This Is My Love

We were both breathing heavily as I laid on Pete's chest, enjoying the way it took my head with it as it rose up and down. I played with the wedding band on his finger and smiled.
"This is probably the sexiest thing I've ever seen," I whispered, referring to the sight of the ring on his finger, before bringing his hand up to my mouth and kissing the ring. Pete chuckled and pulled me closer against him.
"I'm glad you like it," he replied as he stroked his fingers up and down my back. As I enjoyed the feeling of his fingers, I pretty much passed right out. I was so exhausted. We had been going at it like rabbits ever since we arrived at the hotel, not even caring that we were in the middle of the beautiful city of Rome. Pete had done well in surprising me, really well in fact, for the last time I mentioned how much I wanted to visit Italy, especially Rome, was when we were seventeen years old. Yet, he remembered. So, here I was, not only in a gorgeous suit in the city I had been wanting to visit for as long as I could remember, but I was here with the man I had loved since I was fifteen, who just so happened to now be my husband. I had to be the luckiest girl in the world.

"Wake up, baby."
I awoke to the feeling of Pete's lips brushing over my eyelids. I moaned quietly as they moved to my cheek, then my lips before brushing against my ear. Pete nipped my ear lobe before placing a gentle kiss below it.
"Come on, sleepy head," he whispered. I stretched my arms over my head and arched my back as I pulled the sleep from my muscles. When I finally opened my eyelids, I was met by my husband's smiling face.
"Hi," I murmured sleepily. He placed another gentle kiss on my lips.
"Hey," he mumbled into the kiss. I smiled against his lips and wrapped my arms around his neck to deepen the kiss.
"Oh, no you don't," he laughed as he took one of my wrists and pulled it down from around his neck. "If you start that again we'll never get out of here, and I want to take my beautiful wife out to dinner. Show you off."
I pouted up to him, making him laugh some more.
"Get your fine ass up and get ready. We have reservations."

"Okay, keep them closed," Pete whispered in my ear as he stood behind me with his hands over my eyes before taking his hands away then placing mine there instead and stepping away from me. "Don't you peek now," he reminded me. I had no clue what he was up to, or where we were. I knew we were outside somewhere with a lot of pedestrian traffic, for I could hear people talking and walking, as well as hearing what sounded like running water.
"I thought we had reservations for dinner," I called out to Pete, not sure what he was doing or how far away from me he was. "When are we going there?"
I jumped slightly when I felt Pete's hands on each of my wrists.
"We do, and we're there," he whispered. I furrowed my eyebrows, not sure what he meant. Was it an outdoors restaurant?
"Ready?" He asked.
"For one of your surprises?" I let out an over exaggerated sigh. "I guess."
"Ow, that stings," he whispered in a fake wounded voice. I laughed. "Okay, one... Two... Three!"
He pulled my hands away from my eyes and stepped beside me. I gasped at what I saw. Right in the middle of the hustle and bustle in front of the Fountana Di Trevi, in my opinion the most beautiful sculptured fountain in Rome, was a little table for two, complete with a white table cloth, silverware, two wine glasses and in the middle of the table three candles, two shorter, white ones on either side of a taller, deep red one, burned. Standing behind each chair were two smiling waiters, both wearing black and white tuxes and each holding a covered dish. A couple feet away from the table were two more men, also dressed in tuxes and one holding a violin while the other held an acoustic guitar. Pete made a gesture with his hand and the men started playing a sweet, slow melody, making the ambiance all the more romantic. I looked over to Pete with a stunned expression.
"How? Who?.. How?" I stumbled over my words. Pete chuckled at my disbelief.
"When it comes to you, nothing is ever going to stand in my way of making you happy. For you, I would build Rome in a day," he whispered sweetly and brought his hand up to gently run his knuckles down my cheek. "You like?"
Tears flooded my bottom eyelids as I smiled lovingly at my amazing husband.
"I love," I replied in an airy tone. Pete smiled happily, obviously pleased that I was so pleased, and leaned in to place a soft kiss on my lips.
