Chapter 4

Practically everyone who thought they were of any importance appeared to be at the GH pediatrics fundraiser. Even though the Nurse’s Ball was to take place within 2 weeks, the turnout today was quite impressive and was due in part to Dr. Cassandra May’s success in soliciting support for the event. The family Quartermaine supported the fundraiser in full force with Lila, Edward, A.J., Alan, Monica, and Emily in attendance, seated at a main table in front of the stage. Absent from the table was Ned Ashton, a.k.a. Eddie Maine, who was scheduled to perform shortly after Dara. Mac, standing next to Marcus Taggert at the open bar, glanced at his wristwatch and noted in only a few minutes Dara would take the stage to sing. Normally he would have preferred to spend the whole evening with Dara at the fundraiser, but there was some work that must be completed before he left for Albany the next day and he planned to leave quietly after her performance. Retrieving his beer from the bar, Mac was slightly startled to find himself standing next to Sonny Corinthos, who had just given the bartender his order.

"Good evening Commissioner."

"Corinthos, I’m surprised to see you here."

Sonny was saved from responding to Mac’s comment by Alan Quartermaine, who had just begun his masters of ceremonies duties for the evening. After thanking the audience for their attendance and support of the pediatrics fundraiser, he introduced Dara to the stage. While Dara waited for the gracious applause to end, she quickly scanned the audience to find Mac’s face and gave him a beaming smile. Then the pianist played the first keys of the song and Dara began her number. Normally nothing could distract Marcus Taggert from the sheer pleasure of hearing his friend Dara sing, but to Marcus, having Sonny Corinthos within viewing distance could ruin any event. He was on the verge of walking a few steps to tell Corinthos to join his wayward bride so he could enjoy the rest of the program when he was suddenly struck dumb.

"What the %#@!" Few things had the ability to shock Taggert. The sight of Sonny tightly clasping his untouched drink while focusing a piercing gaze upon Dara as she performed was one of those few things. "Maybe, just maybe I’m imagining this." Still looking at Sonny, Taggert murmured Mac’s name to get Mac’s attention. If Mac looked at Sonny and agreed with Taggert in his assessment of Sonny’s gaze, the two esteemed members of PCPD could quietly escort Mr. Corinthos to the nearest alley and bury him so deep only archeologists would find his remains in future centuries. Instead, Taggert’s voice broke through Sonny’s consciousness and the reported mob boss’s face immediately became blank as he dropped his gaze and took a sip of his vodka and soda drink.

Taggert debated if he should say anything to Mac when the audience’s enthusiastic applause signaled the end of Dara’s performance.

"Wasn’t she fabulous?" Mac commented to Taggert.

"Yeah, Dara is absolutely the best." Even though Taggert replied to Mac’s comment, he was glaring at Sonny, who only returned an aloof expression. Conflict between Marcus Taggert and Sonny Corinthos was nothing new, but Mac’s quick observation detected an unusual level of tension in the unspoken exchange as he looked at both Taggert and Corinthos. He was about to question Taggert about it when a light touch on his arm distracted him. Before turning his head, the light scent of Donna Karan perfume alerted him to Dara’s presence,

"I’m glad you were able to make the performance." Dara looked breathtakingly beautiful in a pale blue halter chiffon dress. Even though the A.D.A. didn’t normally approve of big public displays of affection, Mac couldn’t help himself and he pulled Dara into a searing passionate kiss. Once again, Taggert looked directly at Sonny who couldn’t tear his eyes away from Dara and Mac’s embrace.

"Damn," Taggert muttered angrily under his breath. "He isn’t even trying to fake disinterest." Taggert moved right next to Sonny, tersely remarking, "Where the hell is Mrs. Corinthos? Don’t you have a full time job keeping up with her?"

"I’m getting ready to join her with Bobbie in a moment." Sonny quickly retorted as he watched Mac and Dara pull apart and gasp in an effort to catch their breaths. Sonny didn’t fail to note how Mac naturally but possessively had his arm around Dara’s waist. "Mac is no fool," Sonny mused silently. He couldn’t care less what Taggert thought, but Sonny knew he had to be careful with Mac, especially in anything that might remotely affect Dara.

Looking directly at the Police Commissioner, Sonny smoothly stated, "Mac, I know you’re leaving tonight for Albany to deal with an issue where we have mutual interests. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help."

