Second Chances in Chianti (Escape to Tuscany Book 2) by T.A. Williams (online e reader .TXT) 📕

the thrill that shot throughout her body. If she wanted proof that she had fallen for him, this was it – but she didn’t need proof. She pressed herself against him and screwed her head up so she could speak to him.

‘Matt! You can’t imagine how happy I am to see you.’

He kissed her warmly while the dog stood up on his hind legs and tried to join in. Finally, Matt pushed the door shut behind him and beamed at her.

‘That makes two of us.’ He glanced down at the dog. ‘Make that three.’

She poured two glasses of wine and then sat hand in hand with him in the little garden, as the Labrador stretched out at their feet. She could feel anticipation growing inside her as to what was going to happen next. They were sitting side by side on the bench underneath the branches of the walnut tree and, more as a displacement activity than anything else, she told him all about the discovery of the fresco in the church. For now, she avoided mentioning the exciting job offers she had just received from Conrad and then Antonia. There would be time for that once he and she finally started trading secrets. As it was, it transpired that he knew a thing or two about Conrad.

‘You know the Hollywood people in Villa delle Vespe, don’t you? Well, I get the feeling the paparazzi have got them in their sights.’

After Fliss’s departure, Alice thought the photographers would have left, but maybe they had come back, harbouring hopes that she might still be there. For now, she affected a nonchalant air.

‘I haven’t been up there for a while. I hadn’t noticed.’

‘On the way down this evening I saw two guys lurking about by the villa gates. I thought they were up to no good and there was just something about them. Then I spotted the cameras and I bet that’s what they are.’ She saw him shudder. ‘God, I hate those guys.’

‘You know them?’

‘Not these particular ones, but just paparazzi in general. Most of them are the scum of the earth, without a vestige of a conscience or scruples.’

‘How come you feel so strongly about paparazzi?’ She saw him hesitate and then those same familiar shutters came down.

‘As a journalist, I used to have to deal with them and it made my skin creep to see them get rich on the back of other people’s misery.’

Somehow she got the feeling there was more to it than this but, as ever, she didn’t press him – not least as she still hadn’t told him about her own background in Pals. She instantly stopped thinking about paparazzi, however, as she felt his hand land on her shoulder and gently turn her towards him.

‘Alice…’ His voice was low.

He leant forward and kissed her on the lips, at first softly and then with more passion. Her eyes closed and when she found the strength to open them again, his face was barely a few inches from hers, his eyes staring deep into hers.

‘That feels so good.’ His tone was almost reverent and she nuzzled against him.

‘That, Mr Livingstone, was very nice indeed.’

They kissed again and there could be no doubt about it. This was without question the best kiss of her life and she almost fell off the bench, such was her state of abandon in his arms. While the dog snoozed at their feet, she let herself melt against Matt, cradled in his embrace. She lost track of the passage of time and when she finally heard his voice, it was like waking from a dream. Somehow, to her surprise, it was almost dark.

‘We’d better make a move if we’re going to the restaurant.’

She nodded languidly. If the truth be told, food wasn’t high on her agenda at the moment, but she stood up and took a few deep breaths to regain her composure.

With Guinness trotting contentedly alongside them, they walked round to the restaurant and were shown to a table in the far corner of the garden, where the dog settled obediently at their feet. It was a lovely meal, although the details of what they ate soon blurred inside her head, which was still processing the wave of emotion that had swept over her back there in her garden. His touch had been gentle, his manner tender, and somehow this had only heightened the upsurge of desire in her. She had a feeling tonight was going to be a good night, a very good night.

However, things didn’t quite work out as she was hoping.

As she was just finishing her dessert of fresh strawberries and meringue ice cream, she looked up and noticed two men coming into the restaurant. Both were carrying holdalls and she wondered idly if they were tourists, even though they weren’t looking particularly happy, although that might have been down to the weather. As the waiter showed them to a free table on the other side of the garden, Matt looked up and followed the direction of her eyes. As he saw the two men, his reaction was unexpected in the extreme. To Alice’s amazement, he dropped his head towards the table, covering the side of his face with one arm and overturning his little espresso cup – fortunately now empty – in the process. He screwed himself round, so the back of his head was towards the two new arrivals, shot a furtive glance up towards Alice and she heard him speak in an urgent whisper.

‘It’s them. I don’t think they’ve seen me yet, but we need to get out, quick.’

‘Them? Who?’ She followed his example and kept her voice low, but she couldn’t get her head round why he was reacting like this. Did he know them? Were they bad men? A sudden horrible thought came to her. Was he maybe involved in some sort of criminal affair? After all, he had amassed a hell of a lot of money. Her initial bemusement began to turn