Fragile Longing

by Cora Reilly

  “I brought this with me. It’s been quite useful so far.”

  I bit my lip. “Good thing it’s waterproof, I guess.”

  Danilo slowly approached me, the small device in his hand and a look on his face that made my core contract deliciously. “May I?”

  I nodded, becoming even more aroused by the idea of Danilo doing this. So far, I had always inserted it. Danilo stroked the outside of my leg.

  “Raise one of your legs on the bed,” he instructed.

  I did, trying to look elegant, despite my exposed state. Danilo’s fingers brushed my sensitive folds as he slowly inserted the vibrator, never taking his eyes off me. My lips fell open as he pushed it deeper and deeper. Our eyes met, and he seemed ready to devour me. He dropped his hand, but I wanted nothing more than for him to keep touching me there.

  “How does it feel?”

  “Good,” I rasped out as I lowered my leg.

  He reached for the remote control on his nightstand. My nipples puckered at once, anticipating what was to come.

  Danilo turned the vibrator to the lowest vibration level, only a whisper of pleasure but at the same time the promise of more. “Ready to soak in the jacuzzi?”

  I pushed up on my tiptoes and kissed him before murmuring, “So ready.”

  Danilo let out a low groan and took my hand, tugging me along. The first few steps sent shockwaves of pleasure through my core as my body adapted to the vibration deep within.

  Danilo looked at me from the corner of his eye, knowing full well that I was oversensitive right now, but he didn’t slow. Not that I was any less eager about spending a relaxing and hopefully pleasurable evening in the hot tub and lake.

  Danilo clutched my hand firmly as he led me to the jacuzzi. Even that innocent touch felt like so much more just because of the device inside of me. I felt naughty and daring and incredibly sexy knowing that it turned Danilo on. The temperature outside had cooled considerably, and the light breeze caressed my skin in the most tantalizing way.

  Danilo helped me up on the steps to the jacuzzi. As I lowered myself into the hot water, a soft moan escaped me. My muscles relaxed as I sank back against the backrest, savoring the sensations inside of me.

  Danilo was sporting an impressive erection by now. I grinned, knowing it turned him on to control the little device steering my pleasure.

  He put his arm around my shoulders, his fingers stroking my upper arm. I rested my head against his strong arm and gazed out over the lake. It was such a peaceful sight, so very unlike my first impression of the area on Danilo’s birthday.

  “What are you thinking?” Danilo asked carefully, as if he could sense that my thoughts had drifted back in time.

  I brushed my palm over his chest. “Just enjoying the beautiful view.”

  I raised my head and captured his lips for a sensual kiss. I pressed even closer to him, sliding onto his lap. His erection brushed against my thigh. Danilo shifted me until I straddled him, his length pressing up against my belly and rubbing deliciously against my most sensitive spot. I wrapped my arms around Danilo’s neck, trying to mold our bodies together. I moaned into his mouth when his cock put the perfect amount of pressure on my clit. Danilo’s palm slid down my back slowly before he cupped my ass and squeezed. Another moan slipped out. “I can’t wait to be inside of you,” he growled.

  Despite the brief flash of nerves, I wanted that, too. Danilo’s eyes met mine, trying to gauge my reaction. I held his gaze. “I’d like that.”

  Danilo brushed his lips across my cheek and ear. “Tomorrow. We had a long drive today, and I want to make tomorrow really special.”

  We spent the next hour making out in the jacuzzi until I began to rock myself almost frantically against Danilo and he released a low groan. He stopped me with an almost painful look. “I have to stop you there or I’ll embarrass myself.”

  I couldn’t help but giggle, reveling in the power I possessed.

  Danilo lifted me to my feet with a growl and stood. “Enough.” But he squeezed my ass playfully and helped me out of the jacuzzi. “Maybe I need to give you a taste of your own medicine.”

  He bent down and picked up the remote control he’d dropped on one of the lounge chairs. I bit my lip. He upped the vibrations, causing me to lean into him with a sharp exhale. Danilo kneaded my ass cheek again. We stepped into the Finnish sauna. Heat blasted my body. Too many sensations overwhelmed me. The vibration, the heat, Danilo’s hand on my ass. We settled on the wooden benches in the sauna. Danilo put a spoonful of water on the coals, and the scent of fir filled my nose.

