The House by the Cypress Trees
Page 17
“Now I have to buy you something.”
“I was hoping you’d say that. I’m dying for one of those truffles.” He pointed at the window.
They bought gold and silver chocolates and ate them in a small piazza as they watched tourists. Later, as the evening crowds thinned and the tourist buses left the city and the stones cooled, they took pictures of the churches in the evening light. They climbed the Duomo again to see the sunset from the top, and a young honeymoon couple from Hungary, staying in the city for the week, took a picture of them together.
They went to dinner, feasting on a luscious Florentine steak in a restaurant set in the dark basement of a four-hundred-year-old building. Julia shivered at the image of whatever it was that the building used to contain in the dark crypt that even now struggled to stay lit with hundreds of ornate lights.
“Thank you,” Julia said, lifting her glass of wine for a toast. “It’s been an incredible day, truly.”
“An incredible twenty-four hours.” Daniel lifted his glass to meet hers.
“Yes, it has. I haven’t had this much fun in years.”
“I’ve never had this much fun,” Daniel said. “Thank you for making my life more exciting.”
“More crazy, you mean. Distracting.”
“My family loves you.”
Julia shut her eyes, then opened them again. This wasn’t what she’d expected to hear. But how stupid of her. “Your family?”
“Yes, they’re so grateful for what you’ve done for Mia. I don’t know if we can ever put it into words how much it means to all of us.”
Julia wished he would. She only wanted one person to put it into words. “It’s unnecessary to thank me,” she said. “I’m so happy I could do this little thing to cheer her up. I’d do anything if I could make her better.”
They sat in silence for a while. The ache in Julia’s heart became stronger, until she felt she would break into pieces if she continued to sit quietly next to him, their hearts beating in sync.
“Don’t you have a presentation to prepare for tomorrow? We should get going.”
“I worked on it yesterday. It’s fine.”
“How long will you be gone to Rome?”
“Will you miss me? I’ll be back tomorrow night.” Daniel searched her face.
Perhaps she shouldn’t wait for him to return from Rome. There was no point in torturing herself like this. “Tomorrow is probably a good day for me to leave, Daniel. I should go and finally find my mother.”
“How about this—wait for me tomorrow, and then we go find her together the day after?”
“You have time for this?”
“Why not? I’m on holiday. Mia is all better. No one needs me that much around here. If you don’t mind.”
“I don’t mind. But Daniel, about this thing between us—” She looked down. How could she tell him how much he was beginning to mean to her? How much she would miss him when she had to return home. How much of her heart she had already given him. Yet she was sure she meant little to him. Only a temporary girlfriend, vacation entertainment for him.
He took hold of her fingers and stroked them. “Julia, don’t look like this. I know what you mean. You are worried. I haven’t, in the past, been known to be the best at relationships, but I can’t help falling for you. If you’d like to give it a chance, whatever it is that’s building between us, I’d really like that.”
She squeezed his fingers. How did she feel about this? Did he say he couldn’t help falling for her? So she was not a temporary girlfriend. She trembled with joy, wanting to tell him more about how she felt, but afraid, so afraid. “I’m not sure either what it is that’s building between us. And you are right. I’m so worried, because I keep thinking it’s just a vacation thing. But I also know how I feel when we are together, and I want to feel that way all the time.”
He brought her hands to his lips and kissed them. “Should we try it then? Give us a go?”
“We shouldn’t.” She smiled, shy suddenly. “But I want to, I really do.”
“Do you want to get out of here?” he asked.
“I thought you’d never ask. Take me back. We need sleep.” She got up, stretching.
He smiled and kissed her fingers again, his eyes dancing with mischief. “Who said anything about sleep?”
Chapter 23
They spoke little on the drive back, things understood between them, but Daniel kept his fingers on her thigh, stroking lightly, and Julia struggled to keep still. Her body filled with waves of desire, spreading from her chest to her toes, nearly lifting her in the air. She wanted his hands on her. His lips. His naked body all over her. Her fingers touching his skin again. Her skin tingling under the touch of his fingertips.
“What do we do now?” she asked, her voice giddy with excitement but also nervous as they parked.
He didn’t answer, but took her hand and led her inside. The house was dark, the family and the guests already sleeping. It was nearly midnight, and she couldn’t believe she wasn’t absolutely exhausted. She had hardly slept at all, in fact, since she arrived in Italy. She was existing on adrenaline and her feelings for Daniel alone.
“Aren’t you tired?” she asked Daniel, her mind and heart praying he wasn’t.
He put a finger to her lips. He led her to the wine cellar and picked out a dusty bottle of wine and two wine glasses. They tiptoed to her room, and she watched as he poured the wine, then handed her the glass. He sat down on a soft blue chair, and she snuggled in on his lap as they tasted the wine and his lips found their way onto hers and she knew she might lose her mind she wanted him so badly just then.
He stopped for a second and took a breath. “So can I stay? Will you spend the night with me?”
“Make love to me,” she said, setting down their glasses.
