A Family Affair Ch. 03

I let that strange comment pass, I was enjoying the meal too much to worry about that and a rather nice bottle of Chianti had appeared to distracted me further. However, there was one thing that kept me distracted right through the meal.

When I'd sat down opposite her, I couldn't help but notice that the silver opal clasp nestling between the swellings of her bosum wasn't quite as straightforward as I'd first imagined. As I'd thought, the opal was dangling down from her neck by the silver chain, but that wasn't all that was anchoring it in place. From the bottom of the silver clasp, two further strands of silver chain ran tautly downwards and under the top of her dress, separated by about sixty degrees and making the opal appear to be in the centre of a little 'star' of silver chains. At first I'd thought that they must be clipped to the top of her dress in some way, but the more I looked the more I realised that they disappeared underneath the shiny grey material. How weird was that?

But I couldn't spend all my time staring at my Aunt's bosom, delightful as it was and I gradually let the matter go as I concentrated on sounding like a relatively sensible nephew as our conversation delved effortlessly into all our relative's private lives!

By the time that we'd finished the fine meal I was feeling distinctly warm and mellow, and I was quite happy to accept the glass of brandy that my aunt poured as we made our way to the living room and sat down next to each other on a low sofa. It was still not dark, although the sun was setting, throwing a much softer light into the opulently furnished room. It was also throwing light onto Aunt Luisa's luscious legs!

As she'd sat down and crossed her legs, the slit in her skirt had fallen open and I was presented with the sight of her long legs, right up to mid thigh, and it was clear that she was wearing stockings as the dark band at the top was also peeping into view.

She didn't seem to see the way that my eyes eyebrows had risen in surprise, or hear the quick intake of breath that had accompanied them, and was still chattering on quite naturally. I was suddenly back in panic mode. Should I say something? But what? And how embarrassed would she feel if I just blurted out that I could see right up her legs? It was a distinct conundrum, and not helped by the fact that her stocking clad legs really did look good!

12. A Bit of Unexpected History

Then she said something that distracted me again.

"So Paolo, I think that it's time that I told you that little story that I promised. Are you comfortable?"

I wasn't sure, but I said "Yes" as I tried to switch my attention away from her legs again.

"So, Paolo, what do you know about the history of my country, mia bella Italia?"

I couldn't believe it. She was going to give me a history lesson?

But I wasn't to be beaten and searched my memory banks for what little I knew about the creation of the Italian state. Which, as it turned out, wasn't much! I knew that it had been created relatively recently, in the nineteenth century, when Garibaldi and King Victor Emmanuel finally managed to unite previously hostile states, like Piedmont, Tuscany, Modena, Sicily and many others to defeat the Austrians and their allies.

I explained what I'd recalled and got a rather condescending response, "Well, it was a little more complicated than that Paolo, but that's not important. What I'm going to tell you now is what's really important to us ... then, and now!"

She started by telling me that she could trace our family right back into the middle ages, and that we'd been on the periphery of the nobility all through the turbulent times when the contest for power and lands between the noble houses of the old ducal states had led to almost continuous strife between one side and another. Loyalties switched on a regular basis, and that led to much bloodshed, particularly among the younger men who were forever getting involved in 'blood feuds' and intrigues with the daughters of rival families.

Then, at some point, one of the family matriarchs called Louisa had decided, following the death of her favourite grandson in a duel over a young woman that enough was enough and it was time for the female side of the family to take a hand in controlling the younger men's excesses.

"But how to do that?" smiled Aunt Luisa as she paused in her story. I had no idea so I kept my mouth shut. And that was partly because I was getting increasingly distracted by the way that the slit in her dress, was sliding higher and higher as she shuffled position while telling her story. It was now clear that she wasn't wearing tights as a shaft of olive coloured flesh had appeared above the dark band of her stocking top. Jesus!

I clearly wasn't required to provide the answer though as my aunt ploughed on and I did my best to concentrate on her words rather than her legs.

