As afternoon turned into evening, I started getting hungry. With all the craziness that had been going on, I'd forgotten to eat today. I doubted Nami had eaten much either, so I steered us towards a place I'd heard of when I'd been here before. I hadn't eaten there, but it sounded like a good place to take her. I'd heard it had an amazing view of the gondolas. Nice and romantic...

I pushed the thought aside. Romance didn't matter. I wasn't trying to date her. I kept telling myself that as we walked up to Risorrante da Raffaele. Still, I couldn't help but think about what it would be like to take her someplace like this on a real date, as something more than just some girl I'd hooked up with. A girl I was just supposed to be showing a good time.

I could see how things would play out differently if we'd been here as a couple. We would've been planning the trip together, with the restaurant as part of it. I pulled out her chair for her, returning the smile she gave me. After we ordered, I decided to ask the question I'd been wondering for a while now.

“What would you do,” I asked, “if you could do anything? If your family business wasn't a factor. What would you do?”

Nami looked surprised and I understood why. When a person was raised, groomed, to take over the family business, there was never anyone asking what we wanted to do, not seriously anyway. Our opinions, our wants, they didn't matter.

“I haven't given it any thought.”

The reply came automatically. I recognized the sound of something that had been rehearsed, the kind of response a responsible older child was supposed to give when asked that question.

“Yes, you have.” I called her on her lie. “I know you have because I always did.”

She smiled, unapologetic about the deceit. “You did?”

“Of course.” I smiled back. “I did the whole MBA thing and found out I have a knack for it, so my dreams changed, but they weren't always for business.”

“What were they?” she asked. “When you were a child, what were your dreams?”

“If I tell you mine, will you tell me yours?” I teased as the waiter poured us both the wine I'd ordered.

She winked. “You first.”

“All right,” I agreed. I leaned back in my chair. “How far back do you want to go? Preschool?”

“You were ambitious even then?” She seemed amused. “Why does this not surprise me?”

“Oh, nothing so ambitious,” I said. “I once wanted to be a police car. Not a policeman, but a car.”

She laughed, a full, real laugh, not the kind that someone gave to be polite. “You wanted to be a car?”

I shrugged. “I was four. I didn't know that wasn't exactly an option.” I took another swallow of wine. “I figured it out eventually.”

“So did you want to be a police officer then?”

“No.” I shook my head. “When I was older, but before I really understood what it meant for me to take over the family business, I thought I might want to be a lawyer. Not a prosecutor or some sleazy defense attorney. I wanted to go into family law, take care of kids.”

It was funny how I thought of that now. I hadn't thought of it in years, not since I'd gotten into high school and my parents had started telling me what classes to take. Or, as they put it, 'strongly advising' me what would be needed for me to get into business. I'd been surprised that I'd felt protective of Nami, thinking that I hadn't felt that way before, but I had. I'd wanted to help people.

“You're quiet,” Nami said, breaking into my thoughts.

“Just remembering,” I said. “So there you have it. I wanted to be a lawyer and then went to business school.”

“Is that what you will do now?” she asked. “Go to law school?”

I shook my head. “No, I've given that up. I don't think I'd be suited for law anyway. I actually do have a good head for business.”

“So you will go back to your parents' business?” She sounded surprised.

“No.” I leaned back as the waiter brought our appetizers. “I want my own business.” I frowned. “I thought I had a good idea before, but now I'm thinking I might want something else.”

“What?” she asked.

“I have no idea.” I laughed. “None at all.”

We ate for a few moments, enjoying the weather and the city itself. I had to admit, I was definitely enjoying this trip to Venice much more than my previous one. I looked across the table at Nami. There was no denying that it was due to the company.

“You never told me yours,” I said as the waiter cleared away our appetizers and placed our entrees in front of us. “If family wasn't an issue, what would you want to be? What would you do?”

She flushed, piquing my curiosity. Whatever it was, it had to be interesting.

“Now you have to share,” I said.

She pushed some of her food around on her plate and took a bite. I didn't press her again. She'd tell me when she was ready. I could see that she wanted to. After a couple minutes of us eating in silence, she finally spoke.

