by Ella Brooke
"Don't worry, I only cut the laces, the dress is intact," he told her, but she shook her head.
"How can you think I'm worried about that right now?" she demanded, and she threw her arms around him, dragging him back down with her. It was delicious having his weight on her, and that was even before his hands started tugging her dress off of her shoulders, pulling it all the way down to leave her lying bare in front of him.
Briony was so enraptured by everything he was doing that she didn't notice when he paused, looking down at her. The dress had removed the need for a bra, but of course she had still put on panties. Other women would have opted for something silk and sleek, or at least something in black or beige, but Seanan had come in and there just wasn't time to change out of...
"Oh no, don't look at me!" Briony exclaimed, trying to cover up her ancient, pink leopard print panties with her hand.
"Why not?" Marco asked with a laugh. "You're precious."
"I didn't think anyone would be seeing them," she retorted, and his eyes took on a territorial, pleasurable glint.
"Good. Because at least for tonight, I want this to be all mine."
He hooked his fingers into the waistband of her ridiculous panties, and with a single tug, he tore them from her body. Briony gasped, and for a moment, she wanted nothing more than to hide herself from his piercing gaze. Then he leaned down to lick a long trail from the center of her sternum to the curve of her belly, and all thoughts like that flew right out of her mind.
"God, do you have any idea how beautiful you are, Velvet? I'd let you wear that damn mask every day of our life if you'd stay with me."
She knew it was just romance and moonlight and lust that made him speak like that, but a part of her fluttered. Would he stay with her as she was now, unaware of the dull girl she was normally, someone who packed her own bag lunches and worried about bills?
There was no time to think of that, because suddenly he pressed her thighs apart, taking in the humid flesh in between. She was already so warm for him, but she hadn't thought what it would be like to have Marco's skilled fingers parting the curly hair between her legs, investigating the soft sweetness there.
"Just perfect, so perfect," he murmured, and it struck her that he was going to touch her more intimately.
"Please," she murmured. "Will you take off your clothes as well? Please?"
"I might have wanted to stretch that out, to really tease you, but my god, you have no idea how you look when you say please, do you?"
Before she could ask him what he meant by that, he was up and shucking off his tuxedo with an economy of motion that left her breathless. He was as unashamed as a beast or a god, and when he turned back to her, she could see why. Clothed Marco was a handsome man. Undressed, his form lithe with muscle, his shoulders broad and his hips narrow, he was perfection. There was something beautifully classic about his form, something that drew her hands, her lips, the very core of her.
Her eyes dropped to his cock pressing forward and making no secret of his desire. Her hand trembled, but he stayed still while she reached for him. Touching his cock was like touching silk over steel, and she circled the crown of his cock before lightly dabbing her fingers through the glistening pearl of liquid that appeared. Without thinking, she brought that liquid to her lips, finding it salty and pure and perfect.
Marco groaned, and she looked up in surprise to find that he was biting his lip with restrained need for her.
"You have no idea what you do to me," he muttered, and then he was back on the couch with her, stretching out so his body was level with hers, one arm slid under her head, and the other sliding down her curves. When Briony started to tuck her head against his chest, Marco pushed her to lie flat instead.
"I need to see you," he said simply. "I need to see you, and to touch you and more..."
She might have protested, but then his hand slipped down her body, lightly fingering her navel before drifting even farther down. He found the fluffy hair between her legs, petting it so softly that she purred, and then when her legs spread of their own accord, he delved down.
"Oh, so perfectly hot for me..." he murmured, slipping his fingers down her slit. She could feel herself becoming aroused, but that obviously wasn't enough for him.
He raised his fingers to his mouth, wetting them before returning them between her legs. For some reason, the idea of his saliva on his fingers wetting her, opening her, made Briony's breath catch.
When he entered her with just a fingertip, she whimpered, turning her head to look at him.
"You want me?" she managed to get out, and his smile softened.
"Could you doubt it, Velvet?" His fingers stroked inside her with deliberate care. She felt him stretching her subtly, first with one finger and then another. He would tempt her for a few moments, and then he would draw back to rub sweet circles around her clit. He found the perfect balance between the sweetness of the gesture and the pressure she needed, and soon every time he drew back to touch her clit, she was groaning with pleasure, her hips thrusting forward to meet him.
"So good, you feel so good," she whimpered, barely aware of what she was saying.
"I'll show you how to feel better."
When he drew his hand away, Briony whimpered in protest. She opened her eyes to look at him, but he was taking her hips in his hands, pulling her upright. God, but he was strong, and now he showed it, pushing her up to straddle his body as if she were no heavier than a doll.
She was seated so that his cock was erect between them. He took her hand and wrapped it lightly around his erection, urging her to arouse him with silent motions.
With other lovers, Briony had been terrified that she was inadequate, that he would think how chubby or plain she was. Now, straddling Marco's thighs, evidence of his excitement and need proud between them, all she cared about was their pleasure.
As she slid her hand along his cock, she couldn't stop herself from scooting forward a little, just enough so that the hard flesh of his erection touched the warm flesh between her legs. The shock of sensation was like lightning through her, and she shivered. She could feel an answering lightning bolt through Marco's body as well, and he looked up at her, demanding and wild.
