Italian Rhapsody Ch. 03

"I want you, too." Her voice quivered ever so slightly.

"Ah, Roxie, honey." What was it about her that drove him insane? What did this sweet, stubborn little plump virgin have that made her so irresistible? He turned her to face him, grasped each side of her waist and drew her up on her knees. He hoped the light would last long enough for him to see her while he made love to her. He wanted to watch her fall apart. He lifted her to her feet, unzipped and removed her slacks, along with her panties, then kicked them aside.

A sudden weakness claimed her limbs. Her knees buckled. Daniel wrapped her hair around his hand and drew her closer. Inserting his foot between her ankles, he gently parted her legs. She gasped at the instant sensation of being exposed. Lowering his head, he kissed her. A slow, deep kiss. Nibbles on her lower lip. Licks circling her whole mouth. Tentative thrusts into the warm interior.

Circling his waist with her arms, she inched her fingers up his naked back. He walked her backward on top of the sleeping bag until her buttocks encountered the wall. He pressed his hard body against her, allowing her to feel the heaviness of his throbbing arousal. She didn't flinch when he lifted his head and looked deeply into her eyes as he eased his fingers up her thigh, parting her farther. He slipped inside her, testing her. Instinctively, she closed her thighs around his intruding hand. She twisted and turned, inflaming her own desire as well as his. He probed and retreated, then probed again. He raked his thumb across her clit. Pressing her head back against the wall, she groaned as he played with her clitoris. Color washed up her neck and over her face.

With one hand he petted her with knowledgeable strokes while he lowered his mouth to her breast. He ached with need.

"Please, oh, please..." she whimpered.

"Let it happen, sweetness. Just let go."

Hot, wild sensation consumed her. Pressing, pressing, pressing. With one final stroke, he broke the tightly coiled spring inside her, unraveling the pleasure. Her body jerked repeatedly as fulfillment claimed her. While the aftershocks of release still tingled along her nerve endings, Daniel drew her hand down to circle his erection. She held him, caressing him tenderly. She kissed the center of his chest, then slid her tongue up to his throat. "You said you wouldn't take my virginity..."

"And I won't." No matter how desperately I want to make you mine completely.

"But what if I want to...give it to you? What if we keep that piece of paper and make it real. What if..."

"Don't do this to me. Don't..."

Releasing her intimate hold on him, she stood on tiptoe and wrapped herself around him. "I love you, Daniel. I realize you probably don't want my love, but you have it. And because I love you, I want you to be my first and only lover." Now and forever.

"You shouldn't love me. I'm not a good person, honey. I'm not good enough for you." All the while he tried to reject her, his arousal pulsed against her belly.

"It doesn't matter," she said, her voice echoing in the shadowy twilight, as the heavy rain created a cocoon around them inside the ancient temple. "Don't you understand, my love? I'm good for you, Daniel, and that is what's important."

"God, forgive me." He was no saint. He was only a man. He didn't possess the strength to reject her precious gift. Lifting her in his arms, he carried her away from the wall and lowered her to the sleeping bag, then gently straddled her hips.

Take it easy. Go slow. Don't hurt her. He probed her with his fingers, parting her, stroking her, preparing her. Then he lowered himself over her, easing slowly into her. When she tensed, he murmured soothing, almost incoherent words to her.

Lifting her head, she captured his mouth. When he thrust his tongue inside, she lifted her hips, bringing him deeper inside her. Unable to resist her invitation, he drove into her. Slipping his hands beneath her hips he lifted her, bringing them together. He filled her completely, making their bodies one.

Daniel held Roxie, unmoving, waiting for the pain from his invasion to ease. She gasped as the pain knifed through her, she didn't try to hold back her cries. Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes and trickled into her hair.

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to hurt you." He mouthed the words against her cheek.

She stroked his buttocks, then pressed down on his spine, urging him to continue. "There's more to making love, isn't there? I want it all," she said.

He worked himself back and forth, thrusting and retreating, plunging, pleasuring, giving her all of him and taking back everything from her. He couldn't make it last, couldn't take the time to bring her to a fulfillment again. When he felt the tingling warnings of his imminent release, he rammed his tongue into her mouth.

