by Mia Villano
“Are you okay with this?” he asked. I could barely make out his face in the candlelight.
“Yes.” I said. I wanted him to do more.
“Keep your hands to your sides. Let me know if you don’t like this.” I nodded my head.
“Close your eyes, Isabella. It will feel so much better.” I complied. He poured a thin line of wax down my stomach. I gasped. I loved the feeling of the wax being dripped on me. He held the candle high above me and began lowering it. The lower the candle the hotter the wax, to me the hotter the better. He dripped it down by my sex, so close to my clit. He continued to pour long thin lines of wax along my stomach inching closer and closer to my sex. I moaned his name. His name sounded different in the open. It echoed off into the distance. He kissed me again on my clit and traveled up to my face. I was dripping wet. I wanted him inside me. His cock was pressed against me and he pushed it in with little effort. His fingers laced into mine that were now over my head. His body shook and I loved the heat coming off him.
“There, right there. This is where I live to be. Am I hurting you?”
I barely got out a ‘no’.
He pulled out and then pushed back in. His body held up by his arms as he hovered over me. He was fucking me slow and rhythmic. I loved when he fucked me slow, taking his time and kissing me. It didn’t last long. In the shadow of the candle light, I saw his head thrown back, his body tightened and his breathing heavy. He let go of my hands and I grabbed on to him as he pulsated inside me and filled me with him.
“Oh, my Isabella.” He fell down on top of me. His shirt was sweaty. I was covered in dried wax.
He rolled off me and I couldn’t move. He rolled over and pulled the wax off my skin.
“Are you ready to go back home?” he asked zipping up his pants.
“If you can carry me, I can’t walk. I may not walk again. Fucking out in the French countryside should be against the law. I swear it’s something in the air. You people spray the air with some type of aphrodisiac to make people horny.”
“You are funny, Isabella.” He stood up and reached out his hand to help me up. I felt like a baby horse walking for the first time. With the combination of wine, candle wax and the great orgasm, walking was not coming easily.
“I could move here.” I said as we were loading up the car.
“Maybe we will build a house here. You could open up a restaurant in Paris and commute here. It would be wonderful. All our babies could work in the vineyard.”
“All our babies?”
I sat down in the car and he slid in beside me.
“Yes, I want at least six.”
“Well, good luck. You better find someone else to have them because six babies are not coming out of me.” I hope he wasn’t serious.
He laughed his throaty deep laugh.
“Relax, I want one or two. I don’t want your attention going to the babies and not me.”
“That will not happen, especially if you keep using your tongue like you did. Is that a requirement in France for men to go to school and learn how to orally please a woman?”
“No, but I should start one.”
“Yes you should.”
Chapter 28
The French morning sun shone through Fabrice’s bedroom window warming my cold body. He was already up and I heard him downstairs rustling around. I grabbed my clothes and dressed in case his parents were back and headed to the kitchen.
The aroma of coffee and bacon filled the air. Fabrice was cooking? It couldn’t be.
“Hello, beautiful.” He smiled. He wore his jeans and nothing else. His hair was sticking up and he was barefoot.
“I want to keep you like that all the time. I love you like that.” I walked over to him and kissed him.
“Cooking?” he asked.
“No, shirtless, in jeans and barefoot. Seeing you like that is like a man seeing a beautiful woman in lingerie. You are definitely hot, Mr. Arbidioux.”
“They frown on the French Ambassador wearing this. It doesn’t look too professional.”
“Who do I need to talk to, the President?”
“You can sway him. He was smitten by you at the Correspondence Dinner.”
“Thank you for last night. I loved knowing more of you. Please know you don’t need to hide things from me.”
“I will do a better job. Last night was crazy hot.”
“Crazy hot?” I laughed.
“Trying to sound cool, I need to work on it. Did you like the wax?”
“You don’t need to work on anything but getting me back upstairs before your parents come home. I loved the wax. Next time, do it more and pour it lower. I like it hot.”
