Chapter 4 - First night of honeymoon getting towards M rating...
Walking into The Brown Palace Hotel, Shane was always impressed by the traditional refinement that permeated the building and its furnishings. After Oliver registered, the bellhop helped them to the room with their bags. When he left, Oliver looked at Shane across the room while taking off his tux jacket. She was gazing at a painting on the wall absently running her hand along a chair back. He still got blindsided by how extraordinarily beautiful she was, not only on the outside but the graciousness and patience she showed others. She turned to find him watching her while he took off his bowtie and smiled uncertainly, "Oliver?"
He slowly walked over, "I was thinking about how amazingly blessed I am to be able to call you my wife."
Shane placed a hand on his heart looking into his eyes. "Oliver, I'm just as blessed to be able to call you my husband."
"Would you like me to take any of the bags into the on suite?" She nodded towards a smaller one. Shane followed him, staying right outside leaning against the opening of the door. He placed the bag on the counter for her before returning to her. Taking her hand, he drew her towards him away from the door. "Shane, I want tonight to be everything you want it to be," he said running his hands down her bare arms. He took her hands in his bringing her hands up to his lips brushing them against her fingers.
"It will be because I'm with you. I could use the help you mentioned earlier," she said turning around and smiling at him encouragingly over her shoulder.
He ran his fingertips gently down the nape of her neck and the open back of the dress treasuring every detail before loosening the buttons at the small of her back. Shane's eyes had shut focused solely on feeling his fingers drifting leisurely down her back. When she opened her eyes, she realized she could see him in the mirror from the on suite. Desire flooded through her as she watched him meticulously unbutton the waist of her dress. He exhaled when he saw what she had been wearing under the dress. Leaning down he grazed his lips along her shoulder his hands slipping inside the dress to her waist. Her head fell back against his shoulder needing support as she felt his hands leisurely moving across her bare skin. He kissed her while his hands never stopped learning her curves. She couldn't think beyond what she was feeling warmth flooding through her. Reluctant to let go, he slowly moved back gently nudging her into the on suite to finish changing. Feeling like she was in a daze she slowly shut the door. Oliver took a deep breath and finished taking off his shirt hanging up his clothes in the closet.
Hearing the door open he turned and felt his heart stop. She had taken her hair down while she changed into lingerie. "You're exquisite. I'll only be a minute," he said as she came back out with her dress.
Feeling restless and nervous she went to look out the window at the Denver skyline. Hearing the door open she turned watching him come towards her desire and nerves swirling equally inside her. His defined muscles across his arms and chest revealed how much he worked out. She trailed her hand down his chest admiringly. Seeing her hand slightly trembling, Oliver took her hand between his before brushing it against his cheek. "Shane, I love you. You'll let me know if you need to slow down?"
Shane smiled up at him teasing, "Oliver when have you ever sped through anything?"
"I think you may underestimate how much I've been anticipating this moment." He said before he led her over to the bed.
They took their time exploring, slowly discovering each other, expressing their love in ways they'd both not allowed themselves to until this night. When Oliver's patience eventually wore thin, he linked his fingers through hers gently pulling them away from his body as he moved above her. "Shane, my love, are you ready?" Oliver asked looking into her eyes.
"Past ready." She never felt as cared for as when he slowly, tenderly took her as his wife. He took his time drawing out every moment of pleasure he could bring her.
Afterwards, his hand drifting up and down her back, Oliver asked, "How are you feeling?"
Shane murmured, "Never better." She drifted into sleep with his arms wrapped around her.
They both woke in the morning to the sun edging through the curtains in the room. Oliver ran his fingers through her tousled hair pushing it away from her face. "Do you want to sleep more, or should I order room service?"
"Food, definitely food, with coffee," Shane said drowsily. Oliver grinned getting up to look for the menu. He put the order in and seeing she had fallen back to sleep went to take a shower. When he heard a knock on the door, he tipped the waiter and brought the food in himself. Shane stirred at the aroma of coffee and food. Oliver brought her a cup of steaming coffee having doctored it the way she liked with as much sugar as coffee. Shane sat up pulling the sheets around her a little self-conscious. "You're spoiling me."
"It's the least I can do since I didn't let you sleep a great deal during the night." Oliver said only slightly feeling guilty.
"I do recall being woken a few times so you could show me how much you loved me," Shane said smiling wryly watching him over her cup of coffee. He sat down next to her with a robe.
"I didn't want you to forget," He responded with a grin running a hand down her bare shoulder. Reveling in the knowledge he didn't have to hold back anymore, he leaned over to place a kiss on her shoulder before nuzzling her neck.
"There's not a chance," Shane said smiling back completely satisfied with the reason for her lack of sleep. "I can sleep on the flights." Running a hand through his wet hair she took the robe from him.
