A/N: Warning for unprotected sex.
Things are picking up because once again, I am shit at slow burns lol.
And so, it began.
For the next week, Bonnie's attention was drawn between Elena and Kai. The latter she was more eager to be with. She found herself coming up with all manner of excuses to get out of whatever engagements she had with Elena just to sneak off with Kai.
Elena noticed her companion's newfound cheeriness but didn't comment about it. She was now occupied with two Italian countesses who captured her attention with their wild stories gallivanting all over Europe. It was a godsend. Bonnie felt a teensy bit of guilt for omitting the truth to her friend but being with Kai was so intoxicating that it felt more than worth it.
Being with him was like being wrapped up in a whirlwind. It was not dangerous and harsh but wild and took her breath away. There was always something interesting to learn about him, another layer to unfold. All that served to make Kai Parker a unique specimen of a man. He took her on boat rides and drove her in his fast Rolls Royce. The plush leather seats made Bonnie squeal in delight. She'd never been in such a luxurious machine all her life.
They swapped stories about one another leaving nothing untouched. She told him about Gram's seamstress shop, her ambitions for Bonnie to marry as well as possible, the death of her mother Abby, and how it changed their family. The first book that made her fall in love with the written word. It was the Iliad.
In turn, Kai told Bonnie about his numerous adventures and bits about his family life. His father was never proud or happy with him and made it know. He was surprised the old man even bothered to leave him with the company. Kai worked well enough but liked to spend his time traveling as much as he could. He went to Australia, Ecuador, and Egypt. Exploration was his passion and he enjoyed finding new things about the world every day. His sister Jo wanted to be a biologist. She was being courted by Alaric, Elena's godfather. Kai didn't like him because he said the man drank too much.
"But she claims to love him for some reason ". He sighed with the air of a man who'd argued enough about the subject.
One day Bonnie felt brave enough to ask about his wife. His expression was blank the moment she uttered the words prompting her to freeze in fear. What if she'd offended him by bringing a painful memory? But Kai felt no offense. "I do believe that some things must remain in the past where they belong otherwise it would be impossible to see a glimpse of the future ahead."
That was the last time Bonnie ever brought the late Mrs. Parker up.
"How did you get your scar?" She traced the thin white scar on his collarbone. His head was on her lap, legs propped carelessly on the muslin cloth being used as a picnic blanket. Elena was having a nap since she had a headache so Bonnie used the opportunity to take his invitation for a picnic. Sweet pastries, cheeses, and meat washed down with wine. Now they were both entangled with one another not quite ready to part yet. If Grams could see her granddaughter now, she'd have a field day. Laying in improper positions with a man.
"A childhood accident," he answered. His larger hand was placed on hers stilling her movements. "My folks have this country home in Virginia. I hated it there because the house had these thick woods that I was so scared of as a kid."
"Aww, little Kai scared of the forest?" Bonnie teased.
He gave her hand a playful gnaw with his teeth. Her skin erupted in goosebumps when his teeth brushed against her skin. He had a devilish twinkle in his eye which showed he knew exactly what he did. "You try listening to owls hoot all night as a kid. Anyways, my grandmother asked me to fetch some eggs from the chicken coup. I didn't want to argue so I did. The chickens weren't quite happy I was trying to steal their kids."
She snorted a laugh. "So, you were attacked by chickens?"
"A very stubborn hen to be exact." he flicked her nose with a grin.
Her fingers stroked his hair, disappearing beneath the rich brown locks. He'd forgone gel today and she was grateful for it. "I'm sure you were a brave little boy then."
"Others might describe me as a little shit." Kai turned his head sideways to kiss Bonnies' clothed thigh. Affection with him was so easy. Their bodies fell into an easy rhythm unrestricted by doubts or awkwardness.
"I'll bet. My grandmother would say the same about me." Bonnie reached for a strawberry biting into it and letting the juices spill over her lips. "I argued with her for hours when I wanted to attend Vassar College. She wanted me to simply take a typing or secretarial course. College was too far away, too expensive. It was a stroke of luck that I got a scholarship to attend."
"A scholarship?"
"Yes. An old heiress donated half of her wealth to school in some stroke of generosity and set up a fund for students from non-influential families to attend. If it wasn't for that then there's a chance I wouldn't have attended." Her cheeks burned as she narrated. Logically, Bonnie felt no shame in it but it still felt strange to relay this to a man who could spend her tuition on cars and clothing.
"I suddenly wanna thank this strange person," he muttered.
Bonnie half-smiled. "I wrote her a letter but she wanted to remain anonymous. Either way, I'm immensely grateful to her for the gift she gave me. Even if I seem to have squandered it away."
