by SJ Molloy
“I thought we could try out the Jacuzzi on the patio area since we never got a chance to use it.”
Hmm, he’s piqued my interest. “Yes, I’d like that.”
“I thought you might. I’m going to set it up, then unpack the groceries in the kitchen.”
“Sure.”
I switch some music on, then sit on a lounger outside and scribble in my journal; not about past events, but the feelings I have had since meeting Lucca.
Progress.
He brings out some towels, two white robes and some cold champagne. “I want to undress you and get you in that hot tub.”
“I’m worried someone will see. There are lots of people here,” I say reluctantly.
“Relax, they can’t see or hear a thing. It’s very private and we’re on the opposite side of the building.” He lifts my dress over my head, slides my panties off my legs and unclips my bra, tossing it aside.
“Your skin is so dark now, I can’t believe how much colour you’ve absorbed. You look amazing.” Kissing me, he lifts me and sits me in the tub.
“I hope you’re joining me since I’ve had to bare all in broad daylight.”
“You didn’t think I was leaving you in there alone, did you?” He strips, displaying his glorious ripped abs, then sits behind me. He rubs my shoulders, massaging them tenderly, and kisses my neck; it’s heaven. I close my eyes and fall onto his chest, relaxing in the bubbly water.
The water ripples as Lucca releases his hands, and my shoulders and neck suddenly feel bare and exposed until he places his hands around my neck to fasten something. I open my eyes with the cold heavy weight around my neck. Instinctively, I place my hand over my chest to feel a large stone.
“What’s this?”
“It’s just a pendant. Your gift of the day. Well, one of many.”
I drop my head and lift it towards me to catch a glimpse. “Lucca, this is an enormous diamond. It’s not just a pendant, it’s massive. It’s too much.”
“Turn around so I can see it on you” he says. I turn and his eyes light up. “Maybe I underestimated how big it would be on your tiny neck.” He smiles. “It’s perfect. I’d love to make love to you wearing that and nothing else.”
I fling my arms around his neck and press into him. “Make love to me right now.” I seduce him with sexy, dirty kisses feeling lust like no other. Lucca takes the diamond in his mouth and sucks it, then marries his mouth with mine, transferring it with his tongue into my mouth. I wrap my tongue around it, teasing him, then drop it to claim his tongue with a covetous hunger.
The next hour is spent passionately losing ourselves in slow, sexy love making sessions in the bubbles of the jets. In our post orgasmic flourish, I lace my fingers in his and let my legs float in the hot bubbly water with complete exhaustion, almost drowning under the weight of the impeccable precious stone weighing on my chest.
****
Hazel and Dominic come to the suite for dinner, looking exhausted; Italy has definitely incited lustful love for us all.
“You look like you’re getting lots of action, young lady. You have a sparkle about you.”
“Hazel, don’t embarrass me,” I scold her. She chuckles as she sits on one of the loungers with a glass of wine. I show her the pendant which I’ve safely placed in the box; it’s definitely not something to wear every day.
“Oh my God. Jesus, Lexi, it’s gorgeous and must be ridiculously expensive. You could sell up now and fleet off into the sunset. Hmm, on second thought don’t because he’s far too good a specimen to leave behind,” she says as she eyes Lucca up and I have to laugh.
Annalisa delivers dinner to the room: zucchini pudding with burratta cheese, ricotta and truffle pie served on salad with truffle oil, and an almond and pear cake with chocolate sauce and gelato. We’ve been spoiled tonight. I watch Lucca swirl his finger in the melted ice cream on his plate, then he looks at me, feathering those long lashes, and I know what he’s after; I push my unfinished plate to him to let him finish my melting ice cream. He smiles up at me with delight, enjoying his guilty pleasure.
After dinner, Lucca, Dominic and Annalisa take the plates back to the villa’s main kitchen, and Hazel and I get a chance to chat. I tell her that Lucca seems obsessed with having a baby and she tells me to relax and stop worrying. “I’d pop them out if that would make him happy. Can you imagine how beautiful they would be?” she blurts.
