Authors: J. P. Kennedy
The elegant, two story structure was bathed in the afternoon sun, its honey colored stone contrasting sharply with a magnificently tall, scarlet bougainvillea clinging to the walls. Cassie drew in her breath. It’s better than a postcard, the sea views beyond the house seemed unreal, and their colors so intense. She felt at any moment that someone would yell ‘cut’ and this perfect scene from a movie would dissolve into boring normalcy.
Marco watched her as he stopped the car and switched off the engine.
‘Si, it is very beautiful no? I have known this house and this view all my life and still, when I come back, I feel the same way, my spirits lift.’
‘This is where you live?’ asked Cassie.
‘Yes, with the housekeeper. But it is too big for just one person, that is why I only stay the summer.’ He added cryptically. He climbed out of the car and came around to her side opening the door for her.
‘Come, I will get you something cool to drink and show you around. Then I will take you to Villa Tramonte. I think your friends went into town earlier. We will find out if they have returned yet.’
Cassie followed him through the huge open wooden entrance doors and into the cool dim, marble inlaid foyer. She couldn’t help staring at his tight butt again, and the recent memory of his lips on hers had another blush threatening her cheeks. An elegant marble staircase with an intricately carved wrought iron balustrade ran up the left hand side of the foyer, obviously to the bedrooms above thought Cassie. I wonder how many there are. There seemed to be several formal rooms either side of the foyer, their double doors thrown open, but Marco wandered down the wide hallway and turned left, so Cassie followed him.
They entered a large bright kitchen and family room with lovely old terracotta tiles on the floor and comfortable looking furniture facing out through open French doors to a terrace and a glorious sparkling blue swimming pool. It looked like something out of House and Garden and it was all Cassie could do not to start clicking photos with her I phone.
‘Ciao Marta, where are you?’ called Marco. A door opened beyond the open kitchen area and a short woman appeared, wiping her floury hands on her apron, a huge smile on her face.
‘Sono qui, I am here. Who is this lovely, young lady?’ She smiled warmly at Cassie, and Cassie felt an immediate bond with her. She had kind brown eyes that crinkled at the corners when she smiled.
‘This is Signorina Cassandra Rhodes and she will be staying at Villa Tramonte with her friends’ he announced to Marta.
‘Piacere Cassandra, I am Marta and I l
ook after this house. Benevenuta a Boschieri Estate.’ She took one of Cassie’s hands in both of hers and Cassie felt very welcome.
‘Piacere’ said Cassie softly a little embarrassed by her limited Italian. At least that was a greeting she had learnt in the last couple of weeks.
‘Do you like to eat?’ asked Marta, still holding Cassie’s hand.
‘Well yes, I do like to eat regularly, ha ha,’ said Cassie not grasping what Marta meant.
‘Good, I will bring you girls some of my home made pasta sta sera, this evening.’
‘That would be fantastic, thank you so much,’ said Cassie. Without asking her Marta went back into the pantry and soon returned with ice-cold glasses of lemonade.
'Fatto in casa,' said Marta, handing her a glass.
‘It’s home made lemonade, we use lemons from the estate’ explained Marco.
It tasted delicious and they stepped outside onto the terrace as Marta went back to her pasta making.
‘Marta has been here forever’ explained Marco, before Cassie could ask. ‘She was here when my father was a boy and she is very much a part of this family.’
‘She seems like a very kind person,’ said Cassie.
‘Si, she is like another mother to me,’ he said simply, gazing out at the water sparkling in the pool. ‘Fancy a swim?’ he asked coyly. ‘I promise you can wear a suit, anyway Marta is around’ he laughed.
‘Very funny’ said Cassie, her heart skipping a beat. ‘Thanks for the drink, but I really think I should go to the villa now and take a shower and freshen up before Liz and Kat get back from Cefalu.’
‘As you wish Cassandra, you can always take a swim naked
in your own pool.’
This guy just doesn’t stop she thought, her heart beating a tango and her face flushing for the millionth time. ‘Well that’s true, I can and I just might,’ she added playfully.
‘Can I watch?’ he said
‘Seriously, it’s a wonder you have any guests left if you behave like this all the time.’ Cassie couldn’t help laughing with him. Gosh he does have a gorgeous smile she thought.
‘If you saw most of our guests you would realize that I behave like a perfect gentleman all the time. It’s just that we don’t get many who look like supermodels dropping by.’
He smiled at her and looked drop dead gorgeous. Wow. I need some time to myself she thought to ponder this and digest all these compliments before my head gets too big and I start believing him for one minute. This guy must have several super models stashed away along the coast, but he sure runs a good line of patter.
