“Why are they just standing there Enzo?” I whisper even though they probably don’t understand me.
“They are waiting for our reaction to the food.”
Enzo scoops a large helping of the first platter on my plate explaining that it is polenta, a creamy dish made of yellow corn meal. He then plates some of the second dish and tells me it is a braised beef short rib in a red wine sauce. The wine is Barolo, a very famous Tuscan wine.
He pours two glasses of the Barolo for us to drink. The man and the young girl are still watching, anticipating our reaction. Enzo takes a bite, and I follow. My face lights up as I taste the creamy, cheesy polenta. I dig into the short ribs that fall off the bone. They are so tender I don’t even need to chew really. The sauce is tomato-ey with a bold wine undertone.
“Oh my gawd Enzo, this is freaking amazing.” I shovel polenta in my mouth as I speak, you know like ladies do.
“Bravo signore, bravissimo.” Enzo praises the man and his food. The man’s face spreads into a huge smile.
“Sono contento.” The man and the young girl walk away.
“What did he say?”
“He said he was pleased we like the food.” Enzo pulls my plate away and scoots closer to me.
“My turn.” He takes his fork and digs into the polenta, then adds some of the meat to it.
“Open your mouth.” I do as I’m told. He watches me chew as he takes a bite. He repeats this several more times, not speaking in between. I have no idea why this is turning me on so much. I’m obviously capable of feeding myself, but this is so…erotic. The whole meal goes like this, a bite for me, a bite for him. I’m getting excited for what we might do later.
Enzo stands to pay the bill. The man and what I know now to be his family stand around Enzo, speaking rapidly. Enzo is smiling so I know he is praising the meal.
We walk back slowly to the hotel, hand in hand.
“Why do you like to feed me Enzo?”
He tilts his head and looks off in the distance for a moment. “I’m not sure exactly. I’ve never had any desire to feed a woman before you.” He pauses, then continues, “It makes me feel like I’m taking care of you.” He squeezes my hand.
“You take excellent care of me.”
We cross the Ponte Vecchio Bridge and look in and out of the many shops. Gazing out in the darkness at the Arno River, Enzo wraps his arms around my waist.
He buries his face in my hair and whispers, “I love you so much, Ava. I don’t know if you even understand how much. You are the most important person in the world to me.” I try to turn around, but he holds me tight.
“Tell me Ava. Tell me how you feel about me.” His vulnerability is showing again. How can I get him to understand that I feel the same?
“Enzo, you have to understand. I love you too, completely, with everything that I have inside of me. I have never felt this strongly for someone. Never. I didn’t even know it was possible. I think about you every moment of the day, even when you are standing right next to me. I want nothing but your happiness. I want to give you everything you give me. This is the first time in my life I’ve ever felt like I was the priority, like I was at the top. Do you know how amazing that is? Enzo, you are my everything.”
He turns me around and kisses me, and I feel like we are the only people on the bridge at that moment. I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him close.
“I need to make love to you. Now.” He tugs my arm as we start walking back to the hotel room. We walk so fast I can barely keep up with him, but I enjoy his excitement. In the elevator, he presses me against the wall and kisses my neck passionately, running one hand up under my skirt. He grips my wrists with his other hand, pinning them above my head.
“Is this what you want tonight?”
“Yes, please.” I groan. Elevators are so hot.
He pulls my hand leading me down the hall to our room. He opens the door and scoops me up, throwing me over his shoulder, causing me to explode into a giggling fit. He lays me down on the sofa and removes my shoes. I put my arms under my head and watch him closely, a smile still spread across my face. He stands and quickly removes his clothes. He’s standing naked in front of me, his face filled with love and passion. For me!
He pushes my skirt up around my waist and yanks my panties down, leaving the rest of my clothing in place. This is so exciting. He turns me so that my feet touch the floor. Dropping to his knees, he prepares to enter me. He hasn’t said a word, which is only adding to my excitement. He’s going to take me like this? Awesome!
