“Paradiso.” He squeezed his eyes shut and cursed. “Just like a dream.”
In and out he went, and with each little thrust, I wound tighter and tighter until I didn’t think I could handle another moment of it.
He suddenly reached down and rubbed my bud, changing the sensation, and I found release in a billion bright lights mixed with his sweet cries of joy from his own climax.
He flopped down next to me and pulled me onto his chest.
“That was incredible,” he whispered and brushed my wet hair off my face. “How do you feel? Are you okay?”
I smiled at him. “It was wonderful, Elio.”
We lay there holding each other. Neither of us wanted to break apart.
“What’s this?” I held up his hand to study the ring on his wedding finger.
“Family ring,” he answered as he drew my hand to his mouth to kiss my fingers, then he turned it over and kissed the palm.
“When did you get it?”
“A little while ago.” His kisses traveled down my arm as he rolled me over onto my back.
“It’s pretty.” I smiled up into his dark eyes and felt a rush of heat pool in my belly. “Did your parents have it made?”
“Mmhm.” His lips were on my neck, and I fought to think, then realization suddenly dawned and I sat up as real life swept into my thoughts in an instant. I pushed him back, jumped up, and began to pull on my wet clothes.
“I’m so sorry, Elio. Cara said she couldn’t cover for me this afternoon. I completely lost track of time.”
“Here.” He quickly handed me my flip flops.
We both raced through the woods and stopped where we always said our goodbyes.
“I wish so much we could have spent the day together. I didn’t want to end things like that.” He was frazzled with the sudden rush.
“Me too.”
“I hate that you are going back there, too.”
“I know.”
“See you tomorrow?” He tugged me in for a kiss then pulled away as my lips under his stretched with a big grin. He grinned back.
“Bye, Elio.”
“Goodbye, my Sienna.”
We spent the next six months exploring all the many ways two people could make love to one another, and how many times. I would return to the house each night. I would go to the dockyard and work every day. I was treated with disdain and rudeness, but no one hit me, and although Renzo glared at me and made every effort to make my days as horrible as he could, I could handle it because I knew Elio was a just a breath away.
That was, until one day when everything changed, and my life would forever be taken down a different path.
“Where are you going?” Renzo, who clearly had had multiple beers, staggered into the bathroom one evening while I was doing my hair. He leaned his bulk across the doorway, blocking my exit.
“I’m going out. Now, move, Renzo.” I put down the hairbrush and glared at him.
“Out where?”
“None of your business.” I tried to move past him, but he wouldn’t budge.
“Are you going to see your pretty boy? Don’t think I don’t know about your fancy man in the big, fancy house.”