Answering His Call: Part Two
https://interracialerotica.net/erotica/articles/240/1/Answering-His-Call-Part-Two/Page1.html
By Tracy Ames
Published on September 1, 2010
Will and Dana grew closer by the day. Indeed, the two months rolled by calmly and happy than either of them expected. Dana’s endless well of optimism intrigued Will rather than annoyed him as he feared it would. She didn’t share his often jaded view of the world and challenged his cynicism and called his bluff when others wouldn’t have bothered. Most important, Dana had a mind of her own, reason, and sound opinions. She was quick witted and deceptively sassy. Will had fallen prey to more than a few of her jabs. Oh, he loved a good sparing match with a worthy opponent and Dana was more than up for the task. But she went one step further; she held him to his word. She’d given herself wholeheartedly to their experience and she expected the same of him. No grumbling. No excuses. No lies. He agreed to allow her a certain measure of control; he’d to let go and try anything once with some semblance of happiness.
Being dictated to, it was certainly a departure from the norm.
Will’s family, the Rothschild’s, were of German Jewish origin who, with keen business sense, fought their way out of ‘Jew Ally’ to become a European banking and finance dynasty in the late eighteenth century. With cunning wit and heavy pockets, they married into influential families and rose to nobility in 1816; amassing one of the largest private fortunes and, some say, expunging their Jewish past. There may have been a kernel of truth to that rumor. Will’s family rarely spoke of their Jewish heritage and they certainly no longer ‘looked’ Jewish.
The family’s fortune was secured by Mayer Rothschild, Will’s many times over great grandfather, and his five sons. Mayer wasn’t the warmest man, but he understood business and his sense of family duty was strong. He sent his five sons away to the corners of Europe to conduct business in person. This was the essential part of his strategy for future success: Power and control of their businesses would remain in the family’s hands, allowing them to maintain full discretion about the size of their wealth and their business success.
Yes, Mayer built a wealthy powerful family—but it was hollow, save his immediate family. The male family members were tied to the family firm from birth while the females were birthing machines, pumping out the next generation as quickly as possible. At thirty-five, Will was the youngest of his father’s four sons and he refused to marry under any circumstances. His out? He oversaw the family’s American hotel holdings and oversaw them well. Too well his brothers thought. They urged him to take some time off. Thankfully, it was around the time he met Dana, making his decision to take a holiday a little easier.
After Will broke her habit of calling him ‘Sir’ Dana visibly began to relax—she began to trust him. She was taught that all men were inherently sinister and their attentions should instinctively cause women to recoil and scramble back on her hands like a frightened crab but she never bought into that notion that all men were depraved. Her body, her sex appeal, her curiosity was nothing to fear. Dana, the middle of three sisters, was raised in an extremely strict Christian family—very traditional and painfully ordinary. Beyond college, nothing was expected on them. Then again, she was the middle sister and rarely caught anyone’s eye—her parents included. She was nothing more than a beep on the map as far as anyone was concerned. She voluntarily stood in the shadows; at least there she could be her own person, have her own ideas, and think for herself.
Bored stiff and sitting on a sociology degree she’d never use, Dana moved away from her family and broke away from the bullshit. Thank goodness she’d done it years before Will walked into her bookstore. Were it not the case, she wouldn’t have had the nerve to take him up on his offer.
As agreed, she and Will never spoke of their past. They saw glimpses of it in context to their conversation but nothing more. Of course there were unspoken hints of their past in their mannerisms and so on but neither questioned. Dana knew Will came from an old family. Hell, his surname was plastered on the side of the hotel. And Will wagered that Dana’s lack of swearing outside of the bedroom hinted to her traditional upbringing. It wasn’t rocket science; merely perception. They’d started anew, just the two of them. For both, it was liberating. Nothing mattered but the here and now. They could be who they wanted to be, do whatever they wanted to do, see and taste everything life had to offer without prejudice.
There was still so much about one another left to explore. Would a year be long enough? There were only ten more months to go. Ten months, Will didn’t plan on sitting idly in his penthouse. Having agreed to take turns choosing their destinations, Will graciously allowed Dana to choose their first locale: Rome.
Rome? The very word jarred Will to the point of concern. Oh God, she’s a papist.
Sensing Will was prepared to denounce the pope as a homophobic Nazi and she a lockstep value voter, Dana quickly expressed her long held desire to see the city of Rome itself, not as a Catholic pilgrimage. Their first crisis averted; they arrived in Rome shortly after noon giving the awestruck Dana plenty of time to take in the sights before dinner. Will, having visited the city more times than he cared to remembered, sat back and admired Dana absorbing her surrounding and identifying points of reference from one of the many guide books she snagged from the airport. To Will’s astonishment, she knew the street names by heart and called them out as they approached. Foot traffic stopped them briefly in front of the Vittorio Emanuel Monument long enough for Dana to marvel at its beauty. Will never cared for the monument and generally regarded it as the large marble monster which destroyed the ancient remains that abuts it. But now, through Dana’s eyes, he slowly began to see the city anew. He still regarded it as a congested collection of tourist spots but without as much venom. He asked the driver to take the long way around, giving Dana a tour.
The driver turned down the Corso, one of the busiest streets in the city. The area itself was a seamless mixture of old and new. On the high end the street boasted a series of imposing Renaissance and Baroque palaces and striking churches—while on the low end there was a TGI Friday’s. Will rolled his eye as they passed.
In quick succession, they past the Palazzo Colonna and several other sites. Instead of turning towards the Spanish Steps as Dana had hoped, they continued northeast around the Villa Medici and arrived at their hotel, the Eden, moments later. Spying the antique oil paintings flanked by rich hanging tapestries adorning the walls of the lobby, Dana knew this wasn’t her type of lodging and swiftly convinced Will to pull up stakes. Her choice, the Ausonia, was a small family owned hotel located on Piazza di Spanga overlooking the famous square and the Spanish Steps.
“So, what do you think?” Dana asked sweeping her hand dramatically as Will took in the vista of ordinariness that was the lobby.
Reception desk, table, chair, other chair, a plant, and more chairs, Will took a mental inventory then asked, “What’s with all the chairs?”
Lips pursed tightly, Dana ignored Will’s thinly veiled contempt and pulled him to the reception desk.
If the lobby hadn’t impressed Will, the understated elegance of their room had. It was a spacious Empire style room decorated in a sumptuous palette of dusty blues, muted golds, and creams anchored by a stately wrought iron bed laid with rich damasks in complimentary colors which matched the smartly placed period furniture. The bathroom was ample, with a bathtub and shower—and of course, a conspicuous chair seated at the large open glass door leading onto the terrace. “Seriously, what’s with all the chairs?” Will asked joining Dana on the terrace. He followed her eyes across the Medici Gardens; like a coddling parent, the ancient pines, cypresses and oaks shielded the flowering botanicals below them from the direct rays of sunlight.
The view left Will speechless. It was without a doubt the most stunning view of the city he’d ever seen. He’d always associated the square noise and congestion but overlooking the expanse and light foot traffic, he admitted his error in judgment. He looked at Dana; her face was void of all emotion as if she was unmoved by her breathtaking surroundings—as if her thoughts were a million miles away. There wasn’t the slightest hint of the bouncy tourist he expected. There was silence, stillness with a note of solemnity he dared not disturb for fear of breaking it. Unmolested, this was when Dana was most beautiful.
Dana interlaced her fingers with Will’s, closed her eyes and drew a lung full of floral scented air, “From our moment of birth, we begin our journey towards death,” she slowly opened her eyes. “It’s what we do between those two momentous events that will be our legacy.”
“And what will be your legacy?”
Reflectively, Dana paused in thought. “I don’t know. But whatever it is, it’ll be far reaching and a comfort to those I love.”
