Under a Siena Sun (Escape to Tuscany #1) - T.A. Williams Page 0,96
one.’ David reached over and caught hold of Lucy’s hand. ‘She’s the best thing that’s happened to me for years and years.’
Fortunately it was dark enough for Lucy’s blushes not to show, but she chose to downplay the significance of his remarks. ‘Ssh, don’t let Boris hear you say that. I wouldn’t want him to get jealous.’
Later on, as he walked with them back down to her cottage, David took her by the arm and slowed his pace, letting her parents go on a little way ahead. She pressed herself against him, curious to see if he had something to say. As she waited, she watched the fireflies dancing underneath the trees and breathed in the scent of lavender in the air. His voice was little more than a whisper, but the message was unmissable and her heart leapt.
‘I meant what I said about you being the best thing that’s happened to me. The fact is, Lucy, in case you hadn’t realised, I’m afraid I’ve fallen in love with you.’
Hearing him use the L-word for the first time gave Lucy an overwhelming desire to leap on him and roll him into the bushes but, in deference to her parents, she restrained herself and just raised herself on her toes to kiss him softly on the cheek. As she did so, she almost tripped over Boris who was trotting along at their feet.
‘Love me, love my dog. And I do, David, both of you.’
Chapter 28
The following Friday after she had finished work, David picked her up and they set off for Avignon in the Mercedes, stopping for the night in a luxury hotel on the Tuscan coast, just north of Viareggio. This was a very stylish modern hotel and their room had a broad terrace looking out over the tops of a forest of umbrella pines towards the deep blue of the Mediterranean with its unbroken sweep of golden sandy beach. Behind them, the view was even more spectacular up into the nearby mountains which, at first sight, looked as though they were covered in snow. In fact the hotel was very near Carrara, home to Italy’s famous white marble quarries, and the setting sun shed a gentle pink glow across the dusty white slopes. It was a very romantic spot.
Their room was huge, with a massive – and inviting – king size bed. The bathroom was as big as her bedroom at home and unsurprisingly in there the floor, walls, basin and shower were all clad in marble. Everything was spotlessly clean, ultra-modern and doubtless vastly expensive. Dinner that evening on the immaculate rooftop terrace was excellent and she couldn’t fault any of it. The service was impeccable, the wine exquisite, the view stunning. Her companion was cheerful, attentive and very appealing. It should have been a wonderful evening except that her annoying Jiminy Cricket of a conscience kept snapping at her heels throughout, as thoughts of Ahmed and Rahel, and her good friend Miriam – now missing for months – threatened to dampen the mood.
After a long, languorous, loving night, they both went for a swim in the sea in the morning and the cool water finally managed to clear her head. As she swam idly about, relishing the refreshing feel of the water on her skin, she gave herself a serious talking-to. She was going to a good friend’s wedding with the man she loved. So he was rich; she knew that he was a good man at heart. Money didn’t always have to be a bad thing if it was in the right hands. She was alive, she was healthy, and she had every reason in the world to be happy. And that was what she was going to be. As she had told her parents, the future could look after itself for now.
She swam over to where David was floating on his back, caught hold of him and hugged him so tightly, they both disappeared under water. Trying to kiss him underwater was a step too far and they both emerged coughing and spluttering, but she was still hanging onto him.
‘What was that in aid of?’ He was grinning at her.
‘That was me telling you I really do love you, David Lorenzo, and I never want you to forget that.’
‘And if I promise never to forget it, you promise not to try to drown me again?’
‘It’s a deal.’ She kissed him again and she knew she had meant every word of what she had said.