AN: Thanks as always for the reviews. A couple of quick things. We make some generalizations about Italy here (In particular, Italian driving). This is not meant to hurt anyone's feelings, rather to move our story along where it needs to be. Thanks for understanding! - Kricket
She hadn't seen Morgan for the entire morning, wondering at around noon whether or not she should maybe check in on him. Morgan wasn't the kind of person that slept in. She knew he usually was up by 9am, going for a run to maintain his fitness, even on weekends and when they were off. Most days he was up even sooner, running before he made it to the office or went out on another case.
Then again, she had seen him last night, how he'd been all over Luca, or rather Luca had been all over him. Perhaps both of them had decided they should continue where they had left off 15 years ago. She decided she really didn't want to know where he was, if that was the case!
She was still arguing with herself whether she should just go and check, when Cosimo came into the kitchen, a smile plastered all over his face, aiming straight for Penelope. He had a bag in his hand.
"I bought breakfast, hope you are hungry," he said as he smiled at her, holding up the bag. Penelope could smell the still warm pastries. "And coffee as well," he continued, holding up a tray with coffee cups in the other.
"Ooh, doughnuts and coffee," Penelope said with a moan. Accepting the cup of Joe, she took a sip, and smiled at Cosimo. "Keep doing things like this, and I could fall in love with you."
At that moment, Morgan came into the kitchen, Luca not far behind, looking like both came right from a run. Penelope wasn't sure whether this was making her feel better – knowing that they definitely weren't still in bed – or whether she actually felt worse, knowing that Morgan usually didn't like to have company on his runs.
To top it off, Luca looked still amazing even sweaty. She wasn't wearing any make up, but looked flawless with her hair in a pony tail.
"Hey! What's this about falling in love?" Morgan asked, looking slightly surprised at the two of them in the kitchen. "Don't forget: that's my girl there, Cosimo."
Luca already went to Cosimo, grabbed one of the two coffees and some of the pastries he had bought earlier, smiling at him, before leaving the kitchen.
"You get all the girls, hmmm, Morgan?" Cosimo retorted, as Derek responded with a smile that didn't quite meet his eyes.
"So … what are we doing today?" Penelope asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence, looking at Cosimo first, before glancing over at Morgan. He was still looking like a God, even in his sweaty T-Shirt that clung to all sorts of places.
"The coast," Cosimo announced before Morgan had the chance to say anything. Not that Morgan would have been able to offer much, seeing that he was probably as clueless and planless as Penelope.
"There is a really nice village not far from here, by the coast. Maybe an hour's drive. Really beautiful. You gonna enjoy it. Great food, wonderful location and views. You can even go down to the beach, take a swim and just enjoy the gorgeous weather there," he explained, smiling at Penelope.
She wasn't certain, but she thought she'd heard some sort of growl coming from Morgan's direction.
"Sounds perfect," she answered, smiling back, although she wasn't too sure about the swimming part. There was no way someone would see her in anything that would come close to a bathing suit, or God forbid, a bikini. Next to Luca, she'd feel bad enough clothed, much less half naked.
An hour later, they were on their way. Luca and Morgan were both in the backseat, and Penelope was with Cosimo in the front, which she soon started to regret. Everything she had always read or heard about Italians driving she had assumed was exaggerated turned out to be true- at least in Cosimo's case. Red traffic lights were more or less general guidelines that didn't seem to apply. Speed limits seemed to be more like a suggestion, but one that no one seemed to really agree with it. The general consensus among Italian drivers appeared to be this: who needs traffic laws?
One thing was for sure: if she made it through this car ride, she certainly would be spending the way back in the backseat.
"Tutto a posto?" she heard Cosimo asking from her left.
She didn't have a clue what that meant. She only responded by giving him a rather scared look, hoping that this might make him slow down, or at least stop at traffic lights.
No such luck.
It would be another thirty minutes until Penelope could leave the car again, never having felt so grateful to have her feet on the ground. For a moment she even considered throwing herself down on her knees, kissing the ground like the Pope after a flight, but thought that might have been a bit too much.
"Are you okay, Baby girl?" Morgan asked. "You look a bit … queasy."
"I will get back to you on that question, if you don't mind," she replied with a weak smile.
"Maybe she isn't used to Italian driving. Happens quite often, but no worry. It usually doesn't last long," Luca commented as well.
Penelope thought she could hear a laugh in Luca's voice. Not that Pen cared much right now; she was rather focused on taking a few more deep breaths, hoping to feel any better soon.
