Tuscan Freedom. Ruthie Michaels

rooms were at the opposite end of the hallway. By the time she turned around to question them they had disappeared down the stairwell.

      Lily adjusted her dress in the bathroom mirror and made a mental note to stop trying to pry into Gianna’s love life, and let things be. Before this trip Lily could barely remember what Gianna had looked like. The Italian girl had been in America on an exchange when she began dating a friend of Lily’s cousin. After a drunken night at the local pub, the two women had exchanged information and swore to keep in touch. Surprisingly, they had forged a long distance friendship that had survived for almost eight years without them ever meeting in person again. Gianna had always bugged Lily to come out to Tuscany to visit, but the pressures of setting up her practice had always prevented her.

      Now, though, the invitation from Gianna seemed like perfect timing. When she had e-mailed Gianna with her agreement to come she was not surprised when her old friend reacted with excited shock. Lily remembered the velvety purr of Gianna’s voice over the phone as she’d expressed her pleasure at Lily’s upcoming visit. Lily also swore she’d heard male voices in the background, but didn’t think it was her place to ask who it was. Now she knew, and she swore again to put a damper on her curiosity.

      And to keep her tongue in her mouth every time Marco and Tommy were lying by the pool in their tight briefs.

      This evening her host had invited a few friends over for a meal to meet her houseguest, and Lily had to admit that the dinner had been lively and entertaining. On a quick break from the party held in her honor, she had nipped into the upstairs washroom to straighten up.

      Lily prepared to rejoin the guests on the downstairs terrace adjoining the dining room. Paulo and Adrianna were neighbors from across the lane to the south, while Stephan was a visiting Frenchman who was staying with Paulo and his wife for the season. Rounding out the table were, of course, Marco and Tomasso.

      Lily could feel the tension and stress of North American life slipping from her with each day that she spent at the villa, lounging by the pool and eating the fabulous treats Marco and Tomasso prepared. Lily smiled to herself as she noted that neither of the women had yet to trouble themselves with cooking an actual meal for the men. Gianna certainly has them well trained,