Daniel’s eyes turned dark and intense, and he moved her to straddle him. She kicked off her sandals. His hands moved underneath the light fabric of her dress, stroking her buttocks, then inching up her back. She stroked his hair as she’d been dying to do all night and clasped her lips onto his, biting his lower lip, teasing him with her tongue. He got harder underneath her, and she shifted and made little circles with her hips, as he moaned, “You drive me crazy. Let’s go slow.”
“I don’t care about going slow,” she moaned back. “I’ve been waiting all day to touch you.”
“And I’ve been waiting many days to touch you, but I plan to make this night special.” He picked her up and carried her to the bed, placing her gently on her back, kissing her neck with soft and progressively deeper kisses.
She tried to wiggle out of her dress, but he stopped her. “Don’t hurry, Texas. We have time enough.” He ran his fingers down her thigh, and she moaned in pleasure, pulling him closer and kissing him until every cell in her body felt like it might burst with pleasure.
He pulled away and stood up, dimming some of the lights and closing her curtains.
“Come back,” she begged. “I need you.”
When he sat down, Julia pushed him and rolled him over and sat on top of him. “I have you trapped now, and you can’t tease me anymore.”
He laughed. “Sure I can.” Then his fingers found their way under her dress, slowly inching up her stomach and to her nipples, stroking them, until she forgot that her original plan was to remove his shirt. She collapsed on top of him, moaning. She kissed and licked his earlobes until he begged for mercy, and she clapped her hands, triumphant.
Then she was finally naked, the cool air suddenly touching her sensitive nipples. He flipped her on her back, taking control. She inhaled sharply as she felt his lips on one nipple, then the other, as he stroked her stomach and then her breasts, and she writhed, excitement climbing, becoming almost painful.
Daniel stopped, and she opened her eyes, begging him.
“You are so beautiful, I could stare at you for hours,” he said.
“Stare later.” She bit her lip, then closed her eyes. “Take me.”
“I have too many curves.” Julia pushed his hands away.
“Your curves are perfect. Let me enjoy worshipping you. I’ve waited too long for this.”
She opened her eyes and pulled up on her elbows. “How long?” she whispered, her lips almost next to his.
“Since I saw you on the ground in front of my car, your blouse open, a puppy by your breasts, your hair flying all wild around your face.”
Julia fell back on the pillows laughing. “Road kill is what’s sexy to you?”
“Hey, laughing is not the main effect I hope for in bed.”
“Stop talking and return to what you were doing. Or let me.” She stopped laughing and unbuttoned his shirt.
He breathed heavily as she brushed her hands on his chest. “Your skin is so soft,” she said.
He wiggled his arms out of the shirt, bent down again, and left a trail of hot kisses on her. “Your skin is like velvet.”
She giggled. “It’s not a competition for whose skin is softer.”
“What kind of competition is it?”
“Who will pass out first from wanting?”
“Tough one. You want to place bets?”
“No, I want you to—”
He stopped her with his mouth, his tongue exploring more aggressively now as she touched his muscular arms and pressed him closer. She moaned as his lips moved down her stomach, then to her thighs, her calves, and back up, until he reached between her legs and she nearly lost her mind. She stuffed her dress into her mouth as he continued, licking, swirling, tugging until her body finally gave her release. He held her through it as she rode on wave after wave, lost in another world.
“I win,” he said, breathing heavily. “I’ll be the one passing out.”
“Not so fast.” Julia rose, weak now, but full of desire still. “Your turn,” she said and was gratified when his eyes popped open, then got darker. She pushed him down onto his back and worked on removing his jeans, tugging and pulling. He was in agony, grabbing her hands and trying to speed it up.
“Patient boys earn their reward,” she said, lightly biting his exposed nipple.
Finally he was all naked in front of her, and she gasped in awe. He was a striking man, tall, muscled, with perfect lines and smooth skin. He pulled her up to kiss her lips, but she broke free, kissing and stroking his chest and moving down slowly.
“You are going to kill me,” he moaned, “but what a way to die.”
His breathing turned ragged as she reached the right spot with her mouth, and he lost all ability to speak after that.
Later, she watched him put on a condom before he lay between her legs and kissed her, teasing her with his fingers. She grabbed his arms and pulled him toward her, her body aching to feel him deep inside her. “I want you,” she begged.
Daniel moved her hips, took hold of her legs, and finally entered her, both panting with need. He didn’t move for a moment, continuing to nuzzle her neck, taking his time.
“God, this feels good,” he said, moving just enough to send her body into hot shivers.
He bent his face and kissed her, tenderly, then with more demand. Julia dug her fingers into his hair and arched her hips toward him, begging for him to move. He pulled his face away and looked at her, still motionless. Then his eyes turned darker, and he pushed in once. Hard, reaching just the right place, making her gasp.
“Is this good?” he asked. But it was her turn to lose all ability to speak, simply nodding and shaking in response. He then continued to move, harder and faster, until she felt she would truly lose her mind. She grabbed his arms and came around him, spasms raking her, emotions overwhelming her mind.
“Oh, Julia,” she heard him explode in turn, as he collapsed on top of her, breathing heavily.
She kissed the top of his head, his hair soft and still smelling with the scents of Firenze.
