CHAPTER Fifteen
Erin
I lift my head up out of Alek’s convertible Aston Martin. The air pushing against my face both smothers and excites me. His final destination for us will be a surprise; but he did tell me we were headed to the mountains closest to the Amalfi coast. I could almost kiss Luca for letting me have a few days off this week, giving Alek and me some time to try out this arrangement thing before his performance.
I plop back down in my seat and tighten the scarf I wear around my head. My eyes can’t take in enough of the sculptured mountaintops and the villas built into them at one time. Experiencing all of this with Alek makes the purity of the white sands stretching along the coastline so much prettier, and the blue in the water so much brighter.
This mini getaway is just the thing Alek and I need, a much deserved break from the constant hustle of life in Milan. It’s as though I can feel the weight of the world lifting off of my shoulders the longer we travel along the mountainside. Soon, he steers off the roads running alongside the coastlines, and heads into the mountainous regions, our destination.
He eases the Aston Martin to a stop just outside of a group of apartments built inside of the mountains.
“This is it? Where we’ll be staying this weekend?” I ask, trying hard not to gasp too loudly as I check out our surroundings. “Whoa.”
“You’ll love it. Trust me. The Valle Delle Ferriere is where I go to clear my head before any big performance,” he explains.
It’s gorgeous. I can’t deny it. The whole scene kinda reminds me of a hyped up version of a Rick Steve’s travel video. But this isn’t an armchair traveling thing. I’m really here with my Maestro. I can’t help but to grin wide.
Inside our room which is pretty much an apartment built inside of a hole in the mountain, he wastes no time with essential things like resting, for example. I don’t even get the chance to sit down and get comfortable. Instead, I’m ordered to change into my hiking gear. But his excitement about wherever he’s taking me to makes me feel the same way; so I don’t mind losing a bit of breathing time.
We set out toward his secret hideout, the place where I’ll get to learn more about the mysterious Maestro.
For about forty-five minutes, we walk through a valley that reminds me of one of those old Indiana Jones movies. My hair feels like it’s fried, my thighs are on fire, and my ass cheeks have gone numb from climbing so many hills. This is what I get for skipping yoga class all those times. I’m about ready to give up and turn back when Alek comes to an abrupt stop, causing me to run into the back of him.
Easing his arm around me, he beams a smile at my distress—which is not funny—and says, “We’re here.”
I turn my head in the direction of his gaze and inhale sharply. We stand in front of a small waterfall, a gorgeous one inside of a place where Alek says he comes to meditate before each performance.
It’s the one thing my sister always said she wanted to see one day. Shaking off somber thoughts, I redirect my energy back to the scene before me.
“Right. This is your special hangout? A waterfall?” I ask, thinking of the day when Nadya asked me if Alek had brought me out here yet. I can’t help but to wonder if he does this with all of his new “partners.”
“I wanted you to see how I get ready for a performance, yes. By purifying my body with nature’s showers.” He walks over to a boulder, sets his backpack down on it, and removes his shirt and boots. Oh dear.
Standing in the sun, I get a full view of his complete package: tanned skin, ripped abs, the kind that tapers down to a perfect ‘V’ women love so much, and a smile that could convince you to hike up the side of a volcano if he wanted you to. He strips down to his briefs and struts over to the waterfall as though we’re the only people hiking inside the valley. My stomach clenches and my nipples harden as I experience the familiar surge of tingling heat that always happens when I’m around Alek. I release a long sigh and wonder just how prepared I am to follow through on this little agreement of ours.
“Don’t leave me standing out here looking like a fool. Join me, Erin.” He holds out his hand toward me. I rip my mind out of the dirty-girl pit and refocus on his words.
“Wait. You’re not going to actually stand under a waterfall, are you?” I’m complaining, but my feet are also moving toward him while I’m saying these things. The little traitors.
“Why not? It’s great therapy,” he answers.
I set my backpack down beside his. “I’m not stripping down to my underwear. Forget it.”
“The water feels fantastic. It’s like nothing you’ve ever felt before, I promise,” he coaxes, standing inside the area where the water pools at the bottom of the falls.
