Claiming Olivia II (3 page)

“Are you hungry?” he asked, rubbing his stomach.

“I see you are,” I replied poking his arm. Alejo laughed and I threw an arm around his waist. “I could eat. Besides, I wanted to tell you a story.”

I let him lead me a very short walk away from the Piazza to a place called Caffe Florian. When we entered, I felt like I had been taken back in time to 19
^th
century Venice. It was absolutely breathtaking inside and when I put my hand to my chest and gasped in absolute wonder, Alejo leaned down and kissed the top of my head.

“Still not as beautiful as you,” he whispered.

I felt my face turn red as he gave me a gentle squeeze before launching into rapid Italian with the waiter that had greeted us.
He’s pretty cute,
I thought looking at the young man with the thick black hair, chocolate brown eyes, and huge smile.

“That hat isn’t hiding that you find him attractive, you know,” Alejo leaned down and whispered to me as we followed the waiter. I giggled and he gave my ass a gentle slap before we reached our table.

Once we were both seated, I opted for coffee and some kind of pastry that Alejo had to explain to me. He opted for almost the same except he wound up getting three pastries and told me we’d have to go somewhere else to eat after this because it wouldn’t do a thing to fill him. It was true though; I remember reading one time that men that had some muscle to them ate an insane amount of calories a day to coincide with their work outs.

“So, you said you wanted to tell me a story?” he asked, leaning back in his seat.

“Yeah. I guess I should start by pointing out the obvious. My last name isn’t really Kingsley; it’s Mitch’s. I introduced myself like that to you because I was just so used to it, especially since he is –was my fiancée. Anyway,” I leaned back in my seat as the waiter brought our order and waited for him to leave before I continued, “My last name is Nixon.”

I stopped to sip my coffee and break a piece off of my pastry. It was white crusted and had some kind of red fruit filling in the middle. I tasted it carefully and sighed at the decadence.

“This is so good,” I said happily. “Try a piece.”

Alejandro leaned forward and bit part of it off, nodding in agreement. Then he leaned back in his chair again and tapped his spoon lightly against the saucer his cup came on, waiting for me to go on.

“I met Mitch when I was 16. I had dropped out of high school and he had just graduated. I think I met him at a skate park, but to be honest with you that was so long ago that I can’t be sure. I kind of fell in love with his charisma; I mean I was such a young kid and watching the way he interacted with everyone, you could never distinguish between who was his friend and who was a stranger.” I stopped momentarily and sighed, “If you don’t want to hear this, I’ll stop. I just wanted to get this out is all.”

“If I didn’t want to hear what you had to say, I would have already requested that you stop,” Alejo replied gently. “Please continue.”

I smiled at him and bit another piece of my pastry off before I continued. “Okay so anyway, Mitch saw me sitting off by myself under one of the trees just watching everyone on the ramps and stuff and he came over to talk to me. I mean he was super cool about it; he introduced himself even though I was painfully shy, he almost immediately pulled me out of my shell when he started to talk video games. I didn’t know it then but Mitch could look at a person and figure out something they liked and go from there. I think he guessed mine so easily because I had a small pair of dangly Nintendo controller earrings on.

We spent the rest of the morning and afternoon chatting. He made me laugh a lot, but then again that’s one thing Mitch is really good at. At the end of that first day, he helped me get to my feet and I remember hugging him thinking that I had found a great friend. And I honestly did, but we didn’t stay just friends for long. It took about six months before he finally made a move and I was so smitten with him that I just let it happen I guess. Maybe a year after that I moved in with him.

The first year was great. I mean it was sex all the time, we barely fought; just drank ourselves silly and played video games from the time the sun went up to when the sun went down on the weekends. On the weekdays, I couldn’t wait to get home from work so I could go home and just be
near
him.

That didn’t last longer than a year though. The sex slowed down dramatically and I was always made to feel like I had done something wrong. Always. He would play video games still but he would sit in the other room while I stayed in the bedroom watching Netflix alone. I wound up getting  a second job just so I wouldn’t feel so alone all the time. On the rare occasion that he did decide that I was good enough to fuck, it was usually a three minute jamboree session and when he was done it was over.

