Northern Moonlight Read online

  “Sabrina, I want to apologize again for having to cut our dinner short last night. But it’s the nature of my work to be called to duty at a moment’s notice. I’ve gotten used to it after all these years, but it can still sometimes be a hassle.”

  She waved her hand casually, “You don’t have to explain. I told you before that I admire and respect what you do for a living.”

  He smiled appreciatively at her. “Well, I promise to make it up to you. Just give me a little time.” Gio’s countenance had changed to an arresting display of restrained passion as Sabrina stood just arm’s length away. He looked down into her wondrous espresso eyes and caressed the side of her face with his palm. Feeling her soft skin against his hand made color seep into his face, transforming it to a hot shade of vermilion.

  The wind undulated around them, rustling the centuries old oak trees and sifting through newborn flowers. His eyes clouded over as he bent his face to hers and held his lips just a breath away. She inclined towards him, silently urging him to kiss her. Moving his hands from her face to the small of her back, he wrapped her in a heady embrace and touched his lips to hers. The moment his mouth made contact with hers, she perceived a dizzying profusion of colors, bright and blinding, and whole-heartedly reciprocated the kiss.

  Gio could not tame the erotic energy he had let loose, and his breathing become ragged in an instant, as he held her lithe body more tightly against his sinewy one. His lips were ravenous, and his hands wildly exploratory as they continued to embrace and invade each other’s senses in the slowly disappearing daylight. As Gio entangled his hands in Sabrina’s mass of silken waves, a splintering sunset, streaming with brilliant hues of burnt sienna and majestic purple, closed in around them. But when Sabrina felt Gio try to lead her to lie on the grass, she stopped him.

  “Wait!” She said breathlessly. Gio’s eyes were a fog of unfulfilled desire as he looked at her, still entwined in her embrace. “Gio, let’s stop there for now.”

  He forced himself to release her, clenching his hands into fists at his sides. If she hadn’t stopped him, he certainly would not have been able to. He would have made love to her on the open pasture, veiled by glistening twilight, despite his prior resolution to remain steadfastly patient. But the connection between them was irrepressible. He would have her; it was only a matter of when.

  “Gio?” She waited for him to speak.

  “Yes---I didn’t mean for things to get out of hand.” He shook his head, thirsting for the taste of her lips again and for the intoxicating feel of her body pressed to his. It had not been wise to start off their escapade like this, as he now had to compose himself and make civilized conversation when all he wanted was to dive into an ocean of sweet pleasure. Unexpectedly, Pal pranced alongside them, jumping onto his hind legs to greet his master and incite him into play.

  Gio groaned, not at all in the mood to roughhouse with the pup. But he knew that Pal would be a nuisance if he didn’t give him a toy. “I have a rubber ball in the truck. I’ll go get it so Pal will run off and stay out of our way.”

  Sabrina watched Gio walk stiffly to retrieve the Golden Retriever’s toy. She lifted her fingertips to her lips and felt the electricity of Gio’s kiss course along her nerve endings. She had been kissed before, by numerous men, but never had she experienced such a shock wave of sensation at a mere meeting of lips. It was as if their spirits had merged in that instant as well, and she felt as though she had assimilated a precious part of him. She refused to dwell on the fact that they had only just met, and the circumstances were so bizarre. Maybe that was a sign of fate. She had met previous suitors in more traditional venues: school, work, even a bar, she cringed to recall. But Gio had found her at the waterfront, made her feel hunted, which should have been frightening but instead was riveting.

  Still, she could not let him conquer her so easily. She had been hurt once before and did not want to repeat the bruising lesson in love. At twenty-one, Sabrina had fallen in love for the first time. In her final semester at art school, she had been thoroughly entrenched in projects, portfolios, and job applications. The last thing she would have expected was to embark on a love affair. But when she met Kenneth, the attraction had been mutual and immediate. He worked in the photo lab where she spent so many of her waking hours, and they began to date the same week they met. For the next year and a half, they were an inseparable couple. They even vacationed together in the Bahamas and spent weekends at his parents’ beach house in the Hamptons. When Sabrina got the job offer in Burlington, Kenneth agreed to a long distance relationship until he could find work in Vermont. But that was not to be.

  One weekend, Sabrina had decided to surprise Kenneth with a visit to his studio apartment in New York City. A traveling assignment had just been cancelled, so he was not expecting to see her. When she arrived to his apartment, he was standing in the doorway, passionately kissing her best friend against the wall. The memory of the sight still haunted and crushed her. She had fled that afternoon and never spoke to Kenneth again. He had called her many times, but she ignored all his attempts at contact. Years later, she found out that Kenneth and her former friend had married.

  Although her heart had long ago ceased to bleed for the man, the experience taught Sabrina not to rush into relationships. She had to acknowledge that there were similarities between her relationship with Kenneth and whatever was forming between her and Gio. First of all, there was that instantaneous chemistry, not to mention the hasty whirlwind courtship that they dared to begin. Still, Sabrina could not recall ever feeling so deliciously dizzy in Kenneth’s arms, even in the early stages of their relationship. Well, that just makes Gio even more dangerous, Sabrina thought to herself in dismay.

