Matteo! Matteo! Over here. The paparazzi was out in force today. Cameras, clicking, his name being shouted out by women and men, all over. This was the part of his winsome success as a movie star that he disliked the most. Matteo didn’t mind it most days, but today it was wearing on her nerves.
Years of hard work and denying himself any sense of what most considered normal, was what he had sacrificed to get where he was today. His devastatingly handsome looks didn’t hurt either, but the language barrier of an Italian man in a predominantly English speaking trade, has been a bit of an obstacle at first. He had tackled it with his usual enthusiasm and now spoke the language very well and with a charming accent added to that.
Women were beginning to fall over themselves to have a chance at being with him, even if for one date. His notoriety from his recent films and his budding musical career was garnering him no shortage of beautiful women’s attentions. But to Matteo, they lacked some intangible quality that he desired in a woman, a quality he could not put his finger on, but that his soul hungered for.
Matteo had been married before, when he was a nobody in his craft, and the heartbreaking end to the relationship due to finances, broke his heart and spirit for the dating scene. He had felt so dejected by his former wife because he did not earn, what she perceived and enough money, and that made him now even more leery of any new entanglements, now that he was so successful.
His acting career was blossoming, he was getting endorsements from fashion houses because of his handsome features and sveltely muscular body. His music, while not widely popular, was also getting some attention, albeit from the female gender. Matteo was the cynosure of every woman from twenty to fifty, yet there was something still pressing in on him. Even with all this success and good fortune, he felt a lacking in his spirit. He was searching, but didn’t quite understand what it was.
Kris, lived on the other side of the world and was an aspiring writer. She had some published work and made a decent living at it, but she was far from a celebrated author. She freelanced here and there to make ends meet, while she wrote her novel. She had long put it off, owing to a horrible relationship. The man she had been involved with for several years, had been a controlling and emotionally abusive mistake, sea later came to regret. Once she managed to get out of the situation, she slowly began piecing herself back together. She had lost herself all those years, trying to please him and be pleasing to him in her submissive acceptance of his narcissism.
She was now on her own for the better part of two years. While she wasn’t where she could have been, career-wise, at this point, she was content and happy that it was her life on her terms.
Recently, Kris had gotten a gig for a new magazine, and she had been asked to write a small piece on some new movie star everyone was gushing over. She was excited for the work, but had no clue who the man was. She had not ever heard of him. While she didn’t watch television or go see films, she did manage to hear and know of some famous actors. This was just not the case at present.
Leaving the magazine’s offices midtown, she grabbed a quick coffee and head home to pack for the trip to interview him, in his native country of Italy. Matteo Matrone, the name of the man she was given, was expecting the interview in two days time and she had many arrangements to make, before she left.
On the long ten hour flight to Italy, Kris took a look at Matteo’s bio and got to know a little about him. She needed to prep some questions for him and thought it would be important to get to know his life a bit. She penned about twenty questions she would have wanted answers to, and then tried to nap some. The time change was going to kill her. Though she didn’t like to sleep on flights, she knew she needed to, in order to make the transition less difficult.
Kris’s flight landed, she collected her luggage and went to find a taxi to the villa that the magazine had booked for her. They booked her there for a week and told her to have some fun being a tourist while she was in Italy. That was nice, but she had so little cash, that she just wanted to do the interview and then rest in the villa until she returned back to the states.
As she went to exit the airport, she saw a sign being held up by a young man, with her name on it and the name of the magazine. Kris introduced herself and asked who he was. He informed her that the magazine had hired a car service to transport her around for the duration of her stay. She thought to herself, how nice it must be to have that luxury all the time. And followed him outside to the waiting vehicle, a beautiful new white Mercedes, was now at her disposal and she tried to hold in her giddiness, but failed miserably. Her driver chuckled and escorted her into the car, quickly going around to the driver’s side to get her to her destination.
Their drive was about two hours from the airport, and Kris managed to fall asleep, missing the main part of the city and the sprawling countryside, on the way to the villa. When they did arrive, Antonio, her driver for the duration, turned around and tapped her knee gently, waking her from her jet lagged stupor. She vacated the car, as Antonio retrieved her bags from the back and walked up to the villa.
It was a sweet cottage, really. Roses climbing trellises and fig trees in the field beyond the home. There was a sweet, honey like smell in the air, that made Kris feel like she wanted some tea or pastry. It was magnificent. A smile lit up her face as a breeze blew through her long golden blond hair bringing wave after wave of syrupy smells. She was going to love being here for a week, even if it was for work only.