I honestly believe in my heart that’s the reason I was so eager to go off with you, Alejo. I saw an old spark of Mitch in your eyes and I wanted to feel loved again. I wanted to feel like I was the only one that mattered to someone and you gave that to me.

Running around Spain with you, running away with you period, just seemed so romantic that I had to do it. I can honestly say now thinking about it, that part of me
did
love you. Not wholly, but enough to want to see what life could be like with you. You’re so kind and so funny and even though that ex-girlfriend mishap was way more than I should’ve been exposed too, I still found pieces of my heart wanting you.

And here I am rambling.

My point is this; Mitchell may not be a perfect man but he was once. He may not be the best fiancée anyone could ever hope for, but even when I feel at my most alone, I know that he loves me more than anyone ever has.

That’s what you’re up against and I thought it would only be fair to you to know it,” I said quietly.

Alejandro tilted his head to the side when I was done talking, “Did you say that parts of you loved me?”

I nibbled on my pastry and nodded.

“Still? Or is this in the past?”

“Still,” I replied honestly looking up into his dazzling hazel blue eyes.

“Then that’s all I need to know,” he replied with a smile. “Finish that up. We need to get real food before I pass out.”

I laughed and he smiled as he threw some money onto the table, got to his feet and held out his hand to me.

I took it firmly and let him lead me out of the Caffe back into the Piazza.

W
e were staying at the Palazzo Sant'Angelo sul Canal Grande. It was absolutely stunning and he kept it a surprise until it was time to check in. He also told me that this is where we would be staying for the rest of our trip to Italy.

I had to admit that Alejandro was seriously putting his best foot forward trying to impress me, but since I didn’t know for sure what his intentions were, I couldn’t base everything off of this. No matter how much money he had, if he didn’t love me at the end of this, then it would be pointless to leave someone who did.

We stayed there until the sun went down, though nothing happened. I sat in the chair closest to the window and snapped pictures on my phone, sending them back to America, while he sat on the bed and watched television.

“Would you do something for me, Livie?” Alejo suddenly asked.

“Sure, what’s up?”

“Take this down to the front desk and wait until they give you what I’m asking for please,” he said scribbling something onto the notepad in the room.

“What is it?” I asked curiously as I slid my flat flip flops on and went over to him.

“Read it if you want to know,” he replied with a mischievous grin. I glanced down and rolled my eyes when I realized it was written in Italian.

“I’ll be back,” I said, leaning down and kissing him on his cheek.

I left the room with the note firmly in my hand and made my way to the elevator. I pressed the call button and stepped in when it opened. Leaning against the back I watched the numbers and let out my breath in an impatient huff. I hope this wasn’t something illegal or embarrassing that I’d be doing for him.

But I put on a big smile as soon as the elevator doors opened and walked dutifully toward the front desk, handing the young girl behind the counter the paper.

The girl took the note with a curious smile, read it, giggled, and disappeared into the back office. I raised an eyebrow and wondered exactly what the hell I had given her. Five minutes passed and she still hadn’t returned, so I went and sank down into one of the huge comfy chairs in the lobby.

Another ten minutes and my almost falling asleep on the chair passed by when the phone ringing at the front desk startled me. The girl reemerged from the back office to answer it, before waving me over. She handed me the note back and nodded at the elevator.

“I thought you were supposed to give me something?” I asked suspiciously.

With a small smile she slightly shook her head and walked back into the office again. I rolled my eyes, sighed heavily, and made my way back up to the room. Alejandro had the door cracked slightly, so I just pushed it open and went over to where he was still sitting on the bed, only dressed fancier than he was when I left, watching television.

“Here’s your stupid note. She didn’t give me shit and I almost fell asleep downstairs,” I said angrily.

“She gave me what I needed,” he replied vaguely as he flipped to another channel. “Get dressed Livie, I have a surprise for you.”

