On the way back from the hotel after seeing Katherine in the Piazza, Tony made a reservation at a tiny family restaurant located off Via Cavour. He had been to the restaurant many times and they served exquisite food. He arranged for a private corner booth so hopefully no one from the restaurant would recognize him. Besides, everyone knew him as having a beard, and he’d shaved it the day of the accident. A clean-shaven Tony was unrecognizable.
He arrived in the lobby of the hotel just before seven and saw Katherine seated at the bar with her back facing him, enjoying a glass of red wine. He approached, smoothing back his hair from his forehead. She didn’t notice him till he was just a foot away. Katherine looked radiant in a white silk dress reaching just past her knees. Her hair was pulled back in a tight bun, highlighting her strong cheekbones. She wore matching pearl earrings and necklace. She was elegant, conservative, and the epitome of timeless beauty. Damn! She’s a fucking knockout!
“You look lovely tonight. Had I known you would be early, I would have joined you sooner.” Tony took Katherine’s hand and kissed it.
Katherine’s cheek’s flushed as she quickly stood. “I finished at the Academia sooner than I thought and figured I would enjoy a glass of wine before we left. Would you like one?”
Hmmm. She’s offering to buy me a drink. Is she just being polite or is she warming up to me? “I think I’ll have to decline. By all means, finish your drink and we can go when you’re ready.” Tony signaled for the check and pulled some Euros from his pocket.
“Don’t be silly! I’ve charged it to my room. We can go whenever you’re ready.” Katherine grabbed her purse.
He placed a hand on her shoulder. “There’s no rush. Why don’t you finish your wine and tell me about your day?”
Katherine hesitated before sitting again.
“Unless, of course, you want to go.” The awkward moment left Tony unsure of what to do.
“No. I just didn’t want us to be late for our reservation. If you don’t mind, I’d love to relax a bit before we go.”
“Please, continue.” When Katherine began talking about her adventures, life and exuberance filled her expression.
“Oh, there was so much to see. I’m still trying to wrap my brain around everything. It’s unbelievable how those artists were able to make such masterpieces in that time period. I keep thinking about the tools they had and what we have now. There’s no artist out there who can rival what was created during the Renaissance. It truly is fascinating.”
“It sounds like you had a great day. What’s on your agenda tomorrow?”
“I plan on attending a cooking class and visiting the Duomo afterward. I think I need a little break from the art history lessons.”
Just the opportunity he’d been waiting for. “That sounds fun. Tell me about the cooking class.” This was working out just how Tony had hoped.
Excitement filled her voice. “I can’t remember if I told you or not. I’m a food critic. I eat out a lot and get to try all different types of food. The funny thing is that I can’t cook. I know what food is supposed to taste like, and I have an excellent palate that can taste any spice or ingredient. But if you put me in the kitchen, I’m absolutely worthless. I could burn water if you left me alone.”
Tony laughed. “I don’t think it’s possible to burn water.”
She finished her wine and set the glass on the bar. “I’m not so sure. Anyway, most of the chefs in the city know me. I’m too embarrassed to admit to them I don’t know how to cook. I’ve shied away from taking any classes there but I thought this trip would be the perfect opportunity for me to learn a little bit about Italian cooking. Who knows? Maybe I’ll become a chef in my next life.” Katherine chuckled.
“What does the class teach you?”
“From what I read, the chef is going to take us to the local market to sample what’s available during this season. We’ll then pick up the ingredients to make an appetizer, main course, and dessert. We’ll go back to the kitchen and prepare the foods while drinking wine and socializing with others in the class.”
“Wow! That sounds like fun. I don’t have much going on tomorrow. Maybe I should see if they have any more room.”
“Oh, you should! Although you should do it soon. They only allow a few people in the class. It might already be full.”
“What’s the name of it? I can call when we get back.”
“It’s called Florence Cooking School. It would be fun to have someone I know in the class.”
Katherine was relaxed, maybe too relaxed. The alcohol clearly went straight to her head and she was making it too easy for him. When he looked at her, her smile lit up her entire face and her eyes sparkled as blue as the sky. She was perfection—the epitome of classic beauty. His cock twitched against the seam in his pants. He wanted to kiss her—to ravage her mouth and take what could be his.
