Still Falling by Bella Costa

in an hour.   Because there were no ferries between ten pm
and six thirty am and they didn’t have a private boat, Tony and Serena had
intended on staying at the Bistro over night.  
    Oh shit.   The Bistro.   Poor Tony .  
    She hoped he hadn’t spent hours looking for her in a
panic.   She navigated the empty
passageways to the now very quiet lobby.   Although the inside lights were off, the light streaming through the
large arched windows provided enough light to read a book with.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    Chapter
twenty seven

 
 
    After a quick phone call on the lobby’s taxi free
phone, Serena wrapped her arms around her and stepped through a fire escape
into the cold, crisp, early morning air.   She hadn’t been there more than a couple of minutes when a small black
jeep pulled up next to her.   The
passenger window came down.   Curious,
Serena leaned down.  
    I feel like a
prostitute being picked up by a John.   Shit.   Marco!
    “Don’t be difficult please.   Climb in.”   He grumbled.   Serena glanced
around searching for the taxi she had called.
    “Serena, come on, unless you want to add the flu to
your many ailments.   I’m going home.   I can drop you off with your mother.”
                She rubbed her shoulders.    Searching desperately for the ordered taxi
to save her, but the streets were empty.
    If only it
weren’t so cold .
    Marco had run out of patience.   He climbed out the driver’s door and came
around the front of the car.   Opening the
passenger door, he leaned in and reached for his tux jacked, discarded on the
back seat.   Draping it over her shoulders,
he grasped her upper arms firmly and bundled her into the front seat.
    “Should I do your seatbelt, or do you
think you could manage?”
    “I’ve got it.” She stammered, still
reeling from his touch.
    Climbing back into the car, Marco pulled
off onto the quiet early morning streets of Napoli.   No one spoke.   Serena took in the tired lines and clenched jaw on Marco chiselled
face.   He definitely looked like he needed
sleep as much as she did.   His clothes
were rumpled and stubble created dark shadows under his chin.
    It wasn’t until they boarded the small
power boat, which Marco used instead of the ferry when the seas were calm, that
the uncomfortable silence was broken.
    “What happened to Michelle?”
    “Michelle is a big girl.   She can look after herself.”
    Serena gazed out of the curved Perspex
window of the boats small bridge.
    “Thank you,” she whispered, looking down
at her hands in her lap.
    “For what?”
    “For helping earlier.”
    Silently Marco slowed the boat to
navigate the islands small marina.   After
docking and securing the boat, he sat back and looked at her.   The Sun was just coming up over the horizon
and the first fingers of light were caressing the now very loose locks of hair,
turning them to brilliant copper.   Her
face was still down turned and looking strained.   Leaving the captains swivel chair, he knelt
before her, lifting her chin and forcing her to look into his eyes.
    “I should have done this a long time
ago.”   He said leaning forward to kiss
her gently.   Her lips were soft and warm
despite the cold early morning air.   He
couldn’t be certain if it was the cold morning air or reaction to his touch,
but she shivered ever so slightly.   He
pulled back just far enough to take in her face.   To give her a chance to
protest.   Her dark lips were
parted slightly and her breath escaped in small wintery wisps.   Serena leaned forward just a fraction, her
eyes covered by their delicate framed lids.   The invitation was more than he could take.   Pulling her thin frame into his arms he
buried his face against her neck, breathing in the faint fragrance of
Jasmine.   His lips sought out the soft
hollow where her heart fluttered its frantic pulse just below the skin.   His hands gently opened the