“I wanted to be a teacher.”

“A teacher?” I was surprised, not because I didn't think she'd be good at it, but because it didn't seem to match her initial reaction.

“And a mother.” She looked down at her plate.

Ah, that made sense now. Well, sort of. “Will your family's business keep you from being a mother?” The question popped out before I thought about it. “Shit. I'm sorry. That's none of my business.”

“It's okay,” she said, her voice quiet. “Let's just say that if I have children, because of my position, I'd most likely see very little of them. They'd be raised by nannies. Governesses.”

“Couldn't your husband take care of them? If you've got such a good position, he wouldn't need to work long hours.” Dammit. I kept putting my foot in my mouth, but I couldn't help it. I wanted to know more about her, how she thought, what she wanted. “That is, if you planned to get married. You wouldn't need to just to have kids. I mean, I just assumed since your family was so adamant about the whole sex thing...”

Shit. I sounded like such an idiot. Fortunately, Nami was laughing. It wasn't the same full laugh she'd had before, but it was real.

“Yes, Reed, I would need to be married.” She was smiling, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “My parents would not approve of children any other way.”

I frowned as I took another bite.

“You do not approve.” Her accent had thickened and I knew she was upset.

“Actually, I was just thinking of how well our parents would get along.” That was half the truth anyway. “My parents put an 'heir' clause in the business contract they drew up when Britni and I got married.” I stabbed a piece of chicken with a little more force than necessary. “Kids are just pawns to my parents.”

Nami reached across the table and put her hand on mine. I jerked my head up, startled as much by the gesture as I was by the touch itself.

“All we can hope for, then, is to do better for our children than our parents have done for us.”

There was something in her voice that made me turn over my hand and squeeze hers, offering her comfort for whatever she was feeling. I raised our hands and kissed the back of hers.

“I'm sure you're going to be a great mother,” I said sincerely. I felt a stab of jealousy at the thought of her with another man and immediately shoved it away. I had no right to be jealous. She wasn't mine. This was just a fun follow up to a great night.

“I don't think so.” She pulled her hand away from mine. “My eldest will be forced to do exactly what I'm doing now.”

I frowned. “But you don't have to do things the same way your parents do. You can let your kids do whatever they want.”

She shook her head, but didn't expound. She went back to eating and silence fell between us again. When the waiter came back to ask if we wanted dessert, we both declined and I asked for the check.

“I'll pay,” she said, reaching for her purse.

“No way.” I picked up the check and handed the waiter my card. “My treat.”

As the waiter walked away, Nami leaned across the table, her expression serious. “Reed, you do understand, this is not a date. It cannot be a date.”

“I know,” I said. And I did, intellectually. A part of me, however, still had a bit of hope that this could be something more. I didn't know what, because I wasn't letting myself think that far ahead, but something.

She shook her head. “No, you don't. You have to understand that I will have to walk away soon, and we will never see each other again.”

I couldn't let her see how much I hated that idea. I stood and held out my hand. “Soon, but not now, right?”

I saw the emotions flit across her face but didn't say anything. She had to make this decision on her own. If she declined and said she needed to go now, I'd respect it. I'd take her wherever she thought it best to find her bodyguards and then I'd go find a hotel room. But I didn't want her to say no. I wanted her to take my hand and come with me somewhere we could be alone. Really alone.

She stood but didn't take my hand. I tried to hide my disappointment as I lowered my hand. This was it then. We were done. I barely registered the waiter returning my card. All I could think about was the best way to say good-bye. I wanted to kiss her one last time, feel her pressed against me.

“Soon.” Her voice was low as she closed the distance between us. “But not now.”

She stood on her toes and claimed my mouth in a kiss that went straight down through me. I could feel the want, the need, as her tongue curled around mine, her body moving against me in a way that wasn't entirely appropriate for public. I didn't care about anyone who might be watching though. All I cared about was the woman in my arms.

When she broke the kiss, she didn't pull away. “Take me somewhere we can be alone,” she whispered.

“You read my mind.” I brushed my lips across hers. “Let's get out of here.”