He waits at my opening and moves slowly back and forth, teasing me. I can’t take it anymore. I need him now.
“Enzo—”
“Shhh. No words.”
Suddenly, he slams into me, and I inhale deeply. He pumps quickly, silently, his head thrown back as he does. He reaches one hand up and rubs my clitoris rapidly. I try to keep my hip movements in time with his. This. Is. So. Fucking. Amazing. I feel tears building in my eyes as pleasure spreads throughout my body. I feel like a goddess right now. This man loves me so much. I can’t even wrap my head around this. I open my eyes and meet his intense gaze.
“I love you Ava, so much, so much.” His voice breaks as he pounds into me.
“I love you too Enzo. So much.”
I grind my body against him, desperate for climax. He arches his back and explodes into me, as my own orgasm erupts. He slumps onto me and we slide onto the floor together, bodies entwined. I stroke his hair as he lies against me. He looks up, and I see tears falling down his face.
“Enzo, baby—” He kisses my mouth to silence me.
“I’m the happiest I’ve ever been. You are my happiness. Stay with me.”
“Always.” And I know I mean it.
“Promise me.”
“I promise.”
“You mean it?” Vulnerable Enzo.
“I always keep my promises.”
He kisses me again and rises to lift me to my feet. He looks at me, my clothes half on and crumpled, and begins to laugh.
“I guess I couldn’t wait any longer to ravish you.”
I grin and kiss his delectable mouth. “I’m yours to have whenever you want me.”
“Let’s go to bed.” He leads me to the bedroom.
Francesca blows into the hotel on a cloud of Italian designer clothes and kisses me on both cheeks. She hands me a notebook and a pen and starts talking rapidly about plans for the hotel. I am overwhelmed. I can barely understand a word she’s saying, and I wonder if she accidentally switched to Italian on me.
“Wait.”
She stops and turns to me.
“I need you to go slower.”
She smiles. “Sì, certo.” She says. “Yes, okay where should we start Ava? In your opinion?”
I collect my thoughts for a moment. “I think the common areas make the most impact to a visitor. We should start there.” I have a slight questioning tone in my voice.
She smiles wide. “Yes! That is correct. We start in the lobby and work to the rooms, no?”
We head into the lobby and start discussing her ideas. She thinks we need more sitting areas around the large lobby. I agree.
“Checca, this area of Florence is so pretty and perfect for people watching. What do you think about enlarging the front window on both sides and adding seating areas facing the outside?”
Francesca surveys the area, tapping her pencil on her bottom lip. The existing windows are old and not very large, and the area has no seating.
“Yes. This is a good idea. The tourists they sit here, drink the coffee, make the plans. Yes. I like this idea. What else?”
We walk through the room pointing at things that could be changed or updated. The entire space needs to be modernized, and new materials brought in. I didn’t realize how interested I am in the design and appeal of a room until I started hanging out with Enzo and his sister. This is more exhilarating than I thought.
“Ava, you are very good at this, a natu
ral. Someday you will be able to lead the projects too. We will accomplish more together, no?”
“Yes.” I can’t stop smiling thinking about my new amazing life.
“I have a surprise for you my prince.”
Enzo looks up from his blueprints, curiosity all over his face. “I like surprises.”
“For the next five days, I’m taking an intensive Italian course here in Florence.” I found a school online that is three blocks from the hotel and could private tutor me on short notice.
“Are you serious?” He stands and walks towards me.
“Quite.”
He reaches for me and pulls me tight. “I’m very pleased to hear that Ava. What is Gabriella going to do?”
“She’s going to join me of course.”
“She wants to learn Italian?”
“She does after spending time here. Besides, Calvin speaks Italian and she loves opera so it will help her understand the words more.”
“That’s wonderful amore. Thank you. For lots of things but especially for caring enough about me to learn my language. It’s always been a dream of mine to speak Italian in my home with my children. And my wife.”
