by Sienna Parks
He does as I ask, returning quickly - a concerned look on his face. “You haven’t been right since we got here. Maybe we should get you to a doctor.”
“NO! I’m fine… honestly.” I’m silently begging him with my stare.. “I’m still a little run down after the travel sickness, that’s all. I’ll get a good sleep and be fine tomorrow. Stop worrying.”
He bends down, kisses my head and looks deep into my eyes. “I will ALWAYS worry about you, Tesoro. I love you. You’re all that matters to me.”
I close my eyes, savoring his words; the knowledge that my time with him may be limited. He doesn’t want kids, and if this test comes back positive, I know I can’t get rid of the baby - our baby. I can only pray that I’m wrong; that the test will be negative, and that I won’t lose the only man I have ever truly loved.
CARTER
I can’t believe Xander is getting married today. We’ve been best friends all our lives, literally, since birth. He’s not just my friend, he’s my brother. Life couldn’t be better. He’s marrying the girl of his dreams, who happens to be best friends with the girl of my dreams. Although, if my girl doesn’t get her ass out of the bathroom sometime soon, this day isn’t going to happen at all. I’ve already had Xander texting me asking where I am, and Lily has been texting Addi’s phone, which is sitting next to the bed while she hogs the bathroom. It’s not like her to lock the door, but I figure she’s a little stressed with the whole maid of honor gig.
“Addi, are you ever coming out of there or do I need to tell the bride and groom that we’re changing the location of the wedding to the executive suite bathroom?”
“Fuck off, Carter. I’ll be out when I’m goddamn ready.”
“Open the fucking door, Addi. NOW.” I wait, ready to kick the fucking thing in if I have to, but I hear the click as she unlocks the door and brushes past me. “What the fuck is going on? Wait… have you been crying?”
“Leave me alone, Captain Obvious.”
“What the fuck have I done now?”
“Nothing. My best friend is getting married today. I’m allowed to be a little emotional for crying out loud.”
“Yeah, I understand that. But you haven’t been yourself since we got here, and you’re starting to piss me off.” I just poked the bear.
“PISS YOU OFF?! Well why don’t you save us both the trouble of wasting our time and just leave me already? We’ll call it quits and be done with it.”
“Have I just walked into the fucking twilight zone? Where the FUCK did that come from? I’m not going anywhere. This… what we have… is not a waste of time. I’m NOT quitting on you… because I LOVE YOU! Get with the programme, will you?”
She breaks down, crumpling to the floor like I’ve never seen her before. So fragile, and I don’t even know why. All I can do is offer her some comfort. “I’m not going anywhere, Tesoro. It’s just you and me. Okay? No one and nothing will come between us. It took me this long to find you, I’m not about to let anything get in the way of us being together. Will you please believe me when I tell you that you are it for me? ALL I WANT… IS YOU.”
She sobs against my chest as I rock her body back and forth in my lap, trying to sooth whatever it is that has her spooked. The rocking turns into kissing, the kissing turns into caressing, and before I know it, Addi is the one begging me to make love to her. I don’t hesitate. I can see the need in her eyes, and want to reassure her that I’m here, and I will give her anything she needs; I would do anything for her. Lifting her off the floor, I take her to the bed, and make love to her; my eyes never leaving hers; the connection between us, a physical presence in the room. It’s the first time that we’ve come together in quiet moans of appreciation; the intensity of our joint release held tight between us, inside us, around us.
When Addi and I finally went our separate ways to get the bride and groom ready to tie the knot, I had a knot of my own, deep down in my gut; a feeling of dread that I just can’t shake.
Xander called me on my mood while he was standing at the altar, waiting on Lily. I felt like a total bastard, having him being concerned about me on his wedding day. But, it all paled into insignificance when I saw Addi walking down the aisle, a beaming grin on her face, her eyes fixed on me, looking so breathtaking I just wanted to run to her, touch her, to check that she was real.
