Hello dear all :-) I am finally updating part 2 and I am sorry for the long wait, but as I said, I have very little time to write... but don't worry, I'll try my best not to make you wait too long :-)

Hope you'll enjoy this part from Emmett POV and their romantic weekend in Venice..what will happen and what they'll say to each other? Let me know and THANK YOU sooooo much for your message and comments: love them all! xox

On the right a pic of Venice and a mask and please listen to the music while they are gazing the Venetian panorama..don't listen to the words, but just to the melody..

Dedicated to all of you and in particular to rain_water as a thank you for having my stories in your library, thank you! xox

Enjoy and pay attention to the author's note!

EMMETT POV

I felt Shane’s soft and velvety lips on me, his voice whispering something, but couldn’t really understand, so I tried to stir in my sleep and then my body woke up first and registered his touch and so my hands jerked on his wrists. He shifted slightly over the covers and heard him softly chuckle; I opened my eyes and ...

Oh sweet Lord.

My eyes widened to take in the whole view of this divine and beautiful creature straddling my laps and glancing at me with mischievous and playful smile, knowing how this was affecting me. Was Shane an sprite of the woods? God, my breathing grew immediately faster and deeper, along with my heart beating and blood rushing. Everything in me stirred and growled, now completely awake. I swallowed more and seized his sensual hips that were slowly teasing me and his smirked went more subtle and wicked.

Shane was standing there straddling me completely naked and wearing a black and filigree mask probably made of some thin and shining dark metal. I don’t even start in describing the way that mask made him look, because right now I had no enough words for it. I know it wasn’t anymore merely stirring me, but arousing me to insane level and him being stark naked sure didn’t help in trying to calm down.

Oh dear me, he looked to lose sanity and I wasn’t exaggerating. He was an ethereal blissful view and at the same time, an outrageously tempting and sensual vision; I was completely struck and didn’t know what to say or do.

“Happy Birthday Emmett.”

I couldn’t tear my eyes off him and so I kept staring at my man and sexy devil as if possessing him and I could tell he felt the turmoil of my emotions and my raging hard-on, because he smirked more and leaned closer with the purpose to provoke me more.

“Shane...” Damn, my voice sounded so thick with desire and so husky.

“Happy Birthday Emmett. I love you.” I stared at him in trance and he connected his luscious lips with mine and immediately felt his hot tongue rubbing mine in a dazzling assault and when I tried to control the kiss because I was about to burst, he forced me back and dear me, that fired me even more and heard myself growling like some feral animal. His smirk teased my mouth and damn it, he clearly knew what was provoking in me his behaviour and to top it, my brat broke the kiss and stared at me looking even more enticing. My chest was rising in deep and raw breaths and my eyes completely wide swallowing every inch of his sinful body. My thumb went on his wet lips and caressed them, making my desire jolt in want. They felt so soft and ready to be devoured.

Our eyes met and in that moment everything stopped. It was like falling in love with Shane all over again.

God, I loved this brat with all my heart and soul and everything of me belonged with him.

“Shane, thank you. You are, God I have no words right now, you are, you are...Shane you’re so sensually gorgeous and so damn arousing, so beautiful and tempting. Look at you...you are like a dream-like divinity.” And he sure was my divinity.

I let my hands travelled his heated and silky skin, tasting his muscles and the curves of them, my inside rising in temperature at the feeling of it. Shane was unique, perfect, so incredibly gorgeous. My fingers went greedier and stroked my man’s body now with growing desire and burning possession. Shane was my man and he always will be mine, as I always will be his. The thought had me breathing heavier and brought me euphoria and the smirk under his mask and the way his liquid eyes danced with ravenous dark light and lust only fuelled mine more. He shifted slightly on me to kick away the covers and fuck, his naked and hard body pressed on mine and believe me, Shane was tremendously hard and ready. My hands slipped over his beautiful face to study the line of that tempting mask and my eyes consumed the dazzling view of his features; he shivered at my touch and slightly arched his back like a cat. And I grew harder.

“We are using this, right?” Making love to Shane while he was wearing this mask...hmm...

“We are, but not now.” The sexy devil smirked and a cookie with caramel and chocolate syrup appeared in front of my mouth and shit, I just saw in my head Shane with the syrup on his delicious skin and... argh, calm down Emmett, at least a moment. “Sorry, no cake, but we have caramel syrup.” He remembered I liked it.

“Hmm, perfect with you, my hot devil.” I leaned forward and took a bite of it and now it was me smirking at him dark and devilish. Oh brat, I am so going to ravish you tonight. “Yummy.” Right, not exactly the cookie. And not provoking me enough, he squeezed a bit of chocolate syrup on his finger and offered it to me. Oh fuck, Shane loved to provoke me too much for our sanity’s good. And I knew he liked to drag out from me that animalistic side. I let his finger slipped in my mouth and I licked it and sucked staring at his eyes, as if that was his pulsing length and he moaned at that and shuddered. “Hmm, even more yummy, brat.” Hmm...so going to ravish you, Shane.

