California Dreaming: Four Contemporary Romances (56 page)

She blushed.

“Don’t be afraid,
cara
. I am only a man.”

That’s what I’m afraid of.

They padded down the stairs, out the back door and over the stone walkway to the hot tub. The water thrummed beneath the lid until Marcos manhandled it off the pool. He walked over and stared at the controls for a moment before pushing several buttons. Jets immediately started.

He stripped off his robe and hung it on a hook.

Elizabeth couldn’t help but stare. Deeply tanned olive skin covered lean muscle and bone. Black bathing trunks weren’t Speedo-tight, but didn’t leave a great deal to the imagination.

Her shyness returned, making her feel like a teenager seeing a man for the first time.

He moved behind her, put his arms around her waist and undid her belt. Slipping his hands up, he pulled back her robe, leaving her exposed except for a one-piece floral bathing suit. He hung the robe up, took her hand and helped her into the steaming tub.

For a while, they soaked silently and Elizabeth relaxed, letting her head loll back on the edge of the pool, staring up into the gray skies above. The rain had abated by the time they left Schramsberg, leaving clean, but cooler air. The sun had yet to return.

Marcos touched her leg and her eyes flew open. He was staring at her, eyes luminous with steam and desire. With one finger, he turned her face toward his and leaned forward to kiss her.

She gave into the kiss without thinking, only acting on the desire building in her body. Her nipples perked achingly and longing suffused her loins. God she wanted him.

She parted her lips, allowing him access to her mouth. His arms went around her, pulling her close, her breasts pressing against his chest as he drew her deeper into his lust. She tasted the wonder of him — his dreams and desires, his loyalty, and even his love. Softening more, she snaked her arm behind him where he leaned away from the wall and caressed his back. Strong muscles lay beneath the skin, rippling as he tightened his grasp on her.

She was drowning in hope and possibilities.

All of a sudden, her mind kicked in. What was she doing?

She reined in her emotions and her body followed suit. He must have sensed the change, because he released her.

“What,
cara
?” he asked as he caressed her face. “Why are you afraid?”

A tear slipped down her face and he stroked it away with his thumb.

“I don’t know,” she admitted, trying to understand her own thoughts. Marcos had shown himself to be honorable and caring, why was she afraid? He wasn’t Joe. He was offering a life of freedom, exploring the world, working together and allowing her to do the things she loved most doing in the world.

And he was damned sexy.

What was wrong with her?

“Too much thinking,” he said.

“But what if … ”

He let go of her and even so slight a loss was bitter.

“‘What if’ was invented by people who were so afraid they forgot to live their own life,” he said. “You can imagine all the bad things that can happen and never take one step beyond the life you are living right now. Or … ” He leaned forward to her again. “You can take a risk — even a big risk — and see what happens.” He shrugged. “Maybe the bad thing will happen. Maybe something you never could imagine will come true. But you will never know unless you take the risk.”

He kissed her gently on the lips. “I am taking a risk, too, Elizabeth. But I know you are worth the risk. Please trust me. I have told you everything there is to know. Except, perhaps, not clearly, that I am falling in love with you.”

Love. There was that word again.

“
Cara,
I would like to show you how I feel about you. Let me make love to you.”

“In the hot tub?”

He laughed loudly. “It is only you who could think like this. It makes me happy. No,
cara
, not in a hot tub. Upstairs. In my room. Let me. Please.”

She didn’t have to think at all.

Marcos held Elizabeth’s hand while he unlocked the door to his room. As soon as the lock clicked open, she shivered. Holding the door open with his foot, he pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her, smelling a faint hint of musk from her skin, ratcheting up his desire even further.

But he had to give her one more out.

“Are you sure?” he asked. “I do not want to force you.”

She nodded.

He smiled with relief. “It will be all right,
cara
. Let me get you out of the wet clothes and I will make you warm.”

As if she suddenly became aware of how few clothes she had on, Elizabeth pulled her robe closer around her.

