Page 14 of Tour Wars
She stared at him in shock, flushed bright red, then clammed up for the rest of the ride.
At least now he wouldn’t be the only one fantasizing about it.
CHAPTERSIX
When Emilia had teased TJ about the Trojan horse during yesterday’s train ride, she’d scored a point in their ongoing feud. But now? He’d trounced her. By admitting he would have been into it, he’d turned it from a joke into a challenge. All of a sudden, she couldn’t stop envisioning how the scene would have played out. Hot, sneaky sex in a forbidden location, which was thebestkind of sex.
She tried to dislodge the steamy images from her brain. Other than having to defend her attitude toward Marie, she’d enjoyed talking to TJ this morning. With most people, she put up a good front, using sarcasm and self-deprecating humor to mask her uncertainty about the future. Like the fear that she’d never land a decent job in her field. Or pay back her student loans.
For once, it had been a relief to let down her guard and speak honestly about her financial situation with someone who could relate. Unlike the rest of the group, TJ was under just as much financial pressure as she was. Neither of them could afford to spend every weekend on the Amalfi Coast or drop a bundle on an expensive dinner with friends.
That was why they signed up for tours almost every weekend. Even if their side hustle left them exhausted by Monday, they couldn’t pass up the chance to make extra money.
When they got to the Porta Marina entrance of the site, the representative from Buon Viaggio Tours stood waiting for them. Giada, the local tour wrangler, might have been barely five feet tall, but she was a force to be reckoned with. Her short, dark hair was streaked with gray, and her face was weathered from the sun, but she could have been anywhere between forty and sixty. She spoke six languages, worked tirelessly at her job, and had a low tolerance for bullshit.
“Good. You’re early.” Giada handed each of them a printout. “Here are your lists for this morning’s tour. It’s a big group—fifty people—so you each get twenty-five.”
Emilia bit back a groan. “Twenty-five?” Anything over twenty was hard to control.
“It’s Saturday, so we’re fully booked. Your first tour is four hours long. You’ll be starting right at nine, and you need to wrap it up no later than one o’clock.” Giada nailed TJ with a fierce glare. “Understand?”
“Why are you looking atmelike that?” he said.
“Because you’re a big talker. I get it—you like to show off, but this group needs time for lunch before they board their bus for Positano. Then, make sure you’re both back here by one forty for your second group. Their tour starts at two o’clock sharp.”
TJ nodded. “We won’t be late.”
On the street facing the entrance to the site, two coach buses idled as their groups disembarked, three smaller minibuses jockeyed for space, and a snaking line of tourists waited for the gates to open. Just another busy morning at Pompeii.
Giada turned her focus to Emilia. “And you—smile more. Even if some of the men can be a little hands-on, we need those five-star reviews.”
Emilia plastered a bright smile on her face. “Will do, G. Anything else? Any VIPs?”
“Yes, indeed. We have a big-deal VIP today. He’s not part of the tour group, so he’ll be arriving separately. His name is Luca Roberti. Emilia, he’s with you, so you’ll need to be extra nice to him.”
Emilia was starting to wish she’d taken the day off. Just what did “extra nice” entail? Did that mean she had to keep her mouth shut if he grabbed her ass? “What kind of VIP? Is he a business exec? A celebrity?”
“Wait—LucaRoberti?” TJ said. “Is he related to our boss?”
Giada let out a huffy breath. “Both of you—listen. I don’t know why I have to explain everything to you clueless Americans. There are three Roberti brothers.” She ticked them off on her fingers. “The youngest is Angelo Roberti, the owner of Buon Viaggio Tours. He’smyboss. The middle brother is Dr. Maurizio Roberti, who runs the archaeological project in Pompeii. He’syourboss. And the oldest is Lorenzo. You’ve never met him. He lives in Milan and is the most successful of the three. Luca is his son. Got it?”
“Got it,” Emilia said. “So…Luca’s here for a visit?”
“More than that,” Giada snapped. “You know Angelo wants to expand Buon Viaggio, right?”
“Sure. It’s not exactly a secret.” Emilia had heard the gossip from one of the other guides. Right now, the company was focused on Tuscany and southern Italy, but for Angelo to stay competitive, he needed to add tours that covered the entire country, and he was hoping to add an office in Milan.
“Angelo wants his older brother to invest in the company,” Giada said. “But Lorenzo—well, he’s skeptical. He’s always looked down his nose at Angelo and isn’t sure if the company is a worthwhile investment. So he’s sending his son, Luca, who has a degree in business, to spend a few months working with Buon Viaggio. He’ll be joining some of our tours and observing how we operate.”
“Like a spy?” TJ said.
“This isn’t a James Bond movie, but yes, he’ll be reporting his findings back to his father. Which means we need to impress Luca. His father isn’t just wealthy; he’s got significant ties to the Italian Ministry of Tourism.”
“Isn’t that a conflict of interest?” TJ asked. “I mean, if he’s planning on investing in a private tour company?”
Giada waved her hand in dismissal. “Enough questions. Just do a good job, okay? With that in mind—here.” She tossed Emilia a plastic bag. “Freshen up a little.”
Emilia’s heart sunk as she peeked inside the bag. “Can’t I just wear my polo?” She hated the company’s ugly red polyester polo, but it was better than the shirt in the bag—a tight, scoop-necked tee that would put her cleavage on full display.
