Chapter 40


I stared at him unsure if I'd heard him right.

"It's mine?" I repeated. "What do you mean it's mine?"

"The island," said Alessandro. He pulled out the first page from his manila folder and handed it to me. It was the deed to not just the villa but the entire island. I gaped, mouth hanging open as I saw the name that appeared under its ownership.

Lisabetta Emilia Zingaro.

"Wh-what?" Was all I managed to blurt once I'd allowed a moment for that to sink in. "What do you mean...?"

"I can't stand seeing you so low," said Alessandro. "I decided this was something you needed. The island belonged to a Count before. As the stories would have it, he would come here to escape and be alone. He viewed it as a place of healing and continued to use it right up to his death in the 1920s. It hasn't been used since. When it is restored, I want this to be your place of escape, Lizzie. I want for us to be able to come away here and be alone together. This house and this island are yours to do whatever you want."

There were no words that could express what I was feeling right then. Shock. Awe. I found myself glancing about a room that, with the exception of a fresh coat of paint, new furniture and an upgraded en suite, was mostly untouched. It was mine. Everything here was mine. Within the space of a morning I had not only achieved 'first home owner' status but I'd superseded it. It was all so unbelievable. I thanked Alessandro in the only way I knew how right then, by bursting into tears and throwing myself into his arms.


The next morning, determined to make the most of my time away, I set out early for a walk. I wanted to explore this island that Alessandro had gifted me and at the same time distract my mind from all that had happened over the past week. By the time Alessandro found me later that morning, I was sitting on the beach, watching the gentle sway of turquoise ocean. The surf had been a raging tempest this morning but now the tide had changed and, bit by bit, pulled away from this part of the island, leaving behind beautiful white sand and a beach that seemed to stretch on for miles.

"I was wondering where you had gotten to."

I smiled up at him and watched him sit down beside me. He was dressed in nothing but his boardies and white shirt that had been left undone to reveal the beautiful olive tones of his chest and stomach. I rested my head on his shoulder and felt taut muscles relax as he pulled me into a hug. He rested lips on my head, inhaling the scent of my hair mixed with the sea. We watched the water, at first in silence, then filling that silence with random bits of conversation and light laughter. At some point in the exchange I glanced up into Alessandro's contented face.

"Yes Lizzie?" He smiled, aware that I was about to say something.

I frowned, toying with a thought that had come to mind somewhere on my walk earlier. "So do you own any other islands?" I asked.

Alessandro shook his head, his raven black hair flopping about in the breeze. "Nope. I no longer own any islands."

"But I do," I said.

"Yes."

I mulled on that thought for a second before the huge grin spread across my face. "I own an island and you don't!"

The fact that he could just as easily purchase another one didn't escape my notice but for the moment I wanted to revel in the fact that I owned a whole, friggin' island and my billionaire husband didn't. Alessandro chuckled next to me before he grabbed me and rolled me back into the sand with him. I went down with a squeal and a laugh. The sand felt so warm underneath our bodies.

"That doesn't mean I can't take advantage of your island," he rasped against my lips before giving them a nibble.

I giggled against him, trying to wriggle free of his grip but he held me tight, making sure that I was aware of the massive erection that was in the process of forming against my thighs.

"But as owner of the island, I make the rules," I said, unable to contain the gasp as his kisses trailed down my neck.

"And what do you want me to do right now, Lizzie?" he husked between kisses and licks intoxicating enough to send my body tumbling into a molten sea of ecstasy.

Rolling me onto my back he reached down between my thighs and parted them so that he could slip his hand under my shorts and stroke me down there. I was already so ready for him it hurt. I was virtually panting against him and the drive of his fingers that divided their time between massaging my clitoris and plunging inside to stroke the fire that burned in the very heart of me.

"I want you to make love to me," I barely managed to rasp, feeling the wave of hot pleasure that soon culminated in an orgasm so good that it had me bucking against him. "And I want you to do it again and again!"

In a low growl, Alessandro lifted himself up over top of me and in one clean yank, stripped me of my shorts.

I gave a squeal, "We're on the beach Alessandro!"

But he shrugged. "We're alone. Trust me cara, no one is going to see us."

