Carpe Diem - Jesse 3 (10 page)

In an instant he pulled out and set me back on my feet, panting. I reached up to push my wet hair out of my face and, when I opened my eyes, his hand was over mine. His gaze was intent and his eyes were burning with desire. I was riveted and kept my eyes locked on his. Then he whispered, “It’s time to taste a little bit of Candy.”

I snickered at his new term of endearment for me and said, “Mmmm, lick all you want.”

Both of his hands snaked their way down my body, following every curve as they went. I opened my legs and leaned back against the shower wall as he opened the lips of my womanhood with the fingers of one hand to make room for that magical tongue. Gasping for breath, I threw my head back as his tongue found just the right spot. I clutched at his hair; it was all I could do to keep from smashing his face into my pussy. I needed his touch so badly. My nerves were tingling, and I was trembling. Every inch of me was screaming for the attention of his tongue.
Right there, right there, that’s where I want it. Lick me, baby.

“Oooh, that’s good,” I moaned out.

He responded with fervent thrusts and swirls of his tongue while his other hand fucked me with his fingers. I held on, right at the edge. I didn’t want to finish yet, but he was in control, he was driving me up, up, up to the top of my orgasm and I couldn’t stop it. He pulled back with his tongue and flicked lightly for a few strokes, then drove it home hard and pushed me over the edge. I shattered and I came in his face, already wet with shower water.

As I sucked in air to steady my ragged breathing, he rose up from his knees and, before I had time to say a word, he turned me around and bent me over.

“Come on, baby, I want to come inside of you.”

I leaned forward in the position best to accommodate him. I peeked back behind me and saw him looking down, his wet strands of long hair falling forward as his head tipped down, and his hand held his raging hard shaft, gripping the girth of his manhood at the base, long, hard and erect, ready to enter me. My muscles clenched in anticipation and I put my head down, ready for more pleasure.

My entire body was vibrating, geared up for the stretch I would feel as he entered me. In seconds, he pushed into me and I reached out to steady myself as the force of his thrust moved me toward the wall. I gasped at the sheer passion with which he entered into me, strong, confident, and with the pure emotion of a man filled with raw desire. It was like he had to give in to it, like the emotion consumed him and he had no other choice but to be inside me and make love to me.

In that moment, the belief that we were meant for each other was sealed in stone. Jesse was my true love. No other man could sway me. Gio was no threat to Jesse. Content in my conviction, I closed my eyes and gave in to the mounting orgasm that was rising in the shower for the second time. Or was it the third? I wasn’t counting. I closed my eyes and gave into the powerful forces that were winding up inside my body.

Gripping my hips with his hands, he thrust harder and faster. Groaning with pleasure, he bounced me toward the wall with each movement, then recoiled for the next thrust, until I felt him tense and shudder. He released inside of me, calling my name out into the waterfall of the still streaming shower. As soon as he came he reached for my clit and finished me off, pushing me to my climax.

Holding my wet body against his, he tightened his arms around me from behind. Although I couldn't see his face, I could tell he was smiling as he held me under the water. He bent his head down softly kissing my neck.

“That was fantastic, babe.” He paused for a moment, then said, “I’m so glad you’re here. I’d be lost without you. I love you.”

I tipped my head back and turned my cheek up toward his kissing lips, still nibbling at every inch of skin he could reach. “I love you, Jesse.”

He pulled me tighter, rocking me in his arms.

“I’m probably going to be late to training, now, but I don’t give a damn. This was worth it.”

I jumped to a start and my eyes flew open. “Oh shit, Jesse. You had better get going. I don’t want you to get in trouble because of me. I can hear it now, Coach will say it’s my fault. That you shouldn’t have brought me to Italy.”

He shut off the water and reached for a towel to hand to me.

“Don’t worry. He’ll get over it.

Our breakfast was waiting on a cart outside our door. I was a little embarrassed by the thought that the room service attendant probably heard our wails coming from the shower. Oh well.

Jesse hurried to get dressed and snatched a piece of bacon to eat. He stuck it in his mouth then had to let go of it to use both hands to zip up his pants. He stood there, naked to the waist, looking like Adonis with a piece of bacon hanging out of his mouth as he tried to multitask.

