Love and the White Wolf - Book 2

27. How a Butterfly Changed Everything (Sexual content)

Change of POV here.  It will make sense before the end of the chapter.

Spring, 2016. 
Gail Richards and her roommate Alison Pryce stepped off the airplane in Bucharest.  They had been travelling across Europe after meeting in art school the year before.  After they completed their second year as roommates they planned the trip to see some of the world's greatest artworks.  The train portion of the trip started in Amsterdam, then went on to Paris, Zurich, Naples, Rome, Florence, with Venice to be their final stop before a planned flight to Greece after but someone, likely that guy that Alison had hooked up with in Venice, said they could fly to Bucharest cheaply, see Dracula's castle, then take a train to Athens.  All their stays had been in hostels and cheap hotels but so far they enjoyed themselves, that is when Alison wasn't hooking up with some hot guy.

Because of flight schedules they would spend a few days in Bucharest so Gail planned to take lots of pictures of the local architecture and statuary.  There were years of painting subjects to be found in all of this old world charm and she wanted to see it all.  After dropping their backpacks off at the hostel and heading to the local market for some cheap food the plan was to eat there and do some people watching.  

They strolled between the vendors trying to find something cheap to eat, finding a fruit vendor who had some perfect looking ripe plums.  Gail reached for some and touched hands with a stranger, a man in his late twenties with long dark hair, wearing a black ball cap, a few days of beard growth, and the bluest eyes she had ever seen.

"I'm sorry," he said, pulling his hand away. "Please, go ahead."

His voice was soft but polite and although there was an intensity about him that Gail found oddly appealing he stepped back, respecting her personal space.  She asked the vendor how much but the woman didn't speak English.  Gail must have looked confused because the man intervened.  He said something in Romanian to the woman.

"She's asking a fair price," he said. "I've bought from her before and her fruit has always been good."

Gail held out some money and the woman took what she needed, then dropped change into her hand.

"Thank you your help," she said to the man as he picked out his plums. "You would think I would understand the exchange rate after being across Europe but I'm not much of a traveller."

He smiled, and for a moment Gail's knees went weak at the brilliance of his perfect smile and those blue eyes that seemed to bore right into her.

"This is a good market," he said looking all around him. "The vendors are honest and I'm sure you will do fine."

He tipped his cap to her which was an oddly old-fashioned thing to do then he turned away.  She watched his broad shoulders disappear into the crowd of people then turned to find Alison.

"Who was that you were talking to?" asked Alison. "Kind of scruffy looking but definitely hot, girl."

"He was buying plums and translated for me," she said trying to see him in the crowd. "He sounded American."

"Maybe we'll see him at the bar tonight," said Alison. "We've been invited to meet some people."

Gail was a little disappointed at hearing that Alison had committed to meeting strangers at a bar.  She loved her friend but she always seemed to take risks by heading out to the night spots as soon as they arrived in a new place.  Just once, Gail would have liked to have an early evening and catch up on some sleep.  They looked for a spot near a statue where they could sit and watch people as they ate their purchases.  They took several pictures of each other then found someone to take a picture of them both with some of the magnificent old clock tower appearing behind them.