by L. M Anthony
I drew myself out slowly and then slid back into her. My body jerked, wanting to move faster to chase the heat that was enveloping her, but I pushed the desire back. There was no way I was going to hurt Laura.
We set a slow pace as fire slowly built up around us. Laura was so incredibly expressive, her head tossing and her body jerking with each thrust, and it occurred to me that we were both too desperate the first time for me to truly appreciate her reactions. Now I watched her, and it made everything feel so much hotter as I watched her eyes darkening with lust while she bit her bottom lip, small whines and gasps escaping her with every movement. The sounds shot straight through me, making my heart thump and my cock twitch.
Before long, I felt my groin tighten. I shifted again, and finally scored when I struck a spot that had Laura crying out, her body arching off the bed and her eyes wide. I thrust into her three more times, striking that spot each time and, finally, her body tensed and shook. The feeling was enough to draw me over the edge, too, and my vision momentarily went blank as my orgasm hit me.
When it was over, I pulled out of Laura and rolled down to collapse beside her, panting. Laura was gulping in deep breaths, and she looked over at me with a light laugh, her eyes warm.
“That was amazing,” she said.
I smiled at her, pleased that she felt so good about it. A niggling thought in the back of my mind reminded me that I may not have this for much longer, but I pushed it away, doing my best to ignore it. Right then and there, I made my decision.
I would wait for Laura to come to me. For whatever reason, she hadn’t told me what day she was leaving, and, as hard it was, I would wait for her to do so. Until that moment, I would take all the time I could with her so that we both had amazing memories to draw on.
I closed my eyes. And maybe, if I was lucky, we would be able to continue making memories after she left, too.
Chapter Fifteen
Before I knew it, several days had passed. An invitation to the Lecce Gala Dinner was sitting in my inbox, where it had been for several weeks in order to remind me of the upcoming event, but I had still managed to forget about it entirely as I focused on Laura. Luckily, a reminder message was sent around to all attendees.
I frowned as I looked at it. When I had accepted the invitation, I had expected to go on my own. But things were different now that I had Laura here. Would she even want to go to something like this? It was a function where many powerful business owners would meet and discuss opportunities and even alliances. I couldn’t imagine Laura being interested in anything like that.
On the other hand, I wanted to take her. Going to this function would give Laura a look into my world. I was interested to know how she would take it. Would it scare her away? Or would she be able to accept it?
So far, Laura had settled in admirably, despite her obvious misgivings at the start. She had become fast friends with Chiara, and I knew that Gabriel was fond of her, often turning the other way when Chiara and Laura pinched snacks from the kitchen. It was funny how one person could change a household so much. Everything felt lighter with Laura around, and everyone laughed far more readily.
But what did Laura actually think about everything? The Lecce Gala Dinner would give me the opportunity to see how Laura reacted to such a huge part of my life. I knew it could be the breaking point between us, but I wasn’t going to hide this side of my life. If Laura wanted to be with me, she needed to accept that I was part of a large, formal world right now.
Despite my determination to put this point across to Laura, I felt unaccountably nervous as I sat down across from her at dinner a few nights before the function, trying to think about how I would ask her to come with me. I desperately wanted her to say that she would, but I knew that there was a chance she wouldn’t want to go. It wouldn’t be the most exciting night for her, after all.
“Is everything alright?” Laura asked, regarding me curiously. “You’re a bit… twitchy.”
“Yeah,” I assured her. “Just…” I screwed up my courage and sat up straight. “There’s a business dinner coming up. I wanted to know if you would come with me.”
“Business dinner?” Laura asked, blinking. “What for?”
“It’s a big gala where large business owners come together,” I explained. “Mostly, we just meet like-minded people and discuss our biggest achievements of the year. This year, it’s going to be here in Lecce, under my recommendation.”
I hadn’t expected Laura to jump up and down with excitement at the idea, but I also hadn’t expected the expression of nervous apprehension that crossed her face. Her shoulders tensed, and she looked down at the table for a moment. She was definitely going to say no, and I prepared myself to reassure her that it was fine.
Then she looked up and nodded.
“I’ll come with you,” she said.
I stared. It was obvious that this wasn’t something she was comfortable with. A warm feeling curled in my stomach at the realization that she wanted to go because she knew this was something that was important to me.
Still…
“Are you sure?” I asked slowly. “If you don’t want to come, it’s fine. I would understand.”
A conflicted expression crossed her face. Then her shoulders rose and she shook her head firmly.
“I want to go with you,” she said, making a brave attempt to give me a strong smile that shook at the edges revealing her nerves. This was something huge for her; she was putting herself in an unfamiliar situation in a world she knew next to nothing about. I fell for her just a little more at that moment. “Where is it being held?”
“The Pinacoteca d’Arte Francescana,” I said.
Her face lit up.
“The art gallery?” she asked eagerly. “I wanted to go there.”
