Elizabeth caught Romano's arm as he was walking away from her car. "Robert. Could you? Umm Don't you owe me gelato?"
He looked down to her hand and weekly tried to shake free from her. She held strong. "I don't think so," he teased.
"Well fine. Then I owe you." She pulled tighter on his sleeve. "Get in."
Robert walked back around to the passenger's side of the car. He climbed in obediently without a word.
Elizabeth took a moment before joining him. Pulling on her seat belt she stated, "well that was easier than I expected."
"Been planning this ambush for awhile now, have you?" Elizabeth didn't respond, which prompted him to continue. "Well now that you have me, what are you planning to do?"
"Do?" She asked seductively. She looked over to him with lowered eyes. He froze. The teasing smile slipped from his lips. "Gelato." She spoke still full of intensity. She arched an eyebrow. Their eyes were locked. It was a staring contest. And while the hairs on his arm stood on end, Romano was not going to lose. The silence was hard to maintain. She questioned, "okay by you?" Romano didn't waver. She turned to her steering wheel to hide the shiver that rose from her spine. She started the ignition and pulled cautiously away from the curb.
In typical European fashion the tables and chairs were uncomfortably close and small. Romano took a small spoon of his desert and let it melt slowly on his tongue. He looked around the shop. Refusing to look into the gaze of his companion sitting inches from him across the circular table barely large enough for one.
Elizabeth counted to 45 in her head, waiting. As he lifted his spoon for another bite she broke. "Alright Robert. I'll bite. Why have you been avoiding me?" She took a spoonful into her mouth cautious that if she didn't she might talk through his response.
"Well for one, you bite." She replaced the spoon in the cup and pushed it away from her in exasperation. Romano suppressed a smile behind his spoon. He needed to give her more. It was only fair. "Look, I thought I was doing you a favor."
"A favor? A favor was telling me what I needed to know to feel comfortable at work with my colleagues. Feeling, for weeks, like I had offended one, on a night that I can't even remember that was no favor." She flinched at having said so much so quickly. A moment of silence later, she was relieved for having got it out.
Romano sighed heavily. "Look Elizabeth. Nothing happened. I should have just left. I should just leave." He wiped at the corners of his mouth with his napkin and stood.
"Robert. Please. Don't leave." She grabbed for his sleeve but he had anticipated her move and jerked it away before she caught hold.
"Why are you pushing this?" He asked honestly quietly. Emotion welled up in Elizabeth and her face warmed. He took a seat back down. He couldn't leave seeing her pained. "It's obvious you don't feel comfortable around me. Just let me go."
"No" she breathed in a shaky breath. "That's not what I want."
He grew angry. Confused. "What do you want?" he asked through clenched teeth. Then wanting to give her an out he teased, "masochism is so unbecoming."
She laughed and blinked free a tear that she was able to wipe away. She was grateful the mood lifted. "I thought you'd be a fan."
"I'm full of surprises."
"You are." She nodded. "Really, Robert, you surprise me. And most of the time it's a great thing. But every so often" she trailed off.
"Every so often?"
"Every so often it scares me."
"So let me know before I scare you. It's not complicated. It's just communication."
"Just communication." She scoffed.
"Well, if you'd prefer the drama"
A silence fell between them again but this time it was much more comfortable. "Robert?" He looked up from his gelato and this time he didn't feel that the table between them was too small.
"Yes?"
"I didn't expect to feel at home here."
"Well, no. Most people don't. Public restroom. Cash register. No bedroom. It's not a real residential-theme they are going for here."
Elizabeth smiled. "Not here. But here back in London."
"Frankly, Lizzie. Neither was I."