Jilted (closed)

[KiwiD82]

Logan guided Blythe through what was a relatively dull and uneventful path through customs, metal detectors, and luggage conveyor belts.

By the time they'd piled all their luggage onto a train to take them across the causeway and into the historic heart of the city, the morning was threatening to come to an end.

"When we get into the city," Logan advised, "We should get you checked in as our first priority. There's no traffic in Venice so we'll be walking to most places. The less time spent carrying luggage, the better."

The young entrepreneur was beginning to get excited. He had business to attend to the next day, but it was the thought of giving Blythe the best two weeks of her life that seemed so much more important.

 

[heartofcourage]

Blythe was still silently as they got through customs and onto the train that would take them into the city. Her senses were overloaded by the sights and sounds of this new place. She was looking out the windows, taking in the scenery as it moved passed them. She absently nodded as Logan put forth his idea for the rest of the day. Check into her hotel. Shower. Get some food. Get some sleep.

"What should I wear to the restaurant?" She asked him, glancing his direction finally. "Is it a formal place?"

 

[KiwiD82]

"Wear whatever makes you feel comfortable," Logan replied simply.

The café itself was a flexible enough venue that she could dress up or down as she pleased. Some of the other ideas he had put onto his list of suggestions would require more formal wear, but they could cross that bridge when they came to it.

"You'll be sleeping soon enough, Blythe," he continued warmly. "For now, enjoy the scenery and, if possible, the company."

It was a cheeky remark to make, but Logan knew that if they were to enjoy themselves, it would be best if they also enjoyed each other's company. The young businessman certainly thought very highly of Blythe, but he had very much invited himself along for the ride and he knew she had every right to object.

The city was putting on a fine show, with a bright, cloudless day presenting the oranges and browns of buildings as the island neared. Blythe was going to encounter the true Italy whether she was prepared to or not.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Well, I already do enjoy the scenery. The company...well, that remains to be seen." She commented, looking at him with a mischievous grin on her face.

Her eyes were sparkling, belying the fact that her heart had been torn into pieces only hours before. Being with someone who was kind and cared for her did wonders for her soul. She was still weary of letting people close, but she could certainly allow herself to relax and at least enjoy her time in the beautiful country.

"You know that I'm going to try and repay you for all of this and you know that I won't take no for an answer. Tell me what you would like by way of a thank you." She said, waiting for him to name his price.

 

[KiwiD82]

Blythe had a good heart. That was clear. Despite having admitted to living the life of a student, she still wanted to reimburse Logan for his expenses.

He quite simply didn't need her money. He certainly didn't need it any more than she did. He'd made enough to live comfortably and then some, while she was still looking at a rather dull food cupboard.

"You're very kind," he said with a nod. "I'm in no need of additional financial income, Blythe. I can earn this money back by getting signatures on a dotted line at tomorrow's meeting."

He wasn't trying to sound boastful. He merely hoped to show her that she would he giving far more than he'd be receiving.

"However," he added, leaning closer and dropping his voice as if he were to share a secret. "If you really want to repay me, then sharing your company - if you can bear mine, of course - would be of far greater value to me than paper notes."

He sat upright again, gauging her response.

"After all, time is money," he added. "Wouldn't you agree?"

 

[heartofcourage]

After her time in Italy, the chances of ever seeing Logan again were very slim. At least, that was what she kept telling herself. She wanted to believe that he would be her friend for the loneliest two weeks of her life and then they would part ways. It would be a lovely story to look back on when she was older, perhaps married or even still lonely.

"I guess you can twist my arm. Just this once, though." She murmured as she dared to give him a lovely smile. "It's just my luck that I meet the one decent guy on this earth the day after I got left at the altar."

Her heart wasn't ready for romance. It ached for companionship though. She needed someone there to listen and to understand her. That was what Logan was offering to her. Companionship, plain and simple.

 

[KiwiD82]

Logan smiled politely at Blythe's description of him. He probably didn't deserve such flattery, but he didn't feel in the mood to tell a heartbroken woman that she was wrong.

In fact, he wasn't quite sure if he should say anything at all. Her comment had caught him off guard and the silence that followed would have risked becoming an awkward one, had the train not started slowing as they reached the old city.

