Turn Towards the Sun: Book Three- Forever in Bloom (The Sunflower Trilogy) (10 page)

THE SOUND OF the office phone ringing breaks the silence as Enzo and I sit in his study making plans for the upcoming work week. It’s so odd for the phone to ring on a Sunday. I look up with interest as Enzo answers.

“This is Enzo.” I watch as he nods and his face lights up from whatever he is hearing. “That is wonderful. Thank you very much for the phone call. I look forward to it.” He places the phone in the receiver then flashes his gorgeous smile at me. “That was Meghan Bouchard from the International Design Professionals Institute. I’ve been named the International Architect of the Year and Disegno Inc. was named International Design house.”

“Enzo, that’s wonderful!” I jump up from my seat and throw my arms around his neck. “You must be so pleased.”

“Yes, very.”

“Have you received this honor before?”

“No. Last year I was named as a finalist, but lost out to Jacques Renault of La Maison de Renault- a truly worthy adversary.”

“But you beat him this year?”

“Yes, I did. I wouldn’t say beat though. It’s not a competition. I just out produced Jacques this year.”

“You are so worthy of this award. You’ve worked hard and I’m so proud of you.”

“Thank you, my love. It means so much to me to win it now, with you in my life.” He reaches up and brushes my bangs from my face. “I can’t wait for the day when it is you that is winning awards and me smiling at you as you accept. We make an excellent team, amore.”

“In all things.”

“Yes.”

“When are the awards?”

“Two weeks from now in Las Vegas. Would you like to stay at the Arabesque again?”

“Absolutely!”

“Good. I’ll call and make reservations and then I’ll call Francesca. Only two of us can go so I hope she understands that it will be you and I.”

“Oh,” I say, and pop my bottom lip. “That doesn’t seem right. Checca has done so much on the design side. Maybe the two of you should go together. I’ll be sad missing it, but I don’t mind.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. You are my wife. How odd would it be for me to be there with my sister instead of you? Prior to meeting you, yes that would make sense. But now, it’s out of the question. Francesca will be rewarded some other way.”

“If you say so.”

“I say so.” He picks up his phone and dials her number. I listen to him explaining the award to her. I sit back in my chair as he tells her that we’ll be attending. If I know Francesca, she’ll be fine with it. It’s me that feels bad about it. Still, I’m super excited for him and can’t wait to see him accept the award.

“Perfetto, Checca. See you soon,” Enzo says before hanging up the call. “We’re taking Checca and Eduardo out to dinner tonight to celebrate.”

“Is she sad that she can’t attend?”

“No, in fact she wouldn’t have it otherwise. Francesca does not crave the spotlight or accolades. She wants recognition for a job well done, but unlike me, she is satisfied receiving it from the public. I am the glutton that wants it from every direction.” He smiles as he says the last line.

“You are hardly gluttonous when it comes to the spotlight. You keep your private life on lock down.”

“My private life I protect fiercely because it’s mine and it has nothing to do with my work. My professional life is open for all to see. The more interest the better, no?”

“Of course. What will you do next? So, after La Bellissima and the hotels in Italy, what is next? What keeps a man like you excited and engaged?”

“You keep me excited.” He lifts my shirt and plants a soft kiss on my exposed belly. “I haven’t thought about my next project. It will come to me eventually. Maybe I’ll take some time off to spend with my wife and our future baby. Who knows what is next for us.”

I run my fingers through his thick black hair enjoying the feeling of his soft lips and stubble across my stomach. “I can’t imagine you not working, even for a little while.”

“It will be a few years more at least. Italy will take a long time. Perhaps, we’ll spend some time over there while we complete the hotels.”

“That would be lovely.”

“Yes, lovely.” Enzo’s hands slide down my back and rest on my backside.

“You know what else would be lovely right now, babe?”

“Tell me.”

“A car ride.”

“Now?” he asks, looking up at me.

“Now. Of course, we don’t actually have to go anywhere,” I say with a wink.