“I’m sure it will.” Will smiled, kissed her hand and left her standing on the terrace with her thoughts. The porters left their luggage sitting near a small closet abut the bathroom. Will began unpacking, hanging their clothing as neatly as someone who’d never hung their own clothing could. When the dust settled, he stood back looking at the disheveled mass of hangers self-satisfied and rather pleased with himself.
“Oh God,” Dana came and stood beside Will. “What happened here?”
Will cut his eyes at her and walked away.
“Sorry.” Dana mocked under her breath.
******
Forgoing their reservation at Lord Byron’s, Will and Dana threw on light casual attire and strolled the short distance to Campo dei Fiori, Rome’s largest and most colorful outdoor food market. In minutes Dana stuffed their hand basket full of meat, cheeses, and other offerings from the various stalls. Will trailed behind her paying the vendors in her wake. Remembering they had no blanket for their impromptu picnic, Will purchased one from one of the food venders while Dana skipped off to buy water.
“It’s like we’re on a scavenger hunt.” Will said jokingly as he handed the vender his money. The vender stared at him, blankly. “Ah, you don’t speak English.” The vender shook his head, smiled and handed Will his bags. “Grazie.” He turned looking for Dana when he was confronted by an older lady saying something in Italian. Will fought the urge to step back. The woman’s breath smelled rotten. She smiled, took the plastic bags from Will and placed them inside of a cloth satchel with handles for easier transport. Again, he said thank you and turned to find Dana. Get me the hell out of here, he mumbled to himself. He didn’t realize Dana had seen the exchange and was more than a little put off by his disingenuousness towards the venders.
There weren’t many tourists in gardens of Colle Oppio; a few people here and there…mostly locals laying about reading, napping, or snogging. They spread their blanket and ate in a shaded spot on a small hill near the ruins of Titus’s baths. Afterwards, Will lay staring up through the tree while Dana lay on her stomach beside him, reading off sightseeing options—all of which he rejected for one reason or another.
“You promised you’d do whatever I liked,” Dana pointed out. “This is my trip. My trip, my choices.”
“Don’t remind me.” Will covered his eyes with his forearm. When Dana didn’t reply, he glanced over at her. Her pouty lips were pinched not in anger, it was something else. It was hurt. He hadn’t meant to sound so condescending, but he had. He reached over to touch Dana’s face but she moved away, snapped her book shut and stood.
“I’m going for a walk.”
Will rose to his elbows and called to Dana’s back. “Wait, I’ll come with you.”
“No,” she turned briefly. “I wish you wouldn’t.”
“Well, that was badly done.” Will fell back again, mentally kicking himself for acting like an ass. He honestly tried to go with the flow…he hadn’t put up a stink about the hotel; in fact he’d held his tongue about the trip in general. But had his remark warranted Dana’s reaction? Yes, it had, he conceded. It’s like the old adage saying “It’s not what you say but how you say it”. In this case his actions spoke louder and harsher than his words ever could. Will closed his eyes and listened for Dana’s return. He’d behaved like a self-important snob; the exact opposite of who he was. But try as he might, giving the reins to someone else was difficult and his “been there, done that” attitude only made matters worse. It was time to jump in with both feet.
It was getting late. An hour past, then another—Dana hadn’t returned. Will returned to their room half expecting her to be gone. It was quiet and Dana lay curled in bed with her back to the room. Will brought the sheer curtain inside and closed the door leading to the terrace; the hotel was hosting an outdoor dinner party for the guests in the square below. Will returned to Dana and kneeled beside the bed. He brushed her fringe away from her face thinking his touch would break the ice between them. But Dana looked straight through him, making no attempt to conceal her disappointment. Will’s words escaped him—‘I’m sorry’ wouldn’t cut it.
“I’m sorry my behavior hurt you,” Will said unreservedly. “This trip isn’t about me…I’ve behaved appallingly. I’m…”
“Stop. I’m fine.” Dana interrupted. “Really, I’m alright. It just…” her thought hit a speed bump. “It’s just; you have a way of making people feel small, common people. You don’t realize you’re doing it…but you are…and you should stop it. Not everyone has had the same breaks as you. They see the world a little differently but that doesn’t make them…us inferior.”
Her words snatched the air from Will’s lungs. How could she have such a misplaced impression of him? He felt anything but entitled, and it certainly wasn’t his intention to make anyone feel inferior, her of all people. Intentional or not; valid or not, his actions had struck a nerve with Dana—and, from what little he knew of her, she wasn’t one to react without cause. No amount of apologizes would suffice; his actions would speak louder than his words. “Fair enough.” He said—awkwardly, as if the words were new to him, an ancient tongue. His brow furrowed and a faint smirk colored his cheeks—he’d been admonished by her, rightfully so but admonished nonetheless.
Dana flashed a weak smile. “Don’t worry; I’ll keep you in line.”
“You always keep me in line.”
“It a thankless job but someone has to do it.”
“No pressure,” Will raised his eyebrow. “I saw a cute little receptionist downstairs. I’m sure she’d loooove to relieve your burden.” He tried to rise to his feet but Dana took his face in her hands and pulled his lips to hers.
“Don’t you dare!” she kissed him and laughed. “You’re not going anywhere.”
“I thought you were angry with me.”
Dana inched across the bed, making room for him to lie. “Not enough to let you go.” She could tell by Will’s halfhearted grin he was biting his words, pacifying her; there was something he wished to say. “What is it?”
Will bought a few seconds by looking at the clock seated on the side table. “It’s quarter past nine. If we hurry, we’ll catch the rest of the guests for dinner.” He stood and offered Dana his hand. She took it and stood flush against him, forbidding his escape.
“What?” she asked again, forcing him to look at her. “We don’t have to go downstairs. We could stay here and play around.”
Will put a few much needed inches between them and kissed her lips, “You never get enough, do you?”
“Not really. But I suspect you like it that way.”
What’s that supposed to mean? Will wondered. A ball of hormones? Is that really how she sees me? “Come on, we’ll miss dinner.” He said breaking the pregnant silence. He went to the closet to retrieve a light jacket, more for her than him, while Dana went to freshen up in the bathroom—chatting away about something or other. From his jacket pocket, Will produced a small black box containing a brilliant cut diamond and ruby ring he commissioned after the first time he saw Dana in the bookstore. He meant to give it to her weeks ago but wasn’t sure how it would be received. Yes, he’d given her other gifts but this ring was intimate, it meant more to him than he let on or dared to admit. It was a replica of his mother’s wedding ring. He rarely spoke of his mom because, being the youngest child, he’s memories of her were so little. But he remembered her ring; she never removed it regardless of her task. The gesture stayed with him and shaped his view of marriage and commitment beyond the business of making babies. “Yeah, I’m listening.” He said when Dana called out to him. His attention still divided, he punctuated her conversation with a distracted “You don’t say”. He thumbed the box closed and placed it in his pants pocket.
As custom, they checked their room key and personal affects with the front desk. By the time they made it outside, the square burst with guests from the two neighboring hotels, food, music, and drink. Such was Rome; once you’re away from the tourist traps, the hominess and warmth of its people abound. It was a homespun jovial atmosphere that couldn’t be reproduced no matter how much money an hotelier pumped into his project. Off duty hotel staff from the various hotels stayed on and mingled with other staff and guests alike…and no one seemed put off by it, no one cared. The least of which was Dana. They were introduced to a Roland Hawkins, a handsome dark haired Canadian who traveled to Rome for his friends’ stag week. He had a broad smile and deep brown set eyes. More important, he was instantly taken with Dana.
Will fingered the tiny box in his pocket and glanced across the small lawn to where Dana stood with Roland. It was apparent from the way Roland hung on to her every word that he was besotted. Will couldn’t fault him, Dana was amazing. Her natural beauty outshone every woman in her presence. Will sat listening to one of the toddlers belonging to the hotel family tell of his day in full detail…it seemed he’d made a new friend as well. Will asked him question after question, and indulged his curiosity about America. The little boy sat posed with his chin in his hand, he seemed the embodiment of the classical contemplation. Will was actually fascinated with the little fellow so much so that he promised to get his address from his mother and send him a gift when he returned home. The doe-eyed boy babbled on about the next evenings fireworks display, fuochi d’artificio. Will attempted the word but failed miserably. The boy shook his head and gave Will a ‘Why do I even try?’ look.