Glancing around, I wonder what people will think when they catch two idiots swimming inside of something that’s probably off limits to sightseers like Alek and me. “Live a little, Erin. Don’t be afraid.” He’s teasing me now, and it’s sexy as hell.
“I’m not scared,” I correct. He grins and plunges into the water. “Holy Hell. I’m so going to regret doing this.” I remove my shoes but leave on my jean shorts and tee shirt.
“What’s this?” Alek asks as he wades towards me, a smile spreading across his lips. I haven’t stepped into the water yet.
“It’s called modesty,” I answer.
Doubling over, his shoulders begin to shake, and he laughs so hard I start to feel quite strange. Even I have to admit I feel overdressed standing there in my clothes, but still.
Stepping out of the water, he makes his way over to me. Water drips off of his chest and glistens in the sunlight filtering through the trees around us. I drink in the appearance of his muscular frame, savoring every gorgeous detail.
“There isn’t anyone around for miles. Be brave, Jaybird. You can touch my body. I’m no longer off limits,” he says in his deep accent, the scent of water and a faint trace of cologne lingers around him.
Dark hair that has grown a bit longer since we first met last month hangs in his face, making his eyes become a lighter shade of brown-blue. His well-toned body packs a triple punch of abs, muscular legs, and dark olive skin that puts a tanning booth to shame. Oh, did I mention his V-line? I’ve never seen a more perfect pointer. Ever! Alek Dostov goes beyond perfection. He is divine.
My mouth goes totally dry.
Holy moly. Is this guy for real?
I can’t touch him. If I get started, I have the feeling that I’ll never stop. “Turn around,” he says. I open my mouth to question him, but he silences me with two fingers on my lips. “No questions. Trust me for once. Please.”
I turn around and close my eyes. For some reason, trust is a big deal to Alek. “That water is going to be cold as hell. I know it.” He better have a good reason for making me do this.
“This waterfall belongs to Mother Nature. She knows what she’s doing. We’re going to take a moment to listen to her voice.” He slides his hands along my waistline and up under the shirt I’m wearing. Slowly he lifts it over my head. I reach out to steady myself and wind up stumbling against his chest, his strong arms circling around my waist.
I don’t try to move. I couldn’t even if I wanted to.
“I get to keep my shorts on, right?” I ask.
“No,” he answers.
“Why not?”
“Won’t be any fun if I’m the only one who’s standing here half-naked.”
“Right.” Okay. He has a point. “What’s it going to hurt, anyway?” I step out of my shorts and allow him to lead me into the pool of water that leads up to the waterfall. We keep walking until we reach the sprays of the lightest waterfall. And he’s right. The liquid flowing down my skin caresses it with warmth. The coolest part of the water is out in the chasm near the rocks across the way.
“Do you see? The water here is warm. Alek turns me around so my back rests up against his chest. “You’ll enjoy this. Trust me, Erin.”
I glance up and behind me. Big mistake. I stare straight into Alek’s eyes, those clear, brownish-blue jewels that send fire straight through me each time I glance into them. Right now, he stares down at me with a half-lidded, I-want-to-f*ck-you look, and I almost melt. I turn away before I lose all my good sense and say, “I trust you.”
Once again, I’m in the presence of one of the hottest men to probably ever live, and I’m in nothing but my underwear. Man, Selene will be super jealous when I tell her about this. “This is becoming a habit,” I say because this intense, but quiet version of Alek touches me in a way that’s hard to describe.
“Habits are good, yes,” he mutters in my ear, his Russian-American accent driving my body temperature up about fifty notches. Tingles, oh hell no, freakin’ sparks shoot through my body and my stomach clenches.
You’re such a liar, Erin Angelo. What happened to swearing off all things that have accents and six pack abs.
“Hope you know the shirt you tossed on the ground cost me a year’s worth of savings to purchase,” I joke because I’m nervous as hell.
“I’ll buy you another one,” he offers as we inch further underneath the waterfalls. I hesitate just before we step underneath one of the rushing streams.
I know it’s only a waterfall, but everything about this time I’ve spent with Alek so far has carried more unspoken symbolism and meanings than any obstacle I’ve ever faced in my life before.
For some odd reason, I feel that stepping under this waterfall won’t only be about showing how much I trust him; but it’s also going to be about taking a leap of faith, washing away a bit of the old me and making room for this new woman who has suddenly appeared in the spotlight.
