Point of no return

Chapter 16

She wasn't. He got up, threw some clothes on, and went to find her. She was sitting out in the garden, he walked up behind her and engulfed her in a hug from behind, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

'When did you get up?'

She looked back at him with a smile. He would never get used to her looking at him like this, with loving eyes and joyful expression. There wasn't anything he wouldn't do to keep that forever.

'Thirty minutes ago. I saw your father, he's already left. I apologized for yesterday.'

'There was no need to do that.'

'We've not made the last three months for him easy Luca.'

That was so much like her. She said we like she had any part in creating a war zone in this house. She didn't, it was all him.

'What do you want to do today?'

He was expecting her after last night's discussion to say 'I'm going to go see Samantha' or possible 'I'm going away for a week.' But she didn't say any of those things.

'I thought maybe we could go to a beach; just lay out catch some lunch, maybe look through some street shops. Just be a normal ordinary boring couple for a day. Unless you have work to do?'

He was surprised.

'I think I can manage to take a day off. I got a lot done these last two days.'

He hadn't meant that as criticism just stating a fact.

'Sorry about that. I went a little crazy, I think.'

'We all do from time to time. I don't think I should be throwing stones while living in a glass house.'

'True.'

He gave her a serious look.

'You have the most beautiful exquisite face I've ever seen. Do you know that?'

She actually blushed. He should start giving her more compliments. She was absolute perfection, he didn't even know if he'd ever said so.

'Let's go get ready and get out of here.'

What followed was a day Luca would cherish for the rest of his days.

They got to the beach; he almost packed them up and went home, when he realized just how good she looked in her bikini. Having other men drool and stare over his wife was a novel and not altogether pleasant experience. But Elizabeth had just laughed off his comment when she asked why he looked like thunder.

'You're crazy, we are on the beach. There are tons of women here wearing less than I 'am. I can assure you, no one is staring at me. Except for maybe you.'

Very few people recognized him and the people that did kept their distance and pretended not to, which he could tell pleased Elizabeth. Here in the crowd, they were just like anybody else.

He went kite surfing at Elizabeth's insistence.

'Come on I've seen you stare at them for an hour. I'm fine just laying here by myself, and I can tell you're bored. Just go. I'll see you in an hour.'

He'd taken her up on it, reluctantly but he had. At Elizabeth's insistence, they were completely alone. No back up, just the two of them. He wasn't altogether comfortable with leaving her alone, but he had to get used to it. He kept an eye on her from time to time, but he liked kite surfing, it was fun.

He didn't tell Elizabeth, but he'd actually never gone to a public beach before, not since he was a child. It wasn't so bad.

They went for lunch at a little tavern just off the path; they had hummus, tzatziki, bread, olives, and some grilled fish. Just talking about everything and anything.