"Well, I love you," he stated and kissed me one more time before straightening back up and taking my hand in his. "Shall we?" He used his head to gesture to the table. I nodded my head and let him lead me over to the table. He pulled my chair out for me and I sat as he pushed it underneath me before kissing my cheek and taking his place across from me.
"Mr. and Mrs. Hernandez, dinner is served," the waiter next to me smiled to us before him and the other waiter, in perfect sync with each other, placed our plates down in front of us and taking off the metal covers. I gasped in wonder as I looked down at my plate. Perfectly assorted in front of me was chicken parmesan on top of angel hair spaghetti, topped with Parmesan cheese and four oregano leaves assorted so they looked like a star. On the edge of the plate were two halves of french bread, toasted with what looked like a mix of mozzarella and yellow cheddar cheese on the top. I shut my eyes and inhaled the delicious scent as it wafted up from the food. I opened my eyes again and looked across the table to find Pete watching me with a soft smile on his lips.
"You're amazing, Bruno," I whispered through a returning smile. His smile grew larger at my words.
"Nothing's too good for my wife." He reached across the table and grasped my hand before giving it a gentle squeeze.
"Wine, my lady?" My waiter asked as he held a bottle of white wine in his hands. I nodded my head and smiled at the fact that he didn't ask if I preferred red or white wine, for I knew that it was because of Pete. He knew me well and knew that I preferred white wine to red, which was something we had in common. I knew he probably planned everything to my liking, right down to what kind of cheese I enjoyed the most to put on the bread.
"Enjoy," the waiter spoke in his thick Italian accent after pouring the wine before he and Pete's waiter turned and walked a few feet from the table in opposite directions. I licked my lips in anticipation as I grabbed my napkin and shook it loose to lay across my lap before digging into my food.

The food was even more delicious than I had anticipated, and I cleaned my plate completely, something I don't think I've ever done with so much food in my adult life. Dessert was creme de la creme, made exquisitely, and was the perfect finish to the meal. Pete had really outdone himself, and I absolutely adored him for it.
Pete and I had both drank our fair share of wine during the meal, to the point where I was a little more than buzzed. After dinner, we walked around the city hand in hand, enjoying the lights and vibes of the city that surrounded us. The city was even more beautiful at night, and the people were a lot kinder than in L.A. And a lot better looking, too. We went unrecognized for a while, until a young woman of probably nineteen years old ran up to us with a napkin and a marker.
"Bruno Mars!" She exclaimed and continued to talk to him in such a fast Italian that I couldn't begin to understand, but the way she held the napkin and marker out to Pete, I could guess what she wanted. Pete looked over to me and shrugged. I laughed and shrugged back before watching him give the girl his signature Bruno Mars smile, causing her to practically swoon, before taking the marker and signing his autograph on the napkin. Some of the people who noticed the spectacle seemed to recognize us and run over for their own autographs, almost all of them women who seemed to think Bruno was the most gorgeous man in the world rather than truly love him for his music and talent, but I couldn't blame them in the least for that. He really was the most gorgeous man I've ever known, and I loved watching him receive so much positive attention, especially after all the negative things the press was saying about him just a little over a week ago when they found out about his cocaine addiction and abuse of a few years back. I think he was afraid that his fans would think less of him, and every time his concerts sold out or people hounded him for autographs and pictures, it reassured him that he was still loved by his fans.
I tried to pull my hand from his to take a step aside so that he could more easily sign the numerous autographs, but he tightened his hold on it as he glanced at me out of the corner of his eye and gave a small shake of his head to let me know I wasn't going anywhere.
At one point, one of the girls seemed to recognize me as well and pointed at me.
"Marley Medley!" They exclaimed. Everyone who was too infatuated with Pete to even glance at me finally turned their attention to me. They spoke to me in Italian and offered markers to me and held napkins and pieces of papers already signed by Pete for me to sign. I smiled and began signing my autographs as people began pulling out their cellphones as well to snap pictures.
