Love Struck (20 page)

The
boat sailed gently across the sparkling ocean. Paulo sat on a chair, holding a
sketchbook, drawing a portrait of his perfect artistic model Sara as she sat on
the edge of the boat, looking out at the sea. He had to cleanse his thoughts of
his ex-girlfriend, it was ancient history, he had the woman of his dreams to
attend with, he would have to have been mad or a fool to squander that on petty
jealousy.

His diva's friend could have Gloria, at least she would not
be alone to dwell on their break-up, she would have her new love, and he would
have his new love.

They may have arrived on the island together, but that did
not mean they had to be leaving it as a couple, times changed and with it, came
an alteration of people to go with the new times. They had to move on, put
their past behind them. What they had together was finished when he chose to be
with his beloved starlet, Sara Sarracini.

Completed, he unveiled his masterpiece to his eagerly
anticipating Sara. It was a beautiful work of art based on a work of artistic
beauty. Sara's graceful elegance and majestic beauty was expressed flawlessly.

Sara's expression said it all: 'I love it'. Paulo's
expression said the obvious to his star model: “I knew you'd love it”.

Paulo recreated his favourite love scene from one of his
many favourite Sara Sarracini films, frame for frame, in the exact kind of
spacious blue ocean on the very floor of the vessel. Sara subconsciously knew
what he was doing and jubilantly played along, she enjoyed acting out his
fantasy and giving him such a thrill, it thrilled her too to imitate a piece of
art that she was a part of.
Sara and Paulo made out on the floor of the boat. His hands
slid up and down her gorgeous legs. She grabbed his hands, moved them to her
breasts nestled in the bikini top. He squeezed and fondled them. His mouth
explored Sara's mouth. He removed her bikini top, kissed his way along her
chest, to her neck, to her lips again. Next went off her bikini bottoms and his
trunks. The two blurred figures made love in the glowing flare of the sun
light.

Sara and Paulo were snuggled together, the boat drifted
calmly. There was not a care in the world on Sara's mind. For Paulo it was a
complete different story. He wished he could relax, however the sight of seeing
Gloria next to another man hounded at him. He let out a troubled sigh.

“What's wrong?” Sara asked, she could feel something was
bothering him.

“Oh, nothing... nothing at all.” he did not want to spoil
the romantic, sun kissed mood.

Sara gave him a look. “Paulo, I'm not a girl. I've
heard the line all before. I know
something is troubling you, you simply don't want to tell me. I did have a
husband
for ten years.”

Paulo chuckled, she was on to him, he could not hide it
from an experience woman of the world like her, “Men, no matter how old, are
alike in one way or another.”

“So, tell me what's
bothering you or do I have to tickle it
out of you?” her fingers touched his sensitive stomach, his
one weakness.

“Oh...” he laughed with a trembling gasp, she was
exploiting his Achilles heel, using it against him with her sensual, teasing
fingertips sliding all over his quaking body like crazy.

“Will you tell me now? Or
do I have to resort to drastic
measures?”

““Ok... ok...” Paulo couldn't handle it anymore, he
submitted to her method of interrogation, “I'll talk.”

Sara ceased her sexy torture.

“I was thinking of Gloria
seeing her with your friend, it made me feel so, so, so... jealous. I didn't
expect to still have such
strong
emotions.”

Sara sympathized with
him, she had felt it before and still did. “It's understandable to still have
feelings for your lost love. I did, when mine found a new woman, I could have
strangled her. It's weird, give it time and you'll accept the thought of her
with another
man.”, she
wasn't sure if she was trying to convince him or herself.

“I guess you're right.” Paulo sighed, it would take a lot
of time but he figured he would get over it, Gloria was trying to get over him.
Whether they were successful or not at it was a whole another story.

“I am right, you'll see.”

She caressed him. Kissed his nipple. “You want to make love
again

before the party?”

Paulo smirked, “You've read my mind.”

Both needed some good loving to divert their minds off the
thoughts of their dear ones out of their grasps. They would overcome the
strange vertigo it caused them and triumph against it, they were fortunate with
the gift of each other, there was nothing more they could have asked for. They
were the quintessential lovers.

