"I should come with you," he said.
"No, that's not necessary," she replied, and before he could say anything, she scooted her way out of the row of seats and proceeded to go outside to the hallway. As soon as she walked out of the doors someone took her hand and pulled her to the side. She turned to face the stranger and saw Anzo smiling at her.
"I've been looking all over for you," he said.
Her heart was racing wildly she almost couldn't contain it.
"I'm, uh," she was at a loss for words, "I'm glad you came."
"I want to see you again before I go back to Italy." He placed his hands around her waist and drew her closer to him.
"When?" She said, sounding almost alarmed.
"Tomorrow, dolcezza," he said softly. They could both hear a distant sound coming from inside the concert hall.
"Do you want to go back inside," he suggested.
"No, I would rather go out tonight," she stepped back and grabbed his hand. She silently led him out of the building.
"Where would you like to go," he asked.
"Where are you staying?" She responded boldly.
"At The Park Lane Hotel," he smiled at her and placed his arm around her shoulders.
"Then I'd like to go there," she said softly. She took her phone out of her purse, pressed the power button to shut it down, and then slipped it back in.
They crossed Sixth Avenue on foot and stopped outside Starbucks, where he went in to order coffee and sweets for takeout while she waited for him outside. By the time they reached the hotel lobby, Gina complained that her feet were killing her. It has been an hour since they left the concert hall but she never bothered to check her phone.
"Victor must be going insane," she shook her head as they stepped into the empty elevator. Once inside, Alanzo placed the Starbucks bag on the floor and stepped closer to her. He pulled her close and began to kiss her, starting at her forehead and tracing down to her lips. She giggled and embraced him, breathing in deeply the scent of his musk and manliness. They began to kiss deeply, his hands roaming hungrily over her body. When the elevator bell rang to signal them that people were about to enter, they released each other and stepped away. Smiling, she looked at him from the corner of her eye. She can't believe her luck. She felt so naughty for leaving Victor behind and felt a pang of guilt for Ingrid and Nabil, but she knew what she wanted. And tonight, she wanted to give herself to the man of her dreams.
They were now sitting on the bed, empty coffee paper tumblers and half-eaten sweets on the bedside table. A black-and-white movie was on the television screen, the volume low and barely audible. Alanzo had unbuttoned the top of his shirt, revealing chiselled pecs. Gina, who had taken off her jacket and shoes, was curled up next to him, her hand resting on his chest. Her eyes were glued to the screen, but she wasn't really seeing anything. Thoughts began to race inside her mind.
Should I give myself to him? Her heart was pounding heavily in her chest. Her body was hot and tingly all over.
"What are you thinking, dolcezza?"
"I'm thinking how all of this happened so fast..." she said without looking at him. She feared that he would see how red her face was. "What are you thinking?" she added.
"I am thinking about how beautiful you look tonight, mia stella," he said as he placed his forefinger under her chin and drew her face up to his. He pressed his lips softly against hers and they began to kiss once more. She felt his tongue part her lips and begin to explore her mouth hungrily. She kissed back hard, recalling the things she had learned from the romance novels that are now turning out to be her gurus. She sighed as he felt his fingers run up and down her back before they unzipped her dress. She slid out of it smoothly and proceeded to undo the button and zip of his pants. When they were both completely bare, she lay on her back and stretch her arms out invitingly. He smiled and laid on top of her.
"Ti voglio un mondo di bene," he whispered gruffly into her ear before nibbling it.
Gina’s thoughts exploded in sparks in her mind as they kissed passionately, his hands roaming hungrily all over her body. He then lifted his head back and began to kiss her on the neck before moving down to let his tongue touch her unfettered breasts. Her entire body throbbed with ecstasy as he ravished every inch of her smooth flesh. And when he sensed that she was finally ready, he locked his lips to hers, eased himself between her silky thighs and then plunged himself so deeply into her. The pain that immediately followed forced her to call out his name, her eyes squeezed shut as the world tilted and sizzled.
Despite her eyes brimming with tears, her fingernails dug into the firm flesh of his back, she savored every thick thrust that he drove into her soft moistness again, and again, and again. And she felt him kiss her hungrily before he quickly pulled himself out.
It was finished.
She felt weak, sore and vulnerable, and she badly wanted him to embrace her and stroke her, tell her that he will be there for her always. But he got up and left for the bathroom, his body in the shadows glistening with sweat, strong and firm. A few seconds later she heard the sound of the shower running.
Her hand reached down to feel the stickiness between her thighs and when she brought her hand up to look, she saw crimson. A mixture of emotions welled up in her chest and she wasn’t sure how she would describe it. She never thought she could feel happy and scared at the same time. It is... surreal, she thought hazily.
It was an effort to slide out of the bed and walk towards the bathroom, but she was able to muster up the strength to do it. She gently pushed the door open and saw that Alanzo was showering, his back towards her. She shyly stepped in and wrapped her arms around him from behind, her cheek pressed against his back.
"I love you," she whispered.
This made him turn around, loosening her embrace. He pulled her close to him and bent down to kiss her forehead affectionately, but all she felt was tension.
