Donna Smith’s nape still tingled where Blackwell had kissed her last night and unzipped her dress. His touch had transported her into a world of sensuality—taste and touch—making it tough to leave this morning. It had been difficult, but the right decision. If she’d drawn out a morning with him, she might have had her hopes crushed like all her other dreams had been.

After a few delays, the train finally reached Venice, where she stepped off and stretched her legs. Hit immediately by the scent of water and old world buildings, she cautiously sniffed the air and followed the crush of people toward the luggage already on deck. Donna wheeled her bag behind her, ready to see Venice. Beth had told her to try Italian ice cream so that was on the agenda.

Perhaps something sweet would make her forget Blackwell—though she highly doubted anything could do that. Their one night would be burned in her mind forever as the starting point to figuring herself out.

She followed her phone app to find a small but affordable inn away from the Grand Canal. Her app had her go through a narrow alley, but it seemed clean and there was even a store on the corner.

Her luggage became harder to manage over uneven cobblestones but she made it to the hotel and went inside, overcome by the smell of cigarettes. She held her nose and filled out the forms at the front desk.

The clerk was pleasant through the process, but at the end said, “Your room won’t be ready till three. We can keep your luggage for you and put it in your room at that time.”

It was nearly two. Hopefully her room didn’t smell like the lobby, but she kept her mouth shut and pointed to the door. “Sounds great. Which way to the Grand Canal?”

The woman smiled at her and waved. “Follow the water, Miss. You can’t miss it.”

She let out a small sigh and asked, “And the Rialto Bridge?”

The woman nodded. “To the right.”

She’d worn flats knowing she’d want to walk the city and maneuvering through the streets was much easier without dragging her bag.

The street near the canal was busy and curved, but it was nice to be amongst so many people from so many places. At home, she often went to the beach but had her nose in a book, not caring about the couples or families around her.

Venice was the first step in seeing the world and actually doing things on her own, without hiding who she was anymore. She passed a busy ice cream parlor and remembered Beth’s suggestion. Donna went inside and spoke to the young man in English. “Can I have an ice cream cone? For now let’s stick to vanilla.”

“Certainly, signorina.” He scooped the ice cream she pointed toward behind a sheer pane of plexi-glass.

He handed it to her and she paid, glad that he didn’t object to her American cash. “Thank you.”

The taste in her mouth was sweeter than any dessert she’d ever had. There had to be more sugar in this than the legal limits of ice cream in America but then how were Italians so healthy looking? For now, she indulged herself in decadence. She licked her lips to ensure she didn’t miss a drop as she walked. The only thing tastier had been Blackwell’s kisses last night.

Perhaps she should have tried to switch her ticket to the noon train, and stayed to have breakfast with him. But that was a fleeting thought. The last thing she needed was to involve herself with a guy, any guy. She was here to ensure her spirit was strong. As she made her way to the canal and stared at the old bridge, she sighed and let the scene take her breath away.

The Rialto Bridge almost had a shine to it as the sun set and with the reflection on the water, she couldn’t remember seeing anything more grand. Around her couples kissed, but she was all alone though her lips still tingled from last night’s kiss. For right now, she closed her eyes and indulged her wish for just a second that she was ready for a relationship, again, then said to herself, “Wow. I wish Blackwell was here to see this with me.”

A baritone voice behind her then sent a thrill up her spine. “Donna-”

She spun around in surprise, eyes wide. He’d come for her? Her heart beat grew faster as she shook her head. He came closer so she knew he was absolutely real and not her imagination. “Blackwell? What are you doing here?”

“I couldn’t leave things as they were.” He took her hand in his.

Part of her hoped he’d kiss her, but her face heated and she looked down at her ice cream. She knew better than to trust her feelings which had led her down the wrong path before. “I’d already paid for the hotel room and the train ticket. I didn’t think I could rearrange things at the last minute.”

His hand brushed against her arm and shoulder. “Everything is negotiable. I feel terrible that I slept in a room you paid for.”

“It was my room and you were my guest last night. Actually, the night was wonderful.” Had he followed her out of male pride? She wished instead that he’d come just to see her though she knew she shouldn’t. It wasn’t fair as she’d understood it was a mutual agreement of one night. He pressed his hand against her lower back and urged her closer to him. “I agree. I was hoping we could have more nights.”

Her lips tingled and she automatically closed her eyes and lifted her face to his. One night wasn’t eternity and he smelled like fresh mountain air.

The moment his lips met hers again she knew without a doubt he tasted better than the silly cone melting in her hand.

He ended the kiss and she licked her fingers to stop the mess. “So you came to join me on vacation for a few days?”

His gaze on her lips made her ache. “I want more than a few days, Donna.”

She wanted more too, but she wasn’t ready to give up on her quest either. She let out a breath and tried to sound reasonable. “Well, I have a list of things I need to do. If you’re here in Venice, I would love for us to see things together.”

A gondola pulled up and let out its passengers below. The couple climbed the steps and passed them.

Blackwell nodded at the conductor and then motioned for her. “Is a canal ride on your list?”

“Yes.” Her heart skipped a beat. He was here and this was easily the second best date she’d ever had, with last night still winning. Harry hadn’t done anything half as grand as Blackwell.

He placed his hand on her back to help her down the narrow steps. “Then let’s go. Your gondola awaits.”

Halfway down the steps she glanced at the rules posted on the wall and she saw the no food warning. She held her cone higher, looking for a trash can. “Blackwell, wait.”