Dana Sander’s life just became a lot more interesting. Tossing aside her dull life as a lowly clerk, she embarks on a year long adventure with a mysterious secret admirer whom she’s never met.
WARNING: If you have a problem with the words ‘Whore’ and ‘Slut’…or spankings, then you may want to steer clear. You’ve been warned…It's Sinfully Satisfying
WARNING: If you have a problem with the words ‘Whore’ and ‘Slut’…or spankings, then you may want to steer clear. You’ve been warned…It's Sinfully Satisfying
Answering His Call: Part Two
Will and Dana grew closer by the day. Indeed, the two months rolled by calmly and happy than either of them expected. Dana’s endless well of optimism intrigued Will rather than annoyed him as he feared it would. She didn’t share his often jaded view of the world and challenged his cynicism and called his bluff when others wouldn’t have bothered. Most important, Dana had a mind of her own, reason, and sound opinions. She was quick witted and deceptively sassy. Will had fallen prey to more than a few of her jabs. Oh, he loved a good sparing match with a worthy opponent and Dana was more than up for the task. But she went one step further; she held him to his word. She’d given herself wholeheartedly to their experience and she expected the same of him. No grumbling. No excuses. No lies. He agreed to allow her a certain measure of control; he’d to let go and try anything once with some semblance of happiness.
Being dictated to, it was certainly a departure from the norm.
Will’s family, the Rothschild’s, were of German Jewish origin who, with keen business sense, fought their way out of ‘Jew Ally’ to become a European banking and finance dynasty in the late eighteenth century. With cunning wit and heavy pockets, they married into influential families and rose to nobility in 1816; amassing one of the largest private fortunes and, some say, expunging their Jewish past. There may have been a kernel of truth to that rumor. Will’s family rarely spoke of their Jewish heritage and they certainly no longer ‘looked’ Jewish.
The family’s fortune was secured by Mayer Rothschild, Will’s many times over great grandfather, and his five sons. Mayer wasn’t the warmest man, but he understood business and his sense of family duty was strong. He sent his five sons away to the corners of Europe to conduct business in person. This was the essential part of his strategy for future success: Power and control of their businesses would remain in the family’s hands, allowing them to maintain full discretion about the size of their wealth and their business success.
Yes, Mayer built a wealthy powerful family—but it was hollow, save his immediate family. The male family members were tied to the family firm from birth while the females were birthing machines, pumping out the next generation as quickly as possible. At thirty-five, Will was the youngest of his father’s four sons and he refused to marry under any circumstances. His out? He oversaw the family’s American hotel holdings and oversaw them well. Too well his brothers thought. They urged him to take some time off. Thankfully, it was around the time he met Dana, making his decision to take a holiday a little easier.
After Will broke her habit of calling him ‘Sir’ Dana visibly began to relax—she began to trust him. She was taught that all men were inherently sinister and their attentions should instinctively cause women to recoil and scramble back on her hands like a frightened crab but she never bought into that notion that all men were depraved. Her body, her sex appeal, her curiosity was nothing to fear. Dana, the middle of three sisters, was raised in an extremely strict Christian family—very traditional and painfully ordinary. Beyond college, nothing was expected on them. Then again, she was the middle sister and rarely caught anyone’s eye—her parents included. She was nothing more than a beep on the map as far as anyone was concerned. She voluntarily stood in the shadows; at least there she could be her own person, have her own ideas, and think for herself.
Bored stiff and sitting on a sociology degree she’d never use, Dana moved away from her family and broke away from the bullshit. Thank goodness she’d done it years before Will walked into her bookstore. Were it not the case, she wouldn’t have had the nerve to take him up on his offer.
As agreed, she and Will never spoke of their past. They saw glimpses of it in context to their conversation but nothing more. Of course there were unspoken hints of their past in their mannerisms and so on but neither questioned. Dana knew Will came from an old family. Hell, his surname was plastered on the side of the hotel. And Will wagered that Dana’s lack of swearing outside of the bedroom hinted to her traditional upbringing. It wasn’t rocket science; merely perception. They’d started anew, just the two of them. For both, it was liberating. Nothing mattered but the here and now. They could be who they wanted to be, do whatever they wanted to do, see and taste everything life had to offer without prejudice.
There was still so much about one another left to explore. Would a year be long enough? There were only ten more months to go. Ten months, Will didn’t plan on sitting idly in his penthouse. Having agreed to take turns choosing their destinations, Will graciously allowed Dana to choose their first locale: Rome.
Rome? The very word jarred Will to the point of concern. Oh God, she’s a papist.
Sensing Will was prepared to denounce the pope as a homophobic Nazi and she a lockstep value voter, Dana quickly expressed her long held desire to see the city of Rome itself, not as a Catholic pilgrimage. Their first crisis averted; they arrived in Rome shortly after noon giving the awestruck Dana plenty of time to take in the sights before dinner. Will, having visited the city more times than he cared to remembered, sat back and admired Dana absorbing her surrounding and identifying points of reference from one of the many guide books she snagged from the airport. To Will’s astonishment, she knew the street names by heart and called them out as they approached. Foot traffic stopped them briefly in front of the Vittorio Emanuel Monument long enough for Dana to marvel at its beauty. Will never cared for the monument and generally regarded it as the large marble monster which destroyed the ancient remains that abuts it. But now, through Dana’s eyes, he slowly began to see the city anew. He still regarded it as a congested collection of tourist spots but without as much venom. He asked the driver to take the long way around, giving Dana a tour.
The driver turned down the Corso, one of the busiest streets in the city. The area itself was a seamless mixture of old and new. On the high end the street boasted a series of imposing Renaissance and Baroque palaces and striking churches—while on the low end there was a TGI Friday’s. Will rolled his eye as they passed.
In quick succession, they past the Palazzo Colonna and several other sites. Instead of turning towards the Spanish Steps as Dana had hoped, they continued northeast around the Villa Medici and arrived at their hotel, the Eden, moments later. Spying the antique oil paintings flanked by rich hanging tapestries adorning the walls of the lobby, Dana knew this wasn’t her type of lodging and swiftly convinced Will to pull up stakes. Her choice, the Ausonia, was a small family owned hotel located on Piazza di Spanga overlooking the famous square and the Spanish Steps.
“So, what do you think?” Dana asked sweeping her hand dramatically as Will took in the vista of ordinariness that was the lobby.
Reception desk, table, chair, other chair, a plant, and more chairs, Will took a mental inventory then asked, “What’s with all the chairs?”
Lips pursed tightly, Dana ignored Will’s thinly veiled contempt and pulled him to the reception desk.
If the lobby hadn’t impressed Will, the understated elegance of their room had. It was a spacious Empire style room decorated in a sumptuous palette of dusty blues, muted golds, and creams anchored by a stately wrought iron bed laid with rich damasks in complimentary colors which matched the smartly placed period furniture. The bathroom was ample, with a bathtub and shower—and of course, a conspicuous chair seated at the large open glass door leading onto the terrace. “Seriously, what’s with all the chairs?” Will asked joining Dana on the terrace. He followed her eyes across the Medici Gardens; like a coddling parent, the ancient pines, cypresses and oaks shielded the flowering botanicals below them from the direct rays of sunlight.
The view left Will speechless. It was without a doubt the most stunning view of the city he’d ever seen. He’d always associated the square noise and congestion but overlooking the expanse and light foot traffic, he admitted his error in judgment. He looked at Dana; her face was void of all emotion as if she was unmoved by her breathtaking surroundings—as if her thoughts were a million miles away. There wasn’t the slightest hint of the bouncy tourist he expected. There was silence, stillness with a note of solemnity he dared not disturb for fear of breaking it. Unmolested, this was when Dana was most beautiful.
