title: An Apartment in Venice
author: Hill, Marlene
description: A woman sworn off men. A man ready to find his soul mate. They meet on a U.S. Army Base where all seems orderly, but covert harassment threatens her, and he wants to be her protector. For centuries Venetians have called their home La Serenissima, but life is not serene for Italian-American Giulia Cavinato, who teaches personnel stationed at the U.S. Base outside Vicenza near Venice. Landing this job finally gives her the chance to find her dream apartment in that magical city. At the Base, while escaping the clutches of Oliver Ogle, who uses his position as Human Resources Director to sexually prey on her, she collides into a solid wall of flesh named Major General Chuck Novak. A spark ignites them both, but she refuses to acknowledge what it might mean. Another predator, Bernardo Botteri, sees her sitting in a bar and decides he must have her. Botteri is far more dangerous because of his connection to vicious organized-crime from southern Italy. Her apartment in Vicenza is vandalized and she's being stalked. Botteri's thugs or someone else? But her worst fear is the past that haunts her. While all this is going on, Giulia looks for that perfect apartment in Venice, and Chuck quietly seduces her into his own. Even though there's an icy crust around Giulia's heart, Chuck is determined to melt it away. And his gentle persuasion makes her wonder if some men might be worth trusting after all.