Natasha was strangely silent beside him as Gianni drove through the Italian countryside. Her arms were crossed, her foot tapped nervously. Her face was turned away from him. She'd been staring out the window for hours.

"Who was she?" she asked quietly without turning to face him. "The woman?"

Gianni's voice was flat and emotionless. "My fiancé," he replied easily.

For a moment she was silent before turning to gaze at him. "Was? Did I –?"

He shook his head. "No. It was over long before I met you."

"Can I ask why?"

He smiled sardonically. "Our families didn't get along. It caused...stress."
"Oh." She said nothing else and resumed her silent pose, gazing out the window and endeavoring to ignore him completely.

"Don't you want to know where we're going?" He asked coaxingly.

She didn't face him. "Does it really matter?"

He sighed and didn't say more.

They reached Florence after a few hours and stopped in front of a large luxurious hotel.

'Go figure' Natasha thought.

They rode the elevator up to the penthouse suite. Natasha immediately walked into one of the two bedrooms and slammed the door.

Gianni went to the door and listened. He could hear her muffled sobs inside. He knocked softly. "Natasha?" The sobbing came to an abrupt stop and he slowly turned the handle. When he entered she was sitting up on the bed, her dark hair falling wildly about her shoulders. He approached quietly and sat on the edge of the bed. She watched him warily. "Natasha?" he reached for her and she flinched away.

She scrambled off the bed and snatched up the bedside lamp and held it threateningly. "Stay away from me." she said quietly.

Gianni stood holding up his hands. "Hey, Bella," he murmured soothingly. "What's wrong?"

"I saw the guns," she said, glaring at him.

He frowned and made a move towards her.

"Stay back!" she ordered.

"Natasha, I would never hurt you..." he said and held out his hand to her. "C'mon, Bella. Don't do this." In a move that she barely saw he reached across the space between them and knocked the lamp to shatter on the floor and she found herself inexplicably pinned against him, his arms tight around her.

"Get off!" She pushed him backwards with all her might and he fell against the bed.

He sat up. He grinned at her and gave her a slow sensuous assessing look. "You know you're sexy as all hell when you're angry. If you wanted me in bed you only had to ask. If you're willing to have at me again, i'm all for it."

All thoughts of escape flew from her mind. She was angry, and as of now there was no gun in sight. With an inarticulate cry of rage, Natasha lunged at him.

He cursed, moved quickly to grab her wrists, and rolled her beneath him. He placed his legs on either side of her twisting frame and leaned over to peer into her face.

She glared up at him.

"I'd never expect this from you, Bella." He chided. "What's wrong? You're safe with me." "Right." she snorted and spoke through clenched teeth. "And the guns are just for recreation. Get the fuck off me!"

Gianni blinked. "Ah Bella, " He leaned into her and rested more of his weight upon her and brought his face close to hers.

Natasha started and realized he was enjoying her struggles. The situation abruptly took on a new sort of tension. "Okay," she said, her tone dry. "Let me up."

He smile tilted his lips. "Ah, but Bella, you were so eager to jump on me."

He propped himself up on his elbows. "You just had to say you wanted me, Bella. No need to jump me."

She snarled at him. "Gianni, this isn't funny."

"Oh, I'll agree with you there. No, I don't feel like laughing at all." He brushed his lips against the underside of her jaw.

"Gianni, let me up." she tried to sound bored.

His eyes lit when he looked down at her. "Of course, baby. For a price."

Her eyes narrowed and she looked at him with suspicion. "What kind of price?"

His breath fanned against her lips. "Just a kiss."

She jerked her head away. "I don't think so. You've gotten enough of me."

"Just one small kiss." he insisted, his voice both chiding and coaxing at once.

Her brows knitted ominously as she hissed at him. "All I have to do is pick up the phone and my uncle—"

"We both know you won't, don't we?" He traced her lips with his thumb.

Natasha turned her face into the pillow but he gently turned her head and pressed his lips to hers. His mouth was greedy, stealing the air from her lungs. The conflicting thoughts were chased from her mind.

He lifted his mouth from her and looked into her face. She stared up into his eyes and saw naught but tenderness there. Their faces were so close they could have drawn the same breath.

