Lussuria (New Version) (8 page)

My lips feel swollen as if I have been biting them in my sleep, I taste blood. I’ve been doing this through fear, and the bed sheets are damp slightly with my perspiration. I cry quietly into her soft velvety fur as she lays her head on my chest comforting me.

Wings

The alarm goes off at 6.45am.

Slamming my hand on it I pull the pillow over my head. Doris jumps up and barks like mad after hearing the alarm. She’s way too excited, kissing my face and burying into my neck, but if I’m honest, I like it; it’s the one piece of contact in my life I could not do without. Playing with her, I pet her with long strokes for ten minutes, feeling somewhat guilty for leaving her soon.

“Right, Doris. We need to get up. You better be a good girl for Cameron and Mr. Carlin.” I rub her ears and stroke her velveteen coat as she sighs and hums, wagging her tail excitedly. I stretch and smile to myself, knowing I will be enjoying some beautiful culture and sunshine soon.

Walking down the hall, I knock on Hazel’s door. “Hazel, we need to get up. I’m going in for a shower first.” As I open her door, a faux fur cushion comes firing at me.

That will be that then.

I quickly get dried and apply my moisturizers and creams, then go back to my room to grab my hairdryer as I will need it to dry quickly for going outside with Doris. After blasting it, I run my fingers through it. I’m impressed. It’s not frizzy at all, and the curls are loose and undone, looking quite classy and kind of sexy.

Hmm...

I throw it back in a loose ponytail. There. Not as sexy.

I put my silver teardrop stud earrings in, apply makeup, spray some perfume then lift my travel clothes off the end of the bed. The new black, tailored, city shorts I got are a lovely fit, paired with a cream sleeveless blouse. I decide to wear my pale, salmon-pink blazer to finish the outfit. I place my Swarovski long silver pendant chain that Granny and Grandpa got me for my birthday last year around my neck and then put a thin black belt with silver buckle through the loops on the city shorts.

Leaving my room, I rattle Hazel’s door to get her up.

“Hazel Scott… MOVE IT!” I’m getting irate with her now. “I’m taking Doris outside, then I’m going through to see Mr. Carlin. You better be ready before I get back. Cameron will be here in forty minutes.”

Her door opens and she looks as though she has been crying. “What on earth is wrong with you?” I ask impatiently.

“Dominic can’t come over to say goodbye, He has an early meeting at work, but I wanted to see him again before the flight.”

I feel rotten for being sharp with her. “It’s only two weeks, Hazel. You’ll have loads of time to spend with him when we get back, and you can Skype him if you get too anxious.”

“You’re right. I’ll go get ready.”

She turns reluctantly and heads to the bathroom, but I know she will sulk over this all day. Maybe I’ll need to give her wine on the plane to relax her.

It’s a glorious Tuesday, May morning. I hear the birds chirping, the air is fresh and not a cloud in the sky. I walk briskly with Doris until I reach the park and let her off the leash, allowing her to run riot across the grass, in and out of the bushes and chasing birds to tire her out. After throwing some sticks for Doris to catch, I head back home with her. As I grab her food and some raw hide chewing treats, I notice Lucy has left the hair straighteners on the worktop with a note.

Sorry, I had to leave to get to work on time. Please have a fantastic time and can’t wait to try all these delicious dishes you will be cooking for us when you are back.

Bye, my Darlins. Safe flight.xxx

I head into Mr. Carlins with Doris and her food supplies.

“Lexi dear, come in. Do you want scrambled eggs?” Mr. Carlin shouts from the kitchen.

“No, thanks. I’m good, I will grab something at the airport, but if you have any spare, Doris would love some,” I shout back after watching her run into the dining room with one of his slippers.

Oh shit!

I walk over to his fridge and check he has milk for today. All the blinds are opened, and he has the heating on full strength, as always so I adjust his thermostat.

“Cameron will come and get Doris after he drops us off, but he’s on a backshift at headquarters, so he will drop her in again at lunch. Is this okay?”

“Sure. I’m not exactly going anywhere, am I? In my day, police officers didn’t do all those crazy shifts he does. Changed days, Lexi.”

I hope I’m not going to get the talk; the one that goes on about society, changes, the economy and the recession. I lean over to hug him. “Remember your appointment at the clinic on Thursday. Cameron will pick you up and your prescription from the pharmacy on Friday.”