The
whole grand and elaborate courtyard was decorated all over to honour the
greatest living embodiment of a superstar of all time, the one and the only
Sara Sarracini.

The guests, staff and Hotel Manager waited eagerly for
their diva to arrive and get the party going strong and loud all through the
night and into the early hours of the morning.

The Hotel Manager impatiently checked his watch, “Where
could she be?”

9:14

He looked to the door, constantly waiting to see his
illustrious diva explode out like a golden blonde bombshell that blasted in an
absolutely sensational, absolutely spectacular, absolutely electrifying mass of
glorious splendour, rosy enchantment, gold captivation that was supremely
dazzling and supremely incredible for all to see and admire what a truly
magnificent, truly sublime phenomenon of epic proportions, of volcanic energy,
of splendorous charm she was, witnessing that she was an extremely passionate,
an extremely fascinating, an extremely beguiling diva of all dreams, ascending
far out to the top of the grandest mountain, imprinted in the hall of fame
where a great star like her belonged, she was greater than Marilyn Monroe. She
would be truly honoured, truly proud to have Sara Sarracini, the diva of all
divas, surpass her august legacy with a true legend, a true great, a true
legendary great like her.

“Relax, she's probably
making
herself look
presentable.” The Receptionist placed a calming hand on his restless shoulder,
she knew how much time was demanded of a woman when making oneself look
stunning for a big event.

The Hotel Manager cooled himself. “You're right... you're
right.”, he was just impatient to have the privilege of seeing her in a classy,
beguiling formal wear.

Gloria and Tommaso stood at the corner, dressed presentably
for the occasion. He was there as a favour to his darling Sara, she was there
because she couldn't bear to be left alone in the hotel without him, she would
have to put on a brave face and see her Paulo with his diva, it was better than
being left out from the party.

But by the look of it, she was beginning to think the
honourable guest would not be showing up. “Not turning up to her own party.

How stuck up can you be?” she was looking for an excuse to
insult the diva, it felt to gratifying to let her have it.

Tommaso had faith in his diva, he knew her too well, she
wouldn't miss the party and would never let her fans down, “She did this
before.” Tommaso smiled nostalgically, “Her birthday party back in eighty
five, she arrived thirty minutes late
to the party. I was at her apartment, she took about ten minutes to find the
perfect dress, then twenty to get her hair right. Presentation is a big thing
for Sara when it comes to social
events. She'll be here, I know it.”

“Don't expect me to be
cheering
when Sara and him
show up.” she remarked with a sour bitterness that caught the taste-buds of his
tongue.

“I told you not to go if you felt uncomfortable.”

She could have done, but there was another reason from her
subconscious leading to why she was there, she hadn't lingered on it when
accepting to tag along but there was a side of her that wanted to go for him,
it really meant a lot to him with being there for Sara, and she felt an obligation
to come and support him, to make him happy, seeing him through the hard
feelings of witnessing Sara with her boyfriend, he would see her through the
same harshness of watching Paulo with his love.

Sara and Paulo at long last entered the lordly courtyard,
both were dressed to impress in their formal clothing, they looked like a
prince and a princess attending a royal ball.

Tommaso's attention shifted to his beloved, as he thought,
she would show up and leave them all in delighted awe by her glamorous
appearance.

Even Gloria had to admit, Sara had a fascinating presence
about her, she was idolized and worshipped by many for a reason, she was
starting to see why, not that she would ever openly let anyone know.

The Hotel Manager was relieved, and stunned by Sara with
her hair tied in a frizzy ponytail, her hands covered in satin black long
gloves, her neck garmented in a necklace just over her bust, her dark blue silk
dress that fit nicely over her womanly physique, complimenting it well and
showing off its slick shape. She was just as classy and elegant as he had hoped
for. He warmly greeted his divine Sara with a huge volcanic enthusiasm “Sara,
fashionably late, I see.”

Sara smiled, “It's a long story.”, she didn't have it in
her to tell him she and Paulo had fell asleep in the boat after making love,
all memories of the celebrated evening slipped them by, and didn't wake up
until late at night. If the chilling sea breeze had not woke them and they had
not raced back to the hotel, they would have missed the entire party.
Thankfully it did not come to that, she narrowly made it by a thread.

