The American Contessa (5 page)

Luca
tapped his finely manicured fingers on the table.
 
Anna Maria was droning on and on excitedly
about the start of fashion week in Milano.
 

Perusing
the menu and tuning her out, Luca thought how differently the evening before
could have ended, had the American been more disposed to his charm.
 

Luca
closed his eyes and frowned.
 
His pants
grew tight at the image of Gabriella in his bed.
 
He imagined her voice crying his name over
and over as he made her writhe in a frenzy.
 
Her anger excited and stimulated him and she was unquestionably a
challenge worth undertaking.
  
To be
sure, he had no idea why she seemed to despise him with such intensity, but the
thought of all that energy and fire ignited his craving for her as no other
woman had ever done.
 

He
looked over at Anna Maria.
 
Of course,
she didn’t deserve to be treated in such a manner.
 
She really was a spectacular looking woman
who could have any man she wanted.
 
Why
on earth she wanted him, he had no idea?
 

Anna
Maria knew damn well that she was asking for more than he could give
emotionally.
  
So he really should feel
no remorse on his end.
 
But he’d used her
body the previous evening without thinking how she may have misconstrued
it.
 
What she had interpreted last night
as unrestrained passion on his part, was merely the result of the frustration
and desire for who he had really wanted.
 
He had pounded her soft body mercilessly to rid his mind of the
American; achieving completion again and again, without any real satisfaction.
It was to no avail.
 
Gabriella was more
firmly entrenched in his mind than before, and no multitude of women would
change that anytime soon.
 
Not until he’d
had his fill of her.

He
rolled his eyes in toleration at the incessant chatter coming from the woman
beside him. Having spent the night with her; he now felt obliged to take her
for lunch at
Ristorante Lupo
, located
in the hotel
Relais San Domenico
.
 
He supposed the least he could do was send her
on her way with a full stomach.

“Luca,
shall we go this weekend?” Anna Maria cooed.

“No,
no. Not this weekend,” he replied, totally unaware of what she had asked him.

“But
I thought,” she stammered, “after last night …”

Odio
. Now she was making plans.
 
He had to make sure she understood that their
relationship had in no way changed from friends with benefits to something
more.
 
At least his rebuff had ended her
babbling at him.
 
She was now giving him
the silent treatment.
  

Luca
sighed loudly.
 
He was bad at this
–explaining his feelings or lack thereof, and defining relationships.
 
He should be an old-hand at it, having done
it many times before.
 
The tears and
recriminations were sure to come, but for now the awkward silence was
deafening.
  

Suddenly,
the hairs on Luca’s neck were unexpectedly standing to attention.
 
She was here.
 
He could feel it even before he saw her. Turning towards the doorway, he
watched as Carmina and Gabriella were led to a table across the room.
 
They sat and were promptly given their menus.
Carmina leaned across and said something amusing to her.
 
He felt a sharp twinge in his gut.
 

There
it was.
 
A smile.
 
A real smile.
 
Not what she’d given him last night -the stilted and sarcastic kind she’d
plastered on her face; but one that reached her eyes.
 
Luca wanted one of those for himself.
  
He was suddenly and inexplicably jealous of
his sister for being on the receiving end.

Jumping
to his feet, he was already on his way over to their table. With a “
Scusa mi
” flung over his shoulder to
Anna Maria, he made it to their side in seconds.
 
Luca cleared his throat loudly to gain their
attention.

“
Ciao,
Carmina.”
 
He bent his head and gave her the obligatory
kisses on both cheeks.

“Luca?
 
A little early for you to be up after a
party, isn’t it brother?”
 
she asked
rhetorically. “You remember Gaby, of course?”

His
gaze swiftly passed to Gaby and held. “How could I forget?” he smiled
teasingly. “She likened me to an ill-mannered horse.”

Gaby
arched a brow at him and took the bait.
 
“An ill-mannered
ass
was what
I actually said.
 
But I did say a
good-looking one if that makes it any less offensive to you.”

“Tell
me Gaby, why are you so determined to offend me?” Luca narrowed his eyes at
her.

Gaby
lifted her hand to her chest in mock horror. “Offend you?
 
Is that even possible?”
 
She widened her eyes at him, “To me, you seem
almost impervious to anyone else’s opinion, but you own.”
 
Crap!
 
Was she now channelling
Jane
Austen
?
 
Unfortunately this man was
no
Mr. Darcy
.

Luca
burst out laughing, taking her by surprise.
 
