Ten Days in Tuscany (8 page)

He’d worry about convincing her later. For the time being, he’d simply enjoy being in the company of a beautiful, complicated, and very talented woman.

…

It was a beautiful spring day in Siena. The weather was obliging. The sun was warm but not too hot, the breeze light. The fragrance of spring blossoms in the air followed Nic and Gia as they walked from the parking lot through the old town to Piazza del Campo. Nic had parked the car in the Stadio-Fortezza next to the Medicean fortress to avoid a fine in the limited traffic area of the city center.

Gia stopped in to her
optometrista,
whose rooms were conveniently located in an alley behind the
piazza
. She stepped out of the building and looked up and down the narrow cobbled street for Nic, clutching the bag containing her new stylish glasses. The streets were full of tourists dressed in colorful summer clothes, and Gia took a deep breath, happiness flooding through her as she enjoyed being a part of this day, away from her usual routine. Nic was nowhere in sight, so she waited outside the building until he appeared.

When he finally came around the corner, his mouth tilted in a wide smile. “Ready?” He took her arm and led her down an alley, through the edge of the town toward a green area in the middle of the city. “Come on, lunch is just down here.”

Even though they were in the center of the walled city, a long avenue lined with trees led down the hill to an orchard. Halfway down, the trees gave way to vegetable plots and orange trees. She laughed when a donkey stepped onto the pathway ahead of them and brayed with annoyance as he blocked their way.

“I didn’t know this was here. It’s gorgeous.” Gia paused while Nic shooed the donkey on with his free hand. His other hand was low on her back, and warm tingles were jolting along her nerve endings every time he increased the pressure of his hand.

“All’Orto de’ Pecci.”
She read the sign ahead of them at the entrance to a large garden at the end of the avenue.

“A medieval garden with great food.” Nic slipped his arm around her waist, and they walked over to the outside tables, which were covered with a canopy of green leaves. Gia’s smile was fixed on her face. She couldn’t help it. “A great place to talk business.”

Life was good.

…

Nic had relaxed by the time they reached the outdoor table that he’d booked while Gia had been collecting her glasses. Her comment about talking business had sent a shaft of confidence shooting through him. Her lips were softly parted in a contented smile as she looked up at the grape leaves lining the steel pipes that supported the vine. He slid his hand over hers as they sat at the table and focused on her mouth as the tip of her tongue wet her lips.

“I ordered the lunch buffet that they serve to the table. I know you have to be back in time to work at the restaurant tonight, and I’d like us to discuss my offer… And if you accept, we have to make some plans.”

For the first time in his life, he had met a woman who interested him on more than a physical level. If he was looking for a partner, Gia would be the sort of woman he would spend time with, but he wouldn’t ever go down that path. Not after the train wreck his father’s life had become after he’d lost his wife. His father was blind to everything except Baldini Enterprises. Nothing mattered apart from the business. No friends. No social life. No time for his own sons. It was as though his life force had died with his wife.

“That’s fine.” Gia’s voice was soft, and Nic smoothed his thumb over the back of her hand. It was an unfamiliar feeling for him, this need to touch her skin, to feel her warmth, to smell the strawberry fragrance he now realized came from her hair. Her hair was a mass of wild black curls around her face, and his fingers tingled with the need to run his hands through the tangle. He closed his eyes, imagining her hair spread out on a snowy white pillow. He squirmed in his chair as his jeans suddenly tightened around his groin. Same as last night. He dropped the linen napkin onto his lap and cleared his throat. “Okay, so what have you decided?” Nic cursed himself. He’d meant to ease into the discussion, be gently persuasive and let her come to a positive decision with his subtle encouragement. The way he always did business. The way he’d brought so many export contracts to Baldini Enterprises. But the throbbing between his legs caused a short circuit in communication between his brain and his mouth.

“Yes.” Her voice was soft.

“Yes?” Nic couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Yes to ‘let’s put on an exhibition of your work’?”

At least her reply got his attention and moved his thoughts from the bedroom.

“Are you really sure you want to help me with this?” Gia’s eyes were huge. She’d flipped the sunglasses back to hold her hair from her face.

“Do you think you could find thirty canvases? We need your first show to be representative, with enough of a range to get the buyers interested.”

“My first show?” The expression on her face was one of shock, and a surge of guilt ran through him. It was so hard to reconcile the unassuming woman in front of him with the artist who painted with such emotion.

Before he could answer, she rushed on and her words ran together.

