Chapter 20

CLEO

W e moved through the barn to catalog images and videos of the lab works inside.

It was a little after nine a.m. by the time we were done.

To my surprise, no one had disturbed our moment with the trio of siblings, so we left them cold and still snoring on the shed floor.

The Caputos were still at mass, so we returned to their Ram 1500.

Its bull bars meant it had sustained minor damage, and we roared out the Conti property the same way we’d arrived.

When we pulled next to Alessio’s SUV on the road, he jerked his chin at me.

‘Take my car and follow me.’

I arched a brow. ‘You’re keeping their truck?’

‘Fuck yeah. They’ve jacked up enough of your shit that they owe you. Plus, you need a new ride.’

‘After you messed mine up,’ I noted with an acerbic wink.

His mouth twitched. ‘Go, mia sola. We don’t want to be caught out.’

I scrambled from the Ram 1500, shocked by his brazenness, still astounded by his brand of retribution.

I jumped into his Defender and followed him back home.

When we arrived, we went through the ritual of locking up before Alessio’s strong arms captured me at the shed door, wrapping around my waist and pulling me close.

Alessio exuded sensuality, yet he held back as if he couldn’t quite believe he was here with me.

‘What a fuckin’ day, hey?’ he murmured, his breath warm against my ear. ‘You OK carissima?’

I melted at his care, twisting in his embrace to face him, reaching up to caress his cheek. ‘That was wild, but it was freakin’ good.’

Alessio’s hand covered my own, his green eyes searching my face as if memorizing every detail.

Then he dipped his head and captured my lips with his.

The kiss was tender yet passionate, conveying everything words could not. When we parted, breathless, Alessio rested his forehead on mine.

‘Voglio rimanere con te per sempre,’ he whispered, voice raw and hoarse. ‘I want to stay with you, here, forever.’

I lost myself in his flaming gaze.

In that perfect moment, nothing existed except the two of us, our hearts beating as one, savoring the incredible gift of holding him in my arms.

Alessio tucked a finger under my chin .

I gazed at him questioningly, dazed by how the radiance danced across his golden features.

‘Grazie bella,’ he rasped, his eyes filled with tender emotion. ‘For being my light in the darkness.’

‘You talk like you’ve been thinking that way for some time.’

He tugged me into his embrace, nestling my head against his chest. ‘Ah, carissima, but I have.’

‘You saved me too, you know,’ I whispered. ‘In more ways than one.’

His mere presence in my world lifted my heart out of the shadows.

We held each other tight as we entered the cabin.

It was heaven.

ALESSIO

After dinner, we changed into sweats and sat in the living area, the fire blazing before us.

Cleo pulled a worn deck of cards from her mantelpiece, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

‘Care for a game, amore?’ I asked.

She grinned, settling across from him at the rough-hewn table. ‘Prepare to lose, pretty boy,’ she teased. ‘I’m a card shark in disguise.’

I chuckled, dealing out the deck with practiced ease. ‘We’ll see about that, country girl.’

We played Five Crowns.

The radio hummed in the background, a soothing soundtrack to our gentle banter and the occasional triumphant, gloating scoff as one of us took a hand.

Later, after our game, I sipped whiskey, and Cleo enjoyed a glass of Cabernet Merlot.

‘Tell me your story, Alessio.’

I bit my lip at the husky rawness of her voice. ‘I’m a simple man. Not much to say.’

‘You talk sparingly, but you move a lot.’

If only she had a clue.

Fuck, she deserved to know.

I debated for a beat until I shared part of my truth. ‘That’s because I was born with a condition called MS that disrupts the flow of information within the brain and body. My experience keeps altering, and it manifests in fatigue, memory difficulties, mood changes, mobility issues, numbness, pain, and tingling.’

‘I’m so sorry to hear, honey,’ she whispered.

She set aside her glass and slipped onto my lap, cradling my head while she ran her fingers through my hair.

The sensation was incredible, and I let my head fall into her hands as I went on.

‘Over the years, I have used exercise and movement to curb the symptoms and train my body to be healthier. Most of the shit has subsided as I’m now in great shape,’ I murmured.

‘Baby,’ she breathed.

I shrugged. ‘It’s why when people compliment me on my looks, I hate it because they don’t see the agony I sometimes go through.’