Enzo grins. “That’s an excellent idea. We can check out the many features the car provides and see how comfortable the seats are.”

“Andiamo?” I ask.

“Absolutely.”

We walk down the hall together and out to the garage. It’s a bit too warm in the garage so Enzo fires it up and backs out.

“I know a spot we can go. I’ve been eyeing it since I picked out this house location. Another Ava fueled fantasy is about to take place.”

“Mmm, I love when I can be a part of your fantasies.”

“You are not a part of them, you are the fantasy.”

Enzo grins and drives down a street that looks like it ends nowhere. As we drive, the street turns from paved to dirt and I wonder just where he is taking me. He turns left and pulls up to a small patch of land. It doesn’t look like much from where I sit, but I’m open minded enough to find out what Enzo sees in it.

“Come, amore.”

I climb out of the car and walk up the small embankment. Looking up, I see that we’ve gone up a hill of sorts and we have a really nice view of the city below us. It’s pretty and peaceful up here and now I know why he likes it.

Leaning back against the nearby Palo Verde tree, I ask, “How did you know this spot was here?”

“I was lost one day trying to find my property. I arranged to meet my realtor here, but took a wrong turn and ended up here. I fell in love with the peace and quiet of it, but it’s not for sale. It belongs to the city.”

“You tried to buy it?”

“Of course.”

I grin and take his hand, sliding it up under my blouse. “This is the perfect place to make love to me. That car and this view sound like a good time to me.”

Enzo unbuttons my blouse and plants kisses along my shoulder. “Any place that I can make love to you sounds like a good time to me.” Taking my hand, he leads me back to the car. Opening the door, he lowers the passenger seat back into a lying position.

He starts to unbutton his linen shirt, so I go to work on his shorts quickly unzipping them and letting them fall to the ground. I push him back gently so that he knows I want him to be the one lying down, not me.

He grins and takes his position while I finish removing my clothing in a slow teasing style. First I pull my skirt down and kick it off once it hits my ankles. Then I twirl around, shaking my ass at him and running my fingers under the waistband of my white lace panties. I slide each bra strap down, but don’t remove the bra just yet. I’d like to drag this tease out just a bit longer.

Enzo’s eyes focus on my every movement and he begins to rub the growing erection between his legs. “Signora, you should stop teasing me like that. I won’t be responsible for my actions.”

“Is that a threat or a promise?” I tease. “You know I love your promises.” I reach around behind me and unhook my bra, then run my hands over my breasts and down my stomach.

“Jesus, Ava,” Enzo murmurs. “Come closer.”

I take two tiny steps closer. “Like this?”

Enzo reaches out and pulls my arm towards him. “No, like this,” he says and drags his tongue up my stomach.

“Take those off,” I whisper as his hand rubs me through my panties. “No more teasing.”

“Happily,” he whispers, his voice sexy and raspy. I love how his voice changes when he’s turned on. Every. Single. Time.

Enzo leans back against the car seat and I straddle him, before sliding down over his impressive cock. I close my eyes as he slides in deeper and deeper, filling me to capacity. I exhale slowly and lower myself down even more, balancing myself on his shoulders. His eyes focus on mine as we begin to move slowly together. Enzo’s lips seem on the verge of words but he says nothing.

“What is it, Enzo? Do you want to say something to me?”

“I do but…” He stops speaking and nuzzles his face against my breasts, sucking my hardened nipples into his mouth.

“But what?” I ask as low moans escape my lips.

“I want to say such dirty things to you. I want to talk about your body and the way you feel inside and the way you make me feel. I want to tell you, in the most vulgar manner, what you do to me.”

My eyes open in surprise. Enzo has never even remotely been vulgar towards me. It’s an intriguing idea to say the least. “Why don’t you then?”

“Because you are my wife. You deserve my adoration and respect not my vulgarity.”

