Liaison Read online

  Liaison

  Natasha Knight

  Copyright© 2012 Natasha Knight

  All rights reserved.

  License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold

  or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  Except in the case of brief quotations in reviews, no part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission at [email protected].

  Chapter One

  Gabrielle drove down the narrow dirt road that led to Villa Flora, the small bed and breakfast she and William had discovered while honeymooning seven years ago. They hadn't missed a year since, but this would be the first summer she would be here alone.

  Tuscany was having a bad summer; it was too dry. Evidence of the drought had shocked her as she’d driven the remote road through tiny villages to the B&B. The tires stirred up a dust storm behind her as she slowed, seeing the familiar gates ahead. Once they fully opened, she drove her little Peugeot into the parking lot. Three other cars stood in the shade of the trees; it would be a quiet weekend at the B&B.

  Stepping out of the car, Gabrielle opened the trunk and slung her weekend bag over her shoulder, making her way to the old, yellow structure that was the main building.

  "Gabrielle," Luciana, the owner, was working on the garden when she saw her. Immediately, she took Gabrielle into a big hug and kissed her on both cheeks. "Oh, it’s been two years! How have you been since the accident, dear? I was so sorry to hear about your husband."

  "Thank you," Gabrielle muttered, "I'm doing better," she lied. She knew coming back here wouldn't be easy, but she didn't want it to be; she needed it to be hard.

  After an awkward moment, Luciana spoke again. "I’ve booked you in one of the new apartments. I’ll show it to you, come. You must be tired after the drive from Verona."

  It had been cheaper to fly into Verona than Florence so she’d driven the four hours and, between that and the emotional toll of the trip, she was exhausted.

  She followed the older woman out the door, stopping for a moment to take in the view. She could only describe it as breathtaking. The luxurious B&B was set atop a Tuscan hill where the countryside rose and fell in the typical, picturesque greens that exemplified the region.

  As she followed Luciana, something, or more accurately, someone, drew her attention. She turned toward the source of the disruption, catching the gaze of the man who sat watching her, his eyes so dark, so intense that they’d done nothing less than command her to see him. He didn’t smile, but remained studying her, as if reading her thoughts. It made every hair on her body stand on end.

  "Gabrielle?"

  She startled and turned to Luciana who called from the end of the walkway. One last glance at the stranger whose eyes still hadn’t left her and she stumbled to catch up with the older woman.

  The room was stunning. It was in what looked to be an old building but was actually a completely new structure in the style of a typical Tuscan villa. There were four apartments in total, all with a gorgeous view of the countryside while offering complete privacy. Just what she needed.

  "Will you have lunch?" Luciana asked.

  "No, I don’t think so. I’d like to swim then perhaps take a short nap. Will you have a place for me at dinner tonight?"

  "Of course. Anything you need, my dear. Anything at all," Luciana said, handing over the key and closing the door behind her as she left.

  Gabrielle opened all of the windows and breathed in the hot, dry air. It was all so familiar, the olive trees, the grape vines. Everything had grown just a little but it was all still so much the same.

  Unpacking her bag, which contained just a few dresses, bathing suits and some sandals, she undressed and slipped on the black bikini. At thirty-two, she looked good. But then again, depression had always been the best sort of diet for her. She weighed all of one hundred and twenty pounds and stood five feet, five inches tall.

  Letting her hair fall loose from its clip, she brushed the dark curls with her fingers, trying to work through the never-ending knots. Washing her face free of makeup, she grabbed a towel, her key and a book and headed to the swimming pool.

  She was walking the small path through the grape vines toward the pool when she heard the other couple. They didn’t see her; they were too involved with one another. Thinking they were alone, their tongues were united in a sort of kiss that was pure sensuality. But it wasn’t so much the dance of their tongues that had her glued to the spot. It was the fact that his hand had slipped inside the bikini bottoms the tall blonde wore and his fingers worked her clit.

  Gabrielle swallowed and remained still, her eyes on the pair. The woman was moving her hips rhythmically and Gabrielle could make out the soft sounds of breath as the blonde enjoyed the pleasure of his fingers. A moment later, a sigh came and the woman broke the kiss, laying the top of her head on his chest as she melted into this hand. Gabrielle’s own sex heated with the vision of the couple and it took all she had to remain still when he pulled his hand out of her bikini and licked his fingers clean.

  ***

  At the pool, she dropped her towel and book on a lounge chair, stripped off her wrap and quietly slid into the cool water. Allowing herself to disappear beneath the surface, Gabrielle did what she’d been doing every day since the accident that had killed William: she screamed. She swam daily at the pool by her house in Florida and when, in the beginning, she’d been unable to control her tears, she’d just let herself go under and scream and scream, knowing the water would swallow the sound.

  She swam the length of the pool, turned while taking a breath, and once again submerged, continuing to swim, screaming all along.

