Stolen Vows Ch. 04

"Some normal clothes would be useful -- but don't go crazy. You don't need to buy me things." He leaned back against the headboard, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "I'd be your boy toy even without that." He smirked at her laugh.

"Okay, cabana boy, why don't you take a shower while I pick up a few things. Then you can take me out to breakfast." Gabriel looked at the bedside clock and shook his head.

"We missed breakfast by a few hours -- it will have to be lunch, my love."

She confirmed a few sizes with him and made a few notes on her smartphone. As she tried to rise, he yanked her back and kissed her again, leaving her flushed and giddy when he finally released her. Gabriel looked up at her -- liking her pink cheeks and shining eyes, marveling at how quickly this creature had become his whole world.

For Laura, it was hard to walk away from him and his unaffected sexiness. She felt that last kiss all the way to her now moistening sex. He was too damned distracting.

As she backed toward the door, she saw him toss aside the sheet and get up from the bed. His glorious nakedness was almost too much. She laughed breathily as she scrambled backward into the hallway.

"If I don't go now, I don't know if I can make myself leave." Her attention was drawn against her will to his large cock, which seemed to be stiffening under her flustered gaze.

"Wait!" he called out as she began to turn away. She paused and looked back as he reached her. Touching her only with his hands, he pulled her face upwards and placed a tender, almost chaste kiss on her lips. When she opened her eyes, he was staring down at her with an expression that exposed all of his feelings. Her heart did a somersault in her chest.

"Don't be away long." He whispered.

"I won't, I promise." she breathlessly replied.

As she walked to the door his softly spoken "Hey" made her turn back. She looked back at Gabriel, a smiling inquiry on her lovely face.

"I love you." He said simply. Laura felt slightly dizzy. Euphoric.

"And I love you." She held his gaze for another moment, and then let herself out of the flat, pulling the door closed behind her.

She needed a moment to compose herself before tackling the stairs. Laura closed her eyes and breathed in and out for a few seconds while the fluttering in her tummy settled down. Then she skipped lightly down to the courtyard and out into the vicolo, a little tune playing in her head. She felt so happy she could barely stop herself from giggling.

She never noticed the white-haired man dressed all in black who sat on a bench at the far end of the alley, watching her. Nor did she see him rise and follow her, keeping his distance.

She made quick work of her shopping expedition, eager to return the flat, and to Gabriel. She had to stop at a few different stores, but was able to procure several changes of underwear (her favorite look -- knit boxer briefs with a button fly), socks, some cool tee shirts, a few nice button down shirts, a pair of nice jeans, track pants, a hip-looking hoodie, and a smart, lightweight waxed cotton pea coat for rainy weather. She also found a pair of fashionable sneakers (or "trainers" to Gabriel) and a casual pair of leather loafers. In addition, she picked up a few toiletries, such as his razor and shaving cream and his own toothbrush (she didn't mind that he'd been using hers, since they had swapped so many bodily fluids anyway, but he deserved his own). She debated buying him some pajamas, but opted not to -- since she doubted she'd ever give him a chance wear them. His nakedness in bed was entirely too delicious.

She was heading back to her neighborhood when she spied a sexy pair of aviator sunglasses in the window of one of the more fashionable boutiques. On impulse, she ran in and bought them, thinking they would be devastating on Gabriel. It was a splurge, but he was more than deserving.

Just outside the last shop, Laura was arranging her many bags for easier transport, when she heard a man with an accent she immediately recognized say her name. She froze for the briefest of moments before straightening up and turning to him.

She was face-to-face with Gabriel's mentor -- the priest from the previous day.

"Hello." Her voice was polite, but her eyes were guarded as she took in his lean, almost elegant appearance. The priest was very tall -- maybe 6'4", but very slim. His black shirt and jacket fit him perfectly, as if tailored. He'd dispensed with his robes and collar, she noted.

Intelligent, pale gray eyes regarded her from beneath dark, thick eyebrows. He had a neatly trimmed beard and mustache that was more salt-and-pepper than his brows. His hair was thick, but cut very short and completely white. She was surprised to realize that she found him to be handsome. She was also surprised to see that he was smiling kindly at her.

"Do you know who I am?" He politely inquired. He tipped his head gracefully toward Laura in what seemed to be a sort of bow. She was irritated by the vague feeling that she might like this man -- under other circumstances. Pushing down both this notion and her reaction to it, she nodded, her eyes searching his for some clue as to the purpose of his presence before her.

"I know that you are Gabriel's mentor. But I'm afraid I don't know your name." After a few seconds' pause, she added: "I'm sorry." Laura had not meant to express this apology and was slightly surprised at herself. She wondered what she had actually been apologizing for.

He reached out a long, slim hand to her and said: "I am Monseigneur Le Clerc. But you can call me Gaston." Laura shook his proffered hand and felt a firm but strangely comforting grip. His hand was pleasantly warm.

