****
Emma had been going through the motions, getting up each morning, touring the sites with her friends and retiring to bed early every evening. She had hoped something would change; that somehow Marco would appear on her doorstep to tell her it had all been a big misunderstanding. But no matter how many times she peeked out the front window, Marco was never on the front porch.
And then, a week after the sordid discovery, she received a phone call from one of the administrative staff at her outreach program. They filled her in on the details of Marco's donation, explaining that she was not supposed to be informed until the 16th of August. She couldn't figure out why Marco would want to keep this from her. He had left a seemingly encrypted message, explaining that if she was not with him after that date, he wanted her to know that she had touched his life in ways she could not possibly imagine. He wanted to show her that he recognized the important things now. Her heart warmed at his generosity, and she wanted to run to him now more than ever.
But in the next moment, she remembered that it still changed nothing; she began to prepare herself for the end of summer vacation. Her group would be returning home on the 20th, and it was about time to return to her ordinary life in Minneapolis.
She wasn't expecting a knock on her door on the evening of the 15th. And she certainly wasn't expecting to see the tall, dark Adonis on the other side. But there he was. Emma's heart skipped a beat as she opened the door; she had to stop herself from lunging into his arms.
Though he looked a little more rugged than usual, he still looked absolutely incredible. Though the reason he may appear a little roughed up concerned her, in part because the idea of such violence disturbed her, but more so because the idea of Marco being hurt made her feel nauseous. She glanced over him to make sure he wasn't seriously injured, but aside from a few scrapes on his forearms, he seemed in perfect condition.
“Come with me, Emma.”
“What? You know I can't, Marco.”
“No, Emma. You can. That is, if you want to,” he expressed emphatically. “I must leave tonight, and I want you to come with me. Dominic and I...we will soon be presumed dead.”
“Marco! What the hell are you talking about?!” she shrieked.
“I have given it all up, Emma. I can explain later, but there’s nothing more to stand in our way,” he said, cupping her face in his hands. “I love you, Emma. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
“Oh...,” was all her addled brain could muster up. But then seeing the rejected look on Marco's face, she knew she had to clear her head fast. “I love you, too, Marco.” Her heart felt lighter than it ever had before, and she knew in that moment that with Marco safe, she would follow him anywhere.
“We're leaving for Fiji, and I want you to come with us.”
Lisa popped her head into the doorway in that moment, and her eyes locked with Dominic's. Emma could feel the heat flare between them, but there wasn't time to focus on playing matchmaker right now. She was leaving the country, and so she had packing to do...fast.
She turned and bounded up the stairs to her room, retrieved the suitcase from beneath her bed and began stuffing in every item that belonged to her. So many of her belongings were still back home in Minneapolis, but she would have to worry about those later. Lisa could always ship them to her when it was safe. Emma hooked the suitcase over her shoulder and bounded back down the stairs and straight into Marco's arms. He lifted her off the ground and crushed her body tight against his. He couldn't be certain, but it appeared that Emma had said “yes.”
“I'm leaving, Lisa,” she said with a smile and a sigh. “I can't tell you where I'm going, but I'll get in touch with you soon. Just be happy for me, okay?” She searched Lisa's eyes for her response, and saw the approval she had hoped to find. She hugged her tightly and then turned to Marco. He smiled and guided her down to the car waiting in the driveway.
Dominic climbed in the back to give the newly reunited couple some space. They drove to a nearby airport and boarded a private plane. Marco had made arrangements under false identities, so there was no need to worry that either brother would be recognized.
Emma straddled Marco's lap as the plane soared above the clouds. She felt reckless and in love...and arousal coursed through her once again.
“Wanna join the mile high club with me?” Marco proposed, his growing erection pressing agonizingly against his jeans.
“What about your brother? He's sitting right there!” she whispered. Marco slid his hands along her thighs, past her waist to graze the sides of her tits. “Let him enjoy the view.”
THE END