“You are beautiful, inside and out. And the most passionate woman I have known. I love you to the depths of my soul.”
Leah turned on her back, and Gianni kissed her tenderly. The touch of his soft lips was sweet, yet erotic. She kissed back, filled with joy. “I hope you know I have more boundaries to cross, more limits to press. The more you share with me, the more I want. It’s as though my capacity to love you is limitless.”
Gianni’s blue eyes glistened. “I want that as much as you do, baby. We have only begun to discover each other, and to test our limits. There is nothing to stop us, nothing to deter us from plumbing the depths of our desire. And loving as fully as we are able.”
Leah touched his cheek. “I am yours, Gianni. Always.” She kissed him, wondering that she wanted him again already. But then she was insatiable when it came to the man she loved. As he was with her. That was something that wouldn’t change.
They had it all. Love that filled their hearts, minds, and souls. And unending erotic scenes to play out, each one a new way to express what words could not. Even poetry, as lovely as it was, could not convey what Leah felt.
The intimacy, the oneness, had to be experienced. And now that Leah had, she would not accept less. She would never want any man but Gianni. The only man she willingly served, whose domination she craved. And whose love she treasured.
Chapter 8
Zurich was a wonderful city even in the snowy winter. It was December, and the entire city was bathed in a warm glow. The scent of cinnamon and mulled wine hung in the air, and the sounds of Christmas carols rang out wherever Leah went. Strings of sparkling white lights decorated the city for the season.
Gianni took her to the Rathaus Bridge to see candles floating down the Limmat River at a holiday event. And shopping at the Christmas market called Christkindlimarkt was enchanting. The central market was inside the main concourse of the train station. The highlight was a fifty-foot-tall Christmas tree decorated with thousands of sparkling Swarovski crystals.
At Bulgari, famous for gemstone jewelry, Gianni bought her a gift. When Leah put a Serpenti Tubogas bracelet on, she didn’t want to take it off. The eighteen-karat pink gold twisted around her wrist in interlaced tubes like an exquisite serpent. The pavé diamonds accented his head, and the tip of his tail gleamed.
With average temperatures falling below freezing in the city, and the surrounding mountains blanketed in snow, Leah was grateful for the cold-weather clothing Kyra had insisted she buy. Yet they didn’t let the weather dissuade them from sightseeing during the festive season, when the city was so magical.
There were plenty of ways to escape the cold. Gianni took her on the Fondue Tram, to savor Switzerland’s top winter dish. They dipped chunks of bread into cheese fondue while watching the lights of downtown fly by. And in between activities, they made the most of coffee breaks at one of the many cozy cafés.
There was no lack of delights to choose from, including hot chocolate and handmade truffles at a renowned chocolatier, an aperitif at the legendary Café Odeon, and a coffee cocktail at Café Henrici. Plus, Gianni discovered the Kunsthaus Modern Art Museum, where they spent time browsing the fine art, although it was impossible to see everything in only a few hours.
It was a beautifully kept museum with a variety of paintings and sculptures from the old masters to modern times. Frequently, they sat and pondered a painting for a while. Leah was fond of a Swiss painter named Hodler, especially his landscapes and portraits. Gianni preferred the Impressionists. A quick tour of the museum took them half a day.
They ventured out of old town to Zurich West, a neighborhood filled with contemporary art galleries, museums, and designer fashions. Among the new restaurants that had sprung up in the area was Clouds at the top of Prime Tower. The
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