  Interrupting her thoughts, Gio strode over, empty-handed, “I searched everywhere, but I couldn’t find Pal’s ball. I even checked the trunk, but I guess I left the thing at home.”

  “Oh, poor Pal. I guess he’ll have to play by himself.” There was an ironic note in Sabrina’s voice that did not go unnoticed by Gio. By now, the view of the sun was completely obscured by a shining sliver of moon, and Sabrina broke out into goose bumps. “It’s getting a little brisk out here,” she said, zipping her jacket up to her neck as Gio’s eyes followed the path upward, “Maybe we should get going.”

  “But we’ve barely spent any time here. I told you Sabrina, give me some time.”

  Irritated by his cryptic reply, Sabrina retorted, “Give me some time, Gio.”

  “Look, if you want me to apologize about how things got a little---heated---before, I’m not going to. We both enjoyed that moment, and you can’t deny it. But I certainly respect your limits and wouldn’t try to push beyond them.” Unless you let me, he neglected to add.

  “Good. I’m glad to hear it. I don’t mean to cut things short. But I do have to wake up early tomorrow. I’m photographing Lake Champlain at sunrise for an upcoming theme issue.”

  Gio looked intrigued. “That sounds like fun---if you don’t mind getting up before the roosters. Come on, I’ll drive you home.” He extended his hand, and she tentatively latched on, noting that was the first time they had held hands. It felt exquisitely cozy, but also made her maintain her reserve as she fought not to lose her heart just yet.

  While they drove the short distance to Sabrina’s house, Gio brought up the subject of the fire investigation. He relayed his conversation with Max, explaining the timetable they had established and how the investigation would formally commence upon his return. “He also agreed to let Cara in on the investigation if necessary. But for now, we’re just going to hang tight until we can do this as a group.”

  “Yes, strength in numbers. This is good news, Gio. I really hope the search will be fruitful and the perpetrator will finally be brought to justice.”

  “So do I.” Gio spoke gravely as he parked the truck in front of Sabrina’s house. “I’ll give you a call tomorrow. In case you’re wondering, I’ll be indulging in being a lazy bum all day since I don’t ha
ve to work. But then I’ll be putting in sixteen hour shifts Tuesday through Friday.” Sabrina liked the candid, direct way he spoke about his schedule and how he was not trying to make her play guessing games. At the same time, the grueling schedule made her wince and wonder if he had time for her.

  Before she could slip away from him, he grabbed her and pulled her against him, pressing his lips hard and aggressively to hers, leaving her no choice but to get swept into the ferocity of his desire. He nipped her plush bottom lip and squeezed her forearms. Incapable of resisting the volcanic force between them, Sabrina nuzzled her torso against his slightly trembling one and kissed him with reciprocal ardor. Her mind was drowning inside of her turbulent emotions and she did not want to stop. It was unnatural to fight this primitive bond between man and woman, and she was desperate to yield to it. In the haze of intimacy, Sabrina had a flashback of discovering Kenneth in that compromising position and, suddenly, it was not difficult to pull away.

  “Gio, I’m going to have to say good night now,” She breathed, trying to sit up straight and look into his eyes. He sighed heavily and removed his hands and mouth from her body reluctantly.

  “Well, good night, then. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” He clipped.

  Sabrina gave Pal a pat on the head, smiled at Gio, and felt safe again as he had not pushed past her invisible borderline. Their eyes exchanged flames as she let herself out of the truck and walked back to the empty house.

  Chapter 5

  A hammering rain pummeled the glass panes of Gio’s loft the next morning as he was awaking from a sound sleep. Glancing at his alarm clock, he registered that it was already noon. He threw the sheets aside, letting his feet touch the cold floor as he stumbled toward the closet. He put on a black terrycloth bathrobe and walked heavy footed into the kitchen where he retrieved a carton of orange juice from the refrigerator and poured a mug half full. Memories and fantasies of the previous evening with Sabrina made the blood pound in his head as he chugged down the juice. Determined not to let the seductive woman control his mind or heart, he ran the faucet and splashed ice cold water onto his face.

  Still in his bathrobe, he made his way downstairs to the mailbox, which was already full. Gio frowned to find the usual array of utility bills, retail catalogs, and flyers. At the bottom of the pile was a festive looking, hand written envelope with no return address. Intrigued, Gio tore it open and pulled out a card decorated with confetti and balloons. It looked to be an invitation of some sort. He unfolded the card, skimmed it with a vertical movement of his eyes, and became indignant as he read its contents:

  You’re invited to a surprise party!

  Why: Stefano Salvatore’s 60th birthday

  When: Saturday, May 10, 1980 at 5:00 PM

  Where: Our apartment in Brooklyn

  RSVP: By phone to Helena no later than Saturday, May 3, 1980

  Bring presents and a hearty appetite!

