Still, she had to plaster a fake smile across her face when she slipped into the main cabin. Mark occupied the same chair he had during takeoff, flipping through a motorsport magazine. Sebastian had gone missing.
“Good morning,
cara.
I was about to wake you. We need to strap in for landing.”
“And Sebastian…” She hated that she’d asked but she had to know.
“Uh…he’s taking care of some business in the crew quarters.”
“I see.” She dropped into the seat opposite him then feigned interest in the clouds coming closer with the passing miles. Not even the gorgeous formations could interest her this morning.
“Breakfast is on the table if you’d like a bagel, some eggs…yogurt?”
“I’m not hungry, thanks.”
“At least let me get you some coffee—”
“Mark, stop.” She winced at the bitterness in her command then whispered, “Please.”
Lynn couldn’t stand for the man to feel obligated to clean up his partner’s mess. She had to keep it together long enough to make the world’s longest walk of shame through the jet bridge and out of the airport.
“I’m here if you need anything,
cara
.”
“Thank you.”
And with that, he left her in peace for the remainder of the flight.
After landing, Mark helped her with her luggage then kept her company as they disembarked. What kind of fool did it make her that she still hoped Sebastian would show at the last moment? He’d checked every box on her wish list and then some in their oh-so-brief Cougar affair. She hoped they could part on favorable terms to keep the memories bright, untarnished.
Mark turned to her as they neared the exit to the cab lanes. People streamed by in all directions across Paris’ congested airport. She planned to take the metro to her favorite hotel in the Etoile district, so she slowed to say goodbye when he peeled off.
“Are you going to recommend private jets in your guides?”
“Best in-flight service, hands down.”
Mark threw back his head as he laughed. “Thank you,
cara
. For me too.”
Lynn attempted a smile then angled her head so he wouldn’t notice her sniffle.
“Ah, damn
.”
He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “I have no idea what
il bastardo
is thinking this morning…”
“Don’t make excuses. He doesn’t owe me anything.” She accepted Mark’s comforting hug. A few more seconds then she’d buck up and start off on her own.
“He’s never pulled something like this before. You really got to him. Still, this is no way to treat a lady. I swear I’ll kick his ass for you, okay?”
“How about a knee to the balls?”
“Deal.” He kissed her cheek. “I don’t suppose there’s any chance you’d call
me
if I gave you my number, is there?”
Why couldn’t exhilaration make her heart dance at the idea of a relationship with Mark the way it had for Sebastian? Sure, they’d had steaming-hot sex, but she’d conned herself into believing there’d been a spark, something greater than the physical, between her and the young driver.
“Oh
affunculo
no.” Sebastian stepped between her and Mark, knocking the card from the navigator’s fingers in the process.
“Look who decided to show up,” Mark snarled, prepared to battle for her, but Sebastian ignored him.
“Shit. I’m sorry,
tesoro
.” The endearment caused her to cringe. How could he mean it now? Had the whole thing been an act? “I was on the phone. Didn’t realize they’d opened the doors. Thank God I caught you. We need to talk.”
Lynn would rather wait in the absurd line outside the Louvre with all the suckers who didn’t purchase advance tickets online on a Wednesday morning in July than listen to what Bastian had to say at that moment. Why couldn’t he let her go with her dignity intact?
She’d already planned to stop by her favorite patisserie for a decadent fruit tart then wallow in her hotel for a few hours before burying the disappointment and savoring the wicked aches he’d inspired. But he refused to let her brush him off.
“Grab a taxi, Mark? I’ll be out in a minute.”
The other man looked to her for confirmation before nodding. “Safe travels,
cara
.”
He left with a wave.
Sebastian meshed their fingers together as though nothing odd had happened. “I have to head out. We’re taking the TGV to Toulouse. But I have a surprise for you.”
“You do?”
Why?
She racked her brain for some parting gift to give him in return. Like maybe her middle finger jammed into his gut.
“Yeah. I called my mom this morning and arranged for you to stay with her when you get to Erchie. It took some juggling to shift your reservation from Caprietto’s but we worked it out. I can’t wait for her to meet you. Then I figured you could swing by the circuit when we pass through Rome. I didn’t plan for it to take so long but it’s a bitch scheduling stuff this time of year. Tourists everywhere. But…all the tickets are here.” He shoved an envelope at her. “You can write a whole book about Rome, right?”
She stared at him for a solid five seconds, trying to convince herself he was joking.
“You did
what
?” She scrubbed her hand over her cheeks. This couldn’t be happening. “You didn’t even stay this morning and now you’re telling me you intended for there to be more?”
“Wait, you thought I was making a clean break?” He cursed under his breath in Italian. “It killed me to leave you sleeping like an angel when all I wanted was to hold you. Or maybe slip in some morning loving. But I thought it more important to make sure we see each other again than to get my rocks off in another meaningless encounter.”
“Last night was
meaningless
to you?” She sucked in a breath through her shattered chest. “Great. Maybe we better go our separate ways before this gets any worse. It’s been…fun, Sebastian.”
She spun, but his hand gripped her shoulder.
“No. Shit, Lynn, this is all coming out wrong.”
“Why didn’t you talk to me? Why didn’t you let us decide together how things would go?” His manipulation betrayed her. “You know how I feel. I thought you understood how important it is for me to be independent…to decide my own fate.”
“I do. But… There wasn’t time. I didn’t think. Don’t you know how many girls have asked me for this privilege? I’ve never invited a woman to tour with me.”
