“Why? I mean if you want time off, why not take it for yourself? Life’s too short Tom. You should enjoy it. I never wanted to wait until I retired to take time for myself. Vacations are much more fun when you’re able to get around without your wheelchair.” Tess grinned, thinking about JC.
“It’s not that easy sometimes. Anyway, enough about work. How was shopping?”
“Great!” She cupped her boobs. “Still the same, no changes. I’m teasing. I had a great time.” Tess handed him back his change, kissing his cheek. “Thanks for taking me shopping. Lisa mentioned something about the four of us going to dinner.”
“Yep. You don’t mind, do you, Tess? I have plans for us in a few days, but I like spending time with them. We don’t get to see each other very often.”
“No, I don’t mind at all. I like them. They seem normal. Kind of like you.”
“Are you going to show me what you bought?” he asked in a wishful sort of way.
“Nope, maybe later,” she yawned.
Tom wrapped his arms around Tess and they both fell asleep.
Later that evening, Tess was about to slip into her black strapless dress. She could feel Tom watching her from the bedroom.
“You’re not really going to put that dress on, are you?” Tom sauntered into the bathroom and stood behind her.
“What’s wrong with the dress?”
Peering into the mirror, he wrapped his arms around her, skimming over her abs and dipping his fingers into her panties. “I like the dress. However, I love your new black lace thong and the heels, too. I’m so used to seeing you naked, I didn’t realize how good you’d look like this.”
“You’re going to have to hold that thought. We’re already late.” Tilting her head to the side, she smooched his neck.
“I will.” Tom teased, slipping the dress over her head and zipping the side as he fondled her breasts.
“Thanks.”
“My pleasure.”
Tess loved the way Tom looked that night in casual dark jeans and a light gray sweater. They enjoyed a scrumptious dinner at a quaint, romantic Italian restaurant. She had never eaten authentic Italian food before, and the wine from a local vineyard was the best she’d ever tasted. It had been a long time since she’d been on a date with another couple and Tess had a great evening. All of them had a passion for skiing, so they laughed and joked and shared their best stories.
Returning to the villa, Tom and Tess said goodnight, then meandered back to the guesthouse. “They like you,” Tom said.
“I like them, too. They’re gorgeous together.”
“That’s funny. Lisa said the same thing about us.”
“Thanks for bringing me here.” Tess let out a big yawn.
“Sleepy?”
“I think it’s all the wine. Maybe the pasta too, but yes, I am tired.”
Tom lay next to her propped up on his elbow, touching the outline of her body with his fingertips.
Tess drifted off. The next time she opened her eyes, Tom lay in the same position, staring at her and gently tracing her curves.
“Morning. Sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep.” She slid her leg around his waist.
“You don’t need to apologize to me. I knew you were tired. I have to run an errand. When I get back we’re going to have some fun today.”
“Do I have time to go run?”
“Yep.” He grinned ear-to-ear.
Tess knew he liked to surprise her, so she wouldn’t ask where they were going. She threw her hair in a pony and walked over to the villa. The sweet aroma of muffins filled the kitchen.
“Morning, Tess. Are you hungry?”
“Morning. I’m going to go for a run before I eat. Is there a good direction to go or a trail I can take?”
Lisa smiled her wicked little smile, “Tess, you go down the second hall to the last door on the right. If you can give me five minutes, I’ll work out with you.”
“Sure. I’m going to see if I can get a hold of John first. I’ll be back as soon as I’m off the phone.”
Tess went back to the guesthouse to call John, dialing the house phone first. It rang and rang, so she started to leave a message, but he picked up.
“Mom! Hey, hold on. Let me turn the machine off. What’s going on? I can’t wait to talk to you.”
“I wanted to call you again. Did you get my message?”
“Yes, I’ve talked to Tracy and JC, too. So…you’re in Italy with Tom Clemmins?” he taunted. “I don’t know what to say. I knew you’d call me back and I had fifty questions to ask you, but I just can’t believe you’re with him.”