Morgan walked over to her, rubbing his hand on her back. She groaned; he was pitying her. She knew she couldn't compete with that top model girl a few feet away, but pity she certainly didn't need, either.
"I'm alright…." She announced shortly after he had walked over to her, making him look at her, still looking concerned.
"You sure?" he asked.
"Yeah, don't worry about me," she replied, giving him a weak smile.
He still didn't look convinced, but let go of it for now.
They spent the entire day by the coast, starting off with lunch and wine, which took them several hours to complete. Normal, as she was told by both Luca and Cosimo. In Italy, life was not measured by time apparently.
After lunch they walked down to the beach, enjoying the wonderful Italian weather and sun. Their hosts took good care of their guests, especially Luca. She seemed to take wonderful care of Morgan as it seemed to Penelope. They were constantly laughing and joking and seemed to be somehow in some world of their own occasionally. Morgan's flirting hit the highs around early afternoon, with constant compliments and innuendoes – the kind of stuff she used to get back in DC.
Luca apparently came prepared, seeing within seconds of hitting the beach she was out of her clothes and sporting some bikini, making Penelope wonder if there was just one small part on her body that wouldn't be perfect and just stunning. It seemed like whatever she wore or did, she just couldn't be anything else than stunning. Now with her tanned skin, a white bikini and long flowing hair, she looked like she stepped right out of a fashion magazine.
Penelope, on the other hand, still felt rather queasy. It wasn't as bad as when she got out of the car a few hours ago, but only the thought about the return ride made her feel anything else than great. She sure would fight for the seat in the back of the car. Usually she never had minded which seat she got, but with the Italian driving, she feared she just wasn't made for being in the passenger seat in this country. .
"You alright, dolcezza?" she heard Cosimo asking from the left.
"Huh?" she asked, her thoughts far away. "Oh, sure. Sorry, I have been thinking."
"Who's the lucky guy, then?"
"What makes you think it's a guy I've been thinking about?" Penelope asked curious, a smile spreading across her face.
"I just know. It always is anyway. I hope it isn't just one guy you think about," he stated, making her look at him surprised.
"A girl as pretty as you should be picking from a handful of admirers, and even then have a few in the backhand just to make sure," he explained.
Penelope had to laugh wholeheartedly at his thinking and knew she was blushing like mad.
"They should be fighting for your attention, taking you out to dinners and dates, keeping your week busy, try to impress you," he kept on and on, and by now, Penelope had completely forgotten about Morgan and Luca, and fully focused on Cosimo, who kept her laughing at a rapid pace and made her feel extremely good. She really should consider some of his ways. But then again, back in DC there weren't really hordes of guys fighting for her. There was actually no one.
However, now they were in Italy. Sunny, warm, flirty Italy - where guys seemed to drawn to her like a moth to the light - thousands of miles away from home. Maybe she should just go for it, get herself some … romance. It seemed like a great idea, especially when she looked at Morgan, who seemed too busy with Luca to make good on his promise to not abandon her the moment he caught sight of the first cute girl.
What was she thinking? She and Morgan were just friends; whereas Luca and Morgan had a history. They had a lot of catching up to do.
She was interrupted in her thinking when Cosimo suddenly held something in front of her: ice cream.
"I figured if I can't make you stop thinking and worrying, maybe this will," he said as he laughed slightly, holding the cone closer to her.
She had to admit it was a cute gesture. He seemed so concerned and tried really hard to get her mind off of things, especially since he didn't even know what things her mind was occupied with. He made her laugh and blush as well, with all the compliments. She knew there was nothing behind it really.
Still, he deserved a reward. Leaning closer to him, she kissed his tanned cheek. "Thank you. You're a sweetie."
Cosimo's eyebrows shot upward in surprise, then his dark eyes sparkled. "Ah! Finally my Italian charm is starting to work!"
She giggled as he put an arm around her and kissed the top of her head, similar to how Derek would do it. She sighed. Cosimo was such a tease; all Italian men were such teases.
When her look drifted shortly from Cosimo to Derek and Luca, it seemed like Morgan didn't know that particular fact. He had a rather unhappy look on his face for a moment, like he was a bit mad. Morgan looked like he was going to come over, but he must've changed his mind. Instead, he turned away rather quickly, back to his fawning Luca.
In the early evening they decided that they should return back to Rome, with Penelope sitting blessedly in the back seat.