Page 189 of Play of Love
The first place he took me to when we arrived was a little coffee shop called Torrefazioe, it was famous for its coffee and pastries. The most delightful aroma welcomed us as they went in and had a super-rich hot chocolate and a mixture of pastries which included some marshmallow and strawberry bites that tasted fantastic.
I was so glad he'd gotten me into marshmallows because clearly, I'd been missing out.
When they were finished the real adventure began and I had to admit that as much as I loved Rome and Tuscany, Venice was perhaps my favorite place. It was where I fell in love with Italy. Apart from the breathtaking canals that looked even better than any picture I had ever seen, there was stunning architecture everywhere. I'd always heard that Venice was one of the most alluring cities in the world.
Now I knew it was true.
It was the type of place that I could happily get lost in. There was history, beauty, and romance everywhere.
Thanks to Gage's organized planning we managed to see a lot. We started off with a guided tour of St. Mark's Basilica and Doge's Palace. We then saw a few historical monuments and got on to the activity I was most eager for. A fantastic grand canal tour on a beautiful gondola, where we spent hours admiring the most attractive sights and places of historical and artistic interests. As we glided through the peaceful canals of the city, we observed past palaces, went under old bridges and saw sights off the usual tourist trail.
I absolutely loved it.
Our tour ended at the Opera house where we got off to enjoyOphelia's Tocacto.I'd wondered how Gage would manage, but he seemed to thoroughly enjoy it. He'd picked great seats in a private area on the balcony where we could snuggle together and enjoy the singing, and each other. During the opera I caught him watching me a few times, and I wondered what he was thinking. At those times I'd turn to him and kiss him, allowing myself the happiness that I felt by being here with him.
Even though we'd considered going back to Lucy after the opera, it was hard to say no to an evening gondola ride, especially when the canals were now lit up with gorgeous honey colored lights, which complimented the brighter city lights that surrounded us.
Again we snuggled together in the back while our gondolier stood at the top steering us through the tranquil waters. We'd had such an extraordinary day together, and being with Gage was amazing in every way. I marveled at how well we got on and how we could talk about any and everything. There was never a pause of a moment to think about what I could talk about next. We just seemed to flow and work well together.
"I'm so excited to be here." I told him as he slipped his arm around me and pulled me closer. He stroked the edge of my waist sending sparks of fire across my entire body.
"Me too." He smiled. "I think we should stay the night."
I did too, but a sudden awareness filled me setting off the butterflies in my stomach.
"What about Lucy?"
He smiled. "Don't worry about Lucy, I. I knew we were likely to do this." He held my gaze, and I searched his desire filled eyes.
Lucy may have thought they'd stay over but I was certain I wouldn't be aware of the intense passion that surrounded us like a tangle entity.
"We can go back if you want to."
I shook my head. "No. I want to stay the night."
It was the kind of passion that could render a person mindless and powerless. Mix that in with the excitement of being in Venice and I was agreeable to anything.
"Then ... we should find a good hotel." His eyes sparkled as he held me.
"Yes." I agreed.
We instructed the gondolier to take us back towards the city center since that was where we recognized. It also had a variety of hotels to choose from.
As like with everywhere we'd been in Italy Gage went all out, but this time he chose the grandest hotel we could find that looked like somewhere royalty would stay, and then he asked for the best room they had for me.
I tried to talk him out of it, but he wouldn't listen.
"I'm just down the hall if you need me," he said.
We'd both gone into my room because he wanted to check to see if the room was okay, and check he did as if he was carrying out an inspection.
"Gage this room is too extravagant." I shook my head at him. I would have been just as happy in a single bedroom with a nice view. This one was luxurious with a king sized bed decorated in burgundy and gold sheets that complimented the colors of the furniture. The most striking feature, however, was the large archway that led out on to the balcony. This held a spectacular view of the city.
"You don't like it?" He looked concerned.
"I love it. It looks like a room for a princess, Gage." I meant that to sound sarcastic, but he nodded in agreement.
"Yes. Then it's perfect, Princess." He smiled down at me and reached out to touch my face. "And there are no lizards. I checked. I don't think there's much of them in Venice with the water, but you can never be too careful." He glanced over at the window and scanned the area. I noted that it was the first time he hadn't joked about the whole lizard fiasco. Now he seemed focused on making sure I didn't come across anything that scared me. He walked over to the window and checked the curtains thoroughly before making his way back over to me. "If you see anything strange at all come and get me. Doesn't matter what it is you just come, or call me and I'll come to you."