"Come on, don't say that." Kai scolded sitting up. His arm went around her shoulder and she leaned into his embrace. "I assure you that you've wasted nothing. You are a young woman with too much ahead of you. Far too much to be bogged down with regrets already."
"I know," she sighed. "I just want to prove my Grams wrong. To show that I can do something worthwhile with my writing even if no one else seems to believe it."
"You already are." he kissed her cheek. That sweet and now familiar scent of his tickled Bonnie's nostrils. "And you are wrong. I believe in you. I believe in you more than you might ever know dear one."
She bit her bottom lip, feeling a swell of emotion. What a tragedy it would be once her time in Monte Carlo ended and she would have to leave Kai behind. Not literally. They both lived in the same country and state but the lines separating them couldn't be wider. Whatever they had now would be left in this place and perhaps forgotten. Leaving the traces of warm sun and the kisses of a man with blue-grey eyes to comfort her when reality took over completely.
"What's the matter?" Kai noticed her mood change.
Bonnie's eyes blurred. "I feel like I've known you my entire life. Is that strange? It sounds silly and stupid but I do. And when all of this is over when it ends, I'll never get to see you again and the very thought makes me feel so sad." I think I love you, the words lingered on her lips but she couldn't dare speak them. It was too soon yet it was not. It felt right, too right and that scared her. Nothing that felt so perfect could ever truly be so. Nothing fell in line that way.
He held her face in both hands. "Don't cry, Bonnie. The sight of sad tears on your perfect face will drive me to madness. I can't stand to see you sad."
Bonnie sniffled. "I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize." he kissed her cheek hugging you. She buried her face in the soft cashmere he wore. "I swear that we won't ever be parted. Not if I can help it."
"How then?"
"Whatever way I can. I won't be parted from you." The conviction in his words took her aback but it gladdened her deep down.
Kai wanted to say those words but a similar fear held him back. For now, all that could be done was to sit in silence savoring each other's embrace.
At least until Kai could summon the courage to do what he desired from the moment he met Bonnie Bennett.
There was a note left for Bonnie by Kai at the reception. Before breakfast, she hurriedly rushed to get it so Elena wouldn't notice her absence. It was how they both communicated. Little notes to invite her on picnics and boat outings. She looked forward to each one penned in his own elegant script, peppered with sweet compliments alongside instructions for each rendezvous. All the notes were carefully placed in the drawer of her room's bedside table. Bonnie couldn't bear to throw them away despite the risk posed by their discovery.
Today's note was an invitation to share a bottle of wine with him in his hotel room at ten. Fingers brushing against the ink, her body tingled with lewd thoughts. She'd never been to his room before. He'd never been in hers. A pleasant and anxious ball gnawed deep within her belly.
Bonnie was leaving for Madrid in three days. Elena enjoyed her time in Monte Carlo but was anxious to get to Spain and finally to meet her relatives in England. Once upon a time, she was excited too. It was the one part of this trip she'd looked forward to. Visiting all the famed English attractions like Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London. Bonnie imagined it was the sort of place that would send inspiration bursting through like a dam released. The birthplace of all her favorite authors like Wilde, The Bronte Sisters, and Jane Austen. But that was in the pre-Kai time.
Now it felt like nothing but a cold and grey fortress ready to drag her into captivity far away from him. The world before her silver-tongued dreamy gentleman was lived in monochrome, just like the films she enjoyed once in the cinemas.
"You've hardly touched your food." Elena's inquiring tone snapped Bonnies' mind back to the present.
Indeed, she'd done nothing but pick at the eggs and bacon. There were barely two bites taken. "I'm not very hungry. I'm sorry."
"You've been out of sorts these past few days." She was more observant than Bonnie had given her credit for. The reason was the impending sense of doom she felt with each day that passed. Some part of her wished she'd never met him. That she kept her head away during breakfast and he never came to make an introduction. At least then there was nothing to lose. Now she'd tasted a good thing and the aftertaste would soon fade away.
Such was the curse of loving unattainable things.
"Just tired." The excuse was weak but Bonnie couldn't find it in herself to muster a better one.
"Hopefully your attitude improves in a few days. I'd rather you not drag around whatever dark cloud you're carrying," Elena tutted waving her lacy gloved finger. "Countess Marie was telling me of the most delicious paella spots in Madrid. We'll just have to try them once we arrive."
"Hmmm." The rest of her words were tuned out.
Later that night Bonnie had dinner with Elena and the two Italian women. It took immense self-control for her not to bolt out of there once dinner was done. Instead, Bonnie made her usual show of being tired and retiring in her room. Around ten minutes to ten pm, she snuck out and took the stairs to Kai's floor which was just above hers. She soundlessly counted each room number until she reached his. Room 216.
