Title: Taken in Tuscany

Summary: Bonnie discovers love and desire in a rustic villa in Tuscany while housesitting for an old friend. She knew Tuscany was known for its sensuous food and wine but the young gardener that comes with the house, well she hadn't bargained on that….

Pairing: Bamon

-oOo-

Chi-City Girl

-oOo-

Kai's flight arrived thirty minutes late and Bonnie hung around the arrivals peering at faces as they walked out through the mechanic, glass doors. O'Hare was full to capacity with people coming, and going. Glancing around the airport, she spotted a few businessmen toting around briefcases, lovers arm in arm preparing for the weekend ahead but her eyes lingered on a young couple with two kids. Something tightened in her chest when the husband pressed a kiss to his wife's cheek and then proceeded to do the same to his daughter's forehead. Bonnie shook the picture out of her head and scanned the space again.

She was growing somewhat impatient when she saw his beaming face in the crowd. He looked tantalizing in an olive green army jacket, disheveled around his chest but smooth over his broad shoulders. He looked so good that she had to bite her lip and stop herself from screaming. The man had a body that made a girl scream and praise the Lord for his sweet mercy and Bonnie was thankful. She was thankful that after months of drought; this man would lay one on her so thick, so juicy, so sticky and so powerful that she'd have to go to Church on Sunday for absolution. She had been waiting endlessly for this weekend, marking out her calendar and attending to any business that might be deemed urgent. She had even contemplated on buying a big 'do not disturb' sign and hanging it outside her apartment so that her crazy friends wouldn't find themselves on her door step. The phone was already off the hook. Bonnie had hungered for this man for three straight months, three straight months of restless nights and now he was finally hers.

"Hello beautiful." he whispered pulling her toward him and holding her face firmly in his large hands. She moaned aroused by his tormenting baritone voice.

"Welcome back to Chi-Town" she sighed, pressing her palms on his warm chest.

"You look gorgeous." he smiled holding her at arms length so that he could take all of her in. His dark eyes raked the length of her slender frame dressed in a black Dior pant suit like a ravenous tiger. Her shoulder length brown hair was a mess of large curls framing her heart shaped face.

"I missed you, "she murmured burying her face in his big chest and allowing her body to be engulfed in his warmth. He smelled like leather and citrus and the scent took her back to the last time they'd been together. Kai held there in his arms kissing her hair and she inhaled him deeply before lifting her eyes to his.

"You smell so good." He told her, his grey eyes lighting up with amusement.

"And you feel incredible, "she squeezed him a little more before pulling away.

"Let's go home" he said throatily, kissing the top of her head.

They walked to the black BMW with Kai lugging his Burberry weekend bag in one hand, the other resting comfortably around her shoulders. She drove and he talked.

"You're working too hard." He said as he lowered the window and Bonnie squinted against a fiery Chicago sunset.

"You sound like my mother." She chuckled, motioning to the glove box where she kept her sunglasses.

"Speaking of which, how is she?" he complied, opened the compartment and handed her a pair of oversized glasses.

"She still hates you" she teased, loving the halo effect around his head from the setting sun. It made him appear luminous and ethereal, something she always believed about him.

"That explains why you haven't told her that we're back together."

"She wouldn't understand. Abby is a happily married idealist who thinks I should find a good man, get married and have a village of kids," she said casually.

"She just cannot comprehend why her brilliantly successful daughter is still happily single" she smiled glancing at him and Kai laughed throwing his head back. It was a deep robust laugh that seemed to erupt from his belly and she found it contagious.

"The very idea of a liberal feminist like you bearing kids is quite comical to say the least."

"Well then, I guess that explains why I'm sill a spinster at the ripe old age of thirty two." She gave a half-strangled laugh and averted his eyes.

"You're not a spinster, you're an untamed spirit."

-oOo-

They spent the evening huddled in bed with a bottle of vintage red wine, a packet of cigarettes and Indian take out. Bonnie took the cigarette from his mouth and slid it into her own; it was a potent camel brand that left her giddy.