Now was not the time. He couldn’t allow himself that luxury; he had to stick with the plan. He needed Katherine to eventually get him to the States. He couldn’t let untoward feelings get in the way of that. He had already made significant progress. She had invited him to her cooking class. Game on!
“Shall we get going?” Tony stood up, urging Katherine to leave.
“I thought you would never ask.”
Tony helped her to her feet as she latched on to his extended arm. As they walked toward the restaurant, they bantered nonstop about Italy and her travels. She had definitely taken to him and appeared to be completely at ease. Alcohol definitely took a toll on her inhibitions and he tucked that tidbit of knowledge away for a rainy day.
“Well, we’ve arrived at our destination.”
“It’s beautiful,” she said. “I love all the tapestries on the walls and how the lighting illuminates them.”
“Buongiorno. Will you be dining with us this evening?” The short, stocky host greeted them with a smile and a hearty handshake.
“Yes, we have a reservation for two under the name Lupito.”
“Ah, yes. Right this way.”
Tony placed his hand on the small of Katherine’s back as they followed the host. She leaned in and whispered, “Why don’t you speak Italian?”
“Because I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable.”
“You wouldn’t make me feel uncomfortable. I think it’s hot.”
Her coy little smile made him chuckle. “Did that wine make you a bit tipsy?” Her cheeks instantly flushed.
“Maybe a little. I apologize for my behavior.” Her smile faded into a straight line as she looked to the floor.
“Nonsense, you’re behaving just fine. This is the first time I’ve seen you let loose. I’m enjoying it.”
Her posture changed. She was back to her more reserved self, making him regret mentioning the alcohol.
“Is this table satisfactory, sir?”
The older gentleman had brought them to the exact table he had requested. “It’s perfect. Grazie.”
Tony pulled out Katherine’s chair for her, and then seated himself across from her.
“May I start you off with a bottle of wine, or perhaps some water?”
“Yes, may I have a bottle of the 2007 Mocali Brunello Di Montalcino?”
“Very nice choice, sir. Would you like water as well?”
“Si. Prego.”
“Excellent. I will retrieve your drinks and inform your waiter that you’re here. John Paolo will be taking care of you this evening.” The host left promptly, allowing them some time alone.
“I presume you’ve been here more than just a couple of times if you know exactly what bottle of wine you like to drink.”
“A few times. Whenever I come to Florence, I eat here. They have great food and I think even you will be impressed.”
“I’ve been trying to not think about criticizing the food when I eat. Much to my surprise, it’s more pleasurable, and I enjoy the food more. Not every meal needs to be perfect for it to be enjoyable.”
“I couldn’t agree more. I also believe the company is sometimes more important than the food. Good conversation makes a more memorable experience.” He smiled and winked at her and watched as her cheeks instantly became rosy. She was eating this up.
The waiter appeared with two glasses and the bottle of wine. “My name is John Paolo and I’m going to be your waiter for the evening.” He poured a sample for Tony, who smelled the wine before taking the first sip. “This is exquisite. Thank you.”
He poured some of the red liquid into Katherine’s glass, and topped off Tony’s.
“Would you like a few more minutes to look over the menu?”
“Yes, thank you.”
Tony picked up the glass of wine with the intention of a toast and Katherine followed suit.
“Here’s to a very wonderful couple of days with my new friend. I look forward to getting to know her better during the time she has left in this wonderful country.”
“That was very sweet. Thank you.” She took a sip of the fruity liquid, and he watched as she let it float on her tongue for a few seconds before finally swallowing. “This is amazing. I think it may be the best wine I’ve ever had.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
“Since you seem to know your wines, I’m going to assume you know what’s good on this menu. Will you please order for me?”
“I-I don’t know what you like.”
“What? Did I surprise you?” she responded coyly.
“Perhaps a little. I just figured a strong American woman like yourself would never let a gentleman order for you.”
“Nonsense! You know what they say, When in Rome…”
“Let the man order for you?” He chuckled.
“Very funny! In all seriousness, I’ll try anything once. Surprise me.”
When the waiter returned, Tony ordered their dinners. John Paolo topped off Katherine’s glass and she seemed to settle in and relax a bit more.
