An Apartment in Venice (21 page)

They tucked in and shared bites. Not quite what proper Italians would do when eating out, Giulia thought. The night was warm and since Tom ordered both red and white wines, they soon relaxed and enjoyed the evening as if no tensions existed around their table.

For the main course, Tom ordered
filetto di branzino con finocchi e olive taggiasche e pomodoro candito,
filet of sea bass with fennel and olive tapenade and candied tomatoes. Chuck ordered
filetto di angus argentino,
filet of Argentine beef, and Giulia passed, happy to wait for a simple green salad. Of course, both men offered her tastes of their entrées. No one wanted dessert but all enjoyed espressos accompanied by minuscule biscotti and chocolates. Truly an expense-account repast.

Chuck and Giulia left Tom, promising to have breakfast with him the next morning. Chuck invited her to his place; she invited him to hers. He hesitated. He liked his better, then felt selfish and agreed. “I even have an extra toothbrush,” she said.

He laughed and pulled her into his arms. They caught a vaporetto to Rezzonico. “We haven’t talked about our apartments have we?” he said.

“We’ve had other things on our minds,” she said so softly he barely heard.

“Here’s what we’ll do,” he said. “We’ll shelve everything for tonight. Maybe get some rest. Okay?”

Her apartment was still bare and didn’t feel much like home, he thought. What did home mean anyway? A place where you knew exactly where your favorite paring knife resided? Where your books were lined up on the shelves not by size but by favorites? Maybe home was having Giulia in his arms. He’d never once thought about this in his first marriage.

She suggested he go ahead and shower first. When she slipped into bed beside him, he was naked. She wanted to feel his skin against hers and slid out of her sleep Tee to snuggle close to him. They held each other, but neither one wanted to start anything. He loved every second of their lovemaking, but this was heavenly, too. He always slept better with her in his arms. The nightmares seldom came when the girl-weight of her arm or leg lay across his body.

By morning, though, Chuck took a chance and curled around her moving his hand to hold a lush breast. He couldn’t keep from humming low in his throat. She turned toward him letting her hands skim his chest and on to his aroused cock. His big hands encompassed her rib cage, moved over her belly until one hand lay on her mound. She trembled and when he discovered she was ready, they made slow, silent love. Nothing special. Nothing unusual. And for him, it was one of the best sexual experiences he’d ever had.
Seems like those words slip into my head a lot lately.

* * *

After their breakfast on the hotel balcony outside Tom’s lavish suite, he gave them a tour. Every inch was over decorated, but when he opened the door to the bathroom, he reared back and laughed. “Whooee, take a look at this,” and Tom pointed to the gilded mirrors, golden faucets and exquisite marble sinks and counter made of a rich, bronze-streaked marble. “Tour’s over. Let’s get out of this stifling excess.”

They walked and talked all through the rest of the day, grabbing pizza at Serenissima, their favorite pizza shop with its multi-colored carnival lights that glowed night and day, every day. More talking and walking and finally back to Tom’s balcony. Soon, Giulia excused herself to prepare for Monday morning classes. Chuck walked to the door with her to get a whispered assurance that he could drop by after an early nightcap with Tom.

But Tom followed to say goodbye.

“Come back soon, Tom, expense account or not.”

He bent to kiss her on the cheek and give her a gentle hug. “I plan to. I’ll see
you
in spite of what this lug does with himself. In the meantime, take my card in case you need anything.” Then he punched Chuck in the belly. “Hey, man, you’re getting soft.”

With that Chuck put him in a headlock, and said, “Soft eh?”

She left, not needing to find out which one would cry uncle first.

* * *

The two good friends sat on the Gritti balcony of Tom’s room and sipped four-year-old Cognac. Tom lit a cigar but Chuck passed. He wasn’t crazy about them and didn’t want it on his breath for later with Giulia.

Tom wanted to know more about the Ogle mess that Chuck had alluded to as well as the Botteri business. Chuck summarized what had happened from the time she kneed Oliver in the balls and ran straight into Chuck’s arms. Also about the break-in of her apartment in Vicenza.

“She’s convinced Ogle did it,” Chuck said, “but I think Botteri’s thugs had been there, too.

“She’s been through a lot.”

Chuck nodded and sipped his brandy.

As usual, Tom didn’t let the subject go. “You don’t ever need to know what she did years before you. But as I said, for the record you have nothing to worry about. All you need to know is who she is now. Right, ol’ man?”