A few soft knocks and he answered. He wore a pair of brown corduroy trousers and a crème colored sweater. His hair was free of gel making it look softer to touch just like she preferred it. He'd fixed it up for her.
"Hi," Bonnie said shyly.
Kai smiled widening the door for her to enter. "Please come in." She did and his room was a suite which she should have expected. Much bigger than her room on the third floor.
Three times the size at least. The living and sleep areas were separated by a pair of French doors. The balcony was open and covered with nothing but a white curtain covering it was billowed by the wind. A bottle of wine and two glasses were set on the table.
"You look incredibly beautiful tonight. More than lovely." He held both of Bonnie's hands and kissed them.
"What's more than lovely?" Bonnie walked closer throwing her arms around him. His hands slid to her waist.
"Perfect," Kai whispered against her nose.
"You flatter me too much." But the smile on her face was so wide. He kissed Bonnie sweetly, thumb brushing her jaw as she whimpered enticingly. He'd imagined this all day. It was all he could think about between tennis lessons and exhausting conversations with the gentlemen at the golf course. This was his second time in Monte Carlo and he hadn't anticipated a trip quite as eventful as the first. Not until she came to his attention.
To her chagrin, pulled away but kept his fingers interlocked with hers. He led her through the French doors and to the edge of the bed to sit. "I think about you all the time. When I wake up, when I go to sleep. When I'm on the phone with someone else. Ever since I met you, it's like you've implanted yourself in my head and I can't turn it off."
The intensity of the words made Bonnie look away. Her cheeks burned. "Is that a bad thing?"
Kai tilted her chin upwards so his eyes bore into hers. "Not at all."
"I can't stop thinking about you either," she whispered to those eyes unable to look away.
If only she didn't have to leave. She wanted nothing more than to spend as much time as you could with Kai. That was what she had for now at least. He kissed her jaw down to her collarbone in slow, subtle paces. Bonnie shivered. "I don't want to stop thinking about you," he muttered against her neck. His large hand cupped her cheek and angled her lips back to his for another earth-shattering kiss.
Heat pooled in her belly and began to climb up Bonnie's spine leaving pleasurable tingles in its wake. Her hands moved with muscle memory reaching for the hem of his sweater and pulled it up with some hesitation. Kai paused at her actions making Bonnie panic momentarily for her presumption. But he took over and pulled it over his head to reveal a lean but firm physique. His arms were bare in her sight for the first time and she gasped at how firm and defined they appeared. Her fingers trailed the bulge of his biceps.
"I want you," he stated evenly, looking right in her eyes. "Will you let me have you?"
Bonnie swallowed and words tumbled before her scattered mind could process them. "You already have me, Kai." Those were the truest words she'd ever spoken in her life. No later than the moment Bonnie saw him in that dining room did he capture her heart with a greedy clutch. It was not stolen, not what she'd given it so free.
He stood up from the edge of the bed and tucked his hands beneath her thighs to lift her up with a small gasp escaping from her lips. He laid her back on the plush mattress with such care. His fingers trailing from Bonnie's collar bone down to sternum then unbuttoned her dress with ease. All the while his eyes never left hers searching for any hint of discomfort or worry but found none. What he did see was desire blazing from her dilated pupils.
She bit her lip when he reached the last button and pushed away to reveal her bare stomach. Some anxiety surfaced as Bonnie felt bare before him. But no imperfections were sighted to Kai as he bent down to kiss her belly button, moving downwards closer to her pubic bone where his nose brushed against the sparse hairs. Her mouth fell open with a moan coming out when he pushed the bottom of her dress up exposing her underwear still kissing her stomach.
"Not even Aphrodite could compare," he whispered to her skin. His hands holding onto her waist for dear life. "No one could."
"A bold statement," Bonnie breathed.
"I promise you that tonight, I'm not lying about a single thing." Kai lifted his head to gaze at her with such conviction. The frankly reverent manner he observed her was overwhelming so she closed her eyes to get relief from his scorching admiration.
His warm hand on her cheek snapped them back open. "Look at me, sweet girl. I want you to see everything I do to you." He pulled down her underwear to the ankles. The cool air on her sex made Bonnie shiver a bit but Kai parted her legs. He nosed her pelvic bone inhaling deeply with both eyes closed. "You look divine, you smell divine. I am more convinced that you are too perfect to be real. Sometimes I get scared that you're just a really vivid dream."