  My eyes took in his erection that strained to attention.

  Danilo noticed my gaze and leaned closer to whisper, “You’re doing this to me, Sofia.”

  I brushed my finger down his abs and curled my hand around his cock, massaging him the way he liked.

  He reached for the remote control and upped the vibrations again. My fingers jerked against Danilo’s length. I could feel myself getting closer and wondered if I could come without any friction to my clit. Danilo gently pushed my hand away. “Not yet,” he said roughly. He stood and helped me to my feet. I felt shaky on my legs, trembling from the small bolts of pleasure that radiated through me.

  “Let’s cool off a bit.”

  Danilo led me down to the lower deck. I slowly lowered myself into the cold lake. I gasped, then relished the sensation because it cleared the lust-filled haze from my head. Danilo winked at me and dived in headfirst, sprinkling me with ice-cold water. He burst through the surface a moment later.

  Grinning, he swam over to me and dragged me against him. I twined my legs around him and kissed him again. He moved us over to the shore so he could stand and keep us both above the water. Danilo rubbed my back, then moved lower to squeeze my ass. “Danilo,” I whispered. I wasn’t sure how to voice my need.

  “Soon,” Danilo promised.

  Soon sounded too far away. I needed relief now, but I allowed myself to sink into the kiss, to savor the moment.

  I began to tremble in the cold water despite Danilo’s ministrations. “Time to warm up,” he murmured, dragging his mouth away from mine. Linking our fingers, he led me back to the soft-pebbled shore and up a narrow path onto the patio. The boards were warm from the fire. I curled my toes in delight, feeling the warmth return to them.

  Danilo grabbed one of the plush towels he’d put on a chair and wrapped it around my shoulders before he turned the bullet vibrator off. I gave him an indignant look, but he only smiled, a dark promise of what was to come. He began to dry me with soothing, gentle rubs. My arms, my back, then even gentler over my breasts. My nipples became even harder and not because of the cold. He took his time with my breasts, brushing the soft fabric over my aching nubs in tantalizing circles until small pants escaped my parted lips. This felt so good, and slowly a deep, aching need spread between my thighs.

  His eyes followed the movements of his hands as they traveled to my belly. He dried my ass, squeezing gently now and then. I bit my lip when he got down on his knee to dry my thighs, leaving him eye-level with my pussy. I could feel how achingly wet I was and knew Danilo would be able to see it. He lifted my leg to dry it off and propped my foot up on his knee. His gentle rubbing increased the throbbing between my legs, and the cool air hitting my wet flesh only heightened the sensation. Danilo’s eyes lingered on my pussy as he rubbed my thighs, and I clenched involuntarily under his attention. At last, he touched the towel to my aching flesh, gently stroking me dry.

  My breathing became heavy, but too soon Danilo was done and dropping the towel. He didn’t get up. Instead, he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to my pussy. My breath hitched and my hands shot out to grab his head. His warm breath ghosted over my flesh before he pressed a firmer, lingering kiss against my folds, his lips grazing my clit. I released a soft whine. I hadn’t even realized how much I longed for this.

  “What do you want, Sofia?” he murmured between kisses, making it difficult to form a thought. So
far, I’d tried to keep some distance between us by not allowing this kind of closeness. The little device still inside of me allowed me pleasure without too much physical contact, a strange possibility.

  I wanted to let loose, to succumb to Danilo’s touch, wanted to really bring our bodies together, even at the risk of opening up my emotions again.

  “Sofia,” he groaned. “I’m going crazy down here. Let me taste you.” The flames barely penetrated the surrounding dark and distorted Danilo’s face. I knew it would do the same with mine, protecting me from his penetrating stare.

