“No, but I think I would have noticed a strange vibrator amongst my things.”
“It was in a zipper pocket on the inside,” he told me, handing it to me.
I flipped it around in my hand, looking at it in puzzlement, and asked, “But where did it come from?”
I looked up and caught Cade’s eyes, and we both smiled and said, “Amy May.”
“What do you say we try it out?” Cade asked, taking a step closer.
“I thought we were gonna take a bath,” I said, gesturing with the vibrator to the nearly full tub.
“I’ll get you off with this, then we’ll get in,” Cade replied, and I had to admit… his idea had merit.
I turned off the water and started chucking off my clothes as I said, “Okay, but Buddha can’t watch.”
“Huh?” Cade asked, pulling his shirt over his head.
I lifted my chin toward the statue and he threw his shirt, which landed perfectly on the Buddha and shielded his eyes.
When I was naked, Cade took the vibrator from my hand and said, “Face the mirror.”
With my legs already shaking in anticipation, I did as requested, bracing my hands on the marble counter and widening my stance. My gaze sought his in the mirror and the look on his face had my knees weakening.
He placed his hand on my shoulder, then ran it down my back and over my hip, before caressing my ass and moving lower.
“Always so fucking wet for me,” he growled.
My eyes fluttered shut and when I heard the vibrator start to whirl, I thought, this isn’t going to take long at all.
“Open ‘em.”
I did as requested, watching his face as he teased my opening, first with his fingers, then with the tip of the vibrator. I parted my legs wider and arched my back, and the savage look in his eyes turned my blood up to boiling.
“Cade,” I moaned, tilting my ass back farther, urging him to fill me up.
“Palm your tit,” he said, leaning down to lick, then bite my shoulder, his gaze intent on my hand as I massaged my breast and pinched the nipple.
When the vibrating wand slid inside of me, it felt like a reward, so I played with my nipple as I ground my ass against his hard cock.
“Cade,” I managed again, my breath coming out in pants as I felt the orgasm get closer. “Rub my clit,” I begged, needing the friction.
“Fuck … I need to taste you,” he said, his lips moving across my skin.
“Be my guest,” I replied, yelping when I was quickly spun and lifted, my ass hitting the cold marble.
Cade thrust the vibrator deeper inside me as he dropped to his knees and sucked my clit between his supple lips. I bucked and writhed, and would have been embarrassed about coming so soon if there weren’t fireworks exploding behind my eyes.
Before I finished riding the wave, the vibrator was gone… a barely registered clink on the floor, and was replaced with Cade’s hot, pulsating cock.
I was lifted again, and this time my back hit the wall as he fucked me in an animalistic frenzy.
“Lila, fuck,” he managed, his hands gripping my hips as he plunged deeper and came with a moan.
His lips worked my neck as we tried to catch our breath.
I caressed his back absently, still euphoric, and asked, “Ready for the tub?”
Cade grunted in agreement and said, “Love you, darlin’.”
“I love you, too, stud muffin.”
He slapped me on the ass and carried me to the tub as I laughed happily in his arms.
Chapter Three
We walked, we ate, we drank, we ate, and we ate again.
Italian food in Italy was leaps and bounds more delicious than any Italian food I’d ever had before, and I liked to think of myself as a connoisseur.
Whether it was the ingredients, the recipes passed down for generations, or simply the locale, I didn’t know. Probably all of the above. But, I’d never tasted gnocchi, carbonara, or cannoli that thrilled my taste buds like the delicious dishes in Venice.
I’d thought Paris was romantic, and yes, of course it was, but there was something about hearing a man singing as we drank wine and looked at the boats on the water that filled me with euphoria and had me gazing at Cade with hearts in my eyes.
“I love you so much,” I’d told him. “I can never repay you for the gift of this trip. It’s the most amazing experience of my life.”
“You repay me every second you allow me to be in your life,” was his response.
I mean … seriously? Was it any wonder I’d voluntarily tied myself to this man for the rest of my life?
Of course, he’d gotten lucky again after a statement like that.
It will be a miracle if I can still walk by the time we make it back home.
Now, we were venturing outside of Venice. Cade was finally getting his day of fun. We’d rented a motorcycle and were going to ride through the countryside until Cade got his fill. Which meant we could be gone for hours … or days.
I held on tight, enjoying the feel of his back against my front, and the smell of leather from his jacket.
I’d fallen in love with this part of Cade first, or maybe it had started as lust, but knowing how being on the open road made him feel … free. And, having him want to share that with me, to have me with him as he acquainted himself with Italy in a visceral way, made me love him all the more.
I watched as we passed lush landscapes and quaint cottages, groves of olives and grapes, and myriad of people going about their daily lives.
The next day we were taking a flight on Ryanair from Venice to Barcelona, which was the last leg of our trip. On one hand, I couldn’t believe it was almost over. Being here with Cade was a dream and I never wanted it to end. On the other, I missed my kids, and my friends. And, I even missed my business.
Plus, when we got back Cade would officially be living with us as my husband and Elin and Elena’s stepfather, and I couldn’t wait to see what our lives were going to be like on a normal, day-to-day basis.
