Planning Bliss (Bliss Series Book 1)

The Honeymoon Part 2

The Honeymoon, Part 2 (unedited)

It was a little intimidating being with Levi here in San Francisco. I didn't understand it at first. Why had I been more comfortable in Paris with him than here in the city where I'd lived in for years?

I had been through these streets before, gone around the market and conversed with vendors and regular costumers like me. Yet, with Levi, everything felt new and exciting, and a bit daunting. Although it might have something to do with all the attention he received from women of all shapes and sizes.

I looked at our clasped hands as we entered a bistro which one of his friends owned. He didn't once disconnect from me. A part of his-- the tips of his fingers, his palm, his lips --was always touching me.

The bistro wasn't much to look at with a the whole cut-and-paste feel: mismatched chairs, square tables with unfinished tops, a little bar in the back. But it felt homey, soothing and welcoming.

A wee old Italian man greeted Levi. "Olivier! Buongiorno! It has been a while, my friend." The man gave Levi a hard tap on the arm. He called Levi by his real name, which meant that he knew him rather well.

When I thought of who Levi's friends would be, and what they'd look like, I thought of people like Jake and Natali. Handsome, young, rich.

"Guiesepe, how are you?" Levi shook his hands with vigor. "I'd like you to meet the one and only, Veronica."

One and only? My cheeks burned.

Guisepe's smile widened, almost covering half his face. His eyes lit up as he said something in Italian to Levi, squeezing Levi's jaw between fingers. Then he turned to me. Guiesepe wrapped his arms around me and gave me a good squeeze before kissing both my cheeks.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Miss Veronica. I have heard so many good things."

I gaped at the man. Levi had been talking about me? When? What had he said?

"Thank you. It's a pleasure to meet you as well..."

"You can call me Joe." He held me at an arm's length, grinning.

I smiled at him. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Joe."

"Now, why don't you lovebirds have a seat and I will bring you some food." Joe regarded Levi once again before leaving us to pick a spot.

It was a chilly day and the dress I had picked out earlier for Levi hadn't been warm enough, but I brought a thick cardigan to wear over it. And not to mention, Levi's presence kept me heated up.

We chose a table by the front window facing the busy street. Levi adjusted his chair to be closer to me. His arm draped over my shoulder while he continued to kiss my neck.

And I just let him.

"Don't we get to see a menu?" I asked him when he gave me a second to catch my breath, crossing my legs in hopes of making myself less rattled.

"We don't need it. He'll bring us whatever he thinks is good."

"Oh, that's nice. How do you know Joe?"

Levi looked towards the bar. "He's been feeding me great Italian food for years. He and his wife, Isabella, used to own a large chain of restaurants and we were one of his suppliers. When Isabella passed away from cancer five years ago, he gave up the company and opened this one instead."

"That's awfully sad."

Levi lifted my hand and pressed a kiss on it. "He loved his wife very much. They started with a small bistro, much like this one. I suppose this is his way of remembering their first years together."