  Twelve more laps and she lifted herself out, squeezing moisture from her hair as she made her way back to her lounge chair. Picking up her towel, she patted herself dry and scanned the area. One woman played with her young daughter along the edge of the pool, but other than that, it was deserted.

  She sat down, adjusting her sunglasses and picking up her book when she saw him. It was the same man who’d been staring at her when she’d checked in. He wore tight fitting swim shorts and carried a newspaper and was heading straight toward her. His body was solid, not built up like he spent time working out, but strong: a tanned chest with a dusting of dark hair, beautifully sculpted arms and shoulders and narrow hips that led to powerful legs.

  Her heart raced while she worked to manage her expression, trying to remain casual, as if she hadn’t noticed him at all. As if he didn’t have some strange effect on her. At least her glasses were dark enough that they would hide her eyes.

  "May I join you?" he asked, setting his towel down before she had a chance to answer. His looks were enough to do her in. Tall, just over six feet, she'd say, with dark hair to his shoulders. His face was shadowed by what seemed to be a few days worth of stubble.

  "I was actually hoping for some alone time," she said, picking up her book when he removed his sunglasses. His eyes were pure black, it was like nothing she’d ever seen before. They seemed to laser into her, to know her. Why did this man make her nervous? She hadn’t felt like this in a very long time. Why now? And why here, of all places?

  "I’ll be quiet, I promise," he said, settling into the chair. "I’m Julian," he extended his hand.


  "Gabrielle," she took it reluctantly, but as soon as skin touched skin, her eyes widened while his remained intent on hers. The attraction between them was palpable, his touch pure electricity. She didn’t need this. She’d been avoiding exactly this for two years now.

  "Gabrielle," he tried out her name, bringing her hand to his lips, brushing them with a soft kiss as he inhaled. Stubble tickled her flesh and that sensation settled in far more intimate parts of her body than the hand he held. "You're a strong swimmer," he said. "Do you train?"

  "Were you watching me? I didn’t see you," she asked.

  "You were looking for me?" he countered, tilting his head to the side.

  She couldn’t tell if he was teasing, but he was definitely making her nervous. "No, that’s not what I meant," she stumbled over her words.

  He dropped it. "You're here alone, yes?"

  "I…yes," she answered.

  "Pardon my directness, Gabrielle," the way he said her name, it was like he was rolling it on his tongue, playing with the sound of it. "But when I saw you earlier, there was something about you that moved me."

  "I'm sorry…?" she asked.

  "You seemed so…sad."

  Tears rimmed her eyes. She was going to cry. Right here, right now. And why? Because someone actually had the guts to tell her the truth: that she looked sad.

  "It touched me," he said, taking her hand. "I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, I want to help…"

  "You can’t help," she blurted out, trying to free her hand.

  But he held it tight, his gaze never leaving hers.

  A family of three noisy children and their parents climbed down the stairs leading to the pool breaking the tension between them. They both turned momentarily to look.

  "Let me go," she whispered when they faced each other again. The first of her tears marked its trail down her cheek. "Please, let me go. I need to be alone."

  He reached and traced the tear's progress with his free hand. "I’m sorry," he said, releasing her hand. "I meant no harm."

  She stood, and, not taking the time to gather her things, walked quickly back to her room.

  Once inside, she ran the shower, stripped off her suit and stepped inside. Water would swallow her pain, it always did. The bathroom steamed as she stood under the stream, hot and rough, just what she needed as she let herself go and wept.

  She wasn’t sure how long she remained there but when the sobs subsided and eventually died out, she turned the water off and climbed out of the shower. Wrapping herself in a thick white towel, she dried off and walked to the bed, laying quietly down. She was exhausted.

  ***

  Hunger woke her before she heard the knock. She sat up, confused for a moment as to where she was before registering that someone was at her door. She stood, wrapping the towel around herself, combing her fingers through her hair.

  The knock came again. She made her way to the door and opened it. It must have been early evening; the shadows of the sun were fading. Julian stood on her step dressed in a gray button down shirt and black dress slacks. The shirt was open at the top and tanned, muscled skin peeked out from beneath. He held her towel and book in his hands and when he moved to step inside, she instinctively opened the door farther and let him in.

  "You left your things earlier," he said, setting them down on the table by the door.

  "Thanks for bringing them," she said, suddenly conscious of how she must look, her eyes puffy from crying, her hair a matted mess around her head. She reached her hand up and once again tried to work through the tangles.

  He closed the door behind him before stepping closer.

  She didn’t back away. And when his arms enveloped her and his hands pressed against her back, pulling her closer, she didn’t struggle. He closed his mouth over hers even as their eyes remained open.

  It wasn’t a gentle, exploratory kiss. It was a claiming of her mouth and it sent a jolt straight to her sex. She moaned as he deepened the kiss, pulling her closer, one hand at the back of her head as he devoured her. Her hands went to his shoulders before wrapping around his neck and head, needing him nearer. She didn’t notice when the towel pooled around her feet and she stood naked, wrapped only in his arms.

