Page 88 of Someone Exactly Like Me (Wounded Hearts 1)
19
Destiny
When I open my eyes, it takes me a few seconds to remember I’m in Italy, in Nicco’s house. I’m surprised by how well I slept. Stretching my body across the bed, under the floral sheets and cozy cream-colored comforter, I bathe in the sunlight filtering into my room through the ivory lace curtains. My room is a stark contrast to the decor I saw in the living room last night. The furniture is a light-colored wood with soft edges and carved details. A vase of bright flowers sits on the nightstand along with a small ivory lamp adorned with a champagne-colored shade. It’s feminine and calming. I can’t believe he did this for me.
I’m being ridiculous. I’m in Italy. Who knows if I’ll ever have a chance like this again? I’ll really get a sense of it from a local person’s point of view and it’ll be invaluable research for my book.
A local person. No, not a local person. Niccolo Mancini. Nicco. I can do this. I just have to keep reminding myself that this little fairytale ends.
Getting out of bed, I open my suitcase and grab my sweatshirt that’s on top. I should probably hang my clothes today. I was so flustered and tired last night, I didn’t unpack anything but my toiletry bag. Putting on my sweatshirt over my camisole and shorts, I go look for Nicco to see what our timing is for today.
The house is quiet. He’s not in the kitchen or living room. I peek out on the patio off the living room to see if he’s out there having a cigarette. He’s not.
“Nicco,” I call out, peeking down a hallway I think leads to his bedroom.
No answer. Maybe he didn’t hear me. I walk cautiously down the hallway, the terracotta tile cold under my bare feet.
“Nicco?”
Still nothing. Where is he?
His bedroom door is open. I know I shouldn’t go in, but I can’t stop myself. The view of the headboard on his bed sucks me in. Spanning the length of his king-size bed is a massive, intricately carved, gold woodwork frame that curves and turns, crawling up the wall. There’s a crest at the top with a garland of flowers beneath it. The fabric inside the frame is a royal, burgundy-red and gold Renaissance pattern that matches the spread draped over the bed. It’s stunning and fit for a king.
Nightstands adorn either side of the bed and are as striking and regal as the headboard.Is that…?I step closer to the foot of the bed. Resting on top of one of the nightstands is a notebook and pen. Sitting next to them —it is— is the seashell I picked up and gave him on the beach.
As I’m admiring the regal-ness of his bed, my mind goes in the wrong direction.I wonder how many women have been in his bed.More than I want to know about, that’s for sure.
“Do you like it?” That deep, low hum of his voice startles me, causing every hair on my body to stand up.
I gasp and spin around, stepping on his feet and crashing into his chest. He grabs hold of my arms.
“Nicco,” I say, stepping back off his feet, trying to catch my breath. He releases his grasp on my arms. “I’m — I’m sorry. I — I didn’t mean to invade your privacy. I just — I couldn’t find you and I came down here and — and the door was open. I shouldn’t have come in.”
“It’s okay.” He smiles, heating the air in the room. “You’re welcome to be in here.” He digs his hands into his pockets and shifts his eyes from me to his bed. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it? Like a piece of artwork.”
I turn to look at it again. “It really is. Exquisite.”
“It’s the first big thing I bought for myself when I got my first paycheck from the movie.”
“I’m sure you’ve put it to good use.” That came out a bit more spiteful than I meant it to.
“No.”
I turn back to him.
He towers above me. His face, expressionless. His eyes burning into mine. “I don’t bring women here.”
The air grows thick around us.
“Are you hungry?” he asks. “I went down to the bakery and got some cornetti and fette biscottate.”
“I don’t know what they are, but they sound good.”
He turns, unblocking my path to the door, and extends his hand toward the doorway.
We eat breakfast and I go back to my room to unpack and shower. As I start hanging things in the beautifully carved wardrobe closet, I can’t find one of the dresses I thought I packed. My bikini is also missing. I dig farther in case they got shuffled around in transit. When I get to the bottom, I pull out a two-piece white outfit and a black thong bikini.Candice!
When I’m dressed and ready, I meet Nicco in the living room. He scans me from head to toe.
