Waking was easy, I felt more rested than I had in years and my eyes adjusted quickly to the dim dusty light of the early morning. I scrubbed my eyes with the heels of my hands and stretched out under the comforter, which tore an alien sound from my mouth. Sitting up, I surveyed the room. It was entirely too bare, only the two small dressers and my duffle bag on the floor. Caius' painting leant up atop the dresser in front of the bed and I flopped back down on the mattress, all the sweet memories of yesterday flooding back to my brain.
Surely, no one could be this lucky. Childishly, I pinched myself a dozen times.
How could it be that only a few weeks ago I was finishing up the paperwork for my mother's house in Jacksonville, Florida? She had a lot of odds and ends to sift through, my step dad Phil having all of his professional baseball equipment and memorabilia as well. I had decided early what I wanted to keep and what needed to be sold and donated. What I was left with was a photo album and a few pieces of heirloom jewelry my mother had kept. I grieved the loss of my mother, of course, but I think it was more akin to losing a friend than a parent. I had grown up very early trying to keep track of the finances and logistics of a household, my mother being truly a flighty person, switching hobbies every month, taking classes for this and that, and putting me in nearly all the extracurricular activities a kid could go for. We moved no less than 7 times when I was in school and it made for a lonely childhood. I learned after the third move that making friends would only cause heartbreak in a year or two.
I was almost relieved when my mother met Phil my senior year of high school. At that point we were living in Phoenix and I had been weighed down with the decision of forgoing college to keep working, to help my mother with the bills. At that point, we were splitting everything, Renee keeping a job for 6 months at the most, with a month or two in between to 'find herself'.
Phil, to put it frankly, was well off. My mother didn't have to work and she could travel around the country with him during the MLB season, seeing every major city we hadn't lived in yet. Initially, I moved with them to Jacksonville after I graduated as I enjoyed the humidity in Florida much more than the scorching, baking sun in Arizona. My boxes, however, never even got unpacked into their guest bedroom, as it took me a quick two days to find an apartment of my own. The years after that consisted of me working and saving and spending almost every spare dollar on my tattoos. A childhood spent worrying about my mother and the bills instead of well, being a child, left me looking for myself for a while. I stayed single more often than not, and tried not to commit to any serious relationships. Working, I kept to myself, not getting too close to anyone. Honestly, my tattoo artist might have been the closest person to a friend I had my whole life.
When my mother and Phil both died in a car accident, they left everything to me. Phil had always been nice to me and had no children himself and my mother being 15 years his senior made for an odd dynamic. When your mother marries a man that could be your older brother, it makes you hope for no siblings. And they both seemed content to travel and enjoy each other's company.
My father, on the other hand, lived in a small town in the rainy Pacific Northwest. I saw him for a month in the summer and every other holiday and my stays with him felt like a vacation compared to my life with my mother. Charlie was very self-sufficient and took care of his house. The cooking left a little to be desired, his perpetual bachelor cuisine consisted of microwave dinners and pizza, and he gave me free reign over the kitchen because he knew I liked to cook. Especially during the month in the summer, he seemed to put on a pound or two. He didn't say many words, my dad, but he made sure my room was clean when I arrived and there was a car for me to use when I was of age. His shows of affection didn't involve affirmations and 'I love you's, just silent and small acts. Compared to my mother, what mattered the most, was the consistency of it. We had a quiet but peaceful dynamic and I sent him small packages on his birthdays with pictures from the year, a bag of coffee, and a personalized mug. Seeing his cabinet over the coffee maker slowly fill with all the mugs I'd given him over the years never failed to make me smile.
His death was the same month as my mothers and Phil's and hit me far harder. A short conversation with Diana, the secretary at the Forks Police Station, a mere week after Jacksonville General had called for me to identify Renee and Phil, had initiated a breakdown that lasted almost four months. My employer was understanding and said nothing past condolences and a promise of my position whenever I was ready to come back.
That was three years ago. And here I was today waking up to a new life, it seemed. One where I could be selfish and make decisions considering only myself and take my time with any endeavor pleased me that day. It took me a while to get over the guilt I felt in being happy but now, being here in Volterra, living from moment to moment in bliss, it was easier to forget the heartache. Now, I can appreciate the little moments. Like Italian coffee. Indeed caffeine.
