They sank down and emptied the sack. Soon they were both munching and drinking soda. “Where did this meal come from? It’s fabulous.”
“I asked one of the palace chefs to make me a picnic.”
“No wonder I’ve never eaten such delicious sandwiches and salad before.”
“Jeanne is a great cook and my friend. Sometimes I take her to lunch to give her a break.”
“That sounds like you,” he said in a thick-toned voice. “Unselfish and generous to a fault.” He’d never known anyone so easy to be with. She never pouted or acted upset.
Fausta blushed. “Thank you for saying that, but it’s not true.”
“I have proof to the contrary before my very eyes.” He continued to stare into those light blue pools until she looked away. “What’s your agenda this week?”
“Tomorrow I have to go back to the palace by three o’clock to help entertain some foreign dignitaries for the evening. Papa insists on it.”
Maybe it was a prince her father wanted her to meet, but Nico had to stop worrying about that or he’d go crazy.
“On Friday morning I have an appointment with the head of the Tocelli cell phone company. I’ve been pushing him for a commitment and believe he’s going to help fund one wing of the new veterans’ hospital.”
“Bravo.” Fausta’s charisma could turn a man inside out.
“What about you?”
“No seminars for several months, grazie a Dio.”
She laughed quietly. The urge to take her in his arms and kiss her had become a viable pain he couldn’t endure much longer. So much for his plan to slow things down. Driven by his desire to be with her despite his reservations, he brought up an idea he’d promised himself he wouldn’t do.
“Fausta? Before I have to go back in and check on a new hospitalized patient, I wanted to ask if you have plans for this coming Saturday.”
She’d started to clean things up. “That depends,” she said with an alluring smile that made his heart thud.
“I wondered if you’d like to drive to Biella with me. While I call on my patients, we’ll visit the pig farm.”
Her blue eyes danced. “There’s nothing I’d like more than to see some cute little pigs!”
You’ve done it now, Barsotti. But he didn’t care. Insane as it was, he needed to be alone with her away from their world. “It’ll be a two-hour drive both ways. Can you be ready by nine? We’ll stop to eat along the way.”
“I’m always up early and will wait outside the entrance.”
“Bene.” He got to his feet and picked up the sack. She folded the blanket and they went back inside as far as the cloakroom. When she lifted her eyes to him, Nico could see a nerve throbbing in the base of her throat. “See you on Saturday.”
After they said good-night, he conferred with his colleague over a patient, then drove to his apartment and phoned Enzo, who sounded ecstatic to hear from him.
Knowing that he would be with her all day Saturday was the only thing that helped him get through the rest of his week.
After letting the older man know he’d be driving to Biella and would be bringing someone with him this time, Nico got ready for bed, almost feverish in anticipation of being with Fausta.
When he drove up to the side of the palace on Saturday morning, there she was with molten gold hair, dressed in jeans and walking boots. She’d worn a long-sleeved kelly green pullover that revealed the feminine mold of her body. She carried a jacket over her arm and looked like she was ready for a day in the country. Every exquisite detail about her spoke to him.
Nico jumped out of the car and walked around to open the passenger door for her with the palace guard looking on. “Buon giorno
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