Marcos guided her into the room and shut the door behind them. He palmed her face and looked into her eyes, working to instill the trust and belief he wanted her to have. Switching to his native Italian, he murmured words of love and kissed her gently on her face, around her eyes, on the lids and traveled down to her detectible mouth.

“Butterfly kisses,” he whispered, “for a woman who is going to emerge from her cocoon and become a vision of light and joy.” He caressed her mouth with his lips, tasting her sweet sensuality. He traveled down her soft neck, reaching the hollow at the bottom and spent time dabbing the sensitive spot with his tongue.

He was rewarded with a soft moan.

He returned to her lips and pressed his kiss upon her, releasing her belt with his right hand.

She didn’t seem to notice, so he continued his assault on her mouth while he slipped the robe from her shoulders and let it fall to the floor. Behind the thin fabric of the bathing suit her nipples pebbled and goosebumps dappled the visible part of her breasts pulsing with her breaths.

“Come,” he said, leading her to the bathroom. If she became too cold, she would begin to think again.

He cranked the shower on full blast, slipped off his robe and led her into the shower, a tiled enclosure large enough for four. He cupped her face again and moved her to a position where warm water sluiced over her body.

“Feel it,
cara
. Absorb the warmth of the water. You are safe here. Nothing will happen to you.”

She closed her eyes, thick lashes resting on her porcelain cheeks. He meant what he said. He’d protect her. Their lives wouldn’t be conventional, but he’d make sure she would always trust him, never be afraid. He’d provide for her the best he could, and with her help, they would have everything they needed.

He caressed her body, running his hands up and down her arms and legs, careful to avoid the sensitive parts. Bit by bit, he felt her relax under his ministrations. He pulled her closer and lowered his lips to hers, this time demanding more from her.

She gave him what he asked, opening her mouth to him and leaning into his body as the kiss became deeper and their tongues twined together, hungry for the taste of love.

“Ready?” he asked, he hands paused on her shoulders.

She nodded.

He unwrapped the present before him by rolling her suit off her shoulders and down her chest. After the fabric released her breasts, he moved his attention to them, thumbing the hard nubs, lifting her breasts to feel their soft weight in his hands. He cupped them. “Perfect.”

“They have … ” she began.

“Hush.” He covered her lips again with a kiss. When he finished, he looked her in the eye and repeated, “Perfect.”

Her eyes widened a fraction and he wasn’t sure if the drip down her cheek was from the shower or a tear. To cover all possibilities, he kissed both her cheeks before demanding her lips again. He lingered on this one, his tongue probing again for her acceptance.

She gave it.

He moved back to her suit, continuing to roll it down and off of her. He heard her gasp when he removed it totally, tapping her calves to get her to step out.

Quickly he stripped out of his own suit, his member fully erect. He felt, rather than heard, Elizabeth’s intake of breath. He moved closer to her, ready to experience her curves against his hardness. She came willingly, lifting her face up to receive his kiss.

Primeval lust forced his hips forward, his penis a hard rib between them. She removed her lips from his and reached up to bring his head lower. She began her own exploration, nipping and kissing the ridges of his face, up his jawline where she took a small, but explosive nip from his earlobe.

He groaned and spun the dial to turn the water off. He led her from the shower, pulled a thick towel from the bar and began to dry her from top to bottom. As he rubbed her skin with the soft cloth, he continued to worship her body with his mouth.

Her hands rested on his shoulders when he reached the nest of curls between her legs. As he moved in to search for the hard knob with his tongue, she clenched him.

“No, please, it’s embarrassing, I’ve never … ”

He pulled back and looked up at her. “Don’t think. Experience. I enjoy doing this, pleasing you. You will give me joy if you will allow me.”

She looked at him, eyes wide with conflicting emotions of desire and fear. Finally, she nodded once again.

He returned to his exploration, his tongue flicking the musty folds. He encouraged her to spread her legs a bit so he could go deeper and get his mouth around her clit. Licking and sucking it brought a shuddered response from Elizabeth and his satisfaction increased.