He pressed his lips on mine and his tongue tasted mine and he hummed, saying I tasted sweet, but believe me, not as sweet as my boyfriend felt. My hand jerked on his hair and I was ready to take him until dawn, but he stopped it and that aroused me even more.

“Wait a moment, your birthday present.”

“Shane, you ARE my present.” I made clear, but he chuckled and shook his head. What else he had in his dirty and crazy mind? He turned around and grabbed something, which looked like an envelope.

“For you, but first promise me something.” Shane shot me a challenging and strong glare and my first reaction was to crease my brows not understanding, but I nodded. “Don’t say a word of complain; it’s your birthday Emmett and I planned to do this two months ago.” He was planning that for two months? It wasn’t a joke, right? What could that be? I softly smiled and said I’d shut up. He handed me the envelope and gingerly studied every single movement I did in opening it.

When I unfolded the papers inside, at first I couldn’t believe at what I was looking at. The papers were flight e-tickets, the one you did yourself using low-cost companies, and the destination of the flight was Venice-Treviso. My eyes almost burnt a hole in the paper while my brain geared up and tried to understand and grasp the reality of it. Shane had given me as present a week-end in Venice, one of the most beautiful and romantic cities around the world and not enough, he also booked a room for us for two nights.

I was speechless and basically shocked.

How he managed to do all of this?

Right, he worked at Enna since his birthday, now I understand what he meant by saying he had planned this for two months. He worked his ass off to get me a present. God, I had no idea what to say and felt something stinging in my throat and eyes. I never ever received something like this, never in my life; of course I got presents, the expensive ones, like branded clothes and accessories, overly priced watches and utterly boring weekend in spa where we would only have someone annoying us with massages, eating nothing but raw cucumber and carrots and drink stupid green tea. Shit, that was insanely boring and stupid. It never was a present for me, but mostly my ex fiancée made a present to herself through my birthday.

This was different...this was...touching and perfect.

Shane had no money and to give me something he had worked his ass off, I mean, do you get what I mean? He worked to organize and pay all of this. Do you get it? Nothing I did for him could compare to this. He was indeed crazy, but dear Lord, a crazy sexy ass I loved more than my life. And Venice...I always wanted to visit Italy and since I began living with my brat, a trip to Italy was on my to-do-list, because I knew we would both love it, especially the warm and beautiful sea and the delicious food.

I closed my eyes a moment to regain some composure over my now roaring feelings and stinging eyes, because for crying out loud, I was a thirty years old man. My fingers roamed the bed looking for his and then tangled together tightly.

“Shane, I know I promised, but this is, this is insane, why did you have to, it’s too much for me and...Oh what am I saying? Thank you, oh God Shane, thank you. We are leaving tomorrow at 3 pm right?” He nodded and smiled. Damn it sort of bothered me he had spent money in this way, money he could use for himself, but why should I ruin the moment? He looked happy and I was happy and touched. “Venice. I never visited that city and no one ever did something of the sort for me. You really took my word about spoiling me.” Yeah, apparently he liked that idea and that meant now I could spoil him even more and couldn’t wait for that. Without giving him time to realize, I cupped the back of his neck and pushed my tongue in his mouth to kiss him senseless, to make him feel and taste my feelings; to make him understand I loved it. “Brat, this is incredible, I love it and dear Lord, why I promised you to shut up? Seriously.” Seriously, why did I promise that?

“You promised, tool.” He pointed out glaring at me.

“I know, I know, but you didn’t have to go this far for me and...Even the hotel, brat you’re crazy. We are coming back Sunday evening I see.” I think it might be more a pension, but that was just perfect and more intimate.

“Yep, these were the only available times; it’s a low-cost company, so you know how it works. It’s a normal hotel and only for two nights, sorry actually, because it won’t be fancy or you know, expensive or..” He was nervous about it and I couldn’t take it. This was the most incredible and awesome present I ever received and coming from my brat made it even more special.

“Now, you shut up, brat. This is perfect and don’t wanna hear a word about it. Is that clear?” He gave me a tender smile and relaxed. This was much better, brat. “Thank you, Shane. I love it and you are a crazy and stubborn sexy ass, but I do love you.”

“We’ll land actually in Treviso, but I checked and we can take a bus to Venice and it’ll be nice to take a ferry boat to reach the hotel and it should face a canal and the weather forecast says it’s going to be nice. It’s not a proper hotel, now that I think about it, it’s like a pension with few rooms, but the pictures looked grand.”

He was clearly excited about that and the more he talked and explained about it, the more his eyes shined and danced with beautiful and breath-taking light and my heart melted. He was excited because he realized I loved it.

“It’ll be wonderful, Shane.” I kissed him another time and this time it was hotter and both of us ended up panting and growling and damn it, I couldn’t wait to make love to Shane the entire night. We moved apart to look at each other and his eyes were like shining jades. “This is our second trip and in a beautiful city in Italy.”

“So Venice was a good idea.” He asked biting a lip.