Both Mac and Dara took in the offer of assistance with Moreno in stunned silence. Taggert’s jaw actually dropped open. Normally Mac would say it would be a cold day in Hell before he’d accept anything from Sonny, but between Sonny and Moreno there was no doubt in Mac’s mind where the greater threat lay. Or so he thought. After a few seconds Mac responded, "Thanks Sonny, I’ll remember." Then with a curt nod of his head, Sonny departed.

***

"Only 2 more hours until my shift end," Matt lamented upon completing some paperwork at the 7th floor nurse’s station. "Not that it makes any difference; it’s not as if I have someone waiting for me at home." Matt had skipped the hospital fundraising event and volunteered to work a double shift in an effort to keep his mind off of Ellen. Unfortunately his plan wasn’t working well. Despite his best efforts and the well-meaning attempts of assistance from friends who set him up on dates, Matt was still aching over the loss of his relationship with Ellen. He had thought time would heal the wound but on nights like this, he wasn’t sure anymore.

Passing through the corridor on the way to radiology to retrieve a file, Matt was startled to see Rachel Locke come out of Kevin Collins’ office. Dr. Locke was dressed in formal attire; obviously she had left the fundraising event to make her somewhat surreptitious visit to Kevin office. And the expression on Rachel Locke’s face left no doubt in Matt’s mind she had been "caught" doing something. The question is what had she been up to?

Recovering quickly from her surprise at seeing Matt, Rachel quickly offered an explanation. "Hello, Dr. Harmon. I decided to retrieve something I had left in Dr. Collins’ office a few days ago."

Matt didn’t try to eliminate the skepticism in his reply. "I’m surprised you were able to gain entry to Kevin’s office. Was it unlocked?"

"No, I explained my dilemma to a custodian and he opened the door for me." Rachel noticed that Matt’s eyes were focused on the tiny clutch purse in her hand. To dissuade him from continuing the conversation Rachel remarked, "I’m glad I didn’t have to wait until Kevin returned from Italy, especially since he’s going to extend his trip for a few days for pleasure. I can only imagine what he has planned."

"Yes," Matt remarked as his eyes narrowed, "you were fortunate the security policies at GH aren’t as stringent as they should be." Rachel shot at striking a nerve in Matt didn’t escape him but after growing up in the Mancusi family and living a life in the witness protection program, Dr. Locke didn’t faze him one bit. However, he would make a point of keeping a close eye on her in the future.

***

The Alitalia Airbus jumbo jet descended slowly over the Italian countryside, making a graceful landing at the Rome International airport. Gazing out of the cabin window, Ellen felt Kevin gently clasp her hand as the plane touched down on the runway. Neither Ellen nor Kevin slept during the overnight flight from New York; the excitement of finally embarking on their 2-week getaway to Italy kept them both wide awake.

"Welcome to Rome," Kevin murmured in Ellen’s ear, "one of the most romantic cities in the world." Ellen gasped softly as she turned her face from the window to see the intensity in Kevin’s heated, longing gaze upon her. She squeezed his hand in response and with a dimpled smile whispered, "Well then I guess I have the perfect companion for this trip."

After spending about an hour passing through customs and collecting their luggage, the couple departed from the airport in a taxi. "The taxi driver must be driving by instinct," Ellen surmised. She tightly gripped the arm rest in the back seat as the cab transporting Ellen and Kevin from the airport sped through at least 3 red lights. Kevin grinned and commented that the driver was actually doing a pretty good job of driving. Mercifully, the taxi soon arrived safely at their destination. The InterContinental De La Ville Roma hotel is located on the Via Sistina at the top of the Spanish Steps in the northern section of Rome. Alighting from the taxi, Ellen looked down the narrow street. While waiting for the bellman to collect the luggage, her ears detected at least 6 languages being spoken by people walking past the hotel. "Is this a popular tourist area?" she asked.

Nodding, Kevin replied, "Yes, this area of Rome is very popular among tourists but it is not unusual to hear several languages, especially French, German, and English, spoken on the streets of most major European cities. Only when you travel to the countryside is when you may have problems not knowing the native language." Slipping his arm around her waist, Kevin escorted Ellen into the hotel.