"You are Alsatian?" She asked without thinking. His accent was almost Germanic, while his name was French -- so she automatically deduced his origins.

Smiling broadly, he laughed a little and replied: "Well done. Most people are confused about my accent with a name like Le Clerc." He regarded her with a sharper gleam in his remarkable eyes.

"You are very beautiful." He said bluntly. Laura blushed, blinking, unprepared for such a statement and unsure how to answer. It was a compliment, but somehow she found it to be almost an accusation.

"Uh... thank you. That is far too generous, actually." She noted his eyebrows rise at this, but was preoccupied with the thoughts tumbling around in her head. Which was perhaps why she blurted out: "Did you follow me here?" Without bothering to wait for the obvious confirmation, she continued on: "Forgive me for being so direct, but what is it you want of me?"

He smiled, seemingly both pleased and surprised at her candor.

"You know, I'm not entirely sure. I suppose I wanted to meet you in person and try to get a sense of who you are." His eyes scanned her up and down, and then wandered to the purchases collected at her feet.

"Will you take a coffee with me? I'd like to talk with you a bit more." He glanced around them and his gaze landed on a café with outdoor tables just down the road. "Perhaps just there." He nodded toward it.

Laura was, in spite of herself, intensely curious about this man and his purpose in seeking her out. Yet she was also nervous to spend too much time with him -- to "let him in" so to speak. She also knew that Gabriel had been waiting for her for almost an hour and she desperately wanted to be back with him.

"I don't know if this is a good time..." she began. Not entirely sure why she was leaving the door open to talk with him. "But I would like to talk with you more, too." She found herself saying. Why? Why was she so drawn to this enigmatic priest -- particularly when he threatened the very thing that was important to her?

"I understand. Forgive me for intruding upon you so suddenly. Allow me to give you my card. Perhaps another time, then?" Laura, nodding mechanically, took his card, automatically looking at it before tucking it into her pocket.

He again reached out to shake her hand, and this time, when she took it he covered her small fragile hand in both of his for several moments. She looked at their joined hands and then up into his cool, hypnotic eyes.

"You are not only lovely, you seem to be a very sensitive and compassionate young woman. I confess you are not what I expected, which is both delightful and very confusing to me. We two have something very important in common, do we not?" He smiled kindly at her as he said these words, and Laura knew she would agree to see him again.

"Yes, I guess we do." She agreed. "I love Gabriel, and want only the best for him." How did she have the temerity to be so open with this man -- one who potentially would rip Gabriel from her side?!

"I can see that. As do I." And in a move that was numbingly surprising, he raised her hand to his lips, softly kissing it.

"Please let me know when you would like to speak again. I will be waiting for your call. It was a great pleasure to meet you, Laura. Until next time." He made another sort of bow, and then turned from her and walked crisply away, disappearing around the next corner.

*** Gabriel walked into the living room, clad in the new jeans, a dark green button down that brought out the color of his eyes, the leather loafers, and the pea coat. Laura turned to look at him and caught her breath.

"How's this?" He asked, then, fumbling in the jacket pocket he pulled out the sunglasses. "Oh - wait!" He put them on his handsome face. "How about now?"

Laura hastily shut her mouth, noticing that it had been hanging open. He was almost too beautiful. She beamed at him, her heart skipping a little in her chest.

"Seriously, dude, you could model. It's hardly fair. You're prettier than me." She drawled.

"Not even possible. No one is prettier than you. You're a Botticelli."

He swept her into his arms and twirled her around before kissing her soundly. She looked up at him bemusedly, seeing her reflection gazing back in the mirror lenses. Something in her face must have pleased him, because he practically growled and kissed her again, this time harder and longer. His arms tightened around her, molding her to his body.

When he released her, she was breathless. "We better leave now before we forget all of our carefully laid plans!" She laughed up at him, completely happy. He ran his thumb across her lower lip, biting his own.

"You're right -- let's go before I lose control completely."

They walked hand-in-hand a few blocks to the Piazza Navona. Laura paused by the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi -- Bernini's "fountain of the four rivers" -- as was her custom. Gabriel slid his arm around her waist and joined her in contemplating the sculpture topped by the Egyptian obelisk. She sighed happily, and rested her head in the curve of his shoulder. He dropped a kiss on the top of her hair, hugging her close.

"Ti amo, Tesoro." He said into her hair. Laura smiled with pure joy, and looked up at Gabriel.

"Anche Io ti amo, bello." She whispered back.

Together they turned, and continued to walk now arm-in-arm, away from the more touristy part of the Piazza toward a small, lovely restaurant that Laura wanted to show Gabriel. She'd passed it many times with a pang in her heart, because it was the kind of place you needed to go with a lover. Now she had one who surpassed her every fantasy.

Laura hadn't mentioned meeting Gaston. She didn't want to spoil the beauty of the day. For now, they were just two young lovers roaming free in the eternal city.

(to be continued).