After eating Shane finished getting ready while Oliver checked on their flights. They dropped everything they wouldn't need on their trip at the house and left for the airport. After a slight layover in Dallas, they were on their way to Rome. They both slept most of the flight having been worn out from the wedding and not sleeping the night before.
One of the flight attendants pointed them out to a coworker. "Did you see the honeymooners in business?"
"No, which couple."
"If you walk through, you can't miss them. Even sleeping they're holding hands. You can tell they're so in love."
Towards the end of the flight Oliver and Shane woke to eat before arriving in Italy. Shane was reading an Italy travel book on her tablet and Oliver had pulled out a book about Italian wine. They disembarked heading towards customs. Going through security the officer was looking at their travel plans asking Oliver, "You're staying in Italy for a week before heading to..."
Oliver interrupted suddenly. "We're taking a different route home. It's a bit of a surprise. We're on our honeymoon." Oliver explained nodding at Shane.
"Enjoy your stay."
On the way to the hotel, Shane asked curious, "I haven't seen any color-coded itineraries appear yet?"
"Well this isn't a business trip, and I thought the itinerary was apparent."
"Apparent?"
Brushing her hair behind her ear, he slowly ran a finger down her cheek before tilting her head towards him. Oliver leaned over so the driver couldn't hear, "Spending as much time as I have every day every night loving you."
Having now been with him, Shane's eyes drifted shut struggling to focus remembering his ability to ensure she experienced every moment of pleasure during their night together. "And we'll be doing that where after Italy?" Shane asked breathlessly not letting it go.
"Oh, I'm not telling, yet. It's a surprise," Oliver responded mischievously. Shane leaned her head against his shoulder smiling.
After checking into the hotel near the Trevi Fountain, Oliver asked, "Would you like to freshen up before taking a walk?"
Shane nodded looking through a suitcase. "I'd like to change."
They unpacked, changed, and left for a late lunch. The concierge recommended a place and they headed out. During lunch they discussed sight-seeing options for the next day.
"The Vatican isn't too far away," Oliver commented. "I've heard they have an amazing art collection for having taken a vow of poverty." Shane laughed while they started a lively conversation about the difference between religion, faith, and spirituality.
They took a walk around Trevi Fountain and then headed to look at the Spanish Steps before taking in the Villa Borghese. Afterwards they walked through the city finding a place to eat dinner before heading back to the hotel.
Early the next morning Shane woke in Oliver's arms. She'd seen him happy, angry, hurt, excited, but watching him peacefully sleeping, her heart overflowed with love. Sliding her hand up his chest she drifted back to sleep. Later she woke to feel a hand drifting up and down her back as another played with her hair. When he realized she was awake, he kissed her good morning before meticulously showing her once more how he planned on spending their honeymoon.
After a late start they headed to the Vatican. Walking through Oliver asked, "Why did you major in art history?"
"I like art and I like history," Shane answered somewhat flippantly. She stopped to look at a painting. Oliver watched her taking it in, marveling at the fact that she was now his wife.
When she was going to move on, he stopped her slipping his arm around her waist holding her still, "Shane?"
"What do you see when you look at the painting?" Shane asked in response.
"An artist's interpretation of a biblical scene."
"When I look at a painting or sculpture, I always wonder what was going on in an artist's life to make them want to paint or sculpt what they did. What made them chose the technique they used? What was going on in their society at the time that made an artist popular or destitute? I'm interested in the background as much as the finished product. I've always liked to sketch but I knew I wasn't talented enough to be an artist myself. Majoring in art history I got to learn about and enjoy art without having to create it myself."
They spent the day meandering through the Vatican Museums. The Vatican Post Office was a must stop where they picked up Vatican stamps for Norman before heading back to the hotel. Tired they rested by the pool. Watching Shane haphazardly apply sunscreen, Oliver's protective side emerged. "Shane O'Toole step away from the bottle." He said taking the bottle from her before applying sunscreen across her back before moving onto her legs.
Briefly distracted by the thrill that ran through her hearing him call her that, it took her longer than normal to notice how repetitively fastidious he was being with his application. "Oliver, I'm going to get home paler than when I left," she said laughing as he ran his hands across her legs for the third time.
He dropped her hat on top of her head kissing her on the nose. "You were being rather haphazard. I don't want you getting burnt and it was my pleasure," he said smirking.
"I thought so." She said knowingly.
He laid down on the chaise next to her taken with how she looked in a bathing suit.
They spent the next morning touring the Colosseum & Palatine Hill before walking through the city finding a place for a late lunch. Oliver suggested they spend the rest of the afternoon by the pool again. "Are you tired or are you wanting to see me in a bathing suit again?" Shane asked teasingly.
Oliver tried not to smile, "Do I have to choose? Why can't it be both?" Shane laughed still getting used to the flirty playful Oliver. Having learned the day before Shane handed him the bottle of sunscreen before laying down on the chaise. He thoroughly made sure she was covered before he laid down on the one next to her. Their last day in Rome they spent at the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna before moving on to Florence.