Ok, cute wasn’t the right word to describe Shane, because he was extremely sensual, exciting and seductively beautiful, but when he behaved like now, slightly shy and insecure, he sort of looked cute, well, for how cute someone like this tempting and hot devil could look, if you get what I mean.

“Venice is a wonderful idea.” What an idiot. Venice...now I see why the mask. He thought about everything and fuck, he sure managed to drive me insanely hot. “Now I see; the city of masks and damn my sexy devil, you are driving me to damnation, sweet and heavenly damnation.”

A lewd smirked coloured his masked face and damn, my cock just stiffened and jumped at that and when he pushed me flat down on the bed and lasciviously staring at me, let the caramel syrup drip on my abdomen I felt like exploding. I saw his body shiver and he arched it in the purpose to provoke me and it crazily succeed it; he slowly slipped lower and my eyes widened more and more, while my blood pulsed about to melt my veins and my member ached for his touch. Our eyes kept locked and then the tip of his tongue teased my over sensitive skin and I groaned.

I wanted Shane and wanted him so damn badly and wildly and my body was aching to have him, like my soul.

 “How about now the other birthday present, Em?” He murmured on my chest, lapping a bite of syrup.

Oh shit, he was teasing and provoking me quite dangerously and I knew he wanted me to go wild and feral, because he liked seeing he inflamed me to such extent. Oh, I was so going to pay him back with everything... hmmm.

I breathed sharply and deeply because everything in me was boiling and then felt my control tearing in pieces and so I jolted my hand on his hair and bent his head slightly backward to expose his neck and let him see the look in my eyes. He licked his lips and bent the head forward and felt him tasting more caramel on me; I threw my head back growling like a wolf and then he decided to tease my nipples with that naughty tongue of his, evidently enjoying it. It felt incredible and so sensual.

 “So Emmett, what about your second present? You want it or not?” His voice held that usual cocky note and he used it purposely more smug to fire me up. He knew me so well.

“Shane...I’m so going to pay you back for this, but Lord, I so love it right now.” I hissed when his lips travelled on my abs and his tongue lapped more syrup. God, i wanted to have my brat with syrup, too.

“So, you want your other present?” My sexy devil stopped over my now aching shaft and his hot and sweet breath made it jerk harder. I was already leaking just thinking about his mouth.

“Ahh...fuck, Shane... God, yes...I fucking want your other present.”

I just wanted him now, so fucking much.

“Fuck...like this....” I didn’t even have the time to realize when he threw down my underwear and his mouth took me in completely and powerfully sucked my entire length and slowly pulled back stroking it with his tongue. Shane was the best. No, not even the best... Shane was the only one able to make me feel such wild and insane pleasure; he was my unique brat. I jerked my arms over my head and grabbed the pillow, massacring it in the intent to calm down my lust and excitement, because I was damn close to come and I wanted to enjoy it longer. “Slower Shane...I’m damn close.”

His mouth smirked on me and his breath caressed my hard and hot member. Staring at me he pushed down completely my boxers and tossed them somewhere in the room.

“Are you, Em?”

He drew the entire length and twirled around the head deliberately slowly, mimicking to take it and then pulling back, shooting me lewd glances from time to time. Shane teased more the head while his fingers ran from my thighs to my hips, digging in my flesh possessively and that was a powerful turn-on. My hips buckled up for the intensity of the shivers and spasms of ecstasy travelling my body and when I saw his masked face and naked body on me, I knew I couldn’t hold much longer.

“Shane...hmm..”

I loved when he was more aggressive and he had registered my state of excitement and so took me hard and deep, hollowing his cheeks and rubbing with his sinful tongue, faster and greedier. My growls filled the semi-dark room and I felt his moans around me, while he deep-throated me several times in a row sending me to heaven. Everything intensified and my breathing grew harsher; my hands now seized his hair and led him lower on me, now following his ravenous rhythm with my hips. Ahh....when I felt him stroke me hard a couple of times for then engulfing me to no end, I lost it.

And came so damn hard that I arched back and almost howled out of mind. The climax had been so strong and long that left me breathless for few seconds, still trembling and shuddering for the lingering feelings. Shane crawled up to me rubbing his body on mine and damn, I soon was hard again.

“You enjoyed it, wasn’t it?” Cocky brat; but he was right.

“Very much, very much...” I groaned pulling him down on me to kiss him. “Now let me have my fun..”

“Nope, it’s your birthday, so tonight it’s everything for you.”

“But driving you insane and making you moan and twirl under me is something I fucking love and you know it.”

“Later then, not now.” He leaned down and grinded and stroked me more, lasciviously and tempting. “Want more of the cake, Emmett?” Shane picked another cookie up and placed it between his lips and then bent forwards and let me bite from his mouth. His eyes were something magic tonight...a perfect blend of mischievousness, sensual playfulness, desire to have me crazy for him and deep and overwhelming love.

“I’d love some chocolate now.” I mused and he smiled.

“As you wish.” He opened the small bottle and let the syrup spill out on his neck and I didn’t need an invitation for that. I rolled us over and attacked his neck, having him moan and wrapped his legs around me, grinding his pulsing member on mine, now completely hard.

