by Londyn Skye
“That’s a new one,” James remarked with a smile when she finished.
“Felt like my finga’tips were gonna burst if I didn’t get it out,” she smiled back.
“Very heavenly soundin’.”
“Perfect description! That’s definitely what I’s aimin’ for.” She then stood and walked to the front of the stage.
James walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “What inspired it?” he asked, kissing her on the neck.
You just wrapped your arms around it, she thought to herself. “Just the fact that I’m on a journey with a man who loves me … playin’ shows in all these beautiful places,” she said instead, looking out at the interior of Jamestown Performing Arts Theater.
“Hmm, I hadn’t noticed,” he teased. “Your beauty has been far too much of a distraction.”
Lily smiled as she turned around and wrapped her arms around James’s neck. “Is that why you were starin’ at me non-stop durin’ rehearsals?”
“I can’t help myself.”
“Any particular reason?” Lily asked, maneuvering his hand onto her buttocks.
James replied with a soft moan. His eyelids slowly lowered and his shaft instantly hardened.
“So just what was on that mischievous mind ‘a yours while you were starin’ at me?” Lily asked in a lustful tone.
“I was…”
Lily put a finger to his lips. “I don’t want you to tell me.” She closed the curtains to the stage and walked back over to James, gazing at him with want in her eyes. “I want you to show me.”
James immediately picked her up, carried her to the grand piano, and sat her on top of the lid. “I visualized you sittin’ here.”
Lily leaned back and crossed her legs as she gazed down at her man. James stepped back to gaze at her in return. Her sensuous pose looked even more to him like an Egyptian queen than he had envisioned.
“And then what?” Lily purred.
James stepped toward her again and slid his hands underneath her dress. He gently glided them up her thighs, slowly spreading her legs apart as he gazed into her eyes. “And then I kissed you here,” he said, caressing her hidden jewel through her underwear.
Lily’s eyes fluttered closed and she let out a soft moan as wetness flooded her nether region. Feeling the rush of moisture on his fingertips, James’s mouth began watering as he quickly slid her undergarments down. Alternating left to right, he kissed his way up her thighs. Lily gasped and tilted her head back when he reached her precious pearl and began gently French kissing it. James grunted and suckled harder when she spread her legs even further. As the feeling intensified, Lily began thrusting her hips toward the pleasure. James grabbed a hold of her waist and greedily drove his tongue inside of her, the heat of her folds pleasantly singeing his lips. Lily, in turn, grabbed a handful of his hair and forced him to plunge deeper. In harmony with one another, deep groans of delight escaped them. Lightly grazing her skin with the whiskers of his beard, James made his way back up to Lily’s swollen nub and devoured it. He simultaneously slid his fingers inside of Lily’s dripping cavern. Knowing just the way to tickle and tease her, he quickly milked her of her nectar. Lily amassed her hands in his hair again, arched her back, and unleashed a climactic moan along with an eruption of her sweet elixir. After the eruption settled, Lily leaned down and thanked her man with a kiss, taking each of his swollen lips into her mouth one at a time, sucking the taste of herself from them. “And then what?” she panted seductively afterward.
James carefully lifted Lily off the piano and put her feet back on the ground. He sat down with his legs on either side of the piano bench. “You were sittin’ here,” he replied, the throbbing bulge in his pants pointing out exactly where.
A subtle moan rumbled in Lily’s throat as she unbuttoned the top of James’s pants and unleashed the hardened part that awaited her. She gazed into his eyes and a sensual smile emerged on her face as she lifted her dress and straddled the piano bench. She placed her hands on either side of James’s face and leaned down to kiss him. There was a softness in the way she moved her lips that suddenly made him want to touch her with equal tenderness. He, too, placed his hands alongside her face and gently caressed her cheeks. He pulled her closer, moaning when Lily suddenly deepened their kiss. The sweet taste and feel of her soft tongue intensified the throbbing in his groin. The throbbing turned into a merciless ache when the heat from Lily’s abyss began to singe the tip of his hardened flesh. Slowly, she filled herself and set both their bodies aflame. The jolt of pleasure tore their lips apart as a guttural moan simultaneously roared through both their vocal cords.
The usual aggressive lioness in Lily was far more tamed as she rode James this time. The movement of her hips was of a slow grinding nature that left James submerged in the searing heat of her chamber as she erotically danced on his lap. James briefly opened his eyes to find Lily’s closed, looking completely lost in the rapture of their union. The glisten of tears on her eyelashes spoke of how intensely the passion had affected her. He reacted to her beautiful expression with a kiss that was equally as intense as the look on her face. He gently held her face close as they kissed, moans and sighs reverberating in their mouths as their lips and tongues made love. It was only a sudden explosive climax that had enough power to tear their lips apart again. Lily’s back arched, her mouth fell open, and deep moans erupted from her throat as her body spasmed again and again. The erotic sight and sound nearly caused James’s stones to explode as he burst inside of her seconds later. Both stayed suspended in a state of euphoria, their entire bodies tickled with immense pleasure. Had their performance been part of Lily’s shadowed show, their erotic silhouettes would have had every patron’s jaw on the floor, every maiden’s hand-fan flailing at full speed, every man’s erection at full attention, and all their eyes wide with envy. A standing ovation most certainly would have followed.
