Lucca's Lust: The Luminara Series Book 3

by SJ Molloy

  The next day is emotional for Lexi. She sulks and clings to Cameron all bloody morning. It is not to deter Anna either; it is because he is going home and she is feeling needy and antsy about him leaving. I have a long heart to heart with Cameron before he goes, just to ensure he is on board with Lexi moving in with me when we go back to Scotland.

  Marco is dropping them off at the airport because I have to meet with Dino to finalise plans. Before they leave, Lexi nearly hugs him to death, ruffling his hair, then gives him a list of things to take care of in her most feisty voice. I have to stifle a laugh when I see Cameron scuff his feet and tell her to stop moaning at him, but he agrees and kisses her head anyway because he loves her, even her bossiness.

  I love bossy Lexi too.

  Anna?

  Well there really is no telling her at all. Anna does what she wants to do, but I do warn her to get back to work pronto as I do not want the rest of the team thinking she is getting preferential treatment, which of course she is. I do hold her in a very protective brotherly embrace.

  Part one: Lussuria ~ Lucca’s Words

  “Lussuria ~ Chapter Twenty Seven: Goodbyes”

  Chapter 21

  My Gift Of The Day

  A week later, we pack up just a few things for Sunday and Monday and head to Villa di Tartufi. Lexi suggested she wanted to be near Hazel and Dominic as it is their last few days, and I want her to be happy so I do not protest. It is nice being back at Nonno and Nonna’s. Lexi and I are officially a couple. The last time we were here, I was trying to convince her to go on a date with me.

  Since then, we have had our first proper date every day since we left. Everything is a first for Lexi, and for me and nothing has felt so right. Even the fighting and the making up … the good, bad, and the dark … it is all part of honest love, our honest love, and my love for Lexi is the brightest kind. I promised to make her feel, and I promised to bring her into my light. Slowly, I am getting there.

  These last few weeks, she has glowed, sparkled, and shone like a glistening star, just like her little teardrops the first day I saw her. She is truly coming into herself. I do feel Lexi is keeping me in her light, she just does not realise it yet. She still thinks she is dark.

  She is radiant, looks healthier, and after all her sunbathing, her skin is a deep golden bronze colour. Her bruises and cuts are healing nicely, and she says she does not need her sling all the time, only when her wrist feels sore.

  Back in the residential suite we were using, I unpack some groceries in the kitchen and run the Jacuzzi outside on the private alfresco area. This is what was missing from my farmhouse; I make a mental note to get an outdoor Jacuzzi tub installed for Lexi and me for our kinky outdoor days. The thought sends a rush of crazy tingling up my spine.

  Smiling at the dining table, I remember the morning I made love to her on that table as the sunlight poured through the glass and shone over her sexy body. My cock twitches at the mere thought of being inside her, and my balls ache like heavy steel.

  I take her gift, towels, robes, and champagne outside and get her naked and in that tub. Between my legs, leaning back with her head on my chest, I lean down and brush my lips against her long, elegant neck, trailing kisses up to her ear.

  She closes her eyes and hums, so I choose to surprise her at this moment and adorn her bare neck with something special. I know she is upset about Cameron being away and about Hazel and Dominic leaving, so now is the perfect opportunity to give her a gift before her real gift of the day to show her how much she means to me and how much I want to look after her.

  The expensive diamond teardrop pendant is huge sitting above her breast bone, but her bright smile reaches her sparkling eyes, drawing my attention away from the twinkling stone. I am fascinated by the twinkle in her luscious brown eyes. My angel. Perfetto.

  I make sensual love to her in the heavenly bubbling water until we are both completely spent after a couple of breathtaking sessions. Once is never enough. I have cum hard twice inside her, filling her with not just my semen but with more and more of my heart. If I thought Lexi could go again, I would take her inside and have her once more, but she is completely spent because I have drawn four very powerful orgasms from her, worshipping her.

  “Lucca, why do you have an obsession with diamond jewellery? I get that you can afford it, but it does seem a little much,” she asks, lazily coming down from her last post-orgasmic flourish.