He raised his head and planted a string of kisses on her lips and neck. “I’ll be right back.”
Daniel returned, bringing them two glasses of water. She drank with pleasure. She hadn’t realized she was thirsty, but he was forever thoughtful.
He lay next to her, his naked body heaven against her still-sensitive skin. She laid her head in the crook of his shoulder.
“That was…”
“Fantastic,” he finished for her, stroking her arm.
Her skin tingled more. She stroked his chest lightly in return.
He took her fingers and cradled them. “I’m sorry I rushed. I meant to go slow, but then I lost all control. You do that to me all the time. I can’t keep my thoughts straight. Next time, I’ll take my time.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Next time? You are already thinking of that?”
“And the time after that and the time after that. Especially the time after. I have a particular plan.”
“Oh, no, I’ve slept with a sex maniac.” She raised her arms to the ceiling in pretend protest.
“A sex maniac?” Daniel laughed. “That’s one name I haven’t been called before.”
“What names have you been called before?”
“Never mind. Come here.” He pulled her closer on his shoulder, and she snuggled in again.
“It’s good between us,” she whispered.
“It is. Are you tired?”
“Not anymore.”
“Tell me about what it’s like to teach teenagers geography.”
“What?”
“I need something to get my mind off sex for a few minutes, unless you want me to ravish you every five minutes.”
“How do you know I don’t?” She laughed. “What? Did you run out of Shakespeare to quote me? No sonnet or play for this situation?”
“There’s always Shakespeare, for every situation.” He pulled up on his elbows. “Except I have a tremendous lack of blood flow to my brain at the moment. Ah, it goes something like this: ‘I will live in thy heart, die in thy lap, and be buried in thy eyes.’ ”
“That’s so romantic.” She kissed him.
“It’s actually a bit raunchy. Benedick says this to Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing, and ‘die’ means ‘orgasm.’ They’re always poking fun at each other, and he is saying he wants to have sex with her.”
“Wow, Benedick. How does she reply?”
“I don’t remember, but they both keep throwing these lines at each other about ‘death,’ but what they mean is ‘orgasm.’ There’s sexual tension flying both ways.”
“Who knew Shakespeare was so raunchy?”
Daniel laughed. “Okay, now tell me about your students?”
“You still want to hear about them?”
“I want to know everything about you.”
“Why don’t you tell me something about you?” Julia snuggled into him and stroked his chest.
“What is it you still don’t know about me?”
“How is it you know so much Shakespeare by heart? Is that what they teach everyone at Cambridge? Or is it a British thing?”
“Neither.” Daniel went quiet for a minute. “It’s because of my father. He loved Shakespeare. He used to take me to the Globe Theater whenever he wasn’t working on a major project. It was our special time together. Just the two of us.”
“That’s sweet. You must miss him a great deal.”
“I do.” He sighed. “My mother and I were never close. But my dad and I were. I used to be so desperate to please my mother, but no matter what I did, I never measured up. My dad was happy with all my achievements. He only wanted me to be a good person.”
“That’s all my dad ever wanted from me.”
“Now, tell me stories of American teenagers doing mischief to their schoolteacher.” Daniel turned toward her, smiling.
Julia told him about her work and listened about his, to the loud accompaniment of the ever-present cicadas. They made love two more times,
and she screamed his name again and again as she came, hoping he wouldn’t think it meant any more than the fact he was an amazing lover. She was lost in the ocean of feelings by morning, by the time they both fell asleep.
There was no return for her from tonight.
She loved him.
Chapter 24
Something incredible had happened between him and Julia. All Daniel understood was that he hadn’t been able to get her out of his mind since she popped out in front of his car, frightened out of her mind. He was lost right then, he guessed.
Daniel had been even more lost last night, when he followed her through the hallways of the hospital, with a dog in her purse. The adrenaline rush filled him with desire he could hardly contain. He had wanted her since that night in Rome when he watched her eat gelato for the first time. But now it became a desperate need. To taste her, to feel every inch of her skin, to hear her scream his name as she came.
They’d been taking it slow. There was hesitation on both sides. She didn’t trust him. And he was afraid. But Mandy was right, Daniel had to let go and admit to himself that he was smitten with this woman—her strength, her kindness, the way she looked at him. Was Mandy right? Did Julia feel the same way he felt about her?
He searched her eyes as he took her tonight. There was desire—her eyes were filled with it. She wiggled her hips and arched her back, desperate for him to go deeper. She pulled on him, urging him to enter her, again and again. He’d seen that in women’s eyes before, felt that urgency in their motions. Daniel was a good lover; he had no concerns about that. But how did you know for sure a woman loved you?
They whispered for a while, until sleep overtook them, and then she woke him with kisses on his stomach. He shook the sleep off and was erect in seconds. He set her on top of him and let her guide the movement as he stroked her nipples in circles, then moved his hand lower. Julia came just as quickly this time, and watching her orgasm on top of him, her head rolled back, her hands squeezing his thighs, made him lose all control, and he came soon after her, screaming out her name.
“You drive me out of my wits,” he said when he regained consciousness.