Letters to the Baumgarters (10 page)

“I want the whole world to see you, bella,” he whispered into my ear from
behind me, his cock riding between the crack of my ass as he pressed me up
against the window. The view of the Grand Canal was beautiful, the sun glinting
off the water, a water-taxi passing by as I watched. I was topless, the corset
pushing my breasts up against the window sill.

“You’re crazy!” I gasped, but he threw the window open wide, and we both
might have fallen out if it weren’t for the railing between us and the wide
waterway. I grasped it, crying out as Nico shoved his cock into me from behind,
thrusting up hard. His hand grabbed my hips for leverage, fucking me hard and
deep and fast.

“Wait!” I cried, but he wouldn’t, and I couldn’t do anything but hang on,
my breasts swaying in the cool April breeze, knowing that anyone could see us.
“Oh god, no, no…”

“You feel so good,” he moaned, leaning over me, his pelvis molded to my
ass, his cock buried to the hilt. “I’m going to come so hard inside of you.”

I moaned and gave in to the sensation, my knuckles gripping the railing
so hard they were white, going up on my tiptoes, even in heels, to take more of
him, all of him, as deeply as I could. My pussy swallowed him up like it had
been starving for him, as hungry as I was for his cock, his cum. I fucked him
back, grinding my ass into the saddle of his hips, crying out, not caring
anymore who heard us, who saw.

“Make me come all over your cock!” I panted, not daring to close my eyes,
even as close as I was to climax. The water lapped at the cement below us,
licking the sides of the seawall like a dirty wet tongue. “Oh fuck, fuck, I’m
gonna come!”

He grunted and fucked me harder, deeper, a hand on my shoulder now for
even better purchase. I could barely hold onto the railing, my back arched, my
pussy stretched wide for the thrust of his cock. I was lost, gone, being fucked
on the banks of the Grand Canal in Venice and about to have the most intense
orgasm of my life.

And I almost said Mason’s name.

It hovered on my lips, a low “Mmmmmmm” in my throat, and I kept it there,
muffling my cries.

My climax hit like a shockwave, shuddering through me. If he hadn’t had
me around the waist with one arm, I would have collapsed to my knees. My pussy
clamped down on his swollen length, the motion just enough to send him over
with me. I rode the pleasure waves, letting them wash over me again and again.

“Oh my god,” I gasped, feeling him slipping out of me, turning in his
arms. He was grinning, panting, his eyes half closed, swinging the window shut
and pulling me into his arms.

“You’re so incredible.” He kissed my cheek, my temple, my jaw, pulling me
up so tight my feet left the floor. “I could eat you up.”

“You’re crazy.” I was laughing now in his arms, my heart still beating
like bird’s wings in my chest. “You know that? You’re just crazy.”

“Crazy for you, yes.” He kissed me and I could feel the smile still on
his lips. “Are you glad I rented the room now?”

I glanced back at the window, not open now, but the curtains still open.
I wondered how many people had seen us, if the hotel would get calls or
complaints.

“I’m not sorry,” I admitted, my weak knees finally giving out. I
collapsed in the chair behind me, looking up at him with a half-smile.

“I’m glad.” He slid his jeans down his hips and I raised an eyebrow. He
laughed. “I’m just going to take a shower before we go eat. Unless you want to
go again…?”

I groaned, shaking my head. “Not yet.”

“But many more times,” he promised, a hand moving through my hair.
“Today, tonight, tomorrow…”

I smiled, but guilt twisted a knife in my belly and I gritted my teeth
through the pain as Nico went to the bathroom. I looked down at my outfit, cold
now, and shivered. All I could think of was Mason, waiting back at my flat. I’d
left him there to come here with Nico and had spent god only knows how long
having sex. Now how was I supposed to tell Mason I wasn’t coming back tonight?
Or how was I supposed to tell Nico I had to leave?

It was impossible.

I heard Nico turn on the shower and I ran over and flung myself across
the bed, reaching for the telephone, knowing I didn’t have long.

“Hey, there you are!” Mason’s voice was warm and my body’s temperature
changed the moment I heard it. “I was starting to get worried.”

“I’m sorry, I got caught up,” I said, keeping my voice low.

“So, where do you want to go to dinner?”

