by J. L. Drake
He teased his way into her entrance.
“Tony…I…want…you…inside…of…me…now!”
“I-I don’t have a condom!”
“I’m on the pill. I just want you inside me.”
Her desperation—her pleading—forced him to relinquish all control. He plummeted inside, the warm bath surrounding his cock. He closed his eyes and reveled in the sensations thrilling through his body. “God, Kate. You feel so good.”
He picked up the pace until their bodies moved in unison. He willed himself to hold on—to bring her to her next release before he could think about planting his seed inside of her. Her body was tense and beads of sweat had formed on her forehead. She was close.
“That’s it, baby. Let your body go.” He brought his mouth to a nipple and suckled. When her body constricted and she let out a feral moan, he quickened his pace until he found his own release exploding inside Kate, letting go of all the sexual tension that had been building for days. His body spasmed, emptying everything he had before collapsing on top of her. She nuzzled her head in the crook of his neck, panting, recovering from the physical toll placed on her body. If this were an Olympic event, this gladiator would’ve just won gold in the city where the games began.
“You were amazing,” she announced with a smile consuming her entire face.
He gazed into her eyes. “I don’t know what possessed you, but I’m so glad it did.” He rolled onto his back.
“I don’t know. I’ve never done anything like this before. It’s just—it’s our last day together and I didn’t want to look back with any regrets.”
“And?”
“And what?”
“Do you regret seducing me?”
She laughed. “Absolutely not.”
He wrapped his arm around her. “Me neither, you rocked my world. I thought I was going to pass out I came so hard. Jesus, woman! Your entire body consumed me.”
She rolled on top of him and smiled. “I’m hungry. I’m going to take a shower and then we can go get breakfast.”
Before he could answer, she jumped off the bed and ran into the bathroom.
He took a couple minutes to recover before he pulled himself out of the bed and put his pants on for the second time that morning.
Tony located his cell phone, dialed the jewelry store’s number, and was pleased to find it already open. Everything would work out as planned. They would eat breakfast in the lounge; he would take Kate to the Trevi Fountain, hit the jewelry store, and then take her to the embassy, where she would finally be out of harm’s way.
He retrieved the newspaper from the hallway. Since the Waldorf was an American hotel, they provided USA Today along with the local Italian paper. He took the newspapers onto the balcony. While Rome looked like an entirely different city during the day than at night, it was still a magnificent sight from this vantage point.
The landscaping was lush and green; there were plants sculpted into horses with knights on top, a fitness trail, and cabanas by the pool providing poolside service. The Waldorf had gone all out to make this hotel a retreat.
He leaned back in the chair and the warmth of the sun beating on his skin was exhilarating. It was to reach the nineties later in the day—absolutely perfect.
He flipped through the pages of USA Today. He didn’t often follow American news, but now that he befriended Kate, he was a little more interested in what was going on there. On the front cover of the finance section was a headline that read:
Businessman Charles Anderson Opens 105th Restaurant in Miami.
The article described how the developer owned multiple restaurants up and down the East Coast. Normally, his family attended every opening with him, but his daughter was traveling abroad, and was unable to be there.
Tony’s heart raced as he connected the dots. This is Kate’s family. This is her dad. What have I done? This guy is an influential American businessman, and I tried to manipulate and take advantage of his daughter. Tony rubbed his hand over his brow and down his face.
He dropped the USA Today and grabbed the Italian paper. He searched through the pages looking for anything having to do with his family or the cartel. Up to this point, very little was said about the accident or the downfall of his business. On the second page, a headline read:
Bodies Identified at Bertalucci Explosion.
One Son Missing.
The police finally released that he wasn’t in the explosion. Suddenly, the sun’s heat felt like a blistering inferno. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his stomach performed its very own circus act with somersaults as the main highlight.
The article confirmed what Tony already knew. The person who was thought to be Massimo Bertalucci was instead Tony Lupito. Massimo Bertalucci was missing. The police would not confirm if he was a person of interest or if they thought he had been kidnapped by whoever caused the explosion. Either way, the police were eager to find him. Massimo studied the pictures; there was one of him with a full beard taken at a work function and also a more recent picture of him taken in one of the train stations. His heart suddenly stopped, and it felt like all the air had been sucked from his lungs. Tony doubled over in attempt to pull in any breath he could.
“Oh my God, Tony! What’s wrong?”
He looked up to find Kate dressed in a robe with her wet hair dripping water down her neck. He tried to catch his breath, but he was unable to. He held his hand over his chest. The tightness felt like his heart was being ripped open. He tried to stand up, but his knees gave out; he crashed to the floor, hitting the chair on the way down.
“Tony!”
A shrill cry came from Kate’s lungs. He needed to calm her down so she didn’t attract attention. Instead, he was paralyzed. He closed his eyes trying desperately to climb into his mind and get his body working again. The warmth of her body encapsulated his shoulders. The heat of her breath against his skin as she leaned into to kiss his forehead, brought life to his skin. He focused on her touch—anything but the fact the Guardia and the cartel probably knew their whereabouts at this very moment. They were no longer safe.
