Davide - Room with a view
1032 Words
Why was she so reluctant to share anything about herself? Most girls wouldn’t shut up. She took another sip and pushed that last strands of pasta around her plate.
He sighed, “Rick said you were studying archaeology. It’s a subject I find fascinating.”
She glanced up at him, her arched eyebrow hinted at some disbelief. “Really?”
“Of course. You can’t be a licensed tour guide, with all the paper work and exams it entails without having a deep appreciation for all the aspects of local history.”
“You…? You’re a tour guide?”
“Like I said, I'm not just a pretty face. Father objected to what he considered a waste of time. But it was a condition of me accepting the ownership of his company. This city is in my blood, anything connected to the Romans is.”
“This company?”
“Uh no…” Could it be possible she didn’t know who he was? She wasn’t Italian but he had featured in enough gossip magazines, here and abroad. He found he liked the anonymity and it meant her wandering in to enquire about the job was random rather than calculated. She raised her eyebrows, waiting for him to elaborate. “Another business. It does mean I won’t be in the office as much as I would like. So I will leave the place in...” He reached across the table and clasped her hands, “your capable hands.”
“And Ricks.”
She didn’t pull away as quickly as expected. She was letting her guard down. “Yes, Rick’s too. So, back to your course?”
Extracting her hand from his, she picked up her glass and looked into it, “I miss it. I still study when I get the chance and I'm saving up enough to restart. I only have one semester left and a dig to do before my final exams.” She sighed in frustration.
“Hence the two jobs?”
“Yes. Rent isn’t cheap either. I looked for other places to live but they are far away from the centre.”
“Hopefully, I can pay you well enough. But not so well that you leave before I get to know you better,” he teased.
“I hope so too. I gave up my teaching job for this better salary,” she replied, looking away.
He paused. He could help her out. She seemed nice and it might make her more willing to...his eye followed the curve of the neckline of her dress to the swell of her breasts. He shook his head to dislodge the thoughts that were rampaging round his brain. He crossed his legs and cleared his throat. “How much is your rent?”
“I share with two others and my share is nine hundred. In Trastevere.”
“That’s about normal. Coffee?”
“Yes.”
With lunch finished, they floated back into the office. A bottle of wine, midday sun and lunch with a pretty girl left him with a pleasant feeling. With the intention of helping her out with her rental situation, he said, “I’m just going to nip out.” He left her at her desk, and climbed onto his scooter. He weaved through traffic to pick up the keys to a studio apartment near Campo di Fiori, which might just be perfect for her. Within twenty minutes he was back at the office and holding out a second helmet for her.
She looked up, confused. “What’s that for?”
“I want to show you something.”
She didn’t hesitate to climb on the scooter behind him and unfortunately, she didn’t have anything to hold onto but him. Her warm body pressed against his back, and she tightened her grip every time he accelerated, which he found more reasons to do than necessary.
They arrived and she still looked confused when she removed her helmet. “Any clues?”
“Follow me.” He led her through a set of doors and up five flights of stairs. Davide paused in front of an apartment door, giving her a chance to catch her breath.
“Davide, where are we?”
He unlocked the door, walking into the small apartment, he asked, “What do you think?”
“I think you are crazy if you think anything is going to happen.” Standing at the threshold, hands on her hips, she looked insulted and a little afraid.
“What? Oh…” Davide laughed, “Oh darling, if I wanted to seduce you, please believe I’d have better moves than this.” He managed to grab her hand and pulled a blushing Emily inside. “I meant the apartment?”
“It’s nice. Small. I imagined you would live somewhere more palatial,” she replied quickly, glossing over her mistake.
“What else do you imagine about me?” He pulled her close and looked down into her brown eyes. A faint blush still dusted her cheeks yet she didn’t look away.
“Nothing I’d share with you. Boss.” She licked her lips and pulled away. Looking around properly, she said, “It’s rather empty?”
So she wasn’t completely immune to his charms. Good to know. “It’s a studio apartment and it’s become available for rent. Fully furnished, bills included for 600 per month.”
“Is the owner crazy? 600 is nothing for a place here!”
“I would prefer generous, handsome, kind. Although you wouldn’t be the first to call me crazy.”
“You own this?” She wandered to the bed and gave it an experimental bounce.
“One of many. You said you were looking for a cheaper place to stay and I thought I’d give you first refusal. I was going to start viewings next week but if you like it, it’s yours.” Wiping a non-existent speck of dust from the shelves, he cleared his throat again and tried not to imagine what he could do to her on that bed.
Suddenly, she was there in front of him and she wrapped him in a brief hug. “That is very kind of you. Can I think about it?”
“Of course, but let me show you the view before we leave.” He opened the double doors by the kitchen and stepped out onto a small rooftop terrace. It was big enough for a small table and chairs plus the usual variety of pots hosting abandoned and wilted plants. It looked out over Piazza Farnese, a quieter neighbour of the bustling market square one street away.
Her face lit up when she stepped outside to join him, and when she turned that smile on him, his heart melted just a fraction. “I’ll take it.”
- Writer