I took a deep breath and told myself to enjoy the ride.
So I did, and before I knew it we were in Belluno, with its impressive mountainous backdrop and charmingly colorful palazzos and villas.
We stopped for lunch in the Piazza dei Martiri and then got back on the road.
By the time we made it back to the loft, which I would miss terribly when we left, we were both exhausted from a day of fresh air, and I was stiff from so much time on the bike. Luckily, we had the hot tub readily available, and I was able to soak some of the pain away.
The next morning we were up early and on our way to the airport after saying goodbye to the beautiful apartment, and to Venice.
The flight was less than two hours, so before long, we were landing in Barcelona, Spain.
“So, what kind of apartment will we be in this time?” I asked as we loaded into a cab.
“Actually, this one is a house. Matt is still signed with the NFL and his wife is from Barcelona, so they spend quite a bit of time here. It just so happened that he’s gearing up for the season, so they’re at their home in Minnesota.”
The sign said Las Ramblas and I noticed we’d once again be within walking distance to everything we may need. There was the La Boqueria market, a few restaurants, and what looked like a rooftop bar.
Cade’s friends knew how to live life right.
“Oh my gosh, Cade, this is insane,” I said as I took in the floor-to-ceiling windows. “Amy May would die for this kitchen.”
Once again there was both indoor and outdoor space, along with clean lines and a fresh open concept.
“I am getting so many ideas,” I told Cade as I walked around touching everything.
“For what?” he asked.
“Our next home?” I suggested.
Cade had a gorgeous cabin in the woods that he used to live in. We’d been planning to keep it for a weekend place, but now it looked like his sister Alani was leaving their family in Hawaii and staying there while sh
e went to school.
Plus, we had my house, which my old boss Moose had left to me when he died, and we’d renovated.
“You thinking about moving?” he asked, surprised.
We’d put a lot of work into it and he knew how much I loved it.
“Maybe,” I said with what I hoped was a casual shrug. “We’re married now and Elin and Lena are only getting bigger. Plus, if we decide to expand our family, we’ll probably need a bigger place.”
Cade dropped his bag on the floor and crossed to me.
“Is that what you want? More kids?” he asked, his hands coming up to cup my face.
“I don’t know … do you?”
“Lila, I’ve got Lena and Elin, you, and the dogs, so I’m a happy man. I’ve never thought much about having kids, because, well, you know I never thought I’d settle down … until you. You changed everything. So, if you want babies, let’s have ‘em. And, if you don’t, well, I’m a blessed man already.”
My eyes filled and I brought my hands up to cover his.
“I don’t know if I want more kids or not, but figured you might.”
“Then let’s say it’s open for discussion, and if it happens, it happens.”
“Cade, I only have so many child-bearing years left,” I told him.
“And if we decide we want them, there’s more than one way to have them, yeah?”
I nodded and tip-toed up to press my lips against him.
“You’re amazing.”
“Right back at ya, darlin’.”
Chapter Four
Everything they say about Paris is true…
It’s a beautiful city, with incredible architecture and history. The sidewalk cafés were to die for and I’d never eaten so much bread, cheese, and chocolate.
The only thing missing … cupcakes.
Sure, they have them, but they aren’t the same as Amy May’s and every time I bite into one, I feel a little homesick.
The Macarons on the other hand… well, let’s just say if anything could get me to curb my addiction to cupcakes, it would be these little bites of heaven.
“Are you ready to go to the apartment?” Cade asked, his eyes darkening as I licked the sugar from my lips.
We hadn’t spent too much time at his friend’s place, even though it was a gorgeous little flat within walking distance of museums – we’d gotten a museum pass – restaurants, and the Seine River.
“Yes, I could use a nap before we have to get ready,” I replied.
This was going to be our fancy night in Paris, where we got all dressed up and went all out. We had reservations at one of the restaurants in the Eiffel Tower tonight. We were also planning to stop at the Champagne Bar and the Macaroon Bar for dessert.
“A nap wasn’t really what I had in mind,” he growled as we made our way to the Metro.
We used our Metro passes and checked the map to make sure we found the correct line back to the house.
Once we boarded, I wrapped my arms around Cade’s waist and held on.
“What time are we leaving tomorrow?” I asked him, my cheek pressed against his muscled chest.
I loved listening to the strength of his heart.
“The train leaves around eight twenty, so I was thinking we should be ready to go by seven.”
We were taking the high-speed train, which would get us to Venice in about seven hours. I’d never been on a train that traveled across countries before, so I was excited about the trip, and thrilled about the destination.
Italy was number one on my bucket list, although, it was hard to think of any place being as wonderful as Paris.
“Don’t let me forget to drop the postcards in the mail today. I want to make sure they are post marked from France.”
I’d bought souvenirs for everyone, just little trinkets I’d picked up here and there, and I’d also decided to send everyone a postcard from each country. I thought it would be a fun little memento.
I’d even bought one to send to our dogs, Rufus and CB, so I’d have postcards from each stop to pin on the corkboard in my office.