"I'm real."
knew that for sure. He dived into her cunt headfirst and Bonnie back arched off the bed. His tongue darted expertly around her soft flesh, adoring every corner it would reach. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and her mouth opened soundlessly. It was the first time anyone ever took their mouth down there. Bonnie had heard of it before. Her friends whispered that it was a technique left to prostitutes and truly depraved women. Elena said she heard sailors made their girls do it.
Kai was not a depraved man, Bonnie thought. But with how his mouth adored her, drenching her in a tight pleasure that made her want to sing praises, it seemed she would have to rethink the very meaning of the word.
"Kai!" She shouted, muscles tight and body taut. The orgasm washed over her like sudden rain. Her vision blurred briefly and her lungs forgot what breathing meant. It was not until Kai leaned over Bonnie whispering rousing words and kissing her all over her face did consciousness come back to her.
"I've never had that before," She confessed. Not with another person. Sex in the past was nothing more than a curiosity that left her less than satisfied. The only pleasure she'd received was from her fingers in the dead of night risking a few pumps and biting her pillow to make sure she wasn't found out. What he'd just done made all those moments feel like bellyaches. Bonnie had never come so hard in her life.
"I'm grateful to be the one to show you pleasure." the pride in his voice was evident.
Bonnie breathed a laugh and arched upwards to kiss his lips. "I want to reciprocate."
"Another night dear one," he refused courteously. "For now, I want to focus on you." Although she wanted to make him fall apart similarly, it could still be achieved. Her ruffled and bunched dress was pulled off at last and Kai stood up to remove his trousers. Bonnie marveled at his sturdy swimmers' legs no doubt shaped by years of diving in lakes and rivers in his family home. He told her how much he loved to swim.
Naked before one another, he parted her legs and laid between, his tip scraping the surface of her vulva. She shuddered. Kai swore to himself early that evening that he would go slowly to enjoy every inch of her. No part of her body would be left unattended or untouched. He would take each glorious second to make sure no patch of soft skin was neglected. But his previous thoughts were swept away by the reality before him.
The sight of Bonnie naked and bare, her chest heaving and lips parted. The way her eyes hooded with unfiltered desire propelled him to prop one leg over his hip and thrust inside her warm cunt. Her eyes widened and her fingers immediately dug into the meat of his shoulders. He was thick and heavy and filled every inch of Bonnie to her immense satisfaction.
"You're so fucking tight," Kai gasped. His hips dug forward and angled in a manner that had Bonnie seeing stars. Her grip on his shoulders tightened and her mouth opened in a silent scream.
"You are perfect my love," he groaned losing all sense of reason and thought. All that filled his mind was the way her velvet walls clutched him without mercy.
"Kai," She whimpered. His pelvis rubbed against her clit bringing her closer to the edge with delicious anticipation. "Fuck me, Kai ."
"As you wish." the previous steady strokes transformed into hard ramming that made her moan louder and scream all sorts of nonsense. It felt like her body was dipped in a pool of bliss and it coated it completely. He was everywhere in every part of her.
"I can feel you," he panted.
"Uh-huh." her breasts were bouncing from all the movement.
"You're going to come soon." Kai and he was right. In a manner of seconds, another orgasm was wretched from Bonnie like a piece of torn paper and her legs tightened around his waist clenched around his cock like a vice. A welcome action since Kai soon followed with a loud groan and came hard inside her without warning. The feel of his hot thick cum inside her sent another wave of pleasure that made Bonnie twitch around him once more. It seemed to fulfill some animalistic part of her hindbrain that felt claimed by him.
"Fuck." Kai breathed into her neck. "That was... amazing."
"The bees' knees indeed," She agreed. A laugh vibrated from his chest and she followed suit, the pair of them giggling naked and still wrapped around one another. Eventually, he extracted himself from Bonnie to fetch a wet towel for cleanup. After that, he spooned her from behind feeling content with how she fit into his arms. One arm was thrown across her stomach and the other cradled beneath her head. There she laid in a cocoon away from the world with no one else to ruin this moment.
Kai kissed her bare shoulder, nosing down her arm. "Can I tell you a secret?"
"What?" Bonnie muttered lazily.
"I wanted you from the first moment I saw you."
Her lips formed a slow smile. "Forgive my humungous ego but that's hardly news, isn't it? When I first saw you I couldn't stop looking at you. Elena noticed my attention being so divided and that's how she noticed you. I thought to myself; a man like that is too much for me. The best I can hope for is to just look ' then you came closer." And she'd gotten the chance to do more than just look at him. Melancholy settled over Bonnie once the sweet high washed away. She wouldn't get any more of these moments with Kai anymore.