Dana interlaced her fingers with Will’s, closed her eyes and drew a lung full of floral scented air, “From our moment of birth, we begin our journey towards death,” she slowly opened her eyes. “It’s what we do between those two momentous events that will be our legacy.”
“And what will be your legacy?”
Reflectively, Dana paused in thought. “I don’t know. But whatever it is, it’ll be far reaching and a comfort to those I love.”
“I’m sure it will.” Will smiled, kissed her hand and left her standing on the terrace with her thoughts. The porters left their luggage sitting near a small closet abut the bathroom. Will began unpacking, hanging their clothing as neatly as someone who’d never hung their own clothing could. When the dust settled, he stood back looking at the disheveled mass of hangers self-satisfied and rather pleased with himself.
“Oh God,” Dana came and stood beside Will. “What happened here?”
Will cut his eyes at her and walked away.
“Sorry.” Dana mocked under her breath.
******
Forgoing their reservation at Lord Byron’s, Will and Dana threw on light casual attire and strolled the short distance to Campo dei Fiori, Rome’s largest and most colorful outdoor food market. In minutes Dana stuffed their hand basket full of meat, cheeses, and other offerings from the various stalls. Will trailed behind her paying the vendors in her wake. Remembering they had no blanket for their impromptu picnic, Will purchased one from one of the food venders while Dana skipped off to buy water.
“It’s like we’re on a scavenger hunt.” Will said jokingly as he handed the vender his money. The vender stared at him, blankly. “Ah, you don’t speak English.” The vender shook his head, smiled and handed Will his bags. “Grazie.” He turned looking for Dana when he was confronted by an older lady saying something in Italian. Will fought the urge to step back. The woman’s breath smelled rotten. She smiled, took the plastic bags from Will and placed them inside of a cloth satchel with handles for easier transport. Again, he said thank you and turned to find Dana. Get me the hell out of here, he mumbled to himself. He didn’t realize Dana had seen the exchange and was more than a little put off by his disingenuousness towards the venders.
There weren’t many tourists in gardens of Colle Oppio; a few people here and there…mostly locals laying about reading, napping, or snogging. They spread their blanket and ate in a shaded spot on a small hill near the ruins of Titus’s baths. Afterwards, Will lay staring up through the tree while Dana lay on her stomach beside him, reading off sightseeing options—all of which he rejected for one reason or another.
“You promised you’d do whatever I liked,” Dana pointed out. “This is my trip. My trip, my choices.”
“Don’t remind me.” Will covered his eyes with his forearm. When Dana didn’t reply, he glanced over at her. Her pouty lips were pinched not in anger, it was something else. It was hurt. He hadn’t meant to sound so condescending, but he had. He reached over to touch Dana’s face but she moved away, snapped her book shut and stood.
“I’m going for a walk.”
Will rose to his elbows and called to Dana’s back. “Wait, I’ll come with you.”
“No,” she turned briefly. “I wish you wouldn’t.”
“Well, that was badly done.” Will fell back again, mentally kicking himself for acting like an ass. He honestly tried to go with the flow…he hadn’t put up a stink about the hotel; in fact he’d held his tongue about the trip in general. But had his remark warranted Dana’s reaction? Yes, it had, he conceded. It’s like the old adage saying “It’s not what you say but how you say it”. In this case his actions spoke louder and harsher than his words ever could. Will closed his eyes and listened for Dana’s return. He’d behaved like a self-important snob; the exact opposite of who he was. But try as he might, giving the reins to someone else was difficult and his “been there, done that” attitude only made matters worse. It was time to jump in with both feet.
It was getting late. An hour past, then another—Dana hadn’t returned. Will returned to their room half expecting her to be gone. It was quiet and Dana lay curled in bed with her back to the room. Will brought the sheer curtain inside and closed the door leading to the terrace; the hotel was hosting an outdoor dinner party for the guests in the square below. Will returned to Dana and kneeled beside the bed. He brushed her fringe away from her face thinking his touch would break the ice between them. But Dana looked straight through him, making no attempt to conceal her disappointment. Will’s words escaped him—‘I’m sorry’ wouldn’t cut it.
“I’m sorry my behavior hurt you,” Will said unreservedly. “This trip isn’t about me…I’ve behaved appallingly. I’m…”
“Stop. I’m fine.” Dana interrupted. “Really, I’m alright. It just…” her thought hit a speed bump. “It’s just; you have a way of making people feel small, common people. You don’t realize you’re doing it…but you are…and you should stop it. Not everyone has had the same breaks as you. They see the world a little differently but that doesn’t make them…us inferior.”
Her words snatched the air from Will’s lungs. How could she have such a misplaced impression of him? He felt anything but entitled, and it certainly wasn’t his intention to make anyone feel inferior, her of all people. Intentional or not; valid or not, his actions had struck a nerve with Dana—and, from what little he knew of her, she wasn’t one to react without cause. No amount of apologizes would suffice; his actions would speak louder than his words. “Fair enough.” He said—awkwardly, as if the words were new to him, an ancient tongue. His brow furrowed and a faint smirk colored his cheeks—he’d been admonished by her, rightfully so but admonished nonetheless.
Dana flashed a weak smile. “Don’t worry; I’ll keep you in line.”
“You always keep me in line.”
“It a thankless job but someone has to do it.”
“No pressure,” Will raised his eyebrow. “I saw a cute little receptionist downstairs. I’m sure she’d loooove to relieve your burden.” He tried to rise to his feet but Dana took his face in her hands and pulled his lips to hers.
“Don’t you dare!” she kissed him and laughed. “You’re not going anywhere.”
“I thought you were angry with me.”
Dana inched across the bed, making room for him to lie. “Not enough to let you go.” She could tell by Will’s halfhearted grin he was biting his words, pacifying her; there was something he wished to say. “What is it?”
Will bought a few seconds by looking at the clock seated on the side table. “It’s quarter past nine. If we hurry, we’ll catch the rest of the guests for dinner.” He stood and offered Dana his hand. She took it and stood flush against him, forbidding his escape.
“What?” she asked again, forcing him to look at her. “We don’t have to go downstairs. We could stay here and play around.”
Will put a few much needed inches between them and kissed her lips, “You never get enough, do you?”
“Not really. But I suspect you like it that way.”
What’s that supposed to mean? Will wondered. A ball of hormones? Is that really how she sees me? “Come on, we’ll miss dinner.” He said breaking the pregnant silence. He went to the closet to retrieve a light jacket, more for her than him, while Dana went to freshen up in the bathroom—chatting away about something or other. From his jacket pocket, Will produced a small black box containing a brilliant cut diamond and ruby ring he commissioned after the first time he saw Dana in the bookstore. He meant to give it to her weeks ago but wasn’t sure how it would be received. Yes, he’d given her other gifts but this ring was intimate, it meant more to him than he let on or dared to admit. It was a replica of his mother’s wedding ring. He rarely spoke of his mom because, being the youngest child, he’s memories of her were so little. But he remembered her ring; she never removed it regardless of her task. The gesture stayed with him and shaped his view of marriage and commitment beyond the business of making babies. “Yeah, I’m listening.” He said when Dana called out to him. His attention still divided, he punctuated her conversation with a distracted “You don’t say”. He thumbed the box closed and placed it in his pants pocket.
As custom, they checked their room key and personal affects with the front desk. By the time they made it outside, the square burst with guests from the two neighboring hotels, food, music, and drink. Such was Rome; once you’re away from the tourist traps, the hominess and warmth of its people abound. It was a homespun jovial atmosphere that couldn’t be reproduced no matter how much money an hotelier pumped into his project. Off duty hotel staff from the various hotels stayed on and mingled with other staff and guests alike…and no one seemed put off by it, no one cared. The least of which was Dana. They were introduced to a Roland Hawkins, a handsome dark haired Canadian who traveled to Rome for his friends’ stag week. He had a broad smile and deep brown set eyes. More important, he was instantly taken with Dana.
