Page 3 of Bella Rosa
I proceed to let go of my very large and very overweight rolling suitcase and prop it on the wall to support my soon to be full arm. I stick my train ticket under my arm and position my sunglasses on the top of my head. Now I can transition my pillow and camera bag to the same arm, I’m kind of regretting lugging all of my very necessary possessions halfway across the world.
Just as I manage to get everything balanced and I'm as confident as I can possibly be to let go of my precious camera gear and reach out to open the door to the break room, the door swings open quickly.
I hear someone say something, but I'm too busy letting out the most unladylike squeak I've ever heard as I drop everything and start to fall backwards toward the very hard and dirty tile floor.
I'm sure I look like a scared bird with the way my arms are flapping as I try to regain my balance.
Before my body can hit the ground in a fall that would surely send me to the ER, or whatever the Italian equivalent of that is, very strong hands grab me by the upper arms and pull me into an equally strong chest.
Now that I'm not falling I realize those strong hands and chest belong to the most beautiful man I've ever seen.
Well, what I can see of him anyway. I am, in fact, pressed so close to him all I can see is the dark stubble on his chin and the sexiest smirk on his lips I've ever seen. And his smell. Oh my gosh he smells like leather and sandalwood.
Then I realize I'm clutching to his shirt with my left hand and his very nice upper arm with the other.
That means I'm not holding any of my very expensive camera gear that cost me six months worth of saving my tips.
I turn my gaze away from mystery man number one currently holding me to find an equally as beautiful, but not as captivating, man holding all my things easily in one hand.
How he's doing that, I have no idea. I'm just thankful my camera isn't in many pieces on the floor.I kind of cheaped out on the camera bag so I could get a new lens for this trip.
"Sorry about that. We didn't mean to scare you. I did manage to grab this bag before it hit the ground. It looked pretty important."
Mystery man number two has a thick Italian accent that is mouth watering. He gestures to my camera bag while barely containing a smile, his very cute dimple on full display.
"Oh, thank you," I manage to say through the noise of the erratic beating of my heart that is currently taking over my brain. I can't tell if it's from the almost fall or mystery man number one that's still holding me like I'm a trophy he just won at the state fair for best apple pie. I'll overanalyze that later. I turn my gaze back to mystery man number one and give him a small smile.
Nothing says please let go of me so I can make sure my camera is okay, and please don't ever let me go like a small smile that I'm sure doesn't look creepy at all. I'll blame the weirdness on the fact I almost just face planted in front of strangers. Seems like as good of an excuse as any.
Mystery man number one must realize he has been holding me far too long to be considered polite in our current situation. He makes sure I'm stabilized and lets go taking a few steps back.
I'm pretty sure he took all the breath from my lungs with him. I wish he would give it back.
Mystery man number two proceeds to hand my stuff back to me all while keeping a grin firmly on his face. He is tall, although not quite as tall as mystery man number one. "I’m Luca, by the way. Here’s your stuff back."
He's still over six feet though, only just. He has lighter hair and is a bit broader in the shoulders than his friend. At least I'm assuming they're friends. Coworkers? He does seem to be the only one of the two wearing a station uniform. Doesn't matter.
I take my stuff back with a grateful smile.
"I'm Rosalie. Thanks for all your help. It would have ruined my trip if I had fallen and gotten hurt," I manage to get that out even though tall, dark, and dreamy over there still hasn't returned the air to my lungs.
I make the mistake of making eye contact with him. Big mistake. Huge in fact. He has the most beautiful blue eyes. Like sapphires. His dark eyebrows are drawn together and he has his hands in his pockets now.
Luca shifts his weight to his other foot as the awkwardness of the two of us staring at each other too long settles in.
"This is my very rude friend Matteo. He isn't normally so tongue-tied like this. You're from the States right? What are you doing in Naples?"
That must have really gotten Matteo to come back to life.
He is suddenly walking quickly in the direction I previously came from. Like a moth drawn to a flame I race after him.
Why I go after the guy who clearly doesn't want to talk to me, I have no idea. Luca would have been the much better option to ask for help.
"Hey! Wait up! I need some help. I got lost on my way to platform twenty-three and I can't seem to find my way to any landmarks. Can you help me at least find my way back to the main hall of the station? Or better yet, help me catch my train to Azzurro?"
It's Luca who answers instead of Matteo.
"Sure! Matteo would love to take you. In fact, that's the train he is rushing to catch as well."
