Page 20 of Giorgio
The cases that had been retrieved from the villa had been taken to the closet of the room assigned to her and he had chosen a black sweater and a pair of cream leggings. She had approved of the selection and was now wearing them.
He had not seen a jacket and figured she had not brought one with her. So, he had called one of their stores and had one sent over.
It was a glossy black leather and suited her perfectly. She had stared at the obviously expensive item with a frown but had not commented. He had ordered some other things for her, and they were hanging inside the closet.
Her short curls had grown out somewhat and flattered her small face. He had adjusted the seat backwards in order to accommodate her broken leg and added a cushion for her head. She was sleeping peacefully, her head turned towards him.
The paperwork as well as the thorough examinations the doctor had insisted on, had taken up the better part of the afternoon and by the time they left, darkness had already descended.
The drive home was only half an hour, and he was used to the scenery, the lights from the various buildings, the graceful towering structure of the Colosseum. He wanted to take her sightseeing. He was intensely proud of his country and wanted to show it off, but first and foremost, she had to get well.
Her eyes flickered open just as he swung into the arched mile long driveway. Sitting up too quickly, had her head spinning and her injured leg bumping up against the dashboard and had her crying out in pain.
His hand whipped over her, a concerned look on his handsome face. “Easy. Are you hurt?”
Leaning back, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“I was disoriented. I am fine.” She gave him a watery smile, before turning her head to look out at the scene spread out before her. A gasp escaped her as she stared at the dazzling scene laid out before her.
The place was massive, and she realized why he called it a Palazzo. Lights were on in almost every room from the top floor to the bottom, spilling out and highlighting gracious lawns and colorful plants, some of which she could not identify.
The ground was landscaped as if every blade of grass had been precisely measured and lined up. A fountain spewed water into a sculpted basin. Graceful sculptures were at either side of the steps leading up to a wide porch, or whatever they called it in Italy.
“Juliana?” The deep slightly accented voice brought her back around, her eyes still opened wide in wonder.
“It’s…” She swallowed the lump inside her throat. “Overwhelming.” Her hands moved restlessly, and he only just stopped himself from reaching for them. “When you said you were wealthy, I thought it was just ordinary wealth.”
She stared at him, taking in the incredibly handsome face, the tidy beard that somehow added to his beauty, the straight nose, the mouth- Shaking her head, she lifted her eyes to his. “Who are you, really?”
“Does it matter?” He asked her gently. “I am the person who caused your accident and am trying my best to make it up to you. My name is Giorgio Russo which will not mean anything to you right now.” He nodded towards the building, never taking his eyes off hers. “It is just a house, a very large one, but a residence, nonetheless.
My dad will be there waiting to welcome you, and you have already met him. We have a full complement of household staff who have been informed of your imminent arrival. And Ipromise you that I will be here for you. I am asking you to trust me.”
She stared at him for a moment before glancing down at her hands. At the clinic, he had seemed like an ordinary – no! She mentally shook her head.
One could not look at him and thought of him as ordinary. He was too handsome, too distinguished looking to be considered commonplace. Even wearing jeans and sweater, it was obvious that he was special.
“Juliana?”
Her head lifted to meet his gaze, and she found herself succumbing to the assurance in his eyes. From the moment she opened her eyes and saw him sitting there, she felt an affinity towards him and instinctively knew that she could trust him
“If I make a fool of myself, I hope you will be there to set me straight.” She offered a tentative smile that had him releasing his breath in a sigh.
“Absolutely. Ready?” He asked her gently.
She nodded.
“I am afraid that using the crutch is going to make us go very slow. I am still trying to learn how to navigate it.”
“There is an alternative.”
Before she could ask what, he was out of the car and opening her door. Her breath whooshed out when he put one hand around her shoulders and another carefully under her knees.
“I didn’t mean…”
“Hold on tight.” His charming smile flashed, sending butterflies inside her tummy. She wrapped her hands around his neck and inhaled the scent of his expensive cologne as he strode towards the steps.
A stoic looking thin as a rail man, garbed completely in black, opened the massive double doors, his expression not changing as if seeing the son of the house carrying in an injured woman was something that happened every day.