Full Moon in Florence Read Online Free PDF Page B

idiocy with sexy lingerie. Let’s go for lunch.”

    Colin

    Colin hung up. He hesitated before stepping back into the pub. He looked up at the London sky. Only a handful of the brightest stars could penetrate the aura of city lights. Then there was the moon, or rather half of it, on the wax, which meant it would be full next week. In Florence.
    He had felt a strange burst of energy hearing Laine’s voice, and then that rising energy had been thwarted somehow. Had she been happy to hear from him? He couldn’t tell. Had her assistant goaded her into sending an email she might have gone on not sending? Colin furrowed his brow at the sky. What was he to make of it? She’d be happy to see him if it was convenient ? Not the romantic reunion he’d been fantasizing about all these months. But that’s just it, he chided himself. You’ve been fantasizing. This is reality. Awkward stumbling reality. And what did he really know about her? Nothing. For all he knew, she had a bloke and this was just a business trip and she’d rifled through her contacts to see who she knew in Europe and maybe thought, oh, there was that bloke from Paris, what was his name…
    Colin frowned and looked down at his feet. She hadn’t written for three months. Maybe to her it was just a matter of convenience. He kicked himself for jumping so high so fast. That’s not the way he was with women. He was cool, calm, collected. He took what he came for and always offered something in return, but he rarely lingered. What had been different about Laine? He didn’t even much care for Americans. It had been one night of fun for them both, a sexy spontaneous romp. He’d had many such nights in his travels and remembered them fondly, when he remembered them at all. Why had she stayed with him so long? He’d thought about her every day since they’d met, and dammit, he’d just t old her that on the phone. He might as well have hung his cock on the line and said, there, take a jab, why don’t you. What a wanker he was.
    He scuffed his foot along the pavement wishing he’d handled it all quite differently. The pub door opened. One of the long-legged legal assistant types stepped out and put a cigarette to her lips.
    “Got a light?” she said hopefully. Colin, who’d mostly given up smoking about a year ago, still carried a Zippo for just these occasions. Real smokers always carried their own lights and flirts-with-props always asked for one because usually it wasn’t a light they were asking for but an invitation they were offering.
    She took a long drag and then offered Colin her open pack. “Want one?”
    He took one. An actor taking his prop, just on these occasions.
    “My friend Amanda’s in there talking to your friend.”
    Colin nodded, inhaled as he lit his cigarette, exhaled. “Rudi.”
    “Yeah, Rudi. He seems nice. Is he? Do you vouch for him? Is she in good hands?”
    “Sure. ‘Course. He’s one of the best.” At what, Colin chose not to specify.
    “And how ‘bout you,” she said, tilting her bare shoulder toward him, letting her strap slip a little. Are you one of the best?”
    He flicked his cigarette, gave her a charming smile and held her gaze for a longer than usual beat.
    “You’re welcome to find out.”
    She arched an eyebrow. “Buy me a drink?”
    “Why not?”
    Florence and the full moon was still a week away.

Chapter 4

    Laine

    Laine laid out the racy lingerie on the end of her bed and then sorted through her mail. A thick, creamy envelope caught her attention. Her name was written in calligraphy by a hand she didn’t recognize. When she opened the card, she felt sick to her stomach and had to sit down. It was an invitation to Richard’s end-of-summer wedding. There was a Post-it attached to the embossed gold details.
    “ I hope we’re still friends. I’d love for you to be there .”
    She hated the fact that she could still decipher his sloppy handwriting. But really, this was in poor taste. His new