  Instead of replying, I shifted my leg to the side, allowing him access. He gently tugged at the cord of my bullet vibrator, making me moan before he pulled it out slowly and put it down on the towel beside us. Then he didn’t hesitate. His tongue dived in, tasting me, parting my folds to explore my sensitive flesh. I clung to his head, closing my eyes as I practically rode his mouth. I felt wanton, almost depraved, like I could let loose in the safety of the dark, could be someone else. With every trace of his hot tongue over my slit, more of my control slipped away. Every inch of my body seemed to pulsate with need. His tongue stroked and teased until he began licking my clit with slow, precise movements that had me moaning loudly.

  I glanced down, needing to see what he was doing. In the flickering light, I could see that his eyes were closed, a confident smile tugging at his lips, which were pressed up to my pussy. His tongue darted out, lapping at me, and I couldn’t hold back. I came with a harsh cry that echoed over the lake, pressing myself against Danilo’s mouth, wanting his tongue deep inside of me. It was a strange thought, but I couldn’t shake it. His fingers dug into my ass, shoving me even closer. As if he could read my darkest desires, he buried his tongue deeply in me. I kept watching, unable to rip my eyes away from the sight of Danilo pleasuring me.

  I almost sobbed with pleasure, still clinging to his head, not wanting this to end even when it became too much. Danilo pulled back and pressed a kiss to my folds before he moved up my body and claimed my mouth for a kiss. I reached for his erection, but he gently grabbed my wrist.

  “I want to come inside of you. Tomorrow.” He looked deeply into my eyes, waiting for me to say something.

  I kissed him, whispering, “I want that, too.”

  We settled on the lounge furniture, Danilo’s arms wrapped around me from behind. The flames kept us in a warm cocoon and Danilo’s body shielded me from the wind. The trees rustled in the breeze and the waves lapped at the shore. It was so peaceful.

  “What happened to your sister?” I asked softly, stroking Danilo’s arm.

  He didn’t react, as if he hadn’t heard me, and I wondered if he chose to not answer me. I didn’t want to push him, but I hated basing my opinion on the rumors and gossip that was floating around in our circles. And asking Emma seemed like a breach of Danilo’s trust, as if I was passing him by. Not to mention that I wanted to know about the man at my side. That part of Danilo’s past played such a crucial role in his life that not knowing seemed like a disadvantage if I wanted to get to know him fully.

  “She was in a car accident,” he murmured, his voice heavy with guilt and wistfulness.

  I’d heard different stories about how badly the car had crashed. Some rumors speculated that Danilo had been the driver and that it had been swiped under the rug. Given his obvious feelings of guilt, I wondered if the rumors had some truth to them.

  “Emma had a ballet show one evening. My father was in hospital because of his cancer and Mother spent the evening with him. He was just recovering from surgery. I went to see Emma’s show but shortly before it was over, I got a call from one of our men that there had been a bloody conflict with the Bratva.” Danilo glowered into the flames as he replayed the day. I angled my body so I could see him better.

  “Father couldn’t handle it because of his sickness, so I had to deal with the matter. I chose to leave the show early and let Emma’s bodyguard drive her home so I could head out to the bar that had been attacked. An hour later, Marco called me to tell me Emma had been in a brutal crash.”

  His voice carried so much pain and regret that my own heart felt heavy.

  “I drove to the hospital, the same hospital where my father was recovering. She was still in surgery when I arrived. When the doctor told me that her spine was crushed and that the chances of her ever walking again were close to zero, I thought the rug was being pulled from under my feet. And then I had to tell my parents, because nobody had informed them about the crash yet.”

  He paused, the pain of the memory palpable. I linked our fingers, wishing I could have been there for him that day.

  “When I entered my father’s hospital room and saw him and mother both already at the edge of what they could take, I considered lying to them, but they deserved to know the truth. My mother broke down crying, and my father tried to get up from the bed, even though his surgery had only been the day before. They didn’t blame me, which for some reason only made me feel worse.”

  “But you didn’t drive the car. It was the bodyguard’s job to protect Emma and take her home safely. You couldn’t have known that he’d crash. You tried to fulfill your duty to the Outfit like your father probably expected from you. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

  Danilo’s smile was grim. “I still feel like it was my job to keep my sister safe. She loved ballet so much, and she was really talented, and then in one moment, it was taken from her without any fault of her own. All because the bastard of a bodyguard felt provoked by another driver and chose to participate in a street race. The asshole had drunk alcohol.”