"You both picture me?" One asked in broken and barely recognizable English as they showed us their cellphone, giving everyone else the same idea of getting a picture with us rather than of us. Pete and I posed with as many people as we could, standing on either side of each person as someone else snapped the picture, before the crowd finally grew too big for us to get everyone.
"Thank you for your support, everyone, but my wife and I need to go!" Pete shouted to the crowd. Everyone began talking animatedly amongst each other, some of them seeming to translate what we said to their friends, making their friends get even more excited.
"You marry?" One of the young men asked me. I smiled happily and nodded my head as I looked over to Pete, who smiled back at me. "But I love you," the young man stated playfully in that signature Italian man style as he placed his hands over his heart. I laughed.
"Oh, well, I'm absolutely taken. I'm sorry," I smiled to the man and showed him my wedding ring.
"Absolutely taken," Pete confirmed as he pointed a finger at the young man.
"Oh, well. Congratulate," the young man said through a smile before taking my hand and placing a kiss on the back and then shaking Pete's then turning and walking away as he looked down at the picture on his phone.

[WARNING: Mature content coming up. Don't read any further if you don't want to!]

"That was insane. I didn't know I had so many fans in Rome," I stated once we got back to our suit. "I didn't know I had fans anywhere but in the U.S."
Pete smiled at me as I stood and recounted the events that took place on our walk.
"They definitely loved you, though," I spoke playfully, referring to all the swooning women.
"Can you blame them?" He asked me jokingly as he held his arms out at his sides. I looked him up and down, loving how sexy he looked in his outfit of tight, dark wash jeans, a white, long sleeved, button down shirt and tight, black vest topped with his signature fedora. I licked my lips and shook my head.
"Nope, I certainly can't," I spoke seductively and gave him a wink. He smiled salaciously and began to saunter towards me, his features mirroring my own desire.
"You're simply insatiable today, aren't you?" He asked as he reached me and wrapped his arms around my waist to push his body into mine. I bit my lip and nodded my head. "Good, because I can't get enough of you." His left hand began to travel across my buttocks and down the back of my thigh to reach the area where my short, white, flower pattern lace dress stopped and the skin of my thigh began.
"You look so hot in this dress. I love how short and tight it is. It shows off your beautiful legs," he whispered as he used his fingers to stroke the skin of my thigh. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the feeling of his fingers. They began to run back up my leg and to my buttocks again. "And your amazing ass." He flattened his hand against my buttocks and pushed my hips into his. I gasped in surprise at the sudden move but let out a quiet moan at the feeling of him through his jeans. He grasped the cheek of my buttocks in his hand and squeezed, causing me to whimper from pure desire. "And your perfect curves." His hand moved up and across my lower back to my hip before gliding up my side. He nipped at my lower lip as his hand moved up to below my arm pit before gliding back between my shoulder blades. His lips continued to glide down to my chin and he urged me to lean back into his hand and tip my head back so he could nip and lick down my throat.
"And your gorgeous, gorgeous breasts," he whispered between each nip of my collar bone before suddenly taking the nipple of my right breast between his teeth and tugging gently over the thin fabric of my dress as he kneaded my other breast in his left hand.
"Ah!" I gasped in surprise as the jolt of his teeth around my nipple shot through my body and right down to my groin. I knocked his fedora off of his head and shoved my hands into his hair as he continued his sensual assault on my sensitive nipples. After working my breasts to his satisfaction, he brought his head back up to my level and brought the hand he had on my back up to the base of my skull so he could position my head to his will as he kissed me passionately on the lips. As he kissed me, he bent down a little and wrapped his free arm around the back of my thighs before lifting me up off the ground. Automatically, I wrapped my legs around his torso for support as he pushed me up against the wall behind me. In his passion, he practically knocked the wind out of me, but I didn't care, I just tightened my legs around his waist to pull him closer. Pete reached down and ran his hands up the outside of my thighs, effectively pushing the hem of my dress up to my hips. He then reached down between us and, with a flick of his wrist and some crafty finger work, unbuttoned and unzipped his pants. We were all over each other at this point, hands and lips roaming, tongues exploring, moans filling the air, gasps and heavy breaths hitting the bare skin of our necks and cheeks. Pete lowered to the ground, sliding my back against the wall as he took me down with him. Once we got to the floor, I bent my legs behind me and used my knees and the floor to support me as I straddled Pete and pushed his upper body down beneath me. I placed my hands on his chest and ground myself down into him. He groaned and grasped my hips as he lifted his off of the floor to create more friction between us.