“Well, I must admit ...,” he leaned closer, “… you’re not the first to
call me an ass.
 
And more than likely,
you’re not the last.
 
But I do hope
you’ll give me a chance to change your less than stellar opinion of me? ”

Gaby
smirked at him and was somewhat taken aback.
 
This self-deprecating version of the Count was one that she hadn’t
expected.
 
For Carmina’s sake she would
try to be a little less sarcastic and prickly.
 
She could keep a civil tongue in her head, couldn’t she?
 

“Why
don’t you join us Luca?” Carmina proposed.

“Ah…”
 
Looking back towards his table, Luca could
see Anna Maria seething with restrained fury.
 
“I have a little unfinished business to attend to.
 
Perhaps we could have dinner this
evening?
 
The three of us?”

Carmina
looked to Gaby. “Are you free this evening?”

“Why...
um, yes,” Gaby replied hesitantly. “I am.”

Luca
grinned.
 
“Wonderful.
 
I’ll call Carmina with the details of when
and where.
 
Ciao
!”

Gaby
watched as he made his way back to his irate companion.
 
She wondered at their relationship.
 
The woman was obviously mad as hell at him
for something, but also completely smitten.
 
But Luca?
 
From the furtive
glances he kept sending Gaby’s way, it didn’t seem like the sentiments were
exactly reciprocated.
 
Talk about
confusing.
 
For someone who claimed they
were in no way interested, he certainly looked it.

“You’d
be good for him, you know,” Carmina commented on the looks going back and
forth.

Gaby
stole a glance his way and noticed he was paying the bill.

“Yeah,
well, broccoli’s good for you to.
 
But
no-one wants a steady diet of it.
 
Not
when you’re used to eating gelato morning, noon and night.
 
Eating healthy may seem like a good idea, but
you always backslide when you have a sweet tooth.”

Carmina
laughed.
 
“Let me see if I understand
you.
 
You’re broccoli?
 
And I take it Anna Maria is gelato?”

Gaby
giggled back at her. “Well the analogy may not be my best, but yes.
 
I am broccoli.
 
And she’s …” Gaby looked over at the ebony
haired beauty and sighed.
 
“She’s most
definitely gelato.
 
Totally irresistible.
 
And there’s no way broccoli will ever take
the place of gelato.”

“That’s
quite the analogy.”
 
Carmina shook her
head trying to keep a straight face.

Just
as Gaby and Carmina’s pasta arrived at their table, Luca sailed past them with
Anna Maria on his arm.
 
He mouthed the
word “tonight” at her and gave her a heart-melting smile.

Carmina
waved to her brother and turned back to Gaby.
 
“So what food is Luca in your scenario?”

“He’s
gelato too.
 
Delicious; but most
definitely an unhealthy choice.”
  

“What’s
the matter Gaby?
 
You’re not lactose
intolerant, are you?” Carmina joked.

Gaby
was ready and waiting at quarter to eight when there was a soft tapping on her
hotel door.
 
Her russet coloured dress
floated around her as she made her way to answer it.
 
Its empire waist was not only flattering, but
oh so comfortable to eat dinner in.
 
Thank goodness for empire waists, they hid such a multitude of sins.

She
remembered the last time she’d worn this dress. It was to a function at the
auction house in New York where her sister Grace worked as a fine art auctioneer.
The admiring looks she’d received because of it convinced her to bring it along
with her to Italy.
 
Hopefully it was
suitable for a night out with a Count … and of course, his sister.
 
For heaven’s sake, she lectured herself, this
was not a date!
 
Besides you don’t even
like the man!

Gaby
couldn’t help thinking about the Count’s attitude. What caused his complete
turnaround this morning?
 
Was he playing
some sort of game with her?
 
It was
puzzling to say the least.
  
Just which
Count Manetti would she encounter tonight?
 
The sarcastic, I hate Americans jackass or the
smooth-talking, lose-your-panties charmer?
 

As
though conjured up by magic, Gaby opened the door and found Luca standing in
the doorway looking infinitely and devastatingly handsome in a grey-blue suit straight
from the pages of GQ.
 
His dark hair was
stylishly tousled and he emanated an air of casual sophistication totally
befitting his noble title.

“
Buona sera
, Gaby,” he uttered, taking
her in from head to toe.
 
The look of
desire in his eyes was unmistakable.
 
Uh-oh
, she thought with dread, he was
going to be charming –lucky she was wearing
spanx
in addition to panties.