The ceremony went off without a hitch and everyone is having a great time at the reception. Addi and Vittoria have spent a lot of time together, Xander and Lily have been completely wrapped up in each other, and I’ve been shooting the shit with Logan. He seems distracted, but I’ve given up trying to understand him lately. Besides, I’m pretty distracted myself as I watch Addi across the room. Her carefree laugh, her mischievous grin and her smokin’ hot body teasing me with every move.
When it comes time for the bride and groom to make their exit, I find Addi in the crowd, her eyes moist with unshed tears. “You ok, baby?”
“Yeah, I’m just so pleased for Lily. She deserves to be happy more than anyone.” I hold her tight to my chest, feeling her sweet little body melt against mine.
“You deserve to be happy, Tesoro, more than anyone I’ve ever met. Let me make you happy. Travel around Italy with me.” As she lifts her eyes in surprise, Xander and Lily pounce on us.
“You didn’t think we would leave without saying goodbye, did you?” Lily envelopes Addi is a tight hug as they both let the tears flow.
“We’ll see you in a few weeks. Thanks for everything, brother.” Xander pulls me in for a man hug/slap on the back.
“I’m really happy for you, Xander. Have a great honeymoon. We’ll catch up with you guys when you get back.”
He turns his attention to Addi, giving her a hug. “Look after my boy here. He loves the shit out of you.” She gives him a small smile and a nod, before tucking herself under my arm.
Two minutes later and they’re gone, but the party is still in full swing.
“Dance with me?” I hold out my hand, happy to feel Addi’s warm, elegant fingers slide into my palm. I lead her onto the floor and begin to sway, holding her hand against my chest, nestled between us, my other hand skimming her lower back. As she rests her head on my shoulder, I feel myself relax for the first time today. “Will you let me show you Italy, Tesoro? New York will still be there in a couple of weeks. I already checked to see if you could take the time off - I hope you don’t mind. I thought we could use some time together, just the two of us; no work, no pressures, just us. What do you think?”
She slinks her arms up and around my neck, pulling me down into a tender kiss; her intoxicating scent invading my senses. “Sounds perfect. Thank you.” Her voice is small, and she sounds choked with emotion as her words tumble forth. “I love you so much, Carter, you know that, don’t you?”
I stop moving, my hands coming to rest on each side of her stunning face; my eyes fixed on hers. “I know, Addison. I know you love me. We can work through anything as long as we’re together. Just you and me now. Tu sei tutto quello che vedo il mio, Tesoro.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means – You are all that I see.” Her lips find mine in an urgent kiss. A fervent plea for… what... I’m not sure. But I will find out, and I will make it better for her.
“Make love to me all night. Show me you love me, Carter.” Without another word, I lead her from the dance floor, the beginnings of Bruno Mars – Just The Way You Are, playing in the distance.
We walk through the cobbled streets of Verona, hand in hand, the tension rising as the streets close in on us, shielding us from the outside world, from reality; trapped in a Shakespearian tragedy of love and loss. A feeling of desperation wells up inside me, the dread from earlier rearing its ugly head. I won’t be able to breathe if I don’t touch her, taste and feel her… now. As if reading my mind, she stops mid-stride turning to face me.
“Touch me, Carter. Here… Now… Fuck me the way I need you to.” Her eyes beg me, and I can’t refuse.
I pull her down a q
uiet cobbled alley, only realizing at the last minute that we’re at Juliet’s balcony. It’s deserted at this time of night, and completely secluded. A perfect place for a lovers’ tryst. “Take off your panties and lift your dress for me, baby. Let me see how wet your sweet little pussy is.”
She does as I ask without question. “I’m so wet for you, Carter.” Spreading her legs wide, she props one foot up on the statue of Juliet, opening herself up to my roving eye. I make short work of the distance between us, dropping to my knees, grabbing her ass and pulling her pussy into my mouth.
“You taste so fucking sweet, Addi. I could eat you all night… and I intend to, but for now a quick taste will have to suffice until I can get you back to our bed.”