‘When does it happen? ’

‘Sometimes, when tired or stressed, I get what I would describe as a numb feeling on one side. Also, if I’ve too much adrenaline in me.’

‘Alessio, honey, all I can see is a man whose strength is forged through fire. You’re as strong as steel, and I adore you for it.’

Her words melted any doubt or worry I’d ever had about how she saw me.

She leaned in, her lips brushing against mine in a kiss that was achingly sweet and full of promise.

As she pulled back from the tender embrace, I gazed into her eyes, tagging the swirling emotions within their depths.

Pain, grief, and anger still lingered, but there was also a glimmer of hope, a spark of something that had been missing for far too long.

We kissed, murmuring endearing words as our hands explored one another.

‘I’m so obsessed with your mouth, eyes, and touch,’ she murmured.

‘I have only one obsession,’ I growled against her lips. ‘You. Only you, bellissima.’

Our kisses were sweet and hungry, each one imbued with pure euphoria, whiskey, and longing, fueling a more profound yearning for one another. The sweetness of her breath mingled with mine, creating a heady sensation.

Soft moans and whispers of adoration filled the air as we kissed, our exhalations coming in ragged rhythms.

My hands roamed her body, tracing every curve and eliciting shivers of pleasure. Her fingers danced along my skin, igniting sparks of electricity with every caress.

I slid under her thin tee and fondled her heavy tits, thumbing and flicking her nipples.

My cock went diamond stiff in my sweats, aching, throbbing for her, always for her.

Cleo’s inhales grew heavier at my touch, and she began to explore me.

Her fingertips grazed the waistband of my sweatpants, mere inches from my pulsating erection.

She leaned in closer, her lips close to mine, and whispered, ‘I want you, too, so bad - it’s so hard for me to breathe, needing you so much.’

I pulled back, taking in her flushed face and heavy-lidded eyes.

‘Then let me give you a flavor of the fuckin’ bliss about to come your way, cara,’ I murmured, my voice a timbered growl. ‘I want to make you happy. I’m going down on you, and I won’t permit you to think about returning the favor.’

Her eyes widened as I knelt before her and clutched the edge of her tee, pulling it off her.

Her bra followed, and I was transported to heaven.

Her body was a work of art, every curve and contour perfect. She was mine, and I wanted to show her just how much.

I glanced at her and said, ‘You are a goddess, and I am here to serve you. I want you riding me right now, face between your legs.’

Cleo blushed at my words. ‘Baby.’

I reached up and pulled her close, my lips finding hers in a passionate kiss.

She moaned as I stared at her tits.

They were a sight to behold, heavy globes crowned with caramel-tipped pebbled tips. I paused, not wanting to rush things, and let my eyes linger on their beauty .

My woman eyes locked on me from above, her lust-filled gaze making my cock twitch in anticipation. ‘You can touch them, you know,’ she whispered.

I gazed up into her eyes, lost in their depths. ‘I fuckin plan to, but first, I want to show you how much I crave you.’

With that, I began to kiss her neck, nibbling and biting, leaving a trail of hickeys that would mark her as mine.

Her moans underscored the fact she belonged to me, body and soul.

My lips moved lower, teasing the tender skin of her collarbone. Cleo arched her back, her breaths growing shallow and quick.

‘Oh Dio. More,’ she begged, breathy and filled with desire.

I smiled against her flesh, my hands finding their way back to her breasts.

They were warm and soft, the perfect size for my palms. I began to knead them, rolling her nipples between my fingers until they hardened into small pebbles.

Cleo cried out, her hips bucking. ‘I crave you, Alessio. I need you so much.’

‘I’m here, my love,’ I whispered, my timbre husky with arousal. ‘Just let me adore you.’

And worship her I did, my lips trailing down her chest, over her stomach, and down to her waistband. She moaned, her hands tangling in my hair as I kissed and licked her skin.

I sank to the floor, pulling her legs apart.

‘Alessio, please!’ she begged, her utterance thick with yearning. ‘I need you now.’

My eyes glinted wickedly as I grabbed her hips and slid her so that she was lying down, her thighs spread for me.