“Nic, I want you to know something before we say any more. Okay?”

“Okay.” He nodded and waited, wondering what she was thinking.

“My feelings for you have nothing to do with my art. It is a lovely, shall we say, bonus. But if you were to decide not to help me, I’d still like you. Still be attracted to you. I need you to know that. “

Gia
was
honest, without artifice, and that fired Nic’s interest in her even more. Knowing she liked him, the real Nic, for what he was, without knowing anything about his wealth or his power, or what he could do for
her,
made his chest swell with a warmth that he was not used to.

Had it only been yesterday that he’d met her? It seemed as though he’d known her for months. Surely, one didn’t come to know a person in scant hours. Yet, he could anticipate her every quirk: the way she pushed her spectacles up, the way she wet her lips when she was unsure, and the wicked sense of humor that appeared in funny little comments when he was least expecting them.

She had him enthralled. This seemingly shy woman whose art showed a passion at odds with the way she presented herself to the world. “Thank you, and yes, the first of many.” He squeezed her hand. “I’ll help you get ready.”

“Oh, I’m ready.” That damned tongue made an appearance again, and Nic looked away, relieved to see the waiter approaching with a bottle of water.

“So, how long will it take us to clear up your studio?”

“Not long. There’s another building close by. I can get Gabriel to help.” Gia stopped and rolled her eyes. “You know my family is going to think this is the most stupid thing ever.”

“And that bothers you?”

She straightened—another quirk, this one when she felt threatened—and her face lost its softness. He reached for her hand and brushed his thumb over the soft skin on the inside of her wrist.

“Talk to me,” he said. The thought of anyone beleaguering this woman…it enraged him.

“No,” she said softly. “It would have once, but I’m ready to move on. And if this all works out, as soon as I pay you back and I have enough money left, I’ll move to Florence. But there’s one thing I insist on.”

“What’s that?”

“A written agreement. Because I will pay you back every cent.”

The last thing he wanted was for her to see his last name on a document. He’d gone to great lengths to book the table in another name, and he’d paid for the buffet when she was getting her glasses, so she wouldn’t see Baldini on his card. He’d sort something out, but for the time being he’d agree.

“Okay. I’ll get that sorted. Now let’s settle on a date.”

He outlined what they needed to do over the next ten days as their lunch was served.

“You are so organized. And you know so much.” Gia’s laugh warmed him and her enthusiasm was infectious. She shook her head as he rattled off priorities and the order in which they needed to do them, and he laughed back with her.

“The only thing you have to worry about is your paintings. Leave the rest to me. Okay?”

She nodded. “That’s the easy part.”

And it is to her.
That came as naturally to her as the planning and organizational skills came to him, although he listened, surprised as she recited the thirty canvases she was going to show without hesitation.

Nic suggested a starting price, and her mouth dropped open.

“No way.”

He shook his head slowly. “You are such a babe in the woods, Gia. Of course your work is worth that—probably more. We’ll bring in a professional appraiser.”

Now it was Gia’s turn to shake her head. “No, I can’t afford that.”

Frustration bit at Nic, frustration he couldn’t just say that this is the way we’ll do it. And that he would pay for everything. She would owe him nothing, but he couldn’t afford to scare her off. He still couldn’t believe his luck in finding her. Mamma was up there looking out for him; if it hadn’t been for the promise to her, he’d still be sitting in his office in Carrara.

“I don’t want this to get out of hand. Just a few of my canvases on display, invite a few people and we’ll see what happens…and then take it from there.”

Nic smothered a grin. He’d already thought of the people he would invite. She was in for a big surprise. And so were they.

She pushed her plate away. “Let’s make this day perfect.”

“Here?” The words were out of his mouth before he could think, and Gia’s laugh tinkled softly around him.

“So what would make it perfect for you, Nic?” The wide eyes staring at him did not belong to the meek waitress he’d rescued from the road. Nic’s mouth dried as the sultry temptress sitting opposite him waited for him to answer.

“No. You go first.” Nic waited as her lips tipped into a smile. Her gaze ran over his body, and he could swear it was like her warm fingers touching him.

“Ice cream.” She burst out laughing at the look on his face. “We’ll seal the deal with ice cream.”

“Not quite the dessert I had it mind, but I can live with ice cream if it makes your day perfect.”