"We're here," he grinned. "Ready to discover Venice, Bella?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"I guess." Blythe said as she stood once the train had stopped, following Logan off and simply standing there in awe of her surroundings.

Venice was beautiful, she thought to herself. The sunlight hurt her eyes slightly, but it was a small price to pay as she looked around with a wide eyed expression at everything she could take in. She didn't even notice as he placed her luggage and purse beside her. She was certainly out of her league when it came to travel, but she soon remembered what she was doing and turned to look at him with a sheepish grin.

"Serves me right if I get robbed, right?" She asked him, her hands instantly picking up her belongings, ready to pull the heavy suitcase towards her hotel.

 

[KiwiD82]

The old city of Venice greeted them as it always did: with the sun lighting up the oranges and whites of centuries-old buildings, and water lapping at the sides of canals as gondoliers guided their floating taxis along the city's many waterways.

Logan had taken Blythe's luggage off the train and onto the platform not because of her travelling inexperience, but simply because it seemed like the courteous thing to do.

He didn't have much luggage of his own so he was quite capable of carrying hers as well.

So it seemed natural that he'd do so again, but when he reached down to pick it up without looking, he instead took hold of Blythe's hand by accident.

"Oh...sorry," he reacted, belatedly pulling his hand away before offering a slightly embarrassed laugh. "You definitely won't get robbed if we're both holding it. Would you like to take it or should I?"

 

[heartofcourage]

As Logan stood beside her, she felt bad that he had been doing everything. She reached down to pick up her bag and found her hand in his own. Looking at him with startled eyes, she jerked her hand back quickly as he offered her a nervous laugh.

"I'll take it." Blythe answered, pushing her hair back behind her ear. "You've already done enough for me and it surely can't be that far to the hotel."

She gave him a shy, sly smile and laughed softly under her breath. "My legs and arms aren't broken. Just my heart."

 

[KiwiD82]

Blythe's comment about her broken heart, even when accompanied by a smile, struck Logan hard. He hadn't meant to imply that she was some helpless victim in need of rescuing - he merely wanted to be a gentleman, so unlike her ex-fiancée.

"You're right," he smiled warmly as he regathered his thoughts. "You're clearly fully functional, and it won't be long until we reach your hotel."

Logan led Blythe into the city, up and over stepped canal bridges and down narrow and uneven alleyways. As he did so, he resolved to take more of a back seat position with her. She was no victim, but the hurt was still raw. He would be lavish for her benefit when it seemed appropriate, but would withdraw if she balked at the approach.

And, true to his word, it didn't take them long until they found themselves standing outside Hotel Moresco.

"After you," Logan offered as the doorman opened the door for them both.

 

[heartofcourage]

Blythe was taken by the outside of her hotel, looking up at the old building for a long moment as Logan waited for her by the open door. She felt a little bit overwhelmed as she stepped into the lobby and glanced over her shoulder to Logan as he brought up the rear.

She made her way to the front desk in order to check in, pulling out her purse and information before she handed it to the woman that took it with a pleasant smile. She answered the questions that were asked, stunned when she learned that the entire stay had already been paid for, including all amenities.

"Thank you." She said softly as she was handed a set of keys for The Weaver's room. Turning back to Logan, she gave him a soft smile.

"If you want to check into your hotel room, we could meet down here in an hour or so?" She suggested.

 

[KiwiD82]

Logan enjoyed the awe that was so evident on Blythe's face as she took in the sight of her accommodation for the following two weeks. It was a fine establishment and going by the heartbroken woman's reaction, it was more than sufficient.

Logan nodded in agreement, offering a polite smile as he turned and left, heading for the Aman Canal Grande Venice where he liked to stay during every Venetian visit.

Once there, he checked in, went to his room, showered, and changed into more casual attire: a white loose-fitting buttoned shirt with sleeves rolled up, and light jeans with a pair of running shoes.

Before he left, he made sure to power up his laptop and check the list of things to do that he'd made on the plane for Blythe. Then he emailed it to the front desk at Hotel Moresco, expecting her to receive it upon her return from lunch.

With that done, he left his room and hotel, and made his way towards the Moresco foyer.

