Opposites Do Most Certainly Attract!

Just when I thought it couldn't get better...

A castle! A freaking castle! On water! On an island! Could Dante Valenti be any more larger than life?! No wonder he was 'sure' of all his assets and the level of comfort they brought - not if they looked like this, and were found in such gorgeous locations! Oh, the sheer magnificence of this place! Maybe she should pinch herself and wake up because never in a million years did Scarlett think she'd ever have such a wondrous place for a hideout! Eat your hearts out, paparazzi! How sick was it that she was actually going to enjoy this! And to think she'd declined at first, Scarlett shook her head in disbelief at her near enormous error as the yacht slowed down near a dock in front of the castle and the crew started disembarking and docking the yacht. By then the yacht had come to a complete stop and Scarlett hadn't even realised it because her eyes were glued to the spectacular view of the biggest drawbridge she'd ever seen opening to let them into the castle. A drawbridge! Clearly Dante wanted to kill her! She wanted to scream because historical things drove her crazy! Crazy elated!

"How did you like your ride, Ms. Kane? Such a pity we're already here, you'd have enjoyed a ride around all the other islands. But then, there's no other castle on any other island and if I'm correct, it has held you in it's thrall as well?" Scarlett turned to find the captain of the yacht addressing her - she hadn't even seen him walk up to her! This was very bad! How was she going to go back to living in Manhattan without wishing it looked like Tropea! And had a castle.

"So it's not only me?" She laughed looking around her and sighing, "But, haven't you seen it enough times for it not to stun ?"

The captain laughed, "It's never enough. A castle on water? With all these trees closing it in but not completely? No, it's never enough. Actually, every time I'm here, it's like the first time - it's not something you get over."

It's not something you get over...

Scarlett shuddered. Was it too early for her to worry about that particular statement? And not just in regard to the destination, but perhaps to the one who'd suggested and offered the use of his paradisal destination as well? No, that wasn't something that was going to happen. Besides, the man was engaged to be married - and many other reasons she couldn't think of at the moment to emphasise how wrong it would be for her thoughts to waver from the professional and simply grateful.

"It's not... It's like a place out of a dream. And now I have to get down, don't I?" she said with another little sigh, already missing the thing of beauty that Dante's yacht was.

The captain laughed even harder, "Unfortunately, Ms. Kane. Please follow me." he said as he led her down the stairs of the floor they were on to the lounge and out to the deck. By then a group of six people had come out from behind the drawbridge and were walking towards the yacht. There were two women and four men, all dressed in some kind of uniform with an emblem...? One word, wow. Scarlett assumed they were Dante's staff come out to welcome them - which she ascertained when they reached them.

One of the women, the older one, who looked about fifty, moved forward, greeted Scarlett with another of those trademark Dante's people's smiles that had her smiling back and introduced herself and the others that had come out with her. "Welcome to the Castillo, Ms. Kane. My name is Beatriz, I'm the head of staff here at the Castillo. We hope to make your stay here at the Castillo memorable -please come with me." she said with a warm smile and such a cute Italian accent Scarlett wanted to hug her. OK, backup. What was happening to her? Was this magical place somehow robbing her of her usual very unimpressed self?

"Thank you, I'm sure it's going to be!" she said with a big smile of her own because she couldn't hold it back anymore - she was happy and excited. And she was yet to walk down that drawbridge.
She turned to the captain who'd been standing by politely and said thank you with a big handshake.
Two men picked up her luggage and the other two helped the yacht undock and sail away.