Page 45 of Royally Roma
“Café Rocha,” he said, as if they were on holiday rather than engaged in a serious hostage situation.
Well, they weren’t on holiday...the many empty wine bottles notwithstanding.
Julia shook her head. She didn’t want to go out for breakfast. Even if she did, eating out wasn’t a luxury she could afford. Especially now. Besides, her fury at Nico had been rekindled during her walk with Valentina. She’d taken the opportunity to call When in Rome to beg for her job back, hoping against hope that Guiseppe would be willing to reconsider now that he’d had some time to cool off.
No such luck. He still refused to take her calls. Even Paola had sounded less than thrilled to hear from her. Plus, Julia found it far easier to be mad at Nico again now that he was dressed.
She crossed her arms. “No.”
“No?” he repeated. Out of nowhere, an angry vein made an appearance on his right temple.
“You promised you’d pay me back this morning. Look around. It’s morning.” She threw her hands up in the air, and Valentina scurried for cover, coming to a shivering stop right between Nico’s feet.
Julia sighed. Honestly, had he brainwashed her dog when she wasn’t looking?
She cleared her throat and continued. “I’m not hungry. I just want my money.”
Her stomach chose that most inopportune moment to growl. Loudly.
Nico lifted a perfectly groomed brow and shot a pointed stare at her midsection. Julia’s gaze swept over his combed hair and his button-down shirt, neatly tucked into his dress pants. He looked fresh as a daisy, like he was ready to walk into a business meeting. He’d slept on a sofa that was a good two feet shorter than his body. Couldn’t he at least have the decency to look the slightest bit disheveled?
“Hungry or not, we’re going to Café Rocha. I’m meeting my secretary there to collect your money,” he said.
“Oh.” His secretary. Interesting. Julia tried—and failed—not to picture him alongside a gorgeous woman wearing a charcoal pencil skirt and patent leather stilettos. “You travel with your secretary?”
“No questions, please.” He gave her a contrite look, which only made her more annoyed.
The beautiful secretary could have him. Good riddance. “Fine. Just give me a few minutes to get ready, and we’ll be on our way.”
She stomped toward her closet, congratulating herself for remembering to put clothes on this time before she left the house. It was a small victory, but she’d take what she could get these days. She pulled a red polka-dot dress with a full, swinging skirt off the rack and shut herself inside the bathroom to change. If Nico was going to strut around in a suit, she could at least do a little better than a pajama top and jeans. She slipped into a pair of ballerina flats, twisted her hair into a bun, and applied a fresh layer of lipstick.
When she walked back into the living area of the flat, Nico’s gaze lingered on her mouth just long enough to make her forget all about the suspicious fact that he traveled with his secretary.
“You look beautiful,” he said and looked at her in a way that made her chest hurt.
Don’t, she wanted to say.Don’t be nice all of a sudden. Not now.
“Thank you.” She smoothed down the front of her dress and pretended his sudden seriousness hadn’t caused a lump to form in her throat. Because that was just silly. She shouldn’t be getting emotional over saying good-bye to a man who still hadn’t even told her his last name. Or where he was from. Or what he did for a living.
All told, she knew nothing about him. Other than that he never carried money, didn’t like having his picture taken, and had a weird sympathy for members of the ruling class.
He’s also possibly the best kisser to ever set foot in Italy. Don’t forget that little tidbit.
She swallowed. “I’ll be pounding the pavement later looking for a new job, so it seemed like a good idea to look presentable.”
“Ah, I see.” He smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes.
The walls of the flat felt like they were closing in all of a sudden. Julia needed him out of her home, out of her life. She was starting to wonder if two hundred fifty euros was really worth this entire mess.
“Shall we?” She grabbed her backpack, tossed it onto her shoulder, and flung the door open.
He waited a beat, glanced around, and finally nodded. “I’m ready if you are.”
Julia released a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding as he brushed past her. Of course she was ready.
She didn’t even manage to catch up with Nico, though, before the door of the flat across the hall swung open.
“Oh, hello.” Chiara, Julia’s best friend looked her up and down. “Wow, you’re home. I thought you’d be off on another tour by now. Where are you off to, all dressed up?”
