Where the hell had this come from? Claire asked herself the moment Justin’s lips touched hers. Then she switched to asking. Why the hell hadn’t this happened sooner?
Her entire body started vibrating when Justin’s lips touched hers. Then he dipped his tongue into her mouth, and she practically melted against his chest. Her arms reached around and she gripped his shirt in her hands.
Just as quickly as he’d kissed her, he stepped away from her.
She wasn’t sure what to say and stood there, looking at Justin as if seeing him for the first time. She’d never believed she had a chance with someone like him. Over the years, the raging crush she’d had on him had fizzled into friendship, even though secretly she knew she’d never be happy with being just friends. She’d been jealous of any woman who had earned his attention and still held a grudge against anyone he’d dated.
Seeing Justin smiling back at her, she took a deep breath as he took her hand in his.
“Well, you didn’t slug me. I’ll take that as a good sign.” He started to walk. “How about we grab a coffee and some gelato?”
Not trusting she wouldn’t say something stupid, she nodded and followed him into the nearest gelato shop.
“Did I break you?” he asked once they were sitting on a bright red bench, eating their gelato as they watched the water.
“No.” She shook her head and smiled. “A woman can be dazed after something like that,” she admitted. He chuckled.
“So can a man.” He nudged her knee with his own.
“Sooo.” She dragged out the word. “You’ve been wanting to do that for a while?”
He nodded. “You?”
She nodded and took a bite of her dulce de leche gelato, her favorite flavor so far. She had tried Justin’s caffè flavor and, though it was good, nothing beat the caramel taste.
“I used to dream about that happening,” she admitted, avoiding his eyes.
“What changed?” he asked.
She chuckled and glanced over at him. “You started dating Lily Beck.”
He was silent for a moment then smiled. “Fifth grade?”
She nodded. “You would walk through the halls holding her hand.”
“If it’s any consolation, I wished back then that it was your hand I was holding.” He took her free hand in his.
“Where do we go from here?” she asked once they were done with their gelato.
“Well, I was thinking we could finish walking around here, hop a boat back, sit through my cousin’s rehearsal and dinner, then maybe see how we feel,” he answered.
She’d been asking about them. How was this going to change their relationship? What did he expect? What did she expect?
“No, I mean…”
He lifted their joined hands to his lips and brushed a kiss over her knuckles.
“I know,” he said with a chuckle. “We’ve had twenty-three years together so far. I think we can take a little time to figure out the future.”
She nodded in agreement and followed him through a couple more shops, where she purchased a few more trinkets for her family or friends.
He even purchased a little something more for his cousin. Sure, his parents had shipped the family gift long before the wedding. No doubt his aunt and uncle would have it wrapped and piled with the rest of the gifts at the reception.
But this little something was from him personally. The small keyring of a cat licking its balls was the perfect gag gift. He also got a key ring of a wooden gondola for himself. Claire liked it so much, she grabbed one herself.
Less than an hour later, they were settled on a boat heading back.
“Do I need to change for tonight’s dinner?” she asked him, worried that it was a little more formal than her skirt, top, and boots.
“You’re perfect. I’m going as is.” He motioned to his burgundy shirt and tan pants.
“You look Italian.” She nudged him. “No denying it. Me?” She glanced down. “I’m in tourist uniform.”
He chuckled at that, then reached up and touched the glass heart at her throat. “You’ll bring the sparkle to what I expected to be a very boring evening.”
She couldn’t argue with that. The boat dropped them off at the same place they’d gotten on, by the hotel—scratch that, the palace—he was staying in.
They walked slowly back to his hotel, holding hands, and passing through the crowd of tourists.
She couldn’t believe how beautiful his hotel was. They stepped into the lobby area with its dark rich wood, marble floors, and beautiful art and glass work everywhere.
Justin said something briefly to the two men behind the counter, who nodded and smiled at her.
They headed up the three-story marble staircase and to his rooms. He unlocked the door and motioned for her to step in. Once again, she was enamored with his room.
It was a beautiful mix of the old and new. Stylish grey and white furniture filled the sitting area, and glass and crystal hung overhead. Long white curtains allowed for the corner room to be shadowed in darkness if wanted. For now, each of the five French doors showed an amazing view.
She’d loved sitting out on his balcony, watching the boats come and go as they’d eaten breakfast. If possible, she would have breakfast right there every morning for the rest of her trip.
She realized she hadn’t asked him how long he would be in Italy. She turned to him. “How long are you staying in Venice?”
“I’m here for three more nights. Why?”
She smiled. “I’m here for three more nights too.”
He smiled and took her hand. He walked towards the doors and stepped out onto the balcony. “Then it looks like we’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the sites together.”
“Sounds wonderful.” She sighed and looked out over the chaos beyond. “Oh!” She stood up. “I should have gotten Isabella a present.”
Justin chuckled. “Your being there is present enough. Or so she claimed when she insisted that I invite you.”
She relaxed back and leaned against the railing as she ran her eyes over him.
