There is a new found energy after my little nap during the movie. Francesco occupies the bathroom and while I wait for him to get out I go through my drawers in search of something comfortable to sleep in. At the bottom of my top drawer, the one I use for storing my lingerie, I find a bright pink bowled up silk slip, meant for my eyes and my eyes only. Francesca gave it to me last christmas saying: "Every woman should feel sexy when going to bed every night." I guess this is what kind of night clothes she wears. Nevertheless, I seldom wear it, I simply had no other desire but to sleep during the night, perhaps sexyness was something I could aim for during the day time? Nevertheless, I still kept the slip in case I would want to choose to wear something skimpy and less creative for halloween next year, it always works for Francesca, putting on lingerie and calling herself catwoman.

"Hey."

"Hey."

Francesco and I collide, he comes out of the bathroom with a newly washed face and I go in, the lingerie held tightly in my grip.

The apartment is dark when I come out, Francesco having already shut the door to Fran's bedroom. There is no point in hiding so I quietly make my way across the living room floor, there is a slight draft with the skimpy lingerie exposing a lot of skin. Suddenly my steps come to a halt. My heart rate increases when I hear Fran's door come ajar, a low creak with the slow movement. I turn around at the sound of a snapping camera. Francesco is standing in the frame, the low burning light from the room enlightening his exposed skin. He was shirtless, only wearing a pair of gray boxer shorts. He still held the camera tightly to his chest despite me having turned around and faced him. I wore a questioning look, my lip quivered with the question I did not dare to utter.

"Pose." He said, his voice deep.

"W...what?" I stutter.

"Pose for me."

"Francesco I..."

"You look beautiful." He said, stepping out of the doorframe. The camera snaps another picture and I blink with the sound. He takes another step and I back away, he takes another step and suddenly I've backed away into my bedroom. When he lets the camera rest around his neck I allow him to step forward without me budging. His breath is heavy, so is mine. I stretch out my hand to touch the center of his chest. His green eyes follow my every move. Closing the space between us, he bends down to kiss me. A soft kiss, gentle and sweet.

"Touch yourself for me." His voice was filled with an impatient desire.
"What?"

"If I can't touch you, touch yourself for me." His eye returned to the camera lens. I lay back on the bed, a deep breath escaped my mouth before I let my fingers peel off my silk panties. "Like this?" I moan, with the movement of my fingers touching gently between my legs.

"Just like that."

Francesco hovers over me with the camera, snapping a picture every time the stream of immense pleasure reflects the way my body crumbles on the bed. I moan his name. He breaks the rules by undressing my top, exposing my erect nipples. I am left in the nude. I keep the pressure between my legs whether he takes my picture or not. It feels so good the way his green eyes desire me, how he can look but not touch. The night ends with the climatic aroma of two bodies resting against one another, untouched yet touched deeply in the soul.

*****

Gray clouds roamed the skies outside the bedroom window. Today will be a cold day, but with the warm body laying beside me all that was needed was to never uncover the bedsheets.

I lay on my side, watching Francesco's naked torso rise and fall with his slow breathing. I would have to wake him up soon, before Fran returns to the apartment. I really wondered what she would say if she were to find us like this, tangled together under the sheets. Despite being so easy going in general I fear that sleeping with each other's siblings must be against any girl code, even Francesca's.

"Buon giorno."

My gaze leaves the sealing. Francesco stirs beside me, his eyes are sleepy and his voice raspy with the heavy morning ambiance.

"Morning." I said shyly, wondering how I'm going to find the strength to ever let this man leave my bedside.

"You look beautiful." He smiles. Clearly his head was still in the clouds because I looked awful in the morning, let alone my tousled hair, my breath also stank. Francesco's arms snaked around my body in an attempt to pull me in.

"Wait!" I protest, covering his mouth with my hands, preventing him from putting them against mine. "I have to brush first."

His soft chuckle echoes behind me when I crawl out of bed and quickly run to the bathroom. I don't mind that he has a good view of my nakedness, a loud groan tells me he likes what he sees.

"I'll be right back." I shout from across the apartment, toothpaste foam already invading my mouth.

I return to bed with a minty fresh scent lingering in my mouth. "There, now you can kiss me." "I have a better Idea." He grins. I gasp in surprise when I get tossed on my back before I could reach him.

"Francesco." I cried. His lips traced soft kisses down my pelvis and around my belly button. "It tickles. I giggle.

"Good." He said looking up. Soon the tickling sensation is replaced with an infuriating sensation of fire, traveling over my skin as his position down my body deepend, his lips now tracing down my inner thigh.

"Francesco." I say his name with angst. The pleasurable sensation stops. I go to rest on my elbows.

"Does the no touching rule still apply?"

"Probably." I nod.

"Probably." He sighed.

He returns to my side and we lay down in a spoon position. Francesco pins my back to his chest, I feel his excitement pressed against the length of my back.

"I'll erase those pictures we took last night." He said after a long moment of silence.

"Why?" I frown, having really enjoyed the intimate experience we had shared, I thought perhaps he had done the same.

"I lied to you at the pub."

"Lied? How?"

Francesco's voice is very seductive in the morning. "You see, I could tell what kind of girl you were judging by the dinner with your parents." The vibration of his voice drummed against me.

"Oh yeah, and what kind of girl am I?" I turn around in order to face him.

"A good girl." He said. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry at his words, either way I said nothing.

"I was afraid of this."

"Afraid of what?" I snap.

"That I was gonna change you."

"Change me how? Like a fucking vampire?"

"No."

"What then, what?" I shouted.

"Like you said: you really like who you are, what you are and where you are."

"You left out the part where I said I liked who I am with."

"I know and that was my mistake for making you say that."

"You didn't make me do anything." I am trembling with the sudden anger I was feeling. "Last night.... Those pictures and those videos we took were my choice." I said.

"Yeah, but I put you in that position."

"Oh fuck off." I sigh, rising to my knees, covering my breasts with the sheets.

"Do you want me to leave?"

"Yes, please leave. I never want to see you again."

Francesco is swift with his movements, a cold sensation as his warm body leaves my bed. I couldn't help but to think that to him it was an easy act to follow. I look away when he searches for my eyes as he pauses in the door frame.

"Please..." My plea stops him from leaving. When I face him my eyes are shiny with tears. "...Please don't mention this to your sister, not anything beyond the dinner with my parents."

He nods in agreement.

I wait for the confirmation of the slamming door, before I let my anger out with a painful cry against the pillows. "I am such an idiot!"

My steps are rapid towards the bedroom window. I search for him in the streets below. Stepping out of the building, he mounts Seamus' bike, firing up the engine with a rumbling noise that surely will wake up the whole block. Once he's gone I hopelessly fall to the bed, letting the soft mattress catch my limb body. I shiver against the sheets. The duvet smothers my sobbing sounds.