“Close your eyes, Erin. Let the magic in the water take away your fears,” he says, massaging my arms.
Damn he’s good with these romantic innuendos.
I do as he says. Placing a hand under my chin, he gently lifts it until my head leans back so the water showers my face. Being with Alek challenges me in ways I never thought possible.
I’ve danced in a black tutu in front of a crowd thanks to his desire to see my creations in action before he actually agreed to offer the contract. And we won’t even mention the rebellious moment I experienced after Black Butterfly’s showing last week.
These are the things this man makes me do. I’ve thrown control out of the window and terrified Righteous Me into silence. And I’m not really sure, but I think I love this unrestricted side of me. I feel him turn around behind me. Now his back rests directly against mine. Standing underneath the waterfall, I have to admit Alek’s right.
It’s like something magical has touched me. We hold that position for a while, and I’m lost in sounds of rushing water when I feel his back move away from me. And then his lips touch mine, ever so gently. I know what he’s doing. This is his way of asking permission to proceed.
I kiss him back, parting my lips. In return, Alek pulls me into his arms and deepens our kiss, hungrily crushing his lips against mine. Entwining my fingers in his hair, I move his head closer to mine.
I want to be as close to him as possible. Moving back for a moment to catch my breath, I manage to say, “I want you, Alek.”
“Do you know how long I’ve been waiting to hear you say that?” he asks, his eyes storming with desire.
“No longer than I’ve been waiting for you,” I answer. He groans and crushes his lips against mine as we make our way out from under the waterfall and back toward our clothing.
The infinite kiss begins. Or, that’s what I feel like this is anyway. A giggle catches our attention. There’s a group of four people about our same age standing across the way. They wave and smile at us before moving on. Right away, we resume the infinite kiss. We don’t stop kissing at the waterfall or on the hiking trail as we make our way back toward the room. Alek picks me up and carries me part of the way. And no, that doesn’t even break apart our lip lock.
Now that I’ve opened myself up to the pleasures of kissing someone in this way again, I can’t seem to get enough. And I don’t think I want to, either.
Back in our apartment, we continue the never ending kiss. I don’t want to stop. Once you find the courage to open yourself up to something you’ve always believed to be forbidden, then you never want to let it go. I always told myself that I would never give anyone this power over me again.
So what am I doing here? I have no idea.
Should I stop this now? Hell no!
Alek carries me across the threshold and into our little apartment and slams the door shut. Setting me on the floor, he turns down the dimmer switch as we continue to lock lips in a heated kiss. “I want you, Erin. More than I’ve ever wanted anything or anyone in my life,” he whispers against my lips.
I walk backward toward our bedroom at the back of the place, enjoying the feel of Alek’s hands all over my body. I cannot believe I’ve actually waited this long to experience moments like this one with him. Kissing Alek fills me with all kinds of fluttery feelings. I’m as giddy as a school girl inside, but my body feels all woman.
He releases me for a short moment, and makes his way over to his bag sitting on the floor in the living room. This gives me time to gather my racing thoughts. I run my hands through my wet, dark hair that falls to my waist. Either he’d better hurry up and get back here to me, or I’m going to f*ck him right where he stands by that couch, just like I imagined we would do—wild and unforgettable.
I slowly strip off the rest of my clothes. Alek’s back is still turned to me, but I am standing in the floor wearing only my bra and panties again.
“Where the hell are they?” he says in English, that he follows up with a string of Russian curse words. Making a small, excited gasp, he removes some condoms from inside the bag he’s focused on.
“Maestro,” I call out, waiting for him to stop fumbling through that damn bag.
He turns around, his eyes bulging when he finds me waiting for him. A couple of weeks ago, he told me he appreciates a woman who knows how to take charge. Well, let’s see what you've got, Erin Angelo.
“It’s my turn to please you,” I tease.
“What exactly do you intend to do?” he asks, coming toward me, a dangerously dark look on his face.
“Oh, I think I’ll want to tie you up and then f*ck you on that bed back there. Any problems with that?” I feel the take-charge side of me blossoming, a woman that’s been hiding behind a little girl’s fears for way too long.