In his mind, James was most certainly giving Lily a standing ovation for her outstanding erotic performance. “Are you okay?” he asked when he opened his eyes and noticed tears trickling down her cheeks.
We’re just fine, Lily wanted to say as she thought about the little person growing inside her that had ignited her joyous tears. “I’m just so happy,” she said instead, gazing at James with a smile on her face.
“Me too,” James replied, wiping her tears. He then kissed Lily tenderly on the lips, further igniting her joy as she continued to contemplate the unique way in which she wanted to reveal to the loving man before her that he would soon be a father.
… James now sat in a sea of seats alone at Winter Garden, thinking about the fact that he had not been able to experience that sort of beautiful lovemaking with Lily for eight months now. That crushing reality, once again, made the swell of emotions in his chest expand a little more. Solemnly, he stood and walked toward the exit with Austin’s words, what if Lily’s dead? echoing even louder as he made his way out of Winter Garden.
Preston Mills was about to lock the doors to the Manhattan Art Gallery, where Lily’s magnificent portrait hung. However, he stopped when he saw James plodding up the stone steps. Preston immediately recognized James but could not recall his name. “Oh hello, Mr…”
“Adams. James Adams. You’re Preston Mills, the curator of the museum, correct?”
“Yes, I am. Very nice to see you again,” Preston replied.
“You too.”
“I’d ask how you were doing, but from what William’s told me, I assume that you’re not in the greatest of spirits.”
“So, he told you Lily’s missin’?”
“Yes, very horrible news to say the least. I can only imagine the heartache that you probably feel. Just from watching the two of you for those few hours while you were here last year, I can tell that you both had a special bond.”
“Without question. Our lives have been intertwined since we were kids. She’s everything to me.” James sighed and shook his head. “It’s eatin’ a hole in my so
ul not to know when or where I’ll see ’er again.”
“I can only imagine. I’m so sorry for the tragic turn of events. I’d encourage you to never give up hope, but I’m quite certain that’s not necessary.”
“Only death can cease my hope.”
“Hope will get you far … and so will prayer, which I will most certainly be doing for you both. Seems God brought you two together for a grand cause as children. So, I’m apt to believe that God will pull you both back together again when the time is right. Perhaps in the most unusual of ways.”
“Thank you for that. I believe that with everything in me too Mr. Mills.”
Preston patted James on the shoulder. “Take your time here. I’ll close up whenever you’re through.”
“Are you sure? I don’t mean to be a botha’.”
“It’s no bother at all.”
“Thank you. I truly appreciate that.”
Preston already knew what James was there to see. He had experienced this phenomenon on several other occasions with William. In lieu of sitting near his wife’s gravesite, William began coming to the art museum often. Being within the walls of a place that Emma loved helped him feel close to her again. Every time he visited, William had gone to the music themed exhibit just to sit before Lily’s portrait and pray for her. Preston had no doubt that that was exactly where James was headed. His prediction was accurate. James made a beeline for the expansive portrait that Piers LeRoux had rendered of the Dream Symphony. He walked in to find that Musical Dreams still hung as the centerpiece of all the other music themed art, just as Preston had promised it would during the unveiling. Even though Lily was only an image, her beauty stunned James to the point that he froze the moment he saw her. Yet again, he swallowed back his emotions as he stepped closer to her lifelike picture. He then slowly sat on a bench in front of the painting and just gazed at Lily for the longest time. All the while, he was silently praying for God to bring her back into his life and to keep her safe until then.
After praying for Lily, James finally forced himself to get up. He tried to walk out of the art gallery altogether, but he just could not bring himself to do it yet. Before he knew it, he was standing in the grand ballroom where a bidding war had taken place for tickets to Lily’s show. He gazed at the dance floor, visualizing Lily’s arms around him again. He recalled how at peace he felt with her head on his shoulder as they danced together. He then walked into the center of the room and gazed at the podium on the stage. He closed his eyes and his mind transported him back to the moment Lily read her letter from the queen. A euphoric feeling suddenly shot through his body, like he was in the midst of the student orchestra’s hysterical celebration all over again.
James then turned and looked at the spot where Lily was standing when she had called on him with her eyes, enticing him into a playful chase. He suddenly found himself following the memory of her down that corridor again. He walked into the room that he had snatched Lily into. When he glanced at the couch in the corner, it instantly brought back the erotic memory of the lovemaking session they had there. When that glorious memory finished playing in his mind, he walked over and looked out the window at the full moon. He sighed, