by M. E. Brady
“Jake, I appreciate what you’re trying to do but we have to work this out ourselves.” He wanted to help but he agreed to let the subject drop. She promised that if she needed him she would call regardless of his friendship with Gianfranco.
All the guests were gathering their things and, wishing them well before leaving. Kevin had a revelation just before they left. He realized, for the first time since they started planning the wedding that Katelyn and Jenny were going to be moving to Italy for a while. He was going to be the uncle and not the father-figure, the role, that he had embraced for so many years and it made him tearful. Kevin admitted that it was going to be hard for him to give up the role of protector, now that they had someone else to takeover that role but he was happy for them.
Katelyn observed as Gianfranco insisted on carrying his sleeping child out to Kevin’s car so that Kevin could stay behind and help his pregnant wife. Katelyn followed close behind so that she could say good bye to Jenny once more before they left on their honeymoon. Jenny moved slightly in Gianfranco’s arms as her little face glanced upward. She had felt the rain drops on her face and woke up.
“Daddy, will you and Momma be gone long?” her little voice whispered faintly. Gianfranco could see her tears well up in her eyes as she asked. He felt as though his heart were breaking his chest. Nothing would please him more than to have his little girl join them on this trip but there were things he and her mother needed to iron out before they could have her join them. After much discussion and many kisses, he and Katelyn finally convinced her that their trip to New York was going to pass quickly and that, while they were away, Kevin would keep her busy. After the car pulled away from the curb, he knew, before looking back, that Katelyn would be crying; the mother and daughter bond had been cut, though temporarily. It was probably the first time, for either of them.
They stood for a long time before the two of them went back inside the hotel lobby and joined Jake. Jake and Gianfranco talked about the magazine and what they each expected to happen over the next few weeks. Gianfranco trusted Jake to oversee the merger through its fruition. He glanced over at Katelyn who seemed bored and lonely after being left alone.
“I don’t want to ignore my wife any longer, Jake. As beautiful as she is, if she’s ignored for too long she might fly the coop,” he said watching her with adoring eyes. “If I wasn’t already in love with her, I’d fall in love with her beauty all over again.” He shared a lot with Jake and as the two men witnessed Katelyn’s growing impatience, Gianfranco thanked Jake again for all he had done and what he was going to do by taking over the merger of Glitz.
Jake hugged his friend, razzing that one day he’d make him pay up for all the favors he had done for him. Jake turned his attention to Katelyn, walked over to her and bid her farewell. He whispered in her ear that he meant what he had said earlier and then gave her a few parting words, not before looking at her with much skepticism.
“He loves you, Katelyn, trust me. I know him, give him time to get through the rest of the stuff and I’m sure it’ll all work out,” Jake insisted as he kissed her good-bye. With that, he started to take off but not before seeing Gianfranco take his wife in his arms and kiss her on the mouth. Jake smirked, made a face and laughed, told them to get a room and walked out of the lobby.
Gianfranco let his tongue explore the hollow of her mouth; he deepened the kiss as he felt her response. The kisses that she shared with other men had never been this intense. If it weren’t for an elderly man coughing at the front desk, meant to interrupt them, who knows, what reactions Gianfranco would have aroused in her. He looked as though he was searching her soul for some understanding of what was transpiring between them. He was just as confused by her actions as he was his own. The two of them acted like horny teen-agers whenever they were together.
“No matter how hard I try to fight the urge to make love to you, I can’t,” he said with regret. “You’re exquisite, painfully so.” He had been able to keep his emotions to himself when he was with other women but with Katelyn it was impossible. Where she was concerned, he wore his emotions on his sleeve regardless of the cost. It was like he was a teenager and unable to control them.
