Read Online One of Those Malibu Nights by Elizabeth Adler - Free Book Online
Authors: Elizabeth Adler
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you,” she said, sounding tense.
“So what can I do for you, Miss Mayne?” Mac asked.
“We need to talk. Please can you meet me, somewhere … anywhere
anonymous
. You know what I mean.”
“You mean a place nobody will recognize you and see you talking to me?”
This time Marisa sighed. “You’re so understanding. But I don’t know Rome at all, so tell me, where should we meet?”
Mac looked at Sunny, mouthing “Where?”
“The Tazza d’Oro,” she said. “A bar in the Piazza della Rotunda.”
Mac told Marisa and arranged to meet her there in an hour.
“Better get up, Miss Coto de Alvarez,” he said, grabbing her feet and pulling her the length of the bed. He took her by the shoulders and lifted her up and she wrapped her long legs round his waist.
“Shower?” he suggested.
“Of course,” she said.
The umbrella-shaded terrace of the Tazza d’Oro was busy with Romans tossing down espresso so dense that Sunny knew it must hurtle straight to their veins, revving them up to face the rest of the day. It was easy to pick out thetourists because they were drinking cappuccino, something Italians only ever drank at breakfast. She had tied her hair back in a glossy ponytail and wore a cool white shirt and a short white skirt, with her trademark red lipstick. She had two favorite lipsticks: the daytime one was a pure red and the nighttime one had a touch of blue, making it richer. The sun was shining, the air felt warm on her skin and Mac’s hand was cool in hers. The glorious dome of the Pantheon seemed to float toward the blue cloud-spotted sky, and weary visitors took their ease on the imposing flight of marble steps leading up to its massive columned portico.
“The Pantheon was built by the Emperor Hadrian in a.d. 118 to 125,” she told Mac as they settled at a shady table.
“That’s
old
.“ He signaled a waiter over.
“And it’s erected over another, even more ancient temple, built by Marcus Agrippa. Italian kings are buried in there,” she added, having done her homework. “As well as Raphael’s tomb.”
“I want to see it all,” Mac said. “But business and a cold Peroni beer come first. What’ll you have, sweetheart?”
She gave an exaggerated sigh at his crass dismissal of one of Rome’s most important historic monuments.
“Lemonade,” she said.
Mac gave the waiter their order, glancing around for Marisa, but as yet there was no sign of her.
“Wait a minute, though.” Sunny took off her sunglassesand leaned forward, peering through the crowded square. “There’s only one woman here with a body like that.”
Mac took another look at the woman with the floppy straw hat pulled over her hair. She wore large dark glasses, jeans, cowboy boots and a loose red linen shirt that barely disguised her assets. It was Marisa all right. He got to his feet and waved her over.
“Oh, thank God you came,” she said, sitting down quickly. “I’m so worried.”
“Okay, hold on. What would you like to drink?”
“Oh? Campari and soda please.”
Sunny was surprised that Marisa was already acting like a Roman, ordering a Roman-style drink. Obviously this woman was adaptable. “Hi.” She leaned across the table to shake her hand. “I’m Sunny Alvarez.”
“Pleased to meet you.” Marisa shook it briefly and Sunny thought for a hot day her hand was exceptionally cold. She really must be frightened.
“You must be wondering who I am,” Marisa said to Mac, gulping the Campari and soda as though it were Diet Coke.
“Well, kind of. I mean at least now we know your name.”
Marisa took off the dark glasses and took a deep breath. “I’m Ronnie Perrin’s fiancée.” She held out her left hand with the whopping canary diamond. It caught the light and Sunny quickly put her own sunglasses back on.
“I admired it in Harry Winston’s window in New York, so Ronnie bought it for me. But I have to keep our engagementreal quiet until after the divorce. He’s divorcing Allie Ray
“So what can I do for you, Miss Mayne?” Mac asked.
“We need to talk. Please can you meet me, somewhere … anywhere
anonymous
. You know what I mean.”
“You mean a place nobody will recognize you and see you talking to me?”
This time Marisa sighed. “You’re so understanding. But I don’t know Rome at all, so tell me, where should we meet?”
Mac looked at Sunny, mouthing “Where?”
“The Tazza d’Oro,” she said. “A bar in the Piazza della Rotunda.”
Mac told Marisa and arranged to meet her there in an hour.
“Better get up, Miss Coto de Alvarez,” he said, grabbing her feet and pulling her the length of the bed. He took her by the shoulders and lifted her up and she wrapped her long legs round his waist.
“Shower?” he suggested.
“Of course,” she said.
The umbrella-shaded terrace of the Tazza d’Oro was busy with Romans tossing down espresso so dense that Sunny knew it must hurtle straight to their veins, revving them up to face the rest of the day. It was easy to pick out thetourists because they were drinking cappuccino, something Italians only ever drank at breakfast. She had tied her hair back in a glossy ponytail and wore a cool white shirt and a short white skirt, with her trademark red lipstick. She had two favorite lipsticks: the daytime one was a pure red and the nighttime one had a touch of blue, making it richer. The sun was shining, the air felt warm on her skin and Mac’s hand was cool in hers. The glorious dome of the Pantheon seemed to float toward the blue cloud-spotted sky, and weary visitors took their ease on the imposing flight of marble steps leading up to its massive columned portico.
“The Pantheon was built by the Emperor Hadrian in a.d. 118 to 125,” she told Mac as they settled at a shady table.
“That’s
old
.“ He signaled a waiter over.
“And it’s erected over another, even more ancient temple, built by Marcus Agrippa. Italian kings are buried in there,” she added, having done her homework. “As well as Raphael’s tomb.”
“I want to see it all,” Mac said. “But business and a cold Peroni beer come first. What’ll you have, sweetheart?”
She gave an exaggerated sigh at his crass dismissal of one of Rome’s most important historic monuments.
“Lemonade,” she said.
Mac gave the waiter their order, glancing around for Marisa, but as yet there was no sign of her.
“Wait a minute, though.” Sunny took off her sunglassesand leaned forward, peering through the crowded square. “There’s only one woman here with a body like that.”
Mac took another look at the woman with the floppy straw hat pulled over her hair. She wore large dark glasses, jeans, cowboy boots and a loose red linen shirt that barely disguised her assets. It was Marisa all right. He got to his feet and waved her over.
“Oh, thank God you came,” she said, sitting down quickly. “I’m so worried.”
“Okay, hold on. What would you like to drink?”
“Oh? Campari and soda please.”
Sunny was surprised that Marisa was already acting like a Roman, ordering a Roman-style drink. Obviously this woman was adaptable. “Hi.” She leaned across the table to shake her hand. “I’m Sunny Alvarez.”
“Pleased to meet you.” Marisa shook it briefly and Sunny thought for a hot day her hand was exceptionally cold. She really must be frightened.
“You must be wondering who I am,” Marisa said to Mac, gulping the Campari and soda as though it were Diet Coke.
“Well, kind of. I mean at least now we know your name.”
Marisa took off the dark glasses and took a deep breath. “I’m Ronnie Perrin’s fiancée.” She held out her left hand with the whopping canary diamond. It caught the light and Sunny quickly put her own sunglasses back on.
“I admired it in Harry Winston’s window in New York, so Ronnie bought it for me. But I have to keep our engagementreal quiet until after the divorce. He’s divorcing Allie Ray
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