He shrugged. “I’m a Warrant Officer: that’s what the title ‘Chief’ is – highest ranking for noncoms.” He correctly interpreted my expression. “Yeah, you know that stuff. Sorry. I did get asked to join the Navy SEALs, though.”
“Really? That’s great! I mean, that’s a real honor, isn’t it? You’d like that: all that super-macho stuff.”
He smiled, and ran a finger down my arm. “I turned them down.”
I gaped at him. Nobody turned down the chance to join the Navy’s elite team. “Why?”
He looked at me as if the answer was obvious.
“Caro, there’s no way I’d join the same service that my father is in. Fuck that! Can you imagine if we ended up at the same Base? I’d end up killing the bastard.”
“Shh,” I said, resting my finger on his lips, as his voice started to get louder. “We’re in Italy; it’s a beautiful day, and we’re going to go and find some waves for you to surf.”
He took a deep breath and smiled. “Okay,” he said, happily.
Then his hand drifted down to my thigh and he circled, slowly, his fingers tugging at the material of my panties.
“You know what would make this day even better?” he said, suggestively.
“Oh no, Sebastian. I’m not falling for that. I’m going to take a shower, and you’d better have some damn clothes on by the time I get back.”
I rolled out of bed before he could stop me, and stomped around the room picking out clean clothes to wear.
“Are you sure?” he said, smiling lasciviously, as his hand disappeared under the sheets. I could tell he was stroking himself, and the thought of what I could do with the result was very arousing.
I shook myself out of reverie. No, I’d promised myself that we had to get through at least another 24 hours without having another major meltdown before I’d give in. It was just being smart. If I let him in any further without some sort of proof that I could trust him with my heart, I was a damn fool, and deserved everything that happened to me.
I headed for the shower, cursing myself for not having taken a photograph of him lying there in my bed, all hot and wicked. I’d need something to entertain myself with during the dark, lonely nights when I was an old woman, and boring anyone who’d listen about that summer vacation where I’d had more sex than Madonna. Well, maybe – I was still thinking about it.
The shower was cool enough to put out the flames of passion that Sebastian had been stoking in me.
Twenty-four hours I chanted to myself.
When I got back to our room, he’d gotten as far as pulling on a pair of jeans, but that was all.
“You shouldn’t wander around like that,” I admonished. “You’ll give Signora Battelli a coronary.”
He winked at me but took no notice whatsoever, as he sauntered out of the room.
While he was gone, I searched through his jacket pockets until I found his map. I scoped out the beaches that might have enough swell for surf, then Googled them on my laptop. There were two possibilities within an hour’s drive. We’d already gone past one of the best surf spots at Levanto. The next best spot was outside Rome, but that was a five hour drive. I decided we could save that for another day.
“Whatcha find?” said Sebastian, as he wandered in from his shower, still only wearing his jeans.
He knew damn well what that was doing to me!
“We seem to be in between surf spots here, but about 30 miles away, there’s a place that looks like it might be okay. There’s a big campsite there and it says they rent out boards, so it seems like a good bet. Want to try it?”
“I’ll try anything with you, baby.”
“Sebastian, focus.”
I pointed at the map.
“Sure, baby,” he said, smiling. “I just need to fill up the gas tank, but otherwise we’re good to go.”
He wrapped his hands over my shoulders and kissed my hair.