Page 46 of Too Hard to Resist

‘It is another UNESCO site and has been featured in many movies.’

‘Yeah? Which ones?’

‘Wonder Womanand the James Bond movieNo Time to Die.’

‘I’ve seen both of those. Wait!’ I shouted out as my brain scanned the different scenes in my memory. ‘Is this the place where James Bond drives his Aston Martin down the streets at the start of the film?’

‘Sì.’

‘No way! Never did I think when I was watching it that one day I’d be here!’

‘Life is that way sometimes.’

‘I get excited when I see landmarks like Tower Bridge or Big Ben in films because it’s my home city, so everything’s familiar, but now I can say I’ve visited aninternationalfilm location. Very cool,’ I smiled. ‘Have you ever been to London?’

‘Sì. My brother, Giorgio, lives there. And my mother’s family live in Kent.’

‘I didn’t realise you had a brother.’

‘I have a brother and a sister. Both younger. My sister, Mirabella, is in Rome and my brother lives with his boyfriend in a place called Brixton.’

‘That’s not far from where I live!’ I said.

‘Really?’

‘Yep! I’m in Tooting. It’s literally a short Tube ride away. Small world!’

‘It is. London is a great city, but the weather…’ He winced. ‘I do not know how Giorgio does it. After living somewhere with such good weather and beaches all of my life, I could not live somewhere that is so cold and grey. I love the sunshine too much.’

‘Can’t argue with you there!’ I laughed.

‘What do you do in London for work, Samantha?’

‘I’m a receptionist for a pharmaceutical company.’

‘That is interesting. Does your company make anything exciting?’

‘You mean like Viagra?’ I blurted out and Romeo’s eyes bulged.

Jeez. My foot-in-mouth levels had already peaked and we’d only just arrived.

‘No, strangely that was not what I was thinking, but now that you have mentioned it, do they?’ He raised an eyebrow.

‘No. Our bestselling products are haemorrhoids cream and diarrhoea tablets.’

‘I see,’ he smiled.

‘Admit it. You’re disappointed about the Viagra.’ I laughed. I shouldn’t have mentioned it again, but I couldn’t help myself. Strangely, despite my inability to say things I shouldn’t, Romeo seemed really chill about it.

‘It is not something I have ever needed…’ His voice trailed off and our eyes locked.

Yeah. I kind of imagined that Romeo wouldn’t have any problems getting it up. Not that I was imagining his cock or anything, because that would be inappropriate and I was an absolute angel.

‘Lucky for you,’ I smiled. ‘And your girlfriend, of course.’

‘I do not have a girlfriend.’

‘Wait, what?’ I stopped in my tracks. ‘So you’re in charge of helping people like me find love, but you haven’t found your own Mrs Right?’

---