interesting.”

Dagmar smiles. “We go there for more than that.” She stands up. “Come on, Mr. Bodyguard, let’s go have some fun.”

It’s a warm summer evening and the smell of fried food drifts toward them once they’re outside and headed to the nearest U-Bahn, Berlin’s subway system.

“What hotel are you staying at?” Lindsay asks, still hoping to get rid of Giovanni. “We wouldn’t want you to take the wrong train back.”

“The Regent,” he tells her.

“Oooh la la, that is a good hotel. Very fancy.” Dagmar comes up, walking on her left.

“That’s in the Mitte, right?” Lindsay questions.

“Yes, he’ll need to change trains at Stadtmitte
.
But don’t go right away.” Dagmar looks over to Giovanni. “Come have fun with us first.”

“I’m sure he has a very busy schedule, Dagmar.”

“Not really.” He shrugs.

“Now, don’t be polite on our account,” Lindsay says. “I know your work is important, and we wouldn’t want to keep you out all night.”

“You’re not—”

“And I’m sure you’re
exhausted
from all this traveling you’ve been doing. You should go back to your fancy hotel and get a good night’s sleep.”

“I’m touched you’re so concerned for my welfare.”

Once they’re on the train
,
Dagmar peppers Giovanni with questions about his recent travels, trying to pull Lindsay into the conversation.

“He has been working in Africa, isn’t that fascinating?” Dagmar says to her.

Lindsay doesn’t reply. She knows what her friend is up to. She’s trying to play matchmaker again. Lindsay made the mistake of telling Dagmar about the loss of her sexual mojo, and she’s been determined to find her a man ever since.

“So, where have you been working in Africa?” Dagmar asks him.

“A few different places, mostly central Africa.” He names off a few countries.

“Those are not exactly tourist destinations.”

“No, they aren’t,” he agrees.

They’re standing in the middle of a crowded train, holding onto one of the center poles. Lindsay pulls her phone out and tries to ignore their conversation. However, she can’t stop herself from listening as Giovanni explains how he’s been working for an organization that brings doctors and other medical relief workers to some of the poorest and most dangerous places in the world.

“And you are a surgeon?”

“Yes, a plastic surgeon. I work mostly with children.”

“
Mein Gott
, you are so noble!” Dagmar gives him a dazzling smile then turns to Lindsay. “He is like a saint! Don’t you agree?”

Lindsay scoffs. ‘Saint’ isn’t exactly the word she’d use to describe Giovanni.

“I wouldn’t go that far,” he says, quickly. “Though it can be rewarding work.”

“But it is amazing what you are doing. There is no reason to be modest!”

Lindsay tries not to laugh.

“How long will you be in Berlin?” Dagmar purrs, flipping her hair to one side. “I hope it is a nice long stay.”

“Not long. I’m flying to Rome after I leave here. I have an apartment there.”

“You do? This is wonderful news!” Her blue eyes widen with delight. “I
love
Rome. You should invite us there for a visit!” She looks over to Lindsay. “Wouldn’t that be fun?”

Dagmar starts telling him how Lindsay is a talented sculptor and would certainly enjoy all the amazing art in Rome.

His eyes go to her, but she stares down at her phone, pretending she didn’t hear. If this were any other guy, she would have already figured out a way to dump him, but unfortunately, he’s not just any other guy. Plus, despite everything, she feels bad about him hurting his hand in that fight.

“You must leave your number with us tonight,” Dagmar insists. “Lindsay and I would be very happy to show you around Berlin.”

The train suddenly veers into a tunnel and before she knows it, Dagmar has hurled herself to the side, pushing Lindsay right into Giovanni’s arms.

“Hey!” Lindsay yells.

“Oops!” Dagmar laughs. “I lost my balance!”

Lindsay is pressed firmly into Giovanni’s chest, his arm wrapped around her back. “Are you okay?” he asks with a smile as he looks down into her face.

The whole thing is so comically orchestrated, she knows he sees right through it. “I’m fine,” she insists, righting herself. He’s tall and well-muscled, and a part of her is reluctant to pull away.

“Oh, my goodness, excuse me!” Dagmar laughs again. “It is so nice to have a big strong man here.”

Lindsay can’t help laughing as she rolls her eyes. She knows Dagmar means well, but can be over enthusiastic when she gets an idea in her head. They met not long after she arrived in Berlin. Dagmar is a fellow artist, a painter who’s well-connected in the local arts community. She paints large, alien-looking flowers with oil on canvas. She also holds weekly dinner parties—her
Künstlersalon,
or artist’s salon, as she calls them—and has been an incredible resource in a foreign city.

Dagmar starts quizzing Giovanni about his favorite places in Rome, still trying to draw Lindsay into the conversation. She ignores them both as she scrolls through her phone, checking her e-mail. Their train is still rumbling underground when something catches her attention, and she glances up at her reflection in the dark window. With surprise, she sees it’s Giovanni.