  Because I want to spoil you. Treat you to exquisite things. Keep you sparkling. We take care of our women. I will take care of you. You missed out on so much in your younger years. I do not want you to need or want for anything ever again. I would give you the whole damn world tied up in a bow if I could.

  “Nonna loves jewellery. Nonno has always treated her with exquisite pieces,” I answer, strumming my thumb over the pendant.

  “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean you need to do that for me. Why do you feel like you need to?” She strokes her fingers on my arm and leg in lazy circles.

  Jasmine.

  A painful distant memory from my past.

  Diamante. Diamonds.

  Illuminato. Light.

  Vivo. Alive.

  Morte. Jasmine’s death.

  Lexi. New life. My angel.

  I do not want to tell her about Jasmine because I am too ashamed that I could not protect her, and that I witnessed the whole fucking thing. I want to be honest with her without scaring her. She does not need to listen to explicit, gruelling events because she has had too many of her own already. It is not fair to tarnish Lexi’s pretty little head with more unnecessary traumatic thoughts.

  “Diamonds make me appreciate life. They remind me I am alive. They take me back to a time when everything went dark. When I opened my eyes, the shining brightness of the diamonds was the first thing I saw, bringing me back to the light, back to life. I guess I associate them with a sign of gratitude, an angelic blessing of some sort.”

  I close my eyes, my heart wincing with deep sorrow and regret. It is the best way I can describe what they mean to me.

  “When I met you, you stole the air from my lungs. I saw an angelic quality in you, a sign of life, and a glowing aura surrounding you. Even when you cry, your teardrops look like glistening diamonds against your skin, and I think you look beautiful. Then you said how dark you feel inside, and I want very much for you to glow, sparkle, shine, and be in my light. Be my life. Giving you diamonds is not just about the extravagance, Lexi, it is my way of giving you light. You are real to me, very much so, and I find comfort seeing them against your skin. You, the diamonds, they remind me I am alive. And I want you to feel alive too. You are my angelic blessing because you are my future.”

  I inhale, holding her tightly, thanking God that Lexi is in my arms, safe, protected, and promising me a future with her. A new life.

  Lexi becomes emotional and cries at my words. I never meant to upset her. We kiss each other tenderly. I admire the sparkling gem gracing her chest and thank my lucky stars that God blessed me with my own gift of the day … Lexi.

  Hazel, Dominic, Nonna, and Nonno join us in the suite for a casual dinner prepared by Annalisa. I love to watch Lexi with my grandparents; it really does fill me with contentment that they adore her.

  Once they all leave, I carry Lexi upstairs into the bedroom. Stripping her, she collapses onto the bed, supressing a yawn. Gone are the days when I asked for permission. My baby’s body is mine to have, and we are not done until I say we are done.

  Lexi closes her eyes, thinking she is falling straight to sleep tonight, but I have other ideas. I tease her sexy thong down her legs, spread them open wide, and lap my tongue up along her sweet pussy at the same time my hands massage her breasts.

  It is all it takes for her to arch her back, fling her eyes open, groan in that erotic way she does, and grab a handful of my hair. I promise to make it worth her while keeping her awake.

  The next day is Hazel and Dominic’s last full day. We spend the morn
ing in the gym then go sight seeing to Piazza del Campo, Palazzo Comunale, and the Duomo of Siena. Lexi has been quiet all day. I have not seen her as withdrawn since her hospital stay.

  I catch up with Suzanne on Osurac business and make plans for the next two weeks before we head out to dinner. I find Lexi sitting on the balcony, staring out into panoramic views of the Chianti hills, her journal siting on the table next to her. She has been reflecting. I sigh and scratch my neck, watching her deep in thought.

  She did not touch lunch today, and when we reach the quaint restaurant, she barely eats any of her meal. When she excuses herself to use the restroom, Hazel tells me Lexi is nervous and anxious and the best thing I can do is keep her distracted after they go home or else she will retreat into closed-Lexi mode.