"I thought you quit." Kai said, his breath tickling her forehead.

"I'll quit when you quit." She murmured and traced a line along his firm abdomen, reveling in its tautness.

"We're two of a kind you and I" he planted a kiss to her brow and rubbed her arm.

"It's you and me darling, not you and I."

They were watching some CNN special about rebel groups massacring Hutus in the aftermath of the genocide in Congo. Kai was resting next to her with his hands brushing up against her breasts, touching the fabric of the white Egyptian sheet gently as if he didn't want to disturb them. He always marveled at her breasts as if they were the eighth wonder of the world. They were pert, lush and firm, tipped with delicate dark nipples.

"Why don't we go out for dinner tonight, maybe see some of my girl friends?" she breathed closing her eyes as his hands crept beneath the sheet to touch her skin.

"I don't want to share you, beautiful. "Kai sighed lowering his head so he could kiss her bare shoulder. He planted light butterfly kisses on it then brought his face up to kiss her. She held his radiant face in her hands and kissed him. She could still taste the hot sauce in his mouth. He smelled and tasted like a man from Mumbai. Their kisses were long and slow, making her skin tingle as he raked his fingers through her hair. His mouth sought her breasts and professed his love for them. Their love making was slow and tender with her lying on her side as he moved from behind. They stirred like that, on and on until he grasped her neck and kissed her hard and full on her open mouth.

Bonnie laid her head on his hard chest feeling content and complete.

"This is nice." She mused.

"It is, isn't it?" he massaged her left breast, the bottle of wine passing from his lips to her lips.

"It could be like this all the time." She suggested, pinching his nipple between her thumb and fore finger.

"It's a nice fantasy."

"I make you happy, don't I?" She looked up at him, her eyes pleading.

"Yes…but you know what we have."

"Yes I know." she was being selfish and she hated herself for it. She had gotten into this knowing Kai wouldn't be so available. He had a demanding career as a journalist and she had her own trials running her events planning company. It was the situation that controlled them. Ten months entangled in an explosive love affair with this man. It was futile to fight it. He had the power to hypnotize her with his voodoo.

"If only we could escape it all, run away to Europe or India"

"India…India would be wonderful."

"We'd leave like nomads from country to country wandering the world searching for reason in this senseless world. "

"Why bother with logic? I want to be a student of life, living for the moment. I want to bask under the Tuscan sun, follow a strange religion in India make love, make music…"

"We'd make love on every continent. "His grey eyes sparked as he grabbed a hold of her.

"Every country." she smoldered caressing his face with her fingers. She kissed him, breathing him, tasting him, tongue against tongue, ravaging his mouth. Kai held her close, firmly against his solid body and devoured her neck, her breasts. She laughed at their impetuous naivety. The reality was that she was thirty-two, unmarried with a mortgage to pay, insurance, a career, a pension plan and in love with a man she could never call her own.

-oOo-

Bonnie woke up at eight o'clock the next morning and strolled around the loft wearing one of Kai's old navy-blue Ralph Lauren shirts, sleeves rolled up, frayed collar, oversized and skimming her lithe thighs. She raked her manicured fingers through a head of messy curls. She watered the plants, scratched through a heap of laundry and decided to put a few things in the machine. Then she crushed some Brazilian coffee beans and made a fresh pot in the coffee machine. Taking a pack of Marlboros from the drawer, she went into the lounge, plopped up on the yellow linen couch with her steaming cup and slipped one in her mouth. Her lips were quivering with an unfathomable craving for nicotine. She pulled feeling warm fingers massage her insides. Her head tilted back as she blew our tendrils of white smoke from her puckered lips. This had the power to truly liberate her from herself. It was a painfully passionate affair that held her in is clutches till she abandoned all reason. It was a bad habit, she didn't deny that but it was also the sweetest most gratifying intoxication she had ever known. She laid out the butt in an ash tray, drank her black coffee and listened to the telephone messages.