“Enzo,” I whisper as I lean down and kiss his nose. “After all this time, don’t you think I know that your love and respect for me is without exception? If you have something you want to say, just say it. I can handle it and you’ve got my curiosity piqued. How does Enzo Milano sound talking dirty?” I smile in a way I hope is encouraging.

“Signora… Ava,” he whispers again. “You make me crazy. I lose all self-control in your presence.” He grips the flesh of my hips and lifts up a bit, grinding into me. I swear I can feel him in every part of me. “I fucking love you so much I can’t think straight sometimes.”

“Tell me, tesoro. Say whatever you want to say.”

“This,” he says and rubs my clit roughly. “This is fucking heaven. Being inside of you is my paradise. Your body is my church and I worship at your alter.”

“Why do you love my body so much, Enzo? Tell me.” I want to encourage him to talk more. It’s turning me on and I know he has more in him.

“It’s perfect. You are the perfect shape. Your skin is like velvet. These…” he says as he sucks each nipple into his mouth again, “are like a sculpted Roman goddess. Your lips, your eyes, your ass- all so perfect. I simply cannot get enough of you.”

“What else do you like, baby? I want to hear you say it.”

Enzo’s blue eyes shift up to mine as a seductive grin spreads across his lips. “What do you want to hear me say, amore? How dirty do you want me to be?”

“Very. The dirtiest you can. There is a certain word that starts with a P that I would really love to hear you say to me.”

“Are you kidding?”

“Nope.” To make my point I push my hips into his, burying him deeper within me. I know neither of us is going to last much longer so I really hope I can coerce him just once to say it. I don’t even know why I want him to. It’s not a word that has ever turned me on in the past. I think it’s just the thrill of hearing my extremely polished and cultured husband utter such a crass word.

Enzo’s eyes lock on mine as he moves within me. “I love being inside you- so soft, so wet. I love the way our bodies fit together. I especially love the way you taste and your scent is the only perfume you need.” He reaches down and rubs me softly.

I feel his hand pull my head closer as he stares in my eyes. “You know what I really love?” I shake my head no. He leans in and whispers in my ear the word I longed to hear him say.

It has an odd effect on me, causing a new wave of heat and desire to gush through me. Throwing my head back, I rock against him as Enzo continues to whisper all sorts of sexy naughtiness in my ear- some in English and some in Italian. It’s fucking hot. I dig my nails into his back and cry out as my orgasm hits. My own lips call out a string of dirty words as I come back down from the peak of pleasure.

“Mmm, your words, Ava, as beautiful as you are,” Enzo murmurs as his mouth finds mine in a sensual kiss.

We move together as our bodies slow. I realize I wasn’t even aware if Enzo climaxed. “Babe, did you finish?” I ask, breathlessly.

“The minute I uttered that word to you. Your reaction to it was most unexpected.”

“For me too. I’ve never liked the word, but coming from you it was hot. Anything you say is hot.”

“It pleases me that you think so.”

“Don’t ever hold back with me, Enzo. Didn’t we learn in Vegas that we can be what the other needs 100%? We have no restrictions or boundaries between us.”

“I know. I don’t even know where the desire came from to speak to you in that way. You cause all sorts of reactions in me. I didn’t see it coming.”

“Just let it come out.”

“I will. You did a good job coaxing it out of me.”

“That’s my job,” I say, grinning.

He looks down at our sweaty, heaving bodies. “We didn’t bring a towel with us did we?”

“No. The trouble with spontaneity.”

“Indeed. We’ll just have to make do.” He reaches forward and picks his boxers off the floorboard of the car. “These will do.”

Laughing, I ask, “What will you wear home?”

“I’m afraid I will have to go without until we get back.”

“I will do the same then. Solidarity!”

Enzo laughs. “The idea of you sitting there with nothing under that skirt is very appealing.”

“Well, we’ll have to make sure that happens again then, won’t we?”

“I very much look forward to that day, amore.”

“AVA, HONEY, IT’S your dad.” I hear my dad’s voice and notice it sounds so sad. I feel immediate concern over what I’m going to hear next.