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As the spoon left her lips, she opened her eyes

Luca dipped the spoon again, but this ti hers

“It’s good,” heher with the spoon once more

The spoon that had just been in his ht would have such an effect on her, but it felt like seduction She opened hermore and more like she was completely out of her mind and her element She didn’t knohat to do with romance And this was clearly romance

“It really is exquisite” Not only the dessert, but being here with him, and she had to find a way to divert the mood It was sheer craziness that she’d let herself fall under his spell, but she knehat ca The very idea made her tremble, from want and fear She was not equipped for an affair, and she was sh to know an affair was all there would be with Luca He was a limited time fantasy, and she couldn’t afford to buy into it

She had to bring it back to the business of the hotel so with plates and silverware to avoid being fed any more of the decadent dessert “I think we could develop a selection of picnic items”

Luca helped himself to one more spoonful and Mari forced herself to look away from how his lips encircled the spoon

He put the dish down and picked up his wine “Interesting idea Maybe offer a selection to choose from Don’t want the bocconcini? Have a shrimp and rice salad, perhaps Herbed chicken instead of lamb Gunther’s chocolate terrine instead of crème brûlée What do you think?”

What Mari thought was that test driving a sports car wasn’t the sa a dry run for a ro on one But…the potential was still there and she could use her iination Especially after the last few moments

If she were in love with Luca, and he with her, and they were in this setting, eating decadently, growing lazy on fine wine…

A couple in love would be romanced And they’d end the afternoon in a very different way than she would with Luca And that would be part of the Cascade experience

And hoould such a couple end the day? Mari’s hand paused over the dishes Perhaps they’d return to the hotel and order in roo and have dinner at the best tables, dancing on the glea around the down at her because she was so lovely…

“Mari?”

“I think that sounds wonderful,” she answered, fussing with the blanket beside her feet, knowing that such a scenario was not possible, even as longing suffused her A chill bleith the breeze and she shivered She had to stop thinking of hiraceful way out If she couldn’t even stand his hand on her arh for there to be more? She was simply tired and her defenses were down She was muddled from the wine It had to be about the Cascade, not about them