Catch me! Catch me not! (3 page)

Georgina hugged Fabio “Ah
...I was having withdrawal symptoms...er where are you guys staying...you have to do their day here...you can’t sneak off and drown your sorrows or celebrate in cocktails every night...how long are you staying for?”

Fabio dragged her away liking the floral smell wafting from her as he dragged her down the beach.

“Emma, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do” Georgina shot over her shoulder before she was hauled away.

Carlo hugged Emma; he gazed into her eyes drinking in her radiance.

“I missed you so much. Please never go away even for work again for so long...I don’t think my nerves can take it again.....Emma ...”

She stood up on tip toes and brushed a kiss on his lips; her hands caressed his cheeks, and then ruffled his thick hair bringing him down to her to deepen the kiss.

Carlo felt an ache that deepened as the kiss threatened to wipe all coherent thoughts from his head. “Emma, amore, amore
andiamo dentro...let’s go inside, I will not be responsible for what happens next if we stay outside any longer.”

Her hands were already unbuttoning his shirt; Carlo’s control was slipping, he sucked in a breath or two and hurried inside with Emma in his arms, they fell onto the bed under the mosquito net, clothes carelessly tossed off their eager bodies. The last coherent thought Carlo had
been being thankful that the climate was warm enough not to warrant layers of clothes.

Skin against skin, heart be
at against heart beat, he kissed her eye lids slowly going down to her neck, further down encountering a golden swell, her breasts were white and he secretly thanked the divine powers that she was covered in the sun and so nobody could see the firm breasts he was now tasting moving to her darkened nipples he played with them with his tongue nibbling, ignoring her pleas of “now...oh god now” he traced kisses down to the sweet, swollen womanhood, she writhed and arched against him, he massaged her core with his expert hands, making her squirm and plead, when he bent his head and licked her she almost screamed, then he dipped into her slowly, a centimetre at a time, then he increased the rhythm, plunging into her...they exploded together, shuddering and clinging to each other, “Oh my god, oh my god” was all she could muster before they both fell back into the relaxed aftermath...they clung to each other as if their very lives depended on it.

A little later Emma stirred, “Next time you will be my prisoner and I will send you to the edge of madness as you sent me just now, but now I  fear we must dress because Georgina and Fabio will be back soon and it is not fair on them...they have been wonderful!”

Carlo gently brushed the hair away from her face, “Emma, tomorrow we must talk, tonight I am just too tired so I will go back with Fabio like a good boy, but we need to talk.”

“We can...how long are you here for? We are going to Rajasthan after
here; we leave here in two days time.”

“We know and we have booked into the same hotel or whatever it is you are staying in for two weeks, I know you are here for much longer but we could not get more time off work unfortunately. I wish I could be paid to sunbathe and to be massaged all day by deliciously exotic women!!”

“Talking of which turn over. I am going to give you a massage.” She began by massaging his feet, her oiled hands smelt of some sweet exotic spice, her hands expertly kneaded away the knots of the long journey, slowly up his taught legs to his back, he groaned with pleasure as she reached his neck and shoulders almost cried out in ecstasy...there was someone up there, her hands felt nothing less than some kind of divine intervention, they were not erotic on his skin now just expert and giving him so much pleasure he could feel himself swelling again. She started massaging his head and he realised heaven was on earth...he was in heaven. When she finished she trailed kisses down his spine, then put on some relaxing music allowing him to come back to planet earth in his own time...now was not the time to start any more intimate caresses, Fabio had already been long enough with Georgina and he was probably exhausted too.

“We owe Fabio and Georgina one you know Carlo” she whispered as he helped her brush her gloriously radiant hair.

“More than you can imagine” Carlo whispered back, just as Fabio and Georgina appeared on the veranda again.

Fabio had his arm casually draped over Georgina’s shoulders laughing at something she said, he bent closer and whispered something in her ear which made her laugh.

Emma smiled inwardly, she thought her friend was either under the influence of the cocktails or she was happy to be with Fabio. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if they ended up together, she would be so happy seeing her two best friends end up together; maybe there was hope for Carlo and her yet!

“
When love is not madness, it is not love.
Pedro Calderon de la
Barca
 
“

Emma gaped at the entrance of their home for the next month
Umaid Bhawan Palace, in Jodhpur. They were going to make a documentary about the glory of bygone days. The palace was built by H H Maharaja Umaid Singh Ji, grandfather of the present day Maharaja, between 1928 and 1943.

