morning?”
“Si.”
That's much too early to start the day.”
His face took on an expression of amusement. “On a farm, six of the clock means the day is half gone.”
“For this city girl, six in the morning is too close to midnight to call it daytime.”
“No doubt.” His grin lurched her insides into that funny jig his smiles were wont to set in motion. “But, now you are here - and you are just in time.”
“For what?”
“Have you ever milked a cow?”
“Not the sort of thing one does in the city,” Genie said. “We get ours delivered in bottles.”
“Delivered in bottles?” He leaned the broom he had been using against the wall and crossed over to Genie wearing a huge grin. “Just like you, Genie with a G.”
She laughed. “Ye-es. But our milkman had nothing to do with it.”
“Come,” he said, taking her arm. “See how milk gets into your bottles. You are about to milk your first cow.”
Electric charges flickered up her arm from the warm contact with Lorenzo's hand. His grip drew their bodies close. Genie basked in his warmth and earthy smell. It was a farm smell. But she didn't mind. After all, it was Lorenzo's working aroma.
“I'm not sure this is a good idea, Lorenzo,” she said. “I wouldn't want to damage one of your cows.”
“I'm sure you'll do very well. You might even like it.”
“Don't bet on it. I'm not going to have to wear a funny hat, am I?”
“Funny hat?”
“Never mind. A private joke.”
“What funny hat?”
“Let it go, Lorenzo. It's a private joke between me and me.”
“Sometimes, English humour - it is difficult.”
“That's me. Difficult.”
“If we are not to talk about funny hats, then, I have something important to tell you.”
“Go...on...”
“You will be happy to know that your car is safe.”
“Really?” She slapped both hands on her sternum, one on top of the other. “Is that true?”
“Vero. After you went to bed last night, I telephoned Federico, a friend of mine. He has a Garage. This morning he told me he found your car and took it to his garage.”
“Oh, Lorenzo, thank you so much.” It was as much as she could do to stop from rushing Lorenzo and planting a shower of kisses on him in gratitude. Gratitude? Never mind gratitude. Seeing the pleasure glowing on his face at her pleasure, kissing him for any reason, any time, would have been pure joy.
She made a mental sigh. Cool it, Hamilton. Keep your distance.
But, he was one very kissable man.
“He will repair it for you.”
“That's wonderful news. My car... Wonderful. Thank you so much, Lorenzo,”
“Niente. Now I want you to meet someone.” He led her to the first stall that housed one of his cows. “Genie, meet Gloria,” he said. “Gloria, this is Genie.”
“Hello Gloria,” Genie said. “What's the other one called?”
“Beatrice.”
“Beatrice?” She flicked her eyebrows. “Nice,” she said flatly. “And is Beatrice finished with? All her milk gone?”
He nodded. “All gone. I asked Gloria to wait for you.”
“How very kind of you.”
“Un altra cosa importante,” he said.
“Is this other important thing to do with cows or cars?”
“No. I called another friend of mine. Commissario Testa of the police. I told him about your robbery.”
“You did?” Genie turned to face him. A glimmer of hope fizzled out almost as quickly as it was born. Almost certainly they would have got rid of her stuff by now. Spent her money too. Nevertheless, hope is nice to have. “What did he say?”
“He knows who your robbers are. He will find them.”
“It would be great if he did,” Genie said. Well at least, they'd get their comeuppance. She allowed her gaze to linger on Lorenzo. This man. She was here uninvited. He was lumbered with her. And yet, he's gone out of his way to help her. “I really am running out of
“Si.”
That's much too early to start the day.”
His face took on an expression of amusement. “On a farm, six of the clock means the day is half gone.”
“For this city girl, six in the morning is too close to midnight to call it daytime.”
“No doubt.” His grin lurched her insides into that funny jig his smiles were wont to set in motion. “But, now you are here - and you are just in time.”
“For what?”
“Have you ever milked a cow?”
“Not the sort of thing one does in the city,” Genie said. “We get ours delivered in bottles.”
“Delivered in bottles?” He leaned the broom he had been using against the wall and crossed over to Genie wearing a huge grin. “Just like you, Genie with a G.”
She laughed. “Ye-es. But our milkman had nothing to do with it.”
“Come,” he said, taking her arm. “See how milk gets into your bottles. You are about to milk your first cow.”
Electric charges flickered up her arm from the warm contact with Lorenzo's hand. His grip drew their bodies close. Genie basked in his warmth and earthy smell. It was a farm smell. But she didn't mind. After all, it was Lorenzo's working aroma.
“I'm not sure this is a good idea, Lorenzo,” she said. “I wouldn't want to damage one of your cows.”
“I'm sure you'll do very well. You might even like it.”
“Don't bet on it. I'm not going to have to wear a funny hat, am I?”
“Funny hat?”
“Never mind. A private joke.”
“What funny hat?”
“Let it go, Lorenzo. It's a private joke between me and me.”
“Sometimes, English humour - it is difficult.”
“That's me. Difficult.”
“If we are not to talk about funny hats, then, I have something important to tell you.”
“Go...on...”
“You will be happy to know that your car is safe.”
“Really?” She slapped both hands on her sternum, one on top of the other. “Is that true?”
“Vero. After you went to bed last night, I telephoned Federico, a friend of mine. He has a Garage. This morning he told me he found your car and took it to his garage.”
“Oh, Lorenzo, thank you so much.” It was as much as she could do to stop from rushing Lorenzo and planting a shower of kisses on him in gratitude. Gratitude? Never mind gratitude. Seeing the pleasure glowing on his face at her pleasure, kissing him for any reason, any time, would have been pure joy.
She made a mental sigh. Cool it, Hamilton. Keep your distance.
But, he was one very kissable man.
“He will repair it for you.”
“That's wonderful news. My car... Wonderful. Thank you so much, Lorenzo,”
“Niente. Now I want you to meet someone.” He led her to the first stall that housed one of his cows. “Genie, meet Gloria,” he said. “Gloria, this is Genie.”
“Hello Gloria,” Genie said. “What's the other one called?”
“Beatrice.”
“Beatrice?” She flicked her eyebrows. “Nice,” she said flatly. “And is Beatrice finished with? All her milk gone?”
He nodded. “All gone. I asked Gloria to wait for you.”
“How very kind of you.”
“Un altra cosa importante,” he said.
“Is this other important thing to do with cows or cars?”
“No. I called another friend of mine. Commissario Testa of the police. I told him about your robbery.”
“You did?” Genie turned to face him. A glimmer of hope fizzled out almost as quickly as it was born. Almost certainly they would have got rid of her stuff by now. Spent her money too. Nevertheless, hope is nice to have. “What did he say?”
“He knows who your robbers are. He will find them.”
“It would be great if he did,” Genie said. Well at least, they'd get their comeuppance. She allowed her gaze to linger on Lorenzo. This man. She was here uninvited. He was lumbered with her. And yet, he's gone out of his way to help her. “I really am running out of
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