Page 14 of Nikolai
She studied his face.“No, you aren’t.You aren’t terrified of your mother.”
No, he wasn’t.He shrugged.“Busted.The truth is, my mom is a nice lady who is a stickler for manners.She was appalled when I joined the military.To her, the military is made up of barbarians.”Appalled was a weak word.Both his parents did everything but tie him up so he wouldn’t enlist, but he’d been unstoppable.They didn’t talk to him for a month.
Her head tilted.“What did they want you to do?”
“I think my mom was hoping I’d teach.History maybe, because she is a history buff.My father was hoping for the sciences because I was decent at math.”
She studied him carefully, close scrutiny by those eyes that were shards of sky.It wasn’t a hardship.He let her look all she pleased.She looked him carefully up and down.Finally, she gave a half smile.“I’ve been among historians all my adult life and I think I can safely say that you look nothing like an historian.”
He raised his eyebrows.“That’s a good thing?”
The smile broadened.“A very good thing.”She glanced out the window where the sun was low in the sky, flooding the Bay with golden light.“Maybe we should be going?”
The light still flooded the apartment too, picking out glints in silver frames, an alabaster vase full of flowers, the brass pull handles on a chest of drawers.It turned the room golden.He smiled.
“Something funny?”Parker tilted her head.
He looked down at her, happy about everything.Happy about where he was, happy that he was with Parker in this beautiful room.Happy that they were going to go out for what would undoubtedly be a spectacular meal and that no one would shoot at them on the way.Happy that she was good company.And decided to say the truth.Why the fuck not?Nick never ever revealed what he was thinking or feeling, certainly not to a woman he’d just met.But hell, it just spilled out anyway.
“Do you know where I was exactly a year ago today?”
She shook her head.
“I was in a shithole country which shall be nameless, where you take your life in your hands walking down a street after the sun has gone down.I was brokering a peace between two warlords who were brothers and who hated each other.Their war was killing a lot of innocent people, and we managed to come to a conclusion where they could still hate each other’s guts but share in lording it over a country reduced to ashes by their war.
“I was staying in the nicest hotel in town, and it smelled of piss and boiled goat meat, with an overlay of whiskey and cheap perfume.The two men were both cruel and untrustworthy, borderline crazy, and I had to shower after spending any time with either of them.And now look at me.”He waved his hand around the charming living room, glistening with light.“In a lovely apartment that smells of lavender, about to go to a famous restaurant with a beautiful woman.My fortunes have definitely improved.”
Her expression didn’t change at hearing herself called a beautiful woman.Nick had told a number of women that they were beautiful, though none of them could touch Parker.They all changed expression at the words, either turning coy or batting away the compliment in a fit of false modesty.
Parker did nothing.But then she’d probably been told she was beautiful all her life.She’d probably been a beautiful child and beautiful teenager, too.It sure hadn’t sidetracked her.She’d built an amazing career that had nothing to do with her looks, and everything to do with her smarts.And to have produced that documentary, she had business smarts too.
“So being here is an upgrade?”
“Definitely an upgrade.You about ready?If not, I can wait.”
Parker reached behind her for her purse and put on a gauzy summer jacket.“I’m ready.And hungry.Didn’t have any lunch and the food at the Consulate reception, as you know, wasn’t great.”
Nick put a hand to the small of her back, sorry that he was touching gauzy silk and not silky skin.He replayed what she’d just said and frowned.“How come you didn’t have lunch?”She was very slender and shouldn’t be skipping meals.
“I was finalizing a chapter I sent to my agent and didn’t have time for lunch, and anyway, I thought there’d be food at the Consulate reception.But, as we know, that didn’t work out too well.”She tilted her head, studying him.“If I’d had a mother, you would sound just like her.Worrying about what I had for lunch.”
“You didn’t have a mother?”He blinked, momentarily sidetracked.“You were hatched?”
“No.”She smiled.“But my mother died giving birth to me.I have no memory of her.”
“Wow.I’m sorry.”Nick tried to imagine his family without his strong-willed mother and failed.“Growing up without a mom is tough.Your father never remarried?”
Her face closed up, just froze, as if it were a fist that tightened.“No, he never remarried.I’m ready.”
Nick had been around a few blocks and recognized a closed door when he saw one.“Great.”He opened her door.“Off we go.We might even be on time which I understand would be a first in Naples.”
ChapterFour
They were shown to an amazing table at the edge of the huge terrace overlooking the Bay.The best spot in the house.Parker thought she’d seen Nick discreetly slip the maître-d’ some money but she wasn’t sure.Didn’t even want to know.Knowing might spoil some of the magic of the evening.
It was definitely magical.
The sun had just set behind Vesuvius, the clouds tinged with gold, setting the city aglow.Lights were turning on all over the city and the ornate streetlamps along the bay switched on.
