Read Online Romance of a Lifetime by Carole Mortimer - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Carole Mortimer
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we come back,' Marcus teased softly. 'You won't get to see Venice this way.'
'But it's all Venice,' Beth reasoned. 'I'm in no hurry; I have all week.'
Marcus gave an enigmatic smile, and, while they boarded the river bus that would take them around the canal to the Rialto Bridge, Beth wondered how long he intended staying here. He seemed to do what he pleased, go where he pleased, and she felt sure that if he decided to stay the week then he would do so. She couldn't even begin to think how she felt about that.
They got off the river bus at the Rialto Bridge, going up its steps to stand on its middle, small watercraft of every description beneath them as their passengers viewed the bridge from a different angle.
Over the top of the bridge and behind it were small shops and market stalls, and the two of them lingered at one of these to buy pieces of moist coconut, munching on them as they continued to stroll through the crowd gathered there.
As well as its numerous waterways, Venice was a labyrinth of tiny canals and side-streets, little shops tucked away in unusual places, cafes too, the check-cloth-covered tables outside beckoning temptingly as the day began to grow warmer.
'Shall we find somewhere to eat?' Marcus offered as he saw her linger at one of these places longer than before.
She nodded. 'Just a salad for me—and I mean it this time,' she warned. 'Somewhere cool, if possible,' she added ruefully, starting to feel the heat quite strongly after their walk.
Marcus smiled knowingly. 'Trust me,' he nodded, striding forwards with a purpose now.
Trust him? She wasn't sure any woman would be wise to do that, but as companions went he was knowledgeable and patient.
Even when he took her into the slightly untidy restaurant, that was obviously frequented by the local people rather than-tourists, Beth had confidence in his choice. And she was right to do so, once again her request for a salad was ignored, and the pasta meal that was quickly placed in front of them was mouth-wateringly enjoyable.
'A week like this and I will have put on pounds.' She sat back, replete.
'I think that might be a good thing.' Marcus frowned at her slenderness.
Beth eyed him beneath lowered lashes. 'You think I'm too thin.'
Good grief, she was actually flirting with the man now! She hadn't done that since…
A shadow passed over her face, dulling eyes that had gleamed with mischief seconds earlier. 'I believe it's fashionable to be slender,' she dismissed abruptly, although she knew she was thinner even than a lot of fashion models.
Marcus sipped the wine he had ordered to accompany their meal. 'I wouldn't have thought you were a woman who went along with the crowd.' He watched her over the rim of her glass.
What did he really know about her? Nothing, she admitted, except that he seemed to find her attractive enough to keep following!
'You're right,' she bit out. 'I'm not.' And she never would be again, she decided with a shudder.
Marcus frowned at her. 'Did I say something wrong?'
Not really, although it disturbed her that he thought of her often enough to have decided what sort of woman she was. Where did he expect this holiday friendship to go, if that was the case? She hardly thought he was the type of man to spend hours of his time with a woman who would ultimately return to her own bedroom and expect him to return to his. And she doubted he had taken that into consideration just now when he made that remark about her not being 'a woman who went along with the crowd'!
'Not at all,' she returned smoothly. 'Thank you for today, but I think I should get back now.'
'Why?'
Beth looked startled. 'Why? Well…' She shrugged. 'Because it's time that I did.'
'What do you have waiting for you back there?'
An empty room. The same sort of empty rooms she had been going back to for six months since she had insisted on returning to her own apartment from her mother's after she lost the baby, much to her mother's disapproval.
She had
'But it's all Venice,' Beth reasoned. 'I'm in no hurry; I have all week.'
Marcus gave an enigmatic smile, and, while they boarded the river bus that would take them around the canal to the Rialto Bridge, Beth wondered how long he intended staying here. He seemed to do what he pleased, go where he pleased, and she felt sure that if he decided to stay the week then he would do so. She couldn't even begin to think how she felt about that.
They got off the river bus at the Rialto Bridge, going up its steps to stand on its middle, small watercraft of every description beneath them as their passengers viewed the bridge from a different angle.
Over the top of the bridge and behind it were small shops and market stalls, and the two of them lingered at one of these to buy pieces of moist coconut, munching on them as they continued to stroll through the crowd gathered there.
As well as its numerous waterways, Venice was a labyrinth of tiny canals and side-streets, little shops tucked away in unusual places, cafes too, the check-cloth-covered tables outside beckoning temptingly as the day began to grow warmer.
'Shall we find somewhere to eat?' Marcus offered as he saw her linger at one of these places longer than before.
She nodded. 'Just a salad for me—and I mean it this time,' she warned. 'Somewhere cool, if possible,' she added ruefully, starting to feel the heat quite strongly after their walk.
Marcus smiled knowingly. 'Trust me,' he nodded, striding forwards with a purpose now.
Trust him? She wasn't sure any woman would be wise to do that, but as companions went he was knowledgeable and patient.
Even when he took her into the slightly untidy restaurant, that was obviously frequented by the local people rather than-tourists, Beth had confidence in his choice. And she was right to do so, once again her request for a salad was ignored, and the pasta meal that was quickly placed in front of them was mouth-wateringly enjoyable.
'A week like this and I will have put on pounds.' She sat back, replete.
'I think that might be a good thing.' Marcus frowned at her slenderness.
Beth eyed him beneath lowered lashes. 'You think I'm too thin.'
Good grief, she was actually flirting with the man now! She hadn't done that since…
A shadow passed over her face, dulling eyes that had gleamed with mischief seconds earlier. 'I believe it's fashionable to be slender,' she dismissed abruptly, although she knew she was thinner even than a lot of fashion models.
Marcus sipped the wine he had ordered to accompany their meal. 'I wouldn't have thought you were a woman who went along with the crowd.' He watched her over the rim of her glass.
What did he really know about her? Nothing, she admitted, except that he seemed to find her attractive enough to keep following!
'You're right,' she bit out. 'I'm not.' And she never would be again, she decided with a shudder.
Marcus frowned at her. 'Did I say something wrong?'
Not really, although it disturbed her that he thought of her often enough to have decided what sort of woman she was. Where did he expect this holiday friendship to go, if that was the case? She hardly thought he was the type of man to spend hours of his time with a woman who would ultimately return to her own bedroom and expect him to return to his. And she doubted he had taken that into consideration just now when he made that remark about her not being 'a woman who went along with the crowd'!
'Not at all,' she returned smoothly. 'Thank you for today, but I think I should get back now.'
'Why?'
Beth looked startled. 'Why? Well…' She shrugged. 'Because it's time that I did.'
'What do you have waiting for you back there?'
An empty room. The same sort of empty rooms she had been going back to for six months since she had insisted on returning to her own apartment from her mother's after she lost the baby, much to her mother's disapproval.
She had
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