Page 62 of Ciao, Amore

He treated her with the same reverence when he undressed her that night in the room and fucked her slowly on the simple white bedding. Her hair, her skin, every secret place on her body became his to kiss and stroke and fondle. To penetrate with fingers and tongue, to infiltrate her mind with his thoughts and ideas as they lay with limbs entwined and talked for hours afterward.

The next morning, Dani was startled to awake to the sound of birds and water. Not someone pounding on the door, no screaming, laughing children bursting in with disapproving mamas glowering behind them. There was only the serenity of Nico’s face as he gazed at her, as though seeking something from her that eluded him.

“Good morning. What do you want to do today,amore?”

Her ideas, which he fulfilled with gusto: a round of heart-pumping sex to get the day started right, as many times as they could make each other come. A long shower together, lathering each other up. Later, swimming and kissing in the pleasantly warm sea and lazily sunning like lizards on the rocks under gorgeous clear weather. The sun made love to both of them before they went back to the room to spread that sunshine all over each other.

At night, there was more delicious food from their new favorite restaurant with a few glasses of Nico’s favorite wine. More awesome sex after that, sometimes fast and energetic, sometimes soft and slow, but always, always so satisfying.

They hiked the Path of the Gods after taking a bus to Bomerano, totally Nico’s idea. As fit as he was, even he had to pause a few times to rest his legs. The view, however, was worth the rubber legs and the stitch in her side by the time they’d walked all the way back to the hotel. Next was a much more relaxing boat tour of the coast, which the brochures had touted when Dani was dreaming life away in the office. Then they went to the nearby town of Ravello, where they attended a concert in a public garden.

One morning, she’d woken up to him scribbling, pausing to gaze out the window at the sunrise.

“What are you doing,amore?”

With a wry face, he’d said, “Writing some really awful poems about this place.” He looked down as if that was somehow shameful, then glanced at her again from under long lashes. “It’s nothing. Just a thing I do.”

“I want to hear something. Anything,” she said. “If that’s okay.”

The slow grin that spread across his face had the power to spin her world. After that, out of all the dinners and dancing and fun activities, listening to him share bits and pieces of his mind and soul became one of her favorite ways to pass the time.

And all of it was infinitely better than she’d imagined because she was with Nico.

He was the one who planned their final day in Positano before they had to go back and get ready for their departure from Naples.

“Vespa.”

Groaning, Dani slumped dramatically onto the bed in her simple linen sleeveless top and drawstring, wide-legged cotton pants, having found a rare pair in this town that fit over her generous ass and hips.

“Nico, no.”

“Yes. Vespa. It’s the best way to see the whole town unless you want to pedal a bike.”

“My legs would die riding a bike up all these hills. It’s beautiful, but I don’t understand how people can live here and survive.”

Nico laughed.

“Italians may seem laid-back, but we are a very determined people,” he said, crawling over her on all fours to kiss her neck and make her giggle. “And so am I. Vespa.”

“No.”

“Vespa.”

As usual, he won in the end. They rented the scooter and took off for a slower-paced drive up the cliff to the road that lay between Positano and Amalfi. The rock arch over the road that she’d seen in so many photos was breathtaking in person, with a view of the coast that could never have been matched by mere pictures. They got off the bike and stood with his arms around her waist, gazing out into the sea, into the unknown. Other tourists passed by and smiled at them. Nico got someone to take a photo of them together with the arch and the sea behind them.

Back in town, they returned the vehicle unscathed, by some miracle, and wandered the streets, skipping down curious little staircases to some interesting shops.

“Tell me you like lemons without telling me you like lemons,” Dani said, pointing to at least six stores that all had lemon products or lemon-decorated wares in their windows.

“You have to try some lemon candies. They will smack the hell out of your mouth, that’s how sour they are.”

“That sounds terrifyingly good,” Dani remarked with a raised eyebrow.

Nico bought a bag of hard candies, and her eyebrows shot up higher when she tried a lemon ball. “Oh my God,” she exclaimed around the mouthful of the sweetest, sourest, most delicious lemon candy she’d ever tried.

“Told you,” he said with a sage nod. “That’s it, I’m buying everything they’ve got in here.” He bought lemon liqueur, a jar of lemon-infused honey, and more candy for the kids.

Up until that point, Dani hadn’t bought very many souvenirs to send back home. She rectified that after seeing Nico’s small haul and bought some items, including a cute onesie for Kiki that was embroidered with tiny flowers. Looking at the onesie, another well of water rose behind her eyes. She hadn’t seen any videos since the other morning. Sniffling, she swiped her eyes surreptitiously and quickly wrapped up the onesie to put in the bag, but not before Nico saw her.

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