Opulent,
imposing, magnificent, impressive, but to name a few words which come to mind when you first set your eyes on this golden palace. Emma had no problem trying to imagine every whim being catered for before she voiced it! They were being paid to stay here! Weird people who want to throw away thousands of pounds to have this palace immortalised on TV! I like my job she muttered to herself for the thousandth time since she had set foot on this majestic land. The thought that Carlo would be here with her for some of the time was proof that there was some Divine authority!

Georgina voiced what she had been thinking “Oh my God, this is awesome, I love my job! Please pinch me and tell me in years to come that I do not want to change jobs! Sweetie we are here for a whole month in a wickedly romantic setting and about to be paid to be pampered until we melt from the indulgence of it all...and we quote “must continue the yoga and meditation part of the package” unquote. We are being paid to experience the life of a modern day Maharaja! Just look at those gardens, the flowers and the colours...oh god I am in heaven! Fabio we are going
to go exploring!”

Emma grabbed a bemused Carlo, “Come on Carlo let’s explore!”

“Hey, we must at least drop off our luggage!”

Out of nowhere staff took their luggage and took it up to their accommodation. Their view overlooked the beautiful, colourful garden.

“This is where we separate folks!” Fabio laughed “I get to spend the afternoon with Georgina and we write our experiences and you guys can go off and write about your experiences...well those which regard the hotel and living like a Maharaja I mean.”

Carlo had no difficulty envisioning what he wanted to do with Emma on their first day, most of which would not be able to be written about and definitely not published! He felt his crutch leap to life and take on a will of its own. It must be the smell of jasmine, the exotic setting, the torture of
two months without her because right now all he could think of is places he could make love to her and ways in which it would happen. Emma had been given the Maharani Suite. The bath seemed to have been prepared with rose petals, soft music played in the back ground, and he found Emma with just her shoulders peeping out from the rose petals. The smell was exquisite but the sight of her lying back in the bath water was almost too much. I want to be there with her.

Emma opened her eyes and looked at him inviting him.

“Emma I want to be with you there, I want to make love to you in the water. I can’t wait any longer!”

“Slowly, do a striptease for me
...slowly, pretend my hands are slowly undressing you, and unbutton your shirt....now your belt...removes your trousers....remove your pants....slowly turn around...hmm you are so beautiful”

Carlo stepped into the rose petals and felt the warm water envelope him. Beneath the surface
of rose petals he massaged first one foot then the other working his way up her legs, until he came to the intimate core of her being, he teased it and massaged it sending her into a frenzy of wanton abandon...he worked his way up to her pert breasts bobbing under the rose petals, another few centimetres and he would be able to wrap his legs around her and enter her...the sensation of floating into her brought a new meaning to the word erotic.

“Don’t stop ....now Carlo now! Oh God please now!! I’m coming I’m coming!!” 
Just as she thought she would die if he didn’t quench her thirst, he shuddered for control as he forced himself to slow down so that they could feel the floating sensation. Now I know what it feels like to fly...deeper and deeper he plunged into her before they both cried out together shuddering under the layer of rose petals. Neither moved as Carlo’s erection slowly softened as he pulled gently away and lay back resting his head on the opposite side of the bath, watching her with so much love in his eyes, Emma felt humbled as she drank in his features...oh how she loved him.

“Carlo I wish now would never end...I could not be happier than I am now...oh my god you took me to heaven and beyond....I have never ever felt like this before.
”

“Me neither” he had switched to Italian, a sure sign he was emotional “
Neppure io!”

“I want to try out the couple therapy room tomorrow...do you think it could be better than this bath!”

“No because there will be someone applying the therapy! You can try out the yoga room when I have gone home!! I want to drink in every second of our time together here...I feel as if I am in paradise!!”

“Hmm me too let’s get out of the water now though and explore our suite and discover other possibilities for the rest of the afternoon...so far I can write about the surreal experience of having a bath in the Maharani’s suite! Did you know that the marble is from Italy?”

“Ah no I didn’t but you see Italy follows us to all corners of the earth. Emma...we must talk about Italy ...”