She recoiled as though he’d slapped her. “I’m supposed to be grateful for your interference? You arrogant—”
Mark leaned in the sliding door with an apologetic shrug before she could really pour on the steam. “Seb, we have to get a move on or we’ll miss the train.”
“One minute!”
The frustration radiating from him erased some of yesterday’s bliss. She couldn’t bear to have him obscure all the glory of the night before with this disastrous parting. “I can’t do this, Sebastian. Please. Go. Good luck.”
She reached up to kiss his cheek, frozen in shock, then gathered her luggage before spinning on her heel and darting between a baggage trolley and a tour group. By the time she’d crossed the busy lobby and turned, Sebastian had vanished.
LynnLuvsTrvl: Younger men suck. Immature, cocky, bullheaded…
Rachel: You’re starting to sound like my crotchety Aunt Imelda.
LynnLuvsTrvl: Oh God. I am, aren’t I? But it’s been two weeks! Why the hell can’t I forget about him?
Rachel: Maybe because he’s emailed you every day, desperate for another chance?
LynnLuvsTrvl: Thanks for giving him my address, by the way. I never would have thought you’d do that!
Rachel: He begged on the blog. He sounded so sincere. Despite what you think right now, there’s something here, Lynn. I think you should answer him.
LynnLuvsTrvl: I’d have to read his messages to answer them. I’ve deleted every one without opening it. For all we know, he’s making sure he didn’t knock me up.
Rachel: Lynn! You didn’t!
LynnLuvsTrvl: I did. I refuse to be tied to anyone. Especially not a controlling, infantile— Argh! You get the point. But now I’m screwed. I’m not with him and I can’t stop thinking about him. I even went to the Rally Racing Museum today, like that’s a top-five destination for a solo woman’s travel guide. His picture was freaking everywhere. Do you have any idea how cute a man in a jumpsuit is?
Rachel: Holy crap, Lynn. This is getting out of hand. If you miss him this much, why not call him? Email, whatever.
LynnLuvsTrvl: After what happened? No way. I can’t stay with a man who wants to control me.
Rachel: If he’s still dogging you, he’s probably open to discussing your boundaries. You barely know each other. The way I figure, it’d have been easy for you both to write the night off but neither of you have.
LynnLuvsTrvl: Worse, I leave for Erchie tonight. I tried everything. Including a bribe. But I couldn’t get my original hotel back. There’s no way he told his mom about us, right?
Rachel: That he fucked you in a limo an hour after meeting you then shared you with his best friend for a wild night that I am super envious of? Probably not. But I’m betting he raved about the gorgeous woman he met. You know, enough to make it uncomfortable.
LynnLuvsTrvl: Damn it. That’s what I thought too.
Rachel: Sorry, Lynn.
Lynn paused before exiting the deserted station to stretch her knotted muscles with a whimper. Nothing like hours on the regional train interspersed with mad dashes through terminals—traversing flights of stairs to platforms that never seemed close together with even the lightest luggage when attempting a quick connection—to tire a girl out.
On top of that, she’d gotten burned by notes she’d found online that cited the town’s reliable tram system but had failed to mention it wouldn’t be completed for another five years at least. If the dusty donation jar she’d spotted gave any indication, Erchie might never go high-tech. And that was part of its appeal.
She probably could have caught a straggling cab if she hadn’t stopped to use the restroom. By the time she brushed her hair and popped a mint, in case Mrs. Fiori sized her up, the skeleton crew had departed. No one remained to listen to the buzz of the florescent lights but her.
These were exactly the hints she could capitalize on for her book. Though it didn’t do
her
much good. She had a hard time imagining anything sinister lurking in the peaceful town when the
swoosh
of the ocean sang in the background. Still, survival instincts she’d honed over years of traveling alone had her dreading the walk through twilit streets to her accommodations.
Grabbing the last train into town had been a mistake.
Thank God she could cross the distance to the bed and breakfast in fifteen minutes at a brisk pace. She hauled her bag along the ramp, surprised to see a car running with its lights on at the curb.
Lynn had taken two giant strides along the sidewalk when the car inched forward. The window began to roll down.
Great.
She picked up her pace, the wheels of her suitcase squeaking in protest.
“
Buona sera, signorina.
”
Lynn debated ignoring the older gentleman but opted for a tiny wave as she continued along her way. Still, he persisted, the Peugeot creeping along to stay even with her.
“
Scusami.”
The white-haired man flailed his hands in her peripheral vision.
Then he said two magical words. The only two that could have claimed her attention. “Sebastian Fiori.”
She tripped over a crack in the sidewalk. At least she tried to convince herself something other than the instant rush of anticipation and longing caused her stumble.
Her stare whipped in the man’s direction. Now that she really looked, she found countless similarities to the perfection she had memorized two weeks ago. The sappy part of her had feared she’d forget his face after such a short time together but the opposite had been true. Every night, visions of him had filled her imagination.
Almost as though they still dreamed together.
When she shook her head to clear the ridiculous thoughts, the man’s eyebrow arched.
“Mrs. Fiori…hotel…ride…”
The man struggled with English but she understood. Sebastian came by his tendency to grab the reins naturally it seemed. She bit her lip as she considered accepting. To be honest, refusing the kind gesture would make her stupid
and
rude in this case.
She smiled. “
Grazie.
”
Before she could lug her bag to the vehicle, the man had hopped out. He shooed her away while he took care of hoisting it into the hatchback. Then he turned to her, planting a double-cheeked air kiss on her. When they parted, he slapped his chest. “
Eduardo. Zio.”