Sweet Seduction

by Anthology

  “Ti amo,” I said, feeling a magnificent fire between my legs.

  Another orgasm crashed over me.

  My boyfriends always made me climax in multiples.

  The pleasure was pure and explosive. Images from a few years ago of us at the Festa del Redentore in Venice played in my mind. Such naughty memories. We’d made love all night on the pontoon bridge. That night, the fireworks illuminated the Mediterranean sky. Much like how my orgasm had just lit up inside of me.

  “I love you more,” he said.

  Lip to lip, tongue to tongue, we kissed intensely for a minute or two. He cried out in pleasure when he came inside me.

  After the orgasm we rested above all the pillows, satin fabric clinging to our wet skin.

  The prisms above us camouflaged the room with rays of light.

  I wondered if my tears of happiness showed. I felt so at home with my boys.

  This is my piece of heaven in my sky.

  Will tomorrow’s sunshine feel as warm as I do inside right now?

  A sensation of love wrapped around me, around us. I was cocooned in the feeling of affection and belonging to them both.

  Their skin. My love for them. Like liquid. I wanted to drink it. Pouring down like rain. Like fine wine, I could get drunk on my love for them. I wanted to bathe in it. Let it flow through my veins. There was no substitute for my love for them. No fashion line I could create would ever surpass the sense of completion to be with them, and I’d jumped through many of life’s hoops and obstacles to be there.

  Whether I liked it or not, I’d already changed my life for them. Why had I even resisted? Probably the fear of trading in my fame and fortunes for love. Before Luigi and Rocco came into my life, my days had been spent so selfishly.

  Silly, actually.

  I’d had so many lovers over the years. Some greedy, others just too needy. None like Luigi and Rocco. Ever! With the fortunes life had brought me, I could buy anything I wanted. Regardless, no one would ever bring me love like those two men.

  My chin rested against Luigi’s ripped chest, gazing up at his face. I could see the pain I’d caused him over the year. The anger and hurt he’d accumulated in recent weeks, since our last vacation. Fine lines had set deeply around his eyes ever since I’d rejected their marriage proposal.

  “I’m sorry to both of you for everything,” I muttered, frustrated with myself. “I wish I could take back our last holiday and start over.”

  “Don’t apologize, dolce.” A cry broke from Rocco’s lips. “Just do what your heart desires.”

  “How? I don’t even know where to begin with you two. Or how to make it up to you both.” Tears streaked my face. “I’ve been so selfish. This feels so good right now. How could I have ever turned my back on this? On us? I can’t believe I shut down like that.”

  Luigi’s face came up to mine. “Just love us.” Our lips touched, and his tongue warmed my cold mouth. After we kissed, I rested on him. Massive. I could spend all night on top of him.

  Staring up at the lights which danced rainbows on the wall, I played the question I’d been dreading to ask for months in my head. The question no breast cancer survivor wants to ask. The question every breast cancer survivor thinks about. It was what had gnawed away at my self-confidence throughout the past year. I’d tucked it away for so long but that, in the dark, covered in their love, I had to know. I counted back from five, four, three, two, one, and blurted, “What if I get sick again?”

  They both sat up. Glaring at me, faces frozen in silence, sympathy in their eyes.

  Fuck. Say something.

  “One of us is going to die before the other,” Rocco said matter-of-factly. His wide forehead wrinkled as he continued, “We can’t defy death. We can only enjoy life.”

  Luigi stroked my arm. “That’s another benefit of us being in this thruple. When one of us dies…the other two won’t be left alone.”

  A warm glow flowed through me. I smiled hearing his optimism and confessed, “I hadn’t thought about it like that before. Let me ask you something else, and I want you to be honest with me.”

  They both nodded.

  “If I die…will you two promise me you’ll stay together?”

  “Always and forever,” Rocco replied without any hesitation. “’Til the end of time, and we’ll see you up there in Heaven or wherever our souls go when we die.”

  “We have no intention of taking on another girlfriend,” Luigi added.

  As I tried to grasp what they’d said, I snuggled close between them and closed my eyes. My heart sang inside just like Birdie’s beautiful voice had earlier with joy.

