17.
Now, the Ancient Quarter was waking up at its usual lazy pace. Elizabeth had grown to think of this part of the city as being like a pampered dowager cat, awakened daily by the caress of the sun and stretching lazily to greet each morning. Today was no different as the sun crept with feline grace down the stucco sides of the buildings, giving the morning a soft yellow glow.
Elizabeth stood quietly at Joseph's side looking absent minded through a storefront window on the Corso del Rinascimento, just where it connected through little alleyways to the Piazza Navona. Her heart was full of anxiety as she tried to wrap her head around all the conflicting emotions she felt. She was trying desperately to work out a solution that would not destroy her marriage, not hurt her husband and yet still permit her to explore the feelings that were pulling her so hard to go even deeper into the kind of relationship this beautiful man standing so close to her had proposed. She could feel his warmth as he held her, his strongly muscled arm wound casually around her waist. She could smell his scent conveyed to her by the little convection currents wafting up from the paving stones. It actually made her mouth water and she shook her head trying to clear the feeling of desire from her brain.
Joseph could see that in her reflection in the storefront glass and he looked over at her quizzically. "My woman, something troubles you. Unburden yourself to your man."
"That's just it Joseph. How can you possibly be 'my man'. I am married you know, and until a few weeks ago I thought I was happily married. Now you offer this entirely new and entirely alien idea of what marriage can be and I am so torn. On the one hand, nothing I have ever done is as exciting as what we have shared. Nothing has ever been as earth shattering as the way you make me feel when we are . . ."
She looked over her shoulder as if she expected someone might be spying on them and it made her feel even more guilty. Seeing no one she continued, this time in a husky, barely audible whisper.
"As when we are. . . intimate. Oh God, Jusef! I can barely manage to hold it together. I want you so fucking bad I could just rip your shorts off and suck your cock right here. Do you understand how much you're in my brain; how crazy you make me?"
Joseph said nothing, instead squeezing her waist and pulling her closer. His brow furrowed as he considered how to respond. She had just called him 'Jusef,' the Islamic version name that he had explained only a parent or an intimate -- like a wife or lover would use -- spoke volumes to him about how she felt about him right now.
She continued, still in a whisper, but growing more breathless as she unburdened her soul to the tall black man whose side now tightly pressed against hers, "On the other hand, I really love Michael and after all we have 18 years together, we made a child together after all. I could never do something that hurt him. I mean I already have cheated on him with you, and I don't want to hurt him any more. Can you understand that? Does my marriage mean nothing to you for heaven sake?"
"Elizabeth did last night's conversation in the car mean nothing to you. Do you not understand what I was proposing? Believe in me, my woman and know that, yes, your marriage will be redefined but in a way that benefits all three of us, and especially Michael. We are all in this future together."
He paused a moment for effect, but before he could continue, they watched an ugly double decker bus cough up a glob of badly dressed tourists, probably American. They filled the cobble stone alley leading to the piazza, and Joseph grimaced in frustration.
"Come, we need privacy. Let's get away from these people"
Joseph took Elizabeth by her wrist and began striding purposefully through the clutch of tourists and down the narrow alleyway like a shark through a school of minnows. She never failed to appreciate his strength and the easy, unconscious dominance he exerted over her. Now was no exception as they parted the throng, some of them even running nervously into the narrow walls on either side. In truth, she loved being pulled along by him. It made her feel that Joseph was in complete control of her, and that secretly excited her sexually. Even now she could feel her juices wetting the panty material at the apex of her running shorts. She was not ready to admit to herself how much she loved being submissive to him and would have been shocked to know how much more submissive she would become to him.
He jostled a portly man and his blowzy wife and over his shoulder he heard to man complain grumpily to his wife, "Damn -- look at that fine looking little gal and the way that porch monkey is pullin' her along. I guess they ain't too particular over here. You'd think she would know better than to be seen with a damn nigg. . . "
Before he could finish the sentence, Joseph halted and looked hotly back at the man. The prince's jaw was tight and his glare cut the man down without a word being spoken. Now Elizabeth looked back in anger as well. To further aggravate the bigot, she took Joseph's hand and placed it firmly on her butt cheek holding it in place with her own hand. Joseph squeezed, then rubbed her firm ass cheek possessively as they slowly continued and broke out onto the piazza ahead of the tourists.
The man's wife looked at her husband, angrily silencing him in a loud voice, "Damn it, Albert. I told you to watch what you say, Some of them can understand English, you know. Besides, I wouldn't mind a taste of dark meat myself if they was all built like that one."
The husband was about to reply, but all he could manage was a growl. Elizabeth had heard the remark and thought to herself, "No bitch, he's mine. Anyone who wants him is going to have to claw their way through me to get to him."
She leaned against him body and put her arm around his waist, then suddenly blinked, shocked at what she had just told herself. She could scarcely believe what she had just admitted to herself and again the internal conflict between loyalty and passion began another skirmish.
Across the large Piazza Navona, they could see that the gelateria at the opposite side of the oval square was just opening, A swarthy worker was rolling up the awning. The place had become Elizabeth's favorite, and Cesare, the proprietor always gave her a free sample on nights when she strolled in. Once, she saw him animatedly jabbering away to the other workers and making a gesture with the middle finger of one hand through the circled thumb and forefinger of the other while his eyebrows wiggled. She didn't need to speak Italian to know the meaning of the gesture, and had actually been a little flattered that he was thinking of her sexually.
Today his face broke into its usual broad smile as she glided into the shop. He thought to himself how sexy she looked and how much he would love to screw her tight little body. He could see her nipples dancing under the sheer material of her running top. His mouth watered and his dick stiffened as he mentally ravaged her. He knew she was American from her previous attempts at conversation but thought she could be mistaken for northern Italian from her pale skin and dark hair. Not for the first time, he thought how much she reminded him of a young version of that American actress Rachel Weisz he had seen in movies imported from Hollywood.
When he saw the coal black countenance of the man who was obviously her companion his face turned to a scowl. This was the first time she had ever visited the shop with Joseph and the owner was shocked and confused. He had seen her with a mousy looking man whom she introduced as 'mio marito', my husband. Clearly this was not the husband, but who then? His jaw dropped as he saw the familiar, possessive way Joseph again took her wrist and led her to one of the glass fronted bins and he thought to himself, 'cosa una piccola puttana' -- what a filthy little whore. This is the last time I let that slut foul my shop.
Nonetheless, he forced a smile and waited on them. She ordered her favorite, blackberry, while Joseph decided on pineapple. When they strode out of the store the owner stuck his right thumb between his lips making the gesture of scorn behind their backs.
They found a tiny table under an umbrella tucked outside the building's side window. Elizabeth tasted the confection and rolled her eyes in sheer delight. She dug a little with her spoon then offered it to Joseph's lips, feeding him lovingly. "You have got to taste this. It's just like the creamery near my dad's auto dealership when I was a little girl. Gosh, it's so good."