Sharon
Sharon rolled off the bed and slid back into her soft, short cotton pajamas, seductively flicking her hips about as she did. Vittorio devoured her curvy body with his eyes.
“You’re so fucking sexy,” Vittorio said.
Sharon was surprised. “Really? Thank you.”
“You really have no idea, do you?” he asked, finally meeting her eyes.
“Have no idea about what?” Sharon asked, genuinely confused.
“How sexy you are,” Vittorio said, matter-of-factly. “The kind of power you could have over men, with those curves? You’re dangerous.”
“I… wow!” Sharon blushed. “That’s really sweet of you to say.”
“I’m not sweet,” Vittorio said with a shrug. “Just honest.”
“Well, thank you,” Sharon said, still blushing and bashful.
“You’re really… something special.”
As Vittorio said it, he walked fully dressed out of the room. Sharon followed nervously behind him to the kitchen. She watched him pour himself a glass of water and chug it. She watched little droplets of water run down his stubbled jaw. Watching him do something so normal made him seem so much more… human to Sharon. So much more real.
Vittorio slammed the empty glass down on the silvery granite countertop. He looked worked up, a mixture of anger and confusion knotted his face.
“We should go to bed,” he told Sharon, pushing past her to stride down the hall.
“You’re… You’re staying? Sharon asked, pleasantly surprised.
She followed Vittorio down the hall and into the master bedroom. He was dropping the shades to cover the massive wall-length windows and the room descended slowly into darkness. A gloriously shirtless Vittorio slipped in between the smooth sheets, avoiding eye contact with Sharon as she crawled in next to him. His back was tense, and he frowned.
“Is everything okay?” Sharon asked, reaching a tender hand towards him.
Vittorio shirked her attempts at affection. “No,” he admitted.
“What’s wrong?” The concern in Sharon’s voice was genuine as she slowly curled her hand back away from him.
“There’s just no breaking you is there?” Vittorio asked, a fire in his voice.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, it doesn’t matter what I do with you!” Vittorio ran a hand back through his thick, black hair. “I’ve taken your virginity and fucked you in ways even slutty girls can’t handle. Shit, I just whipped you with a belt! And even now, here you are, in my bed, still caring about me!”
“Is… Is that bad?” Sharon asked, confused.
“Ugh, no!” Vittorio roared. “It’s not bad, it’s just so strange to me. You’re the only woman I’ve met that’s this strong, that has a heart this big.”
Sharon felt her chest swell. He spoke so softly that she thought she’d never seen him so sweet. Except, maybe with… Lara, Sharon realized. She bet that, if she snapped a picture of them right now, he’d probably very happy, intimate, maybe even glowing, like Sharon had seen in his pictures earlier. Maybe she had been wrong to dismiss her ideas of a future with Vittorio so quickly.
“This is starting to feel like more than just sex,” Vittorio said. He didn’t sound as excited about it as Sharon felt.
“Is that really so bad?” Sharon asked tentatively. She splayed a bare hand across his tense chest.
He inhaled sharply at her soft touch. “Yes; actually it is.”
“Oh.” Sharon withdrew her hand, hurt.
Vittorio caught her hand before she could pull it too far. He squeezed it gently. Sharon was windswept by the touching gesture.
“I just don’t want you to end up like…” Vittorio cut himself off mid-sentence.
Sharon wrapped her other hand around his, so that she cradled his tense hand between her own. Through the darkness, she met his eyes and smiled.
“I understand,” she whispered.
Vittorio leaned forward and kissed Sharon. It wasn’t like the hungry, wanton kisses she had grown accustomed to, though. He kissed her softly, almost tenderly, and a spark passed between them like she had never felt before.
He broke the kiss and maintained her gaze. He smiled a sweet, unguarded smile and muttered, “Thanks.”
“Of course,” Sharon told him. “I’ll always be here for you. Mostly because I don’t have a choice,” she teased.
Vittorio chuckled. “I appreciate the support, be it willing or otherwise.”
“You got it,” Sharon smarted. She lay back and settled into her pillows.
Vittorio held his smile as he lay down next to her. He settled himself on his side and draped his long arm across Sharon’s stomach. She took a deep breath, enjoying the weight of his warm arm across her belly. She brought one hand down to rest on it lightly. Something about that night just felt different, more intimate.
“You really are a piece of work, you know that?” Vittorio mumbled as he started to pass out.
Sharon giggled. The pair fell asleep smiling.