"The guns are to protect you, Natasha" His fingertips brushed her jaw line. "I won't let anyone hurt you. I would never hurt you." He said quietly and rose up off her. "Think of all the opportunities I've had. I could've killed you long ago." He took her hand and pulled her up to stand before him and cupped her face in his hands. "You can trust me."

***

Natasha woke. She slid from the bed. Her bare feet sank into the carpet as she padded to the door. She peeked out. Gianni was nowhere to be seen.

"Gianni?" she called out.

There was no answer. Good. She was still a bit unnerved. The man did uncomprehensible things to her willpower.

She slipped out into the living room, to the kitchenette. The coffeemaker had produced a large pot of hot coffee. The smell of it near overwhelmed her. She poured herself a cup, inhaling the scent. She added sugar and crème. With a sigh she sank into the sofa.

Sunlight streamed into the room lightly through the chiffon curtains at the balcony. Except for the slight dull ache in her head...everything was perfect.

She didn't notice Gianni watching her, as he leaned against the doorway of his own bedroom. She was wearing an oversized sweatshirt again, her long legs tucked under her. Her black hair fell about her face and shoulders. She ran a hand through the unruly locks. He straightened and her eyes flicked to him. He was dressed only in a pair of black silk pajama bottoms. His chest was broad, muscled, and tanned. His feet were bare. He yawned and went to the kitchen. Natasha averted her eyes. He filled a mug with coffee and came to sit across from her in the living room.

"Are you alright?" he asked her quietly.

She looked down into her near-empty cup. "I guess. As well as could be expected."

"How's your cheek?"

"It hurts."

"Do you need some ice?"

She shook her head. "No." She drew in a shaky breath. "I'm tired, Gianni."

He made to stand and come to her but she held up a hand.

"No stay." She said. "I think...perhaps...I should go back. Find my uncle, I mean."

"Do you want that?"

She bit her lip. "I don't know what else to do. And I'm putting you in danger and i'm a little out of my league."

"I'm in no danger." He said and she looked at him doubtfully. He shrugged. "I have friends in high places. I can keep you safe."

She grimace.d Her pride was stung. She needed him whether she wanted to admit it or not.

"You need a break." He said.

She smiled, chagrinned. "Maybe a little one."

"I'm taking you out tonight." He told her. "You need to have some fun." He stood and set the mug down on the coffee table. "In the meantime I have some business to take care of. I'll be back around seven. Charge whatever you want to the room."

He emerged later from his bedroom in a sleek black suit. Dark shades covered his eyes. He stopped in front of the couch. He smelled of soap and spice. She looked up at him. He stood gazing down at her, his eyes hidden by the dark glasses. He traced a finger along her jaw then turned and left.

***

"Room service!" came the call from the door.

Natasha frowned. She hadn't ordered any room service. She slipped into Gianni's room, feeling like an interloper. She slid open his bedside drawer and drew out the gun. It was cold and heavy in her hand.

"Uno minuto!" she called as she made her way to the door.

Her hand trembled as she clicked open the lock and turned the knob. She pulled open the door, standing behind it.

I portly middle-aged man bustled into the room. He turned to see her standing behind the door. She kept the gun behind her back. Her sweaty palms gripped it tightly.

He held up a white box. "For you, Signorina. From Signore Angiolini" He said and laid it on the coffee table.

Natasha reached into her jeans pocket and drew forth some euro notes. She held it out to him.

He shook his head. "That is not necessary, Signorina."

She stepped aside as he left the room. She pressed her back against the door and slid down to huddle against the door. She sat and let the gun clatter to the floor. She buried her head in her hands and sobbed. ***

Gianni returned later that evening looking slightly wearied. She met him in the kitchenette as he was making himself a cup of coffee.

"Is everything okay?" she ventured leaning on the counter across from him.

He glanced at her and smiled tightly. It was closer to the grimace. He reached to his collar and loosened his tie. "Family business."

She winced slightly. "Oh."

He shrugged. "You should be getting ready, Bella," he nearly purred. "We have plans tonight."