****

.Chapter 4A

***Warning – don’t even bother reading any farther if you are under 18 or are not into a Kevin/Ellen coupling***

About an hour later, standing at the vanity table in the hotel bedroom, Ellen’s head turned towards the closed bathroom door as she heard Kevin begin his shower. For the last 16 hours Ellen had spent almost every moment with Kevin and this was the first time they were apart for more than 5 minutes. Almost laughing out loud as she saw her blushed expression reflected in the mirror, Ellen occupied her time by applying a moisturizer to her skin, which was somewhat dry after the long overseas flight. Discarding her robe, she was dressed in only her bra and panties as she put the lotion on her legs. "I can’t believe I am literally tingling with excitement about being here with Kevin," Ellen sighed to herself, shaking her head in disbelief. It takes quite a bit to unnerve the usually unflappable Ellen Burgess and the evolution of her relationship with Kevin did unnerve her a bit. The two of them have always had an easy chemistry and being with Kevin made Ellen feel comfortable; she could let her guard down completely. Ellen was so lost in her thoughts she didn’t hear Kevin’s shower end and she wasn’t aware of his presence until he had encircled his arms around her waist. She lifted her head as she leaned back into his chest and her nostrils took in the scent of his aftershave. Dressed in the luxurious cotton terrycloth robe provided by the hotel, Kevin slowly caressed Ellen’s bare stomach while gazing at their reflections in the mirror.

"I’m sorry, I guess I lost track of time. I’ll be ready in a few minutes." Ellen said breathlessly when she felt Kevin bend down a bit and gently nuzzle her neck. She felt his warm breath against her shoulder when he spoke.

"Your shoulder and back are a little dry from the flight. Let me take care of that." Kevin moved a step closer behind Ellen and stood at full height again. Taking the tube of lotion from Ellen’s hand, Kevin held it in one hand as he used deftly unhooked the back of Ellen’s bra with the other. Using his fingertips to distribute the silky lotion over her upper back and shoulders, Kevin couldn’t suppress a smile when Ellen’s hands held the cups of the bra in place. He had the insane thought of quipping, "Resistance is futile," to her but the feel of her soft silky skin beneath his fingertips removed all lighthearted thoughts from his mind.

"God, your skin is absolutely beautiful Ellen." Kevin marveled, gazing at her flawless mocha skin. The movement of Kevin’s light caresses on Ellen’s shoulder pushed the bra straps down her arm. Ellen leaned back, her head pressed against Kevin’s bare chest, and the soft kissed Kevin placed on her neck combined with the touch of Kevin’s skillful hands brought a sigh from Ellen’s lips. Encouraged by her response and with his closed eyes as he used is lips and touch to drive Ellen mindless, Kevin placed his hands directly under Ellen’s and took possession of the brassiere, which he promptly dropped to the floor.

"Ellen…" Kevin moaned her name as his hands clasped and caressed her full firm breasts. Looking up again to see their reflection in the mirror, Kevin swallowed hard and could barely breathe. The sight of an almost nude Ellen in his arms made him dizzy. He thought he would almost lose consciousness when Ellen reached behind her back and started to caress his hardness underneath his now partially opened robe. Kevin shut his eyes tightly again; her touch and strokes were literally driving him insane, especially when Ellen brought her other hand behind her to stimulate him also. He moaned Ellen’s name as he raised his hands to her shoulders and gripped her for support. He clasped her shoulders so tightly marks would be visible later. As much as he wanted to maintain control he couldn’t, he was literally powerless in Ellen’s hands and within a few minutes a cry came from Kevin’s lips as he climaxed.

Kevin could not wait another second to completely possess Ellen. Swiftly turning her around to face him, he captured her lips and kissed her possessively as he cupped Ellen derriere and lifted her off the floor. Ellen tightly wrapped her legs around Kevin’s waist and he walked a few meters, carrying her to double bed. Not taking the time to pull back the bed covering, Kevin gently laid Ellen on the comforter and quickly removed her panties and his robe so that they were both now nude and joined her on the bed. First lying gently on top of her, he kissed her lips softly again and smiled as her gave her a heated gaze. "You have no idea how much I wanted you like this," Kevin murmured in a husky voice, "but you’re about to find out." Moving his body down hers, Kevin used a hand to caress one breast as his mouth devoured the other, causing Ellen to cry out in pleasure and writhe beneath him. After several minutes of this exquisite torture and applying equal care to both breasts, Kevin moved up again to passionately kiss Ellen’s lips while a free hand went down Ellen’s stomach and teasingly caressed her upper thigh. Ellen’s legs parted slightly in anticipation of Kevin’s next movement; he briefly broke to kiss to gaze intensely in Ellen’s eyes while his fingers started to intimately caress her. Kevin placed his head in the crook of Ellen’s neck and continued to stroke and explore her body, becoming completely aroused again himself as he continued to pleasure her. Ellen tightly grasped Kevin’s forearm and tried desperately to remember how to breathe. Under Kevin’s relentless knowing caresses, Ellen gasped and moaned Kevin’s name when the first wave of her orgasm began. Lifting his head to give her another passionate kiss, Kevin continued to rub his hand against Ellen, extending the sensation for her as long as he could. He waited some time for Ellen’s panting to subside and watched her as her eyes slowly fluttered open, taking in her beautiful dimpled smile.