“We might not have much time to look around,” I cautioned. “But it is a beautiful place.” I smiled, warming up to the idea now that she had shown some excitement for the event as I waved my fork in the air. “It was founded in 1968 by Father Egidio De Tommaso. He wanted to preserve and promote the artwork of the region, and so built the museum. It isn’t as large as, say, the Louvre, but it has some amazing artwork that has been well-cared for over the years.”
It occurred to me that I was telling Laura information she probably already knew. She had already proven that she had done her own research on the various buildings of Lecce before she arrived. However, it was worth it to see her nervousness fade as a look of fondness crossed her face while she watched me ramble on.
I just hoped that the night went as well as I wanted it to and that I didn’t end up either chasing her away or turning Laura into a woman obsessed with my wealth.
***
Wanting to do something special for Laura, I spent much of the day before the function exploring some of the more expensive boutiques in Lecce, looking for the perfect dress while she thought I was meeting some business associates. Eventually, I found it; a beautiful long blue gown by Dolce and Gabbana. As soon as I saw it, I could imagine Laura in it. Not even looking at the price (Laura was worth any price), I paid for it and snuck it home, handing it over to Pietro so he could take it upstairs for me.
On the morning of the function, feeling unusually nervous, I took the dress out of my cupboard and headed to her room where she was getting ready. More often than not, in the last week, we had fallen asleep curled around each other in my bed, so the room I had given her when she first arrived was mainly for show and to hold her luggage at this point.
“Hi,” I said when she opened the door at my knock. She was clad in nothing by a large fluffy towel wrapped around her body, her hair falling in wet strands around her face. Heat pooled in my groin at the sight, and I tore my eyes away from where the towel was dipping slightly lower on her cleavage. I cleared my throat. “I bought you this.”
“A dress?” she asked, taking the dress bag I held out, frowning. She slowly opened the zipper. “I have…”
She trailed off with a sharp
gasp, staring at the dress. The folds of the dress fell lightly around the fitted underskirt, and the material sparkled faintly in the sunlight. The neckline dipped gently, designed to be elegant rather than provocative. It suited Laura to the ground.
Her eyes, however, were locked on the tag still on the dress. I had taken the price off, not wanting her to know exactly how much I spent on it, but she obviously still recognized the brand.
“D-Dolce and Gabbana?” she squeaked.
“You know the brand?” I asked.
“Know them?” She barely seemed to be breathing. “It’s one of the most luxurious brands in the world, and the company is worth millions! Most would be lucky to ever see one of these dresses, let alone buy one!”
So, she obviously knew the dress was expensive. I wasn’t sure if she would be upset about that when her shock faded, but I wanted to nip it before there was a problem.
“Laura,” I said, and she stared at me with wild eyes. “I have money, and there’s not much I can do with it other than spend it on others or give it to charity. I know you might think this is too much, but giving you a dress that can make you feel as beautiful as you are is far more precious to me.” I gave her a wry smile. “Besides, I’ve already bought it. I can’t exactly wear it.”
Laura snorted at the mental image that must have brought up.
“It really is too much,” she said, but she no longer looked like she was about to question my sanity. She looked between me and the dress, her eyes still uncertain. “Are you sure?”
“I’m sure,” I said firmly. “I want you to have it.”
Hesitantly, Laura reached out and took the bag, handling it as thought it was a precious stone. She swallowed and looked up at me, her eyes shining.
“Thank you,” she said with deep sincerity.
She leaned up and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to my lips. When she pulled back, her smile had turned giddy as she draped the dress over her arm carefully. Then she retreated into the room and snapped the door closed.
Pleased, and feeling like I had done something right, I made my way downstairs. Despite my previous misgivings, things were going quite well.
***
When Laura came down the stairs, I stopped and stared for a moment, struggling to regain my thoughts. Laura flushed under my scrutiny and shifted uncomfortably.
“You look beautiful,” I said when I had found my voice.
Apparently, deciding that the dress was decadent enough, Laura was only wearing a pair of diamond dot earrings and a simply bangle. Her make up was done tastefully. Even while wearing a dress that cost more than many people made in a week, she still managed to look down-to-earth.
“Thanks,” she said, her smile shy. “Are we ready to go?”
“Yes,” I said, offering her my arm. She giggled as she took it.
Somehow, Laura looked far more confident now than she had before. It made me glad that she had relaxed so much, and I hoped that she would manage to have a good time tonight.
I steeled myself and led her toward the garage. Somehow, I was sure the night would go well.
Chapter Sixteen
It wasn’t a huge function, but I felt Laura falter slightly as she entered the room and saw all the impeccably dressed people present. She was dressed just as well (and expensively) as any of them tonight, but her natural inclination to shy away from a situation she didn’t feel she belonged in was obviously making her pause. Then, she rallied herself, wrapped an arm around my elbow, and allowed me to lead her into the room. I pulled her securely against my side in response.
I had hoped to make a lap of the room and show Laura some of the artwork displayed in the function room. Almost immediately, however, I was accosted by An Zhao; if I had to say I had any rival within my field, it would be with An, who was the largest seller in China of Baiju, a grain-distilled wine that was very popular in that country. It made it difficult to find a large market there for my company.
