Bella Vita by Jesse Kimmel-Freeman Page A

looking down at
the luggage at his feet.
    “Of course!” I hugged him
tightly around his neck. “Promise you'll write back?”
    “I'd never offend Milady by
not.” He winked at me as he bent and kissed the back of my
hand.
    I laughed. “Thank you, Bernie, for
everything. You've made my time here better.”
    “Aww. Now let's get this
stuff out to your car. It'll be waiting for you. I've been told
that you should just follow the path and you'll find your way out.”
He lifted my bag up.
    “Thank you, Bernie.” I
whispered and squared my shoulders to walk out of this place the
way I came.
    My trip back to the real world was as easy
as taking Betty's private jet back to Italy- something I still
didn't understand why she had in the first place. I slept through
the entire trip. The moment we landed at the private airport I knew
he was there. I could feel him in every ounce of myself.

 
    Chapter
two
     
     
    Dom! I hadn't realized just how much I had missed him. Feeling his
presence once the plane landed filled my body with a joy I didn't
recognize. Was this what I was missing
while I was gone? A deeper thought
demanded to know if the hole of not having Dom around is what
caused seeing Mike to be so intense. I
don't know.
    The plane taxied to its spot. I happily
bounced in my seat with anticipation- bag in hand. As soon as the
attendant lowered the stairs, I was out of my seat rushing out the
door.
    “ Thank you!” I shouted over
my shoulder.
    Dominic stood in all his glorious beauty
just off the tarmac. He was clad in all black. His sleeveless shirt
showed every tattoo that had been expertly carved into his skin. I
had never seen Dom look like an avenging angel until that moment-
it was breathtaking. I rushed into his waiting arms.
    “ Emma!” His word was an
electric jolt to my system.
    “ Dom.. I've missed you so.”
I sobbed out at him.
    “ Almost a whole week and no
word. I was so worried, mia
bella . I was beginning to wonder if I
should contact the school about you having a late start.” His pout
was visible.
    “ Almost a week ?!” I didn't believe I was
gone that long.
    “ Yes! Did you fall into a
black hole? How could you not know how long you were gone?” His
eyes pierced my very soul when he looked so deep into
mine.
    My heart beat just slightly faster, but it
didn't matter, he'd hear it if it was just the slightest increase.
“ I, ah, was, um, away. You know that.” I smiled sheepishly at
him.
    He seemed to debate within on whether or not
to push the matter. The decision was clear- he would allow it to
drop for now. I still wasn't sure just how much of my trip I should
reveal to him. “So, we're going to have to get you settled and
ready for classes as they start the day after tomorrow. I went by
to get your schedule, but they said there was some last minute
changes and that you could pick it up on the first day.” Dom
lingered over the thought that the changes might have to do with my
trip- I could easily read it on his face.
    “ Wow! Time flies fast. So
what needs to get done?” Dom's bike was behind him, he handed me a
helmet.
    “ Come on. Let's start by
getting you home.” He tied my bag to the back of the bike and then
hopped on.
    “ Kay.” I climbed on behind
him, the very scent of him sent waves of excitement through me-
clearly I had missed him.
    The ride home was a mixture of flashes of
places I knew and loved and whirls of blurred images. The night sky
was kissed with the brisk fall air that I loved to feel sweep
across my face. I wanted to lean back and feel the moonlight dance
its way over my skin, but I didn't want to throw the bike off
balance.
    Emma, mia bella , I missed you so. Did you
at least have a pleasant trip? His words
tickled my mind in the most intense way.
    Yes. It was an interesting
trip. I'll tell you about it when we get home. I don't want us to
die out here because I was distracting you with my lame old trip.
But you have to tell me everything that's going on