Chapter 16
Amit watched as Marianna’s eyes found him. He hadn’t been hiding. He’d assumed she’d take hours showering and doing whatever other feminine magic women did to get ready. He’d never paid much attention to his previous lovers’ bathing routines because he’d never cared enough.
Seeing Marianna so quickly was…startling. She was even lovelier without makeup, but he suspected she wouldn’t agree. She looked fresh and alive, less sophisticated and definitely more approachable.
“Yes,” she replied, touching her stomach. “I’m starving.”
“I know you said soup or a sandwich, but I suspected you were hungrier than that.” He gestured towards the sofa. “How about pizza?” he offered.
Her eyes brightened at the suggestion and she moved closer. “That sounds delicious, but I’m a bit of a purist.”
“I’m guessing you mean you prefer sausage and pepperoni?”
She couldn’t stop a shy smile. “With a tomato base and loads of cheese,” she confirmed with a nod. Then she looked wary again. “However, I seem to recall you don’t eat pork, right?”
He shook his head. “I don’t, but the palace chef creates amazing sausage and pepperoni with turkey. Fennel is the secret ingredient, I’m told.”
“Thank goodness!” she sighed, dropping onto the sofa. There was an entire cushion between them, but he didn’t mind. She was talking easily with him, which he considered progress. “I love pizza. I grew up in Paris where the rage was all about unique toppings, but in my opinion, there’s nothing better than a traditional pizza.” She tilted her head, then said, “Except for chips. And beer. And wine. And chocolate.”
He laughed, delighted with her more relaxed attitude. “You’re a chocolate lover then?”
“Aren’t you?” she asked. “What’s not to love? It’s delicious.”
“I have to confess that while I wouldn’t call myself a chocolate devotee, I do think it’s delicious in a dessert occasionally.”
While they waited for the pizza to arrive, Amit laughed and relaxed while they lightheartedly argued about world cuisines and the various local delicacies. When the pizza was delivered, it was hot and covered with melting cheese. They switched to red wine and he noticed that Marianna relaxed even more. She crossed her legs and leaned back into the soft cushions of the sofa.
It felt incredibly right, having her here. He watched her smile and enjoyed bantering with her. Their conversations in the past had been about politics and economics or social problems. This was different. This was personal and he learned that Marianna missed her mother terribly, but adored her half-brothers, whom she hadn’t known existed until after her mother passed and her life had been uprooted and moved to Lativa. She also adored her nieces and nephews, but he didn’t dare ask if she wanted to have children someday. Not yet.
However, after two slices of pizza and a glass of wine, Amit noticed that Marianna’s eyes were drooping.
“You’ve had a long day,” he pointed out unnecessarily. “Why don’t you rest for a while?” He nodded his head towards the cell phone sitting on the coffee table between the pizza and her glass of wine. “Feel free to call your brothers, but please don’t contact anyone else.” He indicated a computer sitting on the table. “If you want to work, feel free to do so, but if you can hold off on contacting your work contacts, I would appreciate it. It would help me a great deal if my cousin doesn’t discover where you are.”
“I can do that,” she replied, then bit her lip, a blush rising in her cheeks. What was going on in her head? He wanted to know everything, but held back, not wanting to ask. Yet.
Still, he couldn’t get past the sense that they were both walking on eggshells. Neither revealing too much to the other, both wary.
Amit hoped it would pass and she would relax around him. And he could relax around her. However, there was no way in hell he’d be able to relax when all he really wanted to do was pull her into his arms and kiss her until she moaned his name.