I flatten my tongue against her folds, licking from her entrance, dripping with arousal, up the length of her until I reach her clit; swollen and ready to be teased into a quick, frenzied orgasm. I slowly circle the bundle of nerve endings that bring her an intense kind of ecstasy, before sucking it gently into my mouth. Her skin is so fucking soft and tender, I just want to kiss these lips the same way I kiss her mouth – for hours; enjoying the tantalizing taste of her. Her mouth tastes like cherries; but these lips are like a sweet liquor – addictive and able to make a grown man drunk. I move my tongue, spelling out her name as I flick, suck, and nibble on her clit. Her soft moans spur me on, her breaths growing frantic as she begins to lose control.
“Vieni per me, il mio amore… come for me, my love.” I hold her tight against my face, letting her ride out the aftershocks of her orgasm; her body trembling beneath my hands.
I press her against the wall, a shrine to lovers past and present who have scrawled their names as an offering to Juliet, seeking her blessing on their love for one another. I quickly unzip my pants, pushing them down just far enough to let my cock spring free; throbbing and ready to sink into her warm depths. I stroke myself from root to tip, enjoying as she watches in anticipation. “Is this what you need, Addi? Tell me you need me.”
“I need you, Carter. I want you to fill me, possess me, claim me.”
I lift her, positioning myself at her slick entrance. “Hold onto me, baby.”
I pound into her with a punishing rhythm, pressing my hands against the harsh stone, shielding her silky, smooth skin as I hammer in and out of her with every delicious thrust of my cock. She’s screaming my name in seconds, her teeth sinking into my shoulder to stifle the noise reverberating around this enclosed alley. I enjoy the painful bite as I chase my own release, thrashing into her over and over until I feel myself spilling inside her. My breathing is labored and sweat trickles down my back as I press my forehead to hers, drinking in her scent as I allow my racing heart to calm.
“Let me take you back to the hotel and make love to you properly. I want to taste you all night long, feeling your juices dripping from my chin as I take my fill.”
I fix her dress, before making myself presentable enough to walk the remainder of the way back to our hotel without being arrested. I don’t really want to call my dad to bail me out with the polizia for having my cock out! My mom would have me saying Hail Mary’s for years.
In this moment, I feel like everything has fallen into place. I’m in the country I love most in the world, the birthplace of my father; I have the girl that makes me want to be a better man tucked under my arm, her hand resting around my waist, and a future ahead of us, full of possibilities. As long as we’re together, I don’t give a fuck what happens. If I lost all of my clubs tomorrow and all my worldly possessions, everything would be fine - as long as we’re together.
I am true to my word. I spend the night savoring every sweet inch of Addi. Tasting, teasing, worshiping her, and wringing as much pleasure from her body as she can possibly take before we collapse in a sated heap as the sun rises over the city that inspired the greatest literary love story in history. If you ask me, Romeo was an idiot. He should have fought harder for Juliet when he had the chance. The tragedy of their story should be a lesson to lovers. Everything falls apart when you don’t communicate with someone, when you let misunderstandings get in the way. When you don’t fight for what you want, for what you need to live and breathe.
As I watch her fall asleep in my arms, she is more breathtaking than ever. She is glowing, gentle, and soft as silk. She is my Venus, and I know - I will always fight for her, for what we have… no matter what life throws at us.
ADDI
Yesterday, I sat in the bathroom for what felt like hours, waiting and watching a small stick that would determine my future. When the plus sign appeared, I think a part of me died. Five days ago, I would have been terrified but excited at the prospect of becoming a mom, and bringing Carter’s baby into the world. Now that I know he doesn’t want kids, it’s the worst possible outcome for the life I thought I would have. I could never terminate this pregnancy, and the understanding that this heralds the end of my relationship with Carter was a devastating blow. I sat silently sobbing for the longest time, the world around me disappearing in a cacophony of white noise whooshing in my ears.
Today, I’m getting ready to spend two weeks alone with him. To savor everything about him - about us. It’s more than I thought I would have, but it will never be enough. I love him with everything that I am, and that’s why, when we get home, I need to leave. He doesn’t want children, and I won’t force him to live a life he doesn’t want. He would do the right thing by me, I know he would, but months or maybe even years from now he would resent me for it, and I couldn’t bear to see that look in his eyes. I also can’t get rid of our baby. If I hadn’t fallen pregnant, I would have lived a happy life with Carter - without kids. But now that I am pregnant, I love this baby and I’ll do my best to protect him or her until the day I die. I want this baby. I just wish it was what we both wanted. I’ve seen what can happen when a man is cornered with this responsibility. I won’t do it to him. I can’t.
