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Authors: Lynette Rees
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Joanne drew in a breath. If ever there was a heaven, this was it. Who could fail not to feel happiness in this country?
“I will send a waiter over to take your order, pronto . Please enjoy.” He left them with a couple of menus and the promise of a bottle of wine on the house.
A string of white lights strung across the balcony came on, casting a glow on Dante’s face. It was touching he chose this place for them to dine.
“So, Joanne,” he said when he’d given her time to study the menu, “what would you like to have?”
She laughed. “Aren’t you going to choose for me this time?”
“No, this time I would like you to choose for us, and I shall be happy with your choice whatever that happens to be.”
In the distance, she heard some shouts. She straightened up, her pulse rate sky rocketing. “What was that?”
“Oh my dear, Joanne.” Dante laughed. “It’s the fishermen down below, they’ve just landed and handed their catch over. It’s probably the last boat of the day as it’s getting dark. Why are you so frightened? Have you been watching too many Godfather movies?”
She relaxed. “Probably. It was so peaceful, I was surprised.”
He took her hand in his. “There is nothing whatsoever to fear, particularly when you are with me. I shall protect you. Now then, what shall we have?”
“I quite fancy the lobster linguine with tomato and chili.”
“Then that is what we shall have.” He clicked his fingers and a waiter appeared. He spoke to him in Italian. Joanne was impressed with the way he commanded respect and became authoritative.
He was a leader of men. Even though he was the youngest child, he was born to take charge.
Luigi appeared at the table with a bottle of wine and two glasses. “I have taken the liberty of choosing this for you to go with your meal,” he said. “Please enjoy with my compliments.” They both thanked him and he uncorked the white wine and poured it into the glasses.
While they waited for their meal, Dante’s eyes took on a concerned look. “Joanne.” He reached out and took her hand. “There is something I’ve been meaning to ask you…”
“Oh?” she took a large gulp of wine. What did he want? Was this something to do with what happened between them at the winery earlier?
“I noticed the evening we dined at my hotel suite, a flicker of pain in your eyes when you mentioned holidays at the seaside with your parents?” She nodded. “You mentioned something about painful memories…”
Oh dear, this was going to be difficult. She swallowed the lump in her throat that was threatening to choke her. “I don’t know if I can talk about it, Dante. It’s difficult…”
“That’s okay,” he said, squeezing her hand, with a touch of reassurance. “Maybe some other time.”
She nodded and then let out a composing breath. That’s what she loved about him, he was so kind and caring, yet at the same time, he had that brooding quality about him. He was the sort of man who stood out from the crowd, the sort of man both men and women admired.
“Yes, one day I might feel able to tell someone, but not right now. Let’s just enjoy the evening and one another’s company.”
He nodded, looking deep into her eyes. There was something about the way he looked at her that made her feel he could see into her very soul. Something that told her he knew what made her tick.
This was what mattered right now; she was with such a delightful man, sitting outside at sunset, and she heard the tide ebbing ever near to the shore. All she cared about was here, right now.
When they’d eaten and drank their fill, he paid the waiter, leaving what appeared to Joanne to be a very generous tip, and he took her by the hand. “Come with me,” he said. He led her down some stone steps and a narrow path until she found herself on a small beach.
“Is this the private beach you mentioned?” she asked.
“Heavens, no.” He threw back his head and laughed. “No,
Joanne drew in a breath. If ever there was a heaven, this was it. Who could fail not to feel happiness in this country?
“I will send a waiter over to take your order, pronto . Please enjoy.” He left them with a couple of menus and the promise of a bottle of wine on the house.
A string of white lights strung across the balcony came on, casting a glow on Dante’s face. It was touching he chose this place for them to dine.
“So, Joanne,” he said when he’d given her time to study the menu, “what would you like to have?”
She laughed. “Aren’t you going to choose for me this time?”
“No, this time I would like you to choose for us, and I shall be happy with your choice whatever that happens to be.”
In the distance, she heard some shouts. She straightened up, her pulse rate sky rocketing. “What was that?”
“Oh my dear, Joanne.” Dante laughed. “It’s the fishermen down below, they’ve just landed and handed their catch over. It’s probably the last boat of the day as it’s getting dark. Why are you so frightened? Have you been watching too many Godfather movies?”
She relaxed. “Probably. It was so peaceful, I was surprised.”
He took her hand in his. “There is nothing whatsoever to fear, particularly when you are with me. I shall protect you. Now then, what shall we have?”
“I quite fancy the lobster linguine with tomato and chili.”
“Then that is what we shall have.” He clicked his fingers and a waiter appeared. He spoke to him in Italian. Joanne was impressed with the way he commanded respect and became authoritative.
He was a leader of men. Even though he was the youngest child, he was born to take charge.
Luigi appeared at the table with a bottle of wine and two glasses. “I have taken the liberty of choosing this for you to go with your meal,” he said. “Please enjoy with my compliments.” They both thanked him and he uncorked the white wine and poured it into the glasses.
While they waited for their meal, Dante’s eyes took on a concerned look. “Joanne.” He reached out and took her hand. “There is something I’ve been meaning to ask you…”
“Oh?” she took a large gulp of wine. What did he want? Was this something to do with what happened between them at the winery earlier?
“I noticed the evening we dined at my hotel suite, a flicker of pain in your eyes when you mentioned holidays at the seaside with your parents?” She nodded. “You mentioned something about painful memories…”
Oh dear, this was going to be difficult. She swallowed the lump in her throat that was threatening to choke her. “I don’t know if I can talk about it, Dante. It’s difficult…”
“That’s okay,” he said, squeezing her hand, with a touch of reassurance. “Maybe some other time.”
She nodded and then let out a composing breath. That’s what she loved about him, he was so kind and caring, yet at the same time, he had that brooding quality about him. He was the sort of man who stood out from the crowd, the sort of man both men and women admired.
“Yes, one day I might feel able to tell someone, but not right now. Let’s just enjoy the evening and one another’s company.”
He nodded, looking deep into her eyes. There was something about the way he looked at her that made her feel he could see into her very soul. Something that told her he knew what made her tick.
This was what mattered right now; she was with such a delightful man, sitting outside at sunset, and she heard the tide ebbing ever near to the shore. All she cared about was here, right now.
When they’d eaten and drank their fill, he paid the waiter, leaving what appeared to Joanne to be a very generous tip, and he took her by the hand. “Come with me,” he said. He led her down some stone steps and a narrow path until she found herself on a small beach.
“Is this the private beach you mentioned?” she asked.
“Heavens, no.” He threw back his head and laughed. “No,
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