Anonymous prompt on Tumblr: "Mary buys some fancy lingerie in Italy but gets shy when the time comes to show it off to Matthew."

Enjoy!


Part Nine

"I still don't understand why you want to look at some silly wall—just because it's based from a Shakespeare play," Matthew sighed, his arm around Mary's waist as they walked down the pavement.

"Juliet's wall is a must-see in Verona," Mary assured him, "the guidebook said so."

"Oh, well, if the guidebook said it…" he teased, kissing Mary's temple. "Clearly, the guidebook forgot to mention that Romeo and Juliet is not actually the greatest love story ever told."

"Millions of high school English teachers would weep to hear you say such things," Mary replied in mock-scandal.

Matthew grinned. "Families feuding, people dying—sounds more like Christmas dinner to me."

Mary stifled a laugh. "You must have one exciting family," she replied.

"Oh, you'd love it," he said, the conviction in his voice sending a pang of longing through her.

Ever since Rome, Mary had felt the dynamic of their relationship shift, as Matthew no longer had to hide his love for her. He hadn't said it again, but she could see it in his behavior, in his careful consideration for her feelings, the way he couldn't keep himself from holding her hand or maintaining some form of physical contact with her. In the mornings, when they weren't sleeping on a bus or sitting up on a train all night, his arm would always be around her, holding her body close to his, skin pressed to skin. She usually woke first, finding herself staring at him in the early morning light, trying to decipher her feelings before he opened his eyes but unable to do so. She knew she felt something for him, something she could hardly understand yet, but if it was love…

"Here it is," Matthew declared, pulling Mary out of her thoughts. "Juliet's wall."

Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of letters covered the stone wall, stuck into every crevice and grate.

"Wow," Mary breathed, a strange emotion constricting her heart. "All these people, these letters waiting to be answered. Hopes of…of love." She frowned, feeling Matthew's gaze on her. "Well, where's your letter?" she questioned, lightening her voice slightly.

"Don't need one," Matthew replied, brushing his nose against hers.

"You're very confident," Mary said, his gentle touch bringing a smile to her lips.

Matthew grinned and she couldn't help but feel better at the sight. "I love you," he said simply. "And that's enough for me."

She leaned forward to kiss him, her fingers combing through his hair before finally resting on his face.

"I don't deserve someone like you, Matthew," Mary whispered.

"You know that isn't true," he replied, brow furrowed. "You deserve to be loved, darling."

"But what if I can't love you back, I—?"

"Then I'll still love you," he said. "Besides, I'm a horribly flawed human being, Mary. My feet sweat, I chew with my mouth open, and I always leave the water running when I brush my teeth."

Mary snorted. "What a horrible person you are," she teased, kissing him quickly. "And you snore."

"I do not!" he said indignantly, his smile returning.

She rolled her eyes. "And how would you know?

He looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well, no one's told me yet."

"Apparently everyone who's ever been near you while you're sleeping is selectively deaf."

"C'mon, we can go back to the hotel and test this theory of yours," Matthew said, grabbing her hand. "And maybe you'll show me what you bought while I was getting lunch earlier?"

Mary blushed, wishing she hadn't given in to the Italian saleswoman who'd convinced her to buy some rather revealing lingerie. But her Italian was only so effective against a native's.

"I still don't understand why you're being so secretive about it," he voiced, unaware of the shop she'd gone into while he found sandwiches for them.

"Stop nagging so much and maybe you'll see," she replied, hoping he wouldn't notice the heat in her cheeks.

Matthew laughed, pulling her along at a quicker pace. "Fine. But if we hurry, maybe I'll find out sooner."

"Well, you can try," she retorted.


"What are you doing in there, Mary?"

"Baking bread, now shut it," she muttered at the door, Matthew's laughter at her reply easily heard through the door.

Mary sighed, adjusting the strap across her shoulder. The black lace covering her was so sheer she could see every inch her skin beneath it, the shape of her panties clearly visible as well.

"Oh, God," Mary breathed, half-wishing she hadn't given in to either the saleswoman's pitch or Matthew's entreaty to see her purchase.

"Did you buy a ballgown or something?" Matthew asked, his ignorance increasing her annoyance. "Do you need me to zip you in?"

"Don't be an ass," she replied, hand poised over the door handle.

"I'm sorry," he said, sounding as though his face was right by the door. "Please come out."

A worried frown on her face, Mary wrenched the door open. Her eyes met Matthew's for a moment before his mesmerized gaze drifting down her frame, his eyes widening with every inch they traveled.

"W-wow," he stammered, his face reddening as his eyes snapped up quickly to meet hers, but then were averted as he looked up at the ceiling.

"That embarrassing, huh?" she asked, slipping past him to cross to the bed, unaware his eyes followed her back as she walked away. She turned, sitting on the edge of the mattress, eyes glued to the floor. "God, what was I thinking?"

In an instant, Matthew had approached, kneeling down in front of her.

"This is what you bought when I was getting lunch?" he asked, a smile on his face.

"The saleswoman was very adamant about it and I didn't know enough Italian to talk her down," Mary replied, heart pounding as Matthews fingers traced the length of her shin.

"I'm eternally grateful to her for that," he replied softly. A moment later, he leaned forward to press his lips to her knee, trailing a line of kisses across her thigh.

"So, it wasn't a completely crap purchase?" she asked, inhaling sharply.

"I would venture to say it was the best one of the day. And that includes gelato after dinner," Matthew murmured, his lips moving over her hip.

"High praise," Mary said, fingers gliding through Matthew's hair.

He pulled away for a moment, settling back on his heels and gazing at her once more, the love she saw in his eyes making her brain feel fuzzy.

"Stop looking at me like that," she whispered.

"Like what?" Matthew asked, his eyes mischievous.

Instead of waiting for her response, he moved to the bed, kissing her so gently that Mary felt like she was falling even though she hadn't moved at all. She pressed into him, hands clutching his shirt before he leaned her back against the blankets, lips leaving hers to knead her neck. She exhaled slowly, her mind racing in spite of the haze, her worries eased once more by Matthew's lips.

Thoughts?