"I need you now," he growled, and she knew what he meant.
Moving slowly, she carefully positioned herself over his cock, his hand grasping its base to help her. There was something almost painfully savage about how his hard knuckles pressed against her soft inner thigh, and when she felt the head of his cock at her very entrance, she knew this was inevitable.
"Go slow," he told her, his tone full of command. "I will not be pleased if I have found that you made yourself ache."
She blushed a little to hear him speaking so very bluntly, but she did as he told her. There was a slight sting when she pressed down on his erection, but then it was nothing but sweetness and pleasure as she took the rest of his length. He was far larger than what she was used to. It took her a few moments of slow breathing to acclimatize herself to his girth inside her, and when she did, the feeling of fullness and completion swept over her. She leaned down to press both palms over his shoulders, bracing herself so she could rock on his body, and the pleasure was enough that they both groaned with need.
"Yes, yes," Marco hissed. "Give me what I need. Take what you need."
There was nothing but primal pleasure between them right now. Nothing at all. All of her nervousness and anxiety flew out of her head as she arched over him, her powerful thighs working her up and down on his body, his cock filling her with every thrust. Those sensations alone rushing through her were extraordinary enough, but then he slid his hand between their straining bodies even as he dug his heels into the couch, arching up to meet her.
Somehow, in the middle of their passion and their bodies striving against each other, he found her clit, the very seat of her desire, and his hard strokes against it made her groan with need.
"Oh, don't stop, don't stop..." Briony gasped.
Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew how uncomfortable the position must have been for his wrist, how much she was asking for, but she had been replaced by some kind of wild woman, one who understood that pleasure for pleasure was the only fair way to do things, who was taking her pleasure and giving it back with a kind of magnificent, primal awareness.
She was lost between the feeling of pure fullness below and the shocks of pleasure from her clit. She had forgotten her name, her fears and her own spirit; all that mattered was the pleasure she was giving and getting. She had almost forgotten about orgasms, but then the tension in her body surprised her. It was as if some great hand was squeezing around her, making her tighten every muscle wildly against the feeling of pleasure that was flooding her very soul.
I don't want this to end yet, I don't...!
In the end, though, she might as well have tried to hold off the sea. She dug her nails deep into Marco's shoulders, but even that couldn't stave off the pleasure that was demanding its due. Briony's entire body tightened like a knot, and then quick like the flash of a sword, she was lost in her climax. It was primal and perfect and like nothing else she had ever experienced before, taking her apart before she could grudgingly begin to put herself together.
Briony went limp with exhausted pleasure, but it was obvious that Marco wasn't done. He rolled his hips up close to her, rocking against her with the power of the sea itself.
Then with a deep grunt, he simply rolled her over onto her back. She stifled a cry, but then he was looming over her, a dark shape against the dim light of the lamps. His thrusts were less rhythmic now as he focused on his own pleasure, driving into her over and over again until at last he stiffened and found his own pleasure. She felt the heat and wetness of his release like some sort of blessing of pleasure, a warmth she had never encountered before.
When he finally came to rest over her, his forehead pressed against her shoulder, Briony felt a foreign peace flood through her.
Chapter Five
Of course, the peace Briony found in Marco's arms couldn't last. He rolled off of her, gathering her into his arms. He planted sleepy kisses along her neck, murmuring in Italian. She was sure that whatever he was saying was sweet, but suddenly the implications of what she had done sank deep claws into her.
Oh god, he's still the man who thinks those ridiculous things about women. Rescuer or not, I don't know him. I don't know him at all. Oh god, what am I doing with a man that I don't know?
She had never done anything like this before. She wasn't someone who was given to one-night stands or even talking to strangers, let alone having sex with them. She could barely believe her own recklessness.
I am going to blame all of this on the adrenaline after what happened with those men from before, she told herself, but that didn't help her figure out the current situation.
Marco could tell there was something wrong. He propped himself up on one elbow, looking down at her. She nearly melted when he reached up to tenderly brush a strand of hair away from her eyes.
"What is it, darling?" he asked. "What's the matter?"
She almost told him, but then what would happen? She would simply collapse into his arms, whimpering and crying, and he would have another data point that women weren't as strong as men, couldn't even begin to be worthy of the same kind of regard.
Instead, she groped for the first excuse she could come up with.
"I think I hear someone coming," she murmured, and Marco's eyebrows went up. He tilted his head to listen, but he looked dubious.
"No, I'm sure I do," Briony lied. "Here, quick, help me get back into my dress.”
Bemused, he did as she told him to, repairing the cut in the laces he’d made earlier by tying those ends together into a knot first. He didn't lace her up as tightly as Seanan had, but that wasn't necessary. The thing that mattered was that the heavy dress was on and it wasn't likely to fall off.
"Stay here," she said urgently. "I'm going to go see who it is, and I'll stall them while you get dressed."
Briony started to walk towards the door, but Marco grabbed her by the hand, spinning her back for one last gentle kiss. She was sure she was already so rumpled and flushed that it likely wouldn't make much difference at all.