“She charmed men, whether for sex or not. How do I separate that from who she is with me… or seems to be.”

“Jeezus! You’ve had plenty of women. If you can’t tell whether a response is genuine or fake—in bed or out—then you’re… you’re a hopeless case.”

He poured a little more brandy into Chuck’s snifter. “This woman rings as true as an Indian temple bell. Look how she stepped up and admitted to her past the minute I thought I recognized her. She’s the genuine article. When we first met, she was kinda on stage trying to cater to my wishes.”

“That was her job, to cater to your wishes.”

“Not sexual wishes. Christ, you cannot get off that horse can you? Your poor dick has taken a hit. I thought it was tougher than that.”

Tom kept talking while Chuck brooded over his brandy, but he listened. Chuck thought back ten years. He remembered waking once in the middle of the night while visiting his sister, trying to decide about Special Ops. Fame. Medals. Glory. That’s who he was back then. Is he still that man greedy for praise? Does he still need to prove to his dead father he’s not a failure? A man who needs a pure-as-snow woman? Does he want a woman who acts like his mom did? Afraid of him?

Chuck came out of his reverie and noticed that Tom was staring across the water looking forlorn himself. He might have a drop or two in his eyes. Was he still suffering over what he’d lost with Teri?

“What’s going on in your love life lately?” Chuck almost whispered.

“Not much. Go out some. Seldom repeat more than a time or two. It’s all over with Teri. Her problem with me wasn’t my commitment to Special Ops after all. It was my commitment to
anything
that didn’t focus on her. I’ve been grieving for something I never had.” He heaved a huge sigh. “We never were soul mates.”

They were quiet. “I think Giulia and I could be,” Chuck said almost under his breath.

“I have a hunch you’re right. That seldom comes along. If you feel lost without her—I’m not talking sex here—you need to grab on and hang tight.”

They watched the moon’s reflection on the water flowing beneath the balcony. “I could get used to this peacefulness,” Tom murmured.

“Better let you get some sleep,” Chuck said. “You have an early flight.”

“Yeah. Have to wrap up the project at the Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Boston. But when I’m in Brussels, we’re going to connect more often, man. The years are going by.”

Chuck put his hand on Tom’s shoulder, “I’d like that… a lot. As usual, you’ve given me much to ponder. Next time, though, stay with me.”

“Sounds good. In the meantime, scout someone for me exactly like Giulia. This could be a pleasant place to settle. More and more I’m thinking… quiet. Is that old age or what?”

“Could be.” Chuck stood. Tom did, too.

“Going back to her?”

“Yeah.”

“Good.”

“Good luck on your new project. But Tom, keep your heart open.”

“I will, man. Hope it works out for you and Giulia.”

“Thanks. I’ll need all the help I can get.”

Giulia, already in her sleep Tee and robe came to the door. “Don’t you have a key?”

“I do, but… thought you might want me to knock anyway.”

She puzzled over that but didn’t reply. “Would you like a drink? Are you hungry?”

“Nothing. Wait, I could use water. Not used to drinking brandy even if it was an exclusive brand I’ve never heard of before,” he snorted half-heartedly. Both seemed unable to slip into their former casual banter.

When she brought a glass of water, he was sitting on the over-sized, rather lumpy couch. She joined him to sit at the end to lean back facing him.

“Did you get your class notes ready?”

“I didn’t have much. Guess I needed space.”

“I kind of guessed.”

“I wanted to give you guys space, too.”

“He thinks the world of you.”

“Can’t imagine why, considering my past profession.”

“Semi-profession,” Chuck added.

“Still I took money from men even if only for arm candy.”

“
Some
arm candy.” He moved to pull her into an embrace beside him.

“Giulia?”

“Yes?”

“Tom’s talk about hope in the bottom of Pandora’s box… I want there to be an ‘us.’ I don’t want us to split over your past.”

“But?” she said, waiting for the qualification.

“Tom would bust my ass if he heard what I’m about to ask. And I think I know your answer, but I have to ask anyway.”

“Sure.” The word slid out on a ragged sigh as she eased out of his arms.

“Did you ever fuck a client?”

“No.” She stood up and walked toward the kitchen.

“Hand job? Blow job?”