“You mean because he’s Tom Clemmins or because I’m with a man?”
“Well, both, I guess. The girls told me the whole story of how you met, and JC forwarded me some pictures of you with him and with Benny and Lisa Levi. Is she as gorgeous in real life as she is in the movies?” His voice full of envy.
“She’s prettier actually and they’re very nice, too.” Tess chuckled.
“I miss you, Mom. You sound great! So where are you anyway?”
“Somewhere in Tuscany. I’m not sure exactly. I’d have to look at a map. I miss you, too.”
“Sure you do. Do you want me to pick the girls up at the airport?”
“I should be home by then. Tom cancelled my flight, so I’m not sure when I get home.”
“Do you think maybe you could get me Lisa Levi’s autograph?”
“Sure, I’ll try.” Tess laughed.
“I don’t want to upset you, Mom, but how did it go with Dad? Do you feel better?”
“It went perfect. It couldn’t have been a more beautiful spot. I’m happy with my decision.”
“Dad would’ve wanted to be there. All right, my friends just walked in the door and they’re standing here staring at me.”
His friends yelled in the background. “Hi Mom!”
“Mom, promise me you’ll be careful with this guy. Have fun, but be cautious, okay?”
“I will. I promise, but I don’t need to be careful John. He’s wonderful. And tell your friends hi for me.”
Lisa was waiting for Tess when she returned to the villa. “Holy crap! This is an entire gym. I expected a tread mill.” The gym came complete with every weight machine imaginable. Two bikes, two treadmills, two elliptical machines and a flat screen TV with surround sound.
Lisa smiled. “What’s your favorite?”
“I like to run, but I do Pilates, kick boxing, yoga.”
“I usually spin. Do you want to box after?”
Tess got the feeling she missed something by the haughty smirk covering Lisa’s face, but she agreed. “Sure.”
After they finished their cardio, Lisa asked, “Do you do the Wii?”
“I know what the Wii is, but I’ve never played it.”
“Do you want to try it?” Lisa flashed her devious grin.
Shrugging off the distinct feeling she was about to get pummeled “Don’t kick my ass too bad.”
Lisa snickered, giving her instruction. Tess began to get the hang of it, but Lisa had done this before, a lot. Tess was down two rounds, and covered in sweat from the intense workout. They were getting ready to start another round. Tess had caught up and Lisa wasn’t very happy about it, mumbling something about, Sure you’ve never played.
Tess noticed Tom and Benny standing at the doorway. Tess smiled at Tom, motioning him to come into the room. She raised her eyebrows, holding her fists up in the boxing position. “Come on in, Tom. You wanna play?”
Tom and Benny laughed their asses off. “I don’t think so,” Tom said.
Tess motioned to him again, laughing aloud while he shook his head no.
Lisa waited impatiently. “Let’s go, sweet cheeks.”
Tess couldn’t quit giggling while trying to finish their last round. Lisa beat Tess and jumped up and down like Rocky, thrilled to have won. Tess recognized right away Lisa was extremely competitive.
“I knew you were going to kick
my ass. I could see it written all over your face. You totally set me up!”
Lisa huffed. “I thought I might lose for a minute there at the end.”
Benny chimed in. “Tess, if I would’ve known she was bringing you in here, I would’ve warned you. Seriously! I hate to play with her because if I win, she gets so mad. But I usually lose, which is even worse because then I have to listen to her gloat for days.”
It felt wonderful to laugh so much. Tess thoroughly enjoyed her new friends.
Heading back to the guesthouse, Tom flipped her ponytail through his fingers. “I liked watching you box, Tess. I had no idea you worked out like that. Very impressive.”
He made her feel on top of the world when he complimented her. “Lisa’s pretty good.”
Tom narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “You let her win didn’t you?”
Tess chuckled.
“You did let her win!”
“Please don’t tell her. Don’t tell Benny either. He’d probably rat me out one day when she was kicking his ass at boxing.”
“That’s awfully nice of you to take the loss.”
“Yeah, well I sure as hell don’t want her mad at me. She would’ve been pissed if I’d beaten her.”