Making love on the beach; feeling the sand under our skin and the ocean breeze against us, it was the stuff of fantasies. Alessandro stripped off his boardies and I finished undressing until the both of us lay there naked on the warm sand. It was gritty and earthy. It got in everywhere but right then we didn't care. His thrusts were so deep, laced with so much sensation that I didn't even comprehend the noises I was making underneath him. The next orgasm quickly came on the tail of the last and I was sure I would die. There was no way the body could handle this much pleasure in such a short space of time and yet live. We came together, voices meshing into one loud chorus that in any other place, would have been heard entire blocks away.

Afterwards, Alessandro flopped down onto the sand next to me, gasping for air and sending off any number of Italian entreaties to the gods. Sweat and sand caked our bodies and the musk of sex mixed in with the salt breeze filled our noses. I pulled myself to my feet once I had regained my bearings and Alessandro watched me attempt to brush the sand off but then giving up, I took a wander toward the water.

"Don't go too deep." I heard his warning from behind me. "I haven't checked to see which beaches are safe to swim at."

I took his warning with a smile and a nod. "I won't go far. But you could always join me."

This hadn't been the first time I'd skinny dipped but it was the first time I had done so in the water of a Mediterranean island. The water felt glorious against my skin, sun-warmed to the perfect temperature that cooled me down yet didn't freeze me. I splashed about for a bit, making sure to stick close to the shore until I sensed Alessandro's presence next to me.

"Come to join me?" I said with a cheeky grin, the fact that he was still naked not escaping my notice.

He scooped me up into his arms and I wrapped my legs around his waist. "I've come to take you back inside, Lizzie. You're turning into a tomato."

I stole a glance at the skin on my arms that had already gone a sun-kissed shade of pink. Well he was just the king of ruining all my fun, but he did have a point. He brought me back from the water and, depositing me back on the sand, we gathered up our clothes and headed for the house. By the time we had showered and changed, our stomachs were growling so loud it was any wonder Rome didn't hear them.

I padded down to the kitchen and took stock of our supplies that were enough to feed us for a week let alone just a weekend. Then grabbing a chopping board and heating up a pot of water I set about chopping up veggies for a quick pasta sauce. Alessandro offered me his assistance but then proved to be useless as his painful lack of kitchen experience came to the fore. Instead, he busied himself with popping open a bottle of wine and parked himself on a chair at the island bench while he watched me work my magic.

"You know, even if I have ten boys, I am determined they will all learn how to cook," I said, serving up two portions of my Nonna's spaghetti bolognaise.

Alessandro chuckled. "They are all going to be typical mamma's boys, you know that. Grazie." He accepted his portion and made sure to plant a kiss on me before allowing me to find a spot beside him.

I twirled my pasta around the fork and gave it a blow. Without meaning to toot my own horn, it smelled amazing. "Damn right, they will be! I'm going to be the most important woman in their lives!"

Alessandro burst out laughing. "You are more Italian than you realise, Lizzie."

I grinned at him and licked tomato paste from my lip.

We ate and drank our fill of pasta and wine, then Alessandro, being the gentleman he was, offered to wash up. I sat on the bench and watched him - mainly because he refused to let me near the sink – and we chatted like we had done on the beach.

Then, having some work to catch up on Alessandro excused himself to a partly- renovated office while I decided it was time to make use of the gorgeous bathtub in the en suite. Putting on some music, I leant back and closed my eyes, letting my body completely relax in the bubbly, hot water. At some point, however, I sensed movement in the bathroom. My eyes snapped open and I jumped upright just in time to spot the bronzed, naked body slip into the bath in front of me.

"Alessandro!" I gasped.

He winced at me as he settled into his place at the opposite end of the tub. "You were perhaps expecting someone else, Lizzie? Madre di dio, this water is cold! What is it with you and cold baths?"

He turned the hot water on full blast, until the bath was toasty warm again.

"I wasn't expecting you back until later," I said.

Alessandro responded with a grin, his eyes taking on a sexy glint in the soft candle light. The bubbles of my bath had long since vanished, leaving absolutely nothing to the imagination. Alessandro's long legs stretched out on either side of me and he reached down and grabbed one of my prune-wrinkled feet, pulling it up from the water. I gasped but it quickly turned into a loud moan as I felt his thumbs go to work on massaging the pad of my foot.

"Oh god! This is heaven." If being Alessandro's mistress was anything like being his wife, then I was in for one very pleasurable and exciting treat. I leaned my head back on the rest and closed my eyes, just enjoying the pampering until Alessandro's mutter broke through the ambience.