When we got to the street, I tapped Cade on the shoulder and said, “Give me a lift.”
Cade chuckled, but bent his knees so I could jump on his back.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist, and off we went.
Heads turned as we walked, but with my flaming red curls and Cade’s massive Cadeness, we were used to standing out in the crowd in Paris.
As we rounded the corner, I saw a young man pickpocket a much older man, and sneak off down an alleyway.
“Cade,” I said, slapping him on the shoulder and wiggling to get down. “That guy just had his wallet stolen. The kid ran down that way…”
Cade let me down, but when I would have taken off running after the kid, he stopped me by placing his hand on my shoulder and saying, “I’ve got it. You stay here.”
Normally, when anyone told me what to do, my back went up and I immediately did the opposite. But, since we were in a foreign country, and I’d promised Cade I’d try and stay out of trouble on our honeymoon, I stood there, tapping my foot, my eyes rapt on the entry to the ally where they’d both disappeared.
About ten seconds later, I muttered, “Fuck it.”
I was ready to beg for forgiveness rather than wait behind, but, before I could follow, Cade came strolling back out, holding up the wallet.
With a grin I took it from him and ran after the elderly couple, who hadn’t gotten that far down the street. I told them what happened, accepted their thanks, and jogged back to Cade.
“Did he put up a fight?” I asked when I reached him.
“Nah, I pretty much told him to stop and give me the wallet, and he did.”
I’m sure there was more to it than that, although Cade was known for scaring the bejeezus out of bad guys.
“My hero!” I cried, throwing my arms around him.
Cade chuckled, his arms going around my waist, and said, “Darlin’, I’ll be anything you want me to be.”
Le sigh.
Was it any wonder we’d been going at it like rabbits all over the city of lights?
“Well, in that case, I’d like you to be inside me … in about two point five seconds,” I murmured, placing my lips on the base of his neck and sucking lightly.
“Down this alley, or back at the flat?” he asked, not even joking.
I’d never thought of myself as a voyeur … no, wait, a voyeur likes to watch … What do you call it if you like to be watched? Hmmm.
Anyhow, we’d been having sex all over the city … in semi-public places, as well as in the flat, and the possibility of being caught was a huge turn-on for me.
But, rather than a quickie against a city wall, I found I wanted to spend a little more time enjoying the big hunk of man before me, so I said, “The flat,” then let out a deep belly laugh when he swung me up into his arms and took off down the sidewalk.
Chapter Five
So much shopping!
I’d bought so many cool trinkets for everyone over the last few days. Chocolate turrón for Amy May, leather wallets for Jason and Bran, espardenyes for Bea and Shannon, a modernist tile coffee table book for Cynthia, and a Picasso poster for Carmen. Lena and Elin were going to think it was Christmas with all of the gifts I’d bought them. And, I’d even gotten myself beautiful painted pottery and a long flowing sundress.
Every morning Cade and I went to Zara for coffee, and then spent the day doing something new and exciting.
One night we did a walking food tour, where we spent four hours stopping for tapas and learned about the different regions.
We spent a couple days at the beach, which was of course my island-born man’s favorite thing to do. This meant we were both bronzed, and I have to say, Cade looked especially yummy with his naturally tanned skin even darker, and his long hair curly and textured from the saltwater.
My favorite thing so far, though, had been the day we spent going to Casa
Milá, Casa Batlló, and Sagrada Familia. The city itself was a work of art, with so many amazing cathedrals and buildings.
Tonight, for our last night of our honeymoon, we were going to the Colón Hotel, where there was a rooftop bar and restaurant with live music.
I’d spent the better part of an hour straightening my hair and artfully applying makeup; well, artfully for me. I was wearing my new dress, which, being bright and colorful with pinks and yellows, was something I’d normally never wear. Not with my red hair.
But, for some reason, today it worked.
When I walked out of the bathroom, Cade was standing in front of a long mirror buttoning his suit jacket. He looked breathtaking with his long hair down and framing his face and his beard neatly trimmed.
“You look gorgeous,” he said, his eyes on me in the mirror.
“So do you,” I replied with a grin.
“Shall we?” Cade asked, holding out his arm for me.
I placed my hand on his forearm and said, “Yes, please.”
“Hmmm,” he murmured, his voice deep in his chest. “You know how in improv they have to say yes, and?”
“Uh, yeah, but why do you know that?” I joked.
“I know many, many things,” he replied, bringing his thumb up to caress my full lower lip.
Luckily I was wearing a lip stain that wouldn’t wipe off.
“Well, later, when I have you all to myself in that bed, I think we should play yes, please.”
“What’s that?” I asked, my voice coming out rough.
“It’s where, no matter what we ask each other to do in bed, the answer will be yes, please.”
Oh, my, is it hot in here?
“Sounds fun,” I managed.
Cade grinned wickedly and said, “We’d better get out of here while it’s still a possibility.”
Since I didn’t get dressed up for nothing, and didn’t want to miss out on our last night in Barcelona, I nodded, took him by the hand, and started dragging him toward the door.
A Little Bit Cupid: A Collection of Short Stories Page 26