The Prelude (A Musical Interlude Novel) - By Kasonndra Leigh Page 0,58
on the mouth. I’m a commitment phobic person too. But I can honestly say that Erin makes the first woman I’ve ever met who didn’t enjoy being kissed on the mouth.
“No kissing on the mouth,” I confirm.
“Deal, then.” She gives me a tiny smile, but I can tell she’s nervous about what we just agreed to do. Hell, I am too. I’ve never made an arrangement with a woman who I was falling for in the past.The more I think about it, I’m not sure I want this to remain just an agreement based on sex. Maybe I want more
Chapter Fifteen
Erin
I lift my head up out of Alek’s convertible Aston Martin. The air pushing against my face both smothers and excites me. His final destination for us will be a surprise; but he did tell me we were headed to the mountains closest to the Amalfi coast. I could almost kiss Luca for letting me have a few days off this week, giving Alek and me some time to try out this arrangement thing before his performance.
I plop back down in my seat and tighten the scarf I wear around my head. My eyes can’t take in enough of the sculptured mountaintops and the villas built into them at one time. Experiencing all of this with Alek makes the purity of the white sands stretching along the coastline so much prettier, and the blue in the water so much brighter.
This mini getaway is just the thing Alek and I need, a much deserved break from the constant hustle of life in Milan. It’s as though I can feel the weight of the world lifting off of my shoulders the longer we travel along the mountainside. Soon, he steers off the roads running alongside the coastlines, and heads into the mountainous regions, our destination.
He eases the Aston Martin to a stop just outside of a group of apartments built inside of the mountains.
“This is it? Where we’ll be staying this weekend?” I ask, trying hard not to gasp too loudly as I check out our surroundings. “Whoa.”
“You’ll love it. Trust me. The Valle Delle Ferriere is where I go to clear my head before any big performance,” he explains.
It’s gorgeous. I can’t deny it. The whole scene kinda reminds me of a hyped up version of a Rick Steve’s travel video. But this isn’t an armchair traveling thing. I’m really here with my Maestro. I can’t help but to grin wide.
Inside our room which is pretty much an apartment built inside of a hole in the mountain, he wastes no time with essential things like resting, for example. I don’t even get the chance to sit down and get comfortable. Instead, I’m ordered to change into my hiking gear. But his excitement about wherever he’s taking me to makes me feel the same way; so I don’t mind losing a bit of breathing time.
We set out toward his secret hideout, the place where I’ll get to learn more about the mysterious Maestro.
For about forty-five minutes, we walk through a valley that reminds me of one of those old Indiana Jones movies. My hair feels like it’s fried, my thighs are on fire, and my ass cheeks have gone numb from climbing so many hills. This is what I get for skipping yoga class all those times. I’m about ready to give up and turn back when Alek comes to an abrupt stop, causing me to run into the back of him.
Easing his arm around me, he beams a smile at my distress—which is not funny—and says, “We’re here.”
I turn my head in the direction of his gaze and inhale sharply. We stand in front of a small waterfall, a gorgeous one inside of a place where Alek says he comes to meditate before each performance.
It’s the one thing my sister always said she wanted to see one day. Shaking off somber thoughts, I redirect my energy back to the scene before me.
“Right. This is your special hangout? A waterfall?” I ask, thinking of the day when Nadya asked me if Alek had brought me out here yet. I can’t help but to wonder if he does this with all of his new “partners.”
“I wanted you to see how I get ready for a performance, yes. By purifying my body with nature’s showers.” He walks over to a boulder, sets his backpack down on it, and removes his shirt and boots. Oh dear.