"You're so damn sexy," he whispered as he watched me move on top of him. I moaned and grabbed the button on the back of my dress at the base of my neck and tugged it loose. Once that was done, I grabbed the bottom of my dress and quickly drug it over my head so I was naked everywhere but where my panties still covered me. I looked back down at Pete with my bottom lip between my teeth and a seductive smile. He let out a ferrel groan and suddenly grabbed my hips before flipping us over so he was then on top. He attacked my mouth with his and ran his hand up and down my thigh.
"God, you're so amazing," he breathed as he nipped at my jawline. I moaned at his words and shoved my hands under his unbuttoned vest to push it down his arms, enjoying the feeling of his muscles under my hands. He lifted first one hand, then the other off of the ground where they supported his weight and got the vest off the rest of the way. He threw it across the room before taking my mouth with his again. I reached down between us and slipped my hand into his boxers before quickly finding what I was looking for. I grabbed him with eager fingers and pulled him out of the trap that was his boxer briefs and ran my thumb across the top of him, collecting a drip of dew and spreading it's slickness over the head of his impressive girth. He let out a quick breath in a hiss through his teeth as he reflexively flexed his hips, pushing himself further into my hand. I took turns tightening and loosening my grip of him as he pushed himself back and forth in my hand.
"Shit, Ano, no more," he whispered through gritted teeth before rearing up over me and grabbing my wrist. "You're going to make me to finish before we even get started, baby."
I smiled triumphantly, loving that I could make him get so hot and bothered that I could make him unravel with just the flexing of my hand. He smirked down at me as I smiled to myself.
"Don't enjoy it too much, little wife," he spoke in a warning tone. I bit my lip and batted my eyelashes at him.
"Why, what ever do you mean, Peter?" I asked, feigning innocence. He chuckled low in his throat.
"You know what I mean," he whispered. I continued to look up at him with a face that said I had no clue what he meant, until suddenly he grabbed my panties and pulling them down my legs before grabbing my hips, lifting them off of the ground and plunging into me. I cried out in surprise as a wave of sudden pleasure ran through me. Pete buried himself into me as deep as he could and stayed there a moment to allow me to adjust to his girth before slowly pulling out and thrusting back in. I whimpered in pleasure as he hit that sweet spot deep inside of me and my eyes fluttered closed.
"God, Ano," he breathed before releasing my hips and dropping back down to his hands. I grasped his shoulders in preparation for impact as he slowly pulled out to the tip. "Ready baby?"
My eyes fluttered back open to be met with Pete's intense stare. I smiled up at him and nodded my head once.
"Bring it on."
That night we left behind the sensual, romantic sex of the day and let ourselves loose on each other for some of the hottest sex we've ever had.

The morning sun shone down on Rome and into the windows outside of the balcony of our suit, but we hadn't slept a wink all night and I had never felt so awake. I placed a kiss on Pete's chest and laid my head back down on it.
"That was an incredible night," I whispered through a smile as I remembered our incredible dinner, the reassurance of the fans for Pete and the rounds of amazing sex. Pete chuckled, the vibrations rumbling through his chest underneath my ear.
"It most definitely was," he agreed and sighed contentedly. I moved my head so I was looking up at him and smiled.
"You seemed like you were loving the attention last night. We're you afraid your fans didn't like you anymore after everything was revealed?" I asked, fishing for some more insight into how he felt about all the bad press. He shrugged his shoulders but nodded his head.
"Yeah, but mostly the bad press brought up terrible memories, and it made me feel like shit about myself." He stared up at the ceiling in thought as he spoke.
