La Vita Dolce Ch. 09

She ran a hand through her dark tangled locks and head down the stairs towards. Aimee Allen was playing on the radio in the kitchen when she entered.

Colin was sitting on the kitchen counter bare-chested and in low-slung khaki cargo shorts. The waistband of his boxers peeked above the shorts. He set down his cereal bowl momentarily to pick up the milk container and set it to his lips. His eyes crinkled over the rim of the carton as he saw her standing in the doorway.

Lacey sat cross-legged on in her chair at the round kitchen table in pink soffee shorts and a t-shirt sporting USC Cheerleading. She was shoveling Count Chocula into her mouth. She glanced up at Natasha. She grinned and said around a mouthful of cereal, "You look like hell."

Natasha shrugged. It was probably true. She hadn't changed since last night. She still wore the oversized sweater, her jeans still abandoned on the bedroom floor. She went to the cupboard next to Colin for a bowl and bumped his legs aside with her hip to grab a spoon from the drawer.

She plopped down in a chair at the kitchen table and poured herself a bowl of cereal. She reached for the milk and stopped. "Ew, Lacey, what is this?"

Lacey swallowed her mouthful. "Soy. It's good for you."

Natasha looked dubiously at the carton. Colin set the skim down in front of her. "Not everyone's on the latest SoCal diet kick, Lace." He said.

Natasha gratefully poured the skim over her cereal.

Colin headed out and stopped in the doorway. He looked over Natasha. "Hey, Tash."

She looked up at him.

"I'm going out to check out the surf. You up for it?" He watched excitement and anxiety wash over her pretty face. "Well?"

She shrugged. "I dunno. It's been a while."

Lacey giggled as an impish look slid over her face. "Bet she doesn't have it anymore."

Natasha gave Lacey an incredulous look. "Hey! Whose side are you on?"

Lacey just smiled and shoved another bite into her mouth. "Mmmm," she sighed and her mouth stretched into a smug smile which she aimed at her friend.

"I'm in." Natasha gritted out through her teeth.

Colin's handsome face broke into a smile. "Great. I'll get your board. It's collecting dust in the garage. No rush though. Finish your breakfast." He turned and left them.

Lacey looked speculatively after her older brother before returning her attentions to her cereal. "He's still got it so bad for you."

Natasha nearly choked. She stared at her friend. "It's been years, high school, since we dated."

Lacey merely nodded. "And his girlfriend, Morgan? Heinous bitch."

"Morgan? Morgan Pierce?"

"That's the one." Lacey said miserably.

"Ouch." Natasha murmured. Natasha was pretty sure that Morgan was the only person who'd ever wholly hated her without any sort of legit reason in high school. The girl was a tall leggy red-head with the face of an angel. Of course she was a spoiled brat. They'd always traveled in similar social circles but had never really gotten along. Morgan said that she had never been a "plus one, and it didn't agree with her". Basically, Morgan felt Natasha was competition for her domination of Hargrove High School.

Natasha shook of her head to clear her thoughts. "What does Colin see in her?"

Lacey shrugged. "Hell if I know. But she's hot and has huge tits since she got them done."

Natasha's eyes grew wide.

"She's going to flip when she finds out you're back here. Not to mention right down the hall from her man's bedroom." Lacey shot her a meaningful look. "I mean you could just stumble in there at any time. On accident, I mean. And steal my brother right away from her."

Natasha's mouth dropped open.

Lacey stood grinning widely. She dumped her bowl in the sink. "You'd better get ready to go." She left Natasha sitting at the kitchen table staring after her.

***

Gianni parked the black BMW 760i around the corner from the large beach house. He could view the front door without being too visible himself. He'd been to her apartment: found it ransacked and no clothes in the closets. He did manage to find an address book however. The name Lacey Grey and an address had caught his attention. He remembered Natasha talking about her best friend from home. If she was in the area at all, she would be here. He was certain.

He sat looking at the house and contemplating his dilemma. He certainly couldn't just walk up and knock on the door. If the girl had been in touch with Natasha, she probably would promptly..."

He didn't complete the thought as Natasha came striding out the front door carrying a surfboard under one slim brown arm. She had gotten some sun and her golden color had deepened to nearly bronze. Her dark hair was pulled up into a messy ponytail, strands hanging around her face. She tucked the loose strands behind her ear in a move that was heartbreakingly familiar. She wore a black bikini and black and red baggy board shorts slung low on her hips that obviously did not belong to her. The black strings of her bikini bottoms dangled over the waistband. Her smile was wide and vibrant as she called something over her shoulder.