To his surprise, Katherine was fun; she was smart, beautiful, and he couldn’t figure out for the life of him why she was still single. There must be something behind it.
“Tell me, do you always go by Katherine or do you have a nickname?”
“I go by Katherine; it was my grandmother’s name. When I was young, my mother called me Katie. But after my grandmother died, she started calling me Katherine. I’ve been going by it ever since. I also think it fits my job, since Katherine is a strong, conservative name. I believe it makes me sound more professional.”
“I think you look more like a Kate. You’re so beautiful, and I can see there is a fun-loving woman inside that reserved exterior. I want to get to know her more.”
She held a hand to her chest. “Well, I do believe you’re flirting with me,” Katherine said in a voice just like Scarlet O’Hara’s.
“See! I knew it. There’s a wild woman inside that body of yours.”
“I’ll tell you what, Mr. Lupito. I’ll let you call me Kate, if you let me call you Anthony.”
He placed his chin on is hand. “Now, why on Earth would you want to call me Anthony?”
“Because Tony is a boy’s name, and you seem to be all man.”
He couldn’t stop his jaw from falling open. He shifted in his seat as his pants suddenly became a little too tight for the part that was roaring to life. “I’m a little surprised. I didn’t see this side of you.”
She smiled sweetly with her head cocked to the side. “I guess you better get to know me a little better.”
“Well, I’m definitely intrigued.”
She reached her hand across the table and placed it onto his. “So, what do you say…Anthony?”
“You can call me anything you want.” He tugged on his pants, trying to loosen the constriction threatening to cut off the blood flow.
John Paolo returned the table with two plates in hand. “For the lady, I have the linguini with clams in a garlic butter sauce, and for the gentleman, I have the eggplant parmesan. Can I get you anything else?”
Tony took a whiff of the food. “No, thank you. This smells delicious.”
“Very well, then. Let me know if you need anything else.” John Paolo bowed before walking away.
Katherine picked up her fork. “This looks amazing!” She took a bite and closed her eyes while she chewed. “Oh my gosh, the food in this country is absolutely fabulous! I haven’t had anything bad yet.”
Tony chuckled. “Wait until you taste their tiramisu. You’ll never want it from any place else.”
“Umm. I can’t wait.” She took another bite of food and chewed. “Tell me, do you have any brothers or sisters?”
It was only a matter of time before she asked about his family. Women always wanted to know about the man’s family. Why did it have to be tonight? Things had been going so well and he didn’t want to ruin it with his tragic story. “I did. They passed away in an accident.”
Her flirty smile quickly gave way to shock and pity. “Oh, God. I’m so sorry. How long ago?”
“It was pretty recent. The wounds are still fresh. I don’t really like to talk about it.” An awkward silence loomed over the table, like a dark cloud on a rainy day.
Tony broke the silence. “How about you? Tell me more about your family. Do you have any siblings?”
She smiled slowly but shifted her eyes to her hands that were fidgeting on the table. “I have an older brother. His name is David.”
“Does he live in New York also?”
“Yes, in Manhattan.”
“Are you close with your family?”
“I would say so. Although, lately I’ve distanced myself from them.”
“Why is that?”
She took a deep breath, seemingly bracing herself for what was to come. “Something that happened to me recently that I prefer not to talk about. I don’t want to spoil this evening.”
“It appears we ventured into some uncomfortable territory.”
The silence was palpable. This wasn’t going the direction Tony had intended. He needed to change the course of the evening or else he would have to come up with a new plan.
“How much longer are you in Florence?”
“Just a couple more days and then I’m off to Siena. I wanted to stay in the Tuscany region. From there, I’m going to tour Pisa. I can’t wait to see the Leaning Tower. Does it really lean?”
“I’m from Pisa. And yes, it really leans. I think you’ll be amazed. When you’re walking inside the tower, it feels as though you’re going at an angle. It’s a very strange feeling. Of course, you’ll have to get the classic picture where it looks like you’re holding up the tower. All the tourists go there thinking it’s an original idea, only to find five thousand other people are also trying to look like they’re holding it up.”
“How long did you live in Pisa?”
“Until I was five. Then my family relocated to Tuscany where our factory is located and we’ve lived there ever since.”
“So, what should I do while in Siena?”