The solution appeared to have come out of a meeting that she'd arranged somehow with all the other female family heads, and their daughters. It had been decided that small groups of the younger women would be 'assigned' to one of their aunts who would be charged with directing the group in protecting a particular young man of the family by making sure that they didn't get involved too early with unsuitable relationships. They saw it as a duty of care in protecting the male line of the extended family, and soon were becoming increasingly successful in ensuring that the younger men of the family survived their hot-blooded transfer from adolescence into adulthood. They called themselves the young man's 'secret women' and the practice soon spread throughout the family and was passed on from one generation to the next.

It sounded most sensible the way that my aunt described it, but I couldn't quite see what that had to do with me. I must have looked suitably puzzled, so my aunt leaned forward and took my hand as she continued.

"So here we are now, in this modern Italy, where the threats admittedly are not so great, but the custom still goes on. The womenfolk still create our little 'secret women' support groups and still try to look after our young men."

Her smile was now broader, a hint of conspiracy flitting across her bright eyes, "So ..."

Then the penny dropped! Like an atom bomb!!

"Jeeeesus!... It's still happening now isn't it?... Here!?" My response was slow and my face must have been a picture as the revelation hit me. At least to my aunt!

"Of course," she said gently, patiently, as she squeezed my hand encouragingly, "...that's what I just said, but I realise that it probably comes as a bit of a surprise."

Surprise! That had to be the understatement of the year!!

My brain and mouth were still having trouble co-ordinating as I spluttered on, "So ...this afternoon ... at the Lodge ... Oh My God!

My aunt was smiling into my eyes as she saw the realisation hit, "Yes, of course. It's part of the bonding process. You know ... being physically intimate. In the old days it was our way of stopping our young men straying into dangerous territory. After all, to quote from one of your sayings, 'If you have good food at home you don't need to sample someone else's'" She frowned for a moment, "Well, something like that anyway! And did Izzy, Ilse and Frieda look after you well at the Lodge..."

I shut my eyes briefly as the meaning of her words sank in, "Christ, you do know don't you?! All of it?"

I sighed as I let out a long breath. It had been my nightmare all along that my Aunt would find out somehow about our afternoon of love-making, throw me out in righteous indignation at my abuse of her hospitality and maybe even tell my family. But maybe this wasn't that bad after all? She knew, but she'd helped set it all up hadn't she? She'd more or less admitted it hadn't she?

I finally met her eyes again and was relieved to see that she was still smiling.

"So, this was all set up in advance," I blurted out as pieces of the jigsaw started to fall into place, "and Guilio and Uncle Flavio... how did you get them out of the way?"

"Oh, that's the advantage of our women's network, we have contacts all over the place to help us..."

"Oh God!" I interrupted as something else hit me like a lead brick, "My mother ... she didn't just drop out of the trip accidently did she? ...She must have known!!"

"Of course," laughed my aunt, grasping my hand more tightly as if concerned that I'd run off in shock, "she had to give her permission. It's part of our code. When I proposed our women's group to include Izzy and the twins I had to gain her approval..."

I hadn't responded, not trusting to put into words my jumbled thoughts, and I saw a brief look of uncertainty flit across her face, "...and she seemed well pleased with my choices Paolo. She felt we would be good for you...she thought that you would be good for the girl's too, especially Izzy!"

I still hadn't spoken, so she ploughed on, "...you realise that it's a two-way thing Paolo? If you accept, we become like a ... a..." she struggle for the words,"... a mutual support group. We help each other in whatever way we can ...Paolo?"

"So it's not just sex then?" I responded, perhaps maybe a bit harshly.

Her hand was gripping me really tightly now, and I suddenly realised that this wasn't easy for my aunt either, "Of course not Paolo. Although it's usually a big attraction for the female group members! And not many males have complained when they understand the background! Do you understand it Paolo?"

She seemed to take in a deep breath as she finished, "And of course you do have a choice Paolo. I'm sure that we'll all be very disappointed if you don't feel that you can join us, but we can hardly force you can we?!" She finished with a slightly nervous laugh, and then her eyebrows narrowed as she thought of something, "Izzy didn't use bondage this afternoon did she!?"

I had to laugh, and then I shook my head in disbelief. This was looking like a pivotal moment in my life and the thought of Izzy indulging in a bit of BDSM just took it to a completely surreal level!

