Deborah Mello - Tuscan Heat

His brother shrugged. “Your sisters have her convinced that you’re a little soft. I just rolled with it.”

Donovan’s eyes widened as he stared his brother down.

“What?” Kendrick asked, tossing him a look. “Even you know the girls think you’re a little easy. They’re always afraid someone’s going to take advantage of you because you’re so trusting.”

Donovan shook his head.

Kendrick chuckled. “Hey, it’s no big deal. It gives me an excuse to go do what I need to do.”

“Do I even want to ask?” Donovan said.

“Nope! Because if I tell you I’ll have to shoot you, and we don’t want to ruin your trip.” Kendrick laughed as he changed the subject. “So, are you excited?”

“I’m nervous. Not scared,” he emphasized, “but nervous.”

“About teaching? That’s your thing, bro! Why would you be nervous?”

Donovan met his brother’s curious stare. “I just...well...” he stammered, his eyes skating back and forth as he tried to choose his words carefully. “There’s someone...a woman... She...”

Kendrick eyed him with a raised brow. “Okay, spill it. What aren’t you telling me?”

There was a moment of pause before Donovan answered, lost in his thoughts about Gianna as he reflected on what he knew about the woman.

From her bio, he’d discovered that she held two advanced degrees in science and mathematics. From their communications, he knew that she abhorred traditional intellectual attitudes. So much so that she’d been initially reluctant to communicate with him when she discovered he was a professor.

From reading her novels, he knew that she was proficient at spinning a good thriller and murder mystery. Gianna had a talent for creating male protagonists who appealed to male readers. Despite her literary accolades, she was famously reclusive and purposely avoided the public eye, preferring to spend her time at her family’s Tuscan estate working in their winery.

From their exchanges, he took her to be something of a free spirit who practiced yoga religiously, followed an organic diet and was a self-professed nudist. She was passionate about the family’s Tuscan estate and winery, and had once stated that she would readily give up her pursuit of the next great novel to work the vineyards.

He took a deep breath. “I have a friend there, and I’m nervous about meeting her,” he said finally. “We’ve only communicated by email.”

Kendrick grinned, his smile full and bright. “A friend? When did you get a friend? Who’s a girl? In Italy?” he questioned, crossing his arms over his chest.

Donovan felt his own grin spread full and wide across his face. “We’ve been acquainted for a while now.”

“And she’s Italian?”

Donovan nodded.

“Is she in education, too?”

“She’s a writer. Her name is Gianna.”

Kendrick paused for a moment. “Gianna Martelli? The author of Mayhem and Madness?”

“You know her?”

“I know her writing. Vanessa bought me a copy of her book to read. It’s really good.”

“She’s extremely talented,” Donovan stated.

“She’s also quite the looker, if I remember correctly,” Kendrick noted with a nod.

Donovan shrugged. “She’s all right,” he said, trying to keep his tone in check.

Kendrick gave him a swift punch to his upper arm. “Look at you, big brother! I think you’re actually blushing! Wait until I tell the family!”

Donovan laughed, lifting his hands up as if in surrender. “You wouldn’t. You cannot tell the girls! I would never live it down.” He mocked his sisters, imitating Tarah’s shrill tone. “Don Juan has a girlfriend? Don Juan is actually speaking to a woman? Let’s give Don Juan some advice!”

Kendrick laughed heartily. “You’re right. I can’t do that to you!”

“Thank you!” He changed the subject. “So have you and Vanessa decided on a honeymoon spot yet?”

As the two men continued their conversation, the flight attendant gestured for their attention. “Gentlemen, we’re ready for you to board now,” the woman said politely. She gave them both a smile, her gaze shifting between them.

Donovan reached for his carry-on bag and led the way. Minutes later the two men sat comfortably, secured in the plush leather seats as the plane taxied down the runway. He relished the camaraderie he shared with his siblings. He could laugh easily with his brothers, and since it wasn’t often that the two were able to spend time together, he was grateful that Kendrick was taking the trip with him, whatever the other man’s reasons.

Donovan also didn’t mind the teasing from any of his family. He knew that no matter what, he had their support, and the tight bond they all shared was unconditional. But as he thought about Gianna and what might be waiting for him when they finally landed, he was only willing to share so much about the exquisite woman and what he felt about their unique situation. As he stared out the window, watching as the plane lifted easily into the cloud-filled sky, Donovan took a deep breath and then another, hoping that the fear he felt in his heart didn’t show on his face.

* * *

Sophie Mugabe and Alessandra Donati stood at the arrival gate of Pisa International Airport waiting for the American professor to gather his luggage and exit the travel center. Both were excited as they stood with handmade signs, Donovan’s name printed in bold black letters across both sides.

Sophie was Donovan’s host and the department chair at the University of Siena. She’d been following him since they’d first met three years earlier at the International Conference on Mathematics and Statistics. That year the conference had been held in London, and Donovan had been presenting the theories he’d published in his book, The Deconstruction of Associative Algebras of Prime Characteristic.

Sophie had been enamored from day one, her enthusiasm for the professor and his work almost compulsive. Her regular emails had been just shy of stalking, but he’d been exceptionally kind in his responses. The prospect of getting to know him personally through the next year had her excited in a way she would have never imagined. She was fighting to contain the emotion bubbling through her midsection, desperate to maintain her decorum in front of her student.

Alessandra Donati stood with indifference, her gaze sweeping around the airport lobby. Since the girl’s freshman year, Professor Mugabe had mistaken her proficiency with mathematics for interest, singling her out for attention that Alessandra had neither needed nor wanted. But the perks of being the teacher’s pet outweighed the disadvantages. So despite wanting to be in Venice with her friends who’d driven up for the day, she’d agreed to come with her mentor to welcome some visiting professor from the United States. She sighed heavily as she looked down at the thin gold watch on her wrist.

“He’s landed,” Sophie said, excitement ringing in her tone. “It should not be too much longer now.”

Alessandra forced a smile onto her face. She was about to comment when she caught sight of the college professor, the man eyeing them both curiously. The distinguished black man smiled sweetly, and the gesture took her breath away. Tall, dark and handsome to the nth degree, he actually had her heartbeat fluttering. She threw her teacher a quick look, not missing the other woman’s glazed stare. Her professor was likewise moved.

“He’s quite handsome, isn’t he?” Sophie muttered as she waved excitedly.

Alessandra chuckled beneath her breath. “Oh, yes, he is!” she exclaimed.

“Professor Mugabe! What a surprise!” Donovan said, moving to their side. He leaned in to give his benefactor a warm embrace.

“Dr. Boudreaux, welcome to Italy! I could not let you arrive and not be here personally to welcome you. I hope that your trip was pleasant?”