  “What happened to him?”

  For a second, harsh brutality reflected in his eyes and I knew the answer. “He got the death he deserved, begging for mercy but being denied just like Emma’s denied a normal life.”

  I squeezed his hand. “Emma is such a positive person. She’s strong. She’s taking it with so much grace. I doubt she blames you.”

  “She doesn’t. She’s told me that repeatedly, but like you, she’s too kind for this world, Sofia.”

  I pursed my lips. “Being kind doesn’t mean being blind to the truth. You weren’t guilty. End of the story.”

  “You don’t seem to leave me any choice but to take your word for fact,” he said with barely hidden amusement.

  I braced myself on his chest, trying to look stern. “That’s right. I’m putting my foot down.”

  He shook his head, chuckling. “I guess then I have no choice but to listen to you.”

  I leaned forward and kissed him.

  “Do you miss her?” he asked carefully.

  He didn’t have to say her name for me to know he was talking about Serafina. I was taken aback by him bringing my sister up. So far, he’d avoided her like the devil avoided holy water.

  “Yeah, sometimes. Especially at Christmas or birthdays, but sometimes just in ordinary situations, but it’s okay. She’s got her life, and I’ve got mine.”

  I waited for his anger, because it usually came quickly when Las Vegas was mentioned, even just in passing. I considered telling him the truth, that I’d talked to Fina on the phone a few times, but then chose not to do it. He’d take it as betrayal, which was another reason why I wasn’t sure if I could talk to my sister again. “What about you?”

  His brows furrowed. “Why would I miss her? I never spent time with her. I have you, and I don’t want anyone else.”

  I leaned against him, soaking up his words eagerly. They were said without hesitation.

  Goosebumps pricked my skin from the cool breeze. Danilo stroked my arm. “Should we go in? You’re cold.”

  “No,” I said quickly. “Let’s stay for a little while. It’s too beautiful.”

  Danilo nodded, peering down to me. “You’re absolutely right.”

  The sky was cloudy, and dark gray clouds pressed closer on the horizon. After a lazy breakfast in bed, Danilo and I headed out for a walk through the forest before the sound of thunder drove
us back to the lodge.

  The second we were inside, the sky opened and heavy rain fell.

  “Perfect fireplace weather,” Danilo said, kissing my neck possessively before he headed into the living room. I smiled as I watched him stack logs of dried wood into the fireplace. I changed out of my hiking clothes into a more comfortable wool sweater and a skirt before I went back downstairs

  “I’ll grab a few snacks for a picnic on the floor,” I said in passing and headed to the kitchen. I returned fifteen minutes later with a tray of champagne, assorted berries, Belgian chocolate truffles and French cheese. The fire blazed in the fireplace and Danilo had gathered the sheepskin rugs around the chimney.

  My stomach somersaulted as I walked toward him, my hunger from earlier forgotten. I set the tray down on the floor and smiled at my husband. He took my hands and kissed my palms. We sank to the ground, my back against Danilo’s front, his legs to either sides of me and snacked on cheese and fruit. Eventually, Danilo opened the champagne and we sipped at it.

  Danilo kissed my throat, then gently pushed down the neckline of my sweater, revealing my bare shoulder. His lips brushed over my skin. “You are impossibly beautiful, Sofia. Every inch of you.”

  “Really?” I whispered. Danilo had called me beautiful before, but after the years of self-doubt I couldn’t hear it often enough.

  Danilo met my gaze with determination. “Really. I’ll have to tell you more often.” He kissed the top of my arm. The logs crackled as the flames ate away at them and soon warmth cocooned us. Rain lashed almost angrily against the French doors and the lake seemed pitch black, but from the inside, well protected and warm, the sight was mesmerizing.

  His hands found their way under my sweater, fingertips swiping over my naked belly. My skin constricted under the gentle touch. Danilo slowly pushed my sweater up over my head. I wore only a skimpy lace bra beneath. “Let me admire you, Sofia.” He pushed gently until I reclined on the cushions he’d spread all around the sheepskins. I forced myself to lie still, my arms stretched out leisurely above my head.