She cocked her head. "You could use a break yourself."

He grinned at her genuinely. "This is exactly that."

She nodded absently and pushed back from the counter. "Okay. See you in a bit." She padded into her room, the door closing with a soft click behind her.

After her shower, dressed in a silken robe, Natasha slipped into Gianni's room. She'd knocked but received no answer. She pushed the solid oak door as softly.

The dim beating of water against tile reached her ears. Gianni was in the shower. 'What am I doing here?' She wondered. 'Looking for his wallet.' She reminded herself. She wanted to know if he was truly who he said he was.

She scanned the bedroom quickly opening drawers. Nothing. She checked the dresser, the bedside table, the closet, and even got down on her hands and knees and checked under the bed. Nothing.

She sighed and glanced at the bathroom, cursing softly. He'd probably dropped his clothes on the bathroom floor before stepping into the shower. She grimaced as she tiptoed into the room to the bathroom door.

Holding her breath, she peeked around the corner of the bathroom door. The bathroom was air was dense with the thick steam of the ot water.

She silently slid around the corner and stood just inside the door and pressed herself against the wall.

She froze. She could make out the outline of Gianni's body though the dense steam, and the opaqueness of the shower door.

She rolled her eyes toward the ceiling. 'What am I doing?' Natasha found herself asking herself again.

Gianni groaned softly and he dropped his head back. His eyes closed as the water beat against his body.

Natasha cocked her head gazed in avid fascination at the strong lines of his body.

He moaned. Her azure eyes grew wide as another low moan escaped his throat. She could feel her face heating and her mouth dropped open.

He emitted another low moan, deeper this time. He couldn't be? Could he?

A surpised cry escaped her lips and she slapped her hands over her mouth.

She turned abruptly to slip out of the bathroom when the shower door slid open suddenly.

"Leaving so soon, Bella?" he called, his voice tinged with amusement.

"Yes!" she squeaked as she faced the wall. "Leaving now."

Squeezing her eyes shut she stepped to her right towards the doorway, sliding her hands along the wall to feel her way out.

With a startled scream, Natasha slipped on the damp tiles and flailing rather ungracefully, she fell to the ground with thud.

She landed on a pile of his clothes that had been carelessly thrown upon the floor. She gave a mental curse as she felt his wallet among the pile beneath her arm. 'Of course,' she thought darkly.

The sound of water running stopped and the shower door opened.

She raised her head and shrugged my shoulders, giving him the best innocent look she could muster. "What?"

Water dripped upon her as he leaned out of the shower to look down at her. He chuckled. "Ah, playing innocent now, huh?" He smirked and grabbed a towel off the rack above her head.

She quickly averted her eyes as he wrapped the towel around himself and stepped out of the shower. He chivalrously held a hand down to her and Natasha slipped her hand into his. She couldn't bring herself to look at him as she allowed him to pull her to her feet.

She shrugged again. The motion looked more like a cringe than an attempt at nonchalance. "Gianni, I'm sorry. I just –" she stumbled to come up with an excuse as to why she was in his bathroom.

He lifted his hand from hers and placed it gently on her cheek. Her heart leapt.

His hand slipped around to the back of her head, and gently pulled her towards him, bringing her closer as he brushed his lips gently over hers.

Natasha sighed softly as she slid closer to him, raising her hands to his chest.

The feel of his dampt skin stretched taut over muscle made her weak.

He kissed her fiercely and the glorious taste of freshly washed male exploded in her mouth. He parted her lips and slid his tongue firmly along the recesses of her mouth.

Unable to help herself, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed herself fully against him.

Chuckling against her mouth at her eagerness, Gianni slowly pulled away from her. A pout upon her lips, she opened her eyes to find him staring intently in her eyes. "You don't have to apologize."

He gently picked her up under her arms and set her down to sit upon upon the bathroom counter.

He came to stand between her splayed thighs. He was lightly brushing his lips over her face as he spoke. "You need to work on your spy tactics, Natasha. I heard you the minute you came in the room."

She swatted at him in mock outrage but he merely growled and placed a searing kiss upon her lips.

Natasha moaned low in her throat; the sound part protest and part arousal.

