Claire #2
Despite my reservations, I found myself lost in a dream, wondering what it would be like if the road leading to Naples had never been fixed. Would he be less interested in me if there wasn’t an hourglass with sand slipping away as it counted down the moments to my departure?
The car turned onto a pebble driveway, and Arik’s lips found my neck in a gentle kiss that lingered just long enough to send a warmth through my hips as my thigh involuntarily twitched.
He then slid back to his original seat as the driver quickly opened the door for him.
With ease, Arik stepped out and made his way to my door.
What a gentleman…and now I am putty in his hands. Fantastic.
But maybe I want to be putty?
With a smile, he opened my door and extended his hand, helping me out of the SUV as smooth pebbles slid beneath my sandals. I quickly realized how badly I had missed the warmth of his hand in mine during the few seconds he left my side.
Arik’s grasp moved from my hand to my waist, and he pulled me in. All the air left my lungs as I felt his lips press firmly against mine. “After you, beautiful,” he murmured, his arm outstretched and directing me down the alleyway.
“After me, where?” I stammered as I looked upon the narrow alleyway that stretched before us. He took my hand once again, this time pulling my body closer to his until our sides brushed against each other and his arm wrapped around my shoulders without pause.
We walked together along the cobblestone alley until the deep blue sea rose into view, the sun overhead illuminating the white of the waves as they crashed toward the shore.
Below the rows of tan buildings and orange-hued roofs, bright red and white umbrellas dotted the beach at the bottom of the stone-wrapped hills.
The alley then split into walkways between the buildings that flanked us as lush greenery led the way along the path.
“Just right here.” Arik motioned with his arm, leading me toward the restaurant that was perched to overlook the beautiful scenery.
As we approached the host stand, I couldn’t pull away from the view.
The flat beaches of Long Island couldn’t compare to this.
Tables were set with white linens, ornate red and gold-leafed plates, and golden cutlery under deep red umbrellas that shrouded them in a crimson shade.
Neck-high topiaries in clay pots separated the tables into small alcoves, adding an air of privacy and intimacy among the bustling space.
Before I could even begin to process the scents and sounds of the terrace, Arik was pulling my chair out for me. The thick white cushions called for me to come and rest my feet that were beginning to ache from the chunky heels I mistakenly decided to wear.
Arik paused as he looked back and forth at the chair across from me and the chair to my left.
I felt him scanning my face as I held the stiff ivory menu in my hands, pretending I wasn’t aware of his present contemplation.
The seat next to me slid out as Arik sat down, and a busser quickly removed the other two place settings.
We both browsed the menu silently, Arik shooting knowing glances in my direction as I pretended to have any idea what the menu said.
“What is your desire today, love?” Arik whispered in my direction as my head snapped toward him, taken aback by the sultry tone in his voice.
“My what?” I questioned, shock present in my voice. The sea breeze wafted through my hair as I examined his mischievous smile. I was obviously thinking about something else.
Chill, Claire.
Arik raised his eyebrows in amusement as he pulled his attention back to the menu. “Pasta, chicken, beef, fish…” he listed off as his eyes scanned the simple menu.
“Oh. Umm…pasta, I guess. Wait…what do you recommend? This is your favorite place, right?” I questioned.
“Aside from the restaurant at the winery, yes.” Arik winked at me, his words bringing flashbacks to the night before into my mind. Despite the lack of alcohol thus far, we seemed to have no problem picking back up the flirtatious banter and subsequent chemistry that boiled between us.
“And why is that?” I quipped back playfully.
“This restaurant has a distinctive character in comparison. It is light and breezy, just like our surroundings. The hotel restaurant is more decadent and richer, just like the vineyard,” he replied as he set his menu before him and looked toward the sea.
“If the two restaurants exchanged menus, they simply would not work. The ambiance would be off.”
I stared at him, impressed by his justification.
He had a way with words that I had never encountered before.
Maybe it was his age? It was like every word he said weaved together into a storied tapestry that wrapped around me like a cocoon.
Arik was mysteriously opaque, and I couldn’t tell if he was the world’s most gifted bachelor or something more tangible.
“And your favorite dish here?” I asked, focusing on his deep eyes.