Carter and I have decided to embark on a vacation all around Italy. He’s going to show me all the places he enjoyed growing up and we have no one to answer to but ourselves for fourteen days. Real life can wait, and I can pretend that the future is bright for us, just the way I want it to be. I’m going to make sure this is a time we both remember, and look back on with fondness in the years ahead. It’s going to be excruciating when I have to leave, and Carter will put up a fight; he’ll think I don’t love him. But hopefully, over time, he’ll look back at the time we’re about to spend together and realize that I love him more than I could ever possibly express.
The closest big town to Verona, that I’ve always wanted to see, is Venice, and it doesn’t disappoint. Carter organized a convertible Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder, in trademark bright orange, for us to travel around in the next few weeks. These boys don’t do anything by halves. The drive from Verona to Venice wasn’t a long one, but every bit of scenery here is breathtaking. We have to park the car outside of Venice which is such a strange concept. There are no roads! An ancient city down in the depths below, steeped in the history of so many lives lived. As we walk through the train station and out into the sunlight, I am completely speechless at the beauty before me.
“E’così bello qui.” [It’s so beautiful here]
“I hardly ever know what you’re saying, but it sounds amazing. I could listen to you speak Italian all day. It’s super sexy.”
He grabs me around the waist, letting me feel his length hardening against me. “Voglio che gridare per me, il mio amore. Solo per me. Tu sei più bella per me di tutta l' Italia. Ti amo più della vita stessa.” [I want you to scream for me, my love. Just for me. You are more beautiful to me than the whole of Italy. I love you more than life itself.]
I melt into his arms, completely beguiled by the unknown words of seduction that roll off his delectable tongue. “You had me at ‘voglio.’”
He smirks against my lips. “Seriously? I seduce you with my mad Italian skills and you give me a cheesy Jerry Maguire rip off?” He starts to ti
ckle me relentlessly, making me convulse in the middle of the street.
“Stop. Stop, stop! I take it back. I love your mad skills.”
He continues to torment me. “And?”
“And…… I LOVE YOU. Mercy, please, MERCY!”
His lips find mine, his hands no longer torturing me as they slide down my sides to cup my ass. “Don’t you forget it, baby.”
We spend the rest of the day walking around Venice, taking selfies on the Rialto Bridge, buying venetian opera masks in the gorgeous little markets dotted throughout the city, and finally enjoy an amazing dinner in Piazza San Marco. Our hotel looks out over this famous square, and with such a magnificent backdrop, we make love into the early hours before I curl up – cocooned in Carter’s warmth and strength. but my mind wanders as soon as his breathing becomes shallow and even. I stare at him for what feels like hours, trying to capture everything about him and lock it away to keep close to my heart. My tears drip down onto the dusting of hair on his chest, and as I wipe them with my fingers, the familiar charge I feel whenever we are connected, sparks and ignites a new wave of desire deep inside. I begin to kiss and nuzzle his hard, toned, tanned flesh, seeking a comfort I will never find.
“Not had enough of me yet?” A sly grin creeps across his stunning features, his eyes still closed.
“I will NEVER get enough of you, Carter. Remember that.” My eyes twinkle with unshed tears, my voice laced with melancholy.
He tilts my chin toward him, pinning me with his gaze. “I will. I’m yours, Addi, for as long as you’ll have me… I’m yours.” A tear breaks free, making its way down my cheek towards my lips. Carter catches it with his tongue. “What’s wrong? Why so sad?”
“I’m not sad… I’m happy. I just feel so overwhelmed by how beautiful this city is, how beautiful you are when you’re here, and how lucky I am to have met you.” Before the extent of my despair spills from my mouth, I capture his bottom lip with my teeth, savoring the taste of him. It’s all the encouragement he needs to ravish me.