“Not to worry, it's
better to be late than never. Now that you're
here, let the party begin.” he balled out like a maestro
signalling his orchestra to commence.

Right them after the word had been given, pyro effects went
off, spelling out

Welcome back Sara Sarracini

Everyone gave Sara a round of applause. Gloria even found
herself clapping spontaneously, it made Tommaso's night to see her applauding
the woman of his dreams, it meant more than any words could express having her
at his side, supporting him in so many ways, he was grateful for her, she
really was a special young woman to him. His time at the resort would not have
been the same without her, she held an important place in his heart, he could
not deny it.

The applause eased down. Sara was almost in tears at such a
beautiful gesture to her, she was ten times bigger than any Hollywood actress,
with an admiring public like that, she was the most treasured actress of all
time.

“Thank you, thank you all. It
means... so much to me. You
make it all so very worthwhile.” She
wiped her glassy eyes.

The crowd were touched, all letting out a gentle
“Awwwwwwwww” at her gratitude for them, the fans who made her the superstar she
was.

“All I can say is...” she
gleamed at them all, her smile was immensely brighter than the sparkling
pyrotechnical flames with her name on it “it's great
to be back.”

The crowd gave her an even louder round of applause. It
really was great to see her back, they wouldn't have her any other way.

The party was in full
swing. Everyone was having a great time, dancing, drinking, socializing, all in
their dazzling starlet's honour.

Sara and Paulo slow danced to the soft and delicate jazz
melody drifting from the many speakers at the DJ booth. Tommaso and Gloria,
stood in their little spot, sharing a bottle of wine together.

Paulo watched them in the corner of his eye, envy grew with
every step.

Sara could feel that something was drastically wrong. “You're
all tensed up, what's the matter?”, she had a suspicion she already knew what
it was.

“Over there.” Paulo directed his diva at his girlfriend and
her personal assistant.

Sara had noticed them too, it was challenging for her to
see as well, but she had to move on like they were doing. “I know it's hard,
try to focus on us, this is our night.”

Paulo was powerless at averting his focus from his
girlfriend with him, he lost all reason, rationality was obscured by his
personal emotions. All he could think about was going over there and prizing
Gloria from him.

Sara stopped their dance, they lingered idly amongst the
moving dancers. “Do you want to go somewhere else?” she did not want to have to
do it but she could not stand seeing him tormented “W
e can leave the party, go to our
room, if it'll make you feel much
better?”

He declined, it would
have made no difference, he would have got no release from the intolerable
envy, Paulo was at wits end, he thought he was over Gloria, why was he
obsessing over her when he had the woman he loved before even meeting her “I
wouldn't be able to rest knowing that she is in the
hotel.”

“We could go out somewhere.”

“No, this is your party,
it wouldn't be fair on you to have to leave due to my
problems.”

Paulo turned to his beautiful, ravishing superstar dressed
like the magnificently supreme, magnificently lavish and magnificently glorious
baronial undisputed monarch in the whole world of absolutely beautiful,
absolutely perfect and absolutely captivating splendorous greatness she was.

He focused his attention on her, their dancing continued.
“It's just the thought of them together, it's driving me crazy.”

Sara noticed him glancing over at them again, she
sympathized with him. “I know how you feel.”

Gloria and Tommaso watched their lost loves in the
distance, unsure of their fate with them.

“At least Sara's happy.”

“Yeah, and Paulo too.”

They drank a little from
their glasses, kept each other company, giving one another security throughout
the party.

The two couples gazed at
one another, there was lingering questions that sprang to mind:

Would Paulo get back with
Gloria?

Would Gloria get back
with Paulo?

Would Paulo stay with
Sara?

Would Sara stay with
Paulo?

Would Gloria remain with
Tommaso?

Would Tommaso remain with
Gloria?

Would Sara proclaim her
love to Tommaso?

Would Tommaso proclaim
his love to Sara?

The future for these two couples, like the futures for all,
was a complete mystery. Only one thing was certain, love was a tender madness.