13. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
MATTEO
“Son of a—” I smack the light switch, like it’s personally responsible for my current sexual purgatory. The fluorescent bulb flickers on in the cramped maid’s closet. I’m a ticking time bomb of pent-up frustration, and I’m going to have to defuse it myself in the shower.
It’s past midnight in this discount disaster of a hotel. The half-conscious clerk behind the front desk hasn’t budged since we arrived. I’d swear he was dead if it weren’t for the drool on his newspaper. That leaves me playing bellhop, handling every ridiculous request from “Can you make the Wi-Fi faster?” to “Why isn’t there a bidet in my room?”
Chester needed three pillows for his “jazz knee.” The Dawson sisters demanded fresh towels because theirs smelled like “black mold and broken promises.” Then Stan and Rose discovered what they hoped was marinara sauce on their sheets, though given the state of this place, I’m not convinced it wasn’t evidence of a murder. Sometimes good tour guides have to lie.
And then there was Howie’s request for “massage oil with warming properties,” accompanied by Deb’s distinctive cackle through his door. Hard pass. You’re on your own with that one, buddy.
Just like I’m on my own to try to will my brain to quit imagining Katie in that black bikini.
We’ve been avoiding each other since check-in. She grabbed her room key without sparing me a glance. I can’t blink without seeing her stretched out on that beach, the water lapping at her skin, her body arching into mine—
“Cazzo!” I should be focusing on real problems. Like how the mechanic still hasn’t given me a timeline on the bus repairs. Or how the bank is ghosting me about the loan. But no, my mind keeps circling back to waves crashing over us as I dove into her perfect tits as if they were the last two scoops of gelato in all of Italy. Those breathy little sounds she made when I sucked on her nipples. Cristo, those nipples—light pink and tiny, so firm and begging for my tongue. The feel of her hand wrapping around my cock, stroking me with those delicate fingers…
“Porca miseria!” I slam another box shut searching for soap.
My dick throbs painfully against my zipper, a brutal reminder of why I’m standing in this closet. I was too consumed by memories of our almost encounter on the beach to check my shower supplies. Now I’m shirtless and dripping, my skin still tingling from the hot water, and I’m left with this hard-on that won’t go away.
“No sapone in my room? Dio mio! This hotel is shit.”
The shelves groan under the weight of cleaning supplies and mini toiletries. A metal table dominates the center of the room, an island of chaos with assorted bottles and mismatched linens next to a shoddy stack of one-ply toilet paper rolls. One ply, really?
If Katie were here, she’d have this place alphabetized and labeled in ten minutes flat.
My chest tightens at the thought of her in strategizing mode .
But then I remember how she planned out today. Plotted to seduce and sabotage me into breaking my one rule. And fuck, I almost did. Almost gave in to that primal need to bury myself inside her.
The condom rustles in my back pocket where I’ve kept it since fishing it from her bikini—an impressive feat considering it was more skin than suit. Why didn’t I just give in? She wanted it. I wanted it.
I know exactly why. Because sex plus feelings equals relationships. Relationships eventually mean family. And family means soul-crushing loss. Better to wonder what could have been than risk inevitable pain… again.
I’ll have to avoid her for the next week. Make a plan and stick to it— isn’t that what Katie would do?
Katie. Katie. Katie.
Apparently I’m no longer in control of my dick or my brain.
The door creaks open, and I shove the condom deeper into my pocket, turning to find—
Merda.
Katie stands frozen in the doorway, clutching a mini shampoo bottle. Her wet hair falls in dark blonde waves around her shoulders, and that tissue-thin hotel robe clings to every curve I had my hands on earlier. Water droplets slide down her neck, disappearing between her breasts, and my tongue pulses with the need to trace their path.
“Oh!” Those green eyes go wide as they trail down my chest, lingering toward the bulge in my pants. Her tongue darts out to wet her lips, and my cock makes sure I notice.
I’m aching to grab her, pin her against these shelves, and continue what we started on that beach. I want to drive into her and hear if she cries my name out in the same way she did when I first tasted her sweet pussy. Every inch of me is roaring to claim her.
Instead, I force my voice into curt professionalism. “What do you need?”
“I just… Shampoo was empty,” she manages, holding up the bottle like an explanation.
I arch an eyebrow, letting my irritation mask the raw need pulsing through my veins. “Are you sure you’re not here to seduce me with more strategically hidden condoms?”
