by Fariah Zaidi
Her smile was wicked, her eyes twinkling with mischief as she leaned forward and gave me a small peck on the cheek. Not only did it leave me wanting more but her scent almost drove me the edge.
I knew people were watching us, but I didn’t care when I pulled her back to me when she tried to walk past.
“What are you up to, Zara?” I questioned her, resisting the urge to kiss her senseless.
She didn’t answer. Instead she trailed her finger lightly from my neck and down my chest, “You look handsome tonight, Stefan.”
She was doing it on purpose. Trying to rile me up by teasing me. She was playing a dangerous game.
Game on, Zara.
Nine:
Pleasure
Stefan
As she walked away from me, she purposely ran her fingers across my chest. I closed my eyes against the urge that was almost going to drive me wild if she kept up with this the entire evening.
“Stefan, you’re up!” Ria passed by me, handing me a cordless mic, “I know Zara looks smoking hot tonight but stop acting like a lovesick loon and get up there.”
I shook my head off the inappropriate images and climbed the second stair, bringing the mic up.
“Good evening ladies and gentlemen and thank you all for joining us tonight.” I spoke, my eyes roaming over the large gathering, “As you all know, every year we host this ball to raise money for a charity helping children and women who have been victims of abuse. Let’s all be generous and show support. Cheers!”
My eyes found Zara’s and I headed towards her. She was standing in the middle of the room, a champagne flute in one hand. And even though a lot of appreciative eyes were on her tonight, hers were locked on me. And I couldn’t deny how special that made me feel. So, when I walked up to her with a grin on my face, she was quick to remark.
“You’re surprisingly cheery tonight, Mr. Esposito. Should I be concerned?”
Her small smile was teasing as she took a sip of her champagne. I clenched and unclenched my fist to stop myself from doing something that would leave all our guests scandalized. Instead, I leaned forward, closing the gap between up.
And normally, she would take a step back. But not tonight.
“The only thing you should be concerned about is what I am gonna do to you if you keep teasing me the entire night.” I whispered, circling my arm around her waist.
Her eyes were far from innocent when she smirked, “I’m just getting started.”
It was quite clear that we were now attracting attention, but I didn’t really care about the guests when she raised her finger and trailed it down my chest.
“I may have forgiven you, Stefan, but tonight,” she breathed, her lips close to my ear, “tonight I feel like getting some revenge.”
Her fingers travelled further down. I gulped loudly, pulling back to look her in the eyes. Her tongue snaked out to trace her lips, something I would’ve very much liked to do in that moment. And I would have, had we not been interrupted.
I turned around when I heard my name being called, only to see my father standing there with a drink in his hand and a small smile on his face. Behind him stood his closest friend and his former underboss, Silvio.
“Father, you finally made it.” I exclaimed, leaning in for a hug. He chuckled heartily and hugged me back, kissing me soundly on both cheeks. I pulled away and did the same with Silvio, relishing the moment. For the past few years, this was the only day that I got a chance to see them. They’d moved back to Italy years ago after handing the family business over to me.
“Zara,” I turned to her, pulling her forward, “meet my father Alessandro and Uncle Silvio.”
She shook their hands and then stepped back, right into the crook of my arm. I smiled internally. It’s the small actions like these that make my heart swell.
“You look just like her.” Silvio mentioned, looking at Zara with a small smile. The sadness behind his words, however, was screaming to be heard.
“Will you tell me about her?” Zara asked hesitantly, her arm tightening a little around mine.
“Of course,” Silvio replied, eager at the chance, “everything, absolutely everything.”
“Even about the pranks that she pulled on you and Alessandro?”
The sudden question from Zara made me laugh out loud and caused the two men in front of us to freeze. It broke the veil of dejection that had fallen over us.
“With help from Valerie and Mama Bella, of course.” Zara went on, enjoying the speechlessness of the two men.
“You were right,” Alessandro looked at Silvio with a sudden smile, shaking his head, “she is just like her mother.”
We all laughed loudly.
“This is all Bella’s fault.” Silvio muttered, still chuckling, “She’s one devious woman. You be careful Stefan, or it might be you on the receiving end of those pranks.”
“I’ll keep that in mind, father.” I grinned, pulling Zara closer to me, “For now, why don’t we all take our seats? The auction is about to start.”
As the evening progressed, it got more and more difficult for me to keep my hands off Zara. Even when we sat down for the auction, my hand was rested firmly against her thigh. It would instinctively slide up every time she leaned towards me, knowingly brushing her body with mine. Our attention wasn’t much on the audience, rather on ourselves.
She was enigmatic. Alluring. I was drawn by the hitch in her breath every time I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear or trailed a finger down her arm.
“So, did you enjoy the evening?” Zara asked, resting her cheek on her hand.
“I plan on enjoying something else later.” I whispered, raising her hand to press a kiss.
My suggestive words made her chuckle lightly, a warm blush covering her cheeks. See, I told you old habits die hard.
However, my latest habit of becoming speechless perked up when she leaned forward and pressed her lips right next to mine, an action that left me immediately wanting more. But even as I turned to catch her lips, she moved away quickly, a sly smirk on her face.