Will fingered the tiny box in his pocket and glanced across the small lawn to where Dana stood with Roland. It was apparent from the way Roland hung on to her every word that he was besotted. Will couldn’t fault him, Dana was amazing. Her natural beauty outshone every woman in her presence. Will sat listening to one of the toddlers belonging to the hotel family tell of his day in full detail…it seemed he’d made a new friend as well. Will asked him question after question, and indulged his curiosity about America. The little boy sat posed with his chin in his hand, he seemed the embodiment of the classical contemplation. Will was actually fascinated with the little fellow so much so that he promised to get his address from his mother and send him a gift when he returned home. The doe-eyed boy babbled on about the next evenings fireworks display, fuochi d’artificio. Will attempted the word but failed miserably. The boy shook his head and gave Will a ‘Why do I even try?’ look.
Answering His Call: Part Two
“I saw you in park earlier.” Roland turned to Dana. “You were walking… alone.”
Dana mirrored his smile. “I like walking. Rome’s parks are beautiful. Well, I’ve only seen one but I hope to see more before we leave.”
“You and your husband?” Roland asked slyly as if her answer would deliver a death blow.
“Will isn’t my husband or my boyfriend, for that matter.”
“Then he won’t object to me stealing you away tomorrow…for a walk…in the park.” Roland waited patiently to be rejected. It wasn’t long in coming. Charming he might be but Dana had eyes for one person and it wasn’t him.
They continued talking for another hour before Dana said goodnight and made her way back to Will, who was holding a sleeping child. “Who is this?” she asked.
“I don’t know.” Will shrugged. “It just…happened. I don’t know who he belongs to.”
Dana covered her mouth laughing.
“How do I get myself into these things?” Will laughed.
Dana found the child’s mother, Patricia a night auditor for their hotel, and she extracted little Ben from Will’s arms. Once alone they stood watching the crowd thin. Dana leaned back into Will and he wrapped his arms around her marveling at the way her body felt against his. He pulled her hair over to one side and kissed the soft curve of her neck and asked, “You ready for bed?”
Dana purred, turned her lips upward and kissed his neck. “Ask me again.”
Will raised an eyebrow triggered by the ‘spank me, Daddy’ tone in Dana’s voice. Their day aside, she was in the mood to play and he would, after all, indulge her. “Are you ready for bed, Dana?” he asked again a little firmer and a lot sexier.
Dana felt a chill go through her when his lips touched her neck. “Yes.”
“Yes, who?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Very good.” He took her by the hand and led her to their room.
Safely behind closed doors, they showered and dressed for bed. Will all but ignored Dana.
More than a little confused by his shift of mood, Dana stood waiting for him to return from the bathroom and asked, “I thought you wanted to play.”
“I did until I realized you were flirting with another man right in front of me,” Will poked his head around the doorframe. “That was a little disrespectful, don’t you think?”
“What?” Dana’s jaw literally fell. It hadn’t dawned on her that Will was egging her on. “I did not!”
Leaving the bathroom, Will walked over to Dana and put his hands on her upper arms and leaned to kiss her but stopped short. There was something about the look on her face, in her eyes. She really thought he was upset with her. She looked so innocent, so ‘I’d do anything to get back in your good graces’. That look, it’s organic and natural. God, he wanted to screw her brains out!
Will slid his hands down her arms to her wrists, then pulled them behind her back, securing them together with his left hand. His free hand reached up behind her head and entangled themselves in her thick tresses. Gently he grabbed and pulled her head back.
Her breathing and the look in her eyes screamed fuck me. He knew that look very well! He kissed her forehead, prolonging her misery. He brought his lips towards hers and hovered less than an inch away. Dana strained upward to meet his lips but he recoiled then came close to her again, whispering breathily onto her lips, “Not yet.” He moved just behind her ear and kissed her neck. Dana turned her head attempting to meet his lips, but she was held steady by his hand in her hair. She never wanted to kiss him so much in her life.
He kissed under her ear, then along her neck, her cheek. “Breathe baby.” Until then Dana hadn’t realized she’d been holding her breath. He moved closer to her mouth. She inhaled deeply, the smell of his freshly shampooed hair was orgasmic. Reaching his destination, he didn’t kiss her, he whispered, “Breathe” so close to her she felt his word wisp between her slightly parted lips. Then he repeated the same torturous path along her left side: He kissed under her ear, her neck, her cheek, and slowly made his way towards her mouth.
He moved to his lips as if he were about to kiss her, but their lips didn’t touch though she strained towards him. He wanted to devour her but teasing was much more fun.
“Will, kiss me,” she whined.
No, he shook his head “Not yet. You don’t want it enough.” The tip of his tongue to her upper lip and slowly traced it. The grip in her hair tightened.
“I want it,” Dana said, his evasive tongue incited goose bumps and wet panties.
“No, you want Roland. Don’t lie to me.” He nibbled and kissed her lower lip, released her wrist, untied her robe, and carefully eased his hand inside of her lace waistband. Damn she was wet.
Dana rocked against his finger exploring her slit. Just a few seconds longer and she’d cum. Just a…little bit…longer, she prayed to herself. …just keep it right there. No man had ever fingered her to orgasm but it was something about Will’s touch, so gently and unhurried—couple this with his potty-mouth, he got her off every time.
Will pulled her head back further and looked deep into her eyes. “Did Roland make you wet, Dana?” he fingertip slick with her juice rubbed her clit.
“No, you do. Oh God.” She squealed when his finger flicked her clit; by now it felt as though it would explode!
“You want me?”
“Yes, please don’t stop.”
“If you want it, you know what you have to do,” he moved closer to her lips. “Admit what a dirty slut you are and beg me to fuck you. Tell me how much you need it.” His fingers slid easily between her pussy lips, masturbating her. “You want to cum? You want me inside of you?...then beg.”
Dana could hardly stand much less put words together to form a proper sentence. No way, no how.
Will looked down at his hand moving inside of her panties; the contrast in their skin tones, the knowledge that he was the reason she was dripping wet, coupled with the fact that Roland was somewhere beating off to Dana’s image drove Will crazy. “Say it, Dana.”
“Please,” was all she could muster.
Unable to hold back any longer, he plunged his tongue into her mouth. His need for her taste steered him head first into mania. He pulled her head back, exposing her neck. Open mouthed, he devoured the front of her neck.
Dana groaned his name when he hit her spot. He slid his lips up and down her neck coaxing heavier deeper moans. Her pussy went into overdrive. He’d never felt her so wet. His middle finger was deep inside her…gently in and out…his lips sucked and kissed up and down her neck, his palm rubs against her clit. He curled his finger inside her pussy as if tickling her.
Dana, normally articulate, was reduced to short quips of unintelligible nonsense and, finally, silence except for the stuttered breaths. Just the way he liked it. Damn it, he wanted to be inside of her but Dana was close, so close to cumming he couldn’t stop. Faster. Her legs began to betray her. He possessed her; his mouth and lips, his finger having its way between her legs, his palm massaging her clit…she was his. Not that he had a chance in the first place, but Roland could kick rocks—Dana was Will’s wholly and completely.
He grabbed her hair just a little tighter and she released a long telling cry and began grinding into his hand. Her breathing was ragged, her pussy tightened and sucked his finger relentlessly.
“I want to go down on you,” Will heard himself say. What?! He’d never gone down on anyone. Where the hell did that come from? He couldn’t say but at that one singular moment he burned with an inexorable need to expiate his earlier sins by performing acts of altruistic cannibalism between her legs. Penance, thy name is fellatio. Fortunate for him, Dana oral experience on the receiving end matched his so the chances of receiving a penalty flag were pretty slim.
