He grins, and the devilish twinkle in his eyes slides through my body like a lit fuse.
“Are you hungry?”
He obviously doesn’t share my interest, so I bite back my disappointment.
“I am.”
“There’s not much to eat other than a few stale pastries, so if you like, I’ll run you a bath–” He grins and I squirm inside because this is pure torture. “Then we can get on the road and stop for breakfast along the way.”
“I’d like that.”
I clutch the mug, loving the warmth it gives me, and as Julius shifts off the bed, I sigh with disappointment. For some reason, he terrifies me, but I am also attracted to him, and for a girl who is mentally tapping on the convent exit, I don’t know what the hell to do about that.
17
JULIUS
Fifty sit-ups, a cold shower and a 5k run at dawn have done nothing to cool my attraction toward Rose Zaferelli. I swear I didn’t sleep a wink last night, and it was because she was breathing a few feet away. She may as well have been on another continent because I can’t be that man. I won’t be the man who hits on her for his personal gain.
It is expected of me, and she definitely gives me signals that she’s not immune to my attention, but for some reason I don’t want to rush things with her. She is unspoilt, which is a rare treasure for a man like me to find, and I am overprotective of her already. I can’t shake that, and so I am fighting myself along with the rest of them to keep her safe, and firmly away from men like me.
If anything, I would burn down the entire world for her just to keep her safe, and that is what I am struggling with.
We hitthe road at nine am and, true to my word, I ran her a deep bath, shocked at how considerate I am of her needs. I have never been that man or wanted to be, but Rose makes me see everything differently. I tread carefully with her because if she gazed at me through those beautiful eyes with anything but happiness, I would consider I had failed at life.
We begin our journey, and she is good company. Pointing out nature’s treasures and telling me about life in the convent. I allow her to talk, to get comfortable with me, but the main topic of conversation in my mind is the hellish life she has lived until now. If she has demons, I want to be the one to fight them, and I’m determined that by the time we reach our destination, I will have the truth of her life so far, and I will deal with whatever that throws up.
The first small town we reach offers the welcome sight of a sweet café, so I park the car and waste no time in heading inside because if I don’t eat soon I’m liable to kill something and eat it raw.
I order for us, hoping that Rose remembers not to speak French because two American tourists from Orlando don’t have cute French accents like she does.
When the waiter leaves to fetch our order, I lean in and whisper, “You speak French very well, but it’s probably best not to use it. We don’t want to draw attention to ourselves.”
“If you say so.” She shrugs. “To be honest, it’s more like my first language. They speak French in the convent mainly, and when we were at home, we spoke Italian.”
“But you speak English with no accent. How did you learn to do that?”
“Our tutors were all English, and products of Oxford University. My father craved the accent, and we were meant to practice speaking English rather than Italian or French.”
“Why?”
She shrugs. “He believed it would open more doors for us, and he was probably right.”
The waiter returns with two coffees and a bowl of croissants, and as we begin to eat, she smiles. “I have lived on croissants for many years now. I was kind of hoping for a change.”
“I’ve also ordered pancakes and bacon, eggs and sausage along with toast. Will that do?”
“It will.”
The way her eyes gleam causes me to shift on my seat because Rose seduces without realizing it. I am fascinated by her soft approach to life and mesmerized by her smile. I’m used to women who seduce through suggestive looks and words, not unaware they are doing so. Rose is different, making her more powerful than they will ever be.
“How long will it take us to reach–” She glances around her before lowering her voice.
“Madrid.”
“You’re learning.”
I’m impressed, and she grins. “I’m a fast learner.”