Her eyes flash with that familiar fire. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me, principessa. Is this another planned seduction? Another item on your checklist?”
“We need to talk about what happened—”
“No, we don’t.” I snatch a bottle of shampoo from the nearest shelf, dislodging the mini soaps hidden behind it and sending them scattering (so that’s where they were) . “Here. You can go back to plotting my downfall now.”
But Katie plants her feet, that determined, confident look settling over her features (here we go) . Her chin lifts and that wet mouth of hers makes me want to kiss it, or at least nibble on it, and then direct those lips to my eager cock. I wish. Instead, I brace myself for impact.
“I’m sorry.”
Che cazzo? She’s apologizing?
“I was wrong to push you to break your rule.”
She takes a shaky breath that makes her robe gap slightly, revealing a teasing glimpse of cleavage. My mouth waters.
Katie pivots to leave but pauses midstep. “But I still don’t understand. Why wouldn’t you have sex with someone you like?”
The truth rips out of me like a confession. “Because I never have.”
Her brows shoot up. “Never had sex with a woman you cared about?”
“Feelings lead to other things, things like getting attached, things I’m not interested in.”
“Oh my God,” she groans, shoving the shampoo into her robe pocket. “I’m not asking you to marry me! I’m asking you for sex. You know, that thing you’re supposedly very, very good at.”
“Katie—
“Besides,” she barrels on, her tone rising with frustration, “we live in different countries. Different continents. What do you think is going to happen? Nothing about this is permanent. Nothing can happen between us beyond this trip.”
She doesn’t get it. She doesn’t get how dangerous this is for me. How dangerous she is.
“Why can’t we just admit we like each other, have several mind-blowing orgasms , and go back to our regularly scheduled lives?” she demands, her hands on her hips now.
Of course she has a plan. Even for this.
Wait—did she say she likes me?
Her voice softens. “You make me feel free, Matteo. For once in my life, I’m not obsessing over every little detail. I’m not making lists. I’m just feeling. And I want to explore that… with you.”
Her admission slices through me. Every instinct shouts, “Run!” urging me to put some serious emotional distance between us. It’s been like this since the day I stood at my parents’ graves. Avoid feelings. Casual sex is easy. Meaningless encounters don’t leave scars. But Katie…
I want her—not merely her body but all of her. Her wit, her stubbornness, and her relentless drive. I want to consume her, piece by piece, until she’s as much a part of me as I am a part of her.
Katie shifts, her confidence faltering. “Right,” she mumbles, turning back to the door. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to—”
“Wait.”
I should stop myself. I grab her hand instead. Her skin is impossibly soft against my callused palm. A thrill arcs through me, powerful. Unstoppable.
What if this destroys you?
The truth is… she already has.
I shut the door behind her, gently pinning her against it. My thumb traces her bottom lip, and her sharp intake of breath makes my whole body throb with need.
“Sì, bella.” My voice comes out rough. “Let us discover pleasure, together.”
When I kiss her, it’s not the same as before. This is slow, deliberate—savoring the sensations as if I’m tasting her for the first time. Her lips—soft and warm. She’s responding, matching my languid pace.
Her hands slide up to my shoulders, her fingers digging into my skin as she pulls me closer. Katie’s body melts against mine; every point of contact is a spark. I’m drowning in the sensation.
“Cristo,” I breathe against her lips.
I’ve never kissed anyone like this.
I let my hands roam, caressing the curve of her waist and the delicate line of her spine. My fingers find the knot of her robe, and I tug it loose. She’s gloriously naked underneath. An answered prayer.
My hands explore slowly, reverently—dancing along her hipbone, sliding up her waist to cup her breast. The weight of it fills my palm perfectly.
“Talk to me, principessa.” I brush my thumb across her nipple. “Tell me when something feels good.”
Her eyes flutter open, her gaze locking with mine. “Th-that… feels good,” she says breathlessly.
I drop to my knees, and her hands fly to the door behind her for support. Her body is trembling under my touch, and when I press my tongue against her clit, she moans like an angel gone rogue.
“Dio, the way you taste.” I worship her with long, languid licks.
“The intensity—it’s too much,” she pants. “But… don’t stop. P-please don’t stop.”
I keep my movements slow, savoring every gasp, every shiver, every broken plea. Her feminine folds press against my mouth and I’m consumed. Her hips chase the friction even as she quivers from the overwhelming sensations—she’s unraveling under my tongue.
