I close my eyes and breathe with his rhythmic breathing as his breath blows in my ear. Like the first time we did this, it stabilizes me, and I smile to the dark as his calmness seeps into me and I tell it,
I don’t ever have to be afraid of you again!
He’s never letting me go! Never!
I’m claimed and collared!
I will not fear you, Darkness!
I will not fear you, Despair!
I will not fear you, Depression.
I will not!
My Golden God has my back!
So there!
Waiting for sleep to come to me, I try to remember the scary dream, but it is gone. There is only the peacefulness of this moment. Right before I drift away, I chuckle.
This is a fitting position to be in. I’m the middle of a Bear sandwich. The center of a bare cookie. One side is real Sugar, the other is artificial sweetness.
Life is good.
Chapter Twelve
I wake to the soft strum of a guitar, the smell of candles burning and the aroma of something. Laying flat on my back, I push my arms out from under my pillow and stretch, pointing my toes and arching my back. Melting back into the bed, I listen to the soft sounds of sweet music, and prop my head as my eyes flutter open. The sleepiness slowly leaves me and my eyes focus on the ceiling.
Clouds.... It’s a painting. How could I have missed this? It’s a mosaic. Beautiful!
The image is of an open courtyard encircled by Roman columns, topped with a golden gabled roof and surrounded by clouds. It’s recessed inside the ceiling. The only way to see it is if you are laying here in the bed staring up. Big white fluffy clouds float over, beside, under and a few even float through. The lighting and the paint used makes them look 3 dimensional.
Clever architectural design. It’s a picture of Mount Olympus. Wait. There is an inscription etched in the gold.
Narrowing my eyes, I squint to read, "Cielo."
Contrary to what I told Aurei teasing him on the stairs as the media bombarded us with photos last night, I do not have a photographic memory and I cannot remember the words inscribed on my choker, but I do remember the first three letters of the first word. They were "Cie." My hand goes to my neck and my fingertips caress it as I stare up at the exquisite mosaic and those dots connect. Cielo. Heaven. The first word is Heaven. Heaven = Xxxxxx xx. The image of the words engraved there tease me but they are elusive.
Hmm. What does Aurei’s Heaven equal?
I study the picture trying to find any clues but it’s only a picture of an open area covered by a roof in the clouds. I smile and hug myself as I realize that in the elevator after the Swingers party when Aurei said to me, “I would rather take you to heaven.” This is probably what he meant and where he intended to take me. He’s literally brought me to his Heaven.
I’m the luckiest girl alive!
I take a deep breath, then sit up. The bed curtains are drawn, but the sound of Aurei strumming his guitar drifts muffled to me. He is sitting outside on the patio. I have been neglecting my stretches so I put myself through them while I listen to his music. When the guitar strumming stops, I listen for any movement from the outside and smile as I picture Aurei listening for me too. Then I grin wickedly.
I am a quiet Kitten.
I roll up on my feet and squat on the bed, ready to pounce if he comes in, but instead I hear the deep tone that reaches down to the pit of my core as he begins to softly sing. The words are muffled by the distance and the fabric barrier, but the hum floats in and draws me to him. I scoot to the edge and push open the curtains just enough to stick my face through. Glancing quickly around the room, I see that all the French doors are open. The rain has stopped. The sun appears to be setting. The delicious smell hits my nose again.
Gawd, that smells good. Heavenly! I giggle silently. Heaven equals let’s eat.
I step through the curtain feet first and quietly set them down. Candles have been placed side by side to form a path to guide me to him.
Gold Star for being romantic.
Tiptoeing, I make my way down the platform steps and onto the bedroom floor. The closer I get to the doors, the more I can hear the guitar, but not his words. He is singing too softly. Standing at the doorway, I peer around the threshold to sneak a peek at him, trying to spy on him, but he stops playing and I freeze. 'I am a quiet Kitten' pops into my brain again and I almost lose it giggling, as I visualize pouncing on him if comes through the door now, but I manage to hold it together, listening to his silence.
