My head falls back as I let his words guide me over the precipice. Blinding white light splits me open at the same time I hear Carter grunt his release. My chest heaves up and down as I plummet back to consciousness.
“Open your eyes, Valentina.”
My lids open wide and see his standing form, looking into my room and seeing me open for him, my juices still coating my thighs. I lick my lips, as he cups his still hard cock over his unzipped jeans.
“Sweet dreams, baby,” he says with a flirtatious smirk, and then ends one of the sexiest experiences I’ve ever had by turning his bedroom light off and hanging up the phone.
“Asshole,” I murmur with a satisfied grin to my lips, following his lead and turning my own bedroom light off.
I fall on my bed, cradling a pillow to my chest and fall blissfully asleep with dreams of Carter loving me for real one day.
One day.
One day, all my dreams will come to fruition.
One day.
Chapter 3
Now
_____________________________________
Valentina
I fell in love with Florence the moment we got there. As a girl, I’d read The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone, and I’d become obsessed with Michelangelo’s works and always dreamed about seeing them someday. Having the chance to see his David up close is a dream come true, and it’s the first thing I booked for us to do as soon as we dropped off our bags at the hotel.
“I feel like I’ve stepped into the pages of a history book,” I practically shout as we walk down the cobblestone streets.
“You didn’t feel that way in Paris and Spain?” Logan asks, grabbing me around the waist and pulling me close.
“This place is just different, can’t you feel it?”
I feel good today, I didn’t even have to take some of my pills. In the back of the mind, I wonder if what I’m experiencing is the temporary high that a lot of cancer patients feel at the end, but I push that thought away.
“Alright, besides you staring at the David’s enormous junk, what are we doing in Florence, pretty girl?” asks Quaid.
He smirks at me as I roll my eyes at him. We definitely aren’t here to see the David’s ‘junk.’ “We’re going to put our love locks on the Ponte Vecchio.”
Quaid stares at me incredulously. “Our love locks?” He looks at Logan and Carter. “Should we check her temperature? Has she finally lost it?”
“Har har,” I snort sarcastically, but I brush a happy kiss across Quaid’s lips, surprising all of us. I’m just so happy we’re here, that we’re together. “The folklore is that if we put our lock on the bridge with our initials inscribed on it and throw the key to the lock into the river, then our love will last forever,” I explain, not even caring at how ridiculous I sound.
The guys are giving each other looks around me, I’m sure they’re wondering how they got dragged into such a thing. “I guess we need to buy a lock,” Logan says, as always the first to agree with me about anything as he brushes a kiss across my forehead and pulls me closer to him.
Logan has seemed more at peace since our conversation, more settled into this relationship that we’re rebuilding. We haven’t made love again, in fact, there’s been barely any physical contact at all since what happened. Every brush of their skin against mine stokes the flames building inside of me. I’m desperate for them. All of them. And with every passing second, my desire grows.
Being here in a city that just breathes romance…I don’t think I’m going to be able to control myself.
I gape as we walk through the Galleria dell’Accademia. Not even the guys’ childish antics about my alleged lusting over the David’s package can distract me from the beauty surrounding me. Seeing Michelangelo’s Slaves up close has me near tears, as does his The Florentine Pieta. I gape at every piece, overwhelmed.
It’s about that time that Quaid starts his sneak attack. At first, he just starts to brush against me a little more often. I don’t realize what he’s doing at first, but the third time, his hand brushing my ass clues me in to his little game.
Logan and Carter are chattering about something up ahead of us, so they’re unaware of Quaid’s intent. Pretty soon, it becomes my intent though as well. I trace my cleavage while we look at a large vase displayed on a stand, drawing Quaid’s eyes to my chest. I brush against the back of him as I pass by, even if the hallway is clear of passersby. When we leave and grab gelato, I make sure to lick the ice cream obscenely.
This of course draws all three of their eyes, and Logan and Carter look between Quaid and I suspiciously. Quaid’s not even bothering to hide that he’s panting with lust. It’s written across his face that he would drag me off to a corner in a moment if he’s given the chance.
And I really want him to have the chance.
We’re standing in the Piazza Della Signoria looking around when Quaid decides he has had enough. I would like to credit the romance of the city as the sun sets in the distance, but it’s probably the fact that I just brushed against his dick for the hundredth time today.
Whatever it is, he whispers something urgent to Logan and Carter, and then stalks towards me. Logan has a knowing grin on his face, Carter looks pained and jealous, but at least he doesn’t look enraged like he did earlier in this trip.
I barely get a chance to wave goodbye to Logan and Carter before Quaid’s pulling me away, walking so fast I can barely keep up.
I guess someone’s eager.
Me too.
Quaid
I can barely think straight right now. The only thoughts clear in my head are Valentina. Naked. Now. My gaze scans our surroundings as we walk, trying to see if there’s some place I can take her to. I’m not sure that I can make it to the hotel.
Fuck.
“What are you looking for?” she asks breathlessly, and it hits me how fast I’ve been walking. I’m tempted to scoop her up in my arms so we can go faster, but that will probably draw a little too much attention…and alarm. I don’t think anyone around here knows who I am, but they would probably think I was kidnapping her if I scooped her up and started to sprint away. I’m sure the look on my face is a bit fierce looking as well right now.
“A place to fuck you,” I mutter, cringing even as the words come out of my mouth.
I mean make love.
Obviously.
Everything with Valentina would be making love.
Even if it’s hard. And rough. Against a wall.
Fuck.
She giggles behind me, obviously having heard me. And I grin at the fact that she wasn’t turned off by my coarse language.
I’ve never felt like this. Not even that first time with her. This desperation to connect with her, to be with her.
“I think the Italians might frown upon public displays of nudity,” she says a bit breathlessly.
“Have you seen us? We’re fucking hot. They would think it’s a gift,” I joke, even though now that I’m thinking about it, the idea of anyone but me seeing her naked makes me feel a bit crazy inside. Like hulk out crazy.
Except I guess for Carter and Logan, I admit grudgingly.
“We’re just a few blocks away from the hotel, right?” I ask desperately.