Sicilian Dreams (31 page)

‘It was only a few days ago, at a nightclub in town’ said Cassie. ‘We didn’t even really speak to each other.’

‘Well, she obviously sensed something between you and she wanted to come and find out for herself’ said Christina. Now Cassie remembered the G-string on the chandelier and she could feel herself blushing. She couldn’t look at Marta who was standing, leaning against the sink.

‘She stopped at the house first before she went to the stables. She wanted to see Marco’ said Marta. ‘She didn’t know about Antonio. Once I told her he was in Palermo with his father, she left immediately.’ Bless you Marta, thought Cassie. My secret is safe with you. She breathed a sigh of relief.

‘Now comes the hard part, for me’ said Christina, much to Cassie’s surprise. ‘I do not want to interfere but I felt I must come here this morning and at least explain something to you.’ She looked unhappy and Cassie felt sick. What is she going to tell me? I don’t want to hear this. She wanted to put her hands over her ears. Christina realized that she had upset Cassie and leaned over to take both her hands in hers.

‘No, not bad for you. I feel like a traitor repeating what Marco has said to me in confidence. He would be so angry with me but I must.’ she said emphatically.

‘We have spent many hours with each other in the last few days, more than in years. This at least is a positive aspect of poor Antonio’s heart attack. Marco speaks about you constantly, I have never seen him so happy and animated in a long time.’ Cassie felt stunned by the revelation, her eyes opening wide in shock as Christina continued.

‘You have known each other for such a short time but you seem to have a bond between you which is rare. I don’t know how much, if any, Marco has told you about my accident, but he carries such guilt with him. It is a guilt that I have been unable to assuage over the years despite my best efforts. It is as if since he has met you, he has become a lighter person, as if the guilt is finally lifting and that will enable his life to go forward instead of stagnating in bitterness. It is my greatest wish. Whatever Francesca said to you, please do not believe it. Please talk to Marco, he can explain. I have said enough’ she sat back as if exhausted, but she also looked relieved.

‘Have you spoken to Marco this morning’ said Cassie, still reeling in shock from Christina’s words.

‘No, we missed each other. I came here with Marta, and he went down to Palermo to meet with Antonio.’

‘Marco left early this morning.’ said Marta, confirming to Cassie that Christina did not know that Cassie had refused to see Marco last night. Right now she felt light headed with relief. She had to talk to Marco soon. Now she had heard what Christina had said, she felt stronger and ready to see him. In fact, she desperately wanted to see him.

Christina was much stronger than Marco gave her credit for, thought Cassie, mentally, if not physically. She had come to terms with her accident a long time ago, and wanted Marco to do the same, and probably Antonio as well. They were hanging on to their stubborn pride, unable to bridge the yawning chasm which had grown between them, and, more importantly, unable to accept that Christina had moved on and was happy. How tiring that must be for her, but how typically male, thought Cassie, smiling to herself. The three women continued chatting, Christina skillfully changing the subject and discussing gardening instead, which was a topic they were all interested in and Cassie felt herself relaxing and being drawn into their
conversation. When Liz arrived back from town, they were on to succulents and the nutrients they need to thrive in.

‘Your cassata gelato is ready,’ said Marta to Liz. She went into the pantry to get it out of the freezer. ‘When you take it out of the freezer, dip the
mold in a bowl of warm water for a few seconds and then turn the mold out onto the plate.’

Cassie thanked Marta and Christina and both girls sent their regards to Antonio and wished him a speedy recovery.

‘When he starts to complain about being in bed, I’ll know he is getting better’ said Christina, wryly.

‘She was lying?’ said Liz. ‘Christina told you all this?’ she added incredulously.

‘She didn’t know exactly what happened, but she and Marta had obviously put two and two together and it was pretty close to what happened,’ said Cassie.

Kat was up when they got back to the villa and they joined her by the pool.

‘She didn’t know all the details of course but she told me about Francesca’s past and how she has been chasing Marco for literally years.’