 

[heartofcourage]

Blythe was in complete awe of her surroundings as she entered what should have been her honeymoon suite. It was beautiful and spacious, immaculat and all hers. She smiled as she left her luggage beside the bed and went to the window, looking out over the city that captivated her attentions. She absently reached for her cell phone to take a picture. She realized belatedly that Logan still had her phone to protect her from her ex.

That thought made her sad and she turned from the window to pick out an outfit. After a quick shower, she swiped on a pale shade of lipstick, pulling her curls up into a thick ponytail before she pulled on her blue sundress and brown sandals. It was light and sunny and made her feel better about her situation.

She soon had her purse slung over her shoulder and made her way downstairs to meet with Logan. She was eager to see where he would take her in the beautiful city.

 

[KiwiD82]

Logan was waiting in the lobby by the time Blythe descended the stairs. He saw her before she noticed him and he was grateful for that, because she would have seen him gazing at her.

She was stunning - the cocktail dress, if out of place on a plane - had proven that. And now she wore a summer dress that showed off her slender arms and gorgeous legs. No doubt this was one of the outfits she had expected to wear for her new husband.

Logan had barely managed to pull himself together before she saw him, at which point he simply gave her a warm smile and held up her phone which he had forgotten to return earlier.

When he'd noticed it in his hotel room earlier, he had seen the abusive messages from Brett, and he assumed that was the name of her fiancée. So he did the only sensible thing he could do: he deleted first the messages, and then the contact.

He didn't tell Blythe that - not straight away, anyway. The less he could do to remind her of her fool of an ex-fiancée, the better.

"Ready?" he asked with a raised eyebrow and a playful smile.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Ready." Blythe said with a smile as she took her phone back from Logan. "I had forgotten that you had this when we were apart. I'll have to call my family in a while and let them know that I got here safely."

With that, she tucked her phone into her purse and followed him out into the bright Italian sunshine. It felt good to be in the warmth of a beautiful place and she was certainly struck by the beauty all around her. The buildings were breathtaking and the canals were something that she had never seen before in her life.

"So, where is this restaurant?" She asked as they started to walk up a narrow street. "Is it very far from here?"

 

[KiwiD82]

Logan had loved Venice since his first visit two years earlier. He'd always had a romantic expectation of Italy, and had been sorely disappointed when he visited Rome.

The city had just been so busy...and the drivers were certifiably crazy.

But Venice had restored his faith in the country.

The madness of the roads and cars of Rome were relatively peaceful canals and gondolas, here.

But he'd never shared the city with someone as beautiful - or as deserving - as Blythe.

"Corte Sconta is not far, Bella," he smiled, pointing in the general direction of the restaurant. "Perhaps fifteen minutes, and you'll love it."

Logan led Blythe across a bridge to take them over one of the city's many canals, and he walked closer to her, as if he had a secret to share.

"You have to love it, really," he spoke quietly with a cheeky, good-natured grin. "You're eating for free!"

 

[heartofcourage]

Blythe looked up at Logan with a smile, laughing softly as he told her that she had to enjoy since it was free. She shook her head as she pulled out her sunglasses and pulled them on, walking beside him as they made their way along the canal.

"You can't stop me from slipping a few dollars in your pocket later on." She warned him, a stubborn tilt to her chin telling him that she was very serious about doing that. "And I don't take no for an answer, so you should get use to it."

 

[KiwiD82]

Logan laughed at Blythe's insistence. In truth, he found it very attractive. Despite living on a meager income, she was adamant about not being seen as a charity.

"It does seem," the entrepreneur admitted as he guided Blythe to the other side of the bridge and down one of Venice's many narrow alleyways, "that I shall have to accept your willingness to express your gratitude."

They left the alleyway and immediately turned into another, the cobblestones covered in shade from the tall buildings on either side.

"But," he continued, "I would ask that you don't give me money."

Logan had no need for money - he was wealthy to the point of not having to worry about impulsive and expensive purchases - but that wasn't the reason he had said such a thing.

"You spoke earlier of ramen noodles and grilled cheese. I know you are no pauper, and I'm sure you're a good enough accountant to know how much you can spare, but..."

At this, Logan suddenly stopped in the cool alleyway and turned to Blythe, placing one hand gently on her upper arm.

"...I fully intend to spoil you."