"Send them away, but do not be afraid," he murmured. "Nothing will harm you while you are with me."
She smiled, and as she hurried to the silent door, his words echoed in her head. More than a part of her wanted to return to him and let him make good on his promise, but right now, she was entirely too overwrought to do anything with that. No, she needed to get somewhere safe, she needed to think about what was going on, and she needed to be alone to think.
"Hi!" she said to the empty air upon opening the door. "Oh, I see, yes, yes...."
She slipped out of the library, closing it behind her, and then picking up her skirts, she dashed back to the guest wing. She encountered some people already heading up to rest after the party, and that was even better. There was likely a lot of people leaving now, and she would be lost in the crush. Of course, that was if he even cared to look for her. Would he? It hurt to think that he wouldn't, but Briony shrugged that hurt off.
She nearly ran to her own small room. It wasn't really hers, but it was so comforting. With trembling hands, she pushed off the dress, but she couldn't simply leave it in a pile on the floor. She hung it up instead, and when she looked at it, she had to sigh. Marco had said she was more pretty by far than the dress, but looking at it now, she knew it was a lie even with the small rip in the hem from when she’d climbed down from that tree in the grove. She pulled off the black mask that she couldn't help but feel had started all of this and left it on the counter.
Finally, she climbed into her thin yoga pants and favorite, oversized T-shirt. Seanan had sighed over Briony's chosen sleepwear, urging her towards negligees and other fancy satin items for the trip, but Briony was stubborn. Now, nestled in clothes that said “home,” she was grateful for her own willful ways.
That wasn't me, she thought to herself. I'm not someone who runs around in velvet and masks. I'm not someone who runs through olive groves after getting chased by strangers, and I'm definitely not someone who...who makes love to men like that in the library.
Even when Briony thought of it now, she couldn't stop herself from shivering. Marco's touch was like some kind of deep magic, drawing out a wildness in her that she had never even considered before. In his arms, she had been someone far different, and it would be lying to say that she hadn't liked it.
The wistfulness to be back in Marco's arms, to be that exciting woman again, was nearly the most alarming thing that had happened to her that night. She shook her head, pulling back from those thoughts.
No.
She wasn't that woman, she never would be, and the more heed she gave it, the more trouble she would get into.
Still, it was difficult to banish thoughts of Marco entirely, especially when vivid memories of his touch started to ghost through her mind.
Briony realized she must have sat with her warring thoughts for hours when there was a gentle knock at the door.
Marco...?
She padded to the door, feeling practically naked even in her frumpy sleepwear, but when she peeked through the peephole, she was both relieved and disappointed to see that it was Seanan.
She opened the door, and her sister floated in, a rapturous look on her face. Briony noted with affection and a complete lack of surprise that Seanan looked as fresh and vivid as she had when the evening began, her own velvet dress crisp and lovely.
"Oh my god, Briony, it was amazing, there were so many people, and I managed to get some time with Lionel O'Neil from Wentworth Pictures, and..."
Seanan stopped abruptly, looking her sister over. Briony felt as if she was under a microscope whenever her older sister turned that gaze on her. She tried to turn away, but Seanan grasped her by the shoulders and turned her around.
"Honey, what happened?
Are you all right? You look like you've been sick or maybe that you've been crying?"
Briony shook her head. "No, neither. I guess...I guess it was just all a little too much?"
"Awww, sweetie," Seanan said sympathetically. "Mr. Baldassare said something about some of his groundsmen making trouble for a guest. They're in the lockup right now, but I guess there's some stress going around... Oh...oh honey, are you all right?"
Against her will, Briony could feel tears springing up in her eyes. Seanan guided her over to the bed, cuddling her close.
"Oh Bri, I didn't know that was you! You should have come looking for me."
"There was someone else around to look after me for a little while. I was fine." Briony sniffled. "I mean, nothing happened, I just got scared, that was all."
Seanan scowled. "That shouldn't have happened to you. I'm sorry it did. Did someone take a statement from you? Did you have to talk to the police?"
"No, nothing like that. Seanan...can we just go home? I mean, can I just go home?"
The thought of dealing with police or anything like that made her throat close up with nerves and anxiety. She couldn't stand having to recount it. She might have done it if there was a chance those men were going to walk, but she realized that Marco had likely only spoken about himself being attacked by the groundsmen. Absolved of that responsibility, all she wanted to do was to get out of Italy and go home.
"Go home?"
Briony shook her head, wondering at how she could be so selfish. This was Seanan's victory party, and the idea of pulling her sister away from it only made her more miserable.
"We don't have to..."
"No." Seanan's voice was steel. "If you want out, we're getting out. Stay here, get some sleep. I'm going to go talk to some folks who might be able to help us out."
Seanan dropped a gentle kiss on Briony's forehead. "Don't worry, I'll get everything taken care of. We're getting out of here."
Briony felt as if there was something tugging at her heart, demanding that she stay in Italy, but in the end, fear won out.
"Yes, please," she whispered, and she knew her sister would move the world to get her what she needed.