‘That’s pretty sad,’ said Kat. ‘I mean, what she did to you is inexcusable, but look at where she’s ended up.’

‘Stuck in hospital with her leg in traction for six weeks.’ said Liz. ‘Serves her right.’

Cassie had switched her phone on again and now it buzzed on the table beside her.

It was Marco and her heart skipped a beat. ‘We need talk, call me.’ was all the message said. True to form Marco was commanding her to call him, but right now, that’s all she wanted to do. She had to hear his voice. She got up from the lounger and walked quickly to her bedroom, closing the door. She didn’t see the worried looks exchanged between Kat and Liz as she left them.

‘Marco, hi, it’s Cassie’ she said softly.

‘Cassandra, amore, I am so pleased you have called. I have to talk to you’ he said with urgency in his voice.

‘We have to talk.’ said Cassie, equally urgent.

‘I am coming back to the estate right now. Don’t move, stay right where you are. I will be there in an hour.

‘Okay Marco.’ said Cassie. She couldn’t help laughing. He sounded so desperate.

‘Don’t get a speeding ticket on the way.’

‘They will have to chase me all the way because I am not stopping. A presto, Cassandra.’ He hung up.

She skipped out of her bedroom, wincing as her sore feet hit the floor, hugging her phone to her chest.

‘All on again?’ asked Kat, lifting her sunglasses and looking up from the lounger at Cassie’s beaming face.

‘I think so,’ replied Cassie, grinning like an idiot. ‘He’s coming here now and wants to talk.’

‘Well, that means we should leave soon,’ said Liz to Kat. ‘Let’s go to Santo Stefano di Camastra and check out the ceramics this afternoon.’

‘That sounds great. I might find some gifts there to take back with me’ said Kat.

‘Me too. I love the look of some of the hand painted platters and the water jugs. The ‘

The girls got changed and left about 15 minutes later, after giving Cassie advice she hadn’t asked for.

‘Have some background music, and have a bottle of wine chilled and ready in the fridge’ said Liz.

‘But don’t open it until you’ve talked.’ said Kat. ‘Although, in vino veritas. Perhaps you should open it immediately.’

‘The giant, green olives are in a jar on the top shelf of the fridge. Otherwise we have cheese and nuts if you get hungry.’ Liz couldn’t contemplate a get together of any kind without food and Cassie laughed.

‘I wouldn’t mind a plate to take back to Maggie,’ said Cassie. ‘If you see something you love, buy one for me as well.’

‘Okay, ciao, ciao’ they cooed, heading outside to the mini. Cassie heard them driving away and then walked to her bedroom as sedately as she could; even though she wanted to do a tango; and turned on the shower. Humming to herself, she tied a plastic shopping bag neatly over each bandaged foot and step gingerly into the shower, trying to wash her hair without getting her feet wet, by leaning over and under the stream of water. She was moderately successful doing this, but could still feel the water snaking down her legs and into the plastic bags. Leaning over further to wash the last of the conditioner out, she stood up with a scream as Marco slipped in behind her and whispered in her ear, ‘Would you like me to help you, signorina?’ She turned around, water dripping from her face, and pummeled him on the chest with her fists.

‘God dammit Marco, you gave me a bloody fright, don’t do that again.’ His arms circled her and he crushed her to him in a bear hug, laughing.

‘Amore, I love it when you are angry, and I love your little, plastic booties.’ He was naked and with her body pressed tightly against his, she felt his urgent erection pressing against her belly.

‘Let me go you idiot, I have soap in my eyes.’ He took one hand and pushed her hair tenderly away from her face, then gently wiped the soap from her eyes.

‘What a spitfire you are. There, is that better.’ He bent and kissed her lips with fervor, his tongue snaking into her mouth and his hand sliding up her back to cup her head.

Cassie groaned and responded to him immediately, kissing him back with aching need.

He pushed her back against the tiled wall and entered her immediately, groaning to himself as her hot warmth enveloped him. His hands slipped underneath her buttocks and he lifted her slightly as her legs came around his back. Her hands were around his broad shoulders, and her fingers curled into his long hair at the back of his neck as he moved her up and down on him with delicious slowness.