He managed to resist saying that she deserved to be spoilt; that if this were the honeymoon she had dreamt of, she would have expected to be treated in such a way. But there was no point reminding her of her wedding day.

"If you wish to show your gratitude," he added, his gaze intense but not intimidating, "then do so by truly relaxing and being the carefree soul that I'm sure you were just a few days ago."

Put simply, Logan wanted Blythe to forget about the man who had abandoned her and to let go and truly enjoy Venice and everything - and everyone - the city had to offer.

 

[heartofcourage]

Blythe looked up at Logan, considering his offer. She knew that he was a man of wealthy means but she still wasn't completely sure that she was comfortable with him paying her way. He would be insistent on it, she was sure, but he also wanted her to enjoy herself while she was in the beautiful country.

"If I ate my weight in pasta would that make you happy?" Blythe asked with a slight smile, thinking it was sweet that he was trying to cheer her up from the horrible day that she had been through just a short time ago. "Because that is a challenge that I think I can take on."

 

[KiwiD82]

Logan burst into laughter at Blythe's suggested challenge. It was the first moment that she had seemed openly playful and relaxed, and he reveled in that.

"I'd like to see you try," he retorted, gently squeezing her arm and then stepping away down the alleyway and looking back to check that she was following.

Logan turned into another alleyway and stepped out into a piazza bathed in sunlight.

Two-storeyed buildings lined the square. They offered residential housing, for the most part, but the lower level of one section of one building was clearly an eatery of some sort, with tables and chairs spilling out into the square itself.

"Corte Sconta," Logan said with a sense of satisfaction.

He guided Blythe into the square, then to the restaurant, where he found an empty table beneath the leafy vines that formed a roof for the outdoor area through which sunlight sprinkled onto the customers below.

"Did you know that in Italy, it costs more to eat at an outdoor table?" Logan asked as he pulled out a chair for Blythe to sit in. "Italians see it as something of a statement, and they like to be seen. I like to sit out here just because I enjoy the vines!"

 

[heartofcourage]

Venice was a beautiful city, absolutely magical and Blythe soaked in all of the sights that the city had to offer. The buildings were lovely and the architecture amazingly beautiful. It was just as well that they were seated outside at the restaurant. It gave her so much more time to look at her surroundings while enjoying a moment with Logan.

"Well, that's a treat. It gives me the chance to people watch while we eat." Blythe insisted as she took the seat that was offered and gave him a glad smile. "And of course, you know that I'm going to ask you every question under the sun. I want to know where you're from, what you do for a living, and how you've managed to stay single so long while being absolutely charming."

 

[TheCoz]

Hot and exciting lady

Finding oneself in "accidental" situations where they are exposed or have been exposing themselves is a erotic embarassment and such a hi. Being such a fabulously sexy and beautiful woman and being exposed to young guys close in front of you, and having those young guys being friends of your son is an extremely HOT situation. Yes, extremely embarassing but, you couldn't do anything about it and those kids no doubtedly got aroused at seeing parts of you that are meant to attract and arouse men. And, they are young, verile, men. The best "exposing" events are when they are accidental, or at least accidental. I would love to "accidentally" see you!

 

[KiwiD82]

People watch. Now there was an idea. Except Logan only wanted to each Blythe.

Yes, her stunning beauty was a contributing factor in that, but he also enjoyed the idea of someone so foreign to international travel having her brown eyes widened as she noticed the intricacies of Italian customs up close.

"I have only two rules for our lunch," he spoke quietly after chuckling at her insistence on being curious. "The first is that you must make your first meal in Italy a memorable once. Order whatever you wish and eat, drink, and be merry. And the second is that you must ask whatever you want of me. I'm an open book and we have all afternoon."

Logan sat back in his seat just as the waiter arrived with menus. What Blythe chose to order from it was entirely up to her.

 

[heartofcourage]

Blythe looked at the menu and gave him a grin as he told her to order whatever she wanted. She decided on the tasting menu, preparing to eat all that the restaurant had to offer. Once she ordered and passed the menu back to the waiter with a request for some wine, she settled into her chair and looked around the open air patio.

"Well, I guess I should start with the basics. Where are you from and what do you do for a living? It must be a good job if you come to Italy all the time." She commented, glancing towards Logan with a soft laugh. "Or at least, I imagine you would have to have a good paying job."