The Twelve Vitali Ch. 07

"Should I be concerned about a sexy assistant who has a thing for her rich and powerful boss?" she asked.

"Of course," he said with a perfectly straight face. "Unfortunately, Hilary thinks I'm asshole and only wants me for my body. I'd fire her, but she knows too much about me to risk it."

"You're kidding, right?" she frowned at him, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly making her realise he was joking.

"She is a lovely woman who mothers me to death, and, yes, she is expecting you to call, because she worries about me not dating anyone since... twenty thirteen," he stopped himself from saying Nik's name, but found the thought of her didn't bother him as much as it usually did. "And she is curious about the woman that I would fly back to Brisbane just to make a dinner date with when I still had work to do in Melbourne."

"Oh, I would have understood if you cancelled," Cat looked at him, feeling guilty she had kept him from his work.

"I told you on that first night that I would never let you down. This will be a real partnership with a real friendship. We may not be in love, but I would hope that we care enough to prioritise any time we have put aside for each other over work. If it were something I couldn't delay for a few hours, then I would have called to reschedule, and the flowers I sent would be twice the size of those."

They had walked as they talked and he helped her into the car and closed the door, finding that her perfume wafted up to him. He liked it, there was something vaguely familiar about it. When he got into the car, he leaned towards her and breathed deeply trying to place the smell.

"What perfume is that?" he asked as they pulled out into the traffic.

"Naughty Alice," she laughed.

"Interesting name," he commented. "Is it new?"

"No, Lucia had me try quite a few more expense perfumes and make-up brands, but I guess I like this, I have two others I can wear if you really don't like this," she offered. "You did warn me about having preferences, but that was before Lucia and Andie took over my makeover," she said it lightly so he would realise she didn't mind one way or another. This was just the costume she had to wear for the role he and the Donati family needed her to play at the moment. It didn't change who she was inside, and in the small amount of time she had to think after Lucia's visit, that was all she could come up with, she was who she was, and she just had to stay true to that, regardless of the costumes she wore to disguise the fact.

"It suits you," he said after some thought and lapsed back into silence.

"You said you saw your fathers' today?" she asked.

"I did," he confirmed. "They both like you very much; you don't have to worry about that at all. They would not like to see you get hurt again by another of their sons, but then they don't know about our agreement which takes that kind of pain out of the equation," he said, glancing at her sideways as he drove.

"Lucia came and talked to me today," she said softly. "I think your cousins are worried about me hurting you because of what Nik did and how long it's taken you to come back here to see them all again. As you say, there is no risk of that with the agreement."

They pulled into a large hotel, and Matteo stepped out, handing his keys to a valet as her door was opened for her. Matteo hurried around to help her from the car and guide her inside to the bar.

"This will be mostly shop talk, sorry, but I will make it up to you over dinner," he promised as he spotted Josh sitting with his team and manoeuvred through the crowded bar toward him.

Cat sat through an hour of listening to the small group talk about the HQ building in Melbourne and the environmental products Matt had used that seemed to be new materials and products to the others listening to him. She got lost as they talked about the properties and aesthetic appeals of the materials and let her mind wander until she heard Matteo mention her by name.

"I'm sorry, I don't know much about what goes into the construction side buildings," she apologised. "I zoned out for a moment."

"I was just saying that you had done some of the artwork for the HQ building. Grant is interested in the blend of the interiors and keeping with the environmental themes. I suggested hiring an artist to do a series of work as you did for particular spaces helped to tie it all together," Matteo enlightened her.

"I did, but it wasn't the easiest brief to be so constrained by colours and themes, I think if you were going to go down that road, letting the artist walk through the space and make suggestions might be more beneficial," she said honestly. "I found it very difficult and only completed a few series before moving on to other adventures," she admitted.

"That's entirely our loss, believe me," Matteo said sadly.

"And our gain, as she has come to have an adventure with my family for the rest of the summer," Josh grinned.

"I'll get my assistant to call tomorrow sometime for you and your team to view the project before we meet again. I have promised this lovely woman dinner, and I should probably make good on that promise before she falls asleep on me," Matteo chuckled. "I'd invite you along, but it's hard to wine and dine a woman with an audience." Cat blushed prettily and shook her head as Matteo helped her to her feet and they bid everyone farewell.