‘Why thank you Marco for your kind compliments. I’ll take them with a grain of salt.’ Laughing at him she put her glass on the counter and sauntered down the hall swinging her hips a little and shaking her booty. It had the desired effect as Marco careened out of the kitchen after her, shepherding her like a bodyguard out to the car.
Villa Tramonte was at least a kilometer along the road from the main house, however Cassie could see two other cute looking villas tucked away on the surrounding hills.
‘Villa Rosa and Villa Louisa’ he said waving his hand in the direction of the houses.
‘Tramonte means sunset in Italian’ said Marco. ‘It has a beautiful aspect and it catches all the afternoon sun.’ The villa was long and low and white plastered with the requisite flaming scarlet bougainvillea climbing the walls and framing the courtyard. A fountain burbled in the courtyard garden and apart from bees humming, the silence was golden. Like a dream thought Cassie walking up into the courtyard as Marco followed with her cases. From this side Cassie could see the sparkling sea in the distance. The French doors were open and Cassie walked into a large cool room, enjoying the feel of the warm honey colored terracotta tiles on her bare feet. The white plastered walls in the sitting room gave way to a further set of French doors on the other side of the room, which opened out onto a large covered terrace and the pool. Beyond that, lined up like neat sentries, were olive trees as far as she could see. Further up the hill Cassie could see grape vines snaking their way neatly in terraced rows up the steep hillsides. The landscape was hot and dry and the swimming pool was a perfect foil for the surroundings, lined with sparking blue tiles that glimmered in the sun reflecting off the water. I’m in heaven she though again, spinning around with her arms open wide, laughing with delight.
‘Well that is the kind of reaction we like to see’ said Marco, grinning delightedly as he came in the door with her cases. ‘I think you look perfect in this house, in this setting’.
‘Oh this is marvelous, thank you Marco for transporting me to the most gorgeous place on earth.’ She was so happy she clapped her hands together and then raced over and impetuously kissed him on the cheek. Definitely not normal behavior for me, she thought, but what the heck. This is fantastic and I am going to have the holiday of a lifetime.
Oh course she hadn’t counted on Marco’s reaction to the sudden display of affection and as she felt his arms go around her waist she had a sudden thought that she had picked the wrong guy to show spontaneous affection to.
‘My pleasure Cassandra, this is also not usually how the guests behave but I am not complaining.’ His lips met hers and suddenly her arms were around his shoulders his body was pressed up against hers and the electricity between them was sparking like a generator about to blow it’s fuse. She felt her lips parting beneath the firm pressure of his, and her fingers entwined themselves of their own accord around his neck and in his thick dark hair. This is crazy she thought as his tongue moved inside her mouth and she moaned a little in response, which only served to spur him on, and the hand on her waist gripped her more firmly. Cassie gasped. What have I got myself into? Marco responded to her slight hesitation by moving himself a little closer and she shivered as she felt the hard, long length of him pressed again her. Oh dear, this has to stop now she thought desperately. Enough, I haven’t even had a shower yet! She pulled herself away from him, holding him at arms length. ‘No Marco,’ she said softly ‘this is not right, I don’t even know you.’
‘Cassandra’ he whispered in her ear ‘sometimes fate is kind and two kindred souls meet. Today I feel that fate has placed an angel in front of me.’ Sweet talker thought Cassie, relaxing, but still keeping him at arms length. Who can resist words like that from Adonis? Except that I really don’t know this guy from Adam and if I am going to have a passionate affair on this holiday I want to do it on my terms and that means my hair has to be washed and I have to look like a Goddess not some bedraggled nomad from down under. This time she pushed him firmly away, but put her finger gently on his lips.
‘Marco I am a shy kind of girl and not as forward as you seem to think.’ She blushed even saying the words but it seemed right to say them all they same. Unable to meet his eyes she added, ‘I think you are very attractive, but I need a little time.’ Now she figured her face was probably puce which was definitely not an attractive or seductive look so he would be scared off anyway. She peaked up at him from under her eyelashes to gauge his reaction. Not at all what she had expected. He was smiling down at her, gentle as a kitten in her arms, or more likely, as a patient lion, but nonetheless, it was a benevolent look.
He kissed gently on the cheek this time before saying ‘Please do not explain Cassandra it is I who should be ashamed. Believe me, I would never do this normally but you don’t make me feel normal. I have just met you but already I can feel a physical bond between us. But,’ he smiled wickedly, I am a patient man so please relax.’ He stepped away from her, albeit reluctantly, and turned to the door. ‘By the way, do you like riding?’
‘Huh?’ said Cassie off balance by the sudden change of topic. ‘Riding, as in horses?’ she asked dumbly.
‘Si, cavalli, horses?’
‘Well I like horses but I don’t have much experience riding’ she said deciding not to exaggerate her abilities because the truth was she was just a bit scared of horses. What had someone once said about horses? Huge animals with the brain of the family Labrador - ride them? You’ve got to be joking.