“You taste so sweet, brat...the best...the most delicious and intoxicating.” I travelled his neck feeling the chocolate on his skin and loving the combination.

“Emmett..ahh..” I loved when he moaned and arched under me like that. I had cupped him and begin to stroke him quite hard. “Ahh...wait...not me..”

“Let me enjoy this a bit.” I ordered and he gasped when I bit his shoulder and stroked him faster. Even in the effort to try to control his reactions and pleasure, his hips jerked up and his body melted at my touch. “Yes Shane...feel it and moan for me..” And he complied my wish. He was close and decided to let him go and I smirked when he first cussed, but then pushed me up and flipped us over.

“Now it’s me going to enjoy this.” The look and smirk on his face...oh dear God.

Shane forced my hands and arms over my head.

“Don’t move.” This was insane and hoped he knew what would come very soon; he smirked and tilted his head on the side. My hot devil knew what would come soon damn well and was craving for that.

His legs were straddling my groin and hips and he seductively rotated on me, slow and soft, never really applying real pressure, only teasing. His eyes chained mine and I was only breathing loud and hard, my heart going nuts like my lust and desire. He let his hands travel my chest and abdomen up and down and again until one hand closed around him and began to stroke his own member. I growled out of mind because the view was about to kill me.

Just think about it.

Shane, impossibly sensual and dazzling, stark naked riding me, wearing a black filigree mask and stroking himself. That would be enough to have me exploding, but I swallowed it down and clenched my teeth.

“Brat..you’re playing with fire, know this?”

“I know it bloody well..” He murmured.

Damn, I knew it; I had been right.

He lifted himself and oh fuck...ahhh... he had lowered back on me and let my cock penetrate him deep and hard. This time I couldn’t keep quiet and still and not caring of his crooked glare, I grabbed his hips and began to move him on me, slamming inside me more and harder, faster and deeper. I wanted Shane so damn much.

“Em...ahh...fuck, you shouldn’t..ahh..”

“Just shut it...I want you, Shane, and I want you damn bad.” I growled with feral voice.

He let out a loud and long moan at my words and threw his head back, while his fingers steadied on my chest; my brat let me take him quite wild and hard for a while, enjoying it and telling me to go harder and faster, and then he started to follow my pace and soon it was Shane riding me and guiding the rhythm, rotating and allowing me deeper and deeper. Every muscles of his beautiful body was flexing when arching for my thrust and shoving, now crazily feral and hard, wanting to possess Shane until our last drop of sweat. I flexed my knees up and he leaned back on my thighs, arching like a feline and clawing my hands.

I kept the grip on his hips and then slipped it on his ass, so tight and round and so obliging to me; oh fuck, he was so hot and twitching at every thrust and squirming driving me wilder; my hands fondled his butt cheeks and massaged them hungrily, making him moan and groan in sexual trance.

“Em, fuck me harder.”

Oh shit, usually I was the one talking dirty, but when he did it, oh fuck....I loved it.

“So going to screw your brain out, brat, and damn hard.” And like that I shoved inside burying myself in him impossibly deep. He shamelessly cried loud and licked his lips. “Scream and moan more for me, you know I love it.”

He was riding me insanely, his sleek back flexing against my legs and I was losing it; crushing waves of pleasure mounted me and invaded every cell of my body and filled my system. I was about to burst and burst big hell time and so was Shane, given he was now straddling out of mind and telling me to love him harsher and faster. And that’s what I did, while our connected hands stroked his member, faster and faster, harder and harder. More and more...deeper...ahh...amazing...

“Ahh...Emmett..Ahhh.....” I had thrust in him and stopped there, only having him rotating on me and after another feral penetration, I came inside him damn long and he joined me in a mind-blowing orgasm, because he grabbed my wrists nailing me, screaming in ecstasy and closing his eyes so much was strong his pleasure and same was for me. He shuddered more on me and then opened his crazed eyes.

“I love you, Em...” He murmured and then collapsed on me, his chest moving in sync with mine and exhaling and inhaling heavy and exhausted. We had quite a rough and intense session since both of us were overly aroused and hot.

“Love you, too and this had been mind-blowing.” Shane smiled on my neck and purred content while I my fingers slowly and tenderly stroked his sweaty back. I slipped out of him and he moaned and then his lips pecked my heated skin. “I loved this second present and you taste so damn good with chocolate and caramel.”

“Hmm, you’re right, bloody mind-blowing, but I guess we’re not done, am I right?”

“Oh, very much right.”

We exchanged a heated and knowing glance and our breaths fused in one, as our lips and mouths, out legs and arms tangling in a passionate and fiery wrestling between the sheets; we rolled over and now I had him still under me, eyeing me in growing anticipation. I descended on his neck and claimed it mine, my ego enjoying and inflating hearing the mess of moans and pants coming from my man’s divine lips, feeling his nails scratching my skin in deep and burning lust.

Shane wanted and needed me as much as I wanted and needed him.