Tom watched her step into the shower.
“Are you getting in here with me?”
“Nope. Not yet.”
Tess showered, dried her hair and did her make-up. She threw on dark jeans with a white shirt and a pair of cute wedges.
“I like your outfits.”
“Thanks. This extremely attractive man bought them for me.” She kissed him appreciatively.
“Let’s go,” Tom scoffed.
The peaceful ride put Tess at ease. She stared in awe out the car window. The landscape appeared as if it came straight out of the pages of a fairytale. Several art galleries and shops offering gourmet foods, wine and cheese lined the streets. Tess loved the paper mache masks adorning the windows of one of the specialty shops. The dramatic dark green, red, purple, and gold masks resembled exquisite theater masks.
An abundance of historical richness filled the small village. Friendly locals came with their own special blend of character, too. People recognized Tom, but only waved, calling out, “Hey, Tommy!” in their Italian accents. Tess chuckled every time.
Tom and Tess spent the day at a charming vineyard, tasting delicious wines, warm bread, and scrumptious cheese. They held hands and meandered through the grounds, admiring perfectly aligned rows of vines covered with flawless grapes.
Tom arranged an early dinner in a cellar of the winery. Tess was blown away by the ambient scent of earthy spices mixed with a smoky hint of oak exuding from the dimly lit cellar. Stone covered the walls, curving into a barrel arch ceiling and bottles of wine wrapped an entire wall at the far end of the room. Dinner tasted delectable and the wine was by far the best she had ever had.
They left the vineyard driving on a quiet dirt road, zigzagging their way to the top of a hill where a modest villa waited for them.
“Where are we?”
“We’re staying here tonight. It’s an old farmhouse turned into a bed and breakfast and supposed to be great for watching sunsets. We only have a few minutes.” Tom held a bottle of wine in his hand and handed her two glasses to carry. He clutched her other hand, quickly heading up the spiral staircase leading to the rooftop overlooking the valleys below.
They cuddled on a gliding loveseat, watching the sunset in silence. Low misty clouds came in and lay between the valleys of each rolling hill below. As the sky darkened, villas dotting the hillsides came to life as twinkles of light cast out from their windows.
“This is one of the most beautiful moments I’ve ever experienced. Top ten for sure,” she said in a soft voice. “It’s mystical, like a fairytale.”
“Tess?”
“Umm hum.”
“You know the other morning when we were playing rock band?”
“What about it?”
“You said to me, ‘I can’t believe you don’t have kids’.”
“I remember.” She tilted her head, searching his eyes as he stared past her.
He sighed, furrowing his brows deeply. “I can’t have kids, Tess.”
Her brows creased, making the same frown. “I’m sorry, Tom.”
“Me too, sometimes,” he replied despondently, avoiding her gaze.
Her heart ached with sadness. Tess rose to her feet and stood behind him, tenderly running her hands through his hair, massaging his neck and shoulders.
“I’ve wanted to tell you for a while, since the day on the boat when you said goodbye to Richard. I felt such a strong urge to confide in you, but I couldn’t make myself. I wanted you to know that day that I understood a little bit of the pain you were feeling.”
“I’m so sorry, Tom, I had no idea.” Tears stung her warm cheeks, sensing the hallow affliction hidden in his heart.
“I haven’t had anyone close to me die, but for a long time and still sometimes now, it feels that way. Like I’ve lost someone or as if somebody has stole something away from me.”
“Have you always wanted kids?” she asked poignantly.
“Maybe when I was younger. All these people around me were having kids and I couldn’t. When I was in my thirties, I started drinking too much because I was angry and frustrated. I didn’t know how to handle my emotions. When Benny and I were making our first film together, I got drunk one night and I told him I couldn’t have kids. I didn’t even remember my liquor induced confession, but he did and we’ve been like brothers ever since. Benny helped me through a lot of shit back then. He forced me deal with my anger and resentment. He helped me try to make sense of it. Benny and Lisa are the only people who know. I’ve never told anyone else.”