“What did she give you?” I asked stubbornly refusing to move.

“Time,” he replied with a smile. “Now please get dressed or we’re going to be late.”

I stood there and glared at him, but he wouldn’t meet my glance. Instead I watched the smile deepen on his handsome face, until it gave way to a boyish grin, which turned into lips twitching back laughter.

“You’re such an ass,” I muttered as I walked past him.

Alejo laughed good-naturedly and turned the television off. I went over to my bags and pulled out one of my white loose off the shoulder tops that had the
PARENTAL ADVISORY 
slogan slapped across it. I slung it over my shoulder and went back to looking in my bag for my favorite pair of black leggings, which I found almost instantly. I grabbed a brand new black push up bra and laughed to myself.
Thanks sis.
I laughed again when I saw the brand new pair of black lace panties that matched the bra. Sofia was working overtime when I wasn’t looking and apparently she wanted me to do the same thing when she wouldn’t be looking.

“You better thank my sister when we get back state-side,” I said to him as I walked past him and into the bathroom.

I knew it was childish of me to get dressed in the bathroom, especially since he had sort of fucked me already, but I did it anyway. It was obvious that tonight would be a “show me what you’ve got” night, so the more time I could spend alone the better. After I had taken off my lounging clothes and underwear, I folded everything neatly rested them on the sink. I pulled the tags off of the new panties and bra and quickly got dressed, eyeing myself in the mirror when I was done.

“You can do this Livie. It’s what you signed up for,” I said quietly to myself before grabbing my clothes and walking out of the bathroom.

A
lejo was standing in front of the window, hands in his pockets, looking at the Venetian skyline. I walked quietly to my bag and put the clothes next to it. Then I grabbed my wedged flip flops and slid them on.

“Ready,” I said. Alejo turned to face me and a wistful smile crossed his face.

“Qué bella,” he said softly.

“You too,” I replied sticking my tongue out at him. He chuckled and came over to take my hand and lead me out of the room.

I was pretty sure he had said I was beautiful but just the way his face looked when he said it was enough to turn me bright red.

We walked out of the hotel like two shy teenagers on a first date holding hands. He was quiet and so was I. My hands were slightly shaking and so were his.

“So, where are we going?” I asked as we walked down the street.

“We are going on a gondola ride.”

“At night time? Isn’t that a little dangerous?” I asked.

“No,” he replied with a chuckle. “I want you to see Ponte dei Sospiri.”

“What?”

“It means the Bridge of Sighs, and it’s quite beautiful.”

I nodded and let him lead me down the streets of Venice until we reached a place to board one of the gondolas. But it wasn’t just any random gondola, it was one that he had reserved especially for us.

The gondola driver, or guider, or whatever he was called greeted us cheerfully and helped me step in. Alejo got in behind me and sat down, pulling me carefully down next to him and wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

The gondola man asked Alejandro a question rapid Italian to which Alejo smiled and nodded enthusiastically. He gave me a squeeze and leaned back as the man opened his mouth and started to sing the most beautiful song that I never understood.

I leaned back against Alejo happily and looked up at him. He looked down at me and smiled before he kissed my forehead and turned his attention back to the gondola driver – err, steerer. Or whatever.

“This is so perfect,” I said happily.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying it so far,” Alejo replied. “I believe things will only get better as the evening goes on.”

I didn’t ask questions because I didn’t want to ruin anything. Instead I just snuggled into him as the man’s singing tapered slowly off to silence. I clapped because I couldn’t help it. Something as amazing as what he just did deserved a round of applause.

“Look over there,” Alejo said sitting me up and pointing past our guide. “That’s it!”

I followed his direction and squealed happily. I don’t what it was exactly about the bridge that got that reaction from me, but it was hands down one of the most amazing pieces of architecture I had ever seen.

As we approached it on the lazy waters, Alejo turned my face to his and smiled, running a finger down my cheek.

“Do you like it?” he asked softly.

I nodded.