Accept My Baby

“American?” he asked and she nodded.

“African American actually.”

“What’s the difference?” he was now leading her towards a couple of lounge chairs.

“Well, I am an American citizen but I still have to insist on the fact that I am a black woman,” she explained as she sat down.

“You know, I can actually see that you are black. I don’t think your race needs a lot of explaining or defining.”

Amanda smiled and nodded, feeling a little silly.

“Well, I was just correcting you. That’s all,” she pointed out as a waiter walked in carrying a tray.

“Thank you,” Rafael said as the waiter put the tray down. “Our lemonade is here.”

Amanda raised an eyebrow over the other.

“Our?” she asked.

“Well it is not polite to let a guest drink alone, now, is it?”

Amanda smiled as she watched him pour lemonade into the two glasses on the tray.

“It’s just lemonade. Not cognac or champagne.”

Rafael handed her a glass.

“A drink is a drink and right now, sharing this one with you is so much more fun than I could be having in there.”

“Somehow, I find that hard to believe,” she said, sitting down.

He took a sip of his lemonade and shook his head.

“Believe me. I love throwing parties as much as the next guy but I can only explain the difference between Stanford and Stamford so many times.” He took a long deep breath. “It is honestly exasperating.”

“I can only imagine,” she said. She took a sip of her lemonade and leaned back taking in the view. “You have a beautiful home.”

“Thank you,” he said. He was looking at her, but she didn’t know it yet. “But not as beautiful as you are.”

She turned to look at him, a smile on her face. She was thankful for the cover of the night otherwise he would have seen her reddened cheeks and known that his charms were working.

He was the complete opposite of what Brett was. Sure, he was handsome and quite the looker but he could not compare to what she was looking at. Rafael had a full head of naturally shiny black hair and the warmest eyes she had ever laid eyes on. Even through his linen pants and shirt, she could see the outline of his well formed muscles. He was perfect in more ways than one, a god and he did not let it go to his head like most men would have. She turned away from him and took another sip of her lemonade.

“You did not strike me as a person who would blush,” he went on and she forced out a laugh.

“I am not sure what I have to say to that,” she said in a soft voice.

“You don’t have to say anything. Just sit there and let me appreciate you.”

She shook her head and looked at him.

“You know, a friend of mine told me that the men in Italy can be pretty direct,” she said before she took a sip of her lemonade. “I’m beginning to think she was right.”

“I don’t know about the rest of Italy but I like letting the world know what is on my mind. After all, I didn’t get to where I was by mincing my words.”

“I don’t know,” she said. “Forgive me for not mincing my words either but in all honesty you kind of look like a trust fund baby.”

Rafael smiled.

“No offense,” she said quickly and he shook his head.

“Trust me, none taken. It’s not the first time I’ve heard that. But maybe I should just point out that a few years ago my parents thought it would be wise to cut me off…to make me get in line or something of the sort.”

Amanda raised an eyebrow.

“What are you talking about?”

“They have always wanted my brother and I to handle the family business but I had other plans…I mean, I am not saying I wanted to throw my hands up in surrender when it came to the family business but I needed something that would just be my own. That was something I had always wanted to do since I was a kid and so I got my savings and bought into some business in the Texan oil fields.”

“You invested in the American oil business?” she asked surprised. “I hear it is a cut throat industry.”

“Yeah, it is definitely not for the weak of heart. But it is what I wanted to do and I was not going to give up on it.”

“Well, good on you,” she said. “It is important to follow your dream.”

“Speaking of, you know what I do for a living. What about you?” he asked. “What is it that keeps you busy?”

“I am a travel blogger,” she said.

“That must be amazing,” he said smiling. “Going around the world taking photos and trying out different foods. Must be fun.”

“It is…sometimes it can get a little tough with the culture shock and everything but it is worth it. I think experiencing different cultures is what makes it worth while,” she said as she leaned back.

A smile played on her face when she began recalling all the different countries she had been to. “You can go from flying high in Brazil to backpacking around Africa, getting on safaris and everything. Plus seeing how people live and work…” she took a long deep breath. “It is just amazing, like you said.”

Rafael smiled at her.

“You sound like you really like it.”

“I do. I really, really do and honestly right now, being away from home…it is all that is keeping me sane right now,” she said in a soft voice.

“So, you are not a permanent resident in Italy?” he asked and she shook her head.

“I’m just visiting a friend. She has an apartment in Turin,” she said in a soft voice.

“I know that you are from the States, but where exactly?”