Despite this, I got along very well with An. He understood many of the dramas associated with running a company that makes a popular drink, and we’d passed advice between us before. I straightened my shoulders when I saw him, well aware of the eyes that were already glancing our way.
“An,” I greeted him, shaking his hand warmly. “How are you?”
“Very well,” An said with a large smile. “It is good to see you here, Matteo. I did not think I would see you tonight after how busy you have been overseas recently.”
It seemed that news of my ventures in America has already been spreading. It didn’t surprise me; I sometimes felt like the entire business world was just one large gossip club.
“The gala is within my home city,” I said, amused. “It would be worse for me not to show up.”
“True,” An said with a hearty laugh. A tall and thin man, An was one of those people who had a smile for everything and could cheer up a room just by being in it. “And who is your companion?’
I felt Laura start at being noticed, and I smiled reassuringly at her. Seeing how nervous she was, I decided not to point out how many people were curious about her identity since she had come with me, someone who was notorious for showing up alone. Even when I was with Martina, I rarely brought her to events like this, and she had no interest in attending them.
It was why I was so pleased that Laura had chosen to come with me. Even if the night bored her, even if she was anxious, she had chosen to witness some small part of my world. In response, I had sworn to make sure she was as comfortable as possible throughout the night and to leave at the slightest hint that she didn’t want to be there anymore.
“This is Laura,” I said. I paused. How was I meant to introduce her? Neither of us had spoken about how to define our relationship, and we still had Laura’s impending departure hanging over us.
Then Laura leaned forward and held out her hand.
“It’s good to meet you,” she said. “I’m Matteo’s girlfriend.”
My heart thumped and I felt a flush of warmth that had nothing to do with the heaters. I forced myself to remain still, smiling as though this wasn’t new, while internally, butterflies were flapping crazily inside my stomach.
“Very nice,” An said, taking Laura’s hand in both of his. “A pleasure to meet a woman who can keep this man in line. I am An Zhao.”
He released Laura’s hands and beamed at us, genuinely pleased. I knew there would be some who would hear the news and wonder how this would affect my working relationship with them. With An, however, I had no doubt that he was thrilled that I had found someone.
“I will leave you to continue on,” An said. “I see there are others looking for your attention as well. I will talk to you later, my friend.”
He clapped me on the shoulder and wandered off. I wanted to look at Laura, to see how she had taken what had just happened, but An’s place was immediately taken by Adalene Vigier. This was a woman I knew very well; she ran the French side of my company. It surprised me to see her here, though. I hadn’t known any of my employees would be here tonight.
If I had thought any of them would be here, though, it would have been Adalene. Tall and strikingly beautiful, Adalene was the type of stern woman that had very high ambitions. In the darker moments when I considered allowing someone else to take over the company, her name was always on the top of the list of possible candidates.
From the look on her face, she wanted to talk business. I straightened automatically as she stepped in front of me, not even glancing at Laura.
“Good evening, Adalene,” I said.
“Good evening,” Adalene said with a short incline of her head. “Have you had a chance to look at our mutual problem?”
I cast my mind back. Last night, I had put my work down earlier, too nervous about the function to do anything other than crawl into bed with Laura, trying to convince myself that nothing would change. I had, however, read some emails from Adalene before then; she had run into trouble with some of the suppliers. She had
found them to be in violation of our contracts as a result of her investigation into the problem and had immediately contacted me to provide her with the number for a new supplier, leaving me to deal with the old group. I hadn’t yet dealt with that, but I had sent her a few options to chase up today.
“Not yet,” I confessed. “How has the search for new suppliers gone?”
“Very well,” Adalene said. It was hard to tell if she was upset that I hadn’t sorted the problem out yet. “I have contacted several and decided on a trustworthy group who is giving us a good deal on their import and export costs.”
“That’s good news,” I said. “The contract has been drawn up?”
“Of course,” she said, just short of scoffing. “It will be delivered to you within the next two days.”
“Thank you,” I said with a nod.
Adalene nodded back and left, walking with purpose toward someone else. I fell back for a moment then, taking a deep breath and glancing at Laura out of the corner of my eye.
She was watching me. I had felt the prickle of her intense gaze the entire time I had spoken to Adalene, and half of me had wondered if she was jealous. The look on her face, however, was oddly heated. There was a small smile on her lips, and she had stepped closer to me, the curve of her hips pressing against my side.
I didn’t have time to decipher her expression before I saw someone else coming toward me. But, as the night slowly passed, I felt her watching me the entire time, smiling in the right places and greeting those who noticed her, but otherwise, simply staring quietly at me.
Yet, it wasn’t unnerving. There was nothing in her eyes that said she was upset, bored or, god forbid, malicious. She was just watching with an odd mixture of interest, fondness and bemusement at everything.
I drew a deep breath and tried to ignore it, despite the way that my body was starting to perk up in interest at the attention. I would just get through this function. And then, maybe, Laura would tell me what she was finding so fascinating.