Gently he removed his hand from her panties and they kissed as what little clothes they wore dropped to the floor. He lay Dana in the middle of the bed and looked down at her. She was so trusting. Heaven help him, there was no doubt he’d made the right choice. Dana tried to kiss him, again moved out of her reach, teasingly and kissed her softly. She bit her lower lip knowing trouble loomed ahead.
With one last kiss, Will’s lips began their descent over Dana’s delicate curves. Her skin came alive under his touch; his lips; his mouth; and tongue. Oh, his tongue sent a battalion of tiny goose bumps marching across her skin. Over the horizon of her belly, she sees him nestled between her thighs kissing, licking their tender flesh. Neither here nor there, he was in a world of his own. He was, for all practical purposes, worshiping her.
Will kissed downward…down…down further still and stopped at the side of her lips and kissed upward again. He licked up and down, driving Dana and himself insane. A little dewdrop peaked shyly from the most beautiful pussy lips he’d ever seen. Still he took his time and teased along the outside of her lips, then retreat up her thighs. Up one side of her slit, and down the other. With each pass his tongue moved closer to that little dewdrop peaking out at him. Back and forth, his tongue made the same torturous path. Will squeezed her ass willing that dewdrop to drip.
Dana moaned, “Please.”
Will looked up at her, “Are you sure deserve it?”
“Yes.”
“Yes, what?” He kissed her cleft.
“Please…just do it.” Dana struggled, knowing once she uttered the words he longed to hear all would be lost.
“Do what?” His cat-like green eyes grinned up at her. “Say the word, Dana.”
“Please, eat me.”
“Close, but not good enough.” He licked her clitoral hood. “Say it. You know what I want to hear.”
She hesitated, then said with a slight sob, “Will, please eat my pussy.”
Pussy, that’s word he wanted to hear. There was something about the way Dana said it—like fragile silk strands of spun sugar bending him to her will. With a low moan, the tip of his tongue softly licked the little dewdrop from its hiding place, and then eased it back between her lips. He licked, not to devour…he licked to savor, to taste, to explore…he licked a supplicant symphony…a slippery choreographed narrative of her devotion to her…he licked, slurped, sucked, and kissed until Dana clung onto his head, whimpered incoherent streams of utter balderdash and sung his praises to the rafters.
Tidal wave after tidal wave of her satisfaction crashed onto his tongue. Still he licked, thumbed her clit free from hiding, and gently sucked while Dana damn near ripped the sheets from the bed. Finally, she came so hard there wasn’t anyone within a half mile that didn’t know some guy named Will just turned some woman the hell out!
Arrogantly yet sweetly, he wiped his lips and moved atop Dana, looking down at her beautiful face bathed in afterglow and her warm tear-filled eyes. Her drop-dead gorgeous body lay beneath him but all he could think about was how beautiful she was and how fortunate he was to have her. They smiled at one another, knowingly. Something undeniable had changed—the tectonic plates of their relationship had, yet again, shifted. “Hey baby. Are you alright?” he kissed her nose.
Dana shook her head in sort of a yes, no, maybe, ‘I can’t speak because I just bust an ovary’ circular motion. Will was totally confused until a smiled beamed across her face and felt Dana’s delicate hand envelope his cock. He leaned close to her ear and whispered. “What are you doing?”
“I’m taking what’s mine.” Dana said without skipping a beat. Using the spongy head of his cock, she traced invisible lines up and down the slit of her pussy and clit. “Don’t pretend that you don’t like it—I know you do.”
Will’s was dizzy anticipation but he refused to given to her. She rubbed him up and down, pausing long enough for him to feel her contract, expand, and continue teasing him. His pre-cum slick cock was beyond his control and it felt damn good. In his mind, he could see it teasing the mocha tinted lips he’d just licked and sucked. It was right there waiting for him. All she needed to was slide it in. Her seductive voice spelled out her plans for him in graphic detail…the delirious tension of his head on her clit… the possibility of it dipping quickly and sweetly into her pussy had him on the verge of cumming. Fuck, he wanted to punch a hole in the wall with his cock!
Their breathing heavy with yearning; her thighs spread impossibly wide undulated under him when his tip grazed her g-spot then retreated to pleasure her clit. It dawned on him: She was using his cock to masturbate. Up till then, Will couldn’t fathom being used someone’s sex toy would be so damn hot but after this Dana could literally as well as metaphorically beat-off with his cock as much as she liked! But seeing Dana’s annoyingly ubiquitous commitment to making his balls explode, payback was gonna be a bitch!
Dana took a long breath, closed her eyes, and rolled her head back, groaning and panting his name from the dusky depths of her orgasm.
With a smooth, sensuous thrust Will pushed aside her soft folds, filling her until he felt her walls quivering in tandem with his cock. Slowly in and out, his cock coaxed her orgasm higher, carrying him with her. He brought her lips to his without missing a stroke. He loved looking into her eyes as she came—seeing her acknowledging her orgasm as his. He claimed what she surrendered. And in turn, did the same. With each measured thrust, Will erupted deep inside of her. Consciously or not, he sought to bury within her the very essence of his being—for it was she who would walk away with a piece of him.
Dana lay in Will’s arms as time ticked by. Will ran the backs of his fingers across Dana’s arm, plunged in introspection. From his point of view, their deal wasn’t going as planned. It was supposed to be two strangers on a year long stress-free globetrot. Instead, he lay cradling the woman who effortlessly crossed his threshold of want to need. Ten more months wasn’t nearly enough time but that’s all the time he had.
Dana rested on Will’s chest, having the same conversation with herself. Ten months wasn’t enough time. Though his sporadic priggishness got on her damn nerves, she adored Will—probably more than he realized. Maybe it wasn’t in the cards for her; it most definitely wasn’t following their preordained blueprint. When she accepted his offer, she hadn’t anticipated finding a friend or someone who she’d fit with so perfectly.
No, they both thought to themselves, ten months wasn’t enough time.
******
The next morning, Dana sensed Will’s crippling hunger pangs and ‘allowed’ him to choose their breakfast destination. Judging by his choice of lodging, Dana expected his choice eating holes to be no less opulent. El Toula was the discreet haunt of Rome’s classiest crowd, the ultimate in subdued elegance. Unlike the other traditional eateries, El Toula thumbed its nose at pretentious crystal chandeliers, damask covered walls, and mirrored receiving halls choosing, instead, to lean towards simplistic luxury, a warm clubby feel. Dana studied the mix of fellow diners; none seemed taken aback by seeing Will with a Black woman on his arm—they nodded hello and continued eating.
The steward took their orders and Dana excused herself to the beverage station where she joined handful of other women preparing their morning concoctions.
“That is him,” Dana overheard one of the young ladies say to a friend. “What brought him back to Rome?”
Her companion turned in Will’s direction. “Him? You know him? Who is he?”
“That, my friend, is Wilhelm Rothschild IV. I don’t know him personally; our parents were close as children and we run in the same circles; nothing more.” The lady replied as Dana poured her juice. “He dropped off the social radar years ago.”
“Good Lord, he’s hot!” the friend mumbled. “Is he single?”
“Most likely,” Her friend laughed. “He’s the youngest son and my mother says he refuses to marry.”
“So, he’s a dog?”
Without a reply, her friend laughed and weaved her way through the guests, back to their table.
A dog, Dana thought as she stood watching Will read the newspaper. Something within her cracked then shattered. Hands shaking, she brought her glass to her lips and drank its contents in two gulps. How many other times has he done this? How many other women were there? How could she have been so stupid? Question after question raced through her head. Questioned she hadn’t thought to ask herself because, after all, he was kind and witty, and charming. He pursued her. He pursued her as he would an acquisition, something to be had, dressed up, marched out, fucked, and tossed aside. True, he seemed sincere when he apologized for hurting her; but how much of that was acting to keep her from leaving? Dana stayed her quivering lip as reality crept into view. Cheapened and angry with herself for giving way childish whimsy, she no longer saw Will as her Prince on horseback. It wasn’t his fault; she allowed herself to be taken in by the fantasy. The ladies’ conversation hadn’t angered her so much as it planted her firmly back in reality. She should’ve known nothing this good could ever happen to her.