"The restaurant is not far away," Matteo took Cat's hand as they left the hotel without picking up his car. "It's a nice night for a walk. The weather here is so different to Melbourne," he smiled and looked up at the stars.

"I don't know, I've only been here for a few days, and it was stormy the first night I arrived, overcast the next day, then steaming hot, and now, tonight, it's perfectly lovely," she laughed. "It sounds about as fickle as Melbourne weather, except that even when it's raining it's so hot!"

"Maybe reserve your judgement until you've been here a little longer," he chuckled.

They walked into a South American themed restaurant where Matteo was greeted warmly, and they were shown to a booth and offered menus. She was quite amazed at the strange fusion of modern and classical design within the sparkling place. The interior had like a golden glow, and a band strummed guitars quietly from a small dais in the corner. It was lovely, and obviously a very popular place to be and be seen.

"Miss Leone," Matteo handed her a menu. "Would you like wine with dinner tonight, or should we start with champagne to celebrate finally making it to a real date, with just the two of us?"

"Thank you, Mr. Vitali, wine sounds lovely, and I am more than happy to trust your judgement in ordering something nice," she agreed, following his formal tone with a smile. The tone remained as they spoke like people on a first date, discussing favourite foods, hobbies, movies and music. As the night wore on the tables closest to the band on the subfloor were moved around, and the music became louder as couples began to dance. Cat watched in amazement as many couples, who obviously came for the dancing alone, took to the floor.

"Dance with me," Matteo held out his hand to Cat.

"I can't dance, especially not like that," she waved his hand away and shook her head.

"That's okay, I can," he smiled. "Trust me, Cat, I won't let you fall," he said sincerely and smiled when she took his hand.

Matteo murmured softly in her ear as he held her close, counting and teaching her the basic moves as she shimmied in a mirror image of him and spun as he twirled her. She became more confident, and, by the time they left the dance floor to eat the dessert, Cat had to admit she was having fun. They hadn't talked about the agreement during the evening, and feeling happy and relaxed they stayed until late, dancing and sipping dark red wine like regular people on a regular date, Cat thought.

She had half expected something flashy to impress her, but while the restaurant was popular, it didn't seem elitist. Designer dresses bumped hips with bargain basement buys on the crowded dance floor. For the first time in six months since first going to work for Vanessa Vitali she felt like she belonged in this world, not just as Matteo's date, but like she could come here on her own and be comfortable mixing with these people. She had to give Matteo credit for the thought he must have put into the date and making it accessible to her rather than overwhelming.

It was late when Matteo finally took her home, and he held her hand as he drove. Cat didn't question it; it seemed the most natural thing in the world. Unused to dancing all night, she slipped her shoes off in the car and breathed a sigh of relief, making Matteo chuckle.

"Not used to dancing in heels?" he asked, a small amount of concern in his voice.

"Are you kidding, I go dancing every night. Couldn't you tell by all my awesome moves back there?" she laughed.

"I did wonder about that," he chuckled. "I imagine you have a lot more moves I would think are awesome."

He parked in the underground garage and quickly got out of the car and came around to her side. She has slipped her shoes back on and stood gingerly after the short ride home.

"Here, let me help you," Matteo said, and picked her up, swinging the car door closed with his hip and carrying her in his arms toward the elevators.

"Put me down! You don't have to carry me. I didn't break a leg or anything," she said softly. Matteo decided not to have this argument right there and then and put her carefully on her feet inside the elevator when it arrived.

Cat grimaced and slipped her shoes off again. She leaned against the railing in the elevator. "I feel kind of silly; they didn't hurt at all back at the club. I think maybe I drank more than I realised at dinner, and now its numbing effects are wearing off," she said.

"You didn't eat much tonight," Matteo replied, "Come on, let me help you, I'd like to."

Cat didn't argue; when the elevator arrived at her floor, Matteo put his arm around her waist and lifted her, easily carrying her down the hallway. Cat had her arms around Matteo's neck and she caught his scent, a mixture of expensive cologne and sweat that she remembered from when they were dancing. She laid her head on his chest, closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. Something about his smell definitely set off some feelings she knew she shouldn't be having about this man.