"So this is a totally 'secret' group then? We don't talk about it to anyone outside the group?" I asked slowly. I don't think that I realised it at the time, but that, in effect, was me giving in to my carnal instincts. But my aunt did!

She almost purred in relief, "Of course Paolo, totally confidential unless we all agree to divulge something. It's like a secret society ... and with some interesting benefits!!"

Then something else struck me, and my gaze fell away from my aunt's face, down her slim body to her crossed legs, with the slit now almost exposing her thigh up to the top of her leg.

My eyes widened, "Oh wow! ...you too ... you're part of the group as well?"

She seemed pleased at the way I'd reacted to her sensuous pose, "Well, technically, I'm head of the group ... but we don't stand on ceremony!"

"But, I mean ... you're part of the ...errrrr, ... physical side?!"

"Not the most romantic description I've heard," she laughed, "but yes, naturally ... if you want to of course?"

"But Uncle Flavio?" I gasped.

"He's not here."

"But ..."

"Flavio won't know, or mind Paolo. He's probably with his mistress in Milan as we speak."

"He's got a mistress...?!" I was shocked, suddenly almost angry on behalf of my aunt.

"Yes, I encouraged it. She's an acquaintance of a friend and quite harmless... and it makes this so much easier doesn't it?"

"I ...I ..."

"Maybe if you kissed me..." she whispered and I suddenly realised that she'd shuffled up to me on the sofa, her thigh now pressing against mine and her face was close enough to mine for her perfume to waft enticingly around my nose.

Up close, I was amazed at how young and beautiful she looked. Even though old enough to be my mother, her skin was smooth and flawless, and her tantalising smile had lit up her face so that it seemed to glow in the soft evening light. And the mention of the kiss had quickly focussed my eyes on her lips which were moist and slightly parted, and suddenly looking incredibly sexy!

Then she leaned forward slightly and, like a magnet, I felt myself drawn inevitably towards her, my lips suddenly just inches away from hers and, at that moment, I knew that I couldn't possibly hold back. Maybe my hormones were still boiling crazily after that erotic afternoon with my cousins, but right or wrong, secret group or not, she'd become so incredibly desirably that I was hooked.

I was gazing deep into her sparkling grey eyes as our lips finally touched, sending an electric shock around my body, and hers too judging by her long, deep sigh. Then my eyes closed as our lips pressed harder together, and I concentrated on the gloriously sensual feeling as they began to open and, quickly, we surrendered to each other's tormenting tongues. My hand had automatically lifted to cradle her neck, caressing the skin around her hairline, sending goose-pimples up and down her spine while her fingers were running urgently through my hair and she was pulling my lips harder into her. It seemed like we'd been instantly transformed from two sensible, family members into a pair of young, carefree lovers. I wasn't complaining!

That momentous kiss seemed to last an age, as though neither of us wanted to pull away in case the strange, magic spell was broken, but eventually we did, very reluctantly, untangle ourselves. We were both breathing deeply and just staring at each other as we paused, in a race to collect our thoughts. She won.

"That's a 'yes' then?" she whispered.

"Oh God yes!" I responded enthusiastically, not really sure what I was agreeing to but reaching out for her again. Suddenly nothing seemed more important than the need to let my hands caress her body, to trace her sensual curves, to have her warm body close up to mine.

But she amazed me by pulling further away.

"No Paolo, not here," she said firmly as she stood up, "come up to my room, it's more ... comfortable."

13. More Lessons

She'd held out her hand to help me up, and I grasped it as I stood up next to her, but instead of following her, I pulled her back into me, her soft body right up against mine now as I kissed her again, hard, letting my free hand run up and down her back, feeling her shudder under my touch!

"Mamma Mia Paolo!" she gasped as she tried to squirm free for a moment before surrendering to the moment and moulding herself to me as she returned my kiss, hard!

But finally she did pull free, still breathing deeply, "Goodness Paulo, Izzy was right. You're very passionate!"

"Oh! Is there anything Izzy didn't tell you about this afternoon?" I gasped in annoyance.

But she just chuckled throatily as she led me out of the dining room towards the staircase, "Probably not much ... she seemed very excited when you got back, and we are all part of the same group now, aren't we?"