“No problem at all,” he says, his eyes wild with excitement as he takes in the sight of my body. I’m pretty sure he’s wondering what the hell happened to the hesitant woman he brought here.
“March,” I instruct. With a playful smile on his perfect lips, he eases by me and backs into our bedroom. It’s small, but filled with a bed large enough to help you forget that you’re wedged in the side of a mountain.
I walk over to him. I have let him take charge in every part of my life since we met: the contract, the showing, even the first time he gave me an orgasm. Tonight, I’m the one who gets to do things the way I see fit.
And I want him to f*ck me hard and fast so that I won’t have time to think or fear or feel any more pain.
I walk up to him, spinning his body around and back him up towards the foot of the bed. It’s one of those old-timey ones that are shaped like a heart. Only in Italy can you expect to have sex on a bed like this one. I can tell he’s excited about my proposition, that magnificent bulge rising in his pants.
Grabbing his shirt, I waste no time lifting it and tugging it over his head. I want his mouth on mine again. I crush my lips against his, kissing him hard, happy to be on my way to relieving this aching need. I love the way my skin feels against his firm body. I run my fingers from his shoulders down to his sculpted abs, tracing the path with my tongue as I explore his body. I reach down and feel him through his pants.
Dropping to my knees, I glance up to meet his eyes that are wild with desire. I unfasten his belt, pull it through the loops, and toss it aside.
“Ah, but Ms. Angelo, I do believe I could get used to seeing this side of you,” he says, giving me a half-lidded gaze as he strokes my hair.
“Did I give you permission to speak?” I tease and turn my attention back to my goal.
Slowly, I unfasten his pants and massage his hardness. I want to please him the way he did for me, and I’m not for sure I can pull this thing off. He makes the first man that I’ve ever dared to be so bold with in this way.
I take him into my mouth, kissing the tip ever so lightly. In response, he hardens and lengthens and I’m fascinated by this reaction to what I’m doing.
Holy Moly, I’m really enjoying this!
But my moment of triumph and pleasure ends quickly. Alek pulls away from me just before he comes.
“Not so fast, Jaybird. I am far from done with you,” he tells me, looking down at me as he steps out of his pants and underwear. The sight of the most perfect man I’ve ever seen standing before me in full naked glory takes my breath away. I’ve never seen a more sculpted body, and I find myself wondering how this stroke of luck came my way.
I stand and say, “But it’s still my turn,” as I walk to the other side of the bed. I sit on the edge and point to the chair sitting beside it. He takes a seat in front of me, his gaze focused on my face, as though he is eager to discover what I have planned. “What have you got for me now, baby?”
I reach down and grab my wet panties, pulling them aside. “You know what I want?” I say, enjoying this spell I hold over him. He’s not the only one who knows how to make someone beg.
Alek tilts his head to the side, giving me a wicked smile in his side glance at me. And then he moves toward me, his hands easing up my thighs, inching closer to my panties. He moves them aside the way he did the night of the showing, and then he pushes two fingers inside me. My body tenses and I grab a hold of his muscular arms as he slides my panties off in one slick move, the swift motion tickling my skin. Easing me back against the bed, he unhooks my bra and fills his hands with the flesh of my breasts. He’s the tiniest bit rough as he massages them, but nothing unpleasant in any way.
His mouth moves to my nipple, devouring all of it.
Holy Moly that feels good.
Just sit back and enjoy the ride: Reckless Me orders.
The sudden turn of events has intrigued me. I can feel him poking my wet crotch as he pleasures my nipples. I want to feel him inside me now. This waiting, the teasing, the sheer frustration of it all kills me.
Easing up for a moment, he stands up, removes a condom from the table beside the bed, and gives me a delightful smile just before he eases back over to where I lay. “Did you miss me?” he teases.
Does he think that making me wait is funny?
I think I might just smack him now.
I grab him by the waist and pull him down toward me. “What do you think the answer to that question is?” I ask. And then he pushes himself inside me the tiniest bit. After all the waiting and the teasing, this hint of what’s to come doesn’t work for me. I reach around, grabbing his ass, wanting more of what he just gave me a taste of.
“Not just yet,” he says firmly. “I’m not ready, my Jaybird.” I glare at him, disbelieving what I just heard.