  He moved to kiss her jaw, her neck, her shoulders. He trailed little bites that hurt just enough as he led her backwards to the bed. Only when she felt her bottom on the sheets did she think to stop what was going on.

  "Julian," she whispered, her voice thick.

  He knelt between her legs and had one small, round breast in his mouth. He made some sound of acknowledgement as he brought his lips just over her nipple. Her fingers, entwined in his hair, pulled him closer although she meant to push him away.

  "We can’t," she said, hugging him to her as he sucked, drawing the nipple out until he had just the very tip between his teeth.

  She moaned and closed her eyes.

  He didn’t speak but moved to the other breast and did the same, her nipples pebbling, her legs opening wider, her body responding to his touch.

  He progressed down her belly, pushing her back slightly so she supported herself on her elbows. Opening her eyes she watched his dark head settle between her legs. She spread them wider, unable to stop, orgasm too close as his tongue teased her lips apart and his mouth finally closed over her clit. She threw her head back and called out while he sucked, still using his fingers to work her nipples, until she bucked beneath him, her climax quick and violent and hungry, her body having been disregarded for too long.

  ***

  Julian climbed on top of her as she collapsed on the bed, breathing hard. He kissed her, allowing her to taste herself on his lips, his tongue. He was rock hard and he pressed his erection against her, knowing she would still be tender after her climax.

  "Gabrielle," he said, wanting to look into her eyes. She opened them, their golden depths darker now from her arousal. They were an unusual shade, but it wasn’t their color that piqued his interest. It was the pain he saw in them. Maybe it was because he recognized its origin, found a kindred spirit inside it.

  He ground his hips against her sex and her eyes widened. "I need to have you."

  "Let me up," she said, pushing against his shoulders. He let her go and she knelt alongside him, undoing first his belt, then his zipper. She gasped when she pulled his pants down and released his cock which was thick and hard, the head already smeared in pre-cum. Glancing at him with lust in her eyes, she brought her mouth to the tip. Her little pink tongue licked the very tip, tasting him as she kept her gaze steady on his. He watched while she circled his cock with it before taking it into her mouth, her lips closing around its width. He moaned and lay his head back when she sucked hard and reached to caress his balls.

  "Put your knees on either side of my face," he instructed.

  Without hesitating, she moved into position, her knees spread wide. Her pussy was just above his mouth, the lips open and slick. Reaching up he spread them further and inserted a finger into her, making her gasp.

  He smiled.

  "Clasp your hands behind your back," he said. "Only your mouth on my cock."

  She did as he said.

  He moaned, drawing her hips down over his face and licked the lips of her pussy before closing his mouth over her clit. She moved faster, taking him deep into her mouth, her throat. She bucked as she climaxed again, her hips grinding into him while he sucked her clit, feeling his own cock twitch and release into her mouth.

  When he shifted his body, she sat up, kneeling alongside him, a hand covering her mouth.

  He stood and zipped his pants, all the while watching her as she knelt on the bed, her eyes wide on his.

  With one hand on the top of her head, he gave his first command: "Swallow."

  She didn't hesitate, but did as he said.

  "Good girl," he said, buckling his belt. "I’m hungry. Have dinner with me."

  "I need a shower," she answered even though it wasn't really a question.

 
; "I’ll wait." He helped her to her feet and sat on the couch while she washed and dressed. He noted the fact that she didn’t try to hide her body as she moved around the room applying makeup, choosing a dress, strapping her sandals in place.

  "Ready," she said, turning to him. She wore a pale taupe colored silk dress that hung over her naked breasts and small hips down to just above her knees. Three-inch sandals in the same color, earrings and a necklace finished the look. Her hair, still somewhat damp, was held in a clip at the back of her head and he imagined she struggled with the unruly mass as long tendrils already fell around her shoulders.

  "Luciana's holding a table for us."

  "How did you know I’d say yes?" she asked.

  He grinned, "I had a feeling."

  "Julian," she hesitated when they got to the door. "What happened just now…"

  "Was fantastic. I enjoyed it thoroughly and I think you did too," he finished for her, gesturing for her to go ahead of him.

  She looked like she was going to say something but changed her mind and preceded him out the door. They walked in silence to the main building and to their waiting table.

  Chapter Two

  Luciana set the bottle of wine on their table on the patio of the restaurant. The night was clear, just as Gabrielle always remembered them to be, with some lights in the distance but dark enough that the sky glowed with stars. There were two other tables with couples quietly eating their meals but they were far enough away that all were offered privacy.

  Julian picked up his glass and sipped. "I saw you earlier," he said.

  "Earlier?" she asked, tasting the wine.

  "On your way to the swimming pool. You watched them, the couple there."

  She turned to discover that the couple she'd seen earlier in the day sat at one of the tables. Her face flaming red, she returned her gaze to his.

  "I'm not judging you. I only wanted you to know that I saw."

  "Why were you watching me?"