  Raising our glasses, I say a final toast to Hazel and Dominic, and then one sincere heartfelt one to my girl. It is a very pleasant evening, other than the girls both being hormonal about Hazel’s impending departure. Women! I love hormonal Lexi sometimes. It means I might get more of her fire to heat us both up. Hormonal Hazel is just plain scary.

  Back at the villa we have a couple of nightcaps with Maurizio, Annalisa, Stefano, Paulo, my grandparents, Maria, and Allegra, who all wish Hazel and Dominic well. Lexi and Hazel become rather emotional. I catch them cuddling and sharing a girly, teary moment in the lobby.

  Calling it a night, we head to bed. Once Lexi is sleeping, I check over Suzanne’s emails and make sure I have organised enough to keep Lexi entertained and distracted for the next week or two. I receive an email from Fran’s therapist giving me an update on how she is, which I scan over briefly because I do feel some responsibility to ensure she gets better and the right help this time.

  If I thought Lexi was melancholy yesterday, then she is much worse today. She does not touch breakfast. I ask her to tell me what’s going on, and she admits she is sad that Hazel is going home, as if it was not obvious already. I promise to keep her busy, but if she really wanted to go home, I would take her. I am looking forward to spending time here alone with her, but I am equally eager for Rose and Peter to meet Lexi.

  In the airport, Lexi breaks down saying goodbye to Hazel. I feel a little nostalgic myself in a macho kind of way. Dominic has been great company and Hazel … the skinny five foot blonde that curses like a sailor has really grown on me. I will miss her sarcasm and smart mouth, and she makes Lexi laugh. I just hope I still get some of those beautiful smiles and laughs from my girl.

  I turn Lexi around, pulling her into me, allowing her to cry against my chest as I stroke her hair, kiss her head, and comfort her until she is calmer. Taking my dejected girl by the hand, I lead her to the car.

  We stop at a local vineyard on the way back to the farmhouse. Lexi pokes her fork around on her plate, barely eating a mouthful. I ask her what I can do to cheer her up. I do not expect her to order my favourite cinnamon gelato.

  She slowly comes around and smiles again, suggesting we go back to the farmhouse and I get to know her a whole lot better. Jesus, I all but drag her back to the car. Moments after returning home, I have her naked and wrapped around my waist in the pool. Where she belongs.

  The next nine days have been blissful sharing every single thing with my dolcezza. I have worked in the study catching up with Osurac business when need be, giving Lexi alone time to write in her journal when we are not spending quality time together.

  We have had picnics in my olive groves. I have fed her and read her chapters from her e-reader while she was wrapped in my embrace. Then we would make love on the picnic blanket. We have visited my family, and some of my cousins, which is probably still overwhelming for Lexi since there are so many of them.

  I have given Lexi some cooking lessons which I promised. Normally she has been in her lingerie, or naked under one of my shirts, which have always resulted one way: me taking her in any area of the house and forgetting about the food.

  Vincenzo and his wife, Ysabel, invite us over for dinner to their home as opposed to the restaurant. They make Lexi feel very welcome, and Ysabel absolutely adores her. Marco and his papa, Marcario, join us for lunch one afternoon at the farmhouse the next day. Lexi fusses around them and makes the most of the lunch, trying to impress them. Cute.

  We go to some food markets, eat some Italian street food, and do more sight-seeing. I take ill and have an upset stomach after eating something unsavoury from a street vendor. It wipes me out that night.

  Lexi takes great care of me. She is very attentive, even shaving my stubbly growth and washing my hair with her better hand, massaging my head and shoulders. And although I feel awful and like a pussy for being sick, it feels good to have someone look after me. I feel complete.

  The next morning when my angel has nursed me back to my better self, I make my mind up that I will propose to Lexi sooner rather than later. I know that I do not want to wait any longer and miss out on the best thing that has ever happened to me. Lexi. I toil with what to do and when to do it because I want it to be special for her.

  I speak to Marco about it in confidence. He gives me an absolute ribbing but then says he is really happy for me and Lexi is perfect for me. She will make me a better man and he says he has never seen me so relaxed and happy. He is very fond of her.

