Italian Passion Read Online Free PDF Page B

could not
bear for Marco – sweet, sexy Marco – to turn out like all the others.
    She had to leave. Now.
    Blinking back tears, Vanessa switched
off her mobile, threw it into her bag and stuffed her clothes and toiletries
into her trolley case. Then, without a backwards glance, she rushed from the
room.
     
    Marco glanced at his watch and
quickened his pace. He was due to meet Vanessa outside her hotel in a couple of
minutes and did not want to keep her waiting. His eyes stung from lack of sleep
and he knew he would pay for it later at work, but he did not care. Last night
had been unexpected, and wonderful. He needed to find a way to keep Vanessa
Woods permanently in his life.
    Reaching the pensione , Marco
decided to wait for Vanessa at reception. He stepped inside and hovered near
the doorway.
    “Excuse me?” the elderly woman at
reception called out to him after a few moments. “Are you waiting for someone?”
    “Yes, one of the guests, Signorina
Woods.”
    “The English girl? The blonde?”
    “I guess so, that sounds like her,”
Marco gave the woman a quizzical look. “Why?”
    “You’ve just missed her. She just
left – three days early too. She had her suitcase with her and looked like she
was in a hurry.”
    “What?” Marco went cold. Had he heard
right? Why would Vanessa leave without saying goodbye? “Where did she go?”
    The elderly woman shrugged, running
an appraising eye over him as she did so. “I don’t know – most likely the train
station.”
    Marco turned and barrelled through
the door, knocking over a young man with a huge backpack who was coming through
it. With a breathless apology, Marco helped the man to his feet and took off at
a run towards Santa Maria Novella station. It was only two blocks away, but
suddenly, it felt like the longest run of Marco’s life.
     
    Vanessa glanced up at the departures
board and let out the breath she had been holding. The Eurostar for Rome was
due to arrive at platform eight in ten minutes. Her timing – for once – had
been impeccable.
    She towed her suitcase behind her and
made her way over to a small white and green machine next to the platform,
where she stamped her ticket. Then, she walked down the platform, weaving
through a crowd of people, and found a spot to wait for the train.
    As she waited, Vanessa struggled not
to let images of yesterday evening, and night, dominate her thoughts.
    It was over. Better to finish it now,
before disappointment set in. Richard was not that different from most men, she
told herself. She was finished with them. She could not bear the thought of
Marco turning on her, like Richard had. How could she trust anyone after
Richard? She could not believe that he wanted her back. She did not believe a
word of it, although, sadly, she would have in the past.
    Fresh tears stung her eyes and
Vanessa blinked them back angrily. Tears – she had shed so many of them over
men. No more.
    Still, the thought of never seeing
Marco again, caused an ache deep within her chest.
    “Vanessa!”
    Her heart leapt at the voice, and she
turned to see Marco running towards her up the platform. Panicked, she looked
around, desperate for an escape route. Yet, there was none. She remained there,
rooted to the spot, as Marco approached. Out of breath, he stopped before her,
his eyes full of pain.
    “Vanessa,” he repeated. “Why?”
    “I can’t Marco,” she replied, hating
the way her voice shook. “Last night was special, but it was just one night. We
don’t know each other. You don’t know about me – if you did you wouldn’t want
me.”
    “What could be so terrible that you’d
just run off without giving me an explanation?” Marco asked, frowning. “What
have you done that would make me not want you.”
    Vanessa took a deep breath, aware
that they were drawing curious stares from the travellers around them. Marco
was right – he deserved an explanation.
    She told him everything – from how
she had met Richard, right