Chapter 2: The Return

Laura Conti's POV

The dream of the day that my father passed away, the stupid memories of my first high school day and those secrets about Lucca had kept me awake at night. The nightmare still haunts me even though it has been months since I returned to Italy. I got a job at my old university in Verona as an assistant professor of Archeology in the Department of Arts and Civilization.

My old Professor of Art History, Madame Debaux, a French immigrate that married an Italian man, has been kind enough to let me work under her. I am grateful for her help as my work in Albania needs to be delayed due to my availability to go back and forth to the country.

I also reconnect with my old friends from my college years. There was Stella, who happened to be an English professor and Tim, my ex, that continued his study in the Ph.D. of Economics. I hang with them in my free time, even though it was awkward at first with Tim who I have not seen in 5 years. He already moved on from our love as he has been married to a nice woman named Isabella, an heiress from Spain.

Like most of the day that went on in my life, we went to a nearby pub that serves great beer and wine in the area. I went ahead of time before them because Friday was the least busy day of the week. I went to sit at a table that was near the window that overlooked the street. A waiter came by to asked what I want to drink and went to fetch it for me. I ordered a red wine as it was raining lightly outside as it was almost Winter time.

Someone put the red wine on the table and I just ignored its presence. But, this particular waiter seemed did not move from the spot. I sighed, ready to tell him that I am good for now, and when I turned around, I saw him standing in front of me.

"Mind if I join in?" he asked, taking a seat without hearing my answer.

"I'm busy," I said, annoyed at his presence beside me. I rolled my eyes in my mind at him, hoping he would leave me alone.

"I can see that you're busy staring at the street through the window," he said casually. I rolled my eyes at him, do not have the feeling of fighting him.

I sighed, "What do you want?" I asked as I took the wine to sip it, hoping the burning sensation would calm my nerves and my anger toward him.

"I want to talk," he said.

"There is nothing to talk about. Your business with my father was not one of my concerns," I said and put the glass down.

"He may be dead, but his business still alive. As it was stated in the will, you are the acting president of the company. So, that makes you are the one that runs the business now," he said while putting his arm across the sofa. With his presence that near me, it makes me hard to breathe as his body heat was spreading beside me. I turned my head to look outside to ease this uneasiness.

"Sorry, we're late. The traffic was unbelievable. You will not believe... Oh hello, I believe we haven't met yet. Are you a friend of Laura?" Stella's voice rang the whole bar, trusting her to talk with all the people. I heard some shuffles beside me as I turned to look at Stella. My glare toward her could burn the whole city.

"No, I believe we did not. I am Lucca Giovanni, Laura's boyfriend. Nice to meet you," he said. My eyes turned to big saucers as I turned to tell Stella that was a lie.

"No, no, no. He's joking. We're, we're not together," I stammered. Lucca chuckled. I glared at him for making me stammered on my words.

`"Well, not yet anyway. She always keeps turn me down," Lucca said, trying to gain sympathy from Stella. Stella looked at me with her big blue eyes that stated 'What's the matter with you turning this hot man down!' look. I rolled my eyes at her.

Lucca went to get the chair for Stella to sit. I tried to sit when he offered me the chair. I obliged, not wanting to create an unnecessary scene. Lucca took his seat next to me and waved to get the orders for us.

Stella and Lucca were talking animatedly as I drank and watched them engrossed in their conversation. I occasionally reacted and engaged in the conversation but mostly drinking and heard them talking. One particular topic attracted me to hear it.

"So, I got to tell you, when Laura came back from doing jobs in Albania, Tim was surprised to see her again. I told him that she will be a professor at the university, he sweated uncomfortably the night that we went out to drink!" Stella said animatedly. Lucca just looked at her before turning to look at me. His slate orbs clashed with my violet ones. I gulped at his intense stare. Lucca moved his face away from me and looked at Stella.

"Really? What's his relationship with Laura?" Lucca asked Stella but I felt like the question was directed to me.

"Oh, he's her ex. They used to date back in college years. They were the cutest couple of our year. Anyway, Laura's lost because he is now happily married to Baroness of Spain." she said before her phone rang and she picked it up. Thank goodness my secret past had been saved by the phone.

"Hello? Oh hey, babe, what's up? What time is it again? 7 PM? Oh, shoot I forgot. I go back right away. Bye, love you!" Stella said before hangs up the phone.

"Sorry guys, I forgot that my in-laws are coming to visit. Anyway, I gotta run. See you later. Nice meeting you, Lucca. Goodbye Laura, I see you on Monday" Stella said before kissing my cheeks and Lucca's. She bolted toward the door through the crowd.

I was about to leave when Lucca blocked me on my way out. I looked into his orbs before he pulled me through the back door and out in a deserted alley. He was holding onto my arms and I must say his grip was hard, but not hard enough to leave a bruise. I was struggling to let him go off me. I was relieved when he let go but got trapped between his arms as my back come in contact with the cold wall. I held my head high and looked into his slate orbs.

"So, you interested in Tim but not me? My, my, you are something, I must say, Laura," he said while caressing my cheek.

"Let me go, Lucca. You're drunk. I can smell your breath stink of alcohol" I said before trying to push him off me and get out of his trap.

"Too bad he's already married. Now, you have nobody," he said while nuzzling my neck. The hairs on my nape stand up. Suddenly, it was hard to breathe as I was trapped in between his arms. I was heaving heavily when Lucca suddenly told me the words that I never expected him to say or even tell me in private or public.

"Marry me, Laura," he said firmly.

"What? Lucca, you're drunk. Let's get you back to your house." I said before trying to push him away. He stood there, not moving an inch. He was staring into my eyes like a lion ready to pawn on its prey.

"Marry me, Laura," he said before he did something stupid. He kissed me, on the lips. I was shocked at first and trying to break free but his kisses were so enticing, erotic and passionate that I ended up kissing him back. We were fucking each other mouth until my brain cells can't function anymore. The feel of his mouth on me burned me up inside. I have been holding onto my feelings for many years now, since our childhood, the first moment I laid my eyes on him when we were introduced to him.

His hands were moving up and down my body. He was caressing my boobs as I whimpered when he squeezed them. I clung myself to him as my hands snaked to his neck. His tongue was wetting my lips to open up for him. I gasped and he took that chance to take control of my mouth. I was on fire as I can sense his hands were roaming my body, caressing gently as I was a precious porcelain vase. I was kissing him hard before he had the nerve to put a stop to it. He touched our forehead together before looking into my eyes.

"Think about it, please," he said before kissing me again, with much tender this time before stepping back and walked out of the alley. I was breathless as I slid down the wall of the deserted alley. What had happened?

Lucca Giovanni's POV

I needed to get away from Laura as soon as I kissed her on the mouth. It has been a long time since I've been that close to her. Her feminine smell, her hair, her neck, her body was so intoxicating and mesmerizing that I just can't control myself when I was around her. I forever want to trap her under my sheets and forever ravish her as I wanted her to call out my name. My blood pump to my junior as I was walking down the alley.

I stopped as I turned around the corner. I stopped to take a breath and exhaled it loudly. I looked back at her to see that she was too stunned to move after our little encounter. Her figure was still static from the moment that I left. The wind that was blowing into her hair sent her scent to me and I inhaled it like the oxygen that I needed to survive. I really to get out of here before I went back and took her right there.

I shook my head before moving out of the deserted alley to my car at the end of the block.