He summoned the waiter and when they ordered, Nic avoided the strawberry. He had to get himself back in control. He let Gia order and as they shared a bowl of different flavors of
gelato,
he sensed a shift in her. A quiet determination that hadn’t been there before, and he wondered if it was the thought of the exhibition, or whether her thoughts were following the same path as his.
All the way to her bedroom.
Or even better—one day—his bedroom at
Casa Marmo
. For a moment, he imagined her hair spread on the decadent bed against the scarlet of the covers. The mirrors reflecting every nuance of her face, every curve of her body.

“What are you thinking about?” Her voice was soft, and Nic brought himself back to the present.

“Food. I have some connections in restaurants in Florence.” It wasn’t the time to tell her that he actually owned three small restaurants around the
Piazza della Signoria
near the Uffizi Gallery.

She wrinkled her nose. “Papa will be upset if I hire someone else for the food.”

“We’ll keep it simple,” he said. “A couple of waiters mixing discreetly with trays of champagne and some canapés. That’s all you need. I’ll go and see your father and suggest the idea.”

Gia’s face lit up and her eyes were full of amusement. “I know. I’ll get Gabriel to serve the champagne. He’ll
love
that.”

Chapter Six

Gia sighed as Nic parked the car at her gate. A pleasant sleepiness had been helped along by the warmth of the mid-afternoon sun and the smooth purr of the sports car. It had been the most wonderful day and the last thing she wanted to do was work at the restaurant. She was not looking forward to slipping back into the old Gia mindset and putting her head down and quietly going about her work. The excellent meal was way more than she ever ate for lunch. In fact, most days she didn’t eat if she was painting. A wide yawn escaped her.

Nic glanced across at her as she stayed sitting in the car. “Tired?”

“A little. I might have to rest a bit before I leave for work.” She looked at him from beneath her lashes. “Would you like to come inside for a while?”

Something unspoken passed between them as their eyes met and held. Gia shivered and the delicious tremor that ran through her as Nic’s steady gaze pinned her turned into a full-bodied ache. Nic pushed open his door and climbed out before walking around to open Gia’s door. He held his hand out, and she felt like a princess as she reached up and he helped her out of the car. Keeping her hand in his, she led him across the lawn and pushed open the door of the cottage.

“Not locked?” Nic’s breath was warm against her neck and she shivered.

Gia lowered her voice as she shook her head. “No need, it’s safe here. Nobody ever comes this way.”

Nic followed her inside, and she stood by the door for a moment, uncertain if he understood what she was offering. She dropped his hand and clenched her fingers as she closed the door behind them, trying to stay calm. Her knees loosened and a tremble ran down her legs when he stepped closer to her. Gia tipped her head back and sighed as Nic leaned over and held her with gentle hands. He dropped his head to her neck and pressed a kiss there, moving his lips slowly up and onto her cheek. His lips left a trail of fire on her skin as her blood beat slow and heavy through her body. She unclenched her fingers and turned slowly to face him. His eyes held hers and her breath hitched at the desire she saw in his expression. Warmth pulsed through her. Her body seemed to have a mind of its own, never before had it responded so powerfully to a man. Her fingers ached with the need to touch him, to feel the muscles outlined by his T-shirt, to run her hands down his back and linger on his bare skin.

The butterflies began to flutter in Gia’s stomach as Nic’s blue eyes captured hers. With a deep groan, he reached for her, threading his fingers through her hair and pulling her close. His mouth closed on hers, hot and hard. Moisture flooded her panties, and her nipples hardened against the soft cotton of his T-shirt as her mouth opened to the thrust of his tongue.

God, she wanted him so much. Reaching around to the back of his neck, she held him close and pressed her body against his so he was in no doubt as to what she wanted. She lowered her hands and ran her fingers over his hard chest, exploring the ridged muscles and his hard abs. She closed her eyes when he groaned again. He lifted his mouth from hers and her breath came in soft pants as Nic ran one hand slowly up the inside of her thigh beneath her dress. His fingers were warm and teasing on her bare skin.

Gia held her breath as he reached the top of her leg and one finger slipped inside the elastic of her panties. He honed straight in on the sensitive nub that had swelled with her need. She bent one knee as Nic’s other hand grasped her bottom and slid down her thigh, lifting her leg with a slight pressure. Gia opened her sex to his questing fingers.