Rolling to grab my phone out of my purse from the floor I checked the time. 5:48. Perfect.
Pulling myself out of bed was a task in and of itself. The muscles in my legs and core were deliciously sore and I spent a good 15 minutes stretching before my bladder protested enough for a bathroom break. From there, I retrieved my toothbrush from my duffle bag and brushed, milling around the apartment, putting my clothes in the dresser, Charlie's favorite coffee mug in the cabinet by the sink, and the photo album and jewelry on the dresser next to my painting. I went to spit in the sink and brushed my hair, which was wavy from being wet and slept on and I decided it was acceptable. Picking out my clothes for the day, I went with another sundress, this one a deep crimson and a lighter fabric that floated around my thighs and tickled my upper arms. My only other pair of shoes were a well worn pair of black gladiator sandals with thick soles I thought would do well with the bumpy cobblestones. I decided on just a plain silver chain with a garnet pendant the size of my pinky nail hanging just under my collarbone to complement the look. It was 6:24 when I checked my phone again and I decided I would see if the little coffee shop on the other side of the piazza was open this early.
The morning air was warm as I went out the second door to the alley beside Pescatore's. It was relatively quiet out on the street, only a few people out, a young boy on his bike and few people at the tables outside the coffee shop. As soon as the scent of dark roasted coffee hit my nose my mouth started to water and I smiled the rest of the way across the stone to the entrance.
Inside there were glass display cases with croissants, biscuits, biscotti, small cakes, and other sweet confections. The man at the counter was friendly and very smiley as I stumbled through an order of a chocolate croissant and a cappuccino. He pointed to one of the tables and said it would be un minuto. Choosing a table just outside the door and with a good view of the fountain in the square, and took a few moments to enjoy my first morning Volterra. There was little chatter around the square and from the other patrons at the cafe, birds singing songs in the sky, and the quiet sound of the water in the fountain. This is Heaven.
A waiter came with my breakfast and I thanked him with a bright smile, ready to try my first sip of authentic Italian coffee. It was hot and strong and warmed my belly. I think I must have moaned because one of the older men a few tables away looked over and chuckled. I ducked my head and tore off a piece of the croissant, finding it just as delicious. I sat quietly and ate, going through my dictionary, trying to find a few words I'd use. Surely, it would be beneficial to actually converse with everyone and that would make it easier to pick up the language, but I wanted at least a hint at a few words going into it. I'm sure Caius could help.
I chuckled to myself and sipped at my coffee, warming my hands on the cup. Briefly, I thought of how much my dad would have liked to be here, with strong coffee, sitting outside on a quiet morning. For a while I reminisced about rainy Forks, thinking how Charlie would have loved the sunshine here or a vacation at all. The farthest he'd been was across the US northern border into Canada for a few investigations and to central Oregon to visit his parents after they retired.
Part of the justification I'd had with myself before this trip was to have experiences not only for myself, but for my late parents. So now, taking a moment to quietly think about them eased a little bit of the grief that still sat in my heart, and I felt lighter.
Swiping quickly at my cheek to shoo a stray tear, I laid enough euros on the table to pay for my breakfast and tip whoever would be cleaning off the table. There were a few spare minutes before 7 so I loitered around the fountain in the square, admiring the little details I hadn't noticed yesterday. Around all sides of the scene there were small animals and baskets holding fruit carved out of the white marble. I noticed a stream of water passing between the statue's feet, trickling through a carved path and falling to the pool below. I wondered briefly where Caius had found the inspiration for the water feature and made my way south, back to Pescatore's.
Rosa greeted me at the door, waving papers and ushered me inside.
There wasn't very much to do, a few signatures here and there. She promised her husband 'could fix a spoon' if I needed and drew me a map to where they lived around the corner, saying that I could come by for anything at all. Having a nostalgic morning thinking about my parents left me entirely grateful and a little teary when I thanked Rosa for the umpteenth time. She tutted at me and gave me a hug, patting my back and squeezing my arms before she let go. She reminded me of the dad's mom, the same warm, gracious persona, just with a rounder, more Italian exterior.
Before I left her to prepare food for the day, I asked where I could find a few household items for the apartment and she pointed me north, to a home store past the coffee shop and up the road.
