The high-pitched sound of a jackdaw rent the air. “You know I cared.”
“But we didn’t go away on that vacation. I understand why, but it has been a long time. Too long,” she whispered.
Her mournful response resonated in his heart. Suddenly she rolled on her side away from him before he could reach out to kiss her. She needed convincing.
“Tomorrow I’ll waken you early to see a sight you’ll never forget. Buona notte, Donetta.”
“Dormi bene, Enrico.”
Sleep well? Between his desire for her and the need to protect her even with the security hidden beyond the trees, he doubted he’d sleep at all. But to his surprise he did succumb at last and didn’t stir until his watch alarm went off at six thirty.
He looked over at Donetta, who was still sound asleep. Taking care to be quiet, he got out of his bag and freshened up before preparing coffee for them. In the cooler were ham-filled rolls and plums to serve for breakfast. For snacks he’d brought his favorite sugared almonds.
With everything ready, he walked over to her sleeping bag and hunkered down. The sun was just coming up over the mountains. “Donetta?” He gave her a little nudge and she rolled over. When she opened those fabulous green eyes of hers, he got lost in them. “Good morning. It’s time to get up.”
“Buon giorno. I can’t believe I slept so well. I hope you did.”
He nodded. “It has to be this air.”
“I agree. It’s heavenly here. Excuse me for a minute while I freshen up.”
She got out of her bag and slid on her sandals, then hurried behind the trees for privacy. When she reappeared, she looked good enough to eat with that glorious hair slightly disheveled and no makeup, which she didn’t need anyway. He motioned her over to the camp table, where he handed her a mug of coffee.
“Umm. You’ve even fixed breakfast for us. You’ll make someone a marvelous wife one day,” she teased before sitting down to eat.
Amused, Enrico walked over to the car and brought back a pair of binoculars that he put on the table. “These are extra powerful and will come in handy for you.”
“Thanks. You’ve thought of everything. I’ll never be able to repay you for all you’ve done.”
He was pleased to see she was hungry and ate everything. “I’ve been waiting for this a long time. Your being here is payment enough. When the invitation for the competition went out, I’d hoped your country would accept, but I wasn’t at all sure that you would come as well.”
“I told the queen it was an honor for us. I wouldn’t have missed it.”
As he bit into another roll, they felt vibrations beneath their feet. “The horses are coming. Quick, Donetta. Follow me to the blanket I spread out. We’ll lie on it to watch.”
In another half minute they lay side by side on their stomachs. He handed her the binoculars. The thundering grew louder, and suddenly, the plain below was filled with black, brown and bay horses galloping for what Enrico believed was the sheer joy of being alive.
“Oh—” Donetta cried out in awe. “Look how gorgeous they are! It’s unbelievable.”
He knew exactly how she felt to see such majesty loose and free in the wilds. “I marvel every time.”
The herd followed their leader, a magnificent black stallion. “Look how he changes directions and they all keep up with him. They’re having their own kind of fun, aren’t they?”
“They do it for hours.”
“Who says horses don’t enjoy themselves.”
“I think they probably have more fun than some people do,” he concurred. Donetta had his same kind of love for horses and saw what he saw, bonding them in a unique way.
She studied them through the binoculars for a long time. “The leader looks like Rajah!”
“They’re all from the same bloodline.”
Another hour passed while they shared the binoculars and she let out sigh after sigh. “They’re all so beautiful.”
“Have you decided you have a favorite color?”
“Yes. The ones with satin coats that look like melted dark chocolate in the sun. They’re sleek and breathtaking, don’t you think?” She suddenly turned to look at him. Their faces were only inches apart.