Chapter 7

The walled garden behind the small cafe was cool in the early afternoon. Vines covered the walls and the overhead trellis; a light breeze blew through the leaves. Fog silently slipped through the Golden Gate.

Elaine Craig shivered slightly, and Nino immediately put his arm around her. His fingers traced a pattern on her bare forearm; and somehow the young blonde divorcee felt comforted by his touch.

"You are cold?" Nino asked, his expression full of concern. It was one of the things that she had found so appealing about him during the past few days: he took their friendship so seriously. It seemed a long time since a man had been concerned about her thoughts and feelings. Too long, in fact. She was accustomed to being spoiled.

Everything about Elaine seemed important to Nino and the girl luxuriated in his interest, telling him all about her Baltimore childhood and endlessly detailing her likes, dislikes' and opinions on practically every subject under the sun. The Italian boy had been sympathetic when she told him she was divorced-and that she didn't wish to discuss the matter, ever. He had understood. He seemed to understand so many things about her. She smiled up at him.

"You must have a cognac," Nino said. "It will warm you up."

His arm tightened around her and she felt his fingers into her flesh; his animal warmth seeped through her light cotton dress.

What is the matter with me? she wondered. What is there about this man that arouses me?

As Elaine speculated, the darkly handsome youth slipped his arm further around her, letting his fingers brush lightly across her breast. Then, for a brief second, he held its firm fullness cupped in his hand. Immediately, she pushed his hand away. But it was impossible to conceal her involuntary reaction. At his touch, her nipple grew hard; its outline could be clearly seen pressing against the thin material of her dress.

She flushed, seeing Nino's hot downward gaze. The boy's tongue moistened his lips, and Elaine imagined she could feel his soft warm mouth close around her breast and sense the pull as he sucked on it. She shuddered! When she looked into his eyes, she realized that he had been thinking of exactly the same thing.

"I'll have that cognac," she flustered, trying to cover her sudden confusion. Her voice came out more huskily than usual.

Nino signaled the waiter for two cognacs. As they waited for their drinks in an uneasy silence Elaine remembered that she had not given him any money. She glanced around the garden. There were only three other people there--a very young couple and a man, the latter drinking steadily--but she did not like giving the bill to Nino in front of them. Or in front of the waiter.

It had been difficult to persuade Nino to put their friendship on a reasonable basis.

"No!" he had exclaimed on their second date when Elaine had offered to pay for herself. "You make me feel ashamed."

Elaine had been patient in her argument. She had also been determined to win and finally she had gotten her own way, as usual.

"I appreciate your sentiment, Nino," she'd said. "But this is different. Us, I mean."

Without saying it outright, Elaine managed to convey that she understood Nino's financial difficulties. He had told her he worked as a tourist guide and his salary was abysmally low. After her first date with the young Italian, the young divorcee had decided that she wanted to get to know him better. Besides, she would have her very own tourist guide. And she was quite certain in her or mind that she did not want to spend her time in cheap bars, which would be the only places he could afford.

While Elaine had been arguing her point, the boy had sat staring moodily into his empty coffee cup. She had not been sure whether he had understood her reasoning, but she was perfectly sure that he shared her desire for them to be together as much and as often as possible.

"Your husband--he gives you money?"

The blunt question had come unexpectedly, and she had recoiled in surprise. She had not expected him to ignore her expressed desire to avoid talking about her husband (her ex- husband, she reminded herself). But, on second thought, she supposed Nino's sudden callousness stemmed from his embarrassment about the money situation. She decided to be brisk and businesslike.