“I can’t…” Her voice is shaky. “I don’t think I can stand.”
“I’ve got you, tesoro.” I grip her hips tighter. “Let go. Trust me.”
Her eyes slide closed, and she does. She lets go. Completely. I increase the pressure of my tongue. She releases the door to grab my hair, her fingers pulling the strands.
“Oh God. I’m so close,” she gasps. “Wait—no. I want… I want you inside me.”
I tilt my head to meet her gaze, my lips glistening, my breathing ragged. “Relax, bella. This is the first orgasm of many tonight.” I lift her right leg onto my shoulder, opening her to me completely, and thrust my tongue firmly inside her.
She cries out, her hands flying to my shoulders as her entire body jerks. The sound is loud—unrestrained—pure animal. We’re going to wake the entire floor. She moans my name and… God help me. What was I saying?
“Now,” I groan against her. “Surrender to me, principessa.”
I press deeper, my tongue moving with rough, deliberate plunges, driving her higher and higher. Her breaths are ragged, her pleas more urgent. “There,” she gasps. “Don’t stop. I’m almost… almost…”
When I slide my hand between her legs, my thumb finding her clit, her entire body goes taut. The moment I apply pressure, she shatters.
“Matteo!” she screams, and it echoes off the walls. Her release is hot and wet coating my face, her center trembling as wave after wave of pleasure crashes over her. I hold her steady, supporting her as she rides out her climax until… her cries fade into soft, breathless whimpers.
Her body yields and I rise to my feet, gathering her in my arms.
“Climax number one,” I murmur against her ear. “I’m not done with you yet.”
I grip Katie’s ass and lift her into my arms, her legs possessively claiming my waist. Her skin blazes against mine, her breath coming in short, soft pants that tease my neck—my cock throbs. I see the metal table, a stage for our bodies to come together, and I carry her to it. With one decisive motion, I sweep my arm across the cluttered surface, sending toiletries, towels, and God knows what else crashing to the floor.
“Are you serious?” she says with a half-scolding, half-breathless laugh.
“Do I look like I’m joking, bella?”
Her lips twitch as she tries to hide a smile, but it’s no use. I tenderly set her on the table, her robe open, exposing her to me. She’s flushed, her skin glowing in the room’s dim light. I take a step back and drink her in.
Her chest rises and falls with each shallow breath. Her nipples pebble, as if they can anticipate my intentions. The slight curve of her stomach, the softness of her thighs—where I know she’s still slick and ready for me. She’s perfection. She’s mine for the taking.
“Dio mio,” I whisper, my hands skimming up her sides, leaving goosebumps in their wake. “Katie, you’re…” I pause, trying to find a word that could begin to describe how stunning she is. “Un miracolo.”
“What does that mean?”
“A miracle.”
She looks away, nibbling her bottom lip as my praise sinks in. Her sudden shyness is a complete contrast to the fiery, maddening, and incredibly confident woman who challenges me with her cleverness. Seeing these hidden depths of her is a shot of adrenaline. I want to dive in, explore every nuance, uncover every secret, and savor every part of her.
But then my dick chimes in—loud and clear—impatiently urging me on to the thing we’ve both been burning for.
“There will be time for adoration later. Now? I’m going to fuck you until you forget what day it is.”
I step out of my pants. Her lips part as her gaze lands on my rock-hard cock. She just stares, saying nothing, as if she’s trying to figure out how the hell this is going to work.
“Wow,” she finally breathes. “I mean… wow. You’re huge.”
Heat floods my chest, a mix of pride and desire. “Careful, bellissima,” I say, catching her fingers as they reach for me. “Your touch will finish me off before we start.”
“That bad, huh?” she teases, her voice full of that playful edge I’ve come to crave.
“You are too much, way too sexy,” I murmur, stepping back between her legs and running my hands over her bare thighs, spreading them to make room for me.
“Wait! We need a condom! I’m all for being reckless, but not that reckless.”
My lips twitch into a grin as I reach into my pants pocket and pull out the condom, holding it up like a trophy. Her eyes zero in on it, widening slightly before flicking back up to mine.
“You kept it?”
“Of course,” I reply, my grin widening. “You went to such lengths to keep it safe. Figured it must be valuable.”
She groans, covering her face with her hands.
“I’ve been wondering where you got this. I’ve never seen this brand before.”
