An Unexpected Romance

chapter 9

Chapter 9

Gema was still trying to get used to sleeping and waking in a new place, and it didn’t help that every night Vistos dragged his perfectly sculptured, massive male body into bed clad in only fitted boxers. Gema had squeezed herself into the farthest corner of the bed on their first night, and Vistos had barely glanced at her as he’d slipped into bed and stretched out on his stomach with his head turned away from her. Gema hadn’t slept until dawn that night, and Vistos had made some scathing remark about being up all night to her while in the presence of the maid, which made Gema flush scarlet. On the third night that this persisted, Vistos scowled at her as he climbed into bed, Gema laying with the covers pulled all the way to her chin, shaking slightly. 

“Dio mio! I have never had to take a woman unwillingly in my lifetime, and I don’t plan on starting with YOU” He’d muttered off in Italian before settling into bed, sighing heavily and muttering oaths before drifting to sleep. Thankfully, Vistos was already out of bed whenever Gema woke. 

Her days were lazy, filled with either reading a book while curled up on the chase lounge, or spending the day by the pool. The relaxation was greatly needed, after spending so many months preparing for a life she didn’t want, Gema blissfully could do nothing at all. Vistos was rarely home during the day, stopping by for lunch sometimes, sending her one word answers from behind his laptop or newspaper, and after three weeks of this, Gema found herself growing restless. Though she was thankful for the relaxation, she was sick of being cooped up in the house. 

Gema woke with determination one afternoon, and she went to the spacious closet that Vistos had supplied for her. There were outfits for any and all occasions, and Gema had to admit, he had her style down pact. She ran her fingers over the silk gowns and evening attire before finally selecting a pale yellow sundress coupled with an orange cardigan. Gema looked in the mirror as she put her earrings on, and she was getting used to having her hair down. It had taken a few days to get used to, but having Vistos bark at her to take her hair down had quickly made her remember not to put it up in his presence. Well, vistos wasn’t here, now was he? Gema pulled her hair into a ponytail, grabbed her Ray Ban sunglasses and stuffed her feet into old scuffed converse before heading outside. The housekeeper and cook, Rosa, was polishing the already spotless antiques in the foyer when Gema came in. Rosa was friendly and chatty, though she spoke little English, and Gema had the odd feeling that Rosa was constantly referring to how wonderful Vistos was whenever she spoke to her. 

“Ciao Rosa!” Gema greeted the older woman, and Rosa smiled at her, the many wrinkles on her face becoming more pronounced as she did. 

“Ciao Signora Gema” 

“Um….” Gema searched her limited Italian for what she wanted to say. “Do you um, do you know where I can find la bicicletta? La bicicletta?” Gema made a gesture of handlebars, knowing she was failing helplessly, but praying Rosa would understand. 

“Bicicletta! Bono, bono!” Rosa beckoned Gema to follow her and Gema followed her around to the side of the house where the shed and pool house were. “There” Rosa declared triumphantly as she pointed at two bicycles, and Gema smiled at Rosa. “Molto bono, Rosa, ciao!” 

“Ciao!” Rosa scurried on up to the house and Gema tested the air in the smaller of the two bicycles. It was fairly old, the paint a faded light blue, but it was in pretty good condition. Gema hopped on the bike and after a few wobbly starts, she started off down the lane. Instead of turning left, which would have taken her into the city, Gema turned right, planning on exploring the countryside. 

With the wind in her hair and the sun warming her skin, Gema quickly relaxed and let go, laughing as she flew down a hill, her hair whipping out of its confines behind her. Gema stopped when she got to a vineyard, and she rested her bike against a tree as she walked up and down the rows, watching life grow from the vines. Glad she had brought her sketch book, Gema climbed the tree and seated herself on a secure branch, leaning back into the trunk as she began to sketch the vineyard. In the distance, she could see three kids playing by a stream, screaming and yelling in excitement, their Italian accents reaching her ears, their laughter making her smile. Before she knew it, the sun was setting, and Gema was fast trying to capture the beauty of the sun as it fell over the countryside. Her heart ached, missing her parents, her home, and Gema closed her eyes against the pain, and drifted off.