She was well aware, as they reached their hotel room that the civility between them, had ended. The air had suddenly chilled and she couldn’t begin to guess the cause. She decided, once in the room, that she would be the first to shower and change. The only problem with that was that all she had available was a sexy white negligee that Nellie had designed for her as a wedding gift. She had packed it away knowing she would never get the chance to wear it. Only now, all the safe clothes that she had packed were long gone and replaced with Nellie’s newer sexier designs.
His eyes burned into hers as she emerged from the powder room. There was no attempt to hide from him because there was nowhere for her to go. He had taken off his tuxedo, as well as his shirt and tee shirt; he stood before her clad only in his pants which were opened slightly, exposing the trickling hair just below his navel. She didn’t know why she was so fascinated with his body. She knew instantly what it would do to her. She also knew his thoughts without looking at him because they reflected her own; she stared into his eyes, following a path to her breasts, which were barely covered by the lace of the negligee she wore.
Thinking quickly, he handed her a glass of champagne and lifted his glass. “To us, that we may we have the luck of your Irish ancestors on our side. I have a feeling we’re going to need a lot of it if we are to survive each other.” He clanked his glass to hers and took a sip. As their eyes met, once again, she found her reaction to him expected but alarming. How could her body betray her to a man who felt nothing for her but sexual desire? He stood silently, watching, as if he were trying to study her and gauge what his reaction should be. The strap on her nightgown fell from her shoulder; he let out an audible sigh as he reached over to put it back in place.
He pulled his hand away from her skin, the skin that was burning from their contact. She knew her body ached for him to touch her again and she could see, from the look on his face, that he wanted her too. When she tried to turn away from him, she felt his hand gently take hold of her neck from behind and bring her back to him. His eyes were black and intense as he turned her body toward him. Nothing prepared her for the physical ache she witnessed in his eyes.
“Are you always going to treat me like this? It seems to me that the only time you’re ever civil to me is when you want me in bed,” she said as her breathing became labored and her body betrayed her.
He ran his fingers roughly through his hair in anguish, closing his eyes as he thought about what she had just said. “I’m sorry, you’re right. I apologize to you for that. It’s not what I want for us. It’s just the way it is. I want you, Katelyn, and I won’t apologize for wanting my wife but I do admit that I have a problem getting beyond these feelings you have for other men. I know it’s my problem and I’m going to have to work that out for myself if this is going to work. I could use your help. Don’t fight me so much, Katelyn. Try to meet me half way here, okay?” he pleaded as he moved toward her.
“I’m not in love with Brody or any other man, I never was. Whether you choose to believe me or not, I don't have any romantic feelings for him. This marriage doesn’t stand a chance if we can’t get past this. I was willing to try for Jenny but I refuse to stay married to someone filled with so much animosity and distrust. I can’t see myself waking up each morning, for the next fifty years, having regrets about this decision. I made choices years ago and at the time I thought they were the right ones.” She was out of energy; she couldn’t fight any longer.
“Is that how you see this marriage? Do you feel regret when you look at me? I don’t believe you, Katelyn. I know what you feel when you look at me and it’s not regret I see there. That’s the one area we do share common ground. You do agree with me on that, don’t you?” he asked.
She shot him a look but quickly recovered when lightening interrup
ted her thought process. She had always been afraid of lightening as a child and that fear continued through adulthood. She knew that he was aware of her fear. He took the glass of champagne from her and placed it on the table. She heard the thunder in the distance and, though it scared the daylights out of her, she went to great lengths to hide her fear from him. She recalled all the nights she had put Jenny to bed and dealt with her fear on her own. On those nights when she couldn’t or the anxiety got so bad, she called Jake and he had always been there for her.
Gianfranco went to the bar and poured himself another drink. This time she could see he was drinking with one thought in mind, to get drunk. He drank one followed by another. If he was going to share her bed, holding her to get her through this storm, then he would have to be drunk in order to accomplish it. There was no way he could lie next to her, have their bodies touch and not take her in his arms and make love to her.
“Do you think you should be drinking so much?” she asked nervously.
