Sicilian Dreams (12 page)

Once over the bumpy cobblestones of the old town Marco turned onto the road, which would take them, back up to the hills behind Cefalu. The air felt cool on Cassie’s face as she lay back in the seat, gazing up at the stars, which seemed to be hanging right down over them. Marco had put on some jazz and it blasted out of the speakers into the night air. He was silent and drove quickly and deftly up the steep hillside, flicking around the corners in the fast agile little car. Cassie looked over at his profile in the moonlight and shivered in spite of herself. His eyes looked hooded and his mouth sensuous under his straight, patrician nose. They reached the main house and he pulled into the circular driveway, killing the engine and turning to Cassie as she asked ‘Need directions to Villa Tramonte?’

‘Remember what I said about a private dance?’ he grinned at her in the moonlight. ‘Here is your chance.’ He leapt out of the car and came around to her side before she had a chance to react, opening her door and scooping her up in his arms.

‘What..the..put me down Marco’ protested Cassie as he strode towards the big double front doors.

‘I thought you looked a little unsteady on your feet back there in town. It must be very hard to walk in such high heels. I’m just giving you a hand, I don’t want you to fall over before I have seen you dance.’ he laughed and pushed open the door, which was unlatched.

‘Don’t be an idiot’ said Cassie, struggling to break free from his firm hold of her. ‘You’ve insulted me several times this evening and I don’t see why I should do anything for you except give you a good kick in the cajones.’

‘I assure you that would not be a good idea,’ said Marco dangerously, carrying her into a large reception room on the left of the foyer and depositing her in a heap on a soft cream sofa. ‘Sit there signorina while I attend to a couple of things. We must set the mood,’ he said wickedly. He walked over to the large French doors and flung them open onto the bougainvillea-covered terrace, then he picked up a remote and the soft strains of jazz came through the discreetly placed speakers. Walking over to drinks cabinet, he selected a bottle of champagne from the wine fridge and Cassie heard the soft pop of the cork being released and then he carried over two flutes and sat on the sofa beside her and passing her a glass before saying, ‘Salute Cassandra, let me know whenever you feel like dancing.’

‘No time soon Mister' said Cassie, still a little miffed, but excited all the same to be sitting so close to Marco on the sofa.

‘How about I give you a little encouragement,’ said Marco, leaning in towards her and kissing her on the lips, lingeringly, his tongue flicking lightly over her teeth. Cassie felt herself respond immediately and her glass started to tilt sideways.

‘Let’s put these down shall we,’ said Marco, rescuing the flute and placing them both on the low coffee table. He returned his attention to her lips and slowly stroked the side of her neck with one hand while the other wandered up from her waist and gently cupped one of her full breasts, his thumb teasing her nipple as it went instantly hard and pressed through the thin fabric of her dress. Cassie could feel herself melting into him and she struggled to regain some semblance of control. Through the fog of her desire she realized that Marta also slept in this house and every door was open. She pushed against Marco.

‘Marco, we can’t do this in here. What about Marta, or anyone else for that matter, just wandering in here and seeing us?’

‘Marta’s room is right in the back of the house beside the kitchen and she sleeps like a log. There is no one else around except the bats and I don’t think they will care.’ His voice was throaty and Cassie knew he was feeling just as excited as her.

‘Of course, if you start dancing, I will watch and not touch you.’ he murmured, nibbling at her ear lobe. Cassie gasped softly and pushed him away.

‘Okay, you win. Here is your personal dance.’ She pushed off her heels and stood just beyond his reach, her dress becoming sheer as she was silhouetted in the moonlight coming through the open doors. She recognized the song and slowly began to move in time to the music, her own rhythm taking over her she shook out her long hair and began to move sinuously and sensuously as if in a trance. Marco was transfixed, his gleaming eyes glued to her body as she spun and weaved, getting close to him as he tried to catch her, then sliding away just in time.