Roxie urged him to the edge with every breath she took, acting purely on instinct. Wanting to give him pleasure, she lost herself in the pursuit of his release. He groaned into her mouth. He froze for an instant, then hammered into her with quick, sharp, frantic thrusts. She felt his release, warm and moist inside her. And she listened, with happiness, to his triumphant, deep-throated growl of completion.

Daniel eased his body alongside hers, then lifted the sleeping bag over them and zippered them inside the padded warmth. She cuddled in his arms. He kissed her. "Rest now, honey."

When Roxie fell asleep almost instantly, sated and secure, he held her close. She was his now; in every way a woman could belong to a man. His feelings of possessiveness for her surprised him. But he could no more control those feelings than he could stop the sun from rising tomorrow.

He made love to her again during the long night, finding her entrance easily, and taking her with wild abandon in the darkness as she lay on her stomach. As they shared the pleasure the second time, Roxie shattered in ecstasy as he exploded inside her once more.

At first light of dawn, she awoke when Daniel drew her on top of him and urged her to ride him. She was sore, but with her body aching from the two previous couplings and the aftereffects of their orgasms, her desire for him made her more than willing to give and find pleasure for a third time. Afterward, they slept for a brief time, then washed and dressed quickly. Roxie braided her hair, while he prepared their breakfast. They shared another of Vladimir's meals, then packed up and left the ancient temple.

Halting before they continued on their way again, Roxie took one last look at the ruins. She would never forget the night she'd shared with Daniel, within the sheltering arms of a building once held sacred by a people who long ago had vanished from the earth.

He pulled her close and kissed her. "No regrets?" he asked.

"None," she told him, kissing him back.

Vladimir had an itch that needed scratching, and only Daniel's woman could scratch it. And if she didn't scratch that itch, she was not getting her nephew back until she did. If he had to blackmail her, then so be it. Picking up his cell phone, he dialed a number. After leaving a short message in Russian, he hit the power-off button on the phone.

While making sure Roxie was not paying attention to him for the moment, Daniel listened to the message that was left on his phone by Vladimir. It was in Russian, but he understood it. He wanted him to go into Cefalù and wait for him there at a bar that they used to hang out at.

They made their way down La Rocca and arrived back at their cabin a few hours later.

Letting her know what he was about to do, he convinced her to stay at the cabin until he'd return in an hour or two.

As soon as Daniel left for town, Roxie went back into the house and closed the door behind her. She decided to rest until he returned.

Unknown to Roxie, Vladimir had been looking appreciatively at her for the last little while, liking the way her shirt molded her full breasts.

Fully clothed, she lay down across the bed and closed her eyes. Memories of Daniel filled her mind. His wicked smile. His deep, sexy laughter. His strong arms holding her. His soft lips taking hers in a ravenous kiss. His body covering hers. Her hand crept to the juncture of her thighs. As she caressed her breasts with one hand, and between her legs with the other, she stopped suddenly. Her eyes flew open. She willed her breathing to slow from its frantic pace. Taking several deep breaths, she sat up in the middle of the bed and crossed her legs at the ankle.

Her thoughts were interrupted when there was a knock on the door. Not thinking that it could be anyone but Daniel, she got out of bed and started toward the door, and called out, "Come in."

The door opened, and in walked the man she was so curious about. Her heart sped up in excitement. Or was it fear? Fear of what this man was capable of. He was Daniel's friend, and he trusted him. He used to me a member of the Vor V Zakone; a powerful criminal organization in Moscow.

"Where is Daniel?" she asked Vladimir.

"As far as I know, he is in town to get food," he lied. But by the time he would be back, it will be too late. You will not see him again, he wanted to add, and just watch the expression on her face change to horror. But not yet. First he wanted a taste of her without using force. And he needed to pass the time while waiting for this cohort with the jeep.

Her eyes looked like emerald pools, her lips like the dewy petals of a rose. Soft and sweet. Irresistible. The breeze stirred the curls at her neck, drawing his gaze to the creamy skin at her throat. And lower, to the cleavage above her shirt. He wanted to kiss her, he realized. Really kiss her. But the question was, would she let him? Would she resist or succumb? Slap his face or kiss him back? It was a gamble, Vladimir decided, no matter how you looked at it. As if reading his thoughts, she took a little half-step away from him, but Vladimir reached out to cup the nape of her neck, so soft and alluring, and gently pull her back to him. He would have her, willing or not. She was an unusually beautiful woman. In the sex trafficking business, usually the young girls and women were skinny or slim. But with this plump American woman, he'd make an exception. She was beautiful enough, and her plumpness would be an asset. He knew that there were men who wanted women with more flesh on their bones. She'd be popular among the Arab customer, who he knew liked plumb women.