After three days there would be nothing but the memory of his touch and his peculiar scent to remain. If only she could bottle it up to keep with her forever.
He noticed her expression darken. "What has you so sullen dear one?"
Bonnie smiled without mirth. "I'm leaving in three days. In three days, I'll be away from you and the thought breaks my heart. It would be worse if I'd never had you the way I do now. Because now I know exactly how good it is and knowing what I have to lose makes it all the more unbearable." her voice wobbled there.
Kai gathered her close into his arms. Her head rested comfortably on his chest. No matter how hard he tried, he was conscious of their limited time together. Her insecurity was voiced and he couldn't ignore it. There was a point there. Loathe as he was to admit it, the two of them moved in different circles. This vacation was a perfect bubble and one he did not want to end. These few weeks he'd spent with her was some of the happiest of his life. Bonnie was the source. Kai knew that he couldn't let her slip between his fingers.
"What would you say if there was a way, we could be together?" he inquired quietly stroking her back.
She blinked in confusion looking up at him. "How? You're the most charming man I've ever met but I doubt you could make Elena delay her trip."
He shook his head. "No, not that." He grasped both of her hands in his sitting up against the headboard. "Look, I've spent my whole life trying to please my old man. Now that he's gone, I'm still getting used to living for myself. It's been a while since I decided to go for something I want. What I want, right now, is to be with you, Bonnie. For as long as you'll let me."
"Kai," Bonnie spoke his name with such warmth despite her evident puzzlement. "What are you saying?"
"Marry me."
Bonnie stared at him in disbelief. "Kai." Her heart pounded so loud it seemed it would jump from her chest. "What did you just say?"
"I said marry me, Bonnie Bennett." Kai grinned even though the corners of his mouth shook just slightly from uncertainty. "I don't give a flying fuck about propriety. I know we've been together for a short time but there's never been a time in my life I've been more certain about anything. I want to be with you forever. So, marry me, and let's never be apart."
A tear dropped from her eye unto the bed covers. The magnitude of what he just asked filled her with emotion too intense to process. Without thinking about anything but the joy she felt Bonnie nodded rapidly and the words jumped through her lips. "Yes! Yes, I'll marry you."
It was mad. Staggering mad. Bonnie met this man two weeks ago. There were too many reasons to say no. Logic tried to knock them all into her head but the barrier set up by the feelings he stirred up were too strong to be toppled. It was mad. But is that not what love was, a malady so mad and thoughtless? Is it not the only thing that could drive a man to propose naked in bed to a woman he'd known for less than a lifetime?
From the moment she met Kai, it was love at first sight. Gosh, that sounded cheesy but that was a simple truth. Something pulled the two of them together and now there was no turning back. Bonnie had tasted the fruit and her eyes were open.
He grabbed the nape of her neck and crushed her lips into a fierce kiss. The need for air made him finally pull away. "I love you."
"I love you, Kai." Bonnie smiled so wide. Their foreheads touched. "I love you so much."
"Sweet girl, I'm certain I love you like no other." he kissed down her pulse point.
She huffed a laugh. "It's not a competition."
Kai brought Bonnie's hands up to his face and kissed each one of her knuckles, lips warm and not breaking eye contact. "I need to get you a ring. Something worthy of a queen. Something no other woman will ever have. Fuck, I should have asked my sister first. She knows more about this shit than I do." He started rambling on about sizes and how he couldn't remember from last time.
Her smile broke just a little. "Kai, I need to ask you something."
"Anything."
Her shoulders drooped slightly. "A-are you sure you want to marry me? I've heard a lot about your late wife from Elena and I know I'm not a great replacement for her – "
"Nor do I want you to be." He cut short her words. "That's a good thing, believe me. What I feel for you doesn't compare. I married Isabelle out of a sense of obligation and duty. There was no intense emotion or excess love even before her death. We were married for ten years and I never felt a fraction of what I feel for you for her. So please, do not doubt my feelings for you. I love you."
His words had the desired effect and she felt weight ease from her shoulders. Bonnie managed another smile. "Ok. Ok, I believe you."
Fears were something that would never disappear. They always lingered beneath the shadows waiting for an opening to slither into the light. But right there were chased away. No part of her felt like this was a mistake. No single part. Too good to be true, yes, but happy moments were best snatched with both hands rather than doubted to death.
He kissed her forehead. "I just realized that we never opened the wine."
Bonnie spied the tray of red and two glasses still untouched at the coffee table and grinned. "Well, looks like we have an occasion to pop it open, don't we?"
Can I get a whirlwind romance people? Hang on though, this is Kai. He'll definitely have secrets though hehe. Lots of exciting things to come.