I bend down and squeeze Doris around her neck, planting huge kisses on her head and rubbing my thumb across her eyebrows to relax her, I hang onto her a little too long. I will miss her terribly.

“Lexi, please try and enjoy yourself. Forget about other things, just savor the experience and relish in it, petal.”

Mr. Carlin pats me on the shoulder. He can certainly be adorable sometimes when he is not grouchy.

Cameron walks into our living room just as I’m zipping my case up for the last time. He looks tired, and his light brown hair is unruly looking like he might have been…well, preoccupied.

We both have brown eyes and olive skin, but he is much taller, and my hair is a lot darker than his. He has on a white fitted t-shirt, a black leather designer fitted jacket, and indigo blue jeans.

Hmm, I must take more rent money off him.

He loves wearing those white t-shirts, revealing his tattoos on his toned dark arms. He says the chicks love it.

Whatever.

I flinch as I catch a scent, a familiar scent; trademark aftershave.

“Lexi, what’s wrong?” he asks in his raspy northern accent. “Oh nothing. I was just thinking about something.”

“Hazel, move your ass! Dominic called. He’s going to try and make it to the airport,” Cameron roars up the stairs and then faces me. “She’s fucking murder. Late for absolutely fucking everything.”

I giggle which lifts my mood from the quiet corner of my mental library.

She flies down the staircase, with wet hair and half dressed. “I just need to do my hair,” she quickly blurts out in a speedy panic.

Cameron shakes his head.

“I bloody well knew you were going to mess about and make us late. Hair straighteners are on the worktop.” I sigh. “And be quick about it. Is that what you’re wearing on the flight?”

“Yes, when in Rome and all that. Why?”

“No reason. Now move it.”

She is wearing a pair of sexy, pale-blue, faded and frayed, fitted denim shorts and a burnt-orange, fitted V-neck, vest top which make her breasts look huge, her ass tiny and her waist petite.

Oh dear God.

She looks fantastic, but it’s very much what you wear on the beach and we haven’t left Glasgow yet.

While we wait for Hazel, Cameron and I pack up the car, and I give him his to-do list, pleading with him not to have anyone over to the house that is not on the approved safe list. I also remind him to make sure he locks the doors, take great care of Doris and that he’ll need to sort out his own food shopping.

Hazel comes rushing out; that girl is a headache sometimes. Cameron rubs her ego by wolf whistling.

Oh, dear Lord. That’s all she needs.

****

We arrive at Glasgow airport and have a look at the check in desk; it’s already busy with keen travellers. Hazel screams and launches herself at a flustered looking Dominic in his grey, fitted work suit. She jumps up, wraps her legs around his waist, and throws her arms around his neck while he clasps both his hands under her butt, holding her up and kissing her near to death. His blonde hair is styled and waxed, and he has a fresh shaven look. Dominic has dark skin, but not naturally dark. I’m convinced he uses tanning salons. He has a boy band appearance about him, and keeps himself in good condition.

Cameron smirks and raises an eyebrow as I roll my eyes and look away.

Dominic places her down, but she keeps her hands clasped firmly around his neck. “Hazel, we will need to queue up soon,” I whisper apologetically.

“I know, I know, I just need a minute with my beautiful man.” She smiles at Dominic while she says this and he strokes her hair, pressing his forehead on hers. It’s actually quite sickening, but she likes it.

They exchange sweet words and kisses while I chat with Cameron. “Now keep your phone charged and on in case I need to get you, and when I return there is a certain matter we need to chat about. Granny called yesterday. Have you heard the news?”

He shakes his head no. He ran out of battery yesterday, and he was not home when she called. I’m not about to tell him in the airport, so I suggest he calls her for the report on Michael Parks. We say our goodbyes to one another, Hazel sucking the life out of Dominic’s throat as she does. When I walk away, I turn and look at Cameron for reassurance. He nods his head to encourage me to go and blows me a kiss.

“Take care, baby girl.”

I hate goodbyes…

My stomach flips with his words because I’m missing him already. Hazel drags her feet reluctantly, waving goodbye softly to Dominic with a pouted lip.

We arrive in the departure lounge, and I remind Hazel not to leave the bags unattended.