I’m fuming right now, when just a moment ago I was telling myself to be quiet and roll with it. I think Righteous Me took a bus back to Milan almost an hour ago—that’s how badly all of this has scared her.
Alek kisses his way down my stomach, extinguishing my bit if anger. Suddenly his finger is deep inside me without warning. I gasp in surprise. I am so wet that it glides right in. He kneels down in front of me. Now his tongue is on my *, and I am ready to explode.
He rotates his fingers as he strokes me with his tongue, and I am going crazy on this bed, an exaggerated version of the night of the showing. I come again as I grab two fistfuls of sheets.
“Holy Hell!” is all I manage to gasp out. I have never experienced multiple orgasms before.
“I’m ready to f*ck you now, Erin. Tell me how you want it?” he asks as he tears open the condom I assume he’s been holding on to. I stammer for a response, my brain numb with pleasure. He rips at the wrapping and puts it on in seconds, I think. And then he eases his cock deep into me before I can answer his question. I close my eyes for a short moment as a shuddering breath escapes me.
“How does it feel, Erin?” he whispers.
“It feels...Oh God it feels so good,” I answer.
He spreads my legs wider, so he has full access to me. Grasping my thighs, he holds me in place as I find myself thrashing around on the bed, yet again. He is hitting all the right spots with each stroke, and I am almost ready again. I look up at him, my eyes hazy with desire.
He stares down at me, his gaze burning into mine. Lifting up so I now have a clear view of his glorious body, he grabs my hips and thrusts into me with three or four firm strokes. I watch him penetrate me. I’m fascinated, and my eyes are half open as I get ready to come again; but I don’t get my wish. Alek slides his cock out of me, and gives me a devilish grin.
I think I might want to smack him now.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
“I told you that you’d beg for my kiss, didn’t I?”
F*cking control freak! But I am crazy with desire, willing to do anything to get what I want. So I play his game. “Please kiss me, Maestro,” I say in the best imitation of a seductive voice I can manage.
“Much better, my loveliness,” he says and pushes himself deep inside me once again. He grabs my shoulder and thrusts into me. My cries echo through our bedroom under the mountain. I lift my legs and wrap them around him.
“My, my, what a hungry little Jaybird, I have here in my hands,” he says so seductively deep in that damn Russian accent of his that I’m wet at once. “Damn, you feel so good to me,” he whispers furiously.
And then he moves his head down to my breasts, wasting no time as he latches on and tastes them. I grind my hips into him, my wetness betraying our insatiable need. I get another heated kiss, our tongues lashing against one another, a war of raw desire. He gives me a moment to recover.
“Ready for something different?” he asks with a smile I couldn’t resist even if I tried to do so.
“Oh yes!” Whatever he has in mind, I want it.
He lifts up, moves my legs from around his waist, and rotates my body upward until I’m perched on my hands and knees. Oh boy, I asked for it, didn’t I?
“That’s better, be a good little birdie for me,” he says in my ear. I move my ass closer to him, writhing against his hips.
“Oh, yes! Harder. Give it to me harder, Maestro!”
He gives me what I ask for as we thrust against each other, burying my head in the pillow. His moans and groans escalate. And then he doubles over and wraps a hand in my my hair, yanking my head back up so now my face is against his. I can feel him pulse inside me, and I think I have one left to bring out. It’s a good thing we’re inside of a room underneath a mountain, or someone might mistakenly think Alek is killing me.
He grasps my hips just before he stiffens and explodes inside me. My head jams into the mattress, as his throbs become less intense. And then he collapses on top of my back, gasping.
“What are you doing to me, Erin Angelo?” is the only thing he says just before he falls away from me.
Rolling my exhausted body over, he pulls me into his arms and we lie on the bed, the two of us completely silent. After a moment, I glance at him, staring into those eyes with the dual colors I love so much. I can’t believe what we just did to each other. I feel empowered and confident and yes, even a little freer. Alek took the timid version of me and made her into woman.
He caresses my cheek and gives me a tiny smile.
Beautiful and perfect.
I close my eyes, basking in what I just experienced, feeling happy to have found a man who owns me in a way that I never knew anyone could ever do.