“I know that you're not from here and that you have a home to go back to,” she continued. “But even so, I can't stop thinking about the fact that we're perfect for each other. We have so much fun and there's so much passion between us. I really like you, Marco. A lot. I'm sorry to dump this on you all at once. But if I didn't at least tell you how I felt, I'd kick myself for the rest of my life.”
Marco lips parted and he leaned in close to Sabrina. She was stunned when he kissed her. He pressed his lips to hers with a passion unlike anything she'd ever felt. She hardly had time to realize what had happened before Marco broke the kiss and looked her in the eyes.
“Sabrina, I'm overjoyed to hear you say this,” he said. “I've been thinking the exact same thing and have been merely waiting for a proper opportunity to tell you. You're all I've been able to think about since we arrived in New York. I've never felt like this about someone. You excite me in ways that no other woman has and you make me feel at ease when I should be stressed. You've brought peace to my life that I didn't expect when I hired you. I thought I was hiring someone to help me cook and clean, but it turned out that I hired the girl of my dreams.”
His words were so sincere and hearing it made tears well up in Sabrina's eyes. She was so relieved that he felt the same way and her concern of losing him washed away.
“Like you said, though, I do live far away and will inevitably end up going home at the end of this trip. I have to, for my father. He needs me there,” Marco said. “But, if you're willing, I'd love nothing more than for you to come with me.”
A tear fell down Sabrina's cheek and Marco pushed it away with his thumb. She was shocked by the invitation. It was what she had hoped, but didn't expect for him to ask so soon.
“Where is 'home'?” she asked. “I still don't know where you're from, Marco.”
“Orsino Island,” he said and for the first time Sabrina found out something about his life. “It's a small island in the Mediterranean.”
“An island?” she asked, unable to hide her girlish smile. “Like the one we're on?”
“It's similar in many ways,” he said. “But also very different. It's a paradise, just like here.”
Sabrina's mind whirled with thoughts and emotion. She imagined living on the beach, soaking up the sun every day and coming home to Marco each night. She thought about what it would feel like to be treated so well for the rest of her life. It sounded incredible and there was no way that she could turn this kind of opportunity down.
“Let's do it,” she said, affirmatively. “I want to come with you.”
Marco's face lit up brighter than she had ever seen and he kissed her again. They embraced on the blanket while the sun finished it decline behind the horizon. Even as the sky went dark, they continued to kiss. They kissed for what seemed like a blissful eternity to Sabrina and once again, she didn't want the moment to end.
But in the very back of her mind, there was a nagging voice. It was the whisper of doubt, the same voice that had caused her to hesitate her entire life. This time, though, what it said actually made some sense to her.
I'm in love with a mystery man and I just agreed to move to the other side of the planet with him, she thought. That's not going to work. I need to find out who he is.
Sabrina decided that she would start asking very pointed questions about Marco's life, like who he really was and what he did for a living. She wondered what the legal ramifications would be now if she looked up his island and figured out who he was.
I want to know everything about him, but I'm not going to ruin tonight with a bunch of questions, she thought. He will tell me everything tomorrow.
Chapter 14
Marco
The sound of Marco's cell phone ringing pulled him out of his slumber. He opened his eyes to find that his arm was still wrapped around Sabrina, in the exact position that they had fallen asleep. They were both fully clothed, though. They hadn't had sex that night, only snuggles and kisses. He didn't want the entire relationship to be built around sex anyway, so he was content to have an evening where they just held each other and talked.
The phone continued to ring on the nightstand and he rolled over to see that the call was coming from the palace. He quickly sat up and answered it. He hadn't heard from his father in several days and was growing concerned. The only contact he had was now through Magdalena.
“Hello?” he said, standing up from the bed and scurrying out to the kitchen. “Father is that you?”
“Marco.” The voice that replied was as cold as a witch's heart and sent a chill down his spine.
Marco sighed. “Good morning, Magdalena,” he said. “And to what do I owe the honor of hearing your voice today?”
“Don't get a big head, Marco,” she shot back. “I was merely called to double-check that you'll be home for the ball and for your father's surgery. I didn't want you to forget.”
“Yes, I will absolutely be there,” he said, as he paced the kitchen. His blood pressure rose easily five points just to the sound of her voice, but he did his best to stay calm. “May I speak to my father?”
“He's resting,” she stated.
“He's been resting every time I've called him,” Marco growled. “Yet, you always have his phone so he cannot call me.”
“He needs his rest and I'm making sure he gets it,” Magdalena informed him. “He's only got a few days before the ball and he needs to be in tip top shape.”
“So you've called just to check in on me?” Marco asked. “No other reason?”