Sneaking a look through half closed eyes at his lust filled gaze, Cassie decided to tease him a little. Beggar the neighbors, she thought, lifting her dress by its silky hem and pulling it over her head in one swift movement. Down to her lacy bra and matching thong, she stole another look at Marco and was rewarded to see his face flush and his eyes darken. She could clearly see through the outline of his jeans, his obvious excitement and read the frustration mounting on his face. Enjoying this feeling of superiority over him, she turned away from him and unhooked her bra, her bare bottom lifting as she bent forward slightly to slip the flimsy garment off her shoulders, jiggling her breasts a little. Marco’s response was immediate and he lunged forward grabbing her around the waist and hauling her back towards him so that she was sitting between his legs, her back against his chest. His head swooped down and his tongue grazed her neck as his hand grasped her breasts and lifted her back towards him. She groaned with desire and flung her head back as he continued to nuzzle her neck and play with her nipples, his fingers grazing them gently until they throbbed. He grasped her around the waist with both hands and lifted her so she was facing him, her legs pushed open so she was half kneeling in front of him.

‘So, the lap dance now’ he growled, his head dipping to suckle her breast. Cassie’s fingers found the button fly of his jeans and she fumbled in her haste, pulling at the fabric until his erect penis sprung, throbbing, from his underwear. She grasped the base of it and began to rub up and down the shaft. Marco groaned and lay back on the sofa, watching her through lidded eyes. Without warning she let go and he groaned again, as she sprang away from her kneeling position like a cat and stood before him once more. He pulled a condom from his pocket and slowly slid it over his erect cock. Mesmerizing him as she moved her hips like a snake in time to the music, Cassie slowly ran her hands down her sides, her fingers sliding her panties down to her knees, where she bent and waggled her ass a little, and then she drew them off and tossed them into the corner of the room. There was no chance to move away as Marco lunged for her and dragged her back onto his lap lifting her slightly so that her sex sat wetly just touching the end of his penis. They both gasped, and then he slowly, pushed her down onto the thick shaft all the way until she felt like her insides were completely full of him. They rocked together gently and Cassie felt like she would go crazy with desire. She tried to push against him, and rise up and down, but Marco responded by pinioning her to him, and continued the slow, rocking momentum of their love dance.

She threw her head back in frustration and moaned out loud. This only caused Marco to give a deep chuckle. Her fingers found his nipples and she tweaked them hard. He groaned and moved faster within her, his desire overcoming him, beginning to pound her tender flesh, raising her up and down more sharply as his excitement grew.

‘Amore, bellissima, come with me’ he whispered in her ear as he thrust into her harder and harder. Cassie could feel the waves of pleasure starting and she gave herself up to the feeling, as Marco grasped her buttocks and rode her hard, before he gave a sudden sharp groan and an involuntary spasm as he climaxed, leaving them both shaking with the sensations assaulting them.

She slowly opened her eyes and gazed at Marco, both still entwined, his eyes closed, his head thrown back on the sofa, his long legs akimbo. She made to move off him and he opened his eyes and put his hands on her hips, forcing her to remain in position.

‘Stay there for just a moment, I want to look at you, you are so beautiful’ he whispered in the dark room. Cassie felt her heart move within her chest as she experienced that rare feeling of complete closeness with another human being. She lay her head down on his chest and they stayed like that for a little while until the room finally began to feel chill. She thought they may have even slept a little, but looking out the window she could sense that dawn was near and she had to get going.

‘Marco, wake up’ she said gently, giving him a little shake. ‘I have to get back to the villa, it’s going to be morning now and I don’t want Marta coming in and seeing us like this.’ Marco started awake and looked at her, his half closed eyes filled with amusement.

‘Why don’t I carry you up to my bedroom and we can continue this conversation when it really is daylight’ he said. ‘I fancy some more ‘dancing’ before my breakfast.’

‘Don’t be silly, I have to go now and if you don’t take me I will walk,’ she said stubbornly.