Cassie arched her back and leaned into him further, and he kissed her harder as her fingers slid around and played with his hard nipples. He moaned with pleasure and thrust into her harder, their pleasure in each other’s bodies growing to a fever pitch until Cassie murmured his name and he shuddered with pleasure and came inside her. She was engulfed by waves of exquisite pleasure.

Marco finally released her and her feet touched the tiles again, while he took a bar of soap and gently washed her all over, her tingling nipples still aching as he brushed over them. Lifting her from the shower, he toweled her dry and took the sodden plastic shopping bags and bandages off her feet, then grabbed another towel and wrapped it around his waist, before carrying her to the bed and laying her down.

‘You have to stay in bed because we don’t have any more bandages,’ he said, grinning at her and she couldn’t help thinking how sexy he looked with the towel slung around his hips.

‘What are you, my Doctor?’ she said, cheekily, grinning back at him.

‘For the moment, yes.’ he answered, and lay down beside her. ‘As your physician, I recommend complete bed rest, with me of course.’

‘Typical.’ replied Cassie with a smirk, her hand reaching up to stroke the dark hair on his chest. ‘What a fine bedside manner you have Doctor.’

‘Yes, my patients love the way I am hands on with them.’ His green eyes sparkled with glee and his bent his head to kiss her again.

‘Patients?’ said Cassie.

‘Oh, my mistake, I meant that in the singular.’ replied Marco.

‘Which reminds me, you have some explaining to do.’ Cassie’s head was resting on his shoulder, and now she looked up into his eyes, her tone serious.

‘Si.’ sighed Marco, as if the thought made him tired. ‘I have so much to tell you, but you are right, I need to explain first about Francesca.’

‘Actually, your mother did a pretty good job of it this morning.’ blurted out Cassie before she could stop herself.

‘What do you mean?’ said Marco, sitting up suddenly and glowering at her, the green eyes no longer joking. ‘What did she say?’

‘Calm down.’ said Cassie. ‘She didn’t want to interfere, but I’m glad she did. No, just wait, stop looking so mad and let me explain. Cassie sat up too and propped some pillows up behind them. ‘She said very little, just that Francesca has idolized you since she was a child but that you did not see her in the same way and never have. You have to understand, after my altercation with Francesca at the lake, I was very hurt and confused and vulnerable, and angry.’ she added forcefully, although she wanted to smile at him just then because she felt so good inside.

‘When I heard what she had done to you I was so angry I nearly went to the hospital and had it out with her. My poor darling, Francesca is crazy and I will never let her get in our way again.’ he said with feeling. Cassie sat stock still with shock. What had he just said?

‘What do you mean Marco?’ said Cassie, her heart doing a wild tango in her chest.

‘I mean this Cassandra’ said Marco, taking her in his arms and kissing her. ‘I am not letting you get away from me, ever.’

‘But?’ Cassie protested, feebly.

‘But no, Cassandra. I have so much to explain to you, but right now, all I want to do is make love to you again and again.’ He kissed her lips softly and laid her down on the pillows, sliding on top of her. ‘Enough talk for now amore, Doctors orders.’

Cassie closed her eyes in delicious anticipation as Marco’s lips came down over hers and his hard body moved above hers. She couldn’t believe she wanted him again so soon and with such passion. She slid her hand down between them to grip his erect cock and he gasped in pleasure and she guided him into her. They made love as if for the first time, tenderly, and with many whispered words of passion between them, trying desperately to control the aching need they both felt to possess each other and slake their passion within each other’s bodies. Marco held on for as long as he could, but as he heard Cassie whisper his name and begin to come, he felt his own climax and shuddered as he came inside her with a groan and her name on his lips.

Their lovemaking turned into a siesta and they slept the hot afternoon away, arms and legs splayed out like starfish, but Marco still holding onto Cassie’s hand.