“She seemed pretty sure I’d come then?” she asked.
He nodded and leaned sideways, his eyes on her. “She remembered you instantly. Claims you’re the reason she can now curse like an American sailor. Her words, not mine.”
Claire laughed. “Guilty. She’s the reason I understood what the man was screaming at the train station when he missed his train.”
“My parents taught me both English and Italian curses… Not by choice.” Justin smiled.
“Your dad does curse a lot when he’s cooking. Your mother curses whenever you do something that pisses her off.”
“Which is all the time,” they said together. They both laughed.
“We’re Italian. Hot blooded, fiery, and—”
“Hardheaded?” she interjected. He smiled.
“Passionate.” He pulled her close and kissed her again.
Yes, there was plenty of passion in his kiss. Enough that, once again, she found herself leaning on him heavily just to remain upright.
“Wow, do you have a license for that kiss?” she asked as he trailed his lips down her neck.
His chuckle vibrated his chest. It took her a moment to realize it was her cell phone buzzing in her pocket.
“My sister,” she said after a moment. “She said she was going to call…” He nodded as she answered.
While her sister filled her in on more of the details of what had happened at the Château de Ferrières and Blake’s place in Georgia, Justin walked over and pulled out his computer. Then she talked about Blake and Claire instantly knew that her sister had lost her heart.
She’d never heard Robin talk like she did about Blake, which assured her that it wasn’t just a relationship hyped up by the media. The thought of her sister actually finding her one had her watching Justin closely. She wanted to tell her sister about the day they’d spent, about her feelings, but since he was sitting in the room with her, she got off the phone without letting her sister in on the major change in her life.
“How’s Robin?” Justin asked as they headed to the rehearsal.
“She’s okay. She’s resting. Everything that happened to her is all over the news.”
“Yeah, I’ve seen a few pictures of her and Blake flash on TV screens. I’m happy she’s okay.”
They walked towards the boat taxi that would take them across to the Chiesa di San Giorgio Maggiore.
She was in awe the moment she saw the large white building. There was a clock tower in the back and a large dome that she couldn’t wait to see the underside of.
A small group of people stood outside and when they got closer, she recognized Isabella immediately. The woman, upon seeing them approaching, rushed over and wrapped her arms around Claire.
“It’s so wonderful that you were able to come,” Isabella said cheerfully. “When Justin told me you were in Venice…” She made a happy sound. “Fate.”
She was dragged through the large black doors of the church. Just seeing the inside of the beautiful building, she knew that it was going to be an epic wedding.
Not only was Isabella going to make a very beautiful bride, but she was also so kind and friendly with everyone. Isabella was no bridezilla. She laughed and joked with everyone as she hung onto the very handsome Matteo, who didn’t speak a word of English and looked at Isabella as if she were a goddess.
At one point during the rehearsal, she caught Justin looking at her much the same way. How many years had she dreamed of being with him? Of what it would be like being part of his family.
Hadn’t she tried to sneak to Italy on one of his family trips several times?
Being best friends with the man she’d secretly desired her entire life, no matter how hard she tried to deny it, had been the worst. But now, knowing that he felt something for her… it was as if she could finally start dreaming.
She dreamed the entire time he stood up in front of the church as a groomsman, while the priest droned on in Italian.
When the rehearsal was over, they all rode in a large taxi back to the hotel.
“The rehearsal dinner is on the hotel’s bar lounge patio,” Justin said, taking her hand and helping her out of the boat. God, she loved it when he touched her.
There were more than a dozen tables on the patio, which hung out over the water. It was different than the patio area for the restaurant attached to the hotel. Both had a beautiful view of the Basilica di Santa Maria Della Salute, with the sun setting behind it.
The sky was a brilliant orange and pink, and even Justin pulled out his phone to take a few pictures of the scenery.
They took a seat with his cousin and Matteo and another couple that Claire found out was Matteo’s sister Melissa and brother-in-law Gabriel Belli, who, thankfully, spoke enough broken English that Claire didn’t feel too left out.
“Tomorrow’s reception is up on the roof restaurant,” Isabella said to her. “I hope the sunset is as beautiful as tonight’s.”
“So far, every sunset I’ve seen here has been better than the last,” she said.
“So, you two?” Isabella said, leaning on the table and adding an eyebrow wiggle.
Justin looked over at Claire with his eyebrows up, as if he was trying to think.
“Have been friends all our lives,” Claire said happily. “And nothing could ever possibly change that.” She took Justin’s hand under the table and gave it a light squeeze.
Isabella’s eyes narrowed as her smile grew. “I’ve always been rooting for something more between you.”
“You have?” Justin asked with a slight frown, then he looked at her again and she felt her heart pound uncontrollably at the way he looked at her.
“Yes, there’s obviously a spark. I mean, everyone else can see it,” Isabella joked.
Claire smiled over at Justin. “Whatever is here, one thing is sure. We’re going to have a fun time exploring Venice.”
Justin smiled back at her. “Agreed.”