Dark Thief (The Two Sides of Me Book 2) (10 page)

Sightseeing with a blind man, this ought to be interesting. After a super calorie filled breakfast that ended up nauseating me more than anything we have headed out. Mr. Saint is driving us in an identical Maybach to the one at home, or maybe…no couldn’t be the same one…could it? Isaac is following in a black Volvo SUV. I wonder why we need two vehicles but decide not to ask, I might not like the answer. “Where are we going? Where exactly are we?” I ask as Evan slides his hand into mine on the seat between us.

“We are on the shore of Lake Como in Italy, on our way to Bellagio, it’s a resort town on the lake and the most beautiful place on the planet. I’m sorry I won’t be able to see it with you but I’ve been living here off and on for years so I will be a good tour guide, I promise.” I gaze out the window and realize that if the town is anything near as beautiful as the scenery here he’s got to be right, but then again he always is.

A light dusting of snow covers the ground and trees.  As we approach town the beginning of Christmas decorations start to appear, twinkly lights and nativity scenes of all shapes and sizes are in front of every shop and house. We bump along on the quaint stone streets where the villas rise and fall with the landscape, beautiful old buildings pepper the area, churches, bakeries and little eclectic shops line the road. Everything sparkles with the magic of the upcoming holidays and I feel a little homesick for my family and friends. “You ok? Awfully quiet over there.” “I thought you always knew what I was thinking, your radar off today?”  “No. I just thought I’d give you the opportunity to tell me yourself what’s on your mind.” “Ohhh, really?” I laugh. “Yes, really.” “So you do know what I’m thinking, but you’re going to let me tell you anyway?” “Well if you want to be sassy about it I’ll just prove it, you’re homesick.” he says staring straight ahead without as much as a blink.

“Ok, I know you read my body language and all but how could you possibly know that?” “I’ve taken you away unexpectedly during the holidays, you spend holidays with your family, yes?” “Yes” “See? I’ve also had the pleasure of knowing exactly how Bellagio looks and feels at Christmastime, it’s a fairy tale world that makes any person yearn for family and tradition. Satisfied?” “Yea…” I breathe as we travel deeper into what feels like a town inside a snow globe.

I almost expect that any second someone will turn us upside-down and shake the snow from the ground to mix up the winter wonder land. “It’s beautiful isn’t it?” he says loosening his grip on my hand to slide it behind me and pull me close.  I rest my cheek on his chest and he slips his hand into my coat between the buttons cupping my breast and kisses me on the top of my head. “Yes, breathtaking Evan, I’ve never seen a place more enchanting.” I’m speechless as I watch the town go by.

“I’m taking you to church.” This, however, has my attention. “Church?” I haven’t been to church in years, and for some reason I can’t imagine Evan attending either. Although, after thinking about it he’s always worn a crucifix, and I’ve seen him pray on his knees at my bedside and also when I found him traumatized in his closet, it’s not such a foreign idea after all. “We won’t attend a service but I want to show you the Basilica di San Giacomo.” “Do you attend church?” Figuring out Evan Lawson is like being a collector of rare books, always on the lookout for one but when it comes along you have a hard time believing it’s real.

“I did growing up, so many I can’t even remember them all but Aunt Sophia was Catholic and I always considered myself Catholic.” Oh yes, his sick twisted mother was a religion fanatic, I’d almost forgotten. “But you don’t go anymore?” “I go on Easter and Christmas, for my aunt, but I’m not a man who belongs in church Mia, I know God is a forgiving entity but …I’ve burned my bridges with Him I’m afraid.”

There’s that squeezing of my heart again, I can’t imagine feeling as if your creator couldn’t love you anymore. Even at my lowest I knew I had worth in Gods eyes. “Stop.” I look up at his beautiful olive skinned face and I know he feels my sorrow and that he interprets it as pity. “No.” I whisper effectively putting an end to this conversation just as we pull into the parking lot of the Basilica. Evan’s hand still inside my coat over my breast pinches my nipple quick and sharp.

