He scratched his neck. “I was only doing what any other person would’ve done. You owe me nothing.”
That’s what Mr. Darcy would say. It was a gentleman’s duty. Swoon.
She brought her legs in to stand, wincing at the sore muscles. Lorenzo reached down and assisted her to her feet. “Kayaking has to be the most intense full-body workout I’ve ever taken part in,” she said.
He let out a low, throaty chuckle. “Lucia, my younger sister, says the same thing whenever I can talk her into going out on the water with me.”
Sabrina brushed some of the loose particles of sand from her legs. Lorenzo’s gaze traveled down the series of red scratches on her right shin. He knelt down for a closer inspection. She shivered. His touch was warm over her still-damp skin. “Those don’t look too bad. Just a few surface scrapes, but that piece of coral in your knee needs to come out. Giulia has some medical supplies at the B and B.”
Sabrina crinkled her nose. “No bueno. It’s not going to grow inside of me, is it?”
“As far as I’m aware, coral only grows in the water.” Lorenzo righted himself and placed his hands into his pockets. “It’s the bacteria that it carries that’s concerning. Nothing some hydrogen peroxide three percent won’t be able to take care of.”
Sabrina sighed. “My sister swears by hydrogen peroxide for her garden to kill off aphids, slugs, and other pests. But it stings whenever I use it on cuts.”
They began to walk the short distance toward Castillo Roccia. “That would be due to the extra molecule of oxygen. H2O2.”
Sabrina chuckled. The sandals squeaked with each step she took. “Do we have a scientist in our midst?”
“Technically speaking, I could be classified as a food scientist. Ididhave to enroll in quite a few science classes for my uni degree in vinifera.”
“And in English that translates to?” She raised an eyebrow.
“Winemaking,” Lorenzo said.
“Got it. And, um, how is your family’s vineyard? Giulia said your dad was just fine.”
Lorenzo stopped walking. “We were lucky. Papa was unharmed and nobody received any major injuries. It helped tremendously that the workday was nearly over. The damage was primarily structural. It will take a few days to clear the mud and debris field, but we are hoping for the best. I’m more concerned over the damage to the vines we have lost. Each time we start anew with baby vines, they take three or four years to mature and produce fruit.”
Sabrina winced. “In that case, I’m surprised you’ve stepped away.”
“There is little we can do until the soil has the chance to dry out. I’m here to get out of my head. I rarely miss my standing date at Giulia’s. Her cooking is legendary, and I have a chance to sell some wine.”
Poor Lorenzo. I want to give him a big teddy bear hug, but is there some sort of royal protocol against it? If I were in his shoes, I wouldn’t want to hear how sorry I am about the entire episode. I’d just want to move on.
She took another glance at his face. There were dark, puffy shadows under his red-rimmed eyes.
“I don’t have any words for you. All I can offer you is this.” Sabrina boldly reached up and wrapped her arms around his torso. The texture of the linen fabric of his dress shirt was rough against her skin. His body stood frozen stiff, then relaxed. She could hear him take a deep breath. She released him.
“In the States, when situations appear bleak, we offer hugs to show our support.” She placed her hands on her warmed face. “I have a friend who explained that Italians usually prefer a kiss on the cheeks, but in this case, I thought a hug would be more appropriate.”
Lorenzo stared at her for two long seconds. “Mediterranean cultures are generally more open than those in Northern Europe, but in my family, we don’t often hug one another.”
“Oh,” Sabrina said. Her face fell.
So definitely a faux pas with royals.
“Sabrina, you haven’t done anything wrong.” He cleared his throat. “You just caught me by surprise. I appreciate the effort you’re trying to make. Your hugsarecomforting.”
Change the subject. Think. What’s something else I can bring up?
“We had better get a move on it if we’re going to make it to Giulia’s on time. If you say her cooking is legendary, I want to see it for myself with a prime spot in the kitchen.” Her voice came out squeaky.
“You’ll be right on time. We have over an hour to prep for it. Besides, there isn’t much farther to walk,” Lorenzo deadpanned. He pivoted to the right and opened the entry door to Castillo Roccia.
Sabrina squared her shoulders and marched into the building as if she’d known where they were the entire time. “I knew that. I was just testing you.”
His body shook with silent laughter. “After you, then.”