Dana caught a glimpse of her distorted reflection in the silver decanter, took a deep breath, and forced back her emotions. She looked towards the door. If she hurried, she’d be gone before their meals arrived.
The fairytale was over.
Dana mirrored his smile. “I like walking. Rome’s parks are beautiful. Well, I’ve only seen one but I hope to see more before we leave.”
“You and your husband?” Roland asked slyly as if her answer would deliver a death blow.
“Will isn’t my husband or my boyfriend, for that matter.”
“Then he won’t object to me stealing you away tomorrow…for a walk…in the park.” Roland waited patiently to be rejected. It wasn’t long in coming. Charming he might be but Dana had eyes for one person and it wasn’t him.
They continued talking for another hour before Dana said goodnight and made her way back to Will, who was holding a sleeping child. “Who is this?” she asked.
“I don’t know.” Will shrugged. “It just…happened. I don’t know who he belongs to.”
Dana covered her mouth laughing.
“How do I get myself into these things?” Will laughed.
Dana found the child’s mother, Patricia a night auditor for their hotel, and she extracted little Ben from Will’s arms. Once alone they stood watching the crowd thin. Dana leaned back into Will and he wrapped his arms around her marveling at the way her body felt against his. He pulled her hair over to one side and kissed the soft curve of her neck and asked, “You ready for bed?”
Dana purred, turned her lips upward and kissed his neck. “Ask me again.”
Will raised an eyebrow triggered by the ‘spank me, Daddy’ tone in Dana’s voice. Their day aside, she was in the mood to play and he would, after all, indulge her. “Are you ready for bed, Dana?” he asked again a little firmer and a lot sexier.
Dana felt a chill go through her when his lips touched her neck. “Yes.”
“Yes, who?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Very good.” He took her by the hand and led her to their room.
Safely behind closed doors, they showered and dressed for bed. Will all but ignored Dana.
More than a little confused by his shift of mood, Dana stood waiting for him to return from the bathroom and asked, “I thought you wanted to play.”
“I did until I realized you were flirting with another man right in front of me,” Will poked his head around the doorframe. “That was a little disrespectful, don’t you think?”
“What?” Dana’s jaw literally fell. It hadn’t dawned on her that Will was egging her on. “I did not!”
Leaving the bathroom, Will walked over to Dana and put his hands on her upper arms and leaned to kiss her but stopped short. There was something about the look on her face, in her eyes. She really thought he was upset with her. She looked so innocent, so ‘I’d do anything to get back in your good graces’. That look, it’s organic and natural. God, he wanted to screw her brains out!
Will slid his hands down her arms to her wrists, then pulled them behind her back, securing them together with his left hand. His free hand reached up behind her head and entangled themselves in her thick tresses. Gently he grabbed and pulled her head back.
Her breathing and the look in her eyes screamed fuck me. He knew that look very well! He kissed her forehead, prolonging her misery. He brought his lips towards hers and hovered less than an inch away. Dana strained upward to meet his lips but he recoiled then came close to her again, whispering breathily onto her lips, “Not yet.” He moved just behind her ear and kissed her neck. Dana turned her head attempting to meet his lips, but she was held steady by his hand in her hair. She never wanted to kiss him so much in her life.
He kissed under her ear, then along her neck, her cheek. “Breathe baby.” Until then Dana hadn’t realized she’d been holding her breath. He moved closer to her mouth. She inhaled deeply, the smell of his freshly shampooed hair was orgasmic. Reaching his destination, he didn’t kiss her, he whispered, “Breathe” so close to her she felt his word wisp between her slightly parted lips. Then he repeated the same torturous path along her left side: He kissed under her ear, her neck, her cheek, and slowly made his way towards her mouth.
He moved to his lips as if he were about to kiss her, but their lips didn’t touch though she strained towards him. He wanted to devour her but teasing was much more fun.
“Will, kiss me,” she whined.
No, he shook his head “Not yet. You don’t want it enough.” The tip of his tongue to her upper lip and slowly traced it. The grip in her hair tightened.
“I want it,” Dana said, his evasive tongue incited goose bumps and wet panties.
“No, you want Roland. Don’t lie to me.” He nibbled and kissed her lower lip, released her wrist, untied her robe, and carefully eased his hand inside of her lace waistband. Damn she was wet.
Dana rocked against his finger exploring her slit. Just a few seconds longer and she’d cum. Just a…little bit…longer, she prayed to herself. …just keep it right there. No man had ever fingered her to orgasm but it was something about Will’s touch, so gently and unhurried—couple this with his potty-mouth, he got her off every time.
Will pulled her head back further and looked deep into her eyes. “Did Roland make you wet, Dana?” he fingertip slick with her juice rubbed her clit.
“No, you do. Oh God.” She squealed when his finger flicked her clit; by now it felt as though it would explode!
“You want me?”
“Yes, please don’t stop.”
“If you want it, you know what you have to do,” he moved closer to her lips. “Admit what a dirty slut you are and beg me to fuck you. Tell me how much you need it.” His fingers slid easily between her pussy lips, masturbating her. “You want to cum? You want me inside of you?...then beg.”
Dana could hardly stand much less put words together to form a proper sentence. No way, no how.
Will looked down at his hand moving inside of her panties; the contrast in their skin tones, the knowledge that he was the reason she was dripping wet, coupled with the fact that Roland was somewhere beating off to Dana’s image drove Will crazy. “Say it, Dana.”
“Please,” was all she could muster.
Unable to hold back any longer, he plunged his tongue into her mouth. His need for her taste steered him head first into mania. He pulled her head back, exposing her neck. Open mouthed, he devoured the front of her neck.
Dana groaned his name when he hit her spot. He slid his lips up and down her neck coaxing heavier deeper moans. Her pussy went into overdrive. He’d never felt her so wet. His middle finger was deep inside her…gently in and out…his lips sucked and kissed up and down her neck, his palm rubs against her clit. He curled his finger inside her pussy as if tickling her.
Dana, normally articulate, was reduced to short quips of unintelligible nonsense and, finally, silence except for the stuttered breaths. Just the way he liked it. Damn it, he wanted to be inside of her but Dana was close, so close to cumming he couldn’t stop. Faster. Her legs began to betray her. He possessed her; his mouth and lips, his finger having its way between her legs, his palm massaging her clit…she was his. Not that he had a chance in the first place, but Roland could kick rocks—Dana was Will’s wholly and completely.
He grabbed her hair just a little tighter and she released a long telling cry and began grinding into his hand. Her breathing was ragged, her pussy tightened and sucked his finger relentlessly.
“I want to go down on you,” Will heard himself say. What?! He’d never gone down on anyone. Where the hell did that come from? He couldn’t say but at that one singular moment he burned with an inexorable need to expiate his earlier sins by performing acts of altruistic cannibalism between her legs. Penance, thy name is fellatio. Fortunate for him, Dana oral experience on the receiving end matched his so the chances of receiving a penalty flag were pretty slim.
Gently he removed his hand from her panties and they kissed as what little clothes they wore dropped to the floor. He lay Dana in the middle of the bed and looked down at her. She was so trusting. Heaven help him, there was no doubt he’d made the right choice. Dana tried to kiss him, again moved out of her reach, teasingly and kissed her softly. She bit her lower lip knowing trouble loomed ahead.