I set a pair of dark sunglasses on my nose so I could admire the architecture on the way to the store without straining my eyes in the morning sun. I walked slow and admired everything, taking a break just outside the store to sit on a bench under a shady tree to look through my dictionary to find a few key words I might need inside.
I left the store with a few bags on my arms and went back to my apartment to put things away. The place felt a little bit more homey and functional and I couldn't stop smiling. When I was hanging the curtains in the bedroom I almost fell off the dresser, but other than that, my morning had been blissful.
Seeing I had just under an hour before I'd see Caius, I went to the bathroom to touch up. I decided to put a few twists in my hair and pinned them back leaving a few stray pieces out to frame my face. I gargled some mouthwash and brushed again. As I sat on the edge of the tub and touched up my toe nail polish I remembered the promise I made to Caius before we parted yesterday and slid my underwear off and hung it on the hamper behind the bathroom door. I was fiddling with the reception on the small radio near the window in the sitting room when there was a knock on the door. Time passed quicker than I thought it would.
I skipped to the door and had to try twice to wrench it open.
Be still my heart.
Caius looked just as dreamy as yesterday and my memories had done him no justice at all. He stood casually holding a bouquet of cream and deep crimson lilies, his other hand in his pocket. He was already smiling when I opened the door but it widened impossibly more when our eyes met. His silver hair was loose and tousled and contrasted beautifully to his navy button up, that had the top few buttons left undone. Tailored slacks, a shiny platinum watch, and comfy loafers completed the look. He managed to look casual still, but far more polished than I.
"Amore mio, sei squisita." Dazed for a moment, I said nothing, but continued to eye Caius up and down.
I finally let out a breathless 'good morning' and invited him in, stepping to the side. He bent for a moment to pick up a box that he'd tucked behind the door jamb and came in. "I'm a little early, il mio dulce. But I found myself to be impatient." After I shut the door he handed me the bouquet, "These are for you, from the gardens." I closed my eyes indulgently as I smelled the fragrant lilies. It occurred to me at that moment that no one had given me flowers before and I cleared my throat of the lump that formed there.
"Caius, they're beautiful. Thank you." I admired the arrangement for a moment touching the greenery that accented the blossoms and feeling the softness of the petals. Caius opened the box he brought in and pulled out a beautifully colored vase, a rainbow of blue tones swirling around a diamond texture.
"I brought this as well."
"Oh Caius, you didn't have to-" Caius pressed his lips to mine, effectively shutting me up. It was a tame slow kiss, the best greeting I've gotten to date and I savored every moment. My eyes remained closed even as he pulled his mouth from mine. I opened my eyes with a beaming smile.
"Hush, tesoro. I will give you many things. You deserve to be spoiled." He had a thoughtful look as his eyes searched my face, looking for what, I wasn't sure. My cheeks flamed and I insisted further.
"Caius I can't give you much in retu-" His fingers came to press against my lips this time.
"Isabella." He said my name slowly, caressing every syllable of it. "I have waited many lifetimes for you. You are more precious to me than you know. I will give you the world if that is what you ask for. I certainly will bring you flowers and a vase to put them in." He paused and searched my face. "You have spent most of your life taking care of other people. Let me take care of you. I do not expect anything in return, tesoro." He spoke succinctly in a stern but still soft tone. It sounded like he was speaking to a child and my pride stung. But thinking about how stubborn and independent I was, it occurred to me that he understood me far better than I thought in the short time we'd known each other.
I had certainly been lonely the last few years since my parents had passed, but even before that. When I had finally gotten my own place, working took up most of my time and the mission to add to my tattoos and body modification seemed almost as much of a job. This trip was the first time I had had time off since I went back to work three years ago. It was truly hard to believe that this many things could work in my favor in such a short time.
But here I stood in front of a man, who was all but offering me the world and everything in it. Never mind the sex and the fact Caius was absolutely the most attractive thing on the face of the planet, he also listened intently and considered my every need, and had unknowingly been what I'd been looking for when coming to Italy in the first place.
So I guess I can shut my mouth and accept a good thing when it's being offered.
