Royally Claimed - By Marie Donovan Page 0,51
wearing motorcycle chaps and nothing else popped into her mind. “Only if you get some for yourself.”
He wiggled his eyebrows. “I already do.”
She decided to change the subject. “I didn’t expect your friends to be so nice to me, especially the women.”
He gave her a strange look. “Why ever not? You are a nice person, they are nice people. Most everybody here is friendly.”
“Yes, but…” She wasn’t sure how to describe it. “The local Duke sleeping with an American woman.”
“Somebody said that to you?” Frank’s face darkened.
“No, Frank, nobody said anything. Nobody even gave me a funny look.” But she bet his mother and sisters would have had something to say if Frank had ever brought her home to them. Eleven years ago, Julia had been too young and naive to manage well in such a foreign environment, and now…maybe she was too old and jaded.
“Are you sure?” He was still wound up for battle. “Because I won’t tolerate anyone insulting you. Not here, not anywhere.”
Wow. She knew he had a protective streak but had never seen it directed toward others on her behalf before. “I’m sure. José’s family was lovely, and they adore you.”
He relaxed a bit and grinned. “And I am sure as soon as we left, they were on the phone to fill in Benedito back home. He keeps better tabs on me than my mother ever did.”
“From what you’ve told me, it sounds like you needed it.”
“Maybe when I was younger, but now he would definitely be in the way.” Frank stretched and rolled out from under her. “As much as I hate to say it, we should get dressed and go.”
She gave the dappled green clearing a wistful look before reaching for her clothes. Their little Eden would linger in her memory for a long time.
“Such a shame to cover yourself up.” He shook his head mournfully. “That is why I want to get you back to Belas Aguas so we can be truly alone.”
Julia stopped in the middle of dressing. She was an expert on being alone, an expert on loneliness. Being alone with Frank was a misnomer—the time they spent together, just the two of them, was everything, the perfect connection with another human being that she’d longed for and never thought she’d have again.
She cupped his cheeks and kissed him sweetly, tenderly. “Thank you, Franco. Thank you for everything.”
He rested his forehead against hers. “I owe you more than I can ever repay.”
She closed her eyes and sighed, her heart filling with the love she’d pushed away for so long. Her uncomplicated spring fling was certainly more complicated than she’d bargained for.
AN HOUR LATER, AFTER zipping along the road back to her parents’ apartment, Julia unlocked their door and pushed it open, wrinkling her nose at the musty air.
“How are your aunt and uncle this week, Julia?” Frank glanced around the apartment to make sure it was still in one piece, checking under the sink for leaks and making sure the fridge was still running. “Is your aunt still in the hospital?”
“Oh, I forgot to tell you.” She beamed at him and his heart thumped. “I called Boston yesterday and they’re both doing well. My uncle’s broken leg is starting to heal nicely and my aunt is doing much better since her ribs stopped hurting so much. The home health nurses and physical therapists are visiting several times a week to make sure they keep up their strength.”
“I’m glad to hear they’re recovering. Have your parents set a date for their return?”
She found a bottle of orange soda in the fridge and took a sip. “Ah…all that motorcycle riding makes me thirsty.” She winked at him and his heart flipped to see her dark curly hair wild over the leather jacket. “I don’t think they can come back for a couple more weeks. Once my uncle can move more easily and doesn’t need as much help with daily activities, my mom and dad will consider it. Anyway, my mom is grabbing the chance to visit some of her old friends and go shopping for new summer clothes. My dad has the keys to my condo so he’s probably hanging out there just to catch a break once in a while. I have many TV channels.”
When the topic of her father came up, Frank still got the same embarrassed feeling that he had when he’d been a teenager. Sure, he and Julia were adults, but once Frank had a daughter, he’d knock any