“What are your plans for today?” he said trying to talk with half a slice of bacon hanging out of his mouth.

“No plans really. Maybe sightseeing.” I watched the bacon flapping as he talked. “That bacon is going to fall out of your mouth, sweetie.”

He finished zipping and rescued the teetering piece of bacon.

“You're not meeting with Gio?”

“No, we haven't set anything up. Maybe I'll hear from him sometime today. Who knows?”

“I hope so. You wanted to learn about the fashion scene here in Milan, right?”

“Of course.” I handed him his T-shirt. “But I also want to be here for you.” He gave me a quick kiss on the lips as he took the shirt from my hand. He smelled like breakfast.

“Don't worry about that, Niki. You're stuck here at the hotel all day while I’m gone. Think about what can help you and decide from there.”

“Really? Is this the new Jesse? First tuxedos, then the opera, and now being all concerned about me and my needs? Mmm, I like this new Jesse.”

“Keep that thought in mind for tonight, babe.”

The new and improved Jesse was here in front of me, but what about at the training camp? I knew he’d got off to a bad start with one of the team members. I wasn’t convinced that he had made a transformation on all levels and I dared to ask, “How are things going at the track? Any more hard feelings between you and that guy, Ice?”

Jesse shrugged. “It is what it is. I can handle it.”

I hoped he could. I didn’t want anything to go wrong for Jesse and his team.

He snatched his rental car keys from the small wooden desk where the hotel phone sat and headed for the door. “Okay, babe, hate to cut you off but I've gotta get going.”

“Alright, sweetie, see you later.”

I followed him to the door. He brushed his lips across mine and dashed out the door.

The bed, with its crumpled white sheets and puffy pillows, looked inviting and I plopped down on it, wallowing in the bliss I felt inside. I was happy here with Jesse. I lay back, relaxing, and thought about my life. I was enjoying Milan. Yesterday had been an amazing experience, but not a word or text from Gio since. I had run out of there last night, without even a word, in the middle of the shoot. Maybe he’s mad at me about that and now the whole assistant thing is off. But I did tell him I had to be back by the evening.

My phone lay silently on the nightstand next to the bed. I sat up and checked it for any messages or calls I may have missed. Nothing.
Damn
. I should have stayed. I checked it again. Still nothing. I screwed up, big time.

I hadn’t said anything to Jesse. I had kept my mouth shut about it, because I didn’t want him to think he was making me miss out on an opportunity and feel guilty.

My blissful feeling began to wither, like an old party balloon, as I sat on the edge of the bed and stared at my cell phone. Although I had just checked it, seconds ago, I reached my hand out to pick it up again. I stopped in midair. This was ridiculous. My hand rested on the wooden nightstand and I rapped my nails rhythmically on its hard surface.
Crap
. I really had blown it.

If I want to make it in this business I need to be more aggressive. I can’t let personal circumstances get in the way of my career. Isn’t that what my dad would do? But in reality this had nothing to do with business, as far as Gio was concerned. This was just a horny Italian guy trying to get in my pants. Chalk another one up to experience. I placated myself with the thought that other opportunities would come my way.

Just when I decided I wasn’t going to ruin another beautiful day in Milan by beating myself up over this stupid Gio thing, my cell phone chimed out its familiar ring tone and I snatched it up, a little too eagerly.

“Hi, Niki.”

“Hey, Gio. What’s up?” I said as casually as possible. I bit my lip, trying to read the tone of his voice to see if he was mad at me. “How did the photo shoot go last night after I left?”

“It appears a certain someone had to leave early.” His voice sounded playful. At least that was a good sign.

“I know, I had to get back. I told you, remember?”

“I do, but you left without saying goodbye. I was looking for you and you were gone. Anyway, I forgive you, this time. Do you want to come over and see the shots we did?”

“Um...” I wanted to shout out, “absolutely” but I hesitated.

“I tell you, Niki, you missed seeing some of Franco’s amazing dress designs. If this won’t inspire you, nothing will. Franco Delmonte is a genius, you
have
to come over and see them.”

“I don't know...”

“Don’t you want to come and see his latest designs before anyone else? You could be the first to see his new spring collection, before the photos hit the fashion magazines.”