A tall muscular blond came striding out of the house behind her carrying his own board. He slung an arm around her shoulders and captured her in a headlock. She cried out in mock outrage and punched him lightly along his spine. He laughed and released her, taking her board from her under his other arm. She opened the trunk of the silver range rover in the driveway and they both wrapped their boards in towels before settling them into the back of the Range Rover and slamming the trunk.

Gianni didn't bother hiding as they drove by. The tinted windows of the luxury vehicle hid him well. He followed them.

***

Gianni watched as Natasha paddled out and caught wave after wave. She carved a path, kicking up frothy white foam.

She and the blonde surfer took turns. Colin was obviously the more experienced surfer. His rides were longer, more complicated. He got bigger air. But Natasha? Her ride was pure grace. Gianni watched the smooth twisting and shifting of her muscles as she rode. He could watch her forever.

She was alive! He'd spent the last few weeks, disbelieving, hoping against hope. But she was here. Alive and happy. It was all he could have wanted. No, that was a lie. He wanted her still. It was foolish, he knew, after the way he had treated her, cast her aside, and called her little more than a whore. There was no way she would want him now. And it looked as though she had already gone back to her old life. He grimaced at the thought of her in another man's bed. He clenched his fists and sighed. He had to stop this. He was here to keep her safe, nothing more. Anything else would have been selfish.

Natasha emerged from the ocean, flipping her dark hair back from her face. Colin was right behind her, grinning broadly. They planted their boards in the sand. Colin immediately grabbed her in a bear hug. "And you thought you forgot how to surf huh?"

Natasha struggled. "Colin!" she shrieked. He released her, still smiling broadly.

She placed her hands on her hips and shrugged. "I didn't forget. I'm just a little rusty."

Colin nodded. "You looked great out there though."

"Thanks" Natasha murmered absently. She was gazing at a point over his shoulder.

"What?" Colin turned. Natasha's gaze was fixed on a man standing next to a black BMW. The man was tanned with wavy dark hair, tall and lean muscled. He wore a sky blue T-shirt stretched over his chest and white linen pants. Dark shades shielded his eyes. Colin raised one blonde brow. "Gotta thing for the pretty boy?"

Natasha brushed by him and ran towards the parking lot as the man was getting into the car. The engine revved and the BMW pulled away before Natasha even reached the parking lot. She halted and stared after it.

"Natasha!" Colin called after her.

She turned slowly to face him, confusion etched in her pretty features. She sat down silently upon the dune and pulled her knees to her chest. Colin came and crouched beside her. She didn't look at him but gazed out at the ocean.

"Tash?" he asked quietly. He tucked a lock of dark hair behind her ear.

"I'm losing it, Colin."

She sounded so distressed, Colin felt a bit of worry tugging at him. "What's going on, Tash? I'm really confused here."

She shook her head. "I could've sworn it was him."

Colin frowned "Who? What are you talking about?"

She turned to him with stricken eyes. "Gianni."

That worry that had been tugging at him became a landslide of dread. "Are you sure?"

She looked back to the sea and shook her head. "No."

Colin sat heavily beside her. He, too, gazed at the sea. His voice was firm, determined. "No. Not possible. Everyone thinks you're dead, right?"

She said nothing.

"Right, Tash?" he urged.

She swallowed thickly. Her voice was soft. "The day before my supposed wake, I went to confession. I slipped the priest a note. I swore him to secrecy. And he swore on his honor as a servant of God. I told him that if a man came...if Gianni Angiolini came, he was to give him the note."

"What was in the note, Tasha?" Colin asked quietly.

She smiled humorlessly. "Two words. She lives. But I assumed he either didn't go to the wake or funeral or he didn't care."

"But now you think he's here?"

She shrugged. "I was probably right the first time and I've just frightened some poor man out of his wits as I ran after him like a crazy person. Gianni didn't care about me," she said softly. "I apparently was an amusing plaything, however."

Colin glanced at her. He had never heard such bitterness from her lips. Not knowing what to say, he placed an arm around her shoulders. He gently pulled her against him and gently rested his chin on the top oh her silken head. "Alright," he said a matter-of-factly. "So it may have been this Italian stud, Gianni."

Natasha snorted.

But Colin's voice softened. "But you're wrong about the not caring part."

Her voice was dry, "And just how do you know that?"

He pressed a kiss to her hair. "Because no one can know you and not care about you. And because no one can know you and not love you." He paused and sighed. "Whether they want to or not."

Natasha bit her lip and wrapped her arms around Colin. He pulled her closer and they sat like that, silently watching the waves break upon the shore. "