I growled when he grinded his hardening shaft on mine and in a blink I moved away from his neck, shot him a dark and predatory glare and flipped him on his stomach.

“Now Shane, going to drive you out of mind.” I promised and as answer he moaned and stuck his hips up, stroking me with his perfect and round ass.

“Do it, Emmett.”

His words unleashed me completely.

When I woke up in the morning and felt Shane’s hair tickling my chin, I saw we fell asleep with me spooning him very tight and my brat melted in my hug and clenching strongly my arms, with our legs tangled. Without moving too much and trying to be as quieter as possible, I moved from that sweet hug and softly caressed his hair; he must be tired from last night and must confess I was tired, too. This sexy devil here drove me completely insane and drained all of my energy. We made love so many times that I couldn’t remember the number of it, only that each time had been incredible and damn wild and passionate. We both fell asleep and I smiled thinking about his present.

This was a birthday that I would always remember; Shane hadn’t grasped entirely what really meant all of this for me and how deeply his gift and gesture touched me. My brat kept telling me he wanted to do more for me, but he had no idea he was doing so damn much every single day. However, he was a stubborn sexy ass and so no matter how many times I told him, he would shake his head and gave me his typical cocky and challenging glare, which I couldn’t resist.

He turned around and instinctively snatched my pillow and hugged it. I silently chuckled and decided to let him sleep the morning; it won’t be a problem skipping school for one day, I’ll call to explain he wasn’t feeling well and that was.

After the shower, I wrote him a note and left it on the pillow, but he woke up and at first he tried to rush out of bed worrying about the time and school, but then cursed with really thick and almost impossible to understand Irish accent and realized he was wrecked and awfully tired. Alright, we probably went a bit too wild and rough last night, but you see, Shane turned me on like hell.

“Bloody hell my back...you destroyed me last night.” He groaned, but then stretched long and hugged my waist while I sat there beside him. “But I loved it. Happy birthday Emmett.”

“Thank you.” I kissed his messy head and he snuggled close. “Loved it, too...I could say the same about you destroying me and I wish I could stay in bed with you, but can’t.”

“I have school, Em.”

“You can skip it for today; I think you need to rest longer.” I smirked and he snorted, but then looked up at me and his eyes shined darkly.

“Did I really destroy you last night?”

“You drained me, sexy ass. God, I never had such long night in my entire life, so you see, Shane? In a way you destroyed me, but be my guest and do it any time you feel like.” He liked hearing that as I liked hearing the same, because my ego enjoyed knowing I made him feel as he never felt before.

“Same for me, sham. Bloody hell, I’ll really need this morning in bed, you screwed me the whole night.”

“You sure didn’t mind it, given you were the one telling me to go harder and deeper and faster.” I teased and he punched my arm.

“Arrogant tool.”

“But you liked it, isn’t it?”

“You liked it, too. Isn’t it?” What a stubborn hot devil he was.

“You know I didn’t like it...I loved it, Shane.” I bent down and kissed his forehead. “As I love you. Now I better go, be ready for when I am back, ok?”

“Roger, sir.” He rolled on his back and yawned and then smiled. “Be a good teacher.”

“Always am.” He chuckled and gripped my jacket to pull me back and peck my lips.

“Later, Em.”

“Later, brat.”

I had a short and quiet day at school and I just couldn’t wait to go home and see my man and fly to Venice with him; what I didn’t expect was an ulterior surprise from my crazy boyfriend. Once I closed the door behind me, the aroma of vanilla and chocolate filled my nostrils and after kicking away the shoes, I followed it and found Shane in the kitchen waiting for me with a cake. He had baked me a cake and was smiling like a kid. My arms snatched him for a bone-crushing hug and whispered him many times how much I loved him and how incredible he was making me feel today. Needless to say the sweet tasted delicious and after devouring half of it, I packed few things and we took a bus to the airport.

Shane was clearly excited and kept sneaking peek out of the window and basically didn’t listen half to what the flight attendant said about the safety features. Oh well, whatever, I completely understood him and he confessed he never travelled outside Ireland and this was his very first trip abroad. Can you believe it? Shane was making his first holiday abroad with me. Another first with me, how amazing was that?

The aircraft was the typical low-cost company vehicle, so quite small inside and I barely had the place where to stretch my legs; good thing the flight wasn’t complete and so few seats were free and our row was only for us and so had more space. I looked at my man and smiled and remembered I had something to make clear and better do it now.

“Shane?”

“Hmm?”

“You need to promise me something and don’t discus about it or begin to fuss about it, is that clear?” I arched my brows and stared at him intently and he glared back with his liquid and daring eyes.

“And what would that be?” He challenged.

“Let me have the fullest of the fun for my birthday and thus let me spoil you and treat you once in Venice and you are not going to utter a word about it.” My tone of voice was adamant and quite the commanding one and he snorted and began to protest, but I shot another glare and he rolled his beautiful eyes. “Shane, I’ll make it clearer. Not asking you to do it, I am telling you to do it...will you?”

“Emmett you already spoil me and treat me every single fecking day and..” I silenced him with a deep kiss and surprised him completely, given he gasped and froze. “Em, we are on a plane with people..” He whispered.