…

The groan that came from Gia when his fingers entered her hot moisture almost brought Nic undone on the spot. She was wet and ready for him. He slowly withdrew his fingers and teased her nub with a gentle circular motion. She let her body lean into him as waves of pleasure began to build. The only sound in the studio was their breathing, hot and labored. Her hand left his chest and played with the button at the top of his jeans. He let out another groan as the button slipped undone, and the zipper slid slowly down. She slid her hand in and grasped him. Her fingers were like silk on his hardness. He put his head back and closed his eyes as they worked their magic up and down in time with the movement of his hand in her panties. He increased the pressure of his fingers as she sighed softly and her muscles clenched around him.

Gia pulled her head back and stared at him. “Have you got a condom?” Her hair was a wild tangle and her cheeks flushed. Eyes slumberous and full of need begged him to complete what he’d started.

“In my wallet.” He knew his voice was ragged, but for the life of him he couldn’t move. “In the back pocket of my jeans.” He couldn’t think. He was out of control and he didn’t care. One hand supported her leg around his thigh and the other cupped her mound. She slid one hand around his back into his pocket. He closed his eyes as he heard his wallet hit the wooden floor an instant before the rip of the foil packet.

“You’re going to have to move your hand.” Her voice was soft and sexy.

“I don’t want to move.” He nuzzled his mouth into the sweet hollow below her ear as her hand went to the waistband of his jeans. Somehow she managed to push them far enough down without him moving away from her. He slid his lips back to hers and spoke against her mouth. “Clever girl.”

He held his breath as she rolled the condom over his hard length.

“Now.” Her demand fueled his need.

In one swift move, he thrust into her, knowing what she wanted, and he held his breath as her tight muscles encircled him. He kept one hand pressed between them, moving faster as her muscles clenched even more tightly around him. His skin burned where her bare skin pressed against him. She moaned softly, and he stilled for a moment inside her, trailing kisses over her delicate shoulders as she threw her head back, her eyes closed. Her body arched violently when she climaxed. He groaned against her neck as her pelvic muscles gripped him even more tightly, locking him there. He could stay here forever. He stared down at her, her sultry smile and dark eyes pulling him in deeper. Hot desire swirled through him, more powerful than he’d ever experienced. Her scent surrounded him, the strawberry fragrance mingling with the smell of her sex. He caught his breath and tried to catch a thread of sanity. Five minutes ago, he’d had every intention of dropping her off and going back to the villa. Now here he was inside her, with her hard up against the door.

Christ, they were standing just inside her entry door. But it was too late. The need for completion overcame his doubts when Gia opened her eyes and smiled at him. He lowered his mouth to hers as he began to move slowly inside her and she moaned into his mouth as their tongues found each other again. He wanted to go slowly to prolong this moment, but with her clenched tightly around him, he had no hope.

He lifted his mouth away from hers and looked deep into her eyes as he began to move faster. Her dark brown gaze held his. She was so beautiful, so full of life, so vivacious. His throat clenched as his orgasm built. Nic let her knee fall gently and gripped her hips tightly, holding her close as he pushed harder and faster. He groaned as his hard flesh filled her softness. His head spun as the orgasm overtook him, and she shuddered with him as he came. He closed his eyes, lost in the sensation of the emotion filling his chest.

“Nic?” The soft words whispered against his mouth a few seconds later brought him back.

“Are you okay?” He took a jagged breath and rested his forehead against hers.

“
Mmm
.” Gia lifted her mouth and her lips were soft against his. “Never better.” She pulled her head back and stared at him. “I mean it. I have never felt so alive.”

Slowly they pulled apart, and he zipped up his jeans as she pointed out the bathroom to him. Guilt flooded through him. Even though the sex had been mind-blowing—it was not the reason he was here.

That had been more than sex. Much, much more. He shook his head.
What the hell had just happened out there?
Resting his hands on the basin, he stared in the mirror after disposing of the condom. He had spent the last five years protecting himself from getting close to any woman.

Sure, sex was as necessary to him as food. Hell, he was a guy. There had always been a woman he could call on, warm and willing, to take him to her bed. But never before had he felt such a deep desire to claim a woman as his own.

Up until tonight, he’d always been able to indulge, enjoy and share, and keep his emotions safe, clear, and uninvolved.

No way he was ever going to put himself at the risk of what his father had suffered. Whenever he had sensed he was getting too close to a woman, he had always pulled back.

Hell, he’d lost himself back there, and it scared him to death.

In less than two days, Gia had breached his defenses, and she hadn’t even tried to. She seemed to want nothing from him, but the power that she could have over him if he let her frightened the hell out of him.
I have control, and that isn’t going to change.

