He held her tight and the cold left her body even as a small drop of water splashed against hernose.
“Can I see yourlist?”
“I guess.” She shrugged and reached into her back pocket for her cellphone.
A second later, she unlocked it and handed it to him. He read the list but then laughed and stared at her. “Kiss astranger?”
Drat. How had she forgotten that was on the list? She felt the heat in her cheeks, but she said, “I figured you counted for thatone.”
He winked at her but then continued to read the list. At the end, he summarized, “Most of this is travel in Europe. Have you booked how to geteverywhere?”
“No, it’s mostly just the next few stops, but I can find a travel agency to get the rooms.” For once, she was building her confidence thisvacation.
The gondola turned back toward the pier. For the few days here, she’d love to find out more about Blackwell and get to know him, but she couldn’t imagine herself in his world, not once the vacationended.
He kissed her hand. “No need. If you allow me, I can have my man, Piers, book us for many of these for the next few weeks and we can take my plane. In Paris, we’ll stay at myapartment.”
Seriously his world was nothing like hers. She blinked. “You have aplane?”
He shrugged. “It’s easier than flyingcommercial.”
The gondola ride was almost over. Perhaps her heart shouldn’t make up wishes about him. Falling in love meant she thought about him and only him and she couldn’t do that without figuring herself out first. She lowered her head. “I shouldn’t. You don’t have to dothis.”
He traced her chin until she looked at him again and then leaned closer, “I want to get to know you, Donna. If seeing these things help you find yourself, I’d like to see what you transforminto.”
His world and her world never fit. She lifted her shoulders like they were a shield. “Still, it’s animposition.”
He sat back, stared at her and the warmth in his gaze made her knees weak. “Don’t get shy on me now. I like who I see sofar.”
She pushed her hair out of her face and wondered what he saw in her that brought him here today. She said a small prayer for guidance and asked, “Who do yousee?”
He leaned closer. “Donna Smith, the only woman who could get into myheart.”
“Relentless flirting. I guess I like that.” She closed her eyes and took the chance. “Okay Blackwell, I’d love to see Italy withyou.”
“AndParis.”
“Okay andParis.”
Then his lips met hers again and she forgot about her list, her fears about whatever happened next and just focused on the feeling of his mouth onhers.