Without a moment’s hesitation, I dragged her pants off and pushed the lace of her panties aside, revealing the pink, wet folds of her desire.

I lowered my mouth to her, my tongue darting out to sample her sweetness.

Cleo’s breath hitched as I traced gentle circles around her entrance, feeling her shiver at the feather-light touch.

‘Dio, Alessio,’ she whimpered, her groin bucking. ‘Please, I can’t wait any more.’

Her words were my undoing. My hunger for her was insatiable, and I’d lose my mind if I didn’t feast on her now.

With a growl, I tore her panties and buried my face between her legs, my tongue diving deep inside her. She moaned out in pleasure, her hands gripping my hair as I licked and suckled at her most intimate places.

‘Oh fuck!’ she wailed out, her body convulsing underneath mine.

I was rocked by a sense of triumph at her surrender, and a kaleidoscope of emotions washed over me as she opened up to me.

I delved further, my mouth tracing every curve, flicking her clit with just the right amount of pressure.

‘Alessio, yes!’ she cried, her hips bucking into my face. ‘Oh, please, more!’

My fingers joined my tongue, sliding inside her slick entrance, stroking her velvety walls.

She moaned my name, her muscles clenched around my hand, pulling me deeper into her.

Cleo moaned, her hands gripping the sofa as my tongue explored her. Her flavor was intoxicating, and I couldn’t get enough.

My cock throbbed so hard as she mewled, thrusting into my beard, soaking it, clutching my hair and shoulders as she rode me to her bliss.

My fingers moved in rhythm with my tongue, fucking her, driving her wild with every thrust. Her breaths became ragged and shallow, each moan and whimper music to my ears.

She trembled and shook, her orgasm building, her muscles tightening around my fingers. I increased my pace, my burred tongue tip dancing on her most sensitive spot as I pleasured her.

‘Alessio, oh Dio!’ she cried out, shaking as she convulsed in pleasure. ‘So good!’

That was all the encouragement I needed.

I slipped two more digits inside her, thrusting her with a ferocity that matched her own. My thumb continued to flick her clit, sending her over the edge.

I bent over and suckled it as her back arched, her body convulsing as her orgasm washed over her. I moaned against her, savoring the feel of her wet coating my hand.

I flicked her nipples, pulling, plumping them for me before I descended on her left one. Licking and suckling her sensitive skin and turgid nerve endings.

‘Oh, Alessio!’ she cried, shuddering. ‘Honey! I’m going to cum so hard!’

Her words were my undoing. I wanted her more than anything in this world, and seeing her so lost in pleasure only fueled my desire.

My cock had never been more rigid, more pulsing than it was now, my eyes scorching, raking over her as her ecstasy approached.

Fuck, it was the most I’d ever been turned on.

‘Oh, Alessio,’ she gasped, her voice barely a whisper. ‘I’m so close, please don’t stop.’

Her utterances were like fuel for me, and I redoubled my efforts, descending to feast, so my tongue danced over her clit as my fingers thrust inside her.

‘Yes, yes, yes!’ she cried out, her body bucking underneath me. ‘I’m cumming, baby!’

Her orgasm was a symphony of euphoria, waves of bliss crashing over her like a tidal wave. Her muscles clenched around me, her moans filling the air as she rode her high to its heart-shattering peak.

She came apart in my arms, wracked with pleasure. My desire threatened to break free as her climax washed over her.

Then I lost it.

With a roar, I surged back from her, rocked onto my heels, and arched my spine.

My hand instinctively went to my cock, over the tented material, kneading and massaging the pulsing, red-hot shaft.

While the other hand continued its ministration to Cleo’s sensitive flesh, coaxing more and more from her.

I stiffened and shuddered as I reached my peak, sweat pouring down my chest in rivulets, muscles rippling with gratification.

I came so hard, with such a gush and torrent of cum, I spurted into my fuckin’ pants.

The fabric straining, hips bucking and grinding as I rode out the waves of pleasure.

The tang of her lingered on my lips as I let out guttural moans, the scent only fueling my desire even more.

I convulsed, and my senses were overwhelmed by the rush and deluge of ecstasy.

It was damn pure and intense, as was Cleo’s release, which appeared to last forever. She still shook as I thrust into her with my hand.