“Do you,” she began to say, “feel the same way?” She looked up at his face, handsome and brooding. He smiled.
"Te amo, mia stella," he smiled.
She breathed a sigh of relief. She felt so happy that she couldn’t care less if the world had ended at this moment.
When Gina woke up at ten o’clock the next morning, she found out that Alanzo was gone. All that remained with her in the luxurious suite was a Mediterranean breakfast on a tray on the table and an envelope with her name on it. Her heart sank and she felt a nasty lump in her throat. She feebly stood up and dragged herself towards the table, eyes fixed on the letter that was waiting for her.
With trembling fingers, she opened it and pulled out a folded note.
My precious star, it read, what happened last night was a magical experience that I will hold close to my heart for the rest of my life. I am terribly sorry for leaving you behind without saying goodbye. I just did not want to tear you away from your sweet dreams, and I’ve never been very good with farewells. Do not worry about the hotel for I have taken care of everything. Maybe we will see each other again someday, mio stella.
-A.
Tears streamed down her face as she clutched the letter to her bare chest. She sat on the edge of the bed and began to cry. How could he do this, she thought bitterly in between sobs, how could he do this to me?
After a few minutes of crying, she wiped away her tears and began to get dressed. She then turned on her phone and soon enough, a flood of messages came pouring in. She read the latest messages, which came from a panic-stricken Ingrid and a distraught Victor. She hesitated at first, then she wrote down a number on the back of the envelope. She then tucked the envelope into her purse, threw her phone on the ground and proceeded to crush it with the heel of her stiletto. Then, she went out of the suite, rode the elevator down to the lobby, and briskly walked outside.
She walked for a few blocks until she got the Starbucks on Sixth Avenue. She entered it and ordered a caramel macchiatto and a belgian waffle, then asked if she could borrow their phone. She then called
for Nabil, whose number she knew by heart, to pick her up from there. About an hour later, she was on the backseat of her Cadillac and busily cooking up different alibis in her mind. She settled for the partied-out-last-night-and-lost-my-phone, spent-the-night-at-the-Plaza. Feeling satisfied with her story, she then leaned toward the driver's seat.
"Nabil," she said sweetly, "may I borrow your phone, please?"
"Of course, Miss Gavalas."
"Thank you," she replied and reached for the phone that was attached to a special stand on the dashboard. She then pulled out the envelope from her bag and began dialling the number.
"Hello," Victor's voice sounded groggy at the other end of the line, "who's this?"
"Hi, Victor," she said, a hint of guilt in her voice, "I'm sorry about last night."
"Yeah, what happened? I had to call your house to tell them you went missing!"
"I'm fine, Victor, I wasn't myself last night and I had to get out."
"I tried calling you."
He sounds really hurt, she thought.
"I lost my phone," she said, "I'm really sorry and I'm make up for it if you still want to hang out with me."
"O-kay," he paused, "how about we have dinner tomorrow after school?"
"Sure."
"Alright," he said, enthusiasm spilling from his voice, "I'll hold you to that."
"I look forward to it already," she said, smiling weakly.
After ending her call with her soon-to-be boyfriend, her thoughts turned to Alanzo. I will find you, she thought, and when I do, I will make sure that you will regret leaving Gina Gavalas.
THE END
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AFFAIR WITH A WEREWOLF
Life had always been pretty good to me. I didn’t have any major regret. I grew up in a traditional Southern family with strong American values that still runs in my veins. I also wanted to study art and after graduating from Texas University, I found a fulfilling job in Boston. Yes, it was pretty far from my roots and my home, but the job was highly satisfying and kept me going to strive for excellence. I am one of those few lucky people in this world who wake up every morning and can’t wait to go to work. Monday morning blues have always been a hoax to me.
It didn’t matter if I had a great job, doing well with my career, dating a lot of wrong men and fighting the world on a daily basis, but deep down I was still the same Southern girl who wanted to go back home. I believe I will always be the same girl – my daddy’s little princess. My daddy has always told me that I am a princess and that a knight in shining armor will soon come, riding a big white horse to sweep me out.
When I was a kid, I strongly used to believe in the fairy tale happily ever after myth. As I grew old, I realized that love was as real as Santa Claus. Don’t get me wrong! There is a part of me who still believes in the existence of love, unicorns, and double ended rainbows. But, then I also know that true love doesn’t exist in this world anymore.
I have dated a lot of guys in the past. I am not very happy and proud to admit that I must have been to more than hundred “first dates”. Despite all these first dates, there were only a handful of them who turned out to be a “second date” material. Nevertheless, you can get the picture, right? It never progressed beyond a couple of dates. I never had a relationship – no high school romance, no long distance commitment, no college epic love story. Nothing.
I was just an average girl, living an average life.
My friends have always told me that I have very high expectations from the people around me and that my checklist is too stringent.
“No men can pass that list, Sophia!”
“You are going to die alone with ninety cats, licking your face on your couch, Sophia!”
“Should I ask your sister to fix you up with one of her friends, Sophia?”
“I am sure that your perfect fit doesn’t exist in this world!”
My friends and family would say some of the above statements, invading my personal life. Often, I would tell them that I wanted to concentrate on my career and that if it is meant to be, it will be!