  Rocco hands glided over my backside. He liked to trace his fingers over my scars from the surgery. He called them my angel wings. I wanted to have them tattooed, eventually.

  He’d once said to me, “Breast cancer isn’t a pink ribbon. It’s a disease which takes lives. If you survive…if you’re able to go on with the days ahead of you, then you’ll be a supernatural creature living and walking among us.”

  I loved that he’d said that to me.

  I thought about Rocco’s words so often.

  Especially after we’d made love, like that night.

  I pressed my body next his. Smelling him, tasting his breath, he butterfly-kissed the scars, and my pain away.

  ***

  Shopping. Making love. Dancing. Music. Food. BDSM clubs. Leather. We did it all!

  We ate kaffee und kuchen, did a photo shoot in Grunewald Forest, explored the flea-markets at Mauer Park, walked (and fucked) on the Berlin Wall, and played in the gardens of Schloss Charlottenburg, and by played, I mean fucked some more.

  The week in Berlin flew by like a whirlwind.

  With more fashion sketches than I’d ever thought possible, I’d come up with several new dresses for my upcoming collection. Inspired by the labyrinth where we’d made love, they had prisms of crystals which hung from them. Purple and red hues. So romantic, and yet psychedelic and trendy.

  We only had two more days left in Germany then we were off to Russia.

  I knew what I needed to do. Correction—what I wanted to do. I couldn’t deny them any longer. Or myself, for that matter. After the boys had fallen asleep one night at the hotel, I reached for my cell phone and slipped into the bathroom.

  Sitting on the edge of the porcelain tub, I called Prince Massimo.

  I can’t believe I’m doing this…

  “Ciao, Jemma,” he greeted on the second ring.

  “Masi, I need a favor. When we leave here, I’m going to have the pilot make an unexpected trip to Isola di Girasoli.”

  “Aren’t you scheduled to go to Moscow?”

  “Sì. But there’s been a change of plans.” Trying to focus, I put a strand of hair in my mouth and sucked on it nervously like I did when I was a kid.

  “You’re cancelling the sexual safari?”

  “Sì…”

  “Do the guys know about this?”

  “No.”

  “But why? The pubblicità is going well for Jemma Couture. Signorina Brill is going to have a fit. Lex emailed me the drawings you’ve done for the next collection. Everything looks sorprendente. Our stocks have gone up. Investors seem happy.”

  I held my breath while he huffed and puffed into the phone.

  “I’ll explain when I get there.”

  “Jemma!”

  “Masi, per favore. Don’t ask questions. Can you, Lex and the rest of the Manhattanites meet us at your palace?”

  “Tell me what you’re up to.”

  “Just trust me. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.”

  “Is it a matter of life and death?” he asked.

  “Not death, you ass.” I laughed. “Life, Masi. Life.”

  “Okay, okay. Lex, Taddy, Blake, and I will see you at Isola di Girasoli in two days. I don’t think we can get Vive out of rehab again, but I can try.”

  “Grazie,” I said and hung up.

  Chapter Eight

&
nbsp; A Celebration of Life

  Luigi

  Two days later

  Isola di Girasoli

  Che cosa?

  After we’d taken off from Berlin, I didn’t know how much time had passed since I’d fallen asleep. Maybe three or four hours.

  Damn.

  I blamed the two tumblers of scotch I’d drunk before departure. I hated flying, and Prince Massimo’s pilot jetted the thing around as if it were a taxi in Milano.

  When I’d awoken, we’d already landed.

  We were on the tarmac. The plane’s wheels had come to a complete stop, and the engines turned off.

  The jet’s door opened.

  We weren’t in Russia. At least it didn’t feel like it.

  For starters, the sun blinded me. Bright white, almost pink rays shined through the windows illuminating everything.

  Not in the Eurasia way I’d expected.

  Second, there was humidity in the air. Coming into the cabin from the outside, it practically blanketed me in hot moisture.

  Then I smelled the briny, salt air. Mmm, and the sweet smell of…sunflowers? Followed by the sounds of seagulls.

