My Body-His Marcello (24 page)

Janice soaped up
a washcloth and started cleaning the front of me.

“
Have
you ever been whipped this badly?” I asked.

“
Sure,
worse actually,” she said, holding up my arm to clean my pit. “You
will be much better in a few days.”

“
Did
you like it? I mean you seem to be into the pain part way more than
me.”

“
I
like it far more in the moment and less when I’m healing, if that
makes any sense.”

“
Yeah,
I guess,” I said and paused. “You know,” I went on, “I’ve realized
something about you and me.”

“
Turn
for me,” she said.

I
complied.

“
And
what is that?” Janice asked. Instead of washing my back, she
squeezed water over it.

“
That
although we both love Luke, I’m in love with ‘good’ Luke and you’re
in love with ‘bad’ Luke.”

Janice dropped
the washcloth and cracked up. “That has to be one of the funniest
things I have ever heard—even more funny because it’s
true.”

I couldn’t help
but chuckle along with her. It hurt my back and chest to laugh and
the laughter quickly dissolved into tears. I felt grateful to have
my back to her. “Until Marcello interfered—and you didn’t help
matters at all, I might add—I lived in bliss with ‘good’
Luke.”

“
I
understand how you might feel that way, but Luke and Marcello never
stay away from each other for long. It was bound to happen
eventually.”

“
Not
like this,” I insisted.

“
Maybe
not.”

“
I do
have a question for you,” I said, taking the washcloth from Janice
and cleaning my lower body. I swiveled to face her again. I leaned
back against the side of the tub but quickly shot back up from the
sheer pain that flared in my back.

“
Why
don’t you eat something?” she said.

“
Would
you be hungry?”

“
Probably not but I know you want to heal quickly
so ...”

I took a sip of
orange juice and ate a couple of grapes but soon regretted it; my
stomach clenched in revolt.

“
So
what’s your question?”

“
Do
you have a death wish?” I asked. “Based on things Luke has said
about you, it seems as if you keep pushing until you get a really
extreme response.”

This had Janice
laughing again. “What about you, Jane? What the hell did you do
just before the party? Why did you rebuff Jack?”

“
Luke
could have warned me what to expect at the party.” My cheeks were
steaming with anger.

“
Come
on, Jane, you know Luke better than that.”

“
I
wasn’t expecting it, so I reacted without thinking. It’s that
simple. What about you?”

“ ‘
Good’ Luke was fine, but I got bored when we fell into a rut.
Dunk your head so I can wash your hair.”

“
That
rut you speak of ... that’s where I want to live forever.” I wet my
hair and looked over my shoulder. “Do you know Carlie?”

“
The
redhead?”

“
Yes.”

“
Sure,
we’ve been in pictures together. I noticed her shots are off the
site. Did something happen?”

“
She
was rude to me before a shoot a few months back and Luke hasn’t
used her again. I wonder if she tried to reach him after that.
”

“
Like
I’ve been trying to tell you, when Luke makes up his mind, it’s
done.”

“
Can
you give it a rest, please?”

“
Yeah,
okay, sorry.” She switched on the handheld faucet and rinsed my
hair.

“
There
is a spread of you on the website with all the men around
you—”

“
That’s definitely one of my favorites.”

“
Was
it all real?”

“
You
mean the needles through my nipples?”

“
And
all the men around you? Did they all—”

“
For
hours and hours ...”

“
Was
Luke one of the men?” I had to know. “I thought I saw him in the
picture, but he had no scar.”

“
Yes,
Luke participated.”

“
Then
you know how he got the scar?” I asked, excited to finally find
out.

She stared at me,
her eyes clouded with pain, and said, “I won’t talk about that … I
can’t talk about that.”

I can’t explain
why, but the way she said it had my heart pounding and the panic
returned. A hot flush of jealousy consumed me, catapulting me back
to the day I first saw Luke’s website. Janice, the woman who had
gone further with Luke than anyone else ... if she couldn’t get him
back, how could I? I quickly shoved the thought out of my head;
defeat was not an option.

Standing up, I
reached for a towel off the rack. My stomach was queasy and my legs
weak. After gingerly wrapping the towel around my body, I took a
hand towel and dried my thick hair. Gripping the brush tightly in
my right hand I told Janice, “Thanks.” Outwardly I was calm, but
inside I struggled to keep it together.

Back in my room,
I eased into bed, careful to shield my backside. I closed my eyes
and practiced over and over again what I would say to convince Luke
to take me back. I had to distract myself from the trepidation
Janice’s words sparked in me. Then I fantasized about Luke and our
reunion:

Janice drops me
back at the beach house. She is still convinced he will not speak
to me but I know better. Knocking on the door to my home, I can
feel my pulse throbbing at my throat. Armed with the new
information from his past, I feel confident and excited to see him
again.

“
Jane—” he starts. He looks sad but not angry.

Relief sweeps
over me and I say, “Give me a chance, please? I want to work this
out.”

He steps back
from the door and lets me in.

“
Let
me make it up to you. Please, Luke. I think we both have childhood
hurts we can heal together. I love you more than life and I can’t
go on without you.”

“
What
about Marcello?”

“
Marcello is nothing to me,” I say.

“
Have
you behaved while you were gone?”

“
I
only thought of you.”

“
You
will have to be punished,” he says and takes my hand, leading me to
the couch by the window that overlooks the pool.

Pulling off my
clothes, I say, “I’ll do whatever it takes.”