"I wish you would have talked to me," I mumbled. Pete turned his eyes down to me and smiled sadly.
"Me too, baby," he whispered as he stroked his fingers up and down my arm. I contemplated the bad judgment in bringing up another bad memory, but not saying what I needed to say was killing me, so while we were on the subject, I took in a deep breath and let it out in a rush.
"I'm sorry I left so suddenly like that. I was just so hurt, and I didn't know what to do. Picturing you, with that girl. And I just didn't understand why you did it. I thought maybe you didn't love me the way I thought you did." I adverted my eyes as I spoke, but once I was done I slowly brought them back up to his face, almost wincing for the impact of what kind of emotion would show there. Pete was staring at me intently, absorbing what I had said before beginning to speak.
"The last thing you should do is apologize, Ano. I screwed up big time, you had every right to hate me."
"I didn't hate you," I whispered through a frown. He sighed.
"I know, but I hated myself..." He closed his eyes for a moment as a wave of pain seemed to rush through him. I bit my lip nervously.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up," I stated. He opened his eyes again and looked down to me, seemingly thinking over something.
"I want to play you something," he informed me before beginning to sit up beneath me. I sat up as well and watched as he threw the covers off of himself and got up before disappearing into the sitting area of our suit and returning with his acoustic guitar. He sat back down on the edge of the bed and put the guitar on his lap before turning his upper body towards me.
"Come here." He patted the spot of the mattress next to him. I crawled over, holding the sheets up to cover my nakedness, and sat down beside him.
"I wrote this song when I couldn't sleep the night after you left for Hawaii. I didn't know if I should play it for you or not, but I think it's the best way to let you know how much I love you, and how I felt when you left me... Okay?" He asked. I slowly nodded my head. Pete cleared his throat and positioned his fingers on the neck of the guitar before beginning to strum and sing.
"Same bed but it feels just a little bit bigger now. Our song on the radio but it don't sound the same. When our friends talk about you all it does it just tear me down, cause my heart breaks a little when I hear your name. It all. Just sounds like... Oh, too young to dumb to realize that I should have bought you flowers and held your hand. Should have gave you all my hours when I had the chance. Take you to every party, because I remember how much you love to dance. Do all the things I should have done when I was your man."
I leaned my head against his shoulder as he played, feeling the flexing of his muscles as he changed chords. I knew now more than ever how he felt in the days after I left him, that he wasn't sure I'd ever take him back, and that he hoped I found someone better, even if the thought hurt him terribly. This was our best form of communication, music. We could put our hearts and souls into a song and share them with each other freely and easily, better than through just speaking. Music was our greatest shared interest, the foundation that our relationship was built on. The two most important things in my life, music and Pete, were two halves of the same whole.
Pete continued to play the song into the second verse and I listened with my eyes closed.
"My pride, my ego, my needs and my selfish ways caused a good strong woman like you to walk out my life. Now I never, never get to clean up the mess I made, oh. And it haunts me every time I close my eyes. It all just sounds like..." He repeated the chorus again and went into the bridge.
"Although it hurts I'll be the first to say that I was wrong. I know it's probably much too late to try and apologize for my mistakes but I just want you know... I hope he buys you flowers, I hope he holds your hand. Gives you all his hours when he has the chance. Take you to every party because I remember how much you love to dance, do all the things I should have done when I was your man. Do all the things I should have done when I was your man."
As soon as he strummed the last chord, I wrapped my arms around him in a hug. He dropped the guitar onto the floor without a care and pulled me into him as he lowered onto his back. I buried my face into the crook of his neck and sighed.
"I'm sorry, Pete. And you know I could never find someone else," I murmured. He took in a quick breath and let it back out slowly.
"I know that now, baby. I know that." He tightened his arms around me and kissed the top of my head, and we stayed like that for a while, just enjoying the feeling of each other's arms. I was so glad we had moved passed that tough spot in our relationship, and though I'd never forget it, I could forgive him for it completely and let the past be the past. If only I knew then that the past has a way of climbing into your future...