His incessant fingering of her brought the desired response. She whimpered and stiffened simultaneously. It was glorious to feel her quivering and tightening around his finger, and her gasps as he felt her explode were music to his ears. But the cry of his name on her lips made his cock pulse against his trouser leg, demanding satisfaction.
He ran his tongue up her neck to her ear and whispered, “My darling love, I adore you with every fiber of my being. Now, may I please fill you with my heart, soul, andcock?” He resumed caressing her clitoris, and he felt it harden again.
“Yes! Yes! Yes!”
*
Gabriella rested againstJack’s chest. Their passionate lovemaking had wrung whatever doubts she may have harbored. His fingers rubbed the back of her neck, and his warm lips pressed to her temple. She could hear his thundering heartbeat that only now began to return to a normal rhythm. Her head was spinning from their passionate lovemaking and his declaration of love for her.
Jack loved her, and no dream could ever compare to that reality.
Gabriella snuggled against Jack’s chest, drifting on the buoyancy of satiation as the truth of things slowly returned to her. She wanted to forget every pressing matter not resolved, but she could not. Jack may have hidden the painting, but wherever he hid it, it would never be safe from the baroness.
Iris’s words returned to her, and a realization followed. Until the portal was closed and destroyed, she would not be safe. None of them would.
Gaby opened her eyes and studied the face of the man she loved. With his eyes closed, she had a moment to admire his strong, bold features in repose. He was so handsome, virile, and impossibly determined in everything he did. She marveled at the twist of fate that had brought them together. Her heart swelled with love, and she was reminded that anything worth having was worth fighting for. If Jack and she had a future together, she would have to risk everything.
“A penny for your thoughts, lovey.” A quirky smile graced his lips.
“Were you watching me watching you with your eyes closed?” Was there nothing she could keep secret from him? Not that she wanted to, but still, how easily he could read her mind was perplexing.
He wrapped his arms around her, trapping her against his hard chest. “I will not have you second-guessing what just happened and bolting away from me like last time. Let us just say your recovery from our sweet liaison was more rapid than mine; however, my sixth sense remains ever conscious of you, and I will not have you doubting my feelings for you.”
She cupped his face in her hands. “I would never have run from you then if I didn’t think it was for your benefit. I promise I will never run from you again, and you can cast aside any thought that I would ever doubt you.”
“Good. Now that that’s settled, where were you a moment ago? Certainly not on this bench with me.”
“I cannot ignore the possibility that unless Iris stops the baroness, or contessa, or whomever she is, and returns with the painting to Marco, you and I might suffer the same fate as them. It frightens me to think that I might suddenly be taken from the life we built together and sent to another time and place. Time travel has brought us together, and time travel could pull us apart.” Voicing her fears brought tears to her eyes.
“I will never let that happen. Although I would love to keep the painting because it brought you to me, I will gladly relinquish it to Iris if it means keeping you with me for the rest of our lives.” He gently wiped away her tears with the pads of his thumbs, the same pads that had brought her to bliss. He kissed her forehead more like a husband than a lover.
“Knowing Em and Jen, they’ve probably been hatching a plan with the others while we’ve been playing hooky. But what do you think? Should we hang the painting in a prominent location where everyone can see it?”
“We’d be making it easier for the contessa to steal it, wouldn’t we?” He smoothed her hair back over her shoulder.
“Iris says the contessa can’t pass through the portal unless she is there. But if you wish to rid yourself of a dangerous beast, would it not be better to lure it out in the open and confront it on your own terms? At least then you are prepared to do battle.”
“I see the wisdom in your plan. If we ready ourselves, I am sure we can succeed in putting an end to her evil machinations. It would be heartening to know that Iris and Marco were reunited and that we, too, might know the bliss of a life shared together.”
Gaby threw her arms around his neck. “Oh, Jack, you never cease to surprise me. I was sure you’d argue endlessly over my suggestion. I was so foolish thinking you would think us all mad with our tales of time travel. All of this has felt like a dream, and I fear I’ll wake up tomorrow, and you’ll be gone.”
“You can disabuse yourself of that notion. You will not rid yourself of me that easily. I’m afraid you are stuck with me, my beauty.”
“And you are stuck with me if you’ll have me.”
“Oh, I’ll have you all right,” he said, giving her a quick kiss on her lips. “In fact, I’d love to have you right now, but I’m afraid your friends will come after me with torches if I don’t bring you back to them safe and sound. Come, my beauty—let us plan how we shall slay the beast.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Maremma, Italy
October 21, 1902
Rays of sunshineburst through the cloud cover like gleaming swords penetrating the clouds and piercing the ground. Soon the density of clouds rolling in from the sea would overwhelm the meager fingers of light, and rain would follow in their stead.
Gabriella, holding a basket, took advantage of the lull before the storm, snipping herbs and pulling vegetables for the day’s meals from the rich earth in the garden beds. The declarations of love she and Jack gave to each other played in her mind as she worked. And though her heart sang with the memory, the necessities for guests and staff had to be addressed. She chuckled to herself as she mused—as fulfilling as love might be, one could not survive on love alone, and breakfast must be served with a villa full of people.
Standing, she brushed the dirt from her skirt. A raindrop hit her cheek, and she wiped it away. Gaby glanced up at the gray, leaden clouds that filled the sky, and she was glad that the basket was filled and she’d be inside before the downpour began. The darkening sky did not dampen her spirits, and she looked forward to the cleansing rain that would wash away the dirt and the troubles that assailed her. She sensed it would rejuvenate her hopes and dreams. Everything felt possible when in love.
