I had to let go of her wrists to touch the rest of her, and she responded as never before. She wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me down into a deep kiss of bottomless love and bliss.
I couldn’t take this. I let myself succumb to something so much more meaningful. I loved this girl so much when I was younger, but now, so much emotion gripped me that it almost hurt. I could go on kissing her forever and never get enough.
Without warning, she ripped me sideways, dropped me in the leaves at her side, vaulted to her feet, and streaked away laughing. Her voice pealed through the trees.
I sank back on the leaves. This girl was going to be the death of me, but a second later, she called from much farther away in the grounds. “You can’t catch me! Catch me and I’ll kiss you again.”
I was on my feet in a split second, but I didn’t run. This vixen needed to learn a lesson about running away from me.
I headed the other way and went back to the lawn. The dry leaves would give away my position. I needed to sneak up on her.
I followed the path in the direction her voice came from. Then I spotted one of the security guards. He turned in his watch tower and looked down into the grounds. He must be watching Gia through the trees. Then the next guy in line did the same thing.
I grinned to myself. She thought she was being clever. I would show her who was boss.
I headed into the trees, but I chose my route so nothing would alert her that I was sneaking up on her.
She appeared up ahead. She wasn’t running anymore. She hid behind a tree looking toward where she left me. She had no idea what was coming.
I circled behind her and tiptoed from one tree to the next. She hid there and kept peeking out to search for me, but she had her back to me.
My heart fluttered as I drew nearer. This girl was all mine.
I crept right up behind her and then sprang out. I grabbed her and gave a tremendous, monstrous roar. She screamed out loud, and at least three of the security guards spun around.
They raised their weapons and aimed down at us, but I couldn’t stop laughing.
“Cesare, you asshole!” She swatted my shoulder. “You scared me!”
I put my arms around her and hugged her. “I’m sorry… Actually, no, I’m not. You said you would kiss me if I caught you.”
She glared at me and then split in another grin. “You bastard.”
I pulled her close, but the same thrilling passion didn’t erupt again. The game was over.
She let me kiss her, and that kiss softened into such a sweet, happy kiss that I didn’t want it to end.
She pulled off suddenly. “Do you hear that?”
“Do I hear the sound of you ratting me out to Leo? Yeah, I do.”
“I’m serious. Do you hear something?”
I listened. She was right. I frowned. “What is that?”
We both looked around, but there was nothing to see. A few birds flitted in the tree branches, but the strange sound didn’t come from them.
The security guards went back to looking out at the city. Gia and I searched everywhere, but the sound didn’t stop.
It sounded like something making little soft bursts of some kind of sighing sound. Gia ventured deeper into the trees, but I pulled her back. “It’s coming from the wall.”
“How can it be coming from the wall? It’s made of solid stone.”
I listened again. “It’s coming from the other side.”
I found a sycamore tree with some low-hanging branches, and I climbed up. I looked down at the grass outside the wall.
The noise came from a guy. He wore a tailored grey suit, but blood saturated the back of it, and the seams had split on his burly, muscular shoulders.