I roll my eyes at her in disbelief. I ask her opinion on Cameron’s infidelity with Orianna changing the subject. Hazel thinks Anna has it bad for him and Cameron is playing it down, that he is really attracted to her.
The boys return with Sofia and Franco. Franco places his arm around me comfortably, and I don’t protest. I lift my hand and place it on his hand that hangs over my shoulder. Lucca watches me with complete awe. It feels nice. I feel safe.
“Dominic, I was thinking, would you like to come back here for our honeymoon?” I hear Hazel whisper.
“Yes, absolutely, honey. Let’s do that,” he replies. Sofia looks overjoyed.
Once the others have left, Lucca lifts me upstairs to bed. I’m exhausted again, but Lucca’s soft hands massage my breasts, waking me up for another round of sleepy lovemaking.
The next day’s arrival is doom day. Hazel just can’t accept her holiday is over and that she’s going home tomorrow, nor can I. We meet them in the gym downstairs. Lucca pounds on the treadmill and strongly lifts the free weights. I try out my own little gym circuit in recuperation of the wrist fracture. We use the sauna and steam room afterwards. I wear a bronze bikini that shows off my tan from Lucca’s designer wardrobe he gave me and sigh thinking about Hazel’s vacation coming to an end tomorrow.
We spend our afternoon visiting Piazza del Campo, Palazzo Comunale and the Duomo of Siena. We eat out for dinner since it’s their last night here, but I don’t eat much. I’ve lost my appetite. Lucca attentively watches me push my fork around the plate. He pinches his forehead with his middle finger and thumb. Hazel is moody she’s not happy about leaving, she’s got end of holiday blues, I understand as I’m having them too because she’s leaving.
“I’d like to say thank you, Hazel and Dominic, for forgiving and trusting me, and thank you for being so patient while I’ve gotten to know Lexi, and for being such great friends to her. I hope you’ve enjoyed your stay, and I look forward to spending time with you at home. I hope you have a safe flight home. To Hazel and Dominic,” Lucca toasts. Everyone clinks glasses at his thoughtfulness, then he continues, but faces me this time.
“I’m entirely grateful that you all walked into my life, but especially that this beautiful, loving, caring girl stole my heart. I can’t imagine spending my life with anyone else. Dolcezza, you know how much you mean to me, and how much I love you. I plan on making you very happy. To Lexi.” He raises his glass.
“To Lexi.” Everyone clinks glasses as Lucca looks down at me, then kisses me on the lips. Looking up at him, I blush with his sensitive words in front of the others.
****
Tuesday arrives, and I don’t want to face saying goodbye to Hazel. I don’t eat any breakfast, and my stomach is in knots.
”You’re going to have to eat something. You never touched lunch or dinner yesterday and now breakfast. I’m worried about you.”
“Don’t be, I’m fine. I just don’t feel hungry.”
“What’s going on? Please tell me, Doc,” he pleads.
“I’m just a little sad that Hazel is going home, you know.”
His look is pain. “I’m sorry. If you really want, we can arrange to go home. I don’t want you to be upset, so if it’s what you want, we’ll go home. But baby, you need to eat.”
“No. Thank you, honestly, but I’m a big girl. I need to find my own feet, so to speak. Plus, I want to spend time with you, I do, it’s just that reality has hit me, that’s all.”
“What if I keep you very busy for the next few days, and then if you still want to go, I’ll take you home.” He
trails his finger along my bra strap.
“I love you. Thank you for understanding.”
Hazel’s suitcase is an absolute massacre of debauchery; everything has been flung in with no rhyme or reason. I beg her to check on Mr. Carlin, keep an eye on Cameron and Anna and look after Doris until I get home.
Everyone has come to say goodbye. Hazel is choked up as she hugs them all; she must have got close to them all while Lucca and I were at the farmhouse. Maurizio presents Hazel with a certificate of Culinary Excellence and a recipe book of everything she has made. She takes great pleasure in grinning at me with satisfaction.
Dominic shakes Lucca’s hand and thanks him profusely for his kindness and generosity, then places a cheque in his hand. He looks bestowed, but gives it right back to him; he won’t accept anything for all the hospitality.