"Aren’t…aren’t we going on a tour of Rome this afternoon?" Ellen asked grinning broadly.

Rolling on top and bracing him on his forearms, in lieu of a verbal response to her question, Kevin deeply kissed her and ground his hips into hers forcing Ellen to open her legs. Breaking apart due to lack of air, Kevin sinuously slid down her body leaving a trail of kisses and murmured, "I’ve always though Rome looked best during a night tour…a very late night tour." Once Kevin’s face was just below Ellen’s navel, he got off the bed completely. Ellen’s eyes flew open when the lack of contact occurred and cried out in frustration. It was immediately followed by a cry of surprise when Kevin placed both hands firmed under Ellen’s buttocks and pulled her hips forward to the edge of the bed, allowing her legs to dangle over the side.

Ellen protested weakly, "Kevin, I want to hold you. I want you inside of me."

"Not yet, you aren’t ready for me yet," Kevin whispered leaning over and kissing her lightly on the lips right before he dropped to his knees on the floor and spread her legs apart. Ellen’s mind began to spin out of control as Kevin’s tongue and lips invaded her intimately.

"Oh my…" Ellen moaned, grabbing a thick clutch of Kevin’s hair. Kevin tightly gripped her thighs and held her hips in place while Ellen moaned in ecstasy. He could feel as Ellen’s body tensed and soon she was on the verge of release again. Releasing one leg, Kevin used his fingers with his mouth to heighten the sensation. Ellen’s back arched and she moaned, "K E V I N," shaking violently at the force of the orgasm. Ellen released her grip on Kevin’s hair and looked at him with a dazed expression as he lifted her and moved her body back to the center of the bed. Feeling completely spent, Ellen was limp in Kevin’s arms. Her momentary passivity proved deceptive because as Kevin held his body over hers and leaned in for a kiss, Ellen tightly wrapped her legs around Kevin’s and swiftly pulled his hips forward while she lifted her hips slightly. Filling her completely in one stroke, Kevin groaned fiercely when their bodies molded together as one. They lay still together for a moment, just enjoying the sensation. Then, Kevin began to move and thrust his hips while Ellen moved in sync with his thrusts. As with other areas of their relationship, feelings of familiarity, comfort, and trust accompanied the incredible pleasure both partners were experiencing. The slow, steady but forceful rhythm gave way to a more frantic pace as the lovemaking continued. Ellen gasped loudly as Kevin pounded into her and growled her name, warning her of his impending loss of control. His body ached for release but he wanted to stave it off as long as possible.

Looking at him with love, Ellen urgently whispered, "Don’t wait," and used her inner muscles to clutch him more tightly. This drove Kevin over the edge, and he gave into the incredible orgasm.

Rolling over onto his back, Kevin pulled Ellen with him and they clung tightly to each other. Although he hated to admit it, Lucy’s stinging words that he could not replace Matt in Ellen’s heart had haunted him. He knew Ellen, and knew how rare and precious her gift of love was. Even though Matt was no doubt still in her heart, it warmed Kevin to know perhaps, just perhaps there was a place for him in her heart also. Because most certainly, Ellen had a permanent place in his

Kevin gently caressed and kissed her hair and lifted her head to look directly into Ellen large expressive brown eyes. He murmured softly, "This is one of those rare instances when reality far exceeds the fantasy.

Nodding in agreement, she said, "It was wonderful, wasn’t it?"

"Yes," sighed Kevin, taking his love into his arms. "And it always will be," he promised.