After her legs were dried, he dashed the towel around his own body before leading her to the bed and pulling the covers back. He picked her up and deposited her in the middle.

“Oh … ” she said. “Soft.”

“Isn’t yours?”

“Yes … but different … somehow … ”

He grinned at her. “I love that you feel a difference. It is my bed and you are in it — for me to experience and pleasure.”

“But … ”

“Hush … I will not hurt you.”

But as he turned to pull out a condom from his suitcase, he had a momentary flash of unease. Could he really keep her from harm? They lived worlds apart. What if he did something that would be fine in Italy, but destroyed her faith in him?

God willing such a thing would not happen.

He put his fears away and returned to the bed, placing the foil packet on the nightstand.

Elizabeth lay on her back, a bemused expression on her face.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Trying very hard not to think.”

He laughed. “I have been neglecting my job then if it is such an effort.” He knelt over and traced his finger on her skin, drawing shivers of pleasure from her. “You skin is so soft,
cara
.” He lowered his lips once more and followed the route his finger had made.

She grabbed his head. “You are making me crazy!”

“That is the idea.” His mouth moved to the underside of her breasts. “I like that I get to see these, a view very few people get.” He drew her nipple into his mouth and suckled.

Her moans increased.

He wanted her, he was ready for her. Only one thing was missing. And he was afraid to ask for it. If she said no …

“Please, Marcos, now. I need you now!”

No need to ask. He reached for the foil wrapper.

They never made it to dinner.

• • •

Marcos woke early the next morning, peace and contentment enveloping him as surely as he wrapped Elizabeth in his arms. They’d made love twice during the night, each time finishing in a mutual climax.

As he woke further, he worried about the challenges of the day. The morning after was always a tricky navigation.

His stirring must have awoken Elizabeth.

“Isn’t one of the three great lies, ‘I’ll respect you in the morning’?” she mumbled.

He grinned. “You always come straight to the point,
cara
. I like that.” He raised himself on an elbow to look down on her. “I do respect you. It is important, this respect.” He traced a finger down her cheek. “Respect, trust, love. You need the three to make a relationship work. I believe we can do that.”

“But neither of us have had that in the past.” Her eyes closed. “I’m sorry your wife did that to you, Marcos. I didn’t know what to say when you told me. But I know how betrayal feels — burning agony.”

He let the silence dwell for a few moments, but continued to run his fingers over her face, admiring the classic bone lines and full, sensuous lips. He bent to kiss her and her eyes reopened. They were damp with moisture.

“Don’t cry,
cara
. It is the past. We cannot change what has happened. We can only place it in our hearts and remember not to inflict that pain on anyone else.”

She tilted her head. “I’ve never heard anyone put it that way before. I’m not sure it’s possible. At least not for me.”

“That,” he said, in between kisses, “is because you think too much.”

His kisses became more intense and his hands moved beyond her face to explore the rest of her body.

She moaned and put her arms around him, drawing him closer. “I’m not thinking now.”

• • •

Once again, the breakfast table was groaning with food. Several quiches, each with different flavorings, as well as hot platters of sourdough pancakes anchored small bowls of seasonal fresh fruit: figs, persimmons and small Asian pears. Their overly gracious host once again made the coffee rounds, but Marcos and Elizabeth were oblivious to his presence.

After breakfast they sat by the pool, enjoying the last of the late fall warmth and the San Francisco Chronicle. Their conversation remained light, or as light as the politics of the day could make it.

“It sounds like Italy,” Marcos finally said. “Too many laws that conflict. People who have lost the ability to talk with each other without shouting. The people who think they understand financials have made a mess. That is why I like the vine. I understand it.”

“Speaking of vines, should we be out tasting wine?” she asked.

“I am enjoying this time with you, Elizabeth.” He grasped her hand. “Let us simply be together right now. We have a long ride back to Santa Cruz and my plane leaves too soon tomorrow. If we see something we like on the way back, we can stop. Otherwise … ” He shrugged. “The wine will wait.”