The Travel Writer's Heart
Isabella Romano had written about the world's most romantic destinations for ten years, but she'd never experienced romance in any of them. As a travel writer for *Wanderlust* magazine, she'd walked the cobblestone streets of Paris alone, watched sunsets over Santorini from her single hotel room, and sipped wine in Tuscany with only her laptop for company.
That changed the day she met her photographer.
Alessandro Moretti was everything Isabella usually avoided—charming, flirtatious, and Italian in a way that made her think of old movies and stolen kisses. When her editor assigned him to shoot the photos for her upcoming series on "Romance Around the World," Isabella's first instinct was to request someone else. Someone less distracting.
"Ciao, bella," Alessandro said when they met at Charles de Gaulle Airport, his accent wrapping around the words like silk. "Ready to fall in love with the world?"
Isabella adjusted her practical messenger bag and tried to ignore the way her pulse quickened. "Ready to work," she corrected. "This is a professional assignment."
Alessandro's smile was pure mischief. "Of course. Very professional."
Paris, France: The City of Light
Their first stop was Paris, and Isabella was determined to approach it with journalistic objectivity. She'd been to the City of Light dozens of times, had written about its romantic appeal with clinical precision. The Eiffel Tower at sunset, the Seine at twilight, the hidden courtyards of Montmartre—she knew all the spots that made couples swoon.
What she hadn't expected was how different it would feel with Alessandro beside her.
"The light here," he murmured, adjusting his camera settings as they stood on the Pont des Arts. "It's like the city is in love with itself."
Isabella looked around, seeing Paris through his eyes. The golden hour light painted everything in warm honey tones, lovers s... for more on this, see our post on small town romance.