“Why don’t you find me in my room when this is over?”
And I sat there as she stood up and walked away, exhaling a sharp breath to pace my racing heart.
“Talk about ‘crazy in love’.”
I turned around to see Rafael, Vincent, Ria and Enzo, all seated at my table with smug expressions on their faces.
“Could you love her more?” Vincent shook his head.
“Don’t go all Chandler on me.” I muttered, still smiling, “I’m a happy man.”
“We can see that.” Ria chuckled, resting her head on Vincent’s shoulder, “We’re happy for you too.”
The auction tonight was a huge success, raising about a quarter of a million dollars. However, waiting for the guests to leave was a pain in the ass. Even as I saw Zara mingling with guests, all I could think of was her invitation. And how I would rather it be now than wait for the party to be over.
Zara
I stood inside my closet, staring at the earrings I’d just taken off. In a hurry for wearing them this evening, I’d never gotten the chance to admire them. They were beautiful indeed. The gemstones were intricately studded, catching the light and sparkling.
After taking off my heels, I walked out the closet, my dress swishing on the floor behind me, only to find Stefan seated lazily on the couch.
And just one look at him made me weak in the knees. It wasn’t just the fact that his tie hung loose around his neck and the front few buttons of his shirt had been opened. It was the way his eyes travelled over me that made me freeze. At a leisurely pace, they moved over my body, as if admiring, appreciating it all.
I snapped out of my trance, taking a moment to regain my confidence. I wanted to tease him some more, until he would lose control. That’s the man I wanted to see.
So, I turned away from him, heading for the vanity to place the earrings inside their box.
“If you give up now, I will go mu
ch, much easier on you.” he stated, a not so subtle threat.
“And if I don’t?” I cocked an eyebrow at him from the mirror, letting my hair down by removing the pins one by one.
He shook his head, getting up from the couch. I held my breath and turned around as he started walking towards me, taking off his suit jacket in the process and throwing it behind him.
“You keep forgetting, babe,” he smirked, “as much control you have over me, I have the same control over you.”
He closed the distance between us at a swift pace, pressing his body against mine. His heady cologne engulfed me in hordes, and I leaned forward for the much-awaited kiss I was sure I was going to get.
But then he weaved his fingers in my hair and pulled me back until I was looking at him in the eyes. And all I saw was desire. Raw desire. For me. His hold wasn’t tight. With his other hand, he reached up to trace a finger lightly on my cheek.
“I wasn’t sure when you called me to your room tonight. I thought you weren’t ready.” he whispered, his eyes now longingly focused on my lips, “But now, I can see you are.”
His lips moved to my ear, tongue licking my lobe, “I can smell how ready you are.”
Warmth flooded my body and my blood rushed through my veins, his words making me clench my legs underneath the gown.
I gasped loudly when he hooked his arm at my waist and spun me around, pressing me up against the dresser. My eyes locked with his in the mirror.
He looked dangerous.
His hands slowly moved over the contours of my body, leaving a searing trail in their wake. Down, and then slowly back up again. He moved my hair gently to the side, his warm breath fanning my neck. I waited in anticipation, watching him through the mirror as he pressed his lips softly on my shoulder, and another, and another, until he reached my neck.
With a shaky breath I clutched on to the side of the dresser, moaning softly when his lips found the crook of my neck and he sucked, swirling his tongue.
Every movement of his was painfully slow, making me push my body in his, to show that I wanted more.
When I could no longer bear his teasing, I turned around and pulled him down for a long, hard kiss. And that was his undoing. And mine too. The remainder of our clothes were then hastily discarded, our fingers grasping over each other’s.
“Kiss me, please.” I whispered, wanting, needing to feel his lips on mine.
My hands went around his neck and my legs around his waist when he lifted me off the floor and pushed me on the dresser, obliging my demand for a kiss.
Our movements were hurried, like we couldn’t bear to be apart for even a second. My fingers hurriedly unbuckled his belt, digging into the waistband of his boxers. Our lips never left each other’s- teasing, biting, tasting. Our fingers never left each other’s skin- tracing, exploring.
It felt like every cell of my body had some alive with need. My fingers hungrily roamed over his back and then in his hair when he buried his face in my neck, claiming me in a way I was sure would leave marks tomorrow. But I didn’t mind. I wanted him to mark me.
Everything that happened after he lowered me on the bed, it will forever be etched in my heart and my brain.
Our eyes were locked in a haze when he first entered me, all the while whispering softly, telling me to stop if it hurt. Every hitch in his breath as he began to slowly move in an out of me, burying his face in my neck.
I will never forget the feeling of being that close to him, the exhilaration of it, the intimacy of it. The way he groaned when my nails dug in his back. The way he picked up his pace, thrusting in and out when I tightened my legs around his waist.
The lazy kisses.
The desperate touches.
All the dirty things he wished to do to me, whispered hungrily in my ear.
It was a night I would never forget.
Ten:
Rafael
Zara
I blinked my eyes open the next morning, cringing away from the bright sunlight.