Chapter 29
The plane ride home was a good time to sleep. Sophia showed me her ultrasound pictures in 3D and I was able to see my niece in a different light. She was perfect. In four short months I would be holding her, feeding her, and dressing her in the latest fashion. The wedding was still on schedule for New Year’s. I spoke to Avery before I took off and she was doing well. She wants to go back to school and was walking when I called her.
“Cherise, now, wants a goddamn baby.” She said, and I couldn’t help but laugh at her.
“That’s part of marriage, Ave. I can’t wait to hear a baby call you mom. Oh God, I live for the day.”
“Shut up. It’s not happening, at least not now. I’m lucky to be upright let alone worrying about a baby. That crap can wait.”
“Don’t wait to long.”
“Coming from the woman about to marry a rich French Ambassador, when will you be waddling around?”
“When you are ready, I’ll be ready. Cherise and I can be pregnant together.” I already knew Avery wouldn’t be able to carry a baby. Not with her transplant and the amount of drugs she had to stay on.
“Sounds heavenly. When are you coming home?”
“Today, I’m leaving in about twenty minutes. I can’t wait for you to see this ring.”
I couldn’t wait to see her. I thanked God every day she made it and would be around until we were old and grey. So far her heart was doing well and she seemed to be making a great recovery.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Once we landed, Fabrice had Ronnie pick me up from the airport and bring me to his house. I stayed there more than I stayed at home. I showered, changed and planned on going to see Avery and stay the night in my old room. It was around seven when I sent a text to Fabrice.
Hey, crazy hot Ambassador. I made it. I love you. See you next week.
He was supposed to come back the following week and be home for a while. The terrorist situation that seemed to be threatening Paris was under control, he told me. I wanted him home with me and safe.
By the time I made it to the condo, it was getting late and I hadn’t heard from Fabrice. That wasn’t like him. I walked in to a very quiet place. All I heard was the sound of the television in the living room, which we never had on. I walked in and saw Avery sitting on the couch in tears.
My first thought was that something happened to someone in her family or Cherise, bad news from the doctor. It didn’t hit me until I heard the news.
“This is CNN Breaking News. Today, at about three in the afternoon Paris time, the French Ambassador, Fabrice Arbidoux, was involved in an attack by two gunman. These two men went into the coffee shop that Fabrice Arbidoux was at and opened fire, killing six people. Of the six killed, we have word that the Ambassador was not one of them, though he was taken to the American Hospital in France. His condition at this moment is not known. What we do know is there were two gunman. The men shot up the coffee shop hitting as many people as they could. The Ambassador, Fabrice Arbidoux, and his body guard, went after the gunmen and in the process, he was shot. We will be out here with the latest updates.
Avery turned to look at me. I screamed “No!” I collapsed on the floor. I was with him ten hours ago and he was fine. He was with me and no one had hurt him. I should have stayed. I could have stayed. I had to
get back to Paris. I had to get back there right away.
Avery walked over to me. She couldn’t lift me and I couldn’t get up. I had no strength to get up.
“Avery, no. No, please say he’s okay.” I cried hysterically.
“Izz, it’s going to be okay. You need to go back to him. I will help you. It’s going to be okay.”
The End
I swallowed back the tears in my throat. My world was getting on the plane and leaving me alone. I loved her more than I loved anything. Words couldn’t express what I truly felt for her. She was beauty, passion, and indescribable love. My sweet Isabella made my world complete.
Watching her take the steps up to the jet tore at my heart. It would be two weeks before I could see her again. Two weeks before I could make love to her. She turned around and waved at me. I couldn’t describe what went through my body at that moment. I caught a glimpse of her ring. The ring that promised me she would be my wife and love me forever. Her wild hair I loved to feel against my body blew around her angelic face. Her bare legs that brought me to my knees, were flexed sending me to thoughts of them wrapped around my waist. I was tempted to run up the steps and go with her, back to the U.S. I couldn’t do that. I still had work to do in Paris.
