The Manager of the hotel couldn’t have been any more apologetic if he tried.

We were moved to the penthouse suite for the duration of our stay.

For the second time that night, we made love.

When we were finished, a feeling of elation washed over me.

I turned and watched Angelo sleeping silently.

Angelo had the energy of an army of men, but I was more than a match for him. I had worn him out which filled me with a sense of pride. I was his first, and last. I’d wear it like a badge of honour.

I stared at him, unable to take my eyes off his spectacular physique.

He grunted, then rolled onto his front.

What the…?

My eyes spotted them straight away.

Running my fingers gently between his shoulder blades, I noticed two vertical, yet identical scars running about six inches down his back.

What happened to him?

A part of me wanted to wake him and ask him about the scars, but he had always done his best to make me feel at ease, and I owed him that same respect. The scars didn’t really matter to me anyway. Well, as long as they didn’t hurt him.

Besides, he’d tell me when he was ready.

I looked down at his naked back and realised how lucky I was. Angelo really was the perfect specimen of manhood.

“I can feel your eyes burning into my back, you know.”

“You’re definitely psychic,” I replied, bending down to kiss his scars. I wanted him to know I had seen them and didn’t care, but he jumped up, seemingly alarmed by my touching them.

“I’m starving,” he said. “What shall we eat?”

“You know…” I replied. “I’m not sure I have ever seen you eat.”

Racking my brains, I couldn’t think of a single occasion I’d witnessed him eating anything.

“Trust me, I do eat.” He looked sheepish. “But I’m a little weird with food.”

“Why does that not surprise me?”

“You know me too well, it seems.”

“What do you fancy?” I asked.

“Something white,” he replied.

“Huh?”

“Told you I was weird.”

“I don’t understand.”

“White food–I only eat white food.”

“Oh?” I was stumped by this one. I’d heard of fussy eaters, but this took first prize.

“Don’t let my weirdness put you off.”

“It won’t put me off at all. I’m just trying to think of something you can actually eat.”

“Rice and fish are usually good for me.”

“We’re in the right place for fish,” I said, swinging my legs off the bed. “Let me jump in the shower and then we can go.”

“Thank you.”

I kissed him. “It just makes me love you all the more. You’re certainly quirky, but I like quirky.”

“My body is a temple.”

“Should’ve known. Your body is flawless–of course you’d be careful what you ate.”

We found a delightful restaurant and stuffed our faces.

“I feel like such a glutton,” I said.

Angelo had a guilty look on his face.

“So do I,” he replied. “The sin of gluttony.”

“I will need to go on a diet.”

“We both ate more than we needed and there are starving children all over the world.”

I didn’t know why, but it seemed Angelo took the weight of the world on his shoulders. He suffered for the poor and needy–I could see that.

“Then when we get home, we’ll both volunteer at a homeless shelter, help people who need it most.”

“You’d really do that?”

“I would.”

“You’re a special lady, Ella.”

He took me in his arms and kissed me.