Kate kissed the corner of his mouth as she tenderly ran a hand over his chest. Her touch was calming; it had an almost Zen-like effect on him. As air slowly found its way back into his lungs, the tightness in his chest subsided, and his body function returned. When her kisses reached the middle of his mouth, he pulled her into his arms, taking hold of her as though his life depended on it. In a way, it did. She was the air to his lungs; the warmth to his cold, the calm to his stress, and the yin to his yang. After what seemed like a lifetime with her in his arms, she pulled back and peered into his eyes. Her normally light blue eyes were stormy and dark.
“What happened?”
He sat himself up, reached for Kate’s face, wiped the hair from her forehead, and planted a kiss softly on her forehead. With his hands still on her cheeks, he replied, “They know I’m alive. They have pictures of me traveling through a train station in Florence. I’m sure they’ve figured out I’m traveling with you. They must know where we are.”
“If they do, why haven’t they come?”
He didn’t have a good answer for that. Nor did he have an answer as to why her face wasn’t plastered on the newspaper as well. “I don’t know.”
“We may have lost them in Siena. Maybe we did a good enough job that we’ve eluded them for the time being.”
“The point is they know I’m alive. The cartel knows I’m alive. They’re going to be looking for me.” He let his head fall back against the chair.
“Then we have to move swiftly. I’ll get ready now. I don’t need to see those fountains.”
“There will be thousands of people by the time we get there. We’ll just have to make sure we get lost in the crowds. I want to make your wish come true.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. You deserve at least that much.”
“Okay, I’ll hurry.” As she stood, her robe opened just enough, giving him
a glimpse of her inner thighs. Now that he had had a taste of her, he longed for more. She was his craving, and he needed to be fed. If only things were different; if only they could spend the entire day in this room, just the two of them.
Chapter Sixteen
Katherine and Tony took the hotel shuttle to Barberini Square. The scenic drive was about thirty minutes as the young Italian driver took a longer route to show the hotel guests some sights. She was glad they chose to take the shuttle rather than the taxi; she was in awe of urban sprawl known as Rome. The age of the buildings was impressive, and the fact they were still standing after thousands of years was a feat all in itself. This was the city others imitated. This was the city that was supposed to last forever.
When they got off at the shuttle stop, Tony reached for Katherine’s hand. Every time he touched her, a jolt launched itself through her body. He was a gorgeous man clothed, but naked he was Adonis. Every ounce of his tan body was chiseled to perfection.
Tony’s touch reminded Katherine of the pivotal moment when she decided to forget about the past and surrender to the feelings she had for Tony. When she returned to the bathroom earlier, she chastised herself for not jumping at the opportunity then and there. She wanted to feel the warmth of his skin, the gentleness of his touch, run her fingers through his hair as he was penetrating her, and taste the passion from his lips. The old her would never make the first move. Proper ladies didn’t behave that way; they didn’t go out gallivanting for prey. Since she came to Italy, she’d taken bold moves. She took the trip by herself, went out on a date with a complete stranger in a foreign country, and trusted a man she barely knew. She’d already thrown caution to the wind, so why stop now? This was a chance to give in to her desires and impure thoughts, to be with a Roman god. Her Adonis was standing in the next room. Heck yeah, she was going to go for it. She slipped off her robe and checked herself out in the mirror to steady herself before exiting the bathroom.
Tony took Katherine’s hand bringing her out of the daydream she wished could last forever. As they walked to the Trevi Fountain, she pushed through the sea of people. She sensed they were getting closer when the crowd grew thicker and it was nearly impossible to get around anyone. Tony had explained the fountain was only a few blocks from the square and she was glad she didn’t have to walk very far. The unusually hot day, along with the constant barrage of elbows in her side, made the journey less than pleasant. Sure, it was crowded in New York City, but Katherine knew the best time and routes to travel to avoid crowds. Being in a foreign city, she didn’t have that luxury.
“Look up there.” He pointed to a concrete structure on the hillside. “That is the Aqua Virgo. It is an aqueduct that brought water for the bathhouses in the city. Its ending destination is the Trevi Fountain.”
She looked up and saw that the arches holding the ornate structure up could rival any modern-day architecture. “Does it still work?
“Yes, it’s one of the few that actually do. It supplies water to all of the fountains in the area. It was supposedly named after a girl who showed the soldiers where they could find springs to drink from.”
“It’s beautiful. How old is it?”
“About two thousand years, and most of it runs underground. It’s hard to imagine they were able to build something like that back then—especially when they didn’t have any tractors or modern-day equipment.”
“It’s absolutely spectacular. I’ve seen dozens of buildings, statues, and pieces of art while I’ve been here, but it doesn’t cease to amaze me the magnificent art and structures they were able to build more than two thousand years ago. The fact they are still standing speaks volumes.”
“Yes, I guess I’ve taken for granted living here all of my life, but you’re right.” Tony looked thoughtfully up at the arches.
“Are we close to the Trevi Fountain?”
His smile widened as they rounded a corner. A large mass of people had congregated with vendors all around. At first, she didn’t see past the commotion.