Two nights before she asked me about the threats on my life. A painful shot of guilt tore through me as I remember for the first time, I lied to her. For the first time I could not tell her how bad the threats really were. I didn’t want her to worry about me. She was just getting out of a depression and dealing with so much I couldn’t put her through more. I couldn’t tell her how bad it was. When I looked in to her eyes they showed so much concern, so much hurt. I couldn’t add to it. No, I told her I was fine and everything was under control. I told her I was safe. I lied. I wasn’t safe. The threats were direct and they were ominous.
After I watched to plane takeoff, I turned around and headed back to my office. I had a lot of work ahead of me. I powered through the day with meetings .There was a briefing on the threats against my coworkers and me. The terrorist group that I unraveled and helped kill their leader in the hostage rage was still making threats against my life. The threats had been ongoing for the past ten years. I didn’t think anything of it until I became the Ambassador. Once I was in the public eye, this group made it a point to single me out. The last was a video sent to my Paris office. The vowed revenge on me and anyone else that may have been with me that day when we rescued the hostages. Was I afraid? This time, yes. This time I felt something different.
Snapping out of my thoughts, Gustan walked up to me. Gustan was our Embassy speaker, the office manager, and most importantly, my friend. We served together in the Special Ops troops and he was with me the night we rescued the hostages. He was with me when the helicopter exploded and set my body ablaze. He didn’t leave me that night until we made it to a hospital. I won’t forget that.
“So, did she say yes?” He slapped me on the back as I sat at my desk listening to the video once again. I had told Gustan I planned on asking Isabella to marry me when she came to Paris. I showed him the ring and told him what I planned on doing.
I stood up and smiled.
“Of course she did. How could she refuse me?” I laughed as we embraced and slapped each other on the shoulder.
“I’m so happy for you both. Let’s celebrate. I will take you down to the coffee shop. My treat.”
Gustan stood about six-foot five with a lot more muscle mass than me. I felt safer with him around. He’s had my back several times in difficult situations and I hope that having him with me in Paris would be the same.
“Sounds perfect, but you will buy me a chocolate croissant, as well.” I laughed.
“Only if you give me details on how she thanked you that night.”
“Gustan, you know I won’t do that. A man never kisses and tells. But, you will still buy me that croissant.” I laughed at him as we headed down the hall to the elevators.
The coffee shop was one block away from our offices. The streets in Paris were busy with people going to lunch, shopping, and enjoying the beautiful day. Before we walked into the shop I noticed it was busier than usual. For one in the afternoon, the place was full of people. Then I remembered it was an out-of-school day and the teenagers used it as a place to meet. Gustan held the door for me and I walked in front of him and took a place in line.
It was almost immediately after we walked in that I heard gun shots. At first I thought the shots were a balloon popping. I have heard gun shots many times but this was different in a building filled with people. Maybe it was because I hadn’t expected it. Then I looked around. My training told me to look for blood, empty cartridges, and smoke. I heard screaming and saw people fall to the floor. I saw blood. Blood everywhere. I spotted one of the shooters. Gustan was already on the other one. I lunged when a shooter pointed the gun to a child’s head. Isabella crossed my mind at that moment I felt an unbearable burning shot through me. I heard her voice in my head. My sweet Isabella.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This book is dedicated to my daughters. My rocks and my heroes. I love you Hannah and Abbi. You are my inspiration every day to be a better person. Thank you for putting up with me. I would not be writing if it wasn’t for the two of you.
To my Beautiful Betas, Kelly Wiley, Barbara Alvarez, Emma Louise, Michele Henderson, LJ Cruz, Elizabeth Clinton, Melody and Yasmine. I couldn’t have done this without you. You gave me the courage to keep writing when I didn’t think I should anymore. Hope you will be with me through my entire career. I love you all. We made it through a second book.
To the woman responsible for helping me get this done. My personal cheerleader and my friend. I love you. Thank you Yolanda Ann at The Art of Romance Promotions.