When they arrived at her door, Matteo didn't set her down as she unlocked it, he waited patiently as she fumbled with her key and then carried her over the threshold. The door shut behind them as he walked to the far end of the apartment and put her on her bed. Matteo propped two pillows up and then swivelled her feet onto the bed.

"They are a bit swollen," Matteo inspected her feet. "I'll get a cool cloth and some lotion and they'll feel better," he said.

"I'm sure I will be fine in the morning," Cat replied.

"It won't take but a minute," Matteo said.

Cat laid back and closed her eyes. Matteo was such a gentleman, he had treated her like the only woman in the world tonight, and she had felt special, more than any of the times she had been with Ned or Ricco. She let her mind wander and almost fell into a light doze as she waited for him to return.

When Matteo returned, he smiled, thinking she had fallen asleep already. He gently sat on the bed and lifted one of her feet. She opened her eyes and smiled.

"You don't have to do that, really, I will be fine in the morning," she said, attempting to pull her foot from his soft grasp and found that, although gentle, his grip was secure.

"While I enjoy watching women walk and dancing in heels, I wouldn't like to have to wear them all day, every day," Matteo said.

"I don't wear them all day every day," she laughed. "Luckily for me I have a solitary sort of job where I am not expected to look as glamorous as a lot of women are," Cat replied, "My feet and calves hurt when I overdo it, like I have been over the last few days. I expect that is something I will have to get used to if we decided to stay together after this week."

"Let me do this then, since I am the reason you have been wearing them more often than usual," Matteo said as he began rubbing her other foot. She was about to argue with him again, so he cut her off. "It's no problem, just relax. It might make you feel better."

Cat leaned back and closed her eyes for a bit. She was tired, but she concentrated on the feel of his hands. Matteo massaged the bottom of her foot, firmly pressing his thumbs into her aching arch. It felt really good. Matteo switched over and pressed into her other foot.

"Does that hurt?" Matteo asked.

"Not at all," Cat replied. "Actually, it feels really good."

Cat felt the bed move and her feet being picked up and then coming to rest on something soft. She cracked one eye open to see Matteo facing her while sitting cross-legged with a pillow in his lap where her feet were now resting. Matteo was working her feet and ankles over. She quickly closed her eyes again. This felt like it was becoming an intimate moment, and she wasn't sure what to do or if she could turn off her feelings for him once they had gone past that boundary, despite all her questions about it.

"Thanks for taking care of me, Matteo, but you don't have to keep rubbing my feet." She said carefully, wondering what he was thinking.

"It's no problem. I enjoyed tonight, and I'm happy to be here talking to you for a while longer," Matteo said honestly, and surprised himself to admit he wasn't ready for the date to be over yet. "Just relax and enjoy your foot massage!" he chuckled. "This isn't something I do often or for just anybody. Besides, I feel responsible for the state of your feet tonight."

"Ok, if you put it that way then. Rub away!" she said, sounding more enthusiastic than she felt.

Cat closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. She felt Matteo's hands running deftly over her feet. His hands were gentle but strong. They were very different from Ned or Ricco's hands. Matteo's didn't seem to have that same sense of urgency and need that seemed to go along with their expectation of sex whenever they touched her. As Matteo continued the gentle assault on her feet, Cat became more and more relaxed. She concentrated on how good the massage felt. She chose to ignore her initial concerns and the butterflies low in her tummy that accompanied the fact that his hands were making her feel so good. A small happy purr escaped her lips.

She felt hands his begin to work themselves along her calves. Her body was relaxed, and her mind was slowing down to relax with her body. The hands were no longer attached to Matteo in her mind as she tried to just enjoy the tranquillising feeling of the hands themselves.

The hands worked her kneecaps and behind her knees. Fingers would press firmly and run down her calf to her ankle. Cat didn't realise just how tense and sore her legs were, but the hands were changing all of that. They moved above her knees. Her dress shifted upwards to make room for the hands. Fingers pressed and squeezed the tired muscles. Another soft purr escaped her lips.