We pile in the car and drive to the airport. Dominic sits in the front with Lucca so that I can sit in the back with Hazel. I hold her hand all the way to the airport, and it’s an emotional send off; I can’t stop sobbing. I clutch onto her, not wanting to let her go.
“Lexi, I can’t breathe,” she moans. “You’ll see me shortly.”
“I know, I can’t help it. Please, speak to Cameron and tell him to call my mom, granny and grandpa.”
“Lexi, stop worrying, everything will be fine. Just enjoy what time you have left here. If I was you, I’d be milking it. Lucca just wants to keep you to himself, so lap it up”, I giggle, sniffling through my un-lady like sobs. After the goodbyes, I watch Hazel walk away holding Dominic’s hand; Lucca puts his arms around my shoulders to comfort me.
Fuck!
File V for vulnerable. Vulnerable state of affairs to be in.
I am quiet as we travel back to the farmhouse. We stop at a local vineyard to have a late lunch in the restaurant. It’s good to stretch the legs after all the traveling. I pick at a few olives and some tomatoes, mozzarella and basil but don’t finish the platter. Lucca looks at me through his sunglasses, looking seriously hot with the sun shining behind him.
“You’re worrying me. I don’t like to see you like this. What can I do?”
My stomach flutters. I need to pull myself together. “I’m sorry. Okay, I promise to try and perk up, I feel a little empty with Hazel leaving, but I know you’re trying hard and a promise is a promise. Why don’t you order some gelato? I’ll share it with you.”
He smiles. “Deal. There’s my girl.”
He feeds me some rich, smooth, cinnamon flavored gelato in a slow seductive way and it’s sexy as hell. “I know what will cheer me up. How about we go back to the farmhouse and you get to know me a whole lot better.”
His eyes nearly jump out at me. He throws some money on the table and grabs my hand to trail me back to the car. “You need to stop cock teasing me on long car trips. You’re killing me,” he says, adjusting himself.
I moisten my lips with excitement, and let the wind blow my hair while Lucca puts his foot down in the convertible. My spirits are already lifted somewhat feeling anticipation for his closeness. I need to try harder for him, for us if we’re going to be living together shortly. We stumble through the front door frantically, tearing clothes off one another.
“Pool,” he orders. I am, of course, happy to oblige.
The next few days are relaxing. We’ve stayed on another nine days so far, going sightseeing, visiting the Caruso’s respective Villas, and catching up with some of Lucca’s cousins. He even whisked me to Rome for three nights. Lucca hired a driver to take us from Florence to Rome and back. It was an amazing experience and everything I imagined; spiritual, breathtaking and cultural.
On the first night in Rome, Lucca added to my jewelery collection, giving me a small classy diamond pendant on a thin chain. An everyday one to wear with the diamond stud earrings he bought me at the beginning of our relationship. I have long stopped the protesting, he’s too goddamn charming and persistent.
We’re spending the weekend back in Firenze, Florence city. We have tickets for the ballet on Friday night and the opera on Saturday, followed by the annual luminara firework extravaganza along the Arno River in Pisa. I’m looking forward to finishing our extended time here together with a weekend full of spectacular artistic indulgence at its best.
“You know, I went to ballet school. Granny had me in enrolled in the best I.S.T.D school up north. I think she wanted to make up for what I lacked being a young child in Australia living in those conditions.” I lift my graceful arms in an elegant fourth, third, fifth, then low fifth position to demonstrate.
“You are beautiful. If we have a daughter, I’d love to take her to ballet class. She would be every bit as graceful as her mother, I’m sure of it,” he says, wrapping his arms around me.
Chapter 26
Destiny
Looking around the covered floor of boxes in the lounge takes me back to the day I unwrapped them all. I was totally blown away then, and I’m totally blown away now. We’ve packed everything up to be sent home special air freight, and packed just enough things for the next few days, including my journal, Sofia’s recipe book, the diamond angel and all the expensive jewelery which Lucca has insured to the moon and back. I transfer the Marchesa gown into a suit bag and zip up Lucca’s tuxedo carrier.
“Good to go, baby?”