"You're so wrinkled, this is like massaging my grandmother's feet."

I slid one eye open to catch the dismayed look on my lover's face. "Since when have you ever massaged your grandmother's feet?"

Alessandro replied with a chuckle, amusement glinting in his eyes as he resumed the massage. His thumbs traced my foot down to my ankles and calves. I breathed another moan, shifting forward to give him better access to my leg.

"This is heaven, Alessandro, don't stop."

He repeated the process on my other leg, long, sensual fingers and strong thumbs kneading out every single knot from my foot and calf. With every touch he made I could see the dark irises in his eyes grow. His breath became heavy and his hands started to wander further and further up my leg. My body responded in kind, heated sparks of sensation shooting through me from everywhere he touched. He pulled me to him and I came willingly, drifting across the bath to straddle him at his lap. My naked, newly sensitised flesh touched his growing erection and we both breathed simultaneous groans before his mouth attacked me for a heated kiss. Wet body touched wet body, my breasts pressing up against his firm chest. Alessandro ravaged my mouth while at the same time I felt those same hands that had been massaging me before grab my butt and, sinking back down into the tub, he pulled me up on top of him. I reached for his penis and slipped him inside me which was the first mistake because we were still underwater. At the best of times Alessandro was huge, and not only was I not nearly as ready for him as I hoped, there was also so much friction that after a few pumps I found myself whimpering.

"Ow owow! This..." I gasped as I felt him slide up into me once more. Seriously, it was like riding dry on a condom. "This isn't working."

Alessandro under me groaned and doing the gentlemanly thing, pulled out. "Water is a terrible lubricant, ." He gave me an apologetic look and I clambered off him and back to my side of the bath. By now our movement had caused water to slosh all over the floor and what was left in the bath was getting cold again.

Lifting himself up, Alessandro stood in all of his naked glory and stepped from the tub onto a now thoroughly soaked foot towel. "Stay there, Lizzie I'll get your towel."

I watched him with an appraising eye as he stalked across the bathroom. His body was all hard lines and well-honed masculine perfection. By the time he returned, I had stepped from the bath. I was shivering so bad that my nipples were standing on end. This didn't escape Alessandro's notice either.

"Lizzie, we need to get you warm." He wrapped me up in the king sized towel, making sure to rub my shoulders and I sighed.

The smirk tugged at Alessandro's lips and he lifted my chin to press a gentle kiss on me. "The night is not over yet, cara. I mean, we are both still naked."

He covered my quivering lips in another kiss so hot that it made my head spin. His body moved me back across the bathroom to the sink basin where he then proceeded to hoist me up onto the cool marble top. I gasped at the cold on my butt but then could do nothing more as, forcing my legs apart, Alessandro stepped between them, reached for my face and plundered me for another kiss. His kisses were like a drug, making my head spin, his dominant force so hot that by the time he peeled open my towel once again and reached for that special place between my legs I was already so wet for him. His expert fingers traced my clit in a sensual, circle motion, causing me to gasp and moan under his urgent kisses.

"I love the way you react to me," he whispered against my lips. "Your body moves just for me."

I was panting now, urging him on, I needed more but he seemed hell bent on taking his time. "Alessandro! Please!"

But he only smiled, his kisses slowly moving down my cheek to my ear, to that sweet spot on my neck. I tried reaching for his rock hard erection and grinding against him but he pushed me back so that his mouth and kisses could have access to my heavy breasts. He sucked on one nipple and then the other, the tug of his lips and his teeth teasing me until I could hardly think in coherent thought anymore. Then, satisfied that I was complete and utter putty under him, he moved on south. He crouched down in front of me, trailing his tongue down my stomach, down to join his fingers at my aching heat and I couldn't help the loud, desperate growl as his mouth continued to make love to me. What sensation that was still left in my breasts immediately shot downward and I found myself arching back on my elbows, my head bumping the vanity mirror. He milked me for all the pleasure I could get and then some, until I was calling his name and squirming underneath him, begging him for that sweet release that he simply refused to give me. Then finally, with exquisite slowness I felt his fingers, first one, then two, penetrate me and I bit down on a satisfied hiss as he worked his glorious magic on me. It was torture. Sensual, blissful torture. I groaned and writhed against him like a mad woman until that firestorm finally hit and I exploded into a screaming orgasm.

