HIS POSSESSION

S*x with a view

From the bedroom, she could see the terrace more clearly. The city glowed endlessly beyond the glass.

Emma walked closer to the window.

She could imagine waking up to this view every morning. She'd love living here. She caught herself smiling and she shook her head to remind herself that it was just for a night.

Slowly and carefully, she slid open the French doors and felt the night breeze brush against her face as she walked towards the edge of the terrace. She was still staring out into the city when Matteo knocked.

"I'm by the terrace!" She called.

A moment later, she heard the door open.

"Enjoying the view?" She turned to find him walking toward her. He joined her at the edge of the terrace, resting his hands against the glass railing.

"It's like the most beautiful sight," She smiled.

"I thought so too till I saw you."

"Please," She snorted a light laugh, looking away.

"I set the table," he added, glancing toward the city again. He thought to tell her since she was hungry.

"Can we just stay here?" she muttered. "I'm not really hungry." She confessed.

He looked at her for a moment before turning back toward the view, "Okay."

They stood beside each other in comfortable silence for a while till Emma's pinky brushed against his. She kept on moving closer to him subtly, hoping he'd take the hint and make a move on her. She wasn't very brave to do anything more than that. Instead, she gently stroked her finger against his.

Matteo glanced down at their hands. She was testing him; he knew exactly what she was doing. He could have taken her hand properly. Pulled her against him and kissed her until she forgot every thought she'd had before walking onto that terrace.

Instead, he intertwined their little fingers to let her wonder. He liked watching her discover how badly she wanted him.

Thinking she had misread the moment, Emma started to pull her hand away but his finger caught hers. He intertwined their little fingers and turned to her with a playful smile before looking back toward the city.

Emma didn't.

She couldn't take her eyes off him. This was nice. Standing here with him, feeling the breeze against her skin, and watching the city sparkle below them. But there was only one thought occupying her mind now.

She wanted to kiss him. She wondered what it would feel like. Something told her she'd like it and he'd like it more. She had noticed the way his eyes lingered on her lips whenever they spoke yet he wouldn't make a move on her.

Emma rose onto her toes and leaned toward him, pressing a light, lingering kiss against the corner of his mouth, somewhere between his lips and chin, teasing to know if he'd kiss her back.

Matteo slowly turned his head. His eyes searched hers. She rose onto her toes again and this time pressed a soft peck against his lips.

She pulled back. She was supposed to let him kiss her back but that wasn't enough. She wanted more. Before she could think herself out of it, she kissed him again, lingering longer this time, her lips brushing against his as though silently asking him to meet her halfway.

His left arm snaked around her waist slowly. He pulled her closer. His other hand came up to cup her cheek as he leaned into her, taking some of her weight until she no longer had to balance on her heels.

Emma closed her eyes. Finally. His lips found hers with a warm, slow but hungry kiss. A shiver moved through her as his kiss deepened, and her fingers slipped into his hair, messing up the neat style he'd maintained all evening.

Matteo's hand tightened around her waist. His lips left hers but moved slowly and softly across her cheek, along her jaw, then lower. Emma's breath caught when he kissed the sensitive skin beneath her ear before sucking her earlobe. She wanted to melt into him at that moment. How did he know that was her weak point.

"Mmm..." She exhaled shakily and tilted her head instinctively, giving him more room.

His lips continued down her neck, slow enough to make her grip his shirt. Her fingers curled into the fabric. She tugged lightly.

Matteo lifted his head and their eyes met. Emma's breathing was uneven now. She glanced at his shirt, then back at him.

"Take it off."

A faint smile appeared on his lips, "Are you sure?" He asked.

‘Am I sure?!!!’ She thought in her head. ‘I came here for this.’

Instead of answering her thoughts, she tugged his shirt again. He chuckled softly and let his hands settle at her waist.

He kissed her once more while undoing the buttons on his shirt. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer as their kisses became less coordinated than before and more breathless.

They stumbled toward the French doors, laughing softly when Emma nearly caught her heel against the threshold.

"Careful." Matteo caught her by the waist just in time.

She kissed him again ignoring what just happened. He walked her backward into the bedroom, one hand steady at her waist while she held onto his shoulders. Without breaking the kiss, he slipped one shoulder free, then the other, slowly pulling the fabric down his arms.

Emma's hands instinctively moved over his shoulders as he shrugged the shirt the rest of the way off. He let it fall behind him.

Her eyes opened for a moment, taking in the bare skin beneath her hands, before Matteo leaned in and kissed her again.

She smiled against his lips, her fingers sliding over his broad shoulders as she pulled him closer. Matteo soon picked her up like she weighed nothing.

He took her to the bed and set her down gently. "A minute," he whispered softly in her ear, leaving a lingering kiss there before straightening.

Emma watched him walk away, still catching her breath. Matteo crossed to the bedside cabinet and opened the first drawer. Nothing. He frowned and checked the second, still nothing.

He stood there for a moment, staring into the drawers as though the condoms might magically appear if he looked hard enough.

It had been a long time. Clearly, too long. Emma chuckled to herself. He shut the cabinet and headed toward the walk-in wardrobe. Emma shifted on the bed, watching him disappear inside.

Some minutes later, Matteo emerged and walked toward the bathroom. He had forgotten the drawers there. Emma's eyes followed him, a smile on her lips till she saw the ink on his back.

She went still.

The tattoo stretched across his upper back, dark ink covering one shoulder blade and curling toward the other. A serpent wound its way through the design, its body twisting around the broken shape of a crown. The details were intricate, almost severe, with small markings worked into the design.

Emma's lips parted slightly.

She'd seen tattoos before. But never one like this. Her eyes followed the serpent down his back as he disappeared through the bathroom doorway. This one didn't look decorative with the amount of detail it had.

She pushed the thought away almost immediately without knowing she made the right call. There were parts of Matteo's life that were better left unknown.

Men had looked at that tattoo before. Men who knew what it meant had usually stopped looking afterward.

Whatever the tattoo meant, she wasn't going to let curiosity ruin the night. She sank back against the pillows, her eyes lingering on the bathroom door.

A smile slowly returned to her lips. "One minute," she scoffed as she murmured to herself, remembering his words. She glanced toward the bathroom again. "Sure."

The bathroom door finally opened and Matteo stepped out with three small sachets in his hand.