“Let’s go to bed, Katelyn, I don’t think I want to talk anymore. I’ll hold you in my arms because I know it’s the only way you’ll sleep through this storm, but I warn you, don’t move,” he said as he led her toward the bed.
She was the first to get into bed. After he turned off the light she heard the zipper of his pants and knew that they were being carelessly discarded to the floor. She wasn’t sure if he would sleep naked as he had in the past but she didn’t think he’d dare tonight since they would not be consummating this marriage. She heard him breathing heavily as he held her body close to him but Katelyn knew he wouldn’t push her any further.
How could he be so compassionate and understanding one minute and so ruthless the next? His fingers were soothing as he gently massaged her back as she lay over his chest, taking comfort from the storm. Katelyn wanted to reach down and find out just what he wore to bed but she dared not. She knew that touching him would mean they would once again lose themselves in a sexual rapture, they promised they wouldn’t go to.
Katelyn fell asleep in his arms and, in her dreams theirs was a normal marriage. In her dream, he had just helped her get through her fear of storms by making love to her for the duration. It’s only a dream, as she stirred from the sounds around her.
Gianfranco must have risen at the crack of dawn because she could hear the shower and it was still very early. She could smell his scent left on the pillow next to her as she hugged it, just to feel close to him again. She got out of bed and carefully laid out the clothes that she was going to wear to the airport.
When he finished with his shower, he told her it was all hers as he proceeded to make a call to his pilot. Katelyn didn’t mean to listen to his conversation but she heard him tell the pilot that he wanted to leave as soon as possible. She went into the bathroom and bolted the door from the inside. She didn’t know why she did it but she knew it would irritate him. It was obvious that last night had left a mark of discontent on him and he was feeling less than generous today. He would do everything he could to get them out of the country as soon as possible; he believed he would have more control in Italy.
Once the two of them arrived at the airport, Mary Alice greeted them, congratulating them on their recent nuptials. She told Gianfranco that if there was anything more she could do to make their flight more enjoyable, please let her know.
“Could you make sure my wife is comfortable?” he requested before he disappeared into the captain’s cabin.
As Gianfranco made himself scarce, Katelyn took the opportunity to go to her seat and read some of the magazines she had recently purchased in the airport terminal. Mary Alice came over to her and asked if she could get her anything, informing her of the recent call that had been made to the pilot. “Mrs. Broccolini, Brody Calder called ahead, he wanted to make sure that we had enough champagne stocked for you and your husband. I assured him that Mr. Broccolini had seen to it that the galley was stocked sufficiently. He wanted me to be sure to tell you both that he had called and sent his best.”
Mary Alice excused herself but not before almost bumping into the man whose orders she followed; Gianfranco had just heard every word she said about Brody’s call. The eyes that raked over Katelyn’s were not cold or angry, just disappointed. “Everyone on board thinks that we are on our honeymoon and that is the impression I insist we keep up. Notwithstanding, your own feelings about Brody, I’m your lover aboard this plane. Do you understand?” he asked angrily.
Holding her hand, his arm snaked around her waist, lifting her directly on top of his lap. He let the fingers of his other hand roam down her long dark hair until he reached the hollow of her neck. His hand lingered there for a short time, silence standing between them as he fought with the idea of flicking open the buttons of her top.
“I still have work I need to do but if you’d like some champagne, I will have it sent to the master suite. It may not be from your lover but it’s all you’re going to get. By the way, Katelyn,” he said, staring into her eyes, “the pilot has warned me that we are flying into a storm, perhaps you should try the champagne. It may be good company for you,” he stated harshly, accomplishing exactly what he intended. “I’m not a saint, call for me this time and I won’t be so gallant,” he warned.
She was furious with him, moving past him to their private quarters so she could escape. Her thoughts were rampant but she was tired of his jealousy. She sat at the desk and remembered a time when he believed in her. They were secure in their relationship back then and jealousy had no place in it. Would he feel differently if she could convince him that her feelings for Brody were purely platonic? Or is the hostility he feels a cover for the regret he had because he married me?