He’s standing beside her talking to Dagmar, but his eyes are intent, watching her in the glass.

Lindsay doesn’t move or look away and for a long moment, they study each other, the two of them traveling into the Berlin night.

When their train arrives at the station where Giovanni should separate, he doesn’t leave. “I’ve decided to come out with you two,” he announces. His eyes linger on her again, but Lindsay looks away this time.

“That is wonderful!” Dagmar shrieks.

“Yeah, wonderful,” Lindsay mutters.

As the three of them board the final crowded train to Potsdamer Platz,
Lindsay grabs Dagmar’s arm and pulls her back. “I know what you’re doing, but I’m not interested in him.”

“Are you crazy? He is a handsome doctor and I can tell he likes you!”

Lindsay doesn’t have a chance to reply as the train doors close. Dagmar’s eyes light up when she sees someone she knows, saying she’ll be right back. Meanwhile, Lindsay is pushed right next to Giovanni again.

Neither of them speaks. She notices him holding the center grip with his right hand and feels a twinge of guilt. She glances down at his left, but it’s hidden from view. He’s wearing a gray button-down shirt with a white T-shirt beneath it. His pants aren’t jeans, but some kind of dark corduroy material. He’s turned slightly away from her and, in profile, his features are serious, intense even. Between his gold coloring and the determined set of his jaw, Giovanni looks like a Viking warrior ready to battle his way into Valhalla.

“I can’t believe you’re Italian,” she says.

“Yes, I know. I get that a lot.”

His lips are nice, she decides, when he turns back toward her. Full and even, with a sensual dip at the corners. She tries to remember if she ever licked that little dip. 
“Your mother should have named you Olaf. It would have made your life a lot easier.”

A smile pulls on his mouth. “I’ll tell her you said so.”

“Please do. I’m sure Francesca would enjoy that.”

He shifts position, studying her with interest. “That’s right, I forgot. You’ve met my mom, haven’t you?”

Lindsay nods. She met her at Natalie and Anthony’s wedding. His mother was rich, beautiful, and expected all of her commands followed to the letter. She worried Anthony’s family would disapprove of her sister, but that turned out to be wrong.

She glances down. “How’s your hand?”

“It’s good.”

Lindsay arranges her face into one of concern. “Maybe you should go back to your hotel and ice it some more.”

“I’ll do it on one condition—if you come with me.”

“Back to your hotel?”

“That’s right.”

She stares at him. “And be like, what? Your nurse?”

“No, be yourself. I just want to talk to you.”

“What do we have to talk about?”

He licks his lips and seems slightly uncomfortable. “I want to ask you something.”

“What?”

He shakes his head. “Not here.”

Lindsay gives him a look. “If this is your strategy to get me into bed again, it’s seriously pathetic. I’m surprised you can’t do better.”

“I’m not trying to get you into bed. I just want to have a conversation.”

She’s almost tempted to go with him. Not because she wants to sleep with Giovanni again, but because it would be the perfect way to get rid of him. She could drop him off and leave.

“I believe this is territory we’ve already covered, and like I said I’m not interested in any ‘conversation.’” She makes air quotes with her fingers.

Giovanni doesn’t say anything, only studies her. Finally, he speaks, lowering his voice. “Do you remember the ice cream?”

“The
what
?” Her pulse jumps.

“The vanilla ice cream.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I think you do.”

Lindsay turns away and does her best to ignore the pleasure rolling through her. The tingling between her thighs as she imagines him licking it off her again. She remembers how he brought just the right amount of patience to the task.

But then she also remembers how he treated her afterward and the tingling stops.

“I’m sorry, but there’s no more vanilla ice cream for you. Not now. Not ever.” She turns back to him. “I hope it wasn’t a favorite flavor.”

He shrugs. “Luckily, there are so many flavors to choose from that I don’t have to settle for only one.”

Lindsay snorts softly. “My philosophy exactly.”

The casino is housed in a large building with a two-story glass front. The words ‘Spielbank Europa’ are displayed in big blue letters. Lindsay is pleased to discover a crowd of tourists standing out front and hopes there are more inside. At the door, they show their passports and pay the entrance fee.

“I am going to find Werner,” Dagmar tells her over the noise. “I’ll see you at the tables later.”

Lindsay heads directly for the cage. Unfortunately, Giovanni is still at her side. “Why don’t you go play slots or something,” she tells him. “There’s roulette and blackjack upstairs.”

“Forget it. You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”

She does her best to try and ignore him when she sees Varik, the pit boss, and heads directly over. He’s a handsome Turkish guy in his mid-thirties who’s balding a little on top. He hugs her and she’s immediately enveloped in his spicy cologne. Varik knows everything and everybody.

“How are you tonight, sexy lady?”

“I’m great.” Lindsay puts her mouth to his ear. “I saw a group of tourists out front. Please tell me there are more.”

He smiles knowingly. “Part of their group is still here, but I think you’ll have better luck at table five.”