“Don’t give a damn about it, you’re my man, if they got a problem they can look somewhere else.” His lips smiled that sweet and carefree smile of him and so I smiled in immediate response. “Please, Shane, you already did a lot for me, let me do it, ok?”

My sexy devil considered it and realized he anyway had no alternative, because I wasn’t going to back off once I was set on something and he knew it very well; therefore he pouted and agreed with me, calling me an egotistic and authoritarian tool, but I knew he loved that and was joking, his hidden grin was enough evidence of it and I smirked satisfied.

“Grand, but I’ll have my way with you, you can bet your bollocks on it.” He crossed his arms in front of the chest and shot me a daring and smug look, the same look I saw on his face the first time we kissed. A look I couldn’t resist.

We landed in Treviso and there we took a bus to Venice, but before I purchased a map of the city to have a better idea where we would arrive and saw we were going to stop close the train station Santa Lucia, which meant we could walk to our pension. Well, hope people would give us some indications, because it seemed quite a maze of narrow alleys, canals and callas. Beside me, Shane was overly joyful and giddy, taking pictures and looking at everything; I simply looked at him and felt in blissful peace.

“Can’t wait to reach Venice and so bloody happy the day is so warm and sunny.” He said staring out of window and looking at the Italian country side. Yeah, the weather was lovely today, even though it was already late afternoon.

“Same for me.”

The journey to Venice was quiet and quick and when the bus stopped at the station, we could already spot the features of the Venetian buildings and houses and in distance a faded green cupola was visible, but no idea of what that was; quite the spectacular view, I’m telling you. Shane jumped out of the vehicle and turned around to look at me with a radiant smile and without a care in the world he threw his arms around my neck and brushed my lips with his. I liked when he behaved so carefree and relaxed.

“Do you have the address of the pension?” I asked him and he nodded, fishing out from his back-pack a paper with some indication. Oh, that was handy and checking them out on the map I could see it wasn’t too complicated to reach it. “I think we can make it walking, if we get lost, which won’t happen, we’ll get a gondola, how that sounds?”

“Sounds brilliant.” He grinned and the late afternoon breeze messed his hair and the Italian sun lightened his eyes up of a particular and intriguing glow. Shane looked gorgeous and he was my man.

We crossed a modern bridge that sort of clashed with the traditional architecture of the city and whose name the map said was called “Ponte della Costituzione” and I halted in the middle to admire the landscape, stopping Shane there with me.

“I think San Marco square must be over there.” I said pointing somewhere in front of us.

“Is it? Know what? I’d like to see those two famous bridges, but can’t remember their names.”

“You mean the Bridge of Sighs and Rialto bridge, right?”

“That’s right, Em. Sorry, I should be the one knowing the way around Venice, given it was my present for you, but can’t remember all the names and when I looked at the map it was quite bloody confusing.” I ruffled his hair and pulled him in my arms.

“Shane, you gave me the most incredible present and believe me when I say nobody ever did that much for me, so now relax and let me take care of things, ok? You promised.” He beamed at my words and slipped his arms around my waist, dragging me closer.

“Alright, you’re in charge then.”

“Hmm, I like the sound of that.” I teased with a provoking smirk and he shook his head.

“Horny tool...” I chuckled and he did the same, since it obviously applied to us both.

I checked the map and somehow tried to orientate in that daze of small and beautiful streets and small bridges crossing inside canals; the city was famous for them and its callas. We came to dead end a couple of times, because even though there were signals everywhere, you gotta know they weren’t exactly precise and sometimes they were confusing. Shane and I stopped to see which way was better to take and a man around sixty years old saw us and stopped by.

“Vi posso aiutare in qualche modo?” That was Italian and I only got a couple of words.

“I am sorry, we don’t speak Italian...” I smiled politely and he smiled nodding.

“You are tourists. I speak a little English, where do you go?” The man asked with strong and dry accent and I grinned at his nice nature and at the fact someone of his age spoke English. Simply amazing. I showed the address and he quickly drew the direction to follow on the map and we thanked him very much.

“Thank you for your help.”

“No problem and have good time in our beautiful Venezia.”

“We will for sure.”

With these precise directions we easily reached our place and it really was what in Dublin you would call a guest-house, but this was a magnificent and elegant old Venetian palace erected in a narrow street in front of a canal and a couple of small bridges connecting the sides of the stream of water. Shane gasped and clearly wasn’t expecting to find such a place and to be fair, I was surprised, too. Pleasantly surprised. The building had the typical architecture of the city, with white stone and detailed windows and particulars. I opened the door and let Shane walked in first and when I stepped inside a lady around fifty welcomed us with a gentle and warm smile.

“Buona sera signori e benvenuti.”

“Buona sera.” I barely said in Italian and when she asked more in her language, I had to admit we only spoke English.

“I am really sorry then for the sudden reaction. I believe you are Mister Johnson and Mister Callan, is that correct?”