  I never mentioned it to Mamma and Papa because I did not want to excite them and I am still worried that Lexi will say no. I am aware it is sudden and very soon. If she does say no, she is going to get sick of me asking her. It is next on my list, and I love a challenge.

  I feel extremely nervous, but I know that fate played a huge hand in bringing Lexi and I together, and if the good Lord was watching us, he will see fit we get our happy, bright future together.

  The Luminara festival … the candle parade will be the perfect opportunity to propose before we are scheduled to fly back home. It symbolises everything I have felt and tried to share with Lexi.

  Luminara.

  Illuminato.

  Luminoso.

  Lexi and I … light together. I have shared my lust for her. I have shared my love for her. I now need to share my light and keep her in it as she keeps me very much in hers.

  Lexi helps pick out some gifts for my nieces and nephews and new cushions and bedding for the farmhouse from a designer interior boutique in Firenze. She rolls her eyes at the price tag and says she could buy bedding at Ikea that would have sufficed.

  I almost choke. I want her sleeping in nothing but luxurious sheets. I cannot help think that as a child she was deprived of many basic everyday needs. God knows what conditions she lived in, but my guess is it was not healthy, safe, or functional.

  Lexi almost rescues a stray dog on another trip. While sitting on a bench, eating gelato in a cone, she goes all puppy-eyed and dotes over it. I have to talk her out of that since we will be going home. I think she was just missing her own dog. It gives me an idea. A puppy could be another gift on my list to get her one day.

  We work out. I run and do my weight training. Lexi does yoga every morning and conditioning exercises, which drives me insane the way she bends into those positions wearing next to nothing, teasing me with her tight little ass.

  Lexi wants to visit Fran again. We meet her and Donita for a coffee at a local bistro. Mamma takes Lexi shopping again, and she starts to feel comfortable in my mamma’s company. Lexi tells Mamma a very brief outline about her past. Since we will be living together, she does not want to hide it from her.

  When Mamma drops her off, Lexi looks shattered, weighed down with shopping bags. I believe they had a good afternoon, but I can tell she had been crying and was emotional. Later in the bath, she confesses it was difficult but she feels better getting it off her chest. Mamma was very supportive and showed her nothing but love. I am proud of her opening up to my mamma. It means a lot to me, and I am equally as proud of my mamma for not being too intrusive.

  I want to pick a spectacular engagement ring for Lexi, one that would mean something to us. I want something excep
tionally special and exquisite because my girl deserves only the best and I have no concern on the price. I have investments, stocks, shares, savings, a tidy turn over from Osurac, and an additional personal account in Geneva.

  Blue.

  I want blue. A rare blue, precious diamond. It will remind me of the blue orchid flower. Our flower.

  I call Cristofano and tell him what I am looking for. He makes some calls with some high-class collectors and finds a prestigious collector in Rome with a blue Bvlgari 5.3 carat diamond ring fitting my description. He says I was exceptionally lucky as there is only one of this specification.

  Unlike the other jewellery I bought Lexi, I want to personally view this myself. It needs to be perfetto for my girl, and the estimation price is exceptionally expensive. If she says yes, then it will be on her finger for the rest of her life. If she says no, then I will have it locked in my safe and bring it out every time I ask her. But it needs to be breathtaking … like her so I need to see it.

  Because I know Cristofano has the right expertise, I ask if he will go to Rome to value and carefully assess it for me. I will reward him handsomely. This is not an ordinary diamond. It is a timeless piece, only one of a kind.

  I originally planned a three night stay in Venice, but I give Suzanne a quick call and ask her to cancel the arrangements; there has been a change of plans. I want her to book a boutique hotel in Rome for us and arrange a driver. I can take Lexi to Venice another time. We have all our lives.

  In Rome I add to her jewellery collection, a small elegant diamond pendant for everyday use, which I have been keeping in the safe at the farmhouse. She has long stopped protesting because she knows she will never win. I miss the fiery Lexi at times, but it also pleases me that she is accepting that she is mine and I will spoil her.