Sydney and Nicole, new clients asking about the price for imported lobsters for their June wedding, Caroline inviting her out to a book party and her mother insisting that she call. Kai barged into the lounge buttoning his slim fit white shirt; his eyes were a deep shade of burgundy from their furious love making.

"You've showered?" she shot him a surprised look. Bonnie had been hoping for another hit before they hit the town.

"I have to go" he announced as he tucked the tails of his shirt into his waistband.

"But you just got here, I thought…"

"A huge story just broke out in the Middle East, "he walked over to her on the couch, "this could make my career" he told her much to her anguish.

"You work for CNN; I think your career is a done deal." she slammed the cup on the thick oak wood table, spilling her coffee.

"Besides, there's always a story breaking out in the Middle East, its hardly breaking news."

"Now you're an expert on my career, I don't have time for this."

"You never have time for this" her voice croaked as she forced herself to smile. Why did this always happen, whenever she was enjoying her time with Kai, her much needed, much deserved time with Kai, work always interfered. She cursed herself for feeling like this.

"I'll see you soon." He said gruffly.

"When?" she begged, following toward the front door.

"A couple of months." He flung the words over his shoulder.

"Unless another story breaks out"

"There were no hidden clauses in this contract, Bonnie."

"Yes, I knew exactly what I was getting into"

"Don't start," he picked up his bag, tossing his jacket over his shoulder," I don't have time for a pity party."

"I'm sorry, it's just I love you so much Kai, and I never really see you." She grabbed his arm, clinging on to him.

"I'll call you." he gave her a perk on the cheek.

"I can drive you to the airport."

"I've already called a cab."

Bonnie watched him leave; she stood there, rooted on the spot with his scent still lingering in the room. She loathed the way she felt, needy, clingy, and pathetic. Kai was probably repulsed by her. Fourteen months ago she had been an independent, sexy, smart woman who just happened to meet Kai at some art exhibition, now she was a slobbering needy spinster. She didn't have the energy to do this anymore. She loved Kai, oh Lord how she adored him but she was tired and she ached deeply.

-oOo-

"You look terrible." Caroline said, scrutinizing her from across the table.

"Do I?" Bonnie tapped her designer heel on the granite floors of Acadia around the South Loop.

"I don't know why you bother with him.' her friend repeated, casually taking a sip from her glass of Sauvignon Blanc. She looked particularly prim and proper in a black ruffled dress, her blonde hair tied into a high ponytail. Bonnie, on the other hand felt like a mess, the peacock print dress she'd thrown on was from her dirty pile. She'd drowned it in Chanel no.5 to mask the odor. She didn't have the vigor or patience to bother with her looks when her life was falling apart around her.

"I love him." she replied, scratching her head.

"You know you deserve better than this don't you, there are tons of single men in Chicago."

"Yes, but not all of them eligible. Kai is sexy, funny, cultured and a world renowned journalist."

"Well, you're the only one in love in this so called relationship." Caroline warned and flipped through a laminated menu and settled on the desert section.

"I won't get anyone better than him."

"Do you know what you sound like right now? This man has turned you into a sniveling love-sick school girl. You used to be a vivacious business woman."

"You're right" Bonnie sighed and made a stab at her butterflied lobster.

"I miss my friend, let's go out tonight. Paint the town red." Caroline slapped the menu on the table, leaning across the table to grab Bonnie's hands.

"I need a break; I need space to…regroup." The brunette confessed as she squeezed Caroline's hands.

"No, you need champagne and dancing"

"I don't feel like a party." She sighed, releasing Caroline's hands to pick up her glass of wine.

"This is not a debate, it's an order. There's an after party for The Business Man of the year awards, need I say more.' Caroline winked, her blue eyes sparkling. .

"A room full of Chi-Town men, that's all I need." Bonnie shook her head, laughing at her friend's zeal.

7