“Well, the thing is…” I glanced toward the bathroom door and prayed Nico
didn’t open it. What was I going to say? How was I going to get out of this? It
didn’t occur to me that I should have had a plan before I picked up the phone
to call.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, I just…”

Then my worst nightmare came true.

Nico came out of the bathroom, fully nude, heading for his bag next to
the bed when he noticed I had the phone in my hand.

“Who’s that?” he inquired. “Room service?”

I could have covered the mouthpiece and lied, continued with the ruse,
but I didn’t have the heart—or the stomach—to do it anymore.

“Mason, I’ll call you right back.” I hung up the phone, looked at Nico,
and told him the truth. “That was my ex-husband.”

“Your…what?” He blinked at me.

“I’m sorry.” I patted the bed, urging him to come sit. “I should have
told you before.”

He joined me on the bed. “But he’s your
ex
-husband.”

“Yes. We’ve been divorced for a year or so. But he’s here in Italy. He
came last night.”

“Why?” His face said he already knew the answer, and so did I.

“He says he has business here, but I think…” I sighed. “The truth is, he
wants me back.”

“Bella…” He turned me toward him, his eyes soft, a little wet. I
pretended not to notice. “I want you too.”

“I know.” I looked down at the carpet. “That’s the problem.” I stood,
starting to dress. “I have to go.”

“Please stay.”

I found my panties and bra in the bathroom, my jeans in a ball on the
floor. “I can’t.”

“Are you going to him?” he asked, watching me pull on my t-shirt, slip on
my shoes.

“No…” I hesitated at the doorway, looking back at him. “I don’t know. I
just need to go somewhere to think for a while.”

“I’ll be here.” He looked so sad, so vulnerable, just sitting there on
the hotel room bed, that same bed he’d hoped we’d spend the night in. I thought
the guilt couldn’t get worse, and then he said, “I love you.”

“I have to go.” I pulled the door open and practically ran out.

Chapter Five

Dear Carrie and Doc,

I had to be honest with them both. You were so right. So I told Nico
about Mason, and Mason about Nico, and now things are even more crazy than they
were before. I guess some part of me expected one or the other of them to give
me an ultimatum or just abandon me altogether once they found out I was seeing
them both, but it seems as if my life just wants to be complicated.

“We’re not married anymore. I have no claim over you. Just hope, Dani.
That’s all I have.” That’s what Mason said to me when I told him I’d been
seeing someone else. But you’re not going to believe what else he said. “I just
want to prove to you that you can trust me. I love you, and I hope that you can
give our relationship another chance.”

Of course, Mason always talked a good game. But the thing is, this
time… he’s actually backing his words up with reality. I know he’s here on
trust fund money and all—his parents’ money—but he’s also here in direct
defiance of everything they wanted for him. His father didn’t want him to come
here, didn’t want to take his part of the business overseas. They, of course,
had hoped he’d forgotten about me entirely. But he’s here, he says he’s still
in love with me, and that he wants to work things out. And for once, I believe
him.

But then there’s Nico. I can’t say if I’m in love with him or not.
Things are still so new. But I think… I think I am. We had a fight the other
day about—of all things—his mother. (Why do I keep picking men with mother
issues? Never mind, I bet I don’t want to know…) Anyway, I felt awful
afterward, and I realized, after two days of not talking to him, how much I
really, really missed him in my life, how much I’d started counting on him to
be there for me.

I feel so torn now. And Nico was just as accommodating as Mason, for
pete’s sake, when I told him. “Whatever you want.” That’s what he said. “I’ll
accept whatever makes you happy.” So for now, I’m dating them both. Which is
strange and awkward—they’ve met now and seem to loathe each other, which I
guess is understandable—and I know I’m going to have to make a choice at some
point in the near future.

I just don’t know what I’m going to do. Maybe I should run away to
Michigan and come live with you guys? Ha ha. (Only kind of kidding…)

* * * *

“How can you both live in the same place?” Bewildered, I looked between
Mason and Nico, both of them standing in the kitchen of the apartment, their
arms crossed, identical scowls on their faces.

“We’ve come to a truce,” Nico explained, speaking English out of courtesy
to Mason. “It’s the only one left in the building, and it has two bedrooms.”

I gaped at him. “Roommates? You’re going to be roommates?”