I feel myself blushing again. The thought of being this man’s wife someday fills me with joy.
“This is the place guys.” Grayson and Gabby follow behind me as I walk up to a small building and press the doorbell.
“Sì?” A woman’s voice crackles over the speaker.
“We’re here for the Italian class.” I sure hope she speaks English.
The door buzzes and we all quickly enter. We walk to the top of the stairs where a woman stands waiting for us, smiling.
“Hello, please come in.” I can just barely understand her through the thick accent.
“My name is Ava. This is Gabriella and Grayson.”
“The professor will be right with you.” Gabby and I sit in a cozy room on a well-worn couch. Grayson stands in a corner looking out over Florence.
“Buon giorno!” We look up to see a short man, about sixty, bursting into the room.
“Io sono Lorenzo. Sono il vostro professore.”
We stare at him.
“I am Lorenzo, your professor.” He repeats in English.
“I am Ava and this—”
“No. Try in Italian. Io sono Ava.” He repeats slowly.
“Io sono Ava.”
“Io sono Gabriella.”
Grayson jumps in. “Io sono Grayson.”
“Bravi studenti. Andiamo.”
He motions to the door. “Today we go out to learn Italian. This is the best way. We will touch, taste, and feel Italy. Okay?”
“Okay.” Gabby hooks her arm in mine as we head out.
“Good job Grayson.” I nudge his arm as we walk.
“I might as well learn something. I’ve been hanging out with Italians long enough I suppose.”
We spend our day along the Ponte Vecchio, sampling food at the market, shopping for goods, and asking for directions, all in broken Italian. Lorenzo praises us at every turn. If this is how we learn Italian, it’s going to be fun.
“Don’t worry so much for the grammar, you will learn that later. For now, just use the words, speak as much as you can. Think in Italian. Dream in Italian.” Lorenzo is very encouraging.
“Are you guys ready to go home?” I ask my tired traveling partners.
“I sure am. My brain needs a break.” Gabby rubs her forehead as we walk back to the hotel.
“I think I might order room service and go straight to sleep tonight.” Grayson chimes in.
We start our short walk back to the hotel. I feel Grayson’s hand on my arm. “Ava, slow down.”
I stop and look behind me. Grayson stands frozen on the sidewalk looking around with a frown on his face.
“What is it Grayson?” I grab Gabby’s hand.
“Nothing. It’s nothing. I thought I saw someone following us, but I think I was just seeing things.”
“Why would someone follow us?” Gabby looks around.
“I don’t know. But I swear I saw someone the last couple of blocks.”
“There are a lot of people out Grayson, maybe the person was just going in our direction.” I offer.
“Look! There they are!” He points across the street to a person dressed in black scurrying behind a building. He takes off running.
“Grayson, wait!”
“You stay here.” He yells back at us.
“Ava, what the hell is going on?”
“I don’t know. This is weird.”
We stand on the sidewalk and wait for Grayson to come back. He returns a few minutes later, winded from running.
“I lost them.”
“Why do you think we were being followed?” I ask.
“I didn’t want to tell you Ava, but I saw that same person all day today. Everywhere we went, I would catch a glimpse. I think from the person’s build it was a woman, but I’m not sure. I need to tell Mr. Milano. Let’s go.”
We arrive back at the hotel, and Grayson walks first Gabby, then me, to our rooms.
“Mr. Milano, I have some information for you.”
I stand quietly behind Grayson.
“What’s going on Grayson?” Enzo is already pissed, and he doesn’t even know what happened yet.
I sit on the couch and listen to Grayson brief Enzo on what he thinks he saw today.
Enzo paces the room and runs his fingers through his hair while he listens. “Who the fuck could it be?”
“I don’t know sir. I chased the person but lost them.”
“I’m going to increase security. You’ll get some support Grayson. If someone really is following you around, then you’ll have help to keep everyone safe.”