“Bucatini alla calabrese.” He smiled back as he turned his body straight toward mine. “It has a little stockfish to enhance the flavor, but is overwhelmingly simple—garlic, tomato, onion, and red pepper. An immensely popular dish in Calabria.”
“Well…” I exhaled as I picked up my crystal water glass. “I guess I will be having that then.”
Just as I took a sip of the cool water, the waiter appeared, looking nervous and speaking quickly in Italian that I could not even begin to attempt to understand. Arik looked at me as if he were expecting me to respond before quickly catching himself and laughing.
“Wine? Are we having a repeat of last night? Would you like me to carry you through the streets?”
I shot him a glance of annoyance as my brows dropped and eyes narrowed, suddenly remembering my lack of gracefulness after a wine or two…or four.
Arik cut in swiftly, as if he wanted to hurry the waiter along. He must have been famished. Italian words danced from his lips as he ordered what sounded like enough food to feed a family of four.
I stared at him, jaw dropped and eyes wide, amused by how his English accent seemed to disappear when he spoke in Italian. I had no idea what he said to the waiter, but whatever it was, it sounded so good coming out of his mouth—like a forbidden poetry that made my chest warm.
He also could have ordered five different kinds of smelly fish with eyeballs and everything. Who knows?
Arik reached for my hand now that there were no annoying menus taking up valuable space between us. As I looked toward the sea, I could feel him examining my face, seemingly trying to read me and searching for things to say.
Had we already run out of things to talk about? Was I that boring?
“So…how is your room?” he asked, squeezing my fingers gently.
I exclaimed, unable to contain my satisfaction. “Oh, God. It’s so amazing. I cannot even believe it. I want to take every bit of that bed back to New York with me.”
Arik laughed as he shifted his chair toward mine, practically sitting side by side with me. He asked, “Speaking of New York…how is it? I have not been in quite some time.”
“I mean, New York is New York. What do you mean?” I questioned.
“For you. What is New York City like for you? What do you do with your spare time? You told me about your parents on Long Island and your sister in New Jersey. Who do you spend time with?” Arik asked just as the waiter set wine goblets filled halfway with a deep ruby-red liquid in front of us.
“Ah. That. Well…” I replied, slightly irritated by his question. “I don’t spend my time with anyone these days since my breakup.”
His eyes softened. “Yes, I kind of picked up that maybe you were not used to being properly swooned.” He winked before taking a sip from his glass.
“I am not talking about romantic relationships or anything of the sort. How do you spend your time? When you are not working, of course,” he questioned, his face riddled with curiosity.
“Oh, sorry.” I shook my head as I gently swirled the wine in the glass before having a deep drink. “It has been a long day, and I think I am still kind of on edge. Let’s hope the wine will help.”
“Yes. You did appear a little irritated and edgy this morning. I mean, I understand your travel being disrupted is shocking, but why would you be upset? You get to stay here longer. You were going to be here for a mere twenty-four hours, and now you are on an extended vacation, all expenses paid,” he questioned as he mirrored my swirl-and-sip.
My expression turned stiff as I asked, “How do you know about that?”
Arik tilted his head, his eyebrow arching as he spoke. “About the accommodation?” Arik blinked rapidly and looked away from me. “Claire, I work with this winery. I know how they treat guests. Even guests that are there on business.”
He leaned back in his chair and picked up his wine glace, giving it another swirl.
I exhaled. “Oh. That makes sense.”
His eyes settled in on me again, scanning from my lips to my eyes slowly.
I looked down before continuing, trying my best not to overshare despite how easy he made it.
“It really isn’t that simple. It seems simple but it’s not.
One, yes, while I am fortunate to have this experience, I do worry about my parents.
I worry that something will happen when I’m not there.
I could never live with myself if I was galivanting around Italy while one of my parents were…
” I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, unable to finish the sentence.
As soon as I felt the warm sensation of tears building behind my lashes, I focused on the taste of the wine on my tongue and the sea air caressing my face to keep myself from getting emotional.
I opened my eyes quickly, before I could get swept away in the moment.
Arik looked down at our fingers, laced together in the most natural way possible, as if we had known each other our entire lives. He exhaled. “That’s understandable.” His thumb gently rubbed from my wrist to the tip of my thumb and back down again, soothing me.