‘Okay little one’ he said, kissing the end of her nose ‘andiamo, let’s go.’ He lifted her gently from his lap and pulled on his jeans as she moved around in the dark looking for her clothes. She found her bra and her dress and put these items on, then her shoes, but no sign of her thong. Oh dear, thought Cassie, I hope it has disappeared behind a bookcase or something heavy where no one will ever look or find it. She remembered flinging it with gay abandon, but she couldn’t see anything in the dark. She grabbed her handbag and followed Marco to the front door. Ever the gentleman, he picked her up in his arms and carried her over to his car, placing her carefully into the passenger seat.

‘I don’t want the sharp stones to cut your feet,’ he explained, climbing in beside her and starting the engine. He drove slowly and quietly over the white gravel driveway and on down the road towards Villa Tramonte. It was cooler now before dawn and Cassie hugged her arms about herself. He pulled up just before the courtyard to the villa and came round to open her door.

‘I don’t want to wake your friends so it is best I stop here’ he said, taking her in his arms once more and looking down at her with undisguised affection. She held him around the waist and smiled up at him.

‘Cassandra, you are casting a spell upon me. If it is a dream, I do not want to wake up.’ he said softly. ‘Are you in a dream also?’ Much as she thrilled to his words, Cassie felt her natural shyness overcoming her and so she opted for humor, which was her default mechanism for situations where she felt overwhelmed.

‘If it is a ‘dream’ then my feet wouldn’t be getting cold and sore standing on this road’ she quipped, reaching up to kiss him lightly on the lips, her action taking away any flippancy that could be implied from her words. Marco reverted immediately to being the comic gallant, picking her up once more and carrying her to the front door of the villa.

‘Allora, one Princess delivered back to her castle’ he said, ‘sleep well Cassandra, I have plans for you tomorrow,’ he grinned and left her there, shoes in hand, trying to turn the stiff handle on the big door as quietly as possible. She tiptoed inside and padded down the hallway to her bedroom, breathing a huge sign of relief as she saw the shelter of her big bed, pillows and duvet thrown haphazardly across the top. It was a very welcome sight and she barely had time to take off her dress, throw on a tee shirt, and quickly brush her teeth before climbing into the big soft bed and immediately falling into a deep dreamless sleep.

The sun was high in the sky by the time she woke up the next morning. Climbing out of bed and throwing open the windows and the shutters, she gazed out at the bright day, alive with promise. The tinkling of the fountain reminded her that she needed to pee and when she peered in the mirror in the bathroom she realized she hadn’t removed her make up last night and her hair was a wavy mess down her back.

Gathering the heavy tresses up into a knot on top of her head, which promptly fell down again, she padded down the hallway to the kitchen and looked around for Liz and Kat. The French doors were closed and the villa was silent but the coffee machine had obviously been in use so maybe they had gone for a walk thought Cassie. She made herself a cup, and opening the French doors, carried it out to the big table under the loggia. Sitting under the loggia sipping her coffee and gazing out at the bucolic landscape beyond the pool with its endless rows of olives and vines, Cassie felt at complete peace with herself. How often did she feel like this she thought, in a contented state of bliss? Not often enough was the answer. She hadn’t even checked her Blackberry since she had arrived. In fact, she wasn’t quite sure it was working correctly in this part of the world as the last time she had looked at it at Rome airport when she first arrived in Italy, the device seemed to be having trouble connecting to a local network. She had switched it off in disgust and was only now thinking about it. I need to email Maggie at least, but that’s when you really know you are on holiday thought Cassie, when the outside world just doesn’t seem that important anymore.

She was roused from her musings by the sound of Kat and Liz’s voices.

‘There she is, international woman of mystery’ said Kat, ‘please fill us in on last night’s adventure, and, we want all the gory details,’ she added. ‘Don’t leave anything out. If there is romance about, we want to know about it. In the absence of our men, we are living vicariously through you, so make it steamy will you.’

‘Yes, what time did you get in last night anyway?’ said Liz coming to plop herself down in a chair next to Cassie. The girls were both wearing shorts and tee shirts and running shoes. Kat took a long drink from her water bottle and pushed her cap back off her forehead.