Venice Lover

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She was stressed and ready to get away. Tamina had given her all into her job and they wanted to cut her due to recessionary issues. 'Yeah but what does that have to do with me' she thought. She couldn't understand why she had to be one of the ones chosen to be cut. Five years in the executive office and she lost her livelihood. She was single and the only person she had to provide for was herself, but she couldn't understand what happened.

"Azuca!" her friend yelled as she dance in. "Get up, I have some marvelous news for you."

"Danni please if it's not my job I don't want it." She said moping .

"Oh yes you do, I did not spend my money to get us tickets to Venice for nothing." Danni said.

"Venice Beach?" Tamina said looking confused and disappointed wondering how she could be happy when they lived thirty minutes away.

"No Venice, Italy!" Danni said throwing her arms in the air.

"Oh my gosh, Italy?" In that moment, her loss was her gain that was just what she needed. She was ecstatic "Wait a minute. Why were you speaking Spanish if we're going to Italy?"

"I didn't know the Italian word for sugar ok? Anyway Regie's coming with us. He said he wanted to get a taste of the foreign male, and you need to get over that damn job, something better will come around." Danni hugged her best friend. "Now go get packed we leave this weekend."

Tamina ran to her room excitedly but stopped in her tracks when she caught her image in the mirror. She cringed at the sight. She was pretty, but her body and her face didn't match. Thoughts raced through her mind about how she would stand out amongst the other people. They would be small and gorgeous and she would be...she shook the thoughts from her mind and went to pack. Just then she heard her friend Regie come in.

"Tamina where you at?" Regie called out.

"Back here packing Regie"

"Let me come help you cause you been done packed something that covers you up instead of showing all your blessing to the world." Regie said. He had a harsh southern/ebonic accent but she loved the way he talked because it always reminded her of home. She loved Regie all together, they had known each other since college. She always turned to him when everyone else was occupied with their own problems crying on her shoulder, he was there to listen and try to get her to open up, he was there for her. They know each other like open books. That weekend they arrived in Italy and Danni and Regie immediately wanted to ride in the gondola. Tamina was so scared she would sink the boat she tried to object, but they pulled her on anyway. She sat quietly taking in the city's beauty. Many other gondolas passed and some of the rowers were very handsome. One guy rowed by and Danni and Regie gave him googly eyes. He smile and rowed by. Soon the ride was over and the three friends headed to their hotel.

*-------------*

He was lost in thought, had passed many boats and most of them had men and women drooling over him, the river could've risen higher, but none of them caught his eye like she did. He saw the way she sat up, taking in the beauty of the land, appreciating the creation and ability to enjoy life, but when the two boats got closer she shrunk back in her seat keeping her eyes low while her friends ogled him. He didn't understand why, she was so beautiful. She had a beautiful round face and full kissable lips, and beautiful eyes. She looked like she was about 5'3"- 5'4". Why was she trying to hide? Her flawless milk chocolate skin glowed against the sunset and she was thick and curvatious.

'A big beautiful black woman' he thought

She stood out to him, but the chances of him seeing her again was slim to none, that didn't mean he wouldn't try. He looked down at the women in the boat and they looked up at him flirtingly and laughed and giggled. He knew he could easily get one of them in bed if he wanted to, but he wanted to have a little more fun than usual, so when the boat stopped he invited all of the women out to his favorite club. When they agreed he rubbed his hands together and gave a sly grin. He knew that night would be much fun. When he arrived at the club he looked around to see if the shy lady was sitting in one of the corners or off to herself, but she wasn't. The women from the boat ride bombarded him ready for their escapade.

'Let the games begin' he thought.

The next morning, Danni and Regie had gone to the club, but Tamina stayed at the hotel and since they were passed out on the bed and the floor she decide to gout for a walk. Italy was very crowded. It seemed as if someone poured people in the city and they just wandered around. She walked with her eyes low avoiding as much contact as possible. She let her mind wander as she walked causing her to stop paying attention, and she bumped into someone.

"Oh I'm sorry." She said looking up in the man's face. When she realized he was the man she tried to avoid in the gondola she gasped as he stared down at her and took off running.

*----------*

He couldn't believe he had bumped into her. It was defiantly not the way he planned but she was there which meant she stayed close by. She was even more beautiful up close, but she was shorter than he thought around 4'11. He wanted to know who she was and why she avoided him. Had he offended her without knowing it?

"Aspettare, aspettare!" he yelled out to her. She wasn't going to stop. He ran after her, maybe he could find out where she stayed. He followed her all the way t the Ruzzini Palace.

'She must be rich' he thought. Why was she avoiding him? His curiosity was peaked.

*----------*

She ran in her room breathing hard about to pass out.

"What's wrong?" Danni asked alarmed.

"The guy from the boat...the really cute one..." She said breathless.

"Yeah what?"

"I ran into him and he started chasing me yelling out something in Italian, I don't know if he was mad or what I just kept running...." She stood up and put her hand on her hip and took in a deep breath. "Whew, I'm too big to be running like this."

"Honey no you're not, you did it didn't you?" Regie said.

"Ok look just watch out next time and if you see him go the other way." Danni said.

"Maybe you dropped something." Regie said. She felt her pockets and everything.

"No everything I had is here."

"Oooooh you've got a stalker." Regie and Danni teased.

*----------*

He breathlessly walked back to his home and he was confused.

"Merda!" he said throwing his door open. He sat down and rand his hands through his dark brown hair. Why the fuck was she avoiding him? He always had women falling at his feet, even shy women came out of his shell for him. He was 6'0 with green eyes. He didn't work out much but he had the body of a Greek god. He wasn't a shallow man, he just hadn't had much luck with relationships. This woman...she seemed so innocent, the way she kept her eyes low or the way she shrunk inward to mentally disappear. She was so cute the way she took off running, he laughed a little and decided he would try to run into her again. He got up and got ready for the day. He didn't' have much to do so he decided to peek around the hotel to see if he could bump into her and this time talk to her. Around noon her went over to Ruzzini Palace and just as he was about to walk in her bumped into her again.