I inhaled deeply, steeping my lungs in the scent of Caius. It was of salty ocean air, lemons, and something heady and earthy that coiled into my brain and soothed something I couldn't quite put my finger on. My fingers clutched to his biceps, feeling the solid warmth underneath. I leaned up and pressed a kiss to Caius' chin, giggling when he wrapped his arms around my waist and lifted me against him. Taking the cue, I wrapped my legs around him and held fast to his neck, placing kisses there up to his ear, where I moved to his face and paid every inch attention with my lips. A slow chuckle started when I started to make a third round and his hands came to my face to still me. I couldn't help but to return his smile as our eyes locked, both of our eyes warm with an emotion I didn't want to speak aloud yet.
"You win," I said simply, hoping to keep the vulnerability I felt out of my tone. Caius' fingers stroked my cheeks and weaved his fingers down my jaw and through the hair at the base of my skull. His eyes turned dark and serious.
"Isabella." His tone was light but firm. "Il mio tesoro. I will not pressure you, nor do I expect anything in return. But know that each part of you that you give to me, I will cherish for all time. I will have no reservations when it comes to you; I will give you honesty and safety, my devotion, and patience. You will not tell me 'I'm sorry' or want for anything. I don't want you to feel like you owe me for any of it either. I'm happy to do these things for you and the cost makes no difference. Il mio tesoro. My treasure. That, simply, is what you are, Isabella."
Closing my eyes, I leant my forehead against his, breathing deeply trying to stay off the emotions rolling through my chest. My hands squeezed at Caius' shoulders as I went forward to hug around his neck and tuck my face into the crook there. He seemed to read what I needed, as he seemed to do, and just stood there resolutely in my tiny kitchen holding me to him. The tightness in my chest eased, and my breaths synched with the slow rise and fall of his chest. I relaxed and all but melted into him, our bodies warming together and soon I couldn't tell where I ended and Caius began.
I don't know how long we remained like that but my eyes had closed at some point and I swore I fell asleep. Caius' hands shifted down to grip my thighs and gently guided me to unwrap from him. My feet met the floor and I lifted my head to meet Caius' eyes, still firmly pressed together from chest to thigh. He studied my face with a soft smile and pressed a chaste kiss to my lips.
Taking a deep encouraging breath, I gathered my courage. "I can't say that I have ever been in love, but I have never felt anything like what I feel for you already Caius." I took another steadying breath, asking for patience with my eyes. This of course was unneeded, Caius had a quiet way of waiting, with a slight furrow of his dark brown and a pucker in his pink lips. "I'm scared. This… intensity is new for me, the emotions aren't familiar. But everything feels right. You feel right, Caius. I don't know what to call this yet, but I'm not going anywhere, okay?" My last sentence was quiet, but he heard me just fine. The bright smile that spilt across his face almost blinded me and he laughed, pressing a kiss to my nose and peppering more across my cheeks and lips.
I giggled, playfully swatting him and soon found myself pressed to the wall with Caius' arms snaked up my back and into my hair, and down to cup my ass, his mouth plundering my own, tongue finding mine as he pinned me with his hips to the wall.
The mess that was my emotions burned up into the inferno of lust Caius stoked in me. My entire body warmed down to my toes with need as I grasped at his shirt trying to anchor myself. I was gasping when he let my mouth go. His name left my lips in a needy whisper.
"What is it you need, tesoro?" He said softly into my mouth.
"You, Caius. Just you." A low rumbling started in his chest and pebbled my nipples, sending a flash of desire straight through my center. My legs started to shake. A strangled moan left me and my head fell back against the wall.
"Sei una sirena del desiderio, Isabella." He whispered against my throat, running his nose down to the hollow at the bottom.
The sheer overwhelming need I felt for him burned through me and all thoughts of patience left my brain, "Caius, please, I need you." A low sound rumbled in his throat and his teeth scraped where my neck met my shoulders.
His hands found my hips and gripped them, turning me to face the wall. The anticipation that swept through me took my breath away and my hands came up to steady myself. Caius ran a hand up the back of my head, scraping all of my hair to one side and kicked one of my feet out to spread my legs. His mouth found its place back at my throat, a spot that was quickly becoming my favorite, where he lathered and nibbled and sucked.