“Lexi, I love you dearly. You know I do, but relax and chill out. We will be fine, stop worrying about everything.” She holds her hand out to the duty free make up and smiles. Distraction, she knows this works every time.

I start walking over to the perfume counter. I could roam around in here for hours looking at the lush summer colours, beautiful bright travel sets and latest trends, sampling and smelling divine fresh scents. I stop when I walk past the Tom Ford display with the male and female range, and I dwell for a moment about Lucca Caruso. He smelled absolutely sensual and intoxicating and had such an effect on me; a warm fuzzy, needy heady feeling.

Fuck!

File R for Ridiculous. Ridiculous behaviour.

I buy a new blush, bronzing powder, tinted moisturizing foundation and a set of lip-glosses in bright summer colours. Hazel buys her favorite foundation, mascara, lip-gloss and a smoky eye set from another counter. There’s nothing like a bit of make-up shopping to start the holidays. I make a mental note to get some overtime in at work when I return for extra money.

We perch up in the restaurant and order coffees and breakfast. It’s nice to sit down and relax after a busy few weeks. While we wait on breakfast, we chat about all the fabulous things we would like to do in Tuscany, and it starts to become a reality that in a few hours, we will be there.

After take-off, and the passenger seat belt sign is off, Hazel shuffles about in her hand luggage bag and pulls out the portable DVD player and earphones.

“You’re not serious, right?” I roll my eyes at her and she shrugs and carries on.

We order wine when the cabin crew come around as it’s just slightly after lunchtime. I browse the inflight magazine, an article on various Italian destinations and look down at the fold out table in front of me and think of Lucca Caruso. Jesus, why is he filling up my mental library with thoughts?

The cabin crew comes around with more drinks, but we both order iced water. The last thing I want is to lose my wits and control about me while traveling, and Hazel just hates feeling dehydrated and sleepy. I’m already in a panic because customs took my pepper spray off me and tossed it into their collection bin. I do have another in my suitcase, but it’s become a habit to carry it around. I wish I could be more relaxed and free spirited.

But I can’t.

Aloe Vera

Hazel and I walk through the main entrance to Florence airport, looking for the holiday representative and the transport. The air is warm with the sun shining and a beautiful gentle breeze sweeps across us. Tourists scurry around the front of the airport, but the workers look laid back and immaculate, even the bus drivers leaning against their vehicles with sunglasses on.

I stop and inhale a deep breath, then close my eyes briefly and turn my face up towards the sun. I grab my sunglasses from my hand luggage and notice Hazel does the same. We find a woman with light-brown, highlighted hair—dry from sun damage—wearing a blue shift dress and a navy silk neck scarf, and holding a sign.

“Flavor of Toscana Cooking Vacations.”

We head towards her and introduce ourselves. She tells us her name is Ciara and her colleague is Liana. She welcomes us with a kiss on each cheek.

I will need to get used to this.

Another Lucca Caruso flashback absorbs my thoughts.

Hmm...

Liana takes half a dozen guests with her to the sister property, “Casa Sulla Collina” situated near Poppi, a scenic medieval town in the heart of the Casentino valley. It does look beautiful from what we saw on the Internet, but we eventually opted to go to “Villa di Tartufi”—Villa of Truffles.

The property is in the beautiful Val d’Oricia region south of Sienna. The website boasts that it’s a picturesque piece of land, brimming with an abundance of unique and extraordinary landscapes. Gentle hills dotted with yellow and crimson wildflowers, crystal rivers, springs overflowing with warm fresh waters, scenic country roads, impressive vineyards and olive groves blend to create glorious panoramas. Val d’Orcia boasts one of the most photographed places in Tuscany – the perfect place to enjoy a memorable holiday.

Sold!

As it’s just Hazel and I going to this property, we follow Ciara over to a black Ford people carrier. Ciara explains some tourist information and briefs us on various villages in the area and some local history as we set off on out drive.

The views are magnificent. It’s a pleasurable drive and we are both entranced and excited. We keep smiling at each other in the back of the vehicle with a reassurance that this was a great idea for a holiday. After ninety minutes, we drive up a series of winding roads lined with various shades of luscious vivid greens; the shapely hills winding and overlapping like a picture from a postcard.