The Vineyards of Calanetti

“Really. I never would have guessed. I can’t wait to see the village.” But if Angelo was serious about this being a productive trip, she wasn’t sure that she’d get to see much of Italy. The thought dampened her mood. “Do you think I’ll have some time to look around the village?”

He glanced at her before turning back to the road. “There really isn’t much to see.”

She’d beg to differ with him. Everything about Italy was special for this American girl. This was the biggest adventure of her life. How could he think this place was anything but special?

“I...I’ve never been here before. I was just hoping to sneak in some sightseeing.”

“As long as you get your work done, I don’t care what you do with your free time.”

Oh, good!

As the car climbed the hill, Angelo pulled to the side for an older truck that was barreling toward them. Once back on the road, the car’s tire dropped into a rut and bounced Kayla. The seat belt restrained her, but her bare thigh brushed against his hand as it gripped the gearshift. Heat raced up her leg, under her skirt and set her whole body tingling.

“Sorry about that.” He quickly moved his hand back to the steering wheel.

Had he noticed their touch? Had it affected him, too? Was that why he’d moved his hand? Or was she just being ridiculous? Definitely being ridiculous. She knew when men were interested in her, and Angelo certainly wasn’t. A frown pulled at her lips.

So why then did it bother her? Sure, he was the most handsome man she’d ever laid eyes on. But, he was her boss—the key to her career. She wouldn’t—she couldn’t—let some ridiculous crush get in her way after everything she’d sacrificed to get here.

Time to think about something else.

“I didn’t have time to do any research before we left New York. What should I see while I’m here?”

He shrugged. “Honestly, there’s nothing special about Monte Calanetti. It’s just small and old.”

“I’m used to small towns. I grew up in one. And there’s always something special about them.”

He glanced her way and his dark brow rose. “What was special about your town?”

“A number of things.” She wasn’t sure that she wanted to delve into this subject with him. She’d finally got past her homesickness. The way she’d done that was by not thinking of her hometown and what made it special.

“Such as?”

She shook her head. “Never mind.”

Before he could question her more, she spotted what she thought was the edge of Monte Calanetti. “Are we here?”

“We are.”

She stared out the windshield, not exactly sure what to expect. There was a tall wall. As they eased past it she found rustic buildings of earth tones similar in color to Nico’s villa. People stopped and glanced their way as though trying to figure out if they should know them.

As more and more people turned to stare, Kayla couldn’t hold back her curiosity any longer. “Why are they staring?”

He shrugged. “It must be the car.”

“The car?”

“Yeah, you know because it’s a sports car. They probably don’t see many around here.”

“Oh.” She glanced over at him. Was he sitting up a little straighter? And was his chin tilted just a little higher? Interesting. “The village looks quite intriguing. And small enough to explore on foot.”

Angelo didn’t say anything. He just kept driving. And sadly he didn’t offer her a guided tour. She forced herself not to frown. Then again, why should he bend over backward for her? She was, after all, merely an employee. They weren’t even friends. Though little by little, she was getting to know Angelo better and better. In fact, she’d learned more about him in the past forty-eight hours than she had in the past two months while working as his assistant.

The car slowed as they eased through a wrought iron gate and up the short paved drive to a two-story building. The outside was plain but there was an elegance in its simplicity. Beneath a black awning, a bronze plaque off to the side of the front door read: Hotel Villa Bellezza. The place looked old but well kept. It reminded her of maybe a duke’s grand house. She couldn’t wait to check out the inside.

A young man in a black uniform rushed outside and opened her door for her. He smiled at her before his gaze moved to Angelo. The smile dimmed. She had the feeling that the young man had jumped to the wrong conclusion—that she and Angelo were a couple, here for a romantic tryst. Nothing could be further from the truth. But for the first time, she imagined what it might be like if Angelo were to look at her as a woman—a woman he desired. The thought rolled around in her mind at a dizzying pace.

Angelo moved to her side and spoke softly in her ear. “Are you okay?”

His voice drew her from her thoughts. She swallowed and hoped she succeeded in composing herself. “Yes.”

“Are you sure? You’re a little pale.”

She patted his arm, not a good move as her fingertips tingled where they made contact. “I’m fine. Honest.”

Or she would be, once she quit fantasizing about her boss. He obviously wasn’t attracted to her. He saw her as nothing more than his temporary assistant, and that’s the way it’d have to remain if she hoped to convince him of her talents.

While Angelo took care of registering them, she took in her surroundings. The modest exterior had not prepared her for the beauty of the interior. The floor was gleaming marble while the walls and ceiling were masterpieces of art with ornate parquet. Kayla had to force her mouth to remain closed instead of gaping open. She’d never stayed anywhere so fancy.

She couldn’t even imagine how much this visit would cost Angelo. And the fact that he could afford to stay in a place such as this without even batting an eye impressed her. They sure didn’t have anything like this back in Paradise. Wait until she told her mother and father about this.

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