When I was a panting mess and about to start begging in earnest I felt his hand start to wander up my right thigh, alternating between kneading hard at the still sore muscles there and lightly touching. His other hand let go of my hair pushing it forward over my shoulder, before it crept around to slide up the front of me, squeezing hard at my breasts before coming to rest at my throat.
My heart pounded, now. This absolute force of a man, who had soothed my aching soul in a day, had me vulnerable, up against a wall. God, if anything had ever felt more right than the physical submission I found myself in, I was a fucking liar.
"Please, Caius." The plea was a mere whisper, shaking with need.
"Oh, Isabella. Il mio tesoro." His hand gripped my throat squeezing just enough to make my head swim. "I'm going to give you exactly what you need." His voice went straight through me and my answering moan ended in a near scream as his other hand finally found my naked sex, spread and slippery with desire. The lips he still had against my ear parted in a growl and he pressed the entire length of his body against me, his hard cock pulsing along the cleft of my ass, grinding hard as his hand went to work.
Cauis' grip at my throat subconsciously told me to stay quiet, though my mouth hung open. His fingers pressed firmly to my clit, circling quickly and dipping lower for lubrication, going back and forth. My orgasm came the fastest I had ever experienced, my walls clenching hard and the waves of it stealing my breath. Caius' hand left my throat and pressed at my sternum guiding me to lean back on his as my legs gave out.
I was slightly delirious as he carried me to my bed, bridal style. My eyes finally focussed as he undid my shoes and set them on the floor, his hair shining in the morning sun. He returned to me without a shirt and his pants undone, his hands slowly smoothing up my tingling legs, pushing my dress up my thighs, spreading my legs as he went. And before I had even recovered fully from the last orgasm, his lips were insistently bringing me towards another. Arching off the bed and blindly grabbing for something to hold onto, I found the curly wrought iron headboard, clinging for dear life as the creature between my legs brought me over the edge again like he was a skilled musician playing a familiar song.
Minutes, later, maybe hours, who fucking knows, a smug Caius entered my fuzzy field of vision, pushing stray sweaty hairs from my face. I could only stare and stupidly smile at him and he let out a low chuckle.
"Do you need a moment, piccolo?" There was humor in his tone and I only felt a little embarrassed when I silently shook my head 'yes'. His dark eyes swam with a mix of mirth and deep satisfaction and he pressed a single kiss to my mouth and left the room. A part of me was sad he left and the other part was staring at the sinews of his back and his butt in his slouching trousers.
He came back with a cold bottle of water and held his hand out to help me sit up. I took a few deep gulps and set the bottle on the nightstand.
"Thank you, Caius." I said, with that stupid post-coital smile still on my face.
"Of course, il mio angelo. You'll have to be hydrated so we can keep going." My breath caught and I looked down to his lap from where he sat next to me. The hard line of him was straining against his zipper, twitching when I rested my hand on his thigh. I could feel the warm hard muscle if his thigh through his slacks and I squeezed once, before moving carefully to stand between his knees. His face was serious as he watched my hands move behind me to the zipper of my dress. a slow smile stretched across his lips and he leant back on his hands and just watched me.
I slipped my arms out of the delicate sleeves and let the rest of the dress fall from my body to the floor. Caius' eyes explored my body and I trailed my fingers from my thighs up to my breasts, where they stopped to play with my nipples, teasing the metal there. His dark eyes zeroed in and intently followed my movements and I could see his cock pulse in his unzipped pants. Giving my breasts a firm squeeze I dropped to my knees, running my hands up Caius' thighs to the waist of his pants. There I followed the lines of his lower abdomen with my fingertips, tracing blue veins and creeping down to the small patch of dark curls.
My hands went back to his waistband and I looked up through my lashes to find him already penetrating me with his eyes. Without a word, he lifted his hips and I pulled his pants down his legs and off his feet, letting his turgid cock spring free. Staring intently at his leaking length, I pulled Caius lightly behind the knees and he pushed himself closer to the edge of the bed, giving me just the access I was looking for.
My right hand gripped him firmly at the base so I could bring the head of him to my mouth, where I lathered my tongue around and around and sucked thoroughly. The sweet subtle taste of him coated my mouth and made me salivate, and I brought my hand up to swirl around the tip and gather the excess to pump him a few times, my grip getting a bit firmer towards the base.