…

Gia rearranged her dress, pulled her hair back, and secured it with a clip. Her cheeks were still hot and her lips were tender, but she couldn’t help the smile that tugged at them. She looked up as Nic came out of her bathroom, and her smile grew wider as she let her eyes wander over his tousled hair, his broad shoulders, and his muscular chest. But when she reached his eyes, a tremor of uncertainty shivered down her back. They were hooded and his mouth was set in a straight line. She turned away before he could see the doubt on her face. He followed her, and she straightened her shoulders and tensed as he spun her around gently.

“I think maybe I should apologize to you this time?” His voice was soft and a frisson of uncertainty settled in her stomach. The butterflies had been dispatched and she wondered what had gone wrong. Maybe it hadn’t been as good for him as it had for her? It had been amazing from her side of things, but okay, so she was inexperienced—teenage groping with Stefano, and a couple of unsatisfactory dates in the last couple of years—had not exactly given her a lot of practice in knowing what a man wanted. Especially a sophisticated—and mouthwateringly sexy—man like Nic. Embarrassment poured through her; she’d all but thrown herself at him.

Just because a good looking man had paid some attention to her. Ha…and praised her work, she’d practically dragged him through the door. What a huge mistake she’d made. She felt like crawling back into her shell.
What was I thinking?

But trying for nonchalance, she raised her eyebrows as he stared down at her, determined not to let him see her uncertainty. “Oh?”

“I was like a teenage boy.” He ran his hair though his hair. “
Madre Dio
, we didn’t even make it to a horizontal surface. Not very thoughtful of me.”

Relief flooded through Gia. It had nothing to do with her inexperience. She looped her arms around his waist, and Nic dropped his forehead to rest on hers. She would not let her newfound poise disappear. A confident little chuckle escaped her lips. “And you think I cared? Who pulled your wallet from your pocket? The tooth fairy? And who—”

“Okay…okay… Yes, you are certainly full of surprises.” Nic lightly captured her lips with his before deepening the kiss. “And I like each one of them.” They fit together perfectly, and their tongues explored each other as their need began to build again.

He pulled back slowly and shook his head, a strange expression on his face. “I know you have to go to work soon. Do you want me to drive you to the restaurant? What time do you start?”

She turned to look at the clock in the small kitchen and squealed. “Oh,
Dio
. I can’t be late
again
.”

“We can’t have that.” He patted her on the butt as she stepped away. “Get ready and I’ll drive you.”

Nothing could interfere with Gia’s good mood. She grabbed Papa’s face between her hands after she’d put her bag away and planted a smacking kiss on his cheek. She grinned at the look on his face as his drooping moustache tickled her chin.

“See, Papa
?
I am well. Very well. You have no need to worry about me.”

“Ah, it is good to see you happy. But are you sure you are well? Your cheeks are still rosy.” Papa frowned at her and she grinned back at him.

“Yes, I am well, and I can see properly.” She’d left the ugly black glasses at home and slipped on her new glasses with the square scarlet frames. She’d also bought a new black fitted skirt and white shirt in Siena. The look on Gabriel’s face when she’d passed by him in the kitchen had been worth the cost.

She felt like standing on a table announcing to the restaurant that not only was she having an exhibition, but she’d had the best sex of her life that afternoon. She stifled a giggle and Gabriel frowned at her, and she couldn’t resist being sassy back to him.

“Oh, sorry, Gabe”—she knew he hated the diminutive of his name—“I forgot I was supposed to be unhappy.” She dug him in the ribs as she walked past with a tray of cutlery. The same as when they were children, her big brother had to have the last word. “You can do outside tonight. That group of authors is out there. And don’t be sour. Make sure you talk to the customers. Make them feel welcome.”

“Love to.” She sashayed out the door and grinned again as his words followed her. You’d never guess he’d gone to Hospitality College to learn how to be a manager.

“Yes, boss.” She laughed as she glanced back and caught the look exchanged between her father and brother. It did not bother Gia in the slightest—for a change.

The restaurant was busy—as usual—and she enjoyed serving the table of women. The enjoyment the authors from the writing retreat took in their meals made the night a pleasure for her. She answered their questions about the local area and intercepted several worried looks between her father and brother as she chattered away with them.

When she was serving the dessert, Gabriel called her over, and Gia lowered her eyes to the floor, reverting back into her usual demeanor. She’d overdone it tonight; she didn’t want Papa delving into the reason for her animated behavior.