My gaze worshiped her as she lay before me like a goddess, eyes still closed, limbs still twitching with the aftershocks of the overwhelming orgasm.

The perfume of our sex filled the room, spicy and musky, mixed with the slight tang of sweat and the lingering scent of her wetness.

I couldn’t help but smirk, taking in the sight of her sprawled across the sofa, panting, legs thrown open, her hips glistening with her arousal and my saliva.

Canting forward, I slid my hand from her pussy and sought her lips as she came down.

‘Brava, Cleo,’ I whispered, hoarse with passion. ‘You’re a sensuous goddess; I am your obedient devotee.’

My fingers parted her mouth, tracing the delicate contours of her face and then delving into her mouth to savor the remnants of our shared intimacy.

Our breathing slowed, and our hearts decelerated in sync as we both shuddered in the afterglow of our intense encounter.

‘Cleo,’ I rasped, my voice still tinged with arousal. ‘I adore you.’

I kissed her hot, sweaty skin, a trail from the top of her chest to the base of her throat. She gasped, her hands stroking my hair, tugging me.

‘Alessio,’ she panted, husky with the remnants of her ebbing desire. ‘I can’t believe how incredible that was.’

I chuckled. ‘Cara, that’s just the beginning,’ I promised, my eyes never leaving her face as her breathing evened out, the ebb of her orgasm draining from her body. ‘But for now, I need to clean up. ’

That’s when she noted the wet spot on my gray sweats.

‘Did you just -’

‘Si,’ I growled with no shame.

She smirked. ‘Early off the mark, soldier. In some places, that means instant disqualification.’

I growled. ‘I’ve imagined you, this, us, often in the past ten years. Can’t blame me that I blew when my dream came true.’

‘You weren’t celibate all this time, were you?’ she teased.

I shook my head. ‘They never meant anything. I never charged up with anyone like I have with you. How about yourself?’

She blushed. ‘One or two, an old boyfriend and some fly-by-the-night hostel hookups when I was abroad and in Sydney. Nothing extraordinary.’

‘Bene. That’s because you were always destined to be mine, body, mind, and soul. Now, no one else will ever have you.’

‘So obsessive.’

‘You love it.’

I could tell she did by the soft light in her eyes and the part of her lips.

She yawned, and I tagged the post-orgasm lassitude hit her.

Shifting her in my arms, I cradled her against my chest as I stood.

She mumbled a sleepy protest, but I shushed her. ‘It’s alright, sweetheart. I’ve got you.’

I carried her to the bedroom, each step measured and careful as I accounted for my stiff shoulder, focusing on the precious cargo in my clasp.

I laid her on the bed. Finding a dry towel, I cleaned her and helped her wriggle into a fresh pair of cami shorts.

I tucked her in, pulling the covers to her chin .

She blinked up at me, her eyes hazy with fatigue. ‘Stay with me?’ she asked, her voice small and vulnerable.

‘Where else would I sleep except for in your embrace, bella? But I need to freshen up first.’

She nodded, her eyes already drifting shut. ‘OK,’ she whispered, the words slurred with exhaustion.

I kissed her mouth and left her to go clean myself in the outhouse, where I shucked off my sweats with a curl of my lips.

Fotto, I’d come in my pants like a horny teen.

It’d been fuckin’ incredible even as I thought of how much sliding in her would be even more enticing.

When I took her, our lovemaking would be off the charts.

Dressed, I returned to the cabin, finding her half drifted off.

I eased into bed and tugged her close, mouth descending on hers.

Her lips were soft and wet. My fingers pressed them as the will to continue was too overwhelming.

I growled, ‘I think I’ve adored you for a long time, Cleo.’

She opened her eyes, blinking and smiling up at me. Her gaze was heavy-lidded and filled with emotion.

I moved my hand from her mouth to cup her cheek, my thumb stroking away a tear that escaped.

I leaned forward, my lips brushing hers. ‘You don’t have to say anything you’re not ready to. But know this: I promise, always and forever, you will be mine, and I will be yours.’

‘Alessio,’ she murmured, cradling my face in her hands. ‘You’re fast becoming my sweetest obsession.’

Her words were music to my ears, and I nodded, my eyes never leaving her until she closed her jade beauties and fell asleep in my arms.