Enchanted and Desired (25 page)

“Mmmmm. I could get used to this as a wake-up call.” Her hands fist in my hair, holding me against her luscious breasts.

“Baby, the Italian diet agrees with you. I swear your tits look even better than usual. So fucking firm and plump. Ripe for me to taste.”

She flinches ever so slightly beneath me. “I’m hungry. Let’s go get something to eat.” She tries to push me away.

“What’s wrong? A minute ago you wanted me as your human alarm-clock and now you’re shoving me away.”

“Nothing’s wrong. I just want to get out of here for a while and grab a snack.” She gives me a saccharin sweet, if not somewhat forced smile, and I know better than to push Jess when she doesn’t want to talk.

We enjoy a delicious meal in one of the many piazzas that Rome has to offer and Jess seems to have gotten over her funk from earlier. After dinner we take a leisurely stroll around the city, seeing the sights by moonlight. It feels like a different city at night, but equally as amazing as it is during the day. The atmosphere is filled with romance; couples enjoying their surroundings, and each other. I throw my arm around her shoulder and hold her close, leading her down a pretty non-descript cobbled alley. The astounding landmark at the end of this dark little street is what I brought her here for. I watch closely, my eyes fixed on her face as I pull her out into Piazza di Trevi. Her eyes are aglow, wide as saucers, and glassy with unshed tears. I would give up everything I have to see the smile splitting her face right now, every day, for the rest of my life. She’s so fucking beautiful.

I pull her tight to my chest, whispering in her ear. “Do you like la Fontana di Trevi?
La fontana è solo la metà bello come te il mio tesoro.” [The fountain is only half as beautiful as you my treasure.]

I revel in the shiver that courses through her body as my words caress her senses.

“It’s so beautiful Simon. I’ve never seen anything so remarkable in my life. I could stare at it forever and never get tired of how magnificent it is.”

“I know how you feel baby. I feel the same way…about you.” She turns in my arms, her eyes diverted from the masterpiece in front of her, and locked on mine.

“I love you more than I can ever tell you.”

Her declaration renders me speechless. And that doesn’t happen very often. “Jess…”

Her fingers dance across my lips. “Don’t say anything. Just kiss me. I want to remember this moment when I’m old and grey.”

“I’ll remind you cara mia.”

I move my hands up into her silky black hair, gripping it, holding her in place as my lips descend on hers. I want to give her everything her heart desires, and if she wants to remember this kiss, then I will pour every ounce of love, passion, and desire I feel for her into it. I nibble on her, relishing her taste and how her breath hitches as my lips brush against hers. I lick the seam of her lips, a plea for her to give me what I want; one touch of her sweet little tongue and a familiar spark ignites inside me, spurring me on to deepen our kiss, to claim her as mine. Desire takes over and I find myself devouring her, ravishing her mouth with my tongue. Within seconds I am rock hard, my cock straining against my pants, desperate to feel her warmth surrounding it. I finally pull back, aware of the fact that I don’t want to have a piazza full of strangers watch me lose control and fuck her until she screams, right here, right now. I swear sometimes I think that I might not be able to curb that deep, dark desire I feel for her. It’s like a freight train when it hits, an unstoppable force between us, connecting us in a way that I have NEVER felt with anyone else.

“Will you remember this Tesoro? This kiss, this moment, this immeasurable love between us?”

“Every delicious, earth-shattering detail. Always.”

Our time here in Italy is coming to an end. Tomorrow we have to get on a plane and fly back to our real lives in New York. This has been the best two weeks of my life. Brandon’s wedding seems like a lifetime ago; so much has happened, and my time with Jess has been so fucking amazing. I’ve wanted to ask her to move in with me so many times while we’ve been here, and there have been so many perfect moments, so many romantic moments, but every time I’ve wussed out. I have played every scenario out in my head. Will she freak the fuck out like she did in the Hamptons? Will she freak out in a good way? Will she think it’s too soon? Will she think it’s an amazing idea? If I knew the answer I wouldn’t be so fucking scared to ask her. I’ve decided to wait until we’re back in New York to ask her; I don’t want her to think it’s a knee jerk reaction to us spending all of our time together over the past few weeks. It’s easy to be with someone 24/7 when you’re on vacation, and I need her to know that I want day to day real life with her. The crabby days when she’s a hormonal bitch, the tired days when she’s wiped out from work and just wants to crash on the couch, the lazy days when all we want to do is hang out together at the apartment, and even the angry days when we piss each other off. But most of all I want
every
single day with her. To love her, to protect her, to just…
be
, with her.

For our last night in Rome I have a little something special planned for Jess. She once accused me of being a ‘swanktard’, and even I would say that what I’ve organized tonight warrants that title! But here’s the thing…I don’t give a fuck. I
know
she doesn’t need anything flashy or extravagant, and that’s
why
I wanted to do something special for her. It’s been a long road for us to get to this point, and it deserves some sort of fucking celebration!

I wanted to keep it a surprise, so I told Jess I had some errands to run and left her with strict instructions to be ready in an hour. I’ve just been to make sure that everything is set up the way I wanted it, and it looks fucking perfect. All I need now is to go get my girl.

When I open the door to our suite I’m astonished by the angel before me. Jess is a vision in flowing white silk, a roman goddess in the flesh. Her skin is flawless, her hair cascading down her back in soft, loose curls, and she has the sexiest look on her face.

“Like what you see…sailor?” I must have such a goofy look on my face.