"Vladimir, no," she whispered.

"Why not?"

"I'm with Daniel," she said with an edge of desperation. "And it would be wrong."

"I am only thinking of now," he said. "And I want to kiss you. You have no idea how much."

"But..." Her voice sounded shaky, as if she didn't quite trust her resistance. Vladimir pressed his advantage, felt her yield ever so slightly.

"It'll only confuse things," she said. "Mess everything up."

"No, it would not. How could it? We can handle this. Besides, maybe I get it out of my system. Maybe there will be something between us."

"Maybe I don't want to know," she said softly, almost sadly. "Maybe it would hurt too much to know that I did something that I shouldn't have."

But she didn't back away from him this time, and he knew that in spite of what she'd said, a part of her needed to know. Once and for all. No matter what the consequences. He lifted his other hand to her shoulder and pulled her to him. This time she didn't resist. This time she came willingly into his arms. He held her for a moment, gazing down at her in the dim light. Then he bent to feather a kiss on her forehead, down her jaw-line, and finally, when he could deny himself no longer, he touched his mouth to hers. Her lips trembled beneath his. Her eyes drifted closed and for a moment, the world stopped and time stood still. Nothing existed in the universe but the two of them, a man and a woman. Lovers reunited in this picturesque place. When he would have deepened the kiss, he held back. The passion was there, yes, but that could wait. He pulled back and stared down at her. Roxie's eyes shimmered in the moonlight. A tear rolled down her cheek, but he felt nothing stir inside him. He was a man without a conscience, or emotion. He considered them a weakness. For him it was survival of the fittest. May the strongest survive. Might makes right. He couldn't afford to be soft. He can be cruel one moment, and a gentle lover the next. He thumbed the tear away and whispered to her in the darkness.

"I know," he said. "I know."

Her heart accelerated. Her stomach fluttered with awareness.

"I don't..."

"Be honest with yourself. There is something between us."

"I wasn't going to deny it," she said softly. "I was going to say, I don't know how I feel. I still believe this is wrong, but I can't seem to help myself."

"That's okay." Vladimir smiled down at her in the dim light. "No one is rushing you. We got time to figure out before Daniel gets back."

Did they? Suddenly she wanted more than anything to believe it was only fascination she felt for the huge, tattooed, former Russian gangster. He bent to kiss her and Roxie closed her eyes, a maelstrom of emotions washing over her. Not sadness this time. She knew there was going to be remorse, but still she wanted this to continue. For some reason it was exciting her rather than causing her to run.

When Vladimir kissed her this time, it felt like a first kiss. Like the promise of a new beginning. She parted her lips and let her tongue gently dance with Vladimir's. Tightening his arms around her, he pulled her close, until their bodies melted together and the kiss deepened. The sensations rushing through Roxie intensified. The night suddenly came alive with their passionate kissing. He pulled back long enough to whisper her name in the near darkness, a sensual plea that sent shivers of desire up and down her back. Then his mouth claimed hers again, hungrier this time, more demanding. Under her shirt, his big hands moved over her, and everywhere he touched set her on fire.

My God, she thought in a daze. Please forgive me for being such a wanton. It had also been like this with Daniel? How could she do this after being with Daniel? A touch of longing swept through her, intensifying the desire. How had she gone without sex for thirty years, and now all of a sudden she became hungry for Daniel's, and now this Russian man's, kiss? The touch of both men. How had she managed to convince herself, even for a moment, that she and Vladimir were not meant to be? As if sensing her mood, he broke the kiss and pulled away to stare down at her in the lamplight. He pushed back her hair from her face with a hand that was exquisitely gentle, but his eyes were still dark and intense, still burning with passion.

"I'm not sure why I am here," he murmured huskily.

Roxie managed a weak smile. "Me, neither."

