Laura was luxuriating in a delicious dream. She was wrapped tightly in a cocoon of hot smooth silk that sent an electrical charge along her sensitive skin from head to toe. She felt an orgasm building inside her womb, as if the warmth she felt within was bursting forth, stimulating her aching sexual organs as it spread outward toward the light.
Then she was spinning around in a pool of clear, warm water; her mouth invaded by the sweet, insistent tongue of a dear lover whose face was just out of focus. As she began to concentrate more on that tongue and mouth, she surfaced from the calm pool and realized that she was no longer dreaming and there was no cocoon. The wetness she felt was between her legs. She was clasped tightly in the arms of her flesh and bone lover, and it was his mouth plundering her own. The silk was his fevered skin, and the warmth inside her was the desire that rose up from her unconscious self, so strong was the pull of this man.
She dropped her head back away from his probing mouth, and slowly opened her eyes. Gabriel was gazing down at her, a proprietary look on his handsome face. His eyes were dark green and full of wanting and tenderness. Laura slowly released a contented sigh. All of it was real. He was here in her bed. Her passion found its match in his.
"It was all real..." She said sleepily. As she stretched herself against his taut body, Gabriel thought that the look on her face was full of innocence and a completely guileless beauty - rather like a child. He lifted her chin so he could better access her lips. He pressed his mouth to hers, and felt the flames ignite between them. His hand cradled her head so he could press her more closely to him. He felt a thrill, like a flutter of tiny wings beneath his skin, as she softly slid her hands around to his back. Gabriel felt himself grow hard as his lower body brushed against hers under the cool sheets.
His hand moved down her neck, to her back. He probed the bones and muscles beneath her velvety skin. Then his hand continued on its journey to her lower spine, the soft crest of her tailbone, finally cupping the firm curve of her heart-shaped ass. He ground his erection into her as he pulled her toward him. Gabriel's fingers slipped around further to plunge into the tender mound of moist flesh between her lean legs. Laura moaned into his mouth as he inserted first one, then two long fingers into her wet folds.
Gabriel shifted his body to move on top of her, his knees pushing her thighs apart so he could slip himself inside her.
Suddenly they both jumped and looked at one another in alarm as the gate intercom buzzer sounded. Two sharp rings, then a momentary silence, then two more.
Their heads both turned toward the clock on her bedside table. It was 7:00 AM.
As their eyes met again, they both understood that this was the reckoning they'd been expecting. The buzzer sounded insistently yet again.
"I'll go speak to them." He said slowly. His face, just moments ago filled with desire, was now etched with sadness and a sort of resignation.
Her hand nervously found its way to her brow. It was trembling. Laura sat up in bed, pulling the sheet up to cover her nakedness as she watched him pull on his trousers and slip his tee shirt over his head. He picked up his shoes and sat down by the foot of the bed with his back to her. He stared into space for a moment before bending forward to put them on. The buzzer rang a fifth time.
Gabriel stood and walked toward the bedroom door, looking back at Laura over his shoulder before stepping through it and into the hallway. Her eyes were huge, and full of fear. Her face was pale. He paused, his hand resting lightly on the doorjamb.
"Don't worry, this will just take a minute. I'll be right back." Then he flashed a smile at Laura meant to comfort and reassure her. To Laura, his smile seemed full of pain, like a man bravely going to a firing squad.
He moved into the hallway and disappeared from view. The sound of his hard-soled shoes echoed down the hallway like the blows of a hammer. Laura was frozen in place for several moments, listening intently. When she heard the door shut behind Gabriel, she was suddenly reanimated and sprang out of bed. As she struggled into her robe, Laura started violently when the buzzer rang a sixth and final time.
She nearly ran down the hallway, her bare feet making virtually no sound on the smoothly polished wood. She went to the French doors in the living room that opened to the balcony. From there she'd be able to see the courtyard gate. For some reason, Laura feared being seen by whomever had come for Gabriel. She gently, noiselessly opened the door so she could hear their conversation, and hid behind the lace curtain, standing on tiptoe, peering down at the scene that unfolded. Her heart pounded in her chest.
Gabriel had just reached the gate, and opened it to allow an elderly gentleman in a Jesuit robe to step inside. He was tall, white-haired and very lean. His face registered a mix of relief and concern as he looked at the younger man.
"I'm very thankful that you're alright. We were very worried when you didn't return last night." He said. His voice was deep and calm, and he spoke excellent English with a slight accent that Laura could not pinpoint.