Kris took out the code for the lock on the door and entered the cottage and immediately stopped, stunned by the breathtaking decor and views out of the house length bank of windows, over looking the fig orchards. This was breathtaking. Simply breathtaking. She noticed a pool out in the back and more glorious flowers.
While still admiring the view, an older woman came into the room and introduced herself as Chiara, the house staff. Chiara informed her that whatever needs she had, would be taken care of by her, for the duration of the stay. Courtesy of Matteo Matrone’s management. They had arranged for her to have this woman her at the cottage to cook and take care of her and the home.
Kris was overwhelmed. She had never even contemplated living this way, even for a little while, let alone for a week. This might just be a wonderfully relaxing vacation like trip, even if it was a job. Chiara, informed her that she had prepared a simple and light meal for her, and that she had prepared the master suite for her. She suggested sleeping to get on Italian time. A good idea, actually.
Chiara mentioned her interview the next day, and informed her that the actor and his team would be coming to her cottage for the interview.
Kris was surprised, and decided to head her advice. She said goodbye to her driver and followed the woman to the bedroom.
If Kris was impressed before, now she was flabbergasted at the scene. Rich, opulent navy and royal blue bedding and drapery covered the bed and windows. The very old Persian rugs complimented the blues with the colors of spices. The furnishings were the kind she had seen in so many architectural magazines. She had questions about who would own such a beautiful home and choose to rent it out to strangers, but she kept them to herself.
Kris decided to take a quick shower, to wash off the stale airplane smells off of her, and then have the quick bite, that had been prepared for her. When she came out of the bathroom, she found all of her luggage had been unpacked and put away, and her nightclothes had been laid upon the soft down filled bed. She quickly dressed and went to have her meal.
Morning came all too soon, and while Kris did not feel at one hundred percent, she did feel bright enough and alert to conduct the interview. She ate some toast and had some juice that had been freshly squeezed. Afterwards, she had decided to take a nice dip in the refreshing pool out back. She would then shower again and dress for her meeting with Mr. Matrone.
It was a stunning and warm day out. The sunshine warmed her skin and the fragrant air again, left her in awe. Kris entered the water and was transported to another dimension. She almost forgot that she would have to leave this place to go back home. Almost. She already was feeling the grieving of parting from this dream.
Deciding to swim laps, she got to it and very quickly realized she was still tired. She thought maybe a little nap on the chaise and a little color on her creamy white skin would do her some good.
She promptly laid down and closed her eyes, to nap under the shade of the umbrella aside the chaise. And she was out cold in a matter of seconds. Kris never heard the sliding door open or the men speaking when they arrived.
Matteo and Marcel, his manager, came into the villa on time. Matteo opened the door with his code and walked in the house. He and Marcel greeted Chiara and asked where the interview had been set up. Chiara said she had planned it to be in the living room, but maybe outside would be better since Kris was still outside poolside. Marcel stayed back to organize a light snack for them and Matteo walked to meet his houseguest and interviewer.
He headed over to the chaise where Kris lay, not knowing that she was fast asleep. A warm gust of air swept by and he noticed her gold locks blown about. She had stunning long hair. Matteo smiled and walked up to her to introduce himself.
Two things happened immediately upon seeing her. One he felt this unnatural feeling pull at him toward her. He moved carefully closer and then he heard a light snore, which made him smile widely and chuckle. Quickly covering his mouth, he stood there watching her a moment longer. He studied her. She was a beautiful woman, clearly shorter than he was at six feet 2 inches, and she had what he considered, a perfect and well proportioned body.
Matteo clearly understood the physical attraction he was having to her, but could not fathom why he felt the desire to touch her. It almost felt uncontrollable. He did restrain himself, deciding he just had not had any intimacy in too long.
The sliding door slid closed hard and made a harsh noise and Kris stirred. She opened her eyes and squinted in the sunlight to find a talk gorgeous man standing before her chair. He smiled at her and said hello to her. Then he introduced Marcel and himself and went to reach for her hand to shake it. She apologized for being asleep and in her bikini, reaching out her hand as Marcel took hers shaking it. She then reached out to shake Matteo’s
He took her small hand in his and electricity shot through his hand, and into every sinew of his body. He stared into her vibrant green eyes and was struck dumb by their intense beauty.
Kris, feeling the same energy run through her looked up into his hazel brown eyes and felt an immense sense of peace along with the sparks igniting within her.
