Page 46 of Royally Roma
Julia forced her lips into something resembling a smile.I’m just headed to a ransom exchange. No big deal. “Um...”
Before she could think of something halfway believable, Chiara’s gaze snagged on Nico walking ahead of Julia. He hadn’t bothered to turn around. Thank goodness. Introducing her best friend to her hostage wasn’t a scenario she’d anticipated.
Chiara’s eyes widened in brazen astonishment. “Who’s your friend?”
Oh God.
“No one,” Julia blurted. “I’m actually in a hurry, but I’ll chat with you later, okay?”
Head bowed, she darted after Nico while Chiara called out, “You’d better.”
Nico lifted a brow as they turned the corner toward the stairwell. “A friend of yours?”
“Yes. Sorry I didn’t introduce you, but you’re kind of hard to explain.”
Must they have this conversation? It only seemed to emphasize the fact that a man coming out of her flat was such a rare occurrence that it warranted an analysis.
“No apology necessary.” His lips quirked into a half-grin.
They walked wordlessly down the winding staircase that spilled them out to the narrow cobblestone walkway where Julia’s Vespa was parked in its usual spot.
Nico narrowed his gaze at it. Honestly, what was his giant problem with her scooter? “I don’t suppose you’d let me drive this time?”
“Not a chance.” She shoved the tacky spare helmet at his chest.
“But we’re no longer bound by the rules of your employer, as you keep pointing out.” He slid the helmet in place, and once again, Julia couldn’t help but marvel at the fact that it actually looked good on him. “Over and over and over again.”
Ah, so he found it annoying, did he? Good. She’d certainly find it annoying when payday rolled around and her bank account was still sitting at zero. “You got me sacked. It’s kind of a problem.”
“I know.” He gave her that look again—the one that made her chest hurt. She wanted to close her eyes, but every time she did, she remembered the things she’d done the night before. The things she’d said.Show me.
“I’ll make it up to you, Julia. You have my word.”
He reached out to cup her face, and by god if she didn’t feel like throwing herself at him again. One touch, one moment of tender sincerity, was all it took to weaken her defenses. It was so confusing.
She clutched her helmet to her chest like it was a lifeline. “I believe you.”
What was she saying? Paying her back was one thing, but fixing her employment situation was another matter entirely. How could a person make up for something like that?
He couldn’t.
“I’m glad.” He smiled a lovely smile that made his eyes go all crinkly in the corners, and brushed the pad of his thumb against her cheek.
Julia took a protective step out of reach. She couldn’t do this anymore. She could feel herself slipping, just as she had with Elio. She’d come too far to make the same mistake. “We should get doing.”
“Very well.” He swung his leg over the seat of the scooter and gave the space in front of him a little pat.
Here we go.
She pulled on her helmet and slid in place in front of him, whispering a prayer to every Roman god she’d ever heard of that the Vespa would start quickly for once. By some miracle, it did. Before she could fully process the sensation of Nico’s solid warmth nestled behind her, they were zipping through ancient alleyways, bouncing over cobblestones.
Speeding toward good-bye.
Café Rocha was situated four blocks from the Spanish Steps. Close enough to have a fashionable address, but just far enough away to avoid the crowds that liked to linger on the piazza. Julia wove the Vespa through the winding lanes of taxi cabs and Fiats and turned onto the café’s side street, but the area was blocked by a row of tents with white awnings.
Today was Sunday. Of course.
She’d completely forgotten about the open-air market. They popped up in various spots in Rome on different days of the week. Julia knew the schedule by heart so she could avoid them when she was taking a client on a tour. But she’d forgotten all about it this morning, which was just further evidence that Nico’s presence had turned her life upside down. She was lucky she could still manage to remember her name.