  Gio searched inside for a personal note from his aunt, but there was none. Typical, he thought. Typical also how they were uncouth enough to ask people to bring presents. Gio shook his head with disdain. It was rare for him to spend even major holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas with his uncle and aunt, so the invitation to a surprise birthday party seemed out of place. Why should he celebrate the anniversary of that miserable man’s entrance into this world? Stefano was a heartless old fool. He had even been so selfish as to hold onto pictures of Marcello and Laura all these years, no matter how many times Gio had requested copies. How Gio would be grateful to see those beautiful faces again, as every family album, of course, had turned to cinders in the fire.

  Then, Gio had to admit to himself that he was obligated to tell Stefano about the information Bert Shanty had provided. After all, they were still family, despite the coolness and infrequency of their interaction. No matter that Stefano’s birthday party might not be the opportune time. Gio frankly didn’t care. It would be easier to deal with Stefano at a social function with a group of people rather than one-on-one. He would invite Sabrina to the party and they could make an early departure to cut over to Manhattan and enjoy a night in the city. Gio resolved to call Helena later in the day and accept her invitation with the provision that he would be allowed to bring a guest.

  Gio continued to stand in the torrential rain, letting it soak through the invitation until the black ink bled and smeared.

  *****

  Sabrina hurriedly poured dry food into Softy’s bowl, ignoring the pieces that dropped to the floor. The morning had been too rainy and overcast for Sabrina to take her tripod to Lake Champlain for a sunrise shot, so she had slept in. Now she was scurrying around in an effort not to miss her one o’clock appointment with Darlene. Sabrina only met with her supervisor about twice a month, and when she did, it was usually to discuss a travel opportunity. So Sabrina dressed accordingly, in one of the few business suits she possessed, and carried her portfolio loaded with photographs from her successful five year career.

  “Bye, Softy!” She hollered. “Let’s hope she sends me someplace sunny!”

  Sabrina perched expectantly on the rim of her swerving chair in Darlene’s office as the woman spread out samples of her work on the desk. Darlene was a willowy, attractive woman in her late thirties. Her dirty blond hair was generally a riot of untamed ringlets that she wore around her oval face. She was notorious in the office for wearing a pair of magenta framed spectacles that seemed more for style than vision correction. Indeed, the woman’s appearance was as artistic as her position at the magazine.

  Sabrina was fond of Darlene, who had replaced a male art director named Fred, detested in the office for his lecherous behavior towards all the female staff. In the days of Fred’s reign, Sabrina’s assignments had been limited to local shoots at stunning, but familiar, places like Mad River Valley in central Vermont. The only way to get a more exotic project would have been to compromise her principles. When Darlene came on board, Sabrina had been ecstatic and quickly soared to top photographer status.

  “Your pictures are always impressive, Sabrina, I must say. And so diversified. You seem to take as eloquent a shot of a city monument as you do of a rose garden. Very impressive, indeed.” Darlene marveled, smoothing her hand over a photograph Sabrina had taken at the Tuileries during her trip to Paris.

  Sabrina was elated by the praise for her work. “Thank you, Darlene.”

  “You are very deserving of that praise.” Darlene assured. “Now, let’s talk about why I set up this meeting for this afternoon. We have some upcoming assignments that you may be interested in. I have a short-term one that you would need to leave for this week and a long-term one that starts in July.” Sabrina beamed at Darlene, eager to hear what these assignments would entail.

  “The first assignment is a ten day cityscape project in Manhattan. Since that’s your hometown, I thought you would be perfect for the job. You would leave tomorrow, and the magazine can provide accommodations, but we’d prefer you make your own arrangements since you have family in the city. How does that sound so far?”

  “It sounds very good.” Sabrina fibbed, trying to hide her disappointment at the lackluster location that meant she was going to have to inhabit her old room she shared with Cara in their parents’ Lower East Side apartment.

  “Good. Basically, you’ll be expected to produce at least one hundred shots for us to choose from. They should show a gentler, less edgy side of New York. No high-rise apartments or tourist landmarks. We’re looking for something unexpected. Go to the unexplored terrain, all the nooks and crannies Americans who aren’t New Yorkers would gasp to look at. Do you follow me?” Darlene studied her employee from behind those magenta-rimmed glasses.

  “Yes. So far, I’m thinking that I could go deep into Central Park and take pictures of the horse drawn carriages, the greenery, maybe two lovers kissing under a tree---anything to show that New York is much more than just street lights and cement.”

  “You’ve got the idea. Yes, think simplicity, a
bsolutely!” Clearly excited by Sabrina’s creative ideas, Darlene pushed a blond ringlet away from her face. “To take it a step further, I would suggest using black and white film. Really try to get an old world quality. And that’s where I’ll stop because I don’t want to stifle your creativity. You take control of this and be prepared to leave tomorrow morning. We can arrange for a car to drive you to your abode.”