A low groan rumbled through Caius and he leaned farther back onto his elbows so his face was more in my line of vision. I locked eyes with him as I brought him back to my mouth, licking down the underside of him, pressing against the raised veins of him and around the base of his head until his eyebrows puckered just a bit in the middle. Taking him in my mouth I let it get sloppy, working the extra spit with my hand when my mouth rose high enough.
I concentrated on constant sensation. My other hand smoothed over his thigh and stroked his sack, fondling and rolling. I released his cock from my hand and swallowed as much of him as I could, undulating my tongue. When he hit the back of my throat I pushed further down and moaned, searching his eyes. His pink lips pulled back from his teeth and he let out a hiss and rolled his hips up, fucking himself even farther down my throat. The lines of his abdomen flexed as he did so and I felt him pulse in my mouth.
Warmth shot down my esophagus and I swallowed what he gave me, taking him so deep the tip of my nose brushed against his pubic bone.
When he stilled, I released him, taking a deep breath and resting my forehead on his thigh, trying to regain my oxygen supply. The spots slowly faded from my vision and my head swam, but I felt very proud of myself. Take that, Incubus.
I felt his fingers thread through my hair and scratch at my scalp, sending shivers down to my toes.
"Isabella." I lifted my head and found him sitting up, his silver hair falling in his face as he looked down to where I still knelt on the floor. I blinked at him slowly and wet my lips. "My Isabella." The simple possessive made me tingle and I felt myself tighten in response, a quiet moan falling from my lips. Caius' hands came down from my neck and held my waist when he helped lift me up on shaky legs. His arms came around and cupped my ass lifting me to straddle his lap as he moved to the center of the bed. His sheer physical strength and control made up for my lack of as he moved us both. There wasn't a shake in his limbs or a wasted movement anywhere.
He sat up and wrapped his arms around my back, pressing me securely to his body, gripping at my shoulder and my ass. My weeping sex met his soft cock and the simple touch made me whimper. He swallowed the noise in his mouth and kissed me like a dying man. My hands clutched at his neck and hair as I breathed in his scent, losing myself. My throat still tingled from where he was and his searching tongue reignited the feeling of him in my mouth. I pressed my mouth greedily to his, licking into his mouth and biting his bottom lip.
A low growl vibrated through his chest and pebbled my nipples, making my head fall back as I gasped. Caius didn't miss a beat and his mouth just moved down the column of my throat, licking at my pulse. When he bit and drug his teeth down my throat I pulled at his hair and ground myself down onto his quickly hardening cock. It seemed he needed little time to recover.
He made a small adjustment, lifting me so he lined up with my opening and his head pressed ever so lightly.
"Look at me, Isabella." His voice was low and I quickly brought my head back up. One of his arms stayed behind me holding firm to the hair at the nape of my neck, while the other held me just under the curve of my ass, not letting me move an inch up or down.
Having already had two orgasms, I was plenty wet. Though when he finally started dropping me down onto him, I could feel him stretching me, the pressure rolling waves through me, taking my breath away. I kept my eyes on his, until the end, where he released my ass and let me drop the last couple inches, the head of his cock finding something so deep I screamed and my fingers dug into his shoulders. My eyes rolled back into my skull and I gulped for air. The hand that rested at my neck locked me down and his other hand found my waist, also using his leverage there to keep me still.
He didn't move for a moment and when I gathered my breath, my eyes found his again. His look was concentrated, his eyes intent on roving my face. I'm not sure how he physically managed it but he pulled out a few inches just to pull me back down onto his cock using his leverage to make sure he slammed back home where he found the first time. My mouth fell open and he leant forward to fuck my mouth with his tongue for a moment before he leant back and started relentlessly pistoning in and out of me. The waves his cock sent through me rippled out like a giant bell being rung with a sledgehammer and my limbs went limp. The pressure of another orgasm began to build and I felt my eyes watering. Caius' hand on my waist slid around my front and down to where he fucked me. He gathered some excess grool on his thumb and pressed it firmly to the swollen button of my clit. Immediately, I clenched around him, flying over the edge of a cliff. He never stopped moving his thumb, pressing hard circles until my whole body tensed in orgasmic tension, sending shots of pleasure through my limbs for what seemed like full minutes.
A/N: Happy Mother's Day, sluts