  “Dolce!” I jumped to my feet, almost hitting my head on the ceiling. “What the hell is going on?”

  “Calm down, my darlings.” Wearing a slinky dress Rocco had picked out for her the previous day while shopping, she strutted down the aisle toward me.

  I glanced over to my left.

  On the cabin’s sofa, shaking his head, my bello drank a glass of red wine as if he hadn’t a care in the world. “I knew she wouldn’t be able to let us be in charge of our sexual safari. She changed the course.”

  “Get up.” Taking a cookie from his hand, I swatted at him.

  Jemma’s heart-shaped face with those full pink lips, high forehead, small chin, button nose, narrow jaw, high cheekbones, clear olive skin, wide-set eyes—all of it together—radiated a coy level of sensuality. I found her disposition infuriating and alluring at the same time.

  “Where are we?” I crossed my hands over my chest and set my jaw.

  “Don’t you recognize this place?” With a smile from ear to ear, she put her hands out to her sides and spun around, nearly knocking Rocco’s glass from his hands.

  Too mad, I couldn’t even see out the damn window.

  “Silly. We’re on Isola di Girasoli.”

  “Why did you bring us here?” I asked her. When she gave no answer, I glared at Rocco for one.

  “She wouldn’t tell me till you woke up.” He finally got off his ass and stood next to me.

  I nudged him with my shoulder. “And why didn’t you wake me up sooner?”

  “Dolce said not to.” He shrugged.

  Without warning, Jemma got down on one knee. Right in front of us. She reached out for our hands and asked, “Will you marry me?”

  “Whaaa—” Shocked, amazed, my mouth hung open.

  “Today?” Rocco’s voice raised in surprise.

  “Sì,” she replied. Her features became more animated.

  A new and unexpected warmth surged through me. Happiness. “You drive me crazy. You know that, don’t you? No one compares to you, dolce. No one.”

  Her skin, so golden brown, radiated joy. “Prince Massimo and the Manhattanites are all waiting for us at the Tittoni palace.”

  “You planned this?” I could barely make sense of what was going on.

  She nodded. “Two days ago, amore. Your parents are coming. Rocco’s, too. So…what’s your answer?”

  Rocco squeezed her hand, reached for mine, and replied, “Sì.”

  “It would be our honor,” I agreed, taking a sharp breath before I helped her to her feet. Kissing her, Rocco did as well, and then my lips touched his. We all three embraced each other for a minute. The hug reminded me of when we were on top of the cliff, there at Isola di Girasoli, not long ago, talking about us, right before Jemma had said no.

  “Why the change of heart?” I asked as we stepped down from the plane.

  Slipping on my sunglasses, I didn’t want her to notice a tear forming in my right eye. Elated, I’d never thought the day would come. I stopped at the bottom of the stairs and held her tightly in my arms. I could feel her heart beating against my chest. Rocco came up from behind, brushed her hair off her shoulder, and repeated my question.

  She gazed up at me then Rocco. “When I realized you two had gone to such great lengths to make me fall in love with life, with us, and myself again…I knew I wanted to make a commitment to you both. Forever.” Her eyes glistened with tears. “Deep down inside, I always knew you two were the ones. That wasn’t why I’d said no initially.”

  “Then why did you turn down our proposal?” Rocco asked.

  “When I got sick, I felt the cancer had taken the best out of me. I didn’t think I had anything left to give you. But our night at Circus Bazaar changed everything. That and a talk I’d had with Vive helped me realize otherwise.”

  “And what was it you realized?” I wondered.

  “That our lives are just starting,” she beamed. “That we’re getting a second chance to live our lives however we want.”

  Adrenaline raced through me. I’d sensed a change in her spirit over the past few days, and definitely for the better, but I’d never expected this. “What is it you want for your life now, Jemma?”

  “To grow old with you both. To love you as best as I can.”

  “Me, too,” Rocco agreed.

  Together, we piled into the Tittoni limo and made our way to the palace.