“No, and no!” Then she whirled back to face him. As a hunky military man, you’ve probably fucked more women in six months than I have in my entire life. Marlowe said you took a gorgeous woman to the New Year’s Gala. Should I ask if you fucked her?”

He put his glass down and walked toward her. “Giulia, I’m—”

“Why care about what happened before we met? You’ll never let it go.”

“Hunky?” he said as he took her into his arms and kissed her hard and long. He took her hand, led her to the couch and pulled her onto his lap.

“I’m sorry, Giulia. I knew better. Had to stomp down that last—”

“And how many more times will you need to stomp—”

“
Never. Never again.
No more doubts.” They sat without speaking. The tick of the ornate clock on a wall shelf dominated their space.

Finally, he broke the silence. “What’s the time period on this lease?”

“Six months. I would have signed for longer, but you and Nonno urged me to sign for less until I knew how this place would work out.”

Chuck nodded. “I could suggest one thing that isn’t working out.”

“Oh. What’s that?”

“That lumpy mattress. Haven’t you noticed?”

“Those lumps
are
awful. They are hard and don’t give an inch. I spoke to the agent, and she said she’d contact the owner down in Calabria.”

The place is spacious, though, with high ceilings and the view of a rio,” he said. “So, how are you feeling about your dream place?”

“Confused. I keep thinking if I’d take pains to make it mine, I’d feel better.” She leaned against his chest. “Guess it’s the old expectation upset.”

“How’s that?”

“Like anything you build your hopes up for, the result falls flat. The apartment doesn’t have the tinsel and sparkle of a seven-year-old’s fantasy.”

“Nothing could.” He pulled her closer. “But, Giulia, leases can be broken.”

“Yes. But it might be best if I stay right here. As you said, we haven’t known each other long.”

“Hey! Why don’t you move back in with me until the new mattress arrives? You can come visit your place any time.”

She laughed. “Oh Karlo with a K,” and she put a hand on each side of his face locking his eyes to hers. “I think you agree we need more time in separate places, but you’re struggling to give up your side of the argument. Right?”

His smile was wistful. “Maybe. But that mattress is—”

“You’re right, it
is
horrid. I’ll grab what I need for work and we’ll go to your place, at least for tonight.”

“Are you sure?”

“Sure, sure, sure.”

* * *

“You can still stash stuff in your room,” Chuck said when they walked into his apartment.

“My room?”

“I’m in no hurry to place my things back there, Micina. I’m hoping you’ll soon clutter it with your stuff.”

“I see,” she said, “You
place
your things, but I
clutter
mine.”

“Yes. Exactly. I know I have a little problem with order.”

She gave a small snort.

“The truth is, I like seeing your stuff around. I can’t explain it, but when you were living here, if I walked in and saw one of your scarves or a book lying around, I felt like I’d come home.”

She dropped her briefcase on the floor and put her arms around him. “Oh Karlo, my love.”

He wrapped his arms around her. “Let’s forget about leases and apartments tonight. Okay?”

“Let’s!”

* * *

Chuck lay atop her body breathing hard. His weight felt good. It anchored her and she was right where she wanted to be. He rolled onto his side, carrying her with him, staying deep within.

“That’s one way to forget about who lives in which apartment,” she breathed.

“Yup. One way. Wait a sec. We’ll try another way.”

“A second?”

“Well maybe a minute?”

“You think so?”

“Know so.”

She played with the dusting of hair on his upper chest. Lazily followed the dark path down to his navel where it circled around. She feathered a finger around his belly button and into it. He chortled. When she moved slowly on to the thicker, black bush at his penis, she felt a thickening inside her body.

“You might be right,” she whispered.

“Damn straight, I’m right,” he said as he rolled onto his back and slowly lifted her up to straddle him. She whimpered her pleasure. Those whimpering sounds had a way of pushing him beyond his limit. He thrust upward once, rolled her onto her back again, and drove with a wildness she hadn’t expected. But she welcomed each plunge until he roared out her name, and together they dissolved into bliss.

They lay side by side, hearts pounding, gasping for breath.

“I think I’ve found
il mio leone,
my very own lion.”

“Hmm,” he sighed. “And are you
la mia leonessa
?”

“Si,” she growled softly. “Do you think Nonna and Nonno Tony came up with their pet names this way.”

“I have no doubt,” he said turning her on her side to curve around her. “And now this contented lion is ready for a nice, long snooze.”