‘Don’t worry we have some very tame horses here. I will give you the gentlest one. Her name is Stella. I will pick you up here at 8am tomorrow morning. It is too hot after that for riding. Ci vediamo domani, see you tomorrow Cassandra.’ He blew her a kiss and strolled out to the car.
Well of all the nerve thought Cassie. Patient man my ass. Talk about a bossy boots. What about my friends and our holiday? She tried to feel huffy but couldn’t help the bubble of excitement in her stomach. I’m going riding with Adonis tomorrow she sang to herself as she found her bedroom and turned on the shower in the white tiled ensuite complete with spa bath. Another time, she thought, when I can light candles, drink wine and read a good thriller. Dropping her clothes on the bedroom floor Cassie moaned with pleasure as she stepped under the strong pressure of the
showerhead and lifted her face into the stream of water. That’s so good she thought, soaping herself all over feeling like she was shedding an entire skin of dirt from her long travels. She found shampoo and conditioner on the shelf and washed her hair twice until it was squeaking then put a big glob of conditioner on to her hands and massaged in into her scalp. 10 minutes later she was toweling herself off her hair wrapped in her new quick dry traveling hair wrap twisted into a turban. I can’t do without my hairdryer and straighteners she thought, digging them out of one of her bags. Although, she was so tired, maybe this evening it would be good to let it dry naturally. It went wavy if she didn’t use a hairdryer, but tonight she just didn’t care. Unearthing her cosmetics bag she found her eye cream and moisturizer. I must put serum on tonight before the night cream she reminded herself. Flying was so dehydrating on the skin. She had drunk plenty of water on the flights, but still, her skin felt a little dry so she slathered the cream on her face. There, au natural, she thought, staring at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. ‘Fright Night 2’ more likely she countered. She decided to forgo a bra and slipped a soft navy blue silk slip over her head. It was slinky without being clingy with spaghetti straps and it clung in all the right places without being too revealing. Perfect. Now where are the girls? As she padded barefoot into the large open plan sitting room and kitchen she heard a car drive up horn tooting madly. Speak of the devil, she thought, running out of the French doors into the courtyard.
Screams and yells ensued for the next 30 seconds as they hugged, group hugged, high fived and generally danced around like idiots greeting each other.
‘Moons, Slash.’ yelled Cassie. ‘Cassius’ yelled Liz and Kat together.
*
Cassie rolled over in bed and opened one eye slowly and then closed it quickly, squeaking at the onslaught of bright sunlight into her eyes. She had forgotten to close the shutters last night. Oh dear, she groaned inwardly, swallowing, her mouth feeling like a dry pit. What a reunion they had had last night. Starting with the champagne, wine with dinner, which thank goodness Liz had prepared, then finishing off with her, in hindsight, stupid idea of a Limoncello. She lay very still, intending to drift back into languid sleep when all of a sudden she remembered. Oh God I have to go riding this morning. What is the time? She sat up frantically and scrabbled around on the bedside table for her watch. 7:45am. Leaping out of bed with a start, she groaned and grabbed her head with both hands. This is not good she thought stumbling into the bathroom and peering at her reflection in the mirror. Red rimmed eyes and pale skin greeted her with her hair a medusa like tangle falling down around her face and shoulders. She blew experimentally on into her hand and sniffed it. I smell like a brewery and I’ve got ten minutes now to scrub up for bossy boots and his riding expedition. She turned on the shower and quickly brushed her teeth, gargling with water in an attempt to freshen her breath. Winding her hair in a knot she leapt into the shower and stood with her face full on into the jet of water. It might clear her head, but then again a good strong coffee would probably do it better. Five minutes later she stood staring at the contents of her suitcases. No one had told her that there were horses at the estate, and if they had, would she have brought any riding clothes? No, was the answer. Hells bells, what the heck am I going to wear she thought frantically, finally deciding to go with her jeans shorts and a light tee shirt. At least she would be cool. It felt like 30 degrees already and it wasn’t even 8am in the morning. She quickly applied some tinted sun block and slipped on a pair of trainers. I am probably not the right footwear either she mused. She tiptoed down the hall past the other bedrooms. Both doors were closed and she thought enviously of Kat and Liz sleeping in. That is what she should be doing instead of this madness she told herself. At least she had figured out how the coffee machine worked last night as she switched it on impatiently and waited the 20 seconds for it to heat up. She was just savoring her first sip when she saw Marco’s X5 pull up outside the villa. Shit, she murmured, gulping down the rest and burning her mouth. Nerves and an acid stomach did nothing to bolster her flagging confidence as she opened the door grabbing her sunglasses to hide her eyes. She stopped on the doorstep staring as Marco climbed out of the car. He looks amazing she thought.