"I did not plan for this to happen." His tone turned ironic. "Then again, I feel as if I have been waiting all my life for this."

"Vladimir..."

"I will try not to rush you. I know it has not been that long since Daniel made love to you."

At the mention of her temporary husband, a cold feeling seemed to invade her being. Roxie shivered in Vladimir's arms.

"No, it hasn't," she said, gently pulling away from him. Vladimir let her go, watching her with hooded eyes.

"You have feelings for him, yes?"

"I do, but he thinks it's just lust that he feels for me," she answered truthfully. She stepped away from him and the room seemed to grow colder, darker, the shadows more menacing at the mention of her husband's name. A premonition of dread slipped over her. "It's getting late," she whispered. "You have to go before Daniel comes back from Cefalù."

Vladimir started to protest, but then he must have seen something in her eyes, the look on her face, for a shutter closed over his own expression.

"You are right," he said. "It is late." Maybe too late, his tone seemed to imply. "You are so perfect," he whispered. "Everywhere I touch. Here." He kissed her neck. "Here." His hand cupped her large breast. "Here." His fingers skimmed down her stomach. "And here..." Roxie's eyes lifted to meet the Russian's, and in that instant, she knew he was experiencing the same lust she was, making her wonder what it would be like to be in his arms now, having him explore all the erotic places only Daniel had. I want him, she thought suddenly, with an intensity that stole her breath away. God, I'm sorry for wanting this, needing this.

"We are both free to do what we want." He cupped her face, gazing into her eyes. "I want to kiss you."

She smiled, her heart hammering inside her. "You've already done that."

"I mean, really kiss you."

"Oh..." There was no time to say anything more because he bent swiftly and captured her lips with his, and Roxie knew instantly what he meant. The other kisses they'd shared had only been preludes to this. She closed her eyes, yielding to the temptation, letting the sensations sweep her away on a tide of passion and the promise of what was to come. Vladimir's lips possessed hers. His tongue invaded her mouth, conquering her resistance. And then, as the heat built inside her, she conquered him, kissing him, touching him, whispering to him words she'd never thought she'd say to anyone except Daniel. They somehow got their clothing parted and out of the way enough so that Vladimir could slid his huge erection inside her undulating body. When he was buried to the hilt, he stilled. After a long moment, he began a frantic series of thrusts and withdrawals. In the midst of pleasure, a surge of overwhelming regret at what she was doing, washed over Roxie as she thought about Daniel, thinking she belonged only to him.

Vladimir saw her tears in the dim light and raised himself on one elbow to stare down at her. "What is wrong?"

"I just thought of Daniel, and how very wrong this is. I'm a whore. God will not..."

He wiped away her tears. "Do not think back. Think about now, what we shared. I still want you. Truth is, I think I love you. I want you to come to Moscow with me. We can live there for a while."

"Vladimir..." He touched a fingertip to her lips, silencing her when she wanted so badly to tell him that she didn't love him; that she never would love him. But to admit that, would tell her that she loved Daniel, that she still believed that what she and him had shared was something to be held sacred. Vladimir wouldn't understood that. He didn't know her as well as Daniel did.

"I don't love you, Vladimir," she said softly. "It is just lust. I regret that I allowed myself to fall victim to your touch. I admit I liked it, but whether or not you believe it, it was wrong what we just did."

"Are you sure?" He bent to kiss her, softly at first. But then, as he wrapped his arms around her and molded her body to his, the heat began to build all over again. "And I can make you want me again," he said. "Daniel doesn't deserve great woman like you. All women in his life either get killed, or they leave him."

He suddenly sounded different to he ears. "It wouldn't mean anything." Roxie tried to struggle from his grasp, but he held her tighter, hauling her against him until she could hardly breathe. He ran a hand through her hair, tightening and pulling her head back to expose her throat.

"I want you again," he said, moving his hips against her, sliding himself in and out of her tight body. His shaft quickly filled with blood again as he thrust slowly, allowing himself to get harder before he completely lost himself within her hot center.

She felt him thickening within her. Once again he drove her to erotic heights, causing her to orgasm in spite of her trying hard not to respond a second time. She raised her legs and bent them at the knees, letting them fall to the side, opening herself wide. She hated herself for letting this happen. Not once, but twice.