“Does it bother you that I have kids, Tom?” Tess knew this hurt him deeply.
“No.” He chuckled softly, tugging on her fingers so she would sit beside him again. “I like the fact you have kids. I like everything about you.” He gazed into her eyes. “Do you remember when you asked me if I believe everything happens for a reason?”
“I do.”
“Good or bad?”
“I remember. I’m not a very religious person. I think some people refer to it as His plan. I prefer to think of it more as luck or fate or destiny. It makes more sense to me if I look at it that way,” Tess said sorrowfully. “That’s how I had to look at it when Richard died. I was lucky to have him as long as I did, but for some reason, he had to go.”
“I felt like I had been ripped off, short changed. You know what I mean? Why me? I had so much going for me except this huge flaw. Why wasn’t I supposed to have kids? Was there something wrong with me? Would I have even been a good father? You know, all those inner demons that feed off your insecurities. I definitely had my share when I was younger. I’d date women and within a week, they were hearing wedding bells and wanting babies. I wasn’t even sure if I liked them yet. It seemed like everyone around me was either having babies or wanting babies. Women just did not want the right things from me. I couldn’t deal with it. It used to freak me out. I couldn’t wrap my head around it. I think that’s why I never wanted to get married.”
She nodded trying to understand his pain and hurting.
“Benny told me those exact words, ‘Everything happens for a reason Tommy, good or bad’,” Tom said quietly. “It helped me see things in a different light. For whatever reason, kids weren’t in the cards for me.”
Tess affectionately placed her hands on his face. “You are not flawed. Some things just aren’t meant to be. I know you would’ve made a great father.”
“I think so, too. I can tell you’re a good mom. I haven’t even seen you with your kids, but your girls seem crazy about you.”
“Well, I’d like to think I’m a good mom, but they sure as hell didn’t come with instructions or a manual. Most of the time, I felt like I was doing a great job, but other times I felt like a complete failure. It’s not easy r
aising kids into fun, responsible, well-rounded adults. It’s a lot of work, and you never know if the decisions you make are the right ones.”
“I can’t picture you being a failure at anything. Did you enjoy staying home with your kids?”
“It was a difficult adjustment for me. Even though I’ve been lucky enough to be home with my kids, I don’t want that to be what defines me as a woman. I’d like to think there’s more to me than being a mom. Right now I’m just not sure what that’s supposed to be,” she said softly.
“Oh, I think there’s a lot more to you than being a mom.” Tom slipped his finger into her shirt, skimming the lace on her bra.
“I hope there’s more to me than that, too,” she smirked.
“I’m teasing you, Tess. You have a lot of good in you. You’re a strong woman, but very playful, and you’ve been very passionate with me. The last three weeks have been more than I ever expected. I’ve never met anyone like you.”
“I don’t remember being quite this passionate ever. Seriously, you drive me crazy,” Tess admitted.
“I feel the same way,” Tom agreed.
“Speaking of that, you said we’re staying here tonight?”
“Yes, we are.”
“Are all my things miraculously here already?”
“They’re in the trunk of the car.” He grinned immensely.
“Oh, man, did you pack my stuff?” She hoped to surprise him with the lingerie she bought.
“As soon as Lisa found out we were coming here she gave me strict instructions. ‘Don’t touch or even think about peeking into a white bag with pink ribbon on it.’”
“You didn’t peek did you?”
“Nope. I wanted to though. I’ll get our things from the car for you.”
Tess reached for his hand. “Hey, Tom, thanks for sharing that with me tonight. It means a great deal to me that you trust me.”
They smiled at each other as he repeated the words she said to him earlier. “If I’ve trusted you enough to give you my body for the last three weeks, don’t you think I should trust you with this?”
Tom retrieved their things from the car. After rinsing off in the shower, Tess stared into the mirror nervously adjusting her boobs and panties, wanting to look perfect in her skimpy midnight blue negligee. It seemed silly because Tom had already seen every inch of her body, but she wanted to impress him.
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