“That’s right; I booked a room three weeks ago.” Shane talked and showed her a piece of paper and she nodded and led us to a small but stylish hall and said she was going to show us our room.

The lady, whose name was Lucrezia Mrs. Something I couldn’t remember, explained this used to be a big and old house of her family, but that she decided to turn it into a guest house and said it had been a great idea. She was quite talkative and had a funny accent of English, not simply mixed with the fact she was Italian, but I suppose with the fact she spoke a strong dialect.

Well, our bedroom was even more spectacular and this time Shane gaped at it and shot me an incredulous look. He wasn’t expecting that and I softly chuckled, then said we liked it. The room was beautiful and the window ornate with heavy and velvety curtain opened to the canal; it wasn’t very big, actually quite cosy, but nonetheless very elegant and nice and the bathroom had a far more comfortable shower than the one we had in Galway. The bed was big and wrapped with silky covers and fluffy cushions and the wall opposite the bed had a mirror that recalled the feature of one of their traditional mask. I smirked thinking about masks. I asked where we could have dinner and she suggested a nice restaurant not too far from Piazza San Marco, but she assured us not too expensive. I thanked her, even though for me it wasn’t a problem.

After refreshing ourselves and changing clothes, we decided to walk around the city and enjoy the sunset, which gifted Venice with a more mystical and magic touch and the lights and shadows in the small alleys and corners indeed gave the impression of seeing masked figures disappearing in a hurry behind a turn of street or at the end of the stairs that for some weird reasons terminated directly in the canals.

“It’s beautiful.” Shane whispered while we were gazing from the dock the sky colouring of darkening flames and violet glow, the blazing red and orange lazily melting away. The air was gentle and fresh and I encircled the love of my life in my arms.

Yes, Shane was the love of my life and the realization of it hit me like a powerful lightning and struck me with heavenly certainty. It wasn’t just being aware of loving this wonderful and unique brat; now it was about being aware that Shane for me was my only and life-time love, the man I would always want to have with me and beside me, the man I would want to see every morning when I wake up and every night before falling asleep, having him tight in my arms.

Well, this was quite the epiphany.

“Yes, it is beautiful.” I murmured on his ear, resting my chin on his shoulder. “Shane?”

“Hmm, Em?” He leaned on me and rested his hands on my forearms.

“I love you and now it isn’t just about loving you. I know that I will always love you, because you are the only love of my life; sorry if this might frighten you or somehow weight on you, given we have been living together for three months and you’re younger than me and everything else, but that’s how I feel, Shane. I want to spend my life with you.” I said all the words clearly and with calm and firm voice, to make understand I wasn’t saying something for the sake of it.

I hope this didn’t scare my brat, even though he changed a lot since we got together and let go of his past nightmares. He stiffened a bit in my arms and straightened up, so I silently exhaled out my growing tension, closing my eyes and waiting for his words or any sort of reaction. Shane untangled my arms and I swallowed down and then I felt his hands cupping my face and his lips barely stroking mine.

“Emmett...you really want to spend your life with me?” His voice was trembling with a mess of emotions. “Please open your eyes and tell me, because..”

“I want to spend my entire life with you Shane and that’s how things are; am I scaring you?” He slapped the back of my neck and sank his fingers in my hair pulling my head a breath away from his.

“What the hell are you talking about, you tool? Scaring me? Emmett, I want the same! I want to be with you until our last day on this planet, I love you and I can’t see myself without you. You understand now? I simply couldn’t bloody believe at what I was hearing and needed time to process the fact you were actually saying those words.”

“I guess you’re stuck with me, then...” I mused and smirked to suppress the pressing knot in my throat that his words created. Shane wanted the same.

“And you’re stuck with me..” He joked back.

“Hmm, I like the sound of it, brat.” I lost my gaze a moment in his liquid eyes reflecting the light of the Venetian darkening sky and pressed my lips on his, drinking from them and almost possessing my man there with a kiss. He moaned in my mouth and gripped me to never let me go. I broke it just to murmur few other words. “Thank you, I really cannot ask for more.”

We kept in each other arms for another while, looking at the last rays of sun stretching in the sky and touching with their thin fingers the quiet and silent water of the lagoon rocking the moored gondolas. Then it was time to enjoy a nice and romantic dinner and the advised restaurant was indeed very nice. It was situated on a narrow street right in front of a small canal and in front of antique and beautiful buildings; there were tables outside and candles were trembling at their centre, while more gondolas were resting in the water. Lights lit up in the alley and in the windows and it all looked extremely suggestive. A bridge connected the sides of the stream of water and led to some other hidden streets.

“What would you like to have?” I asked Shane, looking at the menu.

“If I say pizza do I sound too cliché and touristic?” He arched his dark blonde brows smirking and I chuckled.

“That’s what I feel like eating right now and just look at your left: that is what I call a real pizza.” Our neighbours ordered two of them and damn, those were huge and looked yummy. “Let’s go for it and I’ll ask for some wine, if you don’t mind it. Or would you prefer a beer or soda?”

“Nah, wine is grand; you have good taste for it.” He winked and tried to decide which pizza get. “Bloody hell, they have something like twenty different types.”