“Yes, so where are we staying?” I ask.
“It’s a surprise,” he says, kissing my lips.
I still quiver under his soft sensual touch. I hope to have this feeling forever and I pray that when we go home the stress and obstacles I’m challenged with will not affect our relationship. It has been lovely and secure here, but I’m preparing to face my reality very soon. Standing outside the farmhouse, I sigh.
Lucca puts his arms around me. “Don’t worry, we’ll be back anytime you want. It’s ours.” He kisses my temple.
“It’s not ours, it’s yours. But yes I’d like you to bring me back here. I have had the best time here with you and feel like I’ve really spread my wings. Thank you, Mr. Caruso.”
“Mine is yours now, Doc. Get used to it.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” I roll my eyes, but he shrugs nonchalantly, shaking his head as he opens the car door for me.
We arrive outside the spectacular Four Seasons Firenze Hotel. Lucca hands the concierge his car keys and they arrange to take our luggage.
This hotel has rendered me speechless and numb. I stare at the opulent grandeur designs, vast space, and intricate artistic perfection and restoration. This hotel is, in fact, a museum. Lucca tells me that the five hundred plus year old Palazzo della Gherardesca has been lovingly restored right down to the original frescoed ceilings and on-site chapel; I’m not sure what he’s talking about, but it sounds impressive. The other guests watch as we are escorted in and shown directly to ‘The Royal Suite – Della Gherardesca’ in the Noble quarter.
I have never seen anything like this. It’s the sort of imaginative vision you paint, an illusion of unreachable fantasy. Only I can savor this painting, touch it and see it and breathe it. It's a baroque explosion of vaulted ceilings, endless rooms, and gilding galore. The gallery boasts an original ceramic floor by Ignazio Chiaiese. The Royal Suite conveniently connects to the grand Presidential Suite next door, which would suit a large party celebration. It’s so grand and far too big for just two people.
The suite includes Michelin starred room service and private gardens. Every room boasts art on the vaulted ceilings, beautiful frescoes and stuccos and an original Capodimonte Maioliche-style, with elegant Pedersoli linens and heavy brocaded textiles draping the rooms. I tighten my grip on Lucca’s hand to reassure me I’m still awake. I suddenly feel nervous.
He smiles, then whispers in my ear, “Something special.”
“Lucca, I just don’t know what to say…”
He places his finger over my lips. “Don’t stay anything. I want to give this to you to enjoy.”
Another stray tear drops from eye; I am so emotional today. Catc
hing the little diamond like tear with his lips before it cascades over my cheek, he kisses my lips, tracing the wet saltiness onto me.
“Hey, I want you to be happy. Please don’t be upset,” he begs.
“I am very happy. You have no idea how special this is, how lucky I feel, and how wanted you make me feel.” We hold each other and he sways me side to side while I try to compose myself.
“I thought maybe you would like to book into the spa for some treatments before we go to the ballet. You know, for some pampering,” he suggests.
“You’ve pampered me enough. Besides, I don’t really get treatments other than the usual waxing and nails.”
“Why not?” he asks, frowning.
I put my arms around my back and touch the scarring, “I’ve never trusted anyone. But you, on the other hand, can massage away.”
He sighs. “Okay, what if I come with you and we get the couple treatments side by side. Then you’ll feel safe knowing I’m there.”
I think about this, but the thought of another woman massaging him makes me agitated and fiery. “No, I’m not having someone else touch you. I’ll do it.”
He laughs and hugs me. “I only want your hands. You know that, right? So, what if you get your nails done, then come back up and we can massage one another. That sounds the better option to me,” he slowly husks into my ears.
“Okay, I can manage that. I want to be the only hands ever on your body, thank you very much.”
“I love how you are claiming me. It’s sexy as fuck when you get all fiery like that. You’ve got me horned up already, baby.” He smiles with bedroom eyes, adjusting his straining manhood. “On second thought, what if I massage you now, and then you get your nails done afterwards?” He scoops me up and takes into the grand bedroom, throwing me onto the impressive, lush bed.
“While I’m away, I would like you to maybe read my journal. That is, if you want to.”