“It’s been a while since you called me sailor. That takes me back…to when you wanted to bust my balls all the fucking time.” I laugh, remembering how different things were between us eight months ago.

“I’m sorry baby. You just annoyed me with all your holy hotness back then!”

“What changed?”

“Your cock is just SO BIG, I decided to put up with you.” Jester’s out to play tonight.

“WOW. If you didn’t look so fucking angelic right now I would torture you for that comment. I’ll give you a pass this once, but only because my dick really IS THAT BIG!!”

She slaps my arm playfully before pulling me towards the door. “Come on, before your MASSIVE…ego…stops us from getting out of the room.” I fucking love her.

As we make our way through the streets of Rome I take off my jacket and hand it to Jess shivering beside me. “Why didn’t you bring your jacket?”

“It would’ve ruined my outfit.”

I will never understand women. “But my oversized suit jacket sets it off perfectly? You crack me up Jester.”

“Why thank you – Player.”

“Oh come on baby. Surely I’m past getting that label now? I’m reformed. A new man. I met a ridiculously gorgeous girl and she saved me from turning into the next Heffner.”

“She must be quite a catch. I’d love to meet her sometime.”

“Sorry baby, I can’t let you. It would go to her head if she knew how awesome she is. I can’t risk it. Her MASSIVE…EGO…might make her forget that she loves me.”

Her face becomes solemn, our funny banter forgotten as she caresses my cheek with her delicate fingers, tracing my jaw, along the scruff that has grown since this morning. “She would NEVER forget how much she loves you.” There’s something in her eyes, something that gives me pause, a deeper meaning behind her softly spoken words. I try to shake it off, this uneasy feeling in my stomach, carrying on our signature witty banter as we make our way to our destination for the evening.

When we arrive at the Colosseum, Jess is giddy with excitement. “It’s stunning isn’t it? I wish we had managed to go on the tour while we were here. All the sex distracted me from the once in a lifetime opportunity to see one of the most amazing, iconic, historical wonders the world has ever known. You and your mad skills have a lot to answer for mister.”

“I’m flattered that you picked my particular ‘skills’ over some ancient ruins.” She’s about to give me no end of shit for calling something so magnificent ‘ruins’, but I stop her with a chaste kiss. “BUT…you don’t have to choose between us. I want to give you everything that is within my power to give.” I turn her in my arms, her back to my chest as I direct her gaze to the entrance, which is brightly lit, with an attendant standing outside. “Your evening awaits il mio bel Tesoro – my beautiful girl.”

She is speechless – I can’t believe I’ve rendered the mighty Jester speechless. “Come on baby. Let me show you some history, the way it’s meant to be seen.”

As we approach the main entrance the attendant greets us, ushering us up into the main walkway around the amphitheater. It is
exactly
how I pictured it. There are candles everywhere, delineating all that is left of the gladiatorial holding cells. The walls are steeped in so much history it feels like a physical presence, as if it could come to life and tell you its stories. Jess remains silent beside me, clutching my hand so hard I’m starting to lose circulation.

“Are you okay? Is this okay?”

She bursts into tears. “Oh my God Si. Of course it’s okay. It’s better than okay. I can’t believe you did all of this…for me. No one has ever…I mean…I haven’t ever…not for me…not all this just for me.” Fuck, I don’t know what’s happening right now, but I
think
they’re happy tears and happy ramblings.

“Jessica. Listen to me. This is a drop in the ocean of what you deserve. You are the strongest, most amazing, funny, intelligent woman I have ever met. You HAVE to know that you deserve every good thing that happens to you. Don’t you know how much you’re loved? Your parents worship the ground you walk on, Lily would die for you, and I would do fucking anything for you Jess…ANYTHING. Tell me you understand.” She nods, her shallow sobs tugging at my heart. “This is not the reaction I was expecting.”

That gets a smile. “I’m so sorry Si. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. My period must be due or something. Freaking emotional much???” I pull her close, eager to lighten the mood.

“You mean God’s high five to men the world over every month? You girls think we get upset that you’re crabby and teary for a few days, when it’s actually the opposite. We’re just so fucking relieved that we haven’t gotten you pregnant, that we’ll put up with any level of crazy!”

She stiffens in my arms, and again, I’m perplexed by her reaction, but I’m on a mission to make her laugh, and I won’t stop until I hear that beautiful sound.

“Does that put my big dick in jeopardy of NOT being ridden like a stallion later?” My girl is back – with an all-out belly laugh, and it’s music to my fucking ears. “Seriously! I give you the Colosseum for a night, I have a fucking amazing dinner planned, and I’ve got another trick up my sleeve. I really need to know that I didn’t do it for a night of spooning.” I can’t even get the last words out without laughing.

“You’ll be sleeping out in the hallway if you keep that shit up.” Only Jess and I would be trash talking each other at a time like this, in the most romantic setting on earth, in a fucking fairytale moment. It’s why I love her so much.

“Oh My God. Can I at least feed you before you throw me out on my ass?”

She gives me a sly grin. “Well okay then. If you must!”

We really do have a magical evening. The food, the surroundings, and most of all the company is perfect. We laugh and joke, Jess even manages to cage Jester for a while and say some really sweet things to me, and as our evening draws to an end, I remember the one thing we have left to do. “We need to go back to La Fontana di Trevi.”

“I won’t say no! But why do we NEED to go back? You’ve got me intrigued.”

“We didn’t throw money in the fountain.”

She looks at me as if I’ve just escaped from the asylum. “AND?”