I decided not to pursue that one, and anyway, I'd already let her go ahead of me up the stairs and was being hypnotised by the sensuous swaying of her hips as she climbed them in front of me. The shiny grey dress fitted her like a glove and the sight of those swaying, round buttocks right in front of my eyes was just mouth-wateringly good, dispelling any remaining doubts about what I might be about to do upstairs to my favourite Aunt!

Her bedroom was big and airy, full of soft pastel lemon shades and white fittings. The big veranda windows were open and a light breeze was billowing the filmy white curtains. But the centrepiece and, I'll admit, my main object of interest was a large four poster bed. It was set back against one wall, and surrounded by fluffy white sheepskins. It had diaphanous white mini curtains of its own, tied tightly back to each post. On the bed, lacy white pillows sat lonely above the pristine white sheets which were turned back, ready for use. Handy!

My mouth was suddenly dry as she turned to face me inside her room, "That's better, no danger of being interrupted by Catarina here!" That was a disturbing thought as it reminded of her daughter, Maria, again. I'd come on this holiday hoping to start a relationship with her, and instead I'd just fucked my three cousins and was about to do the same to my aunt! Okay, it appeared that I could justify it on some sort of historical precedent, but was Maria likely to appreciate that distinction if she found out? Unlikely!

But by then my mind was under the influenced of the hormones that the kiss downstairs had triggered and the hardness between my legs, so I quickly decided to put that potential problem to one side as my aunt stepped forward and slipped smoothly into my arms again as we re-ignited our passionate kiss!

By the time that she pulled away again, I think that I'd explored just about every square inch of her body that my hands could reach, including the sides of her promisingly rounded breasts. Okay, it was through her dress, but she'd reacted with a promising low moan as I'd begun to caress them, and the way that she was pressing her hips into me, there was no way that she could be missing my reaction to that long, molten kiss.

This time she stepped back from me a couple of paces as her hands lifted to the top of her head, releasing the clamp that held her hair and shaking it loose. It was such a simple movement, but to me, so, so incredibly sexy as her hair tumbled down to her shoulders. Then she was staring into my eyes, a mischievous smile spreading over her face as she slipped aside the thin dress straps to hang loosely down her arms baring her shapely shoulders completely. The slit in her dress had opened up again, probably intentionally, exposing her long, slender leg, but I was slightly disappointed that the dress hadn't fallen away from her breasts, and I was intrigued again by the silver chains attached to her pendant that disappeared down the front. Maybe they were holding it up in some way? But even so, at that moment, she looked like the most desirable woman I'd ever seen!

Then she was back in front of me, calmly unbuttoning my shirt and pulling it out from my slacks, almost purring as she let her hands run smoothly over my bare chest. I found that I couldn't move, just standing there as she stripped me, enjoying the exciting feel of her hands as they slid across my bare skin before moving sensuously down my chest and began to unbuckle my belt.

"Oh God, Aunt Luisa, this is fantastic!" I gasped as my belt opened up, but she frowned for a moment.

"Just 'Luisa' when we're making love Paolo..."

At that moment I'd have called her anything she liked as she stooped to drag off my trousers and instructed me to kick off my shoes and socks. Then she stood back up, and looked me up and down, pausing briefly to savour the impressively large bulge disfiguring my white boxer shorts.

"Mmmmm Paolo, Izzy really was right. You look good enough to eat!"

I wasn't too impressed to hear Izzy's opinion again. I made a brief note to have a word with her later about her big mouth! But it was the briefest of moments because my aunt had just turned in front of me and asked me to unhook her dress!

I can't believe how long it took my fumbling fingers to find the fastening and undo it! Why are women's dresses designed solely to confound young men? Although I suppose I did spend some of that time letting my fingers trace across her bare back first, savouring the magical feel of her smooth skin under my fingers.

Then, after I'd released it and just as I was about to run the zipper down her back, she pulled away from me again! I gave a snort of annoyance, but it was short-lived. She stepped back a couple of paces and turned, smiling mischievously at me again as her hand twisted round her back to finish the job that I'd just started and I watched, eyes wide in anticipation as the material loosened and she began to shuffle the top downwards.