“Let’s go to church baby.” he says snapping us out of the seriousness of the moment. “Ouch.” “Mmmm, I’ll make that all better later, along with the red ass you’re going to have after I spank you for all the times you’ve used your smart mouth with me. I have some serious catching up to do.” He smirks my favorite tiny half smile and a thrill of excitement rushes through me, anticipation and maybe a little fear. “Ready?” he tacks on like we were discussing a grocery list. 

“Uh...yea.” The door is opened for us by Isaac. Evan slides out first and then he tugs me out into the cool Italian winter air. He loops his arm through mine.  “I’m good with public places but not like at home, I’ll keep ahold of you if you don’t mind.” “Of course not, are Mr. Saint and Isaac going to lead? I don’t know where to go?” “No, they will be on our flanks, I have a general idea of where we are.” And he really does, we stroll casually to the doors of the church and inside where the warm air smelling of incense envelopes us.

When my eyes adjust to the dim lighting I stand in awe at the phenomenal beauty before me. A long aisle down the center of the cathedral leads a mammoth alter piece completely made of gold that reminds me of the cascading villas I have seen out the windows of Evan’s house. “We can go up front and sit so you can see better.” He encourages me in a hushed voice. In the middle of all this history, art and religious symbolism his attentiveness is turning me on, what the hell? 

Tightening his hold on me he moves us forward along the aisle where locals and visitors sit in wooden pews behind which are arches on both sides that open into smaller separate chapels, most of those are empty. A few local people kneel holding rosaries, eyes closed, murmuring quiet prayers and tourists are obvious, cameras dangling, talking and pointing at sculptures and murals around the dim somber church.

Evan doesn’t mess around as he leads me to the front pew, our entourage no more than 5 steps behind us. I feel so silly having babysitters but I guess we’ve earned them after last week, my neck is finally looking marginally better. The bruising has changed to green and now yellow. Today is the first day we have actually left the house and I’ve strategically placed a lavender silk infinity scarf around my neck to cover the evidence of Evan’s attack. It’s so strange to think that happened a little more than a week ago.

No sign of evil Evan since he lost his sight, I wonder if the two symptoms are connected. Mr. Saint and Isaac take their places in the pew behind ours. Their appearance blends with the locals but not their actions, always scanning the area, four eyes on our every move. I can’t stop gawking at the architecture and history around us.  Silently, Evan reaches to turn my face to mirror his, tracing my hair line with the tips of his fingers and then along the side of my face I’m drawn closer by our internal magnets.

Right there in front of God and everyone he covers my mouth with is and as always the world crumbles under my feet and we are alone in that bubble, seemingly invisible to anyone around us. His long strong fingers slide through my hair and grasp my nape, his touch much more insistent than his kiss which stays light and tender. Heart in my throat he speaks to me with his lips still on mine.  “Come with me.” No time to appreciate the intricate murals or the huge pulpit made of stone that 10 people could stand behind comfortably and not be seen. He’s summoning me and I’m following blindly.

Ironic that he is physically blind but I am emotionally blinded by the feelings I share with him. We stand and Saint and Isaac begin to rise when Evan places one finger on the back of our pew with so much authority I’m just as intimidated by this tiny gesture as they are. Evan’s face reminds me of a roman soldier commanding his army to fall back and wait for further instruction. They look at him and back at me, eyes darting with concern. I mouth “It’s ok” but I have no idea if it is.

I’m being steered, body buzzing with a million bees and a trillion butterflies toward the opposite opening of the pew from the center aisle where we entered just a moment ago. One hand on my waist he guides me to one of the side chapels where he calmly feels around minimally for a wooden lighting stick, holding it in my direction. I gaze into his striking green eyes that glow and flicker in the soft candle light.

I jolt myself back to the here and now with a tiny shake of my head and take his hand leading it to a flame, slowly waiting for it to catch and then spreading it to a fresh wick in a new votive. The entire chain of events feels so intimate, nearly erotic, if it weren't for our location I’d think he was trying to seduce me. As if I needed seducing. I help him extinguish the flame in the container of sand with a sizzle.

