“Oh my God!” Grace moaned, squeezing her eyes shut, while he slowly kissed his way down her core. She pressed his head against her as his tongue made contact with her hard, swollen clit. Luca sucked it into his mouth, her groans of pleasure audible over the music, stimulating every nerve in her body. As he nipped her clit, her pussy muscles flexed faster and faster. Squeezing her ass, he flicked his tongue against her sensitive nub, and she rocked her hips back and forth. But Luca was not content just to touch her. Feeling that she was ready for him, he teased her by circling her entrance, grunting as he kissed her clit harder.
“I’m going to come, baby!” Grace’s loud, lustful groan resounded in the steam room, as he slipped his middle finger into her. Wanting to arouse her even further, he would not maintain a slow pace. His deep penetration sent her to realms of uncharted ecstasy. Grace’s body tensed as she was overtaken by a powerful orgasm that had her back arching with pleasure. Enjoying the taste of her in his mouth, he gently pulled his finger out of her shaking pussy.
“Stop teasing me…” she said, her voice charged with unbridled lust. Luca gave her a crooked smile. Staring down at her ass, he grabbed his cock. He aligned it with her entrance, desperate for release. The sensation of her wetness on his cock made him bite his lower lip. An even longer, lust-filled moan slowly escaped from Grace’s lips as her pussy engulfed his big, stiff cock. Tightly gripping her hips, Luca began to rock into her, watching the tiny drops of water that streamed down her back.
“You feel fucking incredible, Grace…” he sighed while squeezing her flesh; his long, hard thrusts quenching her desire.
“You’re amazing…” Her deep, growling moan drove him crazy with lust. He could no longer maintain a slow pace. Grace reached behind her back and grabbed him by the wrist, before looking up at him once more. With a mischievous smile on his face, Luca slid his hand down her back. His toned muscles flexed with each thrust, his cock pulsing inside her.
“That’s it!” she moaned, tightening her grip on his wrist. “Give it to me, baby. Make me come again…”
Her encouragement sounded like music to his ears. He quickened his pace, grabbing her by the hips. By now, he was rocking into her faster and harder than ever before. Drops of sweat were streaming down his brow and his rock-hard pecs, the hungry look in her eyes turning him on even further.
Grace whimpered, biting her lower lip. “I’m coming, baby!”
Luca was relieved to hear her words. He had been struggling to withhold his orgasm. Grace eased her grip on his wrist and grazed her fingers up his arm, moaning louder and deeper by the second. Before long, she wrapped them around his forearm, overwhelmed by the feel of his massive cock in her depths. Taken over by lust, Grace climaxed with bursts of orgasmic shivers, her moans resounding around the steam room. Luca would not pull out. His whole body shook as he exploded deep inside her, his grunts coming from deep down his throat. He tumbled to the floor and rolled over onto his back, exhausted and panting for breath. She flung her leg over his hip and lay on top of him, exhaling hard as she snuggled up against his chest.
“I don’t think I will ever get tired of that,” she purred into his ear, pressing her body against his gently.
“I’m dizzy,” Luca laughed. “I think the room is spinning.”
“Normally, I’d ask what else you have planned,” she smiled up at him. “But, I won’t. I’d rather the rest of the night be a surprise.”
“Oh, the rest of our lives will be full of nothing but surprises,” he said, trying to sound more confident than he felt.
“What does that mean?”
“You heard me.” Luca took a deep breath. “I don’t want us to end like this.”
“I’m afraid we don’t have much choice,” Grace whispered.
“Why is that?” he asked, as tension formed in the back of his neck.
“Let’s not do this now,” she sighed. “We’ve both had a long day. We can talk about it tomorrow. Why don’t we go grab some dinner? I’m starving.”
“Okay,” Luca nodded, afraid to push her in case she said something he didn’t want to hear. Grace was grateful he didn’t ask questions because she wasn’t ready to have the conversation.
She wasn’t ready to tell the truth.
