Brie Visits Master's Italy (After Graduation, #7) by Red Phoenix Page A

.”
    Brie started crying without any chance of controlling it.
    “Would you give up on us so easily, Brie?”
    She struggled to answer him through her tears. “No, Sir. I love you too much.”
    Sir kissed her salty tears. “I believe this is the greatest gift I’ve ever been given, my happiness in exchange for your heart.” He lifted her chin and kissed her gently on the lips. “Silly girl, my happiness is you.”
    Brie melted into his embrace, the relief of not losing him announcing itself in a painful sob. She buried her face in his chest.
    “I am honored by the depth of your love, babygirl.” He put both arms around her and held her tight.
    Brie felt an incredible rush, as if she had been reborn and given new life…

Captive

    “T here is a special place I want to take you, Brie,” Sir informed her as they walked down to the docks. He helped her onto a simple sail boat and introduced her to a man she’d met at Isabella’s dinner party a few nights before.
    Sir explained, “Pietro was a friend of my father’s. We used to go sailing together when I was a child.”
    The older gentleman took her hand and put it to his lips. “ Sei bellissima .”
    Brie blushed, knowing he’d said something about her being beautiful. “ Grazie ,” she replied shyly.
    Pietro gave Sir a long and emotional hug. When he pulled away, there were tears in the older man’s eyes. It was obvious to Brie that seeing each other brought back treasured memories for both men.
    Sir directed Brie to the front of the boat while they set about getting it ready to sail. She basked in the warmth of the sunshine, feeling like the Queen of Sheba when the boat began to pull out from the dock.
    Brie secretly pretended this was her boat and they were her two manly servants. It was a naughty fantasy considering her place, but she threw her head back and drank in the power and delight the fantasy brought.
    Eventually, Sir joined her. He looked incredibly sexy with the wind whipping through his dark hair, like he was meant to be on the ocean as a captain—or pirate.
    He took in a deep breath of the sea air. “I love getting out on the water.”
    “I do too, Sir. I love the smell and the feeling of freedom it inspires.” She looked out over the expanse of blue. “It spurs the adventurer in me.”
    He pulled her up to stand beside him, holding her close. “It appeals to a part of my soul that lies dormant until I’m on the water again.”
    She enjoyed the wind playing with her hair. It was a moment she wished she could capture and bottle, to be savored often in the years ahead.
    “You see that little island?” he asked, pointing over her shoulder at a speck on the horizon. “That is our destination. My father used to take me there as a boy.”
    She snuck her hand around his waist and snuggled against Sir, grateful that he was including her in retracing a part of his past.
    “It’s been more than eighteen years since I’ve been,” he said pensively, as if he was shocked by the passage of time.
    Sir told Brie to undress down to her bathing suit while he helped Pietro lower the sails as they approached the tiny island. Brie heard a satisfying splash when the sailor dropped the anchor over the edge of the boat.
    The two men talked for several minutes before Sir rejoined her. “He’ll come back in four hours. That should leave us plenty of time to play.”
    Play? Maybe this was more than a walk down memory lane.
    Without any warning, Sir picked her up and threw her into the water. Brie yelped as she fell and the cold sea water enveloped her. She popped her head back up and took in a deep breath only to hear Sir say, “You better start swimming towards the shore, princess. I am about to capture you.”
    He started peeling off his shirt, looking at her lustfully.
    The thrill of the chase infused her with giddy determination. Brie started swimming for all she was worth, heading towards a small alcove on the island. Even though she was smaller