“This is it, my dear.” He pointed to a grand baroque masterpiece.
She studied the amazing piece of art, and attempted to understand the story that was being conveyed. There was what appeared to be Neptune with two horses; one seemed to be struggling while the other was obedient. Several other statues overlooked the scene of Neptune. The water from the fountain ran into a pool where people took turns throwing coins into it.
There were no words to describe what she was seeing. The fountain was the most ornate and beautiful thing she’d ever seen. The history and the symbolism behind the statue left her entranced.
“Kate…Kate…Kate!” He tapped her shoulder.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, it’s more than I could’ve imagined. It’s breathtaking.”
“Here, why don’t you go down the steps and throw in these coins?”
He held up two Euros which she graciously took, and proceeded down the steps. More than anything, she wanted to continue her journey throughout Italy. The country was beautiful, romantic, and Tony was showing her things she might never have seen on her own.
The crowds were thick and it was hard to get to the actual fountain. The air was already becoming humid, but with a number of people standing and admiring the fountain, the air seemed stagnant and muggy.
She listened as a young mom explained to her daughter about the statues on the fountain. Like any young child, she wanted very much to play in the water, and the woman struggled to keep the youngster dry.
Instantly, Katherine knew what her wish would be. She turned with her back facing the fountain, took a deep breath, and threw the coin over her shoulder. There was a small splash as the coin burst through the surface. She took one last moment to appreciate the sight before her. When she was satisfied that she had taken in as much of the fountain as possible, Katherine pushed back through the crowd of people, and returned to Tony’s side.
“Well, did you make your wish?”
“Yes,” she replied happily.
“What did you wish for?”
“If I tell you, it won’t come true.”
He crossed his arms. “Who told you that?”
“I guess its American superstition.”
“I see. You Americans come up with some silly ideas.”
She turned from him to get another glimpse of the fountain. “Perhaps we do.”
Tony put his arms around her, pulling her close. She tried to imagine if Mike was here by her side, if this experience would have been as magical. Immediately, her mind said no and her body settled into Tony’s arms. This felt right. She was in a good place. If only she could say the same for Tony.
Time seemed to stand still as she watched the tourists come and go. This was what she imagined the trip would be like when she planned it months ago. The only difference now was that she was with Tony instead of Mike.
“Are you ready to go?” Tony whispered in her ear.
The heat of his breath made her insides clench. She faced him and leaned up for a kiss. He responded by tenderly cupping her face in his strong hands and placing his soft lips on hers. The woodsy smell of his skin made her eager, and longing to be back in the hotel. Tony gently parted her lips with his tongue—luring Katherine into a world where only the two of them existed.
She never wanted the kiss to end.
Tony pulled away and searched through the crowd.
“Who are you looking for?”
He continued to look over the masses of people. “I don’t know exactly. Perhaps one of the men from the train station or someone who seems to be following us. It’s hard to dodge someone if you don’t know what they look like.”
He grabbed her hand and tugged her through the crowd gathered around the fountain. Once they broke free, he brought her close and brushed the hair from her face. “I need to make one more stop before we get you to the embassy. I can’t do this alone or else I would.”
“You’re being cryptic. What can’t y
ou do alone?”
“You’ll know when we get there. Come on.”
She followed him through the back streets of Rome. Clearly, he was in a hurry. They were moving at such a fast pace she didn’t have a chance to admire the beauty of the buildings. He pushed through the crowd, dragging her behind him. He wore a big smile on his face. His enthusiasm was contagious, and Katherine soon found herself laughing out loud as she stayed in tow.
Katherine was out of breath. “Where are we going?”
“I told you, it’s a surprise!”
“I love surprises.” She quickened her pace to keep up.
“Hmmm, I seem to remember someone telling me she hated surprises.”
“I may have lied just a bit.”
“Good to know,” he shouted at the top of his lungs. “Guess what, world? Beautiful Kate loves surprises!”
She smiled. “Tony, what’s got into you? You’re so jubilant. This is a side of you I haven’t met yet.”
“The circumstances surrounding us haven’t afforded me the opportunity to be the fun guy I normally am. If we met under different circumstances, this is the guy you would’ve met. I hope you like him.”
“Like him? This guy makes it hard for me to leave Italy—to leave you.”
He stopped dead in his tracks causing her to bump into him. He closed the gap between them. His heart beat rapidly against her chest, he stared into her eyes with such intensity she thought she would explode from the heat building inside her. Katherine tried to catch her breath but Tony seemed to take it with each inhalation he took.
“Kate, staying is not an option. You must go home.”
Sadly, she replied, “I know. I just got caught up in the moment.”
He bent and kissed her nose. “If there were any other way, I would keep you here and never let you go.”
He was sincere. His voice, touch, and the expression on his face confirmed what she already felt. There was a connection between them neither could deny. This was more than some fling or a chance encounter. Her heart screamed this was the real thing; however, her mind said otherwise. How on Earth could she trust a man she’d only known for days, when she’d been with Mike for five years only to find out she couldn’t trust him?