Sometimes, I believed that they were right. That I would die alone with some ninety cats and a lonely house. That I had very high expectations of the men of our community. That my perfect soul mate didn’t exist in this world and God would send him soon from the outer space. I believed I just had to keep waiting then, wishing on the next UFO!
I love beaches!
The fresh wind ruining my messy hair and untangling them without any force, the soft sand pressing between my toes and finding its way inside my nails, the sound of the ocean waves hitting the land in passion. I have always fantasized about beaches and how beautiful they have always been. Some of my best memories have been associated with beaches and whenever a part of me misses my hometown, I used to come to the nearby beaches to remember the old days.
It was just like any other Saturday night. I was sitting alone on a beach near the outskirts of the city. I drove a long way to find one of the loneliest beaches around and sat there to find some solace. I have always loved sitting alone on a beach and floating with the moment, letting time pass me by like a beautiful tide.
The sun was looking beautiful, setting down at the horizon and painting a breathtakingly beautiful picture. I felt the ocean waves kissing my legs with passion and closed my eyes to take that moment in, as much as I could.
I stayed there for the next couple of minutes until the sun entirely sat leaving every ray of light and night started to fall. Gradually, everything became dark and before I could crave for a companion, the stars came out to give me company in the beautiful night. The moon looked radiant and romantic, both at the same time. I smiled at it and saw that a part of it smiled at me too, looking at my beautiful face.
I closed my eyes and wished for something else – something real, something that will last longer than a one night stand. Maybe, something like true love.
When I opened my eyes, I couldn’t really believe what I saw. At first, it felt as if a star was falling down from the universe. I thought of making a wish, but it didn’t take me very long to realize that it was not a star, as it was approaching towards me. I rubbed my eyes a couple of times and quickly stood up. The bright source of light approached at the beach and before I could realize, it landed just in front of me.
There was a very strong part in me that wanted to run away. I should have, right? It was clearly a UFO and for what I have seen in movies and read in the books, they always suggested me to run away from the aliens and that their only reason to enter Earth is to invade them. But it didn’t feel like an alien invasion at all. It was just a lonely star, who was trying to find his way back home.
I didn’t run towards the opposite direction, instead I ran towards the ship. It was like as if there was something in the ship that attracted me, and I couldn’t stop going towards it.
I stood just a few steps away from the ship. It was shining brightly with luminous colors that were changing their colors and intensity. All of a sudden, I heard a cracking sound coming from the ship and the lights flickered. Soon, the lights stopped shining bright and it was dark. I saw that the ship was made up of metal, which looked a lot like stainless steel or aluminum. I thought that it was just a human ship or could be some advanced vehicle on which NASA must be working on.
“You are such a stupid girl, Sophia!” I said, almost out loud and made fun of myself. I thought that the ship was a UFO and an alien will come out of it. I was indeed a silly girl, as I didn’t realize my mistake. It was a mistake of staying there and not running.
Nevertheless, there was a very strong part of me who wanted to stay and witness what was there, inside the ship. I walked a little and touch the exteriors of the ship – they were dark gray in color and it felt like metal. I was alarmed when the doors of the ship were opened and felt a strong sensation across my spine, as I saw a soldier coming out of the ship.
“Who are you?” I asked him before he could
say anything.
“Mike!” he said in a very natural tone. I looked at him and saw his perfectly crafted face that looked like the moon itself. He had dark hair and a spotless white skin that looked radiant. His eyes were dark ebony and had a very distinctive touch in them. I looked into his eyes and couldn’t see anything at all – no reflection, no past, no strong emotions, no fear, nothing at all. His eyes looked so vacant and devoid of any feeling.
He was wearing a crisp white shirt that had some medals and a seal on the upper left side. The pair of beige trousers and brown boots looked perfect, way too perfect on him. He was tall and handsome. He was not like any other men that I had ever seen. He looked like them, but still, he was completely different. There was something about him, which I couldn’t really pick at that moment, which made him look so different, yet the same.
“Where are you from, Mike?” I asked him, as there was a very strong part of me that felt lost. I thought that he was a soldier who needed help or some assistance.
“I don’t know,” he replied and I heard his seductive and husky voice. I have always had a thing for husky voices. He had a really peculiar accent and I couldn’t really figure out his origin.
“What do you mean by that?” I couldn’t really understand his reply.
“I am looking for you – you are the key,” he walked towards me and stood right in front of me.
“I am so glad that I found you,” he whispered in my ears and I couldn’t understand why he said that. I didn’t even know Mike! None of it was making sense.
Before I could realize that I was in trouble, I felt a strong sensation across my legs that quickly reached my spine and floated to my brain. I closed my eyes without my will and fell into his arms.
I opened my eyes and found myself on the beach. The sun was shining bright and the cloudless sky smiled back at me. The ocean waves looked clear and almost milky white, they were too pure and good to be true. Everything around me was too good to be true. It was not the same beach that I visited last night; in fact, it was not a real beach at all, as I quickly noticed another sun, which was dark red in color shining in the opposite direction.
A Bride Worth Billions Page 35