Poking
her head out the door and looking left and right Gaby responded, “Where’s
Carmina?”

Luca
smiled sexily.
 
“She’s running late and
asked me to bring you to the restaurant.
 
She’ll meet us there.”

“Oh.”

“I’m
a little early.”
 
He leaned on the
doorjamb, then reached over and absently touched a strand of her hair.
 
“You look stunning this evening.
 
May I come in?”

“No,
no. I’ll come out,” Gaby stuttered and quickly grabbed her handbag from the
console table by the door.

Luca
chuckled. “
Andiamo
then.
 
Let’s go.”

He
ushered her into the elevator and pushed the lobby level.
 
Standing this close, she could smell the
faint aroma of cologne.
 
He glanced her
way and grinned, sending a shiver down her spine.
 
She had to get out of this elevator!
 
Confined spaces and Luca Manetti were a heady
combination.
 
Gaby said nothing and kept
her eyes on the floor numbers as they blinked and slowly descended.
 
Within moments the heavy brass doors opened
and they exited.
 

Without
a word, Luca placed his hand at the small of her back and guided her out of the
hotel and towards his red, two-door sports car.
 
Oh, great! Just her luck, a confined space again!

As
they sped off into the night, he suddenly spoke, shocking her out of her
stupor. “Carmina likes you a great deal.”

Gaby
was surprised and grateful for the choice of subject.
 
Although bantering with Luca was enthralling,
it was also tiring as hell.
 
And tonight,
she’d rather not have to be constantly on the defensive.

“I
like her too. Very much,” she replied honestly.
 
It was true.
 
From the moment
they’d met, they’d recognised themselves to be kindred spirits.

“She
tells me you’re a schoolteacher.”

“Yes,”
she replied.
 
Her conversation with
Carmina the night before came so easily and comfortably that pretending to be
anything but who she was completely fell by the wayside.
 
The fact that she was not wealthy or titled
didn’t seem to faze Carmina at all.
 
In
fact, she seemed almost relieved that Gaby was not like the other
partygoers.
 
As for the Count?
 
She was positive that her lack of social
standing was not to his liking.
 
“Have
you got a problem with me being a
lowly
schoolteacher?” she asked defensively.

“Of
course not,” he frowned at her.
 
“It’s a
most noble profession.”

Gaby
sighed softly and shook her head in disbelief.
 
“Well, I must say, I’m surprised.”

“Why?”

“I
didn’t think I’d be the sort of person you would choose for your sister to be
friends with.”

“Carmina
chooses her own friends.” He smiled slightly.
 
“She’s most stubborn in that regard.”

Ha!
Gaby thought.
 
So he didn’t think her
suitable friend material.
 
Or was he just
stating a fact?
 
What he said could be
taken either way.
 
Was she reading more
into his words than was there?
 
He was
impossible to figure out.

“I
know it seems hard to believe, but my sister doesn’t have many friends,” he
confided.

Gaby
was visibly stunned.
 
“That does seems
hard to believe.
 
She’s the most likeable
and genuine person I think I’ve ever met.
 
Here in Italy or back home.”

He
stopped for a red light and turned to face her.
 
“Her mother brought her up to believe that people are for the most part
–alike.
 
That kindness and generosity
transcend social class and wealth. And that being of noble birth didn’t mean
you were necessarily noble,” he replied carefully.
 
He watched her reaction to his words.
 
It was obvious he cared for his sister
greatly.

“Trust
me Luca.
 
I don’t know your sister very
well, but in my opinion, a true friend is a treasure that not only transcends
class and wealth, but also time and distance.
 
I plan to remain in contact with Carmina when I return home.
 
She’s very special.”

Luca’s
hands tightly clutched the steering wheel. “When do you return home?” he asked
slowly.

“My
plans are somewhat indefinite,” she replied biting her lip, “but probably not
for a couple of weeks yet.”
 
Gaby thought
of her quickly depleting bank account and her just as rapidly escalating credit
card bills.
 
She would have to find
alternate accommodation soon if she planned to stay longer than a fortnight.

“Your
family is all there, in America?”

“Yes.
 
I have my sisters, my grandfather and lots of
other relatives.
 
We’re kind of spread
out all over the country though, so we don’t see each other as often as we’d
like.”

“Your
parents?”

“My
parents died in a car accident when I was a teenager.”
 
Gaby frowned.
 
“Sometimes …, I can’t believe it was ten years ago.
 
