Free Letters to the Baumgarters by Selena Kitt Page B

English/Italian dictionary, don’t I?” He grinned. “And I can
say hamburger e patatine fritte .”
    I laughed. “That will get you a hamburger and fries.”
    “Then I’m all set.”
    I rushed through my shower, put on jeans and a t-shirt and grabbed my
jacket, calling out to Mason, who was now in the shower himself, that I was
leaving.
    “I left a key on the table,” I called, peeking behind the curtain. His
hair was all soapy, and the sight of the suds dripping down his chest, over the
flat, ridges muscles of his abdomen, made my breath catch. I didn’t dare let my
gaze dip lower.
    “Thanks.” He rinsed, rubbing his eyes and blinking at me. He saw the way
I was looking at him and grinned. “Sure you can’t stay a while?”
    I thought of Nico waiting for me at the café and sighed. “Later. I’ll be
back in a few hours. Can you feed Jezebel?”
    “Sure.”
    Nico was waiting already, although I was right on time. He smiled as I
approached, rising to kiss my cheek and pull out my chair.
    “Don’t say anything.” He held up a finger as I opened my mouth, which was
probably a good thing, because I wasn’t sure what I was going to say anyway. “I
want to apologize.”
    I just sat and ordered a vanilla Coke, waiting for Nico to continue.
    “You’re right, this whole trying to find a place for us is crazy.” He
reached over and took my hand. “And you have become far more important to me
than my mother or my family. I want you to know that.”
    “Nico…”
    “No, wait.” He turned my hand over in his, tracing the lines of my palm
with his finger. “I’m going to look for a place. My own place. So we can stop
this sneaking around.”
    I blinked at him, stunned. I probably would have jumped up and hugged him
if he’d delivered this news a few days ago. Now I could just sit and stare, a
growing pit of anxiety settling in my stomach.
    “I…” What could I say? I’d come here with the intention of telling him
about Mason. I knew I should tell him the whole story, my entire history, strip
myself bare before him.
    The waiter came and I sipped my Coke, grateful for the interruption. He
asked if we wanted to order food, but Nico paid for our drinks, telling him no.
    “I’m hungry,” I protested.
    “I have a surprise for you.” He smiled, standing and reaching for my
hand.
    “Where are we going?”
    The gondola was waiting and he helped me into it.
    “Al Ponte Antico.”
    I stared at him. “The… hotel?”
    “I rented a suite for the night.”
    “But…” I thought of Mason, waiting for me back at my flat. What in the
hell was I going to do now?
    “It’s Saturday,” he reminded me. “You don’t have class.”
    “No…” I swallowed, trying to think of something, anything.
    “And I’m taking the day off.” He grinned down at me, triumphant. “Aren’t
you happy?”
    “Yes.” I bit my lip, seeing the glint in his eyes. “Of course I am.”
    And part of me was. The other part of me was panicking like a kid
realizing their winter sled was hurtling downhill off a cliff.
    The hotel was one of the most expensive in Venice and I knew he must have
practically emptied his savings account to afford it. Nico remarked on my
suddenly quiet demeanor, but the truth was, I was overwhelmed with guilt. How
could I possibly tell him no? But if I didn’t… what in the world was I going to
do about Mason, back in my little room, with Cara Lucia patrolling the
hallways?
    “Do you want to eat first?” Nico offered, carrying a bag over his
shoulder as we headed to the room.
    Suddenly it occurred to me. “I don’t have a change of clothes.”
    He smiled, taking out the key. “I took care of that.”
    “How?” I followed him down the hallway.
    “I bought you a few things.” He held up the bag as he worked the key in
the door lock.
    “Nico!” I blinked at him, still shocked by his revelation, and even more
bowled over by the room when he opened the door. The suite was large, oriental
rugs on the