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look. Her hair, still somewhat damp, was held in a clip at the back of her head and he imagined she struggled with the unruly mass as long tendrils already fell around her shoulders .
    " Luciana's holding a table for us . "
    " How did you know I’d say yes? " she asked.
    He grinned, " I had a feeling. "
    " Julian , " she hesitated when they got to the door. " What happened just now… "
    " Was fantastic. I enjoyed it thoroughly and I think you did too, " he finished for her, gesturing for her to go ahead of him.
    She looked like she was going to say something but changed her mind and preceded him out the door. They walked in silence to the main building and to their waiting table.
     

 
    Chapter Two
     
    Luciana set the bottle of wine on their table on the patio of the restaurant . The night was clear, just as Gabrielle always remembered the m to be, with some lights in the distance but dark enough that the sky glowed with stars. There were two other tables with couples quietly eat ing their meals but they were far enough away that all were offered privacy .
    Julian picked up his glass and sipped. "I saw you earlier," he said.
    "Earlier?" she asked, tasting the wine.
    "On your way to the swimming pool. You watched them, the couple there."
    She turned to discover that the couple she'd seen earlier in the day sat at one of the tables. Her face flaming red, she returned her gaze to his.
    "I'm not judging you. I only wanted you to know that I saw."
    "Why were you watching me?"
    "Because you interest me. Because I find you beautiful. Because I want to know your pain."
    " I don't know anything about you," she said, trying to make sense of what was happening between them. "What we did earlier, I've never done…those things… with a stranger."
    " I don't think we'll be strangers long. Tell me, w hy are you here alone, Gabrielle ? What brings someone like you to a place like this alone?"
    She searched around her, taking another sip of wine. He remained studying her, his eyes not unkind. She wanted to tell him the truth, to let him see her . Would he want to have anything to do with her once he learned her secr et ? Or was pushing him away just another way of punishing herself?
    " I used to come here with my husband, " she said, taking a large sip of wine as he digested this information. Whatever he felt, he hid it well as he remained watching , waiting for her to continue. " He died two years ago and this is the first time I’ve returned here. "
    " I’m sorry for your loss, " he said.
    She nodded, acknowledging his comment. " I don’t know that it’s…fair…for me to be here with another man in my bed. "
    " Fair? " he asked just as Luciana served their starter: a plate of various meats with olives and crusty bread.
    " Fair, right, " she nodded when he offered her some of the meat but hunger wasn’t what she was feeling at the moment.
    " I lost my wife some years back, " he said, his attention on serving her.
    " I’m sorry, " she rushed to say, berating herself for her self-centeredness. " How old was she? " He couldn’t more than forty, forty-two she guessed.
    " Early thirties . " He set his fork down. "Don't feel sorry, she chose to die."
    " Do you mean … suicide?"
    He nodded once , his eyes darkening if that was possible.
    " Do you have children? " she asked.
    " A daughter. She’s ten now and spending some time with her grandmother. "
    " Oh . It must be very difficult . "
    " She was very young, thankfully. She's the reason I survived. Do you have children? "
    She knew he couldn't want to talk about this and she was fine to leave it.
    " No, we were waiting, wanting things to be just right. They never are though, are they? " she aske d, regret casting shadows behind her eyes.
    It was quiet for a few moments and when she continued to look down at her plate, he lifted her chin so that she had to look into his eyes . " The pain won't let you go until you face it. " He let the words weigh into her consciousness . He was