Chapter Twenty-Two
A few hours later, after taking advantage of the huge shower, Luca and Grace left the hotel in favor of a lovely little restaurant just up the street. The owner had known Luca and his family for years and Grace didn’t miss the opportunity to ask him a few questions about the Tanners. It helped lighten the mood because, ever since they left the hotel, Luca had been far quieter than usual. However, he seemed to perk up when she asked him to take her to the Palazzo Madama e Casaforte degli Acaja, one of the most beautiful palaces in all of Northern Italy, which also happened to be home to a spectacular art collection.
They spent hours in the museum, which was kept open after hours just for them, enjoying the art collection and taking in the gorgeous architecture of the centuries old building. They wandered from floor-to-floor, holding hands and talking about the painters whose works resided there. When they finally returned to the hotel, they made love, bathed in Italian moonlight and inspired by the beauty that had surrounded them all evening.
The next morning, as he slid his hand up the sheets, Luca opened his blurry eyes with a smile. But he was confused when he realized that Grace was not in the bed next to him. He swiped the blanket away and looked around him. She was not in the room, either. He thought nothing of it at first, believing she was still somewhere in the suite. Just as he was about to get up though, Luca noticed the edge of a pink envelope under her pillow. His blood ran cold as he took it in his hands. He pulled a lengthy, tear-smudged letter out of the envelope, feeling as if his heart might explode from his chest.
My dearest Luca,
I’m sure you have sensed that there has been something I wanted to tell you these last few days, but I have been holding back. I didn’t know how to tell you at first and then… I didn’t want to. I knew it would hurt too much. It would hurt both of us. But I can’t lie to you anymore.
My name is not Grace. Grace is my sister. My real name is Aurora Brewster. I know your instinct will be to stop reading now, but please, I beg of you. Hear me out and then you can never speak to me or think of me again, if that is what you want.
My sister is an amazing woman. Smart, funny, sensitive… She sees the good in everyone. But she made a mistake. My sister is the writer, not me, and not long after she got the job with New York Register, she began an ill-advised affair with her editor. Around the time she intended to break it off, she found out she was pregnant. Her boss, who was married with children, refused to accept responsibility, so she’s been on her own ever since she told him about the baby. The only reason he didn’t fire her was because he knew she would tell everyone what had happened if he did.
Then, three weeks before Grace was scheduled to come to Moreno to interview you, something horrible happened. Grace was walking to work and as she was crossing the street, a distracted cab driver ran straight into her. It was a miracle that she, or the baby survived. She is currently in the hospital in a coma, as the doctors do everything they can to save both of them. There are no guarantees I will ever be able to speak to my sister again.
Luca, I came to Moreno to save my sister’s job, to write this huge story for her in hopes her asshole boss would hold her job for her if she ever wakes up. I never intended to fall in love with you. This wasn’t a game. It wasn’t a trap. It isn’t what I wanted. The only thing I was worried about when I left New York was taking care of my sister. And now, I can’t bear the thought of being away from you. But I have to get back to her. I have to get home. Grace needs me. And if the baby makes it, she will need me too.
I’m so sorry, Luca. I never meant for any of this happen. I never meant to hurt you. And I hope that someday, you might be able to forgive me. I hope you might be able to think of me fondly and without anger.
Because it’s the only way I will ever think of you.
You will always be the love of my life, Luca. I hope you can believe that.
Always,
Aurora
The letter slipped out of his grasp as confusion washed over him. Luca raised his hands to his face and covered his eyes, shocked to his very core. A sigh of despair fled from his lips, as he looked down at the paper through open fingers. Devastated by the truth, he dropped his face into his hands, the pain within shattering his heart. He remembered the last time he felt this hopeless, this desperate. This time, though, the woman who had taken him in her arms was not there to comfort him…
This can’t be happening, he thought. This can’t be real…
Chapter Twenty-Three
“Holy God…” Beth whispered, noticing the black circles under Aurora’s eyes, as she opened the front door to her apartment. “Jesus Christ, Aurora… You look like you’ve been through a war or something.”