She pushed her hands against his chest in a half-hearted move to pull herself free, but his hand darted up the slit in the front of the robe. His fingers drove into her and before her could take another breath and her channel clenched as her body exploded into a violent shattering orgasm.

With a quiet startled cry she went limp and nearly slid from the counter but he looped a strong arm around her waist and held her against him. The water droplets that still clung to his skin dampened her robe, making it cling to her own feverish skin.

His hands and mouth were seemingly everywhere at once, tugging and tearing open her robe to run his fingers over the smooth skin that lay beneath.

Natasha lifted her hands to his back, pulling him even closer.

He slid down her body stopping between her legs. His eyes flashed mischeivously as he slid his mouth and tongue over her.

"Fuck." Was all she could manage between gasps, trying to force air into her lungs. She felt his chest rumble against her thigh as he chuckled at her inability to speak.

She tried, but she couldn't reach down to haul him up without nearly taking a header off of the counter. Instead, she dropped her arms to her sides and held on to the ledge for dear life.

Placing his hands on either side of herhips he lifted himself with his hands to stand between her thighs once more. His hardness pressed against her stomach insistently.

She gazed up into his face to watch emotions flit over his features as he struggled to maintain control.

Control? Natasha had none. The thought scared her. Who was this person she was becoming. This woman who let a man take her upon his bathroom counter with nary a protest.

As Natasha's eyes fluttered closed his hands slipped into her hair. "Bella..."

She opened her wondrous eyes, but was unable to focus on anything.

"Stop thinking so much, Bella," he hushed.

She blinked at him, "But I just don't think--"

He rolled his eyes. "Don't talk so much either."

Her mouth dropped open but before she could speak a word his mouth swooped down upon hers. He reached down pressed the heal of his hand against her mound, massaging her clit.

Her hips bucked against his hand. She leaned into him fully and he grinned viscously.

Her head dropped back.

"What are you thinking about?" Gianni breathed against her ear.

But she found herself unable to answer him, lost in the sensations he was causing in her body. Her thoughts scattered, her breath came in smal quick gasps.

His tongue lavished her throat before he repeated himself. "What are you thinking about?" He gently took her chin between his forefinger and thumb and forced her to meet his gaze. "Penny for your thoughts, Natasha."

She found just voice and whispered an answer to his question. "Nothing but this."

He grinned as whipped the towel from around his hips and firmly guided himself slowly into her pussy.

"Want to watch?" he said softly?

Her eyes flew to his as he hooked one of her lean legs over over his arm and looped his other arm around her back to hold her upright. She leaned her brow against his own as she watched his thick pink cock slide slowly into her brown pussy. "Mmm," she smiled.

She brought her other leg to wrap around his waist and leand back on her hands. She arched as she stretched around his thickness. "More, Gianni, please," she pleaded softly.

He needed no further encouragement. Placing one hand on the mirror above her head to stead himself he began pistoning his hips against her.

Her brown-capped golden breasts bounced with the force of it and he leaned down to capture one pert nipple between his lips.

She gasped and began to move her hips to meet his thrusts. He angled his body over her, his hips pressing more fully against her so that her clit pressed against him.

Her mouth formed an exquisite little 'O' and before long he felt her walls tightening around him with her orgasm.

"Gianni" she sighed as her arms trembled with holding her own weight. He wrapped an arm around her her and held her against him as he thrust hard.

"Bella" he groaned as he felt his balls tighten and then release as he spurted deep within her.

"Mmm," he sighed contentedly. He gave her a moment to catch her breath before he carefully slid her robe back up her shoulders and tied the belt deftly at her waist.

She gazed up at him, a puzzled look on her face.

He almost laughed at her quizzical expression as he hooked his hands under her arms and lifted her to the floor. He tenderly brushed her dark hair back from her face and quickly kissed her lips. "We've still got plans for tonight. You should be getting dressed."

Her lips parted and he could practically see a protest forming in her mind.

He swatted her butt. "Go." he grinned.

She looked at him with a strange expression on her face before leaving him in the bathroom.

Natasha walked back to her room as if in a daze. She never did get to his wallet.