He is a quiet b....
Hmm. Are Bears quiet?
Every cell in my body listens for any sound coming from the patio. I hear nothing but silence.
This bear is.
Then the thought of him walking through the door with his perfect posture and strong Godlike gait knocking me down plowing over me pops into my brain, and I almost lose it again. The vision of being sprawled out on the floor with him standing over me gives me the silent silly giggles and I stand there vibrating with them.
I would be so busted, busting my ass!
I inhale deeply and gain control, then I ease my face slowly past the edge of the door and spy on him with one eye. He sits staring out over the yard lost in deep thought. I notice there is a meal set on a table and a bottle of champagne in a bucket of ice.
Ah! The source of the delicious smell and a bottle of liquid celebration.
Aurei starts to tap his foot slightly and he looks down at his fingers as he picks the first chords to another song.
I love that he loves music too.
I smile as I watch him knowing his serenades are swoon worthy no matter what song he sings. When he starts to hum the first notes, I recognize "This I Promise You" by N’Sync and when he sings, he sings loud enough I can hear his words, but not so loud he loses the sweetness of the song. His beautiful tone soaks my senses from my head down through all ten toes making them tingle and bump against the tile, syncing with his foot to the beat. I listen to his riveting message. He sings about the visions that surround me, along with the secrets and lies that hurt me making me cry. I hold my hands over my heart and start to sway.
He sings of all the promises.
Strength.
Hope.
Faith.
His performance is so powerful I’m propelled from behind the door into his gorgeous green gaze. As he turns it on me, I smile and float to him with the grace of a ballerina. Standing in front of him, I fall to my knees like a petal falls from a flower, floating down. Then I kneel before him, and sway like a groupie for her rockstar as his love song falls over me and through me.
He has been waiting for me. I’m right where I belong.
He promises we have won.
He promises we are one.
He sets the guitar down and says, "Come here, Baby."
I stand then slowly straddle him, swinging my leg over, placing my hands on his shoulders. As I lift my body and slide down his until I sit on his lap, his mouth kisses my skin, nipples, breasts, neck everything that it touches. I ease myself down onto his erection as his lips kiss my jugular, mauling, nipping, nibbling. His fullness inside me fills my body like his words filled my heart, completing me. His lips travel all over everywhere, eager to taste me.
I start to move nice and slow as I pull away from his mouth, not for climax, but for the connection. The look on his face and in his eyes are so sincere. I see the truth in them. He truly does promise me. Tears tickle mine and I touch my fingers lightly on his face, marveling at what we have.
When you finally find the one you’ve searched a lifetime for, you know it’s for eternity no matter what will happen and it makes you appreciate every moment you are together. Two tortured souls heal each other’s hurts and become one.
Tracing the beautiful angles of his bone structure, I breathe. Spreading my fingers apart, I push them along his jaw and tip his face up to mine.
"Every word is true, Siri." He slides his fingers behind my ears
and sinks them into my hair. He cups my head with his hands and pulls me down to him. The simple sensual seduction he possesses over me amazes me. My lips latch onto his and he tastes me with his tongue, tentatively at first, then more passionately. I melt into a puddle of pure love, but when I feel his fingers clasp my collar, I freeze. I pull away from his kiss as my hands fly to my neck to protect its place.
"Stop." I panic. "Don’t! Aurei, don’t take it off!"
He laughs with an air of incredulousness. "Why not?"
"I just don’t want it undone. I like the way it makes me feel. Completely yours!" I put his hands on my breasts and help him massage them.
"I want to read the inscription to you."
"You don’t remember what it says?" I put my nose on his and Eskimo kiss him. He chuckles at that ridiculous statement and I giggle while I attempt to get up and therefore get away. "This is some sort of trickery! And I’m not falling for it!"
He laughs out loud and locks his hands behind me, putting me in a bear hug. Burying my nose in his neck, he squishes me against him, then he slides his hands back up into my hair.