“Why not?” Mason shrugged. “It’s cheaper. And they’re willing to sign a
month to month lease, which is something I haven’t been able to find anywhere
else in this city.”

“But… but…” I couldn’t even begin to tell them how much of a bad idea I
thought it was. I sputtered and spat my objections, which just came out as
garbled gibberish.

“It will be easier for you,” Nico remarked with a smirk. I could have
smacked it off his face.

Mason snorted a laugh. “True enough.”

“This is crazy,” I muttered, storming off toward the bathroom. It was
hard enough, being with both of them at once, especially since they turned
everything into some sort of pissing contest. But having them live together? It
was impossible. I splashed water on my face, frowning into the little mirror
over the sink.

And then it occurred to me. Maybe this was part of their plan. If I
couldn’t separate them, split them up, see one here and one there, I’d have to
make a choice faster, wouldn’t I? But then what? What happened when I chose
Mason instead of Nico? Or Nico instead of Mason? Both scenarios made me feel
dizzy and I gripped the edge of the sink, breathing hard.

“Dani?” It was Mason, knocking.

And then there was Nico, right behind him, echoing, “Dani? Are you all
right?”

“Fine!” I called, opening the door to find them both standing in the
doorway. I sighed, looking between the two of them. “So now what?”

“Now we buy furniture,” Mason replied, slapping Nico on the shoulder.
“We’ve already got beds though, right?”

I blinked. “You do?”

“Mine from home,” Nico explained. “And my sister gave us another. I put
it in the second bedroom.”

“My room,” Mason reminded him.

“She’s okay with this?” I scoffed.

Nico looked sheepish. “I told her it was for a friend.”

“And what does your mother say about it?” I inquired.

His jaw tightened. “It doesn’t matter. I’m moving out.”

“Good for you, man.” Mason slapped him on the shoulder again.

“Am I in a
Twilight Zone
episode?” I asked faintly, shaking my
head.

Mason turned to me, putting his hands on my shoulders. “Hey, I’ve got a
meeting tomorrow afternoon. Can you come as my interpreter?”

Nico scowled. “We were supposed to go to the gallery tomorrow afternoon.”

“We can do the gallery after the meeting,” I said to Nico.

“I suppose.” His scowl disappeared when he said, “Oh, my sister wanted to
know if you could come to dinner at her place tonight.”

I bit my lip “Is it something special?”

“It’s Maria’s tenth birthday.” Anna’s daughter. I knew she’d be
disappointed if I didn’t show up.

“We’re going to dinner tonight,” Mason reminded me.

I sighed. “I did already make plans.”

Nico relented, but tried again. “What about tomorrow night?”

“How many birthdays does your niece have?” Mason countered.

Nico rolled his eyes. “Very funny.”

“I could do dinner with you tomorrow night,” I offered, trying to make
peace. This was impossible. 

“We can go to
Il Ridotto
again.”

I shook my head and sighed. “Nico, that’s so expensive.”

“That’s where I’m taking her,” Mason interrupted. “I don’t think she’s
going to want the same thing two nights in a row.”

The irony of that statement didn’t escape any of us.

“I think
Il Ridotto
once a year is sufficient,” I said.

Nico didn’t give up. “There’s always the
Jazz Club 900
. Or we
could go to another club. Do you want to go dancing?”

“Dani doesn’t dance.” Mason snorted laughter.

“I dance!” I nudged him with my elbow, admitting, “I just don’t dance
well.”

“I can teach you.” Nico took me in his arms and I saw Mason scowl as he
led me lightly around the living room floor. “It’s easy. You just have to let yourself
go.”

“Yeah, well, you can let her go right now.” Mason stepped in, separating
us, and the two men faced each other, glowering.

I smirked. “This living together thing is going to work well. I can tell
already.”

They both backed off a little, turning their glares toward me, saying
almost simultaneously, “It will be fine.”

“Oh!” I grabbed for something, suddenly lightheaded, and Mason caught me
with an arm around my waist. Not to be outdone, Nico appeared on my other side,
both of them buoying me up. “Dizzy. Too much dancing I guess.”

“You should sit.” Nico said, but there was no chair or sofa. The only
furniture was the mattress in the bedroom and I wasn’t even going to consider
that, with both of them standing beside me.