“Not now Carlo, not now let’s not spoil this magic today....these candles, the rose petals, making love whilst floating amongst the rose petals...
hmm let me savour it all for now. I want to live for the moment and not think about tomorrow...I want to feel with all my senses...”

Carlo reluctantly agreed, he could not risk another two months without her. If it was the last thing he did he would marry her and show her in a million ways how to love and how love conquer all
...even hostile parents and and a psychopathic ex girlfriend. Just the thought of Antonella made him shiver; she would not manage to ruin his life again. Emma was going to be his and he would one day hold in his arms a little miniature version of her...his face softened just thinking of a little cherub face looking up at him...yes they would one day have children and one day they would be a family.

“Carlo what
are you thinking of you have this gooey look about you!!”

Carlo blushed “I was
thinking of one day holding a little daughter just like you...her looking up at me with your eyes.”

“I didn’t think men got broody”

“Neither did I...but you know I love you and you know I want to marry you and you and I know you feel the same....you haven’t changed your mind have you?”

“No
...Carlo, you know I love you...I just cannot cope with your family and your ex girlfriend...Antonella. Unless something changes I cannot see us being happy together in Italy and I want to work. If I was in Italy with this present climate I would never get a job and I would shrivel up if I had to just be a housewife and a mother. If I give you a treat...I want to pay for it myself. If I take you out for a surprise meal or a romantic holiday or a special meal at home...I don’t want it to come from your money, I want to be independent. Also heaven forbid, if anything went wrong, I could slide back into my old life again...and be independent. I would grow to hate you if you took away my independence or if I was forced to put up with your family or psychopathic Antonella forever. I didn’t feel welcome....I didn’t feel accepted...I felt like an intruder....I don’t think I want that forever.”

“When you come back from India, will you just stay with me for a few days and try and see if it is alright again? You will not see Antonella again...but you would meet my family again...would you do this
for me Emma...give me a second chance...what we have together is too precious not to try and give it a go.”

Emma nodded, “I will try and if it is still impossible, we must look at living away from Italy otherwise we...”

“There will be no otherwise”

The best thing to hold onto in life is each other.
Audrey Hepburn
 

             
              6 weeks later...

“Ladies and Gentlemen will you please fasten your seatbelts for our decent to Heathrow Airport, the outside temperature is now two degrees Celsius...”

Georgina and Emma cringed as they fastened their safety belts, after three months in India, learning about
Ayurveda and writing articles and filming for a TV documentary series about modern and ancient India the cold wet welcome was not what they wanted to hear.

“Do you think they will be waiting for us?” Georgina asked

“I don’t know, it is Thursday, perhaps they are at work and cannot take any more time off, and they have only been back in Rome for a month.”

“Well, I hope they don’t come today because we need to get back into the swing of things and the flat will be freezing. There will be no
food; the place will need to be aired too!!”

Emma pointed to the two men they had just hoped would not be there. They were grinning holding up a huge notice saying “Welcome home!”

“Whoops...speak of the devil” Georgina muttered.

They rushed over and hugged each other. It seemed like a year rather than a month ago that the four of them had enjoyed the pampering and amenities of the Maharani Suite. Emma blushed remembering the wicked Couple Therapy room and the way
they had made use of the “Bath Menu” she would recommend it to anyone on their Honeymoon even if it were only for a few days. Bliss!

Carlo grinned at her, bending forward and whispering in her ear, “Do you remember our last day together? I can still feel your lips on my body and still smell that bath! Decadent...awesome...
kinky...erotic...are just a few of the words which come to mind!! But come, Fabio and I have been home and we have turned on the heating prepared supper, stocked up the fridge, aired the place got a cleaner in to make it ok after being closed up for so long....there is wine in the fridge, your favourite Italian wine....Glicine. Fabio, was dying to see Georgina again...looks like they could be serious, I hope so because I love that girl, ever since she promoted me!!”

“How long are you both here for?” Emma asked him

“We have to go back on Tuesday, I fear we will lose our job if we stay any longer, mind you I don’t mind being filmed with you in a bath again! Or watching them filming you do yoga or having Ayurveda treatments or watching them prepare the wonderful food!”

“Hmm imagine being paid a fortune to miss most of the horrible English winter!”

“And being paid to have a bath with your lover!! Well, let’s hope I am more than just your lover!”