“Yes?” His deep voice made her knees weak as it had done last night.

She looped her free hand around his waist but ate as much as she could. On the platform, she swallowed and said, “I’m glad you’re here. I liked your company.”

He winked and went to talk to the driver. “Good, because I intend to keep you, for the rest of my life if you agree.”

Blackwell had to be exaggerating forever but he sounded romantic. She ignored the twist in her heart and held his hand so he didn’t go. “We can get the next one. I should finish my ice cream.”

He glanced down at her hand. “It’s melting.”

“I get hot near you.” She laughed and took another full bite.

He stopped and leaned closer. “Donna, don’t say things like that unless you mean it.”

Fire grew within her, and her face heated. She said whatever came to her mind near him, which never happened before—she’d been too shy. She stepped aside to let another couple get on the gondola.

He spoke to the conductor or whatever she was supposed to call the gondola driver.

And she ate through her cone as fast as she could.

Blackwell turned toward her and held out his arms. “Come. I’ll pay extra so no one says a word about your ice cream.”

She trashed the last of it and took out a napkin from her pocket to clean her hands and face. Done, she held out both hands and hoped her face was clean. “You don’t have to. I’m finished.”

“You should have brought it on.” He helped her into the boat.

She took a seat so she could look forward when they moved. He took the seat next to her and she offered her hand. “It was delicious but I’d had plenty. I want to go on this with you.”

He squeezed her hand. “Good, because I want to ask you something important.”

No. If this was about some job or some other hand out, she wasn’t interested. She shouldn’t have told him that she’d lost her job. This trip was about her figuring out what she wanted and who she wanted to be for the rest of her life. She shook her head. “Important sounds serious. I’m not ready for that.”

He made a face like she’d slapped him, but a moment later, it disappeared. “While we’re in Venice, together, I’m hoping you’ll stay with me.”

Last night hadn’t been enough for her either. She nodded. “Oh, a weekend with you sounds lovely.”

The waters of the Grand Canal were around them, but all she cared about was handsome Blackwell, who’d come for her. He took her breath away with those dark eyes of his though the setting sun still gave the magical glow on the waters as Venice floated around them in the distance. She cuddled closer to Blackwell, glad he was at her side.

He massaged her back lightly but asked, “Weekend?”

The plans. Right. She intended to see everything she could. She glanced into his warm brown eyes. “I’m going to Florence next and then Rome and then Naples before I head north to begin my trek to Paris.”

“I still have an apartment in Paris.” He answered as if everyone had multiple homes around the continent. “Why are you in a hurry to see all these places?”

Guess it was time to explain her goals of this trip before she went home and threw herself into a job search. She held onto his hand like it was an anchor. “I want to travel to find myself.”

His eyes widened as he stared back at her. “Find yourself? Are you lost?”

A giggle escaped her throat as a small chill went down her spine. She scooted closer to him as he was warm and inviting. “When the library closed, I decided to actually do things on my list and not just dream about them. I’ve lived all my life happy enough with a book to help me escape, but I never gave my own happiness or who I was any thought. I don’t know what I want or who I’m supposed to be, and I’m thirty years old. Most people have plans and an agenda for themselves, but I’m lost.”

He held her tight and the cold left her body even as a small drop of water splashed against her nose.

“Can I see your list?”

“I guess.” She shrugged and reached into her back pocket for her cell phone.

A second later, she unlocked it and handed it to him. He read the list but then laughed and stared at her. “Kiss a stranger?”

Drat. How had she forgotten that was on the list? She felt the heat in her cheeks, but she said, “I figured you counted for that one.”

He winked at her but then continued to read the list. At the end, he summarized, “Most of this is travel in Europe. Have you booked how to get everywhere?”

“No, it’s mostly just the next few stops, but I can find a travel agency to get the rooms.” For once, she was building her confidence this vacation.

The gondola turned back toward the pier. For the few days here, she’d love to find out more about Blackwell and get to know him, but she couldn’t imagine herself in his world, not once the vacation ended.

He kissed her hand. “No need. If you allow me, I can have my man, Piers, book us for many of these for the next few weeks and we can take my plane. In Paris, we’ll stay at my apartment.”

Seriously his world was nothing like hers. She blinked. “You have a plane?”

He shrugged. “It’s easier than flying commercial.”

The gondola ride was almost over. Perhaps her heart shouldn’t make up wishes about him. Falling in love meant she thought about him and only him and she couldn’t do that without figuring herself out first. She lowered her head. “I shouldn’t. You don’t have to do this.”

He traced her chin until she looked at him again and then leaned closer, “I want to get to know you, Donna. If seeing these things help you find yourself, I’d like to see what you transform into.”

His world and her world never fit. She lifted her shoulders like they were a shield. “Still, it’s an imposition.”

He sat back, stared at her and the warmth in his gaze made her knees weak. “Don’t get shy on me now. I like who I see so far.”

She pushed her hair out of her face and wondered what he saw in her that brought him here today. She said a small prayer for guidance and asked, “Who do you see?”

He leaned closer. “Donna Smith, the only woman who could get into my heart.”

“Relentless flirting. I guess I like that.” She closed her eyes and took the chance. “Okay Blackwell, I’d love to see Italy with you.”

“And Paris.”

“Okay and Paris.”

Then his lips met hers again and she forgot about her list, her fears about whatever happened next and just focused on the feeling of his mouth on hers.