“Honestly, there isn’t a whole lot. Relatively speaking, it’s a very small town. There’s a Duomo just like in every other city and the town square is pretty impressive. It’s a great place for pictures and it’s lively in the evening with singers and artists. I would highly recommend checking it out. Other than that, there really is nothing. Most of the tours offered are for the local wineries.”
“Hmmm. It sounds like it would be a nice time to relax and have a spa day.”
“You’re probably right. That would be a good thing to do.”
They continued talking and enjoying their food. When they finished sharing the tiramisu and another bottle of wine, Tony paid the bill, and they left the restaurant.
“Oh, I’m stuffed!”
“Would you like to walk a bit before we head back to the hotel?”
“That would be nice. It would help me clear my head. I may have drunk too much wine.”
He smiled as Katherine linked arms with him. She was holding on a little tighter than earlier in the evening, and seemed to be trying to steady herself. She felt comfortable with him and that was a good thing.
“I know just the place we can go.”
They only had to walk a few blocks before arriving at the Duomo. Katherine smiled and placed a hand over her mouth as the majestic building came into view. It was gleaming so bright; the entire piazza was illuminated.
“Wow! It takes my breath away. I thought it was beautiful during the day, but at night, it’s simply breathtaking. Thank you for bringing me here. I don’t think this is something I would’ve done by myself at night.”
He continued to watch her. As light from the Duomo illuminated her face, her blue eyes sparkled like diamonds, the color almost completely washed out by the light. Her lips were stained red from the wine, and she had a look of innocence about her.
“Kate, I’m going to kiss you.”
She faced him, obviously surprised by his declaration. “I’m sorry?”
He pulled her close and pressed his lips to hers. At first, she didn’t respond to his touch, and then as if it came naturally, she melted like butter as he took hold. Katherine fell into the kiss. He savored the softness of her lips, the warmth of her breath, and the touch of her embrace. Every moment he held her, the harder it was to let go. She was his kryptonite and he grew weaker every moment she was in his arms. He didn’t want this moment to end. He was losing himself in her; becoming emotionally invested in the woman he was using wasn’t what he needed. He couldn’t let her impact him this much. He needed to gain better control of the situation. He had a plan for Christ’s sake. She couldn’t interfere with that plan. He abruptly ended the kiss.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.” He put his hands in his pockets in an attempt to tame the beast growing within.
She stood staring like a deer caught in headlights. Her lip gloss was smeared across the corners of her mouth. She pulled a hand to her lips, perhaps checking to make sure she didn’t lose a part of herself.
“We should go now.” He took her free hand, leading her back to the hotel.
She allowed him to pull her along for only a short distance before suddenly stopping. “Wait a minute. Don’t I get a say in this? Doesn’t it matter what I’m thinking? I need to know what happened back there. Can we talk about this?”
“I’m sorry. I got caught up in the moment. All of the lights …you’re so beautiful. I don’t know what I was thinking. I just couldn’t help myself. Don’t worry; I won’t let it happen again.”
“It was beautiful. I’ll admit you caught me off guard, but it was amazing. I’ve had an incredible night with you. If only we were in a different time and a different place. Maybe something could happen between us, but you don’t need to apologize. I need to thank you; you have done more for me than you can even imagine. I think, in a strange sort of way, you saved me.”
He choked on his breath. “I’m not sure what you mean when you say I saved you. I expected you to slap me across the face for being presumptuous.”
She laughed. “I would never do that. You’ve been a perfect gentleman. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed myself.”
A million questions were going through his head, none of which made any sense. He struggled between right and wrong, yin and yang. Should he just let her go or continue to be selfish and put Katherine in harm’s way in order to save his own skin? He had no choice; he was a monster and was going to subject her to whatever he had to in order to get out of this country.
“Come. Let’s get you back to the hotel. You have another full day tomorrow.”
“Okay. Are you sure? I wouldn’t mind walking around a little more.”
“Yes, I’m tired, and I still have some work to take care of tonight.”
“Oh, okay.”
As they walked back to the hotel, instead of setting a leisurely pace, he practically dragged her by the arm. Once he got her safely to her room, he headed back out to the family factory. He needed to get to the safe. He needed for this to be over. He needed to be able to move on with his life without looking over his shoulder all the time.