With one last kiss, Will’s lips began their descent over Dana’s delicate curves. Her skin came alive under his touch; his lips; his mouth; and tongue. Oh, his tongue sent a battalion of tiny goose bumps marching across her skin. Over the horizon of her belly, she sees him nestled between her thighs kissing, licking their tender flesh. Neither here nor there, he was in a world of his own. He was, for all practical purposes, worshiping her.
Will kissed downward…down…down further still and stopped at the side of her lips and kissed upward again. He licked up and down, driving Dana and himself insane. A little dewdrop peaked shyly from the most beautiful pussy lips he’d ever seen. Still he took his time and teased along the outside of her lips, then retreat up her thighs. Up one side of her slit, and down the other. With each pass his tongue moved closer to that little dewdrop peaking out at him. Back and forth, his tongue made the same torturous path. Will squeezed her ass willing that dewdrop to drip.
Dana moaned, “Please.”
Will looked up at her, “Are you sure deserve it?”
“Yes.”
“Yes, what?” He kissed her cleft.
“Please…just do it.” Dana struggled, knowing once she uttered the words he longed to hear all would be lost.
“Do what?” His cat-like green eyes grinned up at her. “Say the word, Dana.”
“Please, eat me.”
“Close, but not good enough.” He licked her clitoral hood. “Say it. You know what I want to hear.”
She hesitated, then said with a slight sob, “Will, please eat my pussy.”
Pussy, that’s word he wanted to hear. There was something about the way Dana said it—like fragile silk strands of spun sugar bending him to her will. With a low moan, the tip of his tongue softly licked the little dewdrop from its hiding place, and then eased it back between her lips. He licked, not to devour…he licked to savor, to taste, to explore…he licked a supplicant symphony…a slippery choreographed narrative of her devotion to her…he licked, slurped, sucked, and kissed until Dana clung onto his head, whimpered incoherent streams of utter balderdash and sung his praises to the rafters.
Tidal wave after tidal wave of her satisfaction crashed onto his tongue. Still he licked, thumbed her clit free from hiding, and gently sucked while Dana damn near ripped the sheets from the bed. Finally, she came so hard there wasn’t anyone within a half mile that didn’t know some guy named Will just turned some woman the hell out!
Arrogantly yet sweetly, he wiped his lips and moved atop Dana, looking down at her beautiful face bathed in afterglow and her warm tear-filled eyes. Her drop-dead gorgeous body lay beneath him but all he could think about was how beautiful she was and how fortunate he was to have her. They smiled at one another, knowingly. Something undeniable had changed—the tectonic plates of their relationship had, yet again, shifted. “Hey baby. Are you alright?” he kissed her nose.
Dana shook her head in sort of a yes, no, maybe, ‘I can’t speak because I just bust an ovary’ circular motion. Will was totally confused until a smiled beamed across her face and felt Dana’s delicate hand envelope his cock. He leaned close to her ear and whispered. “What are you doing?”
“I’m taking what’s mine.” Dana said without skipping a beat. Using the spongy head of his cock, she traced invisible lines up and down the slit of her pussy and clit. “Don’t pretend that you don’t like it—I know you do.”
Will’s was dizzy anticipation but he refused to given to her. She rubbed him up and down, pausing long enough for him to feel her contract, expand, and continue teasing him. His pre-cum slick cock was beyond his control and it felt damn good. In his mind, he could see it teasing the mocha tinted lips he’d just licked and sucked. It was right there waiting for him. All she needed to was slide it in. Her seductive voice spelled out her plans for him in graphic detail…the delirious tension of his head on her clit… the possibility of it dipping quickly and sweetly into her pussy had him on the verge of cumming. Fuck, he wanted to punch a hole in the wall with his cock!
Their breathing heavy with yearning; her thighs spread impossibly wide undulated under him when his tip grazed her g-spot then retreated to pleasure her clit. It dawned on him: She was using his cock to masturbate. Up till then, Will couldn’t fathom being used someone’s sex toy would be so damn hot but after this Dana could literally as well as metaphorically beat-off with his cock as much as she liked! But seeing Dana’s annoyingly ubiquitous commitment to making his balls explode, payback was gonna be a bitch!
Dana took a long breath, closed her eyes, and rolled her head back, groaning and panting his name from the dusky depths of her orgasm.
With a smooth, sensuous thrust Will pushed aside her soft folds, filling her until he felt her walls quivering in tandem with his cock. Slowly in and out, his cock coaxed her orgasm higher, carrying him with her. He brought her lips to his without missing a stroke. He loved looking into her eyes as she came—seeing her acknowledging her orgasm as his. He claimed what she surrendered. And in turn, did the same. With each measured thrust, Will erupted deep inside of her. Consciously or not, he sought to bury within her the very essence of his being—for it was she who would walk away with a piece of him.
Dana lay in Will’s arms as time ticked by. Will ran the backs of his fingers across Dana’s arm, plunged in introspection. From his point of view, their deal wasn’t going as planned. It was supposed to be two strangers on a year long stress-free globetrot. Instead, he lay cradling the woman who effortlessly crossed his threshold of want to need. Ten more months wasn’t nearly enough time but that’s all the time he had.
Dana rested on Will’s chest, having the same conversation with herself. Ten months wasn’t enough time. Though his sporadic priggishness got on her damn nerves, she adored Will—probably more than he realized. Maybe it wasn’t in the cards for her; it most definitely wasn’t following their preordained blueprint. When she accepted his offer, she hadn’t anticipated finding a friend or someone who she’d fit with so perfectly.
No, they both thought to themselves, ten months wasn’t enough time.
******
The next morning, Dana sensed Will’s crippling hunger pangs and ‘allowed’ him to choose their breakfast destination. Judging by his choice of lodging, Dana expected his choice eating holes to be no less opulent. El Toula was the discreet haunt of Rome’s classiest crowd, the ultimate in subdued elegance. Unlike the other traditional eateries, El Toula thumbed its nose at pretentious crystal chandeliers, damask covered walls, and mirrored receiving halls choosing, instead, to lean towards simplistic luxury, a warm clubby feel. Dana studied the mix of fellow diners; none seemed taken aback by seeing Will with a Black woman on his arm—they nodded hello and continued eating.
The steward took their orders and Dana excused herself to the beverage station where she joined handful of other women preparing their morning concoctions.
“That is him,” Dana overheard one of the young ladies say to a friend. “What brought him back to Rome?”
Her companion turned in Will’s direction. “Him? You know him? Who is he?”
“That, my friend, is Wilhelm Rothschild IV. I don’t know him personally; our parents were close as children and we run in the same circles; nothing more.” The lady replied as Dana poured her juice. “He dropped off the social radar years ago.”
“Good Lord, he’s hot!” the friend mumbled. “Is he single?”
“Most likely,” Her friend laughed. “He’s the youngest son and my mother says he refuses to marry.”
“So, he’s a dog?”
Without a reply, her friend laughed and weaved her way through the guests, back to their table.
A dog, Dana thought as she stood watching Will read the newspaper. Something within her cracked then shattered. Hands shaking, she brought her glass to her lips and drank its contents in two gulps. How many other times has he done this? How many other women were there? How could she have been so stupid? Question after question raced through her head. Questioned she hadn’t thought to ask herself because, after all, he was kind and witty, and charming. He pursued her. He pursued her as he would an acquisition, something to be had, dressed up, marched out, fucked, and tossed aside. True, he seemed sincere when he apologized for hurting her; but how much of that was acting to keep her from leaving? Dana stayed her quivering lip as reality crept into view. Cheapened and angry with herself for giving way childish whimsy, she no longer saw Will as her Prince on horseback. It wasn’t his fault; she allowed herself to be taken in by the fantasy. The ladies’ conversation hadn’t angered her so much as it planted her firmly back in reality. She should’ve known nothing this good could ever happen to her.
Dana caught a glimpse of her distorted reflection in the silver decanter, took a deep breath, and forced back her emotions. She looked towards the door. If she hurried, she’d be gone before their meals arrived.
The fairytale was over.