Damn him; he was right and I was chomping at the chance to have a sneak peek at a top designer’s collection. My friends, back at my fashion school in L.A., would be so jealous. Even Kat would be jealous. What the hell, it's a business relationship and nothing more is going to happen.

“Okay, Gio. That would be fantastic. I'll be there at two, if that's okay.”

“Sure, two it is. Ciao, bella.”

I ended the call with excitement tingling through my body. Of course I knew why Gio was doing this. I wasn’t stupid, but I didn’t care. This was an opportunity to experience the high fashion world from the inside and I could handle a crazy Italian. I wouldn’t be swayed by him, no matter what he said in his dreamy Italian voice. I could accept his favors and not fall for his charm, as long as I stayed in control.

Jesse

H
ell yeah, training in Milan was the bomb, just like I knew it would be. And getting back into the action, riding again - I mean
really
riding, not just riding my Uncle Kenny's street bike – was what I lived for. This was the real deal and I was psyched. It had been exactly two weeks since Niki and I’d arrived in Milan. I was in a great mood when Coach called me into his office. I had just finished a three hour training session on the track and I was hoping Coach was calling me in to say I could take the rest of the day off.

I dropped my helmet and gloves outside Coach's trailer and gave my boots a kick to knock off some of the dirt before I entered. Pulling the latch on the camper door, I yelled inside as I opened it, “Hey, Coach. Did you want to see me?”

Coach was sitting at the kitchen table in front of a laptop, peering at the screen over some dark rimmed reading glasses. I stood hesitantly, afraid to ruin his white leather couch with my dusty riding clothes. He swiped the glasses from his nose and motioned with them for me to sit down.

“Have a seat. It's okay. Don't worry about the couch in here; it's an RV, for Christ’s sake.”

I nodded and took a seat, pitched forward, resting my elbows on my knees.

Abandoning his computer screen, Coach looked at me over the top of it as he spoke. “Jesse, I want to let you know I'm damn pleased with how you looked out there on the track today. From the looks of things, I'd say you're back one hundred percent. You get good times on the laps, keep it tight in the turns... everything is spot on. I'm happy as a pig in shit, but...”

I knew it, here comes the downer.

“But team morale sucks. It doesn't take a genius to see the cold stares between you, Ice and Santini. At first, I thought it was just you and Ice who had a bone to pick. Now Santini? Come on, you guys are killing me, here.”

Secretly, I didn’t give a damn about those two, but I understood where Coach was going. I mean, his ass was on the line if he couldn't produce a winning team. The season would be starting in the spring and if we didn't get our shit in one bag by then, there would be no trophies to hold up in the air after the finish line. And there would be no more dream job for me.

I sniffed and rubbed the back of my hand across my nose. How could I say this without pissing him off? “Coach, I'm not trying to tell you what to do, but it's hard to pull together as a team when we're training twelve hours a day, seven days a week. Don't get me wrong – it rocks – but we all get short tempers when we're tired, man.”

He chewed on the end of his reading glasses for a moment in thought and then said, “Tell you what, Jesse. We're about half way into our month-long training program and I think we could take a break. So how about tomorrow, there will be no training.”

I just nodded, trying not to appear too excited.

“Our sponsor for the energy drink company is having a promotional event at a new club in Milan. You guys on the team should go. It would be good for all of you, not only for team morale but also for our sponsor, if we showed our faces there tomorrow night.”

I slapped my hands on my thighs. “That sounds like a fantastic idea. Just what we all need.” I stood up, grinning to myself, already scheming how I was going to sneak a drink... or two... or more. I was stoked and I couldn't wait to call Niki and tell her the plan.

I gave Coach a high five and ducked out of the RV, eager to get to my cell phone. I skipped up the two steps to the inside of my trailer and reached for my cell phone on the counter. I called Niki before even taking off my riding gear.

Damn. Voicemail again
.

She had been busy every day, and even a couple of evenings, working for that photographer dude, but she he couldn’t possibly expect her to work on a Saturday night. I left her a message saying she had better be off work tomorrow night because we were going to party the night away. As I ended the message, I heard a knock at my trailer door and the voice of Jamie, my mechanic, yelled my name through its flimsy construction.