Free An Aria in Venice: A Musical Interlude Novel by Kasonndra Leigh Page A

outwitting anything
you feel confident enough to challenge her on.
    “I
think you and Byron deserve some quality time. Now, I gotta go. You’re messing
up my chance to get some action for the first time in what feels like years,”
Jojo says, smiling innocently.
    “What
are you talking about? You and that Rufio dude just broke up a couple of weeks
ago,” Lis reminds.
    “Like
I said, too long. My flexibility’s starting to flake out on me now. Ballerinas
need sex like a caterpillar needs a cocoon. Otherwise, we lose our ability to
turn into pretty things.” Turning to me, Jojo says, “Good luck, AD. I’ll fill
you both in on the goods later.”
    “Jojo—”
I begin.
    “I
know you’ll do the same for me. Tell me if he’s any good with that tongue and
lip ring combo he’s got going on.” And with that statement, she slips out the
door.

Chapter 7 : Under the Tuscan Sun

     
    Adriana
     
    The
Martuccio’s house in Tuscany must’ve been transported straight out of an
Italian living magazine. Blushed stucco, black shutters, and a garden
surrounding the outside of the house, a soothing ode to nature … Italy at its
most charming. I would never be able to get my mother or brother to live in the
countryside, but waking up to the sight of rolling hills and glorious rays of
sun filtering through the tiny windows sounds like Heaven to me. And the
scents! An intoxicating mix of roses, peonies blooming later in the season than
normal, and something else that makes me feel as though I’ve just entered a
paradise created by a goddess. The Martuccio’s style and gift of the lavish
rivals the Medicis, the royal family most famous throughout this region of Italy.
I’m not the least bit surprised to find myself walking into a farmhouse palace.
I wouldn’t have expected anything less from a designer as talented as Luca and
his mysterious brothers.
    We
sit outside and eat dinner as many Italians do, especially the ones who live
here in the countryside. Mother would die sitting out here and having a meal.
You would never guess she was born in Texas by the way she goes on about how
the bugs lay eggs and crap in your food when you eat outside.
    The
dinner goes well. The food, a mix of cheese and fetes, paired with a Chianti
that’s so smooth you can almost feel the berries traveling down your throat, is
fantastic. I can see why Luca’s family moved to this part of the country. I’m
always amazed each time I visit Tuscany. The people, the farmhouses, the
rolling landscape, even the way the air always smells of Arabian Jasmine, a
sweet flower with a hint of a rosy scent that envelops you, pulling you into
Tuscany’s hypnotic embrace and never letting go.
    “So,
Luca. Tell us how you met Adriana,” Rafe begins, gulping his wine and catching
both me and Luca completely off guard. What an ass to put his brother on the
spot this way. With thick, dark brown hair, eyebrows and black eyes to match,
Rafe brings a banker type of sexiness to his model handsome looks, the complete
opposite of Luca’s fair-haired, blue-eyed rock star thing he has going on.
    “In
the usual manner. Through Internet ads,” Luca answers, but I can tell he’s
trying to make a joke out of a seriously uncomfortable situation.
    “Luciano!”
Simona exclaims, her brown eyes furiously searching his face.
    “Just
kidding, Mama. We met at … we met …”
    Should
I? Shouldn’t I? Do I even dare? Yes. He helped me drive Nikolai wild with
jealousy, even though he’ll probably never admit how much he enjoyed doing so.
The least I can do is play along with his little game. Besides, Simona’s a
woman with large, expressive brown eyes, which tells me she’s a genuinely
good-hearted person. Who would want to hurt someone like that?
    “We
met at the ballet. Seems Luciano enjoys it,” I answer, making a point to
emphasize his name as I steal a quick glance at him. I think he’s still
recovering from his mother’s use of his full name, and even more so now