Her Sicilian Arrangement (7 page)

“
I
agree,” he said and then moved even closer to her, cornering her
against the closet. “And that is why we have to make it as
plausible as possible.”

Meagan tried to escape him but he held her firmly as he
pressed his body against hers. She gasped lowly and then looked up
at him. “I don’t—I don’t know how—I mean…what you are talking
about.”

“
I
think you do,” he whispered, running his finger along her lips and
then down the base of her neck towards her breasts. “And I can’t
seem to wait…”

He
could hear her gulp and her body shivered against his. She then
shook her head and tried to speak normally. “What about the normal
intimacies?”

“
We
shall enjoy them, yes?” he murmured against her ear, his breath hot
on her skin.

“I
don’t…,” she began when he placed the tip of his finger against her
lips. Her lips parted at that moment, and he sucked in a sharp
breath. This woman was already driving him insane. And he would
have been insane if he did not at least attempt to taste her
sweetness. Marco dipped his head and then gently slid the tip of
his tongue between her lips. She did not stop him. Her eyes only
fluttered shut and her head flung back slowly as he soon pressed
his lips to hers. He then kissed her lightly once more before he
raised his head. He had no intention of making love to her at that
instance, even though he badly wanted to. If that was ever to
happen in the near future, he wanted her to be absolutely focused
and to want it just as much as he wanted it as well as under the
same conditions as he.

“
It
is very hard to control myself when I am this close to you…,” he
muttered only an inch away from her lips. “But will you agree to
assist me anyway?”

She
frowned, looked away and then back at him. “As long as you don’t
jump me while I’m sleeping.”

Marco gave her an inquisitive glance and then laughed. “I am
not quite accustomed to the American lingo as yet but I do
understand that one,
mia tesora
!”

“I
figured you would.”

He
smiled and then steeped a little further away from her.
“
Sí
. Do you
like the clothes I had asked to be delivered for you?” he said,
gesturing to the closet.

Meagan opened the double doors and then looked inside to see a
collection of apparel that bore no similarity to the type clothes
that she was used to. There were a few white cotton pants, summer
blouses and dresses. “No jeans?”

“
Uh…”

“
Don’t you wear jeans?” she questioned, trying to hide her
amusement. “Everyone wears jeans.”

“
A
few times…most of my daily activities require formal wear,
Meagan.”

She
mouthed a wide ‘WOW’ and then closed the doors. “That
sucks.”

“It
actually does not ‘
suck
’,” he
said, sounding awfully weird. “When we arrive in Villabate, you can
always go shopping for what you need.”

“
Have you forgotten? You just happened to kidnap me, leaving
all my credit cards locked in the rental car.”

Marco moved away from her and then paused at the door, turning
to look at her. “Then I shall entrust you to the use of my credit
card…along with the acquaintance of my sister, María.”

He
then left the room, leaving her to stare after him. If she knew
what was good for her, she would have jumped off-board that boat
and swam ashore even if she died along the way. She chuckled and
shook her head. She needed that story…and she was going to get it
no matter what. Besides, that small yet intense kiss had completely
altered her thinking and she could not have refused to his absurd
hoax that might actually be…pleasurable!!

CHAPTER 5

Her
feet met the hard surface of the board walk of the dock as she
narrowed her eyes against the sun’s rays. Marco was conversing on
his cell phone and he walked ahead of her with two small travelling
bags gripped in one hand. Meagan looked outwards at the beautiful
Sicilian landscape…it was so natural and gorgeous which was why it
was so very attractive. She glanced down at the well-fitted pink
and yellow knee-length sundress that she was wearing. She could not
recall the last time she had even worn a dress…or even let down her
hair. Inhaling the sweet scent of nature, she then approached the
awaiting car as Marco opened the door for her, and she slid in. In
only a moment, he was at the next door and was seated beside her.
The driver then pulled out of the area and out onto the
streets.

“I’m
not going to pretend as if I know what I am doing,” she muttered as
soon as he slid the cell phone in the pocket of his pocket. Did he
ever attire himself casually? There he was, dressed in smooth white
trousers and a white long-sleeved shirt that was unbuttoned about a
quarter way down his chest. “I don’t.”

“Makes it all the more interesting,” he smiled. “I am not
asking you to be a perfect fiancée…just be a good one.” She sighed
and averted her eyes outside. She then felt his fingers turning her
face for her to look at him. “I am not a hard man to please,
mia
tesora
. In fact,
you have already impressed me. If it is my family that you are
worried about…I have no doubt that they will like you very
much.”

“
That’s just it…I am not your fiancée. I don’t even know
anything about being anybody’s fiancée.”

“
Then I shall tell you…,” he responded and leant back in his
seat. He looked ahead and she gazed at him. “You will always greet
me with a kiss and you should always be by my side. As soon as we
get settled, you will wear my ring and sleep in my bed.”

Her
eyes widened and he greeted them with pure coolness. “I surely
don’t have to share a bed with you…right?”

“
Of
course you do. I surely don’t want my fiancée away from me
especially at nights.” He kept on saying the word as if he enjoyed
it, stressing the word as if he truly meant it and as if she was
really going to be bound to him by marriage.

“
You
are crazy.”

He
turned to her and took her hand in his, raising it to his lips and
kissed her fingers lightly. “I assure you that it will take not
much work to accomplish. You see, we already have the attraction
which I could say is more passionate than most engaged couples.
Therefore, the rest will just…fall into place like your puzzle
analogy,
sí
?

“
As
long as I get my story at the end of this!” she snapped softly,
pulling her hand out of his grip.