“Thanks for the warm welcome,” Aurora grumbled, closing the door behind her. “What are you doing here, anyway?”
“I came over to feed Sunny,” she stated, as her friend’s calico cat sprinted across the living room. “What on earth happened to you?”
“You weren’t entirely wrong,” Aurora sighed as they hugged. “I feel like I’ve had the shit kicked out of me. By love.”
Beth laughed inadvertently. “That’s a little dramatic. You knew the guy a week. You couldn’t possible have fallen in love with him.”
“I did,” Aurora said, as she flopped down on the couch. “I really did.”
“Was he that good in bed?” Beth asked, raising an eyebrow.
“It was a lot more than just sex, Beth,” Aurora said emphatically. “Didn’t you read any of the e-mails I sent you?”
“Some of them. I thought you were exaggerating.”
“I wasn’t. It was real. It was all wonderfully real. And then, I realized I had to tell him the truth. I didn’t even have the heart to say goodbye to him. I just…” she faltered. “Left.”
“Okay, now I’m worried,” Beth laughed.
“Why?”
“Because you didn’t give me shit for calling you dramatic. That would normally result in a pillow smack.”
“I guess I don’t have the heart to do that, either,” Aurora said, her voice wobbly, as she crossed her arms over her chest. “Look, can we please talk about something else? Have you checked on Grace recently?”
“I went last night and sat with her for a while,” Beth said with a sad smile. “Her condition hasn’t changed much. But the doctors are a little more optimistic than they were last week. Her back is healing, but they are worried about her walking now. You’ll have to talk to them when you go back. But…”
“But what?” Aurora asked, sitting up nervously.
“They are talking about inducing her in the next few weeks. Which means you are going to have a baby to take care of soon.”
Aurora sunk down into the couch. She knew it was coming but she hoped she might have more time. Aurora and Grace only had each other; their parents had died years earlier. And that meant until Grace woke up, Aurora was the only family that baby had. There was no question she would do whatever she had to; she had just never considered herself ready to be a parent. Especially if, for some horrible reason, Grace never…
No, Aurora thought resolutely. I won’t even consider that.
“One step at a time. I’ll talk to the doctor tomorrow and see what the plan is. Then I’ll go from there.”
Beth reached out and squeezed Aurora’s hand. “I’m here for you, babe. You know that. And who knows? Maybe that king guy will ride up on a white horse and take you both away from all of this.”
Aurora laughed, but then her laughter turned to tears. The first real tears she had cried since she left Moreno. “I miss him, Beth. I miss him already.”
“Oh, my goodness…” Beth whispered. Wrapping her arms around her friend, she pulled her closer. “It’s going to be alright, sweetheart. You’ll see.”
“No, Beth,” Aurora disagreed. “It’s not. Exactly, how is it going to be alright? I may have a baby to raise on my own in a few days, I don’t know if my sister is ever going to wake up, and the man that I love lives across the ocean. Not to mention he’s going to hate me for lying to him.”
“Well…” Beth sighed. “If he really is the man you’ve described to me, he’s not going to hate you. In fact, I think he’s going to love you even more.”
“I looked him dead in the eye and I lied to him,” Aurora said, her voice shaky. “Why in the hell would he?”
“Because you had to,” she said, soothingly. “You had to make sure your sister had a chance at keeping her job. You did it for your family.”
“That doesn’t make me feel any better,” Aurora sniffled.
“Do you have a picture of him?” Beth asked, trying to distract Aurora from her tears.
Aurora pulled her cell phone out of her coat pocket and handed it over to her.
“Wow…” she laughed, swiping the screen. “Oh, my… The guy is totally ripped. Look at those abs. Look at that chest. And those eyes? Okay, get it out of my sight. Quick,” Beth added, shutting her eyes as she returned the phone to Aurora.