He reaches up and touches me on my shoulder, his new habit but this time it’s not the brief brush, he squeezes my arm and pulls me to his chest. I glance around, no one is looking in our direction. Saint and Isaac are still in the second pew, Saint scanning the church and Isaac looking our direction but purposely not making eye contact with me. We turn as one entity and I find myself right inside the arch that separated the chapel from the main church against the cold grey stone wall.

It’s dark here, only lit by the votive candles but still public and it’s a church, a church! “Look at me.” He growls and I bring my eyes front and center, returning all my attention to him, focusing only on him. “That’s better. No worrying. You and me, it’s just you and me baby. Nobody else but us.” He soothes while unbuttoning my coat and tugging my shirt from my jeans. I shift nervously on my heels and he steadies me. “You with me here?” “Yesss.” I hiss exhaling all the air from my lungs and allowing my muscles to go limp. “Yes, that’s it, that’s my girl.  I knew you would come along with me.” 

Uh yea…Who am I again? You’re a slut who’s going to have sex in a Basilica in Italy a tiny far away voice says. Shut up a louder one scolds, go on now work with him the naughty me urges and I listen to her. I arch my back into his capable hands and he slides them into my jeans cupping my ass thrusting me against him roughly, claiming me as his own. I work on the zipper of his jacket with shaky hands, head swimming with his signature smell of Eucalyptus and spearmint mixed with candles and incense. I wish I could bottle the combination of scents.

I swoon slightly but manage to take a deep breath and recover. “Uh uh...focus my Mia…no leaving me now.” I shudder and my head clears enough to follow orders. I’ve got his jacket open by some miracle and smooth my hands under his sweater over the abdominal muscles of a star athlete and I’m finished, no more worries about someone catching us, every moment with him is a gift and I’m unwrapping mine right here, right now.

A moan escapes my lips and he immediately covers them to quiet me but his own moan echoes softly off the walls of the small chapel. He’s just as taken up in the moment of passion as I am. It happens again, click, the world turns off. Here on planet Evan nothing can touch us, nothing can hurt us or separate us from one another. Everything around us is black and I see only him. He has my blouse unbuttoned and open, bra pulled down under my breasts pushing them up exposed. 

I can’t keep quiet when he sucks one pebbled nipple into his mouth and rolls it between his teeth, he brings his hand over my mouth to quiet me. Somehow he’s got the presence of mind to keep us concealed and quiet while I’ve let myself detach from reality all together. I hold his shoulders as he works me into a frenzy of nerve endings, begging for more my skin flushes with heat in sharp contrast to the drafty cold air of the church.

He's circling my navel with his tongue, dipping occasionally into it. I swear he’s not going to have to touch me any further to make me come. I taste his salty skin when I bite his hand in an attempt to suppress the urge to scream. I think he just heard the click too, my jeans are unfastened and his cock is pulled out solid and ready. I work to help him and wiggle my hips side to side pulling my jeans down, damn these tight jeans!

No worrying, Evan’s favorite mantra repeats over and over in my mind and he kneels quietly helping me maneuver one leg out but keeping my black 4 inch sequined boot on my foot he raises slowly hesitating at my core and breaths me in but not having the luxury of privacy or patience he stands straight and I wrap my bare leg around his hip at the same time he slides both hands under my ass and presses me against the wall for what I can only describe as perfect leverage and position. “Ready?” he says quietly but not a whisper, loud enough to hold my attention. “Yea.” I manage and he slides his thick cock against my soaked core three torturous strokes before entering me slowly and completely. “Ahhhh, Mia…” I bite down on my lip so hard I taste blood to keep quiet as he thrusts in and out picking up the pace, keeping a delicious rhythm that won’t last long but I don’t care, right now it’s about quality not quantity.

I’m impressed with myself for not coming immediately but I’m not smug for long. I’ve tangled my fingers into his hair at the base of his neck tight and I pull hard when I know I’m almost there but no need to notify Evan, he doesn’t need warning, my body is his body, we are never more united than when we are together this way. I throw my head back and hold my breath when I come, he’s an expert in all things Mia and keeps me riding him through the best part and then allows himself release which in turn extends my own pleasure even longer. My God I love this man, and I don’t think we could be closer to God right now, letting him know how we feel right here in his house.