Seems like only yesterday …” Her voice
trailed off.

Luca
turned away and gazed out the car window, unable to meet her eyes.
 
He was no good when talk turned all
touchy-feely.
  
So what if she’d also
experienced tragedy in her life.
 
He
didn’t want to hear it.
 
That had nothing
to do with the mutual pleasure they could garner from each other.

It
was no wonder that she and Carmina were behaving like Siamese twins.
 
His sister loved to talk about her feelings
and was relentless in trying to make him talk about his.
 
She had even tried to get him to go to a therapist
at one point to help deal with his anger.
 
His anger.
 
He held onto his anger
like a sword against the world.
 
Whenever
someone would get too close, he’d wield it without mercy.
 
And that’s just the way he liked it.
 

But
Carmina was a totally different story.
 
When she loved, it was with her whole heart.
 
He only hoped she wasn’t putting too much
faith in this intriguing American woman.
 
Carmina trusted way too easily.
 
And yet, he envied her immensely.

He
envied her congenial nature; her ability to be truthful when dishonesty ran
rampant all around her.
 
He envied her
easy laugh and self-deprecating sense of humour.
 
And now …, well now, he envied her closeness
to Gaby.

When
Gaby had smiled at Carmina it had made him incredibly and unspeakably
jealous.
  
Much to Anna Maria’s
consternation, he’d watched Gaby’s every move at lunch today.
 
Every touch on Carmina’s arm, every private
joke they’d shared, felt like a knife twisting in his gut. After hearing they’d
gone shopping together after lunch, he had listened for Carmina’s return to the
Villa, to pump her for every last detail.
 
He resented the time they had spent together.
      

Gaby
touched his arm gingerly. “What about your family?
 
Your mother sounds like a wonderful person.”

Luca
visibly tensed.
 
“Carmina’s mother died
fifteen years ago, shortly after my father succumbed to cancer.”

 
“I’m so sorry.
 
Carmina’s mother?
 
So she wasn’t
…?”

He
spoke through clenched teeth, “No, she wasn’t my mother.
 
Carmina’s mother was my father’s second
wife.
 
My
mother died when I was four.”

“Oh.”
 
Gaby could tell that it bothered him to talk
about it.
  
She smiled sadly at him.
 
“It’s horrible to lose your parents so young.
  
I cherish the time my sisters and I had with
them now.
 
I just wish they’d had more
time with us
.
”
 
She spoke sincerely, squeezing his arm in
sympathy.
 
“But I like to think that
“only the good die young.”
 
It makes me
feel better for some inexplicable reason.”

She
felt him stiffen under her fingers. What had she said?
 
His face had turned to a mask of stone.
 
Something was very, very wrong!
 
The light turned green and Luca revved the
engine.

He
looked at her coldly. “Yes, my mother died young,” he sneered, pushing her hand
away.
 
“But she was anything but good.”

The
car engine roared and Luca took off at break-neck speed through the streets of
Florence.
 
Gaby clutched the sides of her
seat in terror.
 
“Please Luca, slow
down!” she begged.
 
But her plea fell on
deaf ears.

“
Si.
My mother was always up for a good
time,” he spat, his temper erupting and increasing with every turn of the
wheel.
 
“And, apparently very good in bed
from what I’ve learned.
 
But as for
character?
 
Well, let’s just say, if the
good die young, she should have lived forever!”

Narrowly
missing a car turning into a winding lane, he hit the brakes suddenly and
brought the car to a complete stop.
 
Gaby
was thrown wildly back against her seat.

“Are
you done?” Gaby’s voice shook as she glared angrily at him.

Luca
turned towards her, scowled and said nothing.
 
He was noticeably shaking with rage. A faint sheen of perspiration
covered his face.

“Right!”
Gaby countered, releasing her safety belt and jumping out of the car.
 
Stomping down the street, she could hear him
at her heels.

“Where
are you going?” he barked after her.

“Anywhere
you’re not!” she called back at him.
 

Gaby
stopped at the curb and he managed to catch up.
 
Standing side by side, she could tell that he was already calming
down.
 
His ragged breathing was getting
perceptibly slower. Gaby refused to look at him, but could feel the heat from
his cautious glances.

“What
about dinner?” he asked warily. “Carmina will be waiting.”

She
turned on him.
 
“Just like that?” She
snapped her fingers.
 
“I’m supposed to
forget that you could have killed us both driving like a maniac!
 
After I just told you how my parents died!”