‘I don’t think I’d have made it back here without you,’ I said, with a coy smile.
Tony leant towards me, and there was a moment of quiet as the grasshoppers purred and the moon shone down. His eyes were magnetising, and I met him halfway, kissing him while holding on to my bike. It was like being back at school, without the backpack. I pulled away gently. ‘How can I ever thank you for ensuring my safe passage?’
‘How about a nightcap?’ he said, quick as a whip.
‘Oh, there isn’t a bar here, or anything,’ I said, regretting running past all the booze in duty-free. ‘Saying that, there is half a bottle of limoncello in my welcome basket.’
‘Limoncello is my favourite nightcap,’ he said slowly.
‘Now, that is a coincidence. In that case, you’re in luck.’ I took his hand, which was warm and soft, and led him through the front door, and upstairs to my room. The moon shone in through the windows as we walked past the bed and out onto the balcony.
‘This view…’ I said, staring out in wonder across the vineyard.
Tony stood tall and proud, like Caesar, about to address his kingdom. ‘Yes,’ he said. ‘I’d forgotten.’
I poured out two limoncellos and handed one to Tony. We both took a sip, without taking our eyes off each other. I wasn’t sure who was the cat and who was the mouse anymore, as he took my glass and placed it on the table next to his. He slowly pulled me towards him, kissing me softly at first, then harder and faster, as we melted into each other, breathless and hungry. I took a step back and stared into his eyes: dark and teasing, my body quivering in anticipation as he lowered his gaze to kiss my neck. I tried to be patient, enjoying the scrape of his stubble and his lips on my skin, but only lasted a few seconds before ripping open his shirt; the poppers easily giving way, as we moved as one into the bedroom.
This was the way todo Italy right. Sample local Italian man. Tickety-tick.
Ten
Wednesday 7thAugust
I woke to the sound of tapping and silently opened one eye to find Tony already awake and checking his phone. I was used to being up before anyone else, but he was obviously an even earlier bird than me. Between him and Lucy, I was losing my first-mover advantage.
‘Morning,’ I muffled into my pillow. Tony had thrown me around for hours before we’d eventually fallen asleep, and I couldn’t wait to get to yoga and stretch myself out. I just needed him to leave before he bumped into Paolo or Mia. I didn’t want any awkward questions or disapproving looks as he did the walk of shame.
‘Hey! Good morning,’ he replied, still full of Californian pep, leaning towards me for a kiss. Mmm… he still smelt and feltsogood. Maybe just this once it would be OK. We wouldn’t ever see each other again, after all. He rolled me over gently, kissing my neck, then my cheeks and eventually my lips. And then my alarm went off. Damn. It was 7 a.m.
I groaned and reached for my phone. ‘Time’s up, Tony,’ I said, playfully, turning the clanging off. ‘I’ve got to get up for yoga and you’ve got to get up and go before I get in trouble for having overnight guests.’
‘Love ’em and leave ’em – is that your style?’
‘I can hardly leave you, when you’re in my bedroom,’ I said. ‘But I had a great night, and I’m bound to see you around.’ Yoga was at half past, so I didn’t have time for a drawn-out goodbye.
‘Understood,’ he said, with a wink. He jumped out of bed and pulled his chinos on, his Calvin Kleins peeking out over the top. ‘No point exchanging numbers then?’
‘I’m not here for very long, so probably not.’
‘I guess if it’s meant to be, we’ll bump into each other,’ he said, grinning. Weirdo.
‘What’s so funny?’ I asked, throwing a pillow at him, as he put his shirt on and clicked his chunky watch into place.
‘Nothing. I’m just a big believer in serendipity, that’s all.’ He gave me one last kiss and I nearly dragged him back into bed but, NO. I had to be strong. As nice as it would be to have someone to play with while Holly was working, I had a one-and-done approach to men for a reason.
‘Do you know where you’re going?’ I asked, suddenly conscious he was in the middle of nowhere with a very unreliable bus service.
‘Yeah, don’t worry about me,’ he said. ‘Bye, Abi.’ And off he went. Easy. A little too easy. He didn’t seem bothered at all – he could have at least insisted I take his number. Was I losing my touch? It was one thingmenot wanting to see them again – it was quite another when they stopped asking to see me. Not that I cared, obviously – all that limoncello must have given me hangover anxiety, I wasn’t normally paranoid and needy. A useful reminder that my two-drink maximum was there for a reason, as well.
My alarm went off for the second time and I hopped in and out of the shower, throwing on my gym gear, ready for my morning salutation. Yoga was on the patio, al fresco, but the sun was already up so I’d missed another chance to see the sunrise Holly had been raving on about. I ran downstairs and outside to find Dawn and Ellie already sitting cross-legged on pale pink mats, in the middle of the space. The teacher was in the lotus position, with her eyes closed and panpipe music playing quietly. Tiny tealights were dotted around to add to the ambience, and a large candle flickered wildly at the front.
‘Good morning, namaste.’ The teacher looked up slowly and bowed at me with prayer hands. A small, wrinkled prune of a woman, in a powder blue tracksuit.
‘Namaste,’ I replied.The goddess in me sees the goddess in you.
‘I am Viola. You are Abi, yes?’ She spoke with a strong Italian accent.
I smiled and nodded, grabbing a mat, and sitting at the front of the class. Ian and Cathy arrived last, with their matching water bottles. Ian sat next to me, and Cathy took a space in the back row. That was all five of us, present and correct.