“Hmm as a Latin Lover you are not bad!!”

Carlo burst out laughing, “Not bad....you were crying for more! No make that almost screaming!”

Emma waved her expressive eyes heavenwards and sighed “Men!!”

“Cara, just you wait until we get home and I can show you and make you retract that, you will be begging me for more!!”

“You sound very sure of yourself!” 

“I am, because you are coming to see me in Rome next week and I am going to show you “Carlo’s Rome!” you will fall in love with it and you will marry me tomorrow and I will have my little daughter in my arms looking up at me with unconditional love!”

“Carlo, what happens if we can’t have children? You talk of having them as if it is a foregone conclusion...what would happen if we don’t have them or can’t have them...then your parents would blame me and
an already difficult relationship will become impossible.”

Carlo hugged her tightly “I love you Emma and only you, I loved you since the first day we met. Neither
of us knows what the future will bring, but we do know we love each other and we should give our love a chance.”

“Sometimes I am worried about being too happy! Carlo I promise I will try with your family...I may not be able to succeed but I will try.”

“I am sure they will love you, my family will want my happiness and my happiness is with you...I want them to understand that I need you like I need air to breathe. I love you with all my soul...” he looked into her eyes and she saw he spoke the truth, love radiated from his twinkling dark eyes.

Emma smiled at him, “Ok let’s give them a final chance....Carlo as I said before I love my job and if I go to Italy I am going to be unemployed and completely reliant on you...I don’t want that. I want to be able to be independent and to be my own person. I would end up being bored and fed up and we would regret it. Love is not enough sometimes. I do love you but I am not sure that love on its own is enough to make a relationship endure with time.”

“I disagree with you but you will agree it is a basis for the future and without it...a marriage cannot survive”

“Yes I do agree with you...let’s give it another go.”

Carlo wrapped his arms around her pulling her gently towards him to be enveloped in his arms, he bent down his head to claim her soft mouth in a kiss, he felt the muscles between his legs contract and take on a life of their own...longing for fulfilment. Her fingers caressed the back of his head playing with his thick, dark hair. working their way down his back resting on his backside pulling him closer as she rubbed her hips against his tautness. He lifted her and carried her to her room. Supper would wait. He lit the candles around the room and lit the essential oil burner a waft of Ylang Ylang and cardamom filled the candlelit room, he lowered himself on the mattress and began to remove her clothes slowly, kissing as he removed her clothes then concentrating on getting rid of his own his eyes never leaving hers as if he was afraid of losing her if he looked away. She took one of his nipples into her mouth and teased it with her tongue before moving to the other side and giving it the same treatment. He writhed under her moaning with pleasure, lower and lower she teased and tasted with inquisitive mouth. Finally she took him between her hands tasting his hard smooth tip, she took him into her mouth teasing and licking him until he nearly lost his sanity with desire, oh god if she didn’t stop he would come here and now before he had even begun on her!! His body became her slave writhing to get closer and wanting to plunge deeper into her mouth.

“I want to come inside you Emma...I need to feel you around me, but now it is my turn...”

He took her ripe nipple in her mouth nibbling her, she moaned in appreciation, trying to get closer, his hand massaged and teased her core, moving to insert first one finger then another massaging her with his thumb until she became delirious with desire, he shifted to allow himself to enter her, her muscles inside tightened around him then relaxed massaging him inside. He nearly died of pleasure. Hell, where did she learn how to do that, she hadn’t done that before, had someone else taught her this new trick in India, when he had left her with Georgina? The playing of muscles around him made him lose control; they both came together shouting each other’s names.

They collapsed hugging each other too spent to manage anything else.
Slowly he came back to the present moment; he brushed a lock of hair from her face. Oh how I love this girl...he felt his groin come back to life. She had this effect on him! He needed her. She was in his soul. He hugged her close again, breathing in the smell of roses in her hair.

“Emma, where did you learn that trick? I felt...it was awesome!”

Emma smiled, running her hands through his hair. “Ah yoga teaches you the most amazing muscle control, you have no idea!”

“Well....I am beginning to like yoga!! I thought it was mumbo
jumbo, but if you can do that to me....hey I love it! I thought it was for a load of new aged hippies...but you two are definitely not that!!”

Emma laughed, trying to visualise Georgina in the role of new aged hippy and failed miserably.