“Don’t make me answer that.”
“Oh, I’m going to need an answer,” I say. “Did you smuggle it into Italy the same way? Sneak it past customs tucked inside your perfetta pussy?”
“Let’s just keep it a mystery and call it divine providence.”
I nod, my grin turning wicked as I rip open the foil with my teeth. The sound slices through the air.
I pump myself a few times, the pressure almost unbearable, before sliding the condom on. My free hand moves to her center, my fingers tracing her slick folds, teasing her entrance.
“Time for your next orgasm, bella.”
I pause for a fraction of a second to let the moment sink in, then push inside her… slowly. Every inch she gets tighter, slicker—Cristo, she was made for me.
“Oh God,” she breathes out with longing.
“Are you okay? Tell me what you feel.”
“So good… so full.”
My restraint is hanging by a thread. I start to move, slow and steady—the friction is almost too much. Her moan—soft at first—morphs into a wanton growl. I thrust deeper, and it becomes something I’ll replay in my head for the rest of my life.
“Yes,” she gasps, her hands gripping the sides of the table. “More of that. Please, Matteo. Don’t stop.”
I’m teetering, edged to a cliff and fighting not to fall. “You’re killing me, bella,” I grit out, backing myself down to a measured pace.
But then she does something unexpected—her inner muscles tighten around me. I freeze.
“Oh,” she says nervously. “Are you… done?”
The vulnerability in her voice, the uncertainty—it hits me. This is what she’s used to. Quick, selfish lovemaking that leaves her wondering if she was enough. That won’t happen with me. Not tonight. Not ever.
I cup her face, my thumbs brushing over her flushed cheeks. I force her eyes to mine. “Katie,” I say firmly. “We’re not finished here. Not even close. Not until you’re screaming my name. Understand?”
She nods, and that’s all the permission I need.
My grip tightens on her hips as I pull her flush to the end of the table. In one swift motion, I hook her legs over my shoulders, the new angle earning me a gasp from her lips.
“What are you doing?”
“What I’ve wanted to since the day we met.”
I thrust into her, hard and deep, rocking our hips into a rhythm that makes our bodies sing together.
Her back arches off the surface, a cry tearing from her throat. “Jesus, yes!” she gasps between trembles. “I feel it. Please, more.”
The sound of her, the way her body is responding—it’s too much and not enough. My movements become faster, harder—my control slipping with every thrust. “You’re perfetta,” I say, my voice tight with restraint. “Sei bellissima. So fucking good.”
“Harder,” she pleads, quivering. “Right fucking there. Don’t stop.”
Dio, the noises of this woman. It’s taking everything I have to hold on. I can sense it—how she tightens—the way her breaths grow ragged. She’s close, and I want nothing more than to push her to her breaking point.
She throws her head back, her cries growing louder, more desperate. “Yes, yes! There, Matteo, almost… almost…”
And then it happens. She comes apart beneath me, her body bending with pleasure, her voice breaking as she’s crying out my name. The sound of it, the sensation of her milking me, pulls me over the edge with her. My release crashes through me, white-hot and all-consuming, and I let out a roar, my body trembling with the force of it.
Paradiso in terra (heaven on earth)!
I move slower, each thrust prolonging the pleasure, unwilling to let this moment end. Her beautiful frame goes limp, collapsing back onto the table, her chest heaving as she gasps for air.
Her legs slide down from my shoulders, and I collapse against her chest, my heart thundering against my ribs. Every muscle in my body is liquid fire. “Cristo, principessa. You’ve ruined me.”
She gives me a tired, sated smile. “You weren’t so bad yourself, tour guide.”
I can’t stop touching her, tasting her—my lips forging a path of worship along her jaw, her throat, memorizing the salt-sweet taste of her skin. Words tumble out before I can stop them: “Stay with me tonight?”
“Will there be more of this?”
“My body is at your service.”
Katie taps her finger against her chin, a playful smirk on her lips. “Hmm. Let me consult my mental spreadsheet. Pros: earth-shattering orgasms, sexy Italian accent, marathon-level stamina…”
I can’t hide my bewildered expression. She laughs, the sound warm and genuine, and it rumbles through me, right down to where our bodies are still joined. She grabs my face, pulling me into a kiss that’s slow and deep, her hands tangling in my hair.
She whispers against my lips, “I don’t need a list, Matteo. I want you.”