  ***

  Jemma

  The next day

  House of Tittoni

  I didn’t know why in the holy banana Prince Massimo had delayed our wedding by an entire day. I was starting to get used to the sexual safari and was eager to get to Moscow. Taddy, Lex, Blake, and even Vive were all there. Along with Luigi’s and Rocco’s parents.

  Nevertheless, Prince Massimo had pushed the ceremony back.

  Can you believe it?

  He’d said he had to get the marriage license in order, but I found that rather odd. The guy owned the damn country. He could’ve pulled it out of royal ass if he wanted to.

  We’d planned to get married on the beach at sunset. I dressed in a gown from Lex’s bridal collection she’d flown in with.

  A mermaid pattern, off one shoulder, ivory fringe, and beading. All chiffon. Pretty, elegant, simple. Nothing like I would’ve created but hey, when in Rome, right?

  Lex zipped up the back of dress and asked, “You nervous?”

  “Surprisingly, no.” I turned to face the mirror. We were in one of the villas near the seat which faced the island of Malta. Just her and me, like old times. “I never thought I’d wear white. Black, yes.”

  “It’s cream,” she corrected.

  In the light when I turned, I caught a shimmer of pink in the fabric. It was nice.

  “Isn’t Massimo going to walk me down the aisle? Where is he?” My attention focused on the brass clock on the wall. “We better get going—”

  “He’ll be here. He just went to get something for you.”

  “Something old?”

  Lex laughed and shook her head.

  I continued, “Something new? Something borrowed? Something blue?”

  There was a knock at the foyer.

  “Come in!” I shouted.

  The door flew open.

  Holy shit!

  “Padre.” The word barely escaped my lips. I haven’t said that in so long.

  He appeared shorter than I’d remembered, almost frail, and sad. Oh, God, the sadness…

  “Jemma,” he said as if something was stuck in his throat, stepping closer.

  “What are you doing here?” I clenched my jaw to push back a sob. I wasn’t prepared to see him. Inhaling deeply, holding it for a second or two, I exhaled and muttered, “Did Masi send for you?”

  “Not exactly. Although his plane brought me here.”

  “Then who?” I asked as Lex excus
ed herself from the room, giving us some privacy. I wasn’t sure I wanted to be alone with him. Not today…

  “Luigi and Rocco called me last night. They repeated what they’d said months ago when they asked for my approval to have your hand in marriage.”

  “I see…” I tried to keep my guard up. “And you came here today to try and talk me out of it?”

  He shook his head. “To apologize. Make things right between us, and hopefully walk you down the aisle.”

  Unexpected glee pursed my mouth. I couldn’t believe he’d just said that. “You’d give me away?”

  “Only if you promise we can let the past stay behind us. I want you back in my life, Jemma. I’ve missed you. You’re the only family I have.” The tone in his voice seemed different, as if he’d changed.

  “I’d like that, Padre.”

  I ran into his arms like I was a little kid and hugged him tight. He smelled of tobacco and wine, as he always had. Wiping the tears from his dark eyes, I asked, “What about my lifestyle? You know I’m marrying both of them today, don’t you?”

  He laughed. “Sì, you have my blessing.”

  My defenses began to subside, instead replaced with a headiness. Dizzy almost. I thought I was going into shock that he was supporting my choice. “Why didn’t you accept them before?” I motioned for us to take a seat on the two chairs in the room.

  He poured me a glass of water from the nearby pitcher. I took a sip and waited for him to answer.

  “It’s not that I didn’t approve. It’s just that I didn’t want you to go through life being discriminated against because of your poly relationship. The world is filled with so much hate. Life is hard enough without adding an extra layer of judgments to it.” He paused for a minute as if thinking what to say next. “The day you’d told me was your mother’s funeral. I’d already lost the love of my life. I was angry that she’d died. Your madre and I always joked that I’d go first.” He gave a slight chuckle.

  “Life is mysterious, isn’t it, Padre?” I reached for his hand and stroked it. Sunspots, more than I’d recalled, scattered across his skin.

  “At the end of the day, I just want to see you happy. I love Luigi and Rocco. I always have.”