Grayson nods.
“Is it possible it was just a coincidence Enzo?” I chime in.
“Maybe. Maybe not. I would rather err on the side of caution. You never know.”
Suddenly, I remember the incident at the Uffizi that day. I never told him. Should I tell him now or would that just make things worse? I’m already dangerously close to being sequestered again.
“Um, Enzo I never told you this, but I think that day I hit my head, it might have been done on purpose.”
Grayson and Enzo both look at me.
“What do you mean Ava?” Enzo’s voice deepens.
“Well at first I didn’t really remember what happened, but then I thought I felt someone sort of shove me and pin me against the building.”
“Explain to me why you didn’t tell me this sooner?”
Oh shit, he’s beyond pissed off now.
“I didn’t think it was a big deal.”
“You didn’t think it was a big deal? Jesus Christ Ava. There could be someone out there trying to hurt you, and you just keep things like that to yourself? Fuck!” He slams his hand down on a marble table.
Grayson walks in between us. “Sir, maybe we should just focus on security detail going forward.”
I’m thankful Grayson stepped in. Enzo is so angry he can’t even look at me.
“You’re right Grayson. I’ll call the company I’ve worked with before and get two men to join you tomorrow. Thank you for being honest.” He glares at me. I’m in big trouble.
“I’ll be here first thing in the morning boss.” Grayson offers me a soft smile before leaving.
I sit silently on the sofa, awaiting the ass chewing I know I’m about to get. Enzo continues pacing across the living room.
“Ava, I’m so angry right now it frightens me.”
“It frightens me too.” I whisper. “Enzo, I’m sorry I just—”
“Stop it Ava. I don’t want to hear it. I’ve tried to explain to you a thousand times how important it is for you to be honest with me. I am a very rich man. Don’t you think there is a chance someone might be interested in something I have? Have you ever considered that someone is trying to hurt you? For all I know, someone could be attempting to kidnap you. And you don’t fucking
think you need to tell me what happened?” He is full on yelling at me now. I have never seen this side of him before. I try to keep it together, but I simply fall apart and cry.
“You want to be so independent. Well that was fine before you met me, but it doesn’t work anymore. Do you hear me?”
I bury my face in my hands. I don’t know what to say. Any attempt to explain won’t make things better. I just want him to stop yelling at me. I don’t want to look at him. I don’t want to see his angry eyes aimed at me again.
“Look at me Ava.”
I shake my head. I can’t bear it.
“I said look at me. Dammit you need to start listening to me.”
What little self-preservation I have in me at the moment bubbles up inside. “I am not a fucking child Enzo. You’re scaring the hell out of me right now, and I don’t like it.”
“Oh you’re not a child? Well maybe you should stop acting like one.”
“How exactly am I acting like one? I barely remembered what happened that day, and for all I know I could’ve been wrong. You are acting like a complete jackass right now!”
“Jackass? Because I want to protect what is mine?”
I stand up. “I’m not a hotel property Enzo. I’m a woman. There is an extent to which you can control me.”
He walks close to me and I try not to flinch. I cross my arms in defiance and meet his stare. We look at each other for a moment without speaking.
Suddenly, he rushes towards me and backs me up against the wall. He reaches his hand behind my neck and plants his mouth on mine. His kiss is rough and demanding. I try to push away. I don’t want this right now. I don’t want him. Tears continue to roll down my face.
“Stop fighting me Ava.” He holds me tighter and kisses me again. I try to resist, but I know my resolve is wavering. I feel his hand rubbing me between my legs. Oh God, it feels good. I don’t want to feel this right now.
“Enzo, please. I don’t want this.”
He says nothing and continues stroking me. His erection presses against my body. I struggle against him but it only seems to turn us both on even more. Before I know it, I wrap my leg up around his waist. He fumbles for his zipper and releases his cock. His mouth envelopes mine, and I feel the tug that slides my panties down.
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