They both stood there, holding each other’s hands like they were glued together, never breaking eye contact. In that stare were a million words. Longing, fear, need, and a soothing feeling like coming home after a grueling days at work. Matteo and Kris uttered no words. Their eyes were drinking each other in and having decades of conversations, without uttering one word.
Marcel noticed the exchange and carefully made himself scarce, going back into the cottage. As he entered, he noticed Chiara looking toward the couple, having witnessed what had just occurred. She smiled and looked at Marcel and told him that this was the one.
Marcel asked her what she meant, and she told him other times she had seem soulmates meet for the first time. She went on the described almost exact instances with other couples, finishing off her statement by saying that they were all still together years later. Chiara was astounded whenever she had the good fortune to see soulmates meet, solidifying her belief in destiny and fate causing these meetings.
Marcel, smiled and nodded but said they would see as these days unfolded. He reminded her that Kris was going back to the states in a week’s time and that in itself might drive a wedge between this fated pairing. He was always suspicious, as a manager of a celebrity, he had good reason to be, having experienced women throwing themselves at his client, trying to land themselves and ticket out of whatever life situation they were in.
They both looked on as they saw Matteo and Kris walk hand in hand over to the table under the veranda. Matteo had taken her bathing suit cover up and now was placing it on her shoulders. He stood behind her helping her put it on and caught the sent of her hair and was transfixed. He never had felt this kind of pull or intoxication with any woman he had ever met or been with. Matteo momentarily stood there, hands on her shoulders, his head close to hers as he buried his nose into her hair and took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and could not imagine ever letting her go.
Kris felt his warm touch on her shoulders and as he kept them there and leaned in to take a deep smell of her hair, close to her neck, she closed her eyed and put her head back. This man felt like home, like nothing in the world was wrong anymore and everything had just fallen into place.
She instinctively tilted her head, exposing her neck and Matteo needed no coaxing. He began to kiss her neck, slowly and with the richness of honey seeping from a comb. He sent lightening through her. He felt it and she knew he did and always would. This felt so natural, like it had always been and would always be apart of their making.
Slowly, like time had no meaning any longer, Matteo kissed her neck, turned her around and kissed her forehead, each eye and made his way to her lips. When they both connected, it was nothing short of magical. Peace, love, need, desperation and longing all met between two lovers lips. Their kiss was strangely new but at the same time familiar. They seemed to know each other’s movements, know each other’s taste, and feelings.
Matteo reluctantly parted, seeing tears streaming down her face. She looked at hime through tear soaked eyes and asked the ethos, where had he been all this time. He replied to her that he had been waiting for her. Goosebumps crawled across their skins.
Over the next several hours, they talked about their lives. She about her failed relationships, he about his and his one failed marriage. They shared all the usual details one shared in the beginning of a relationship. Many times one would ask a question and the other would already know the reply before the words were spoken, as if they already new each other intimately.
The evening came far too quickly and she had gotten an interview so to speak but not with anything she would share with the world or her magazine. She asked him how he liked the villa his management had attained for her, and, he chuckled. Kris looked at him when he told her that he had charged Marcel with putting her up in his villa. He owned it and the surrounding property. The main house beyond the hill, was where he resided when he was not on set, or in the recording studio.
He went on to tell her that he had no idea what possessed him to offer it up as an available option when the magazine called, but now had a better idea of the forces at play in that decision making process.
There was no earthly explanation to all the circumstances that had played into this meeting today. No reason why they would have ever met aside from the article that his manager had scheduled him to be interviewed for, in order to spread his name and image to more public and potential fans. They both knew now that it was no chance meeting. This was destined and fated to happen, two desperate souls searching for their only perfect mate. No one before would have filled the void and suffering that their distance apart allowed them to feel. This was designed to eventually force their search for one another or their futility in pairing with any other.
It was getting later into the evening, when Matteo, rose from his seat. She began to panic inside as she rose with him. She knew he was leaving and was wrought with sadness that he would leave her presence. He understood because he felt it too. They could no longer be apart any more than they had been all these years.
Matteo raised her chin, for her to meet his eyes, and again he kissed her. Home. She felt like home. He felt like home to her. The kiss deepened with desperation before they finally inched away. He looked deep into her green eyes and reached for her hand. She reached out and took it, again filling them both with ecstatic electrical sensations. He took her hand and said, “Let’s go home.”
Matteo and Kris walked out of the cottage, leaving Marcel and Chiara with gaping mouths in side the cottage. The soulmates went home and would never again allow anything to keep them apart.