It was only when I saw the silhouette of Stefan’s body against the window did my brain begun grasping at thoughts. He was staring out at the estate, hands folded at his bare chest, dressed in nothing but his boxers. The change in his stance caused the inked muscles in his back to ripple and I took my sweet time admiring the scene.
It was when I shifted underneath the sheets to get up did he glance back, noticing that I was awake. I left the bed, clutching his white shirt from last night which must have slipped on to me. It was an instinctive move when I wrapped my arms around his waist and he hooked a languid arm around my neck, pulling me right into his chest. I chuckled loudly, trailing my fingers over him, enjoying every dip, every contour.
“Buongiorno, mia regina.” he whispered, pressing a lingering kiss on my forehead.
“Already a queen, huh?” I posed, watching him kiss my knuckles, “If one night is all it takes, Stefan-”
“Oh, believe me, there will be plenty more nights like this, babe.” he cut me off, eyes twinkling, “But I was referring to last evening.”
“What about it?” I asked, tilting my head back to stare into those beautiful grey eyes.
“When I saw you walking down those stairs, I was bewitched by you, the sight of you. The way you descended with your head held high, as if you knew you held the entire crowd’s attention. That power, that confidence. I was speechless to describe it except for one word- a queen.”
I bit my lower lip, my eyes darting over his handsome face.
“Last night, you felt that power right here.” he whispered, his warm hand coming to rest on my chest. I was sure he could feel how fast my heart was racing.
“That was one hell of a woman that I saw last night. You weren’t different, you were you. And for that, I’m proud of you Miss Zara Mayer Romano Lombardi Esposito.”
My laugh was sudden and much needed. I wrapped my arms even tighter around his waist and leaned in for a kiss. A long, hard kiss.
We didn’t talk much after that. Words weren’t needed then.
Later that afternoon, Stefan had to leave the bedroom. Emphasis on had. He threw aside the sheets and climbed out, muttering something about Rafael not answering his calls.
It was a hard goodbye to say the least. We were still hung up on our emotions from last night. Sensual touches and long kisses were aplenty. We were on such a high of being together that our goodbyes lasted a whole ten minutes with me pulling him back in bed and procrastinating his inevitable departure with a lot of kisses.
When he finally did leave, I dragged my blissfully content ass out of the bed. Still feeling a little sore from last night, I took a long, hot shower, erasing Stefan’s lingering scent from my body.
I was happy. I felt like myself again. There was a skip in my step as I picked out a black bodysuit and a pair of jeans and headed down for lunch.
Yes, lunch.
Content with staying in bed, Stefan had ordered breakfast up to the room.
In the kitchen, I found a very hungover Mama Bella nursing a mug of coffee in one hand and massaging her head with the other.
“Did you just wake up?” I couldn’t help but ask, surprised that the otherwise early bird was waking up at 2 in the afternoon.
“Yeah, I slept at 4 AM.” she muttered, “Alessandro and Silvio kept me up all night.”
Before a disturbing picture of the three of them together could for my mind, she quickly cleared the air.
“We were up drinking and talking.” she stated pointedly, chuckling lightly, “This is the only time of year I get to see those asshats.”
“You’re really close with them, aren’t you?” I asked, taking out ingredients from the fridge to make some grilled cheese.
“I am.” she smiled, “As far as friends go, they’re all I have left after Valerie and Sofia.”
“You don’t consider me a friend?” I feigned hurt, unloading the stuff on the counter.
She laughed.
“Honey, I love you, all
of you.” she shook her head, “But when the three of us get together, we pass around stories of our murderous, blood-induced former lives and drink to it. It’s our own version of nostalgia that I get to experience only once a year.”
“That’s very…” I paused, uncertain of the right word, “I wanna say- sweet?”
As she opened her mouth to reply, our attention was diverted to Vincent walking through the door. He was still in his nightclothes, rubbing the sleep from his eyes when his eyes landed on the pan that I was lobbing butter into.
“Are you making grilled cheese?” he asked hopefully.
“Yeah.” I said slowly, watching him round the counter.
“With three types of cheese?”
“Yeah.”
“Will you make one for me, please?”
Before I could answer in affirmation, Ria walked in behind him, dressed in pajamas, tying her hair into a high bun, “Is that grilled cheese?”
“Is everyone waking up now?” I wondered out loud, watching Enzo, Alessandro and Silvio shuffling into the kitchen, all taking seats on the counter.
In the end, Vincent and I ended up making grilled cheese for everyone, resulting in a successful partnership I was not expecting from him. I was half sure he would end up nibbling at the cheese and leaving me to do all the work.
We were through with the second pack of bread when I noticed one person missing.
“Guys, where is Rafael?” I asked, looking around the room.
“Don’t know.” Enzo mumbled, “Last I saw of him was after the party, leaving in his car with some blonde woman.”
“What woman?”
“I don’t know. I figured they were hooking-up when they left for his apartment.”
“His apartment? Doesn’t he live here?”
“He does, but he also has a place in the city. He goes there when he has uh… plans, for the night.” Vincent answered me.
Loud, impatient footsteps were heard nearing the kitchen and we all turned towards it.