The thought of it being released overwhelms me and my voice cracks. "Don’t. Please don’t. Just tell me."
He relaxes his arms and leans away. "Are you ok? You sound upset?"
"I mean it! I don’t want it undone ... ever! Not even when I dance as Surreal. The collar on my Black and Blue Baby can be adjusted to hide it. I’ve already thought about it."
He smiles and shakes his head. "If it means that much to you, I will leave it."
"It does." I smile relieved. "I don’t want to be wild and free ever again. I like being collared and claimed by you. I want to be owned and controlled by you."
He kisses my nose. "How about bound to?"
I purse my lips and roll my eyes, looking away as I give this very serious consideration. "Yeah, I would enjoy some rope play. Bound by you to the bed and forced to endure all sorts of kinkiness? Yeah, sounds like heaven to me."
He chuckles. "That’s not exactly what I meant. I meant bound to me."
"Whatever you want to do, I’m game." I grin. "You can even gag me if you want."
He laughs, "I might take you up on that!"
He cups my ass, and holding me against him, stands up. "Let’s take a quick dip in the pool before we eat, then I have a surprise for you."
"Oh, boy! I’m learning to love your surprises." I kiss him where my lips land.
Chapter Thirteen
As he walks us down the stairs into the water, I lay my face on his shoulder. "I saw the picture of Heaven on the ceiling. I know the first word is Heaven now." And I start trying to guess again what the inscription reads. "Heaven equals ... bondage? Bound to you? No. Those don’t fit. Heaven equals... rope play?"
He shakes his head.
"Heaven equals ... I promise? Oh! I know!" I cup his face and turn it to mine. Staring into his eyes, I say excited. "Heaven equals promise me!"
He laughs and puckers for a kiss.
"Is that it?" I ask excited I might have stumbled on it.
"Nope." He pops his lips on the 'p'.
I lay my head back and growl. "Grrr. Just tell me!"
Standing waist deep in the water, he squats. "You really want to know?"
"Yes! For crying out loud! Just tell me!"
He laughs a real belly laugh then says. "Heaven equals...." And he submerges us under the water. I see him smiling and little bubbles escape his mouth. I start pounding his chest and he lets me go. I float up while he waves his arms, blows bubbles out and lays on the bottom.
Staring down at him, I grin and shake my fist at him. "That’s mean trickery!" My hair floats out in all directions and I see my crazy looking shadow. He grins a 'shit eating' grin up at me. I come up for air, take a deep breath then dive down to him. He is still grinning when I get there. "You rascal!" I mouth and point at him, grinning too.
He reaches out, grabs hold, pulls me down to him, hugs me tight, then draws his legs up and shoots us to the surface. As soon as we catch a breath, I start to talk and he takes me under again. I play slap him.
He lets me go, and he sits on the bottom. I get another breath of air and dive down again. I put my face in front of his and he grins, then makes a monkey face, pulling his ears forward, blowing his cheeks out and pooching his lips. I laugh and lose my breath. Big bubbles escape and I’m forced to go up again for air.
As soon as I quit laughing, I dive back down but we pass each other as he pushes up to fill his lungs. I chase him back to the surface. He is laughing at me when I come up, take a breath, and start to talk. "Aurei ...."
He takes a deep breath and disappears under the water again. This time he swims to the other end.
I watch his perfect swim stroke. His muscular arms form an angle and his hands form an arrow as they cut into the water. He pulls his weight with ease and his feet kick with the rotation of his body. His grace and fluid movement flow effortlessly, gliding along creating a wake of water with his massive body. He stops at the other end and grins at me, knowing I can’t ask him any questions from here.
I start to giggle and let out an exasperated, "AH!"
He laughs out loud.
I roll onto my back, push off and backstroke to him, giggling the whole way. He catches me in his arms and pulls me tight, then takes me under again. He spins me around to face him and my hair floats between us. I wave it away, then he pulls me against his chest and I wrap my legs and arms around him, hooking myself to him. He grins and I stick my tongue out at him, making him laugh out loud causing him to lose his breath and we surface.