“Beth, what’s the matter?” Aurora asked her friend curiously.
“I’m sorry, okay?” Beth said quickly. “I just don’t want to start imagining things that might piss you off.”
Aurora cracked a smile.
“Now that’s what I like to see,” Beth said. “Why don’t we go get some nice greasy pizza and cold beer and forget about anything but stuffing our faces for a few hours?
“Thanks for that, darling. I needed it,” Aurora chuckled. “Sure. Let’s go.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Back in Moreno, Luca was still trying to wrap his head around what had transpired. He could understand Aurora’s motives. He wasn’t a monster. But he couldn’t let go of the fact that she had lied to him. And it wasn’t a small lie; it was the biggest lie of all. Everything she had said to him from the moment she walked through the door had been some version of that initial falsehood. How could he believe her feelings were real?
He didn’t want to admit he had fallen for Aurora, but he had. It wasn’t her name or her job that he had grown so fond of; it was her personality, her sweet spirit. She couldn’t have been lying about that…
Could she?
Not long after he had arrived back at his castle, as he crossed his rose garden, he saw a familiar face waiting by the front doors. It was Elle, all dressed up and in a very good mood.
“Bonjour!” she chirped. “How are you? Where’s Grace?”
“Grace…” he murmured, a sad smile spreading across his face. “I’m sorry, Elle. Grace was never here.”
“Pardon?” She squinted at him. He didn’t answer her question. Instead, he pulled Aurora’s letter out of his coat pocket and handed it to her.
“Just read the first paragraph,” he urged. Within seconds, Elle opened her eyes wide in disbelief.
“Aurora?” she said. “Her sister?”
“I thought you two were close,” Luca muttered. “Didn’t you know?”
“I knew she had a sister. But I never could have guessed this. I never saw many pictures of Grace, but what I did see, well… they could be twins. I’m so sorry, Luca,” she said as she put the letter back in his hand. “Where is she?”
“She left this morning.”
“Mon dieu!” Elle covered her mouth with her hand. “Without saying goodbye?”
He nodded.
“And what are you going to do?” It was the question he had been dreading. Luca clenched his jaw and looked down at his feet.
“I don’t know,” he sighed. “It was complicated before, but now… I think it’s impossible situation.”
“What do you mean?” He didn’t have the energy to go through all of this again, but Grace was Elle’s friend; she had a right to know what h
ad happened to her. He told her everything Aurora had said about Grace’s accident and Elle was horrified.
“It’s such a terrible situation,” Luca said. “Do I want to be with Aurora? Of course I do. But she needs to take care of her family right now. It’s selfish of me to ask her to come here. I obviously can’t go there. What answer is there?”
“It is indeed a complicated situation, my love,” she sighed. “But, I think you should try. Anyway, thank you for letting me know. I need to speak to Bax’s pilot. Excuse me.”
“You’re going to the States?” he inquired, surprised.
“Grace is my friend. I want to be there when she wakes up. If I were you, I would be there already. You say you love Aurora? Prove it now.”
“And how am I supposed to do that?” he wondered out loud, a hint of sarcasm in his voice as he folded his arms across his chest.
“She ran away because she thought you wouldn’t understand,” Elle replied. “Go to her and tell her you do. You may not have all of the answers right now, but you understand. That might be all she needs right now.”
“I don’t have any of the answers,” Luca said in a panic. “I don’t know how to help her, or how to make this work, especially if she needs to care for a child and her sister? How do I help with that from here?”
“Luca, you idiot,” she yelled. “You just need to be there for her. The answers will come with time.”
“You make it sound so simple.”
Elle took his hand in her own. “That’s because it is.”
Unable to come up with a rebuttal, he remained silent, breathing deeply as he closed his eyes.
“I can understand your dilemma,” Elle said kindly. “Her priorities may have to change. There is no question about that. But your priorities can change together. Isn’t that what being in love is all about? Think about it. Don’t let it end here, Luca. For both of your sakes.”
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