“You
will get a lot more than your beloved story,
mia tesora
,” he chuckled and she pouted furiously,
folding her arms tightly and closing her eyes tightly in attempt to
remove the explicit images he was brewing into her mind.

“
Don’t mess with me,” she warned and flung her finger at him.
For a moment there, she felt as if she was some sort of a femme
fatale persona in one of those female warrior movies…like
Xena.

“
Calm down…,” he murmured and for a few minutes, the car was
absolutely silent except for the smooth humming of the Bentley.
“Ahh…we are here.”

Meagan quickly stared out the window where she saw that the
car was now pulling through two large automatic iron gates and
towards a white mansion. The vehicle moved around, what seemed to
be, a round-a-bout and it was then she could take in most of the
landscaping. At the front of the house, were two beautiful flowers
gardens on either sides of the flight of steps that led up to the
wide porch. Two large pillars extended upwards in front the porch
and ended in a wide balcony on the second floor. On both sides of
the center building were two corridors ending into smaller
compartments but still very large. On a whole, the entire area was
stunning and even from she was she could see the front of the
vineyards descending further past the house in acres of
space.

She
opened the door and stepped out into the cool atmosphere of
Villabate. Marco accompanied her and then whispered in her ear,
“Let us go meet my family…”

She
bit her tongue for a moment and then put on a wide fake smile. “Of
course…
darling
.”

They
then walked together up the steps and paused a while before he
pushed open the large golden door. At that same instance, his
sister María greeted them with a sweet smile on her face. Her hair
was cut short in a bob and her eyes glittered just as brightly ah
his did. “Marco,” she exclaimed and when she noticed the woman
standing next to him, she glanced at him with surprise. “Who is
this?”

“This
is,
Meagan Summers,” he smiled, pulling Meagan closer to him. “My
fiancée.”

“Dio
mio
!” she yelped
and pulled her into an embrace that shocked Meagan but only caused
her to return the friendliness. “
Grazie a dio
! My brother has finally decided to settle
down.”

Marco laughed. “You know me…,” he said and smiled at Meagan.
“I’d never stop until I found the right one.”

“
Awww. Well, I am so very pleased to meet you,
Meagan.”

“
It’s nice to meet you too,” Meagan replied and, then flung a
tight hug around her so-called husband’s neck, pressing her lips
unto his tightly. “He is a gem, isn’t he?”

María giggled and then pulled her away from him. “Mother is in
the yard with my daughter… Come meet them!”

Marco nodded, still a bit shocked by the kiss, and then walked
slowly behind them, taking in the tempting view of his woman’s
backside. He smiled to himself and then shoved his hands in his
pockets as they moved through the large living room, through a
sitting room and then through opened sliding glass doors where they
met the luxurious backyard. Meagan looked on to see a small girl,
looking about four years old, being pushed in a swing by an
elegantly dressed older woman. She was very beautiful and Meagan
guessed her to be Marco’s mother. At least she could see where he
got his good looks from.

“Zio
Marco!”
the little girl yelped, jumping from the swing and the woman looked
up, her eyes very warm and loving.

“
Celine…,” he muttered and bent to sweep the girl into his
arms. “I have missed you so much!”

She
giggled and then hugged him much tighter. At that moment, his
mother moved up to them, tears visible in her glassy eyes. “Oh,
Marco…”

He
placed down Celine and then greeted his mother with a kiss on both
cheeks and then hugged her. “It’s nice to see you,
Mother.”

“
Oh…you shouldn’t stay away this long. I thought—I thought I
was going to lose my mind,” she said and then noticed the stranger
standing behind him. “And who might this be?”

“
Mother, this is Meagan,” Maria said, pulling her up to her
mother before Marco had the chance to respond. “Marco’s
fiancée.”

“
What does ‘fiancée’ mean, Mama?” Celine questioned suddenly,
pulling at her mother’s skirt.

“
It
means that your Uncle Marco and this lady are going to get married
soon,” Maria explained, smiling down at the bright-eyed
doll.

“
Will there be cake?”

They
all chuckled and then Alessandra stepped a little
closer.

Her
eyes were still wide with shock as she heard the word and then she
extended her hand to Meagan in a gentle handshake. “Fiancée?” she
muttered and then looked at Maria. “Did you know about
this?”

“
Not
at all. But isn’t it wonderful?” Maria yelped and then took her
daughter’s hand as if she was in a hurry. “Celine and I shall be in
the sitting room having cookies in case you need me.” She then
scampered off into the house, leaving them to face Alessandra’s
frightened expression.

“
You
never mentioned that you intended on marrying,” she said and sat
down around the white wooden table beneath the beautifully made
outdoor cabana.

Marco pulled Meagan closer to him, who now had a slightly
upset look on her face, and sat down at the table. “It was never
planned, Mother. Meagan and I love each other and we saw it fit
that we should spend the rest of our lives together.”

His
mother looked at her and then smiled. “Is that true, Meagan? Do you
truly love my son?”

“
Of
course,” she said, firmly through clenched teeth and then ran her
hand gently along his shoulder. “I have never met another man who
has made me happier.”

“
And
she, I,” Marco said, looking at her with such adoration that she
could not decipher if it was genuine or not.

“
Wonderful!” Alessandra explained. “So…you will make a large
wedding for the entire family to witness, yes?”

“I
agree,” Marco said. “We will see if that can be arranged at a later
date.” And as soon as he finished that sentence, he felt a painful
squeeze on his knee and he glanced at her with a wince. “And I am
more than sure that Meagan will love that. Right,
mia
tesora
?”

She
stared at him for a moment, hoping that he could see the anger in
her eyes and then finally answered, “Of course!”