As soon as I take a breath then start to say "Aur", he lifts us up preparing to submerge again. I shut my mouth quickly and it makes a muffled popping sound, then I pretend to lock it with a key which I mime throwing it over his shoulder. He throws his head back and lets out a belly laugh.
I draw my legs to me, put my feet squarely in the center of his diaphragm, and dive off his six pack abs, surging off him swimming as fast as I can to the other end.
I’m a strong swimmer. I have a custom made pool in my condo and I swim laps every day. It keeps my muscles loose, helping me stay flexible. As I take a breath in my stroke, I see Aurei swimming a side stroke next to me.
He’s a Beast!
I swim onto the steps and rush up them. He tries to run after me before he is clear of the water. He sloshes and thrashes it trying to grab me, but I’m quicker, so he rains down huge amounts of water on me. Splashing so much that I can’t see anything so I have to stop. His big hand grabs my wrist and I squeal as he pulls me into his arms, then scoops me up and carries me out. As my arms encircle his neck and my skin lays against his skin, all I can think of is how warm his skin is, how soft his skin is, how smooth his skin is against mine and how my skin loves his skin so much!
"Heaven equals being yours." I tease him, finally able to keep guessing, but it comes out as a statement rather than a question.
He stops walking, looks so sweetly and sincerely into my eyes, I know I hit a nerve. I squeal, "Oh my Golden God! That’s it, isn’t it?"
He laughs now and the tease on his face as he rolls his eyes and says, "No'p'e."
I rain down vicious blows on him. "That’s just mean!"
He laughs. "But that’s very, very close, Wild Thang. Very, very close." He continues across the veranda to the table.
Gently setting me on my feet, he picks up a white robe that sits folded in one of the chairs. He holds it out and I slip my arms inside. He tucks me inside, then kisses my lips. Then he reaches down again and produces a white towel for me to wrap my hair in.
"You always have the answer to my needs." I smile up at him.
"Let’s hope that trend continues." He pulls the chair back and offers it to me with a flourishing wave of his hand. "My Lady, please be seated. We have a meal prepared by the finest Chef in all of Italy, Marco DeFranco."
As I sit, he slides my chair back to the table. Watching him
walk to his, I marvel at how small a gesture this is, yet how it really makes me feel ladylike. He dons his robe, then bows to me and takes his seat. The white against his dark golden complexion is nothing less than beautiful.
"What would you like to talk about over dinner? I’m guessing you want to talk about the Celebration festivities?" He asks so innocently, I hate to do it, but I have to.
"I would rather talk about Heaven."
He grins. "What about Heaven?"
"When you said to me in the elevator, 'I would rather take you to heaven.' Is this where you meant?"
"Negative."
"Hmm." I thought he would answer yes. "Where then? Or what did you mean?"
"In the elevator, I only wanted to pound you so good you knew what heaven was."
"Hmm. Mission accomplished." I grin a half grin.
"Affirmative." He grins the same grin back at me. "But after, I realized I had learned what heaven was."
Oh my Golden God! What a sweet thing to say!
"Then you decided to bring me here?"
"Then I decided to bring you to Rome."
"Ummhmm. Then you decided to give me a necklace that says Heaven equals ...." I let my words trail off hoping he will tell me.
He doesn’t take the bait to fill in the blanks. "Affirmative."
"Ah! And now you brought me here."
"Affirmative."
"Will I experience Heaven in that bed?"
"Affirmative."
"Promise?"
He smiles. "I promise."
I purse my lips and look away thinking about this. "You better not be teasing me or there will be hell to pay."
He laughs. "So my choice is Heaven or Hell?"
"Absolutely!" I give him my swag finger.
He laughs out loud and his eyes crinkle. I love that feature about him. He lifts the lid to one of the dishes and the delicious smell of fresh baked bread drifts to me. My stomach rubs my backbone and I tip my nose up to inhale.
Being In Love (Siri's Saga Book 5) Page 8