There was no way to reason with him when he set his mind on something. She decided to leave him alone and let him work through his issues himself. Sooner or later, she hoped, he would come to the right conclusion about her feelings for other men. She could feel the turbulence and it frightened her terribly so she went to closest seat and buckled herself in again until the light went on, letting her know that it was safe to walk around. After Mary Alice convinced her that it was indeed safe to unfasten her seat belt, Katelyn decided that she would try to lie down for an hour or so.
She kicked off her shoes and jumped into bed but she couldn’t help noticing the silver picture frame that she had seen on her previous flight. It incensed her that he would keep the picture of the other woman he professed to love in the same room they would share while they were married. Anger was replaced by jealousy and disappointment; she didn’t dare look at the face of the woman who had what she wanted.
The plane shook again and this time Katelyn panicked. She had faith that Gianfranco only employed the best but it did nothing to alleviate the fear that she had never grown accustomed to over the years. Her heart was racing and tears were nearing the surface of her eyes as she heard the door bolt open.
“Are you all right?” he asked as he stormed into the room. Gianfranco came to her, held her in his arms and rocked her, calming and soothing the fear he knew had overtaken her. “I need to talk to the pilot but I’ll be back. Katelyn, nothing is wrong, I promise,” he said, seeing the panic in her eyes. “We’ll be in New York in no time at all.” With that said; he was gone but not before promising to return momentarily.
Katelyn was shocked and embarrassed by her behavior; she would try anything to take her mind off what she was feeling. She turned her attention once again to the silver picture frame; she was taken aback by what she saw. The silver frame held an image of a much younger version of her. She remembered the day he had taken that picture; it was the day she believed Jenny was conceived.
Curiosity grew as she saw her own image staring back at her. That curiosity was replaced by apprehension as Gianfranco entered the room again and witnessed what she held in her hand. “I didn’t know you kept any reminders of me?” she stated, not waiting or expecting an answer.
“It brings back memories, doesn’t it? I
t makes me wish I could turn back the clock whenever I look at it.” He shook his head in disgust as if his thoughts were delusional. “If I could turn back the clock, I would. Maybe things wouldn’t have to hurt so much now.” He said gently, as he took the frame from her hand and placed it back on the nightstand.
“I remember when you took that picture,” she said warmly, she smiled as recalled the memory.
“I took it down near the yacht at the pier in New York right before we set sail on the open sea. It was just the two of us on an adventure to nowhere in particular, to spend our last few weeks together. Do you think about that trip?” he asked. His hand touched the contours of the face in the frame and Katelyn wished it was the real person he was touching. She could see the sadness in his eyes as he thought about the time they spent together on that trip. “It feels like decades ago. Time has a funny way of numbing the pain and masking it until something pushes those memories forward and you’re forced to deal with the hurt all over again.”
Gianfranco must have thought that her puzzled look was born from the uneasiness she felt as he reminisced about the past they had shared. He had no idea how far he was from the truth. Truthfully, her preoccupation that another storm was growing was gnawing at her and the only thing she knew that would calm her was to ask him to hold her in his arms but that was the last thing she wanted to do.
“It might help if you have a little more champagne,” he said as he handed her one of the two bottles that he had placed in the cabin. “I figure you take one bottle and I’ll take the other. We’ll skip the glasses; I don’t think we’ll need them. The storm didn’t seem to be going away and even though they were above the clouds, she still felt the turbulence and heard loud thunder below.
She did as he suggested and sipped the champagne. She couldn’t help but notice that his bottle was nearly empty. It was apparent that he handled champagne a lot better than she did. She felt tipsy from the small amount she drank while he seemed completely unscathed. It didn’t seem fair, although it did give her a little Dutch courage, which she needed when it came to dealing with Gianfranco.