Boneless, I just sort of flailed afterwards. Alessandro stood and wrapping me back up in the towel, he swept me into his arms and smattered a series of me-tasting kisses across my face and mouth. He carried me back to my room where he lay me down on the bed, giving me a moment to regain my bearings before, continuing on this hot love-quest Alessandro found my mouth and he slipped his tongue inside, his kiss this time deep and possessive, sending a chain reaction of heat and wanting straight back into that place between my thighs. Unable to resist touching him, my hands embarked on a journey across his chest. I felt every plane of him, every intoxicating peak and valley that made up this most sensual and alluring piece of man. He was firm under my fingertips, rock solid and speckled with soft hair. His tongue continued to drive deeper into my mouth, tasting me, devouring me whole. His scent was all over me, his own masculine musk that never ceased to drive me wild with wanting. I felt his hand trail down to cup a breast and I moaned at the sensation of his thumb that expertly circled the areola around my nipple through the towel. His steel-like erection pressed up against the apex of my thighs and I couldn't resist the urge to reach down and touch him. I felt his whole body tremble as I gently slid my hand up and down his long, thick shaft.

Alessandro broke from the kiss with a groan. "That feels amazing, Lizzie."

I grinned against his mouth before giving his lip a playful nibble. Then, taking control, I sat up and I rolled him onto his back. Starting from his neck down, I trailed kisses across his body. By the time I reached his erection, his fingers were already digging through my hair, his hips rising in anticipation. He hissed as I took him into my mouth and stroked him, then just as he was on the verge of release, he tugged me away and rolling me on my back, pinned me to the bed.

"I don't think so," he said in a low growl that sent shivers racing up and down my spine. "You're not finishing me off that quickly. But first, we must deal with this."

In a burst of squirming and giggles on my part, he stripped me of my towel.

"You little devil!" he was rasping, breathing heavy, chest heaving. "I ought to punish you."

"Do your worst!" I said in my most defiant voice yet. "I'm not afraid of you! I know your weakness!" Somehow I managed to get a hand free and used it to attack his stomach with a rough tickle and he recoiled like I'd just punched him in the gut.

"Arrhh! Srega!" He chuckled in Italian, holding a protective hand over his stomach as he attempted to snatch my escaping naked body with the other. I made a point of scrambling away from him but barely made it across the bed before he managed to catch up to me and crash tackled me back into the mattress. Far too strong for me to resist him, he flipped me onto my back and then clutching my hands above my head, he drove a knee between my thighs, parting them. "Be careful what you wish for."

I was giggling too much to struggle but then stopped the moment his mouth crashed into mine. His kiss was so hot that it short circuited my brain. His fingers clawed through my hair as he gripped the back of my head, deepening the kiss with the assault of his tongue that plundered my mouth. I wanted to wrap my arms around him and run my fingers through his thick hair but he held them tight above my head with one strong hand. Then, just when I was expecting him to trail his kisses down my body he stopped and in a quick and easy motion flipped me on my stomach again. I gasped in shock, practically face-planting into the pillow before I heard his wicked laugh from behind my head. He was kneeling behind me, hands sliding around my hips and coaxing me to my hands and knees. I felt his steel erection rubbing against that sensitive place between my legs that was already so incredibly wet. So ready for his assault...

I shivered at his kisses that he ran up and down my spine and his long fingers that reached around my front and slipped between my thighs to trace circles around my clit. His expert hand had me moaning and spinning out of control in no time at all so that by the time he finally relented and pushed into me from behind I found myself yelling his name at the top of my lungs. His bruising grip that held my hips against him as he slammed into me again and again was the only thing keeping me upright. There was nothing elegant about it, he was rough, he was strong as he forced his way into me again and again. He filled me so deeply that he could have split me in two. And god it felt amazing. Feral. So right. A low growl escaped his throat as he continued to thrust, hard and deep and I felt the molten heat that built up inside me explode into the most earth shattering orgasm at the same time that Alessandro yelled into his own release. My arms gave out from under me and I basically face-planted back into the pillow again, Alessandro flopping down onto the bed beside me.

Once the world stopped spinning and the dots had cleared from in front of my eyes, I turned my head to face him in the dim light of my bedroom, peering at him through a mass of my hair. I caught sight of his heaving, muscled chest and the huge ear-to-ear grin spread right across his face. He chuckled and gave my exposed butt a slap then pulled the covers over us before the cold had a chance to get in.