One hand left a thigh and joined the other, one working the front of one thigh. They would squeeze upwards, away from her knee and toward her groin, and then they would switch to the other thigh. Ever alternating, the hands moved upwards, closer each time to her most intimate parts. Cat's skirt was now practically around her waist, and she felt exposed. The hands moved up and pressed deeply into her hips, turning the tense muscles to putty.

Cat became lost in her massage. The room was dark and quiet and her body was relaxed, her mind focused completely on the hands trying to push down the butterflies that threatened to undo her tight hold on her arousal. The hands slowly pushed her dress higher again and she gave up any pretence of remaining unaffected by the man attached to the hands.

"Matt," she whispered softly, opening her eyes. "Are you sure we should be doing this?" The dark gaze he focused on her told of his own heat and need and she felt goose bumps rise on her flesh.

"No, but I am sure I don't want to stop," he whispered huskily. "Do you want me to stop?"

"I... I don't know," she took a huge breath, letting it out in a slow, breathy purr that only fed his need further.

"We had such a good time, then coming home and... well..." he looked into her eyes seeing her concern in the dim light from the bathroom where he had gathered the cool cloth. "If you're worried about our proposal, don't, I told you, Cat, I don't make love, I fuck, and right now that's all I want to do," he crawled over her prone body and kissed her deeply.

Cat's mind whirled, trying to draw the same distinction between making love and fucking for the pure rush of endorphins. The kiss deepened, and her hands glided over his shoulders as she gave in to the sensations he was giving her.

Matteo felt her resistance fade and pulled back from the kiss and smiled softly. He took her hands, sitting her up, and helped her pull her dress off and dispensed with her bra just as quickly. She lay down again wearing only her panties now, and he noticed that she trembled slightly. The cooler air hit her nipples, making them stand up, begging for his attention as her breathing became short and shallow.

Cat closed her eyes again as the hands came to her hips and slowly slid up her sides to her breasts, squeezing them together. She felt her nipples grow even harder as his palms slid across them. Hands cupped her breasts and fingers pressed into her flesh, making her gasp as it hinted at a roughness she hadn't realised she had missed and wanted. Lips surrounded one of her nipples and sucked it; she could feel teeth scrape lightly over the swollen peaks. Excitement rushed through her and down to her hot, dampening pussy.

As the hungry mouth continued to assail her sensitive nipples, the hands moved softly up her hips and grasped the top of her panties. Slowly, the panties peeled away from her, down past her knees, past her ankles to finally be completely freed from her feet. She was completely naked. She felt vulnerable but eager now to be fucked by this dark and extremely sexy man.

The hands began again. Fingers moved between her toes, twisting and pulling, and then moved slowly up her feet, ankles and calves. This time they applied gentle pressure to the inside of her legs as they were slowly spread apart. All Cat wanted was the touch of those hands. They moved gently upwards, caressing her inner thighs. Moving outwards and upwards, sliding extremely close to her pussy, they massaged her hips once again. The one area they had quickly passed was the one area she desired them most. The hands slid back toward her thighs and Cat raised her hips, 'Oh, please, God. Please stop and touch me there!' she thought to herself.

On the next trip upwards, they still didn't stop, but they did slide right over her with one finger sliding between her lips and across her clit. Cat shivered and let out a soft moan. One hand came back, and again the finger slid along her slit. She knew she was hot and wet, and she lifted her hips again, wanting more of those wonderful hands now that she had given herself over to what was happening.

Soon she felt her knees rising and being spread apart. Her feet were planted on the bed. Fingers massaged her pussy and teased her clit. Two fingers entered her and the palm cupped her, pressing a thumb against her clit. Just when she didn't think it could get any better, she felt the soft tongue slide up her slit. This was something she had little experience with, and she quivered in pleasure as the tongue danced deftly around her clit, darting and teasing while the fingers worked inside of her. The fingers curled inside her, gently stroking her rough G-spot. Two lips surrounded her clit and sucked it in deeply before pulling away, letting teeth scrape over her, adding a small amount of pain to the pleasure he gave her. The talented tongue would lap at her and then attack her clit again.