As he drapes me
over his lap, I recall the first night we met and the first
spanking I received. I’m already wet in anticipation of what will
come next.

He massages my
ass before he administers my punishment. Feeling the rush of air
that precedes the smack, I flinch in anticipation.

“
Oh,”
I groan after the first strike.

“
You
have been a very bad girl,” he says.

I nod my head in
agreement, knowing I should not speak.

He spanks me
nine more times, and I can feel the bulge of his
erection.

I crave his
cock, needing him to fill me. This is the ‘good’ Luke I want all to
myself.

He tells me that
the party was a huge mistake and that the life we had built
together is all he needs.

I think of
Marcello and Janice because I want to tell them how wrong they were
about Luke. They don’t know him as I do.

Luke cuddles me
to him and disarms me with his kisses. I giggle in joy to have made
it safely back home.

“
I
will never again disrespect your friends,” I say, and mean
it.

“
I
believe you,” he says, rising to his feet with me in his arms. He
carries me to our bed and tenderly lowers me down. He lies on top
of me, encompassing me with his body.

I am no longer
lost; he has found me again.

“
I
love you,” he says. Imprisoning my lips with his, he kisses me
deeply, absorbing me into him. We are one; there is no
differentiation between us. He nuzzles my neck and kisses his way
to my nipples, seducing them with his tongue.

“
Oh,”
I whimper, “I’ve missed you so much …
this
so
much.”

He stretches my
arms up and takes in my smell, lingering as he makes his way down
my body. I appreciate the attention, but I have been ready for him
since the moment he opened the door to the house and my
heart.

Burying his nose
in my pussy, he kneads my thighs, working closer to my lips. I
groan out, “Yesss,” when he pushes two fingers inside me. Driving
his fingers in and out while licking my clit, he makes me squirm
with his delectable administrations.

I have never
needed anyone so much. I will do whatever it takes to keep
him.

He rocks my
world with his tongue and fingers, compelling an explosive orgasm.
“Oh god, Luke, yes, oh please, oh yessssss.”

“
I
love to hear you cum, Janey,” he says, tilting his head so I can
see his gray eyes. Hovering his body over mine, he orders, “Taste
yourself,” as he lowers his mouth.

Smelling my cum
on his face, I lick his lips, coaxing his tongue to dance and duel
with mine. In one fierce stroke he plunders me with his tongue and
cock.

Wrapping my legs
around him I hang on for the ride. His penetration, brimming with
passion and ownership, relieves all my pain and fear. He rescues me
with every plunge.

Watching his
face, I know the lion’s roar is eminent. As my insides expand, we
trip over, riding the highway of sated lust together.

I reached down
and touched the accumulated wetness from my fantasy. Wanting to
cum, I instead behaved as Luke would have wanted me to. I did not
have his permission and I would not betray his trust.

Even in my crazed
state, I knew my fantasy was a Pollyanna version of
reality.

Cradling the
pillow to me I stared off, not really seeing what was right in
front of me.

* * *

“
Bella
? Jane? How are you feeling?” Marcello said,
jarring me out of my dazed state.

I
smiled but
said nothing.

My smile must
have been more of a simper, because he said, “That good, huh? Well,
I hope you will let me try to cheer you up. I brought home a few
things for you.”

I looked up at
him; his enthusiasm couldn’t penetrate my depression.

He left the room
but quickly returned with flowers and a couple of paperback
books.

“
Flowers? Really? Thanks, I guess. I mean I can see what you
are trying to do but—”

“
I
know, Jane, I just thought the flowers might brighten up your room.
Janice mentioned you like romance novels so I purchased a few. I
hope you like the ones that take place in the 1800s, the woman at
the bookstore recommended them.”

“
Sure,
thanks, that’s nice.”

“
One
more surprise,” he said, hustling out again.

He strode back
in, smiling, and said, “Calamari and cheesecake. I remembered you
loved them at the restaurant.”

The odor from the
fried calamari made my stomach churn. “No, thank you. The smell—” I
slid slowly off the bed and stumbled into the bathroom, closing the
door behind me.

I took a couple
of deep breaths to calm myself, which thankfully kept me from
heaving. Then I sat on the side of the tub with a towel under me,
waiting to hear the bedroom door shut.

Back in the room
I saw the mixed color bouquet of roses in a vase at the far end
table. On the other side table sat the stack of novels, a glass of
orange juice and another of water, a box of crostini, plus the
cheese cake with a fork.

Marcello made it
really difficult for me to hang onto my anger.

After drinking a
few swallows of water, I decided I needed to thank him
properly.

I pulled on a top
and sweatpants and headed toward his bedroom. Not finding him
there, I wandered to the front of the house, where he was sitting
on the brown leather couch reading a newspaper.

“
What
is it?” Marcello asked when he looked up, folding the paper and
putting it down beside him.

“
I
wanted to thank you. I know you didn’t have to bring me here or
take care of me. I appreciate what you’re doing—”

“
Jane,
I understand how hard this is for you. I want to help in any way I
can.”

“
I
have to say, I’m having a hard time reconciling this kind,
thoughtful version of you from the man I originally met at the
wedding, the day after, and even the man who caned me. Which one is
the
real
you?”

“
I’m
someone who cares for you and your wellbeing.”

“
That
doesn’t really answer my question.”

“
I’m
all of those men, Jane. The one you need now is offering you help
and support to recover and move on with your life.”