“Go for this.” I pointed one that looked quite interesting. “I’ll go for one with seafood, ought to be good here.”

“Alright sham.”

The waiter came to our table and took our orders and when I asked about any special white wine he named one, saying it came from a particular area of Venice and that it was considered as gold and then sort of hinted it was quite expensive. Now, that pissed me off and I gave the waiter my best dark and arrogant glare telling him to bring us a bottle of it and the adequate starter to accompany the first glass while we waited for our pizzas. He murmured an embarrassed sorry and slightly bowed his head. Now, much better.

“Threatening him with a gun would have been less scaring..” Shane joked and I snorted.

“I just glared at him, that’s it.”

“Sure, you just glared at him, Em. The fact is you have no idea how you bloody glare.” He smirked and invitingly bit his lip. Damn sexy teaser.

“And how do I glare?” Two can play the same game.

“You are damn sexy and hot and you just excited me..” His eyes glowed of that peculiar dark and wicked light and I was already hard.

“I am so going to devour you tonight, still have payback time from last night, which by the way had been fucking amazing.”

“Hmm...” He hummed liking to hear that.

We exchanged a dazzled glance and barely noticed the waiter coming with seafood starters and the wine. He poured a bit on the glass for me to taste it and it was delicious, so I nodded and indicated Shane’s glass first and he filled it. When he left we cheered to us and I renovated the promise of loving him through my entire life. We enjoyed our food and decided to walk more around and stopped in a bar for another drink, until both of us only wanted to be alone in our room. And needless to say we had to set up the alarm in order to wake up in time for breakfast.

The following day we saw the places every tourist visits in Venice: piazza San Marco with its beautiful Basilica and the Clocktower, the Campanile of St. Mark, the Doges palace and the docks; then the Bridge of sighs and Rialto and more. We stopped in shops to buy a couple of traditional masks and Shane got for himself one like a cat and he looked damn tempting. I don’t even know how many pictures we took together or how many times he asked a person to take one of us and it was quite interesting to see how people reacted in seeing we were a couple. Most couldn’t care less, but a couple of people eyed us with evident aversion and I gave my best scaring glare and so they turned on their hell and beat it.

Yes, we obviously had a tour in a gondola and it was quite funny and interesting and at first Shane eyed me sort of worried, because it felt weird at the beginning, but then he relaxed and enjoyed the view. The gondolier, a guy slightly older than me, spoke good English and told us many facts about the city and I could tell he wasn’t exactly straight and I sure didn’t miss the way he glanced at MY man; when I caught him, I shot a firm and hard look and he understood me at first and dropped any other peeking. To make it more clear, I gave my brat a breath-taking kiss and from the way he clenched my arm and twirled his tongue with mine, I can tell you I also succeed in making him hot and craving for me.

The gondolier manoeuvred between such narrow canals and short bridges that I was surprised we managed to pass without problems.

“You having a good time?” I asked Shane.

“You know, Em? This was supposed to be your present, so I should ask you that.”

“Well, I am having a great time, so what about you?”

“I love it and I am going to miss the food once back in Dublin.” I burst out laughing loud, because he was right.

We had tried so many delicious typical specialities that it was surprising we didn’t gain weight. Alright, not so surprising, if you catch my hint. My sexy devil in particular loved some sweet and rock-like cookies and cake called “Pan del doge” or something like that and they came in different flavours and were indeed good.  Shane kept his promise, even if with no little fussing sometimes, and let me spoil him and take care of things, and so Sunday arrived without even noticing it.

The time literally flew away and I could tell he didn’t want to go back, because he was having a great time here, thus I promised to visit more of Italy in summer.

“I’ll have to work this summer.” He pointed out.

“We’ll find the time to go on holiday, brat. We’ll visit Alice and Jordan and I believe Enna and that thug will join us.” He chuckled at my “thug” and shook his head. “And then just the two of us will go Sicily or Sardinia, how that sounds?”

“Sounds awesome, Em.” He mocked my accent and I bit his neck from behind, since we were sitting at edge of the dock with Piazza San Marco at our shoulders and the Giudecca and San Giorgio Island in front of us. He laughed when I began to tickle him and called me a “tool” and between chuckles he told me to stop.

“So, his Italy grand for summer holiday?” Now it was me mocking his tone and he probably rolled his eyes; he tilted his head to the side to look at me and smiled softly.

“Everywhere is perfect with you, Emmett.”

“Right back at you, Shane.”

I stole a kiss from his velvety lips and everything else faded away when our tongues and souls connected. Shane and I were going to spend our entire life together and I knew we both had all we needed.

Author's chit-chat:

I hope you enjoyed this second part and how they spend their time in Venice... Did you expect Emmett to be that romantic with Shane at the end? I think we needed that.

So, next chapter will be the last and what will be in there... hmmm.... I think we might see again Alice and Jordan.. and then Epilogue.

AND... "Fallen for an angel" will begin, which is Enna and Roman's story and hope you'll enjoy it!

Until next time!