Page 18 of His Two Hidden Masks

My mind quieted, my body drunk on the touch of his cock, his fingers, his mouth. The room was bathed in enough moonlight for me to see the flecks of gold in his dark brown eyes. This man was beautiful, and I had made him mine for one night.

“Thank you,” I whispered, tracing my fingers along his chest.

“You are quite the tour guide,” he said, sighing. He stretched his arms wide and pulled me into an embrace. I rested my head on his shoulder. “I should get up and get dressed,” I whispered, my eyes heavy with sleep.

He kissed my temple. “You are not going anywhere,” he said. “At least not yet. I may need you again.”

“Yes, please,” I said, nestling my head in the crook of his arm. We slept for a while. We had sex twice more. Each time, my orgasm felt stronger and deeper than the last.

I had no idea how James kept getting hard; the man was a machine. I rode his hard dick, chasing that release and finding it every time.

I dreamt that night. I was in a gondola by the Lido. A man sat beside me, wearing a gold mask. I couldn’t see his face, but his lips pressed against mine and moved down my neck.

I woke to the sound of knocking. Disoriented, I sat up, wondering why Mama was knocking on my bedroom door.

“Signora Isabella?” A woman’s voice snapped me awake and back to reality.

Lissa, the young German housekeeper who had worked with our family for over twenty years, stood in the doorway with fresh towels draped over her arm. She held a master key in one hand, her expression a mix of confusion and fear.

“What are you doing in here?” Lissa asked.

I reached across the bed to find the space beside me empty. James was gone.

4

Isat up, my heart racing with panic. My clothes formed a trail from the door to the bed. James was gone and I was naked. I had no good reason for being in this guest bedroom.

“Lissa,” I said, my mind going into overdrive. I needed an excuse and I needed one fast. “You surprised me.”

“And you surprised me,” she said, lowering her voice. She stepped inside and closed the door behind her. She was tall with big blue eyes and long blonde hair that she wore pulled into a sleek ponytail.

“I had insomnia last night.”

“Why are you in here?” She glanced around the room.

“Well…” I stalled and quickly glanced around the room. Where the hell was James and how could he have left without saying a word? I could not see any bags. The room looked empty outside of me. If I hadn’t known that the man I fucked stupid last night was a paying guest, I would have assumed the room was unoccupied. “I used my master key and let myself in. I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

“And you took your clothes off,” Lissa said, eyebrow arching. It wasn’t a question.

“It was hot,” I said, my voice even.

I knew Lissa had a list of all the registered guests but I couldn’t bring myself to admit the truth to her. I followed a stranger home for a one-night stand at my family’s hotel, and I’d been caught.

“And I thought this room was occupied,” Lissa said, glancing at her clipboard.

“Well,” I said. “It is. By me.”

“I see,” Lissa said, eyes darting from me to the floor. I imagined she was piecing together the night before without much effort. I hoped that her years of loyalty to me and my family would keep her from pressing me with more questions.

My relationship with my family was already strained. I did not need more drama with my parents or worse, Roberto. Being known as a runaway bride was bad enough.

A quick glance at the trash bin by the bedside and I saw three empty condom wrappers. Three. I could not remember the last time I’d been had sex three times in one night because it had never happened before. I needed to get out of this room before Lissa asked more questions or noticed my sex trash.

Lissa crossed her arms. “Paolo told me there were calls to the front desk last night about a disturbance in this room,” she said. “Were you unwell?” Her blue eyes narrowed as she gave me a once-over.

Was I unwell? My cheeks burned. Had the entire hotel heard me in bed with James last night?

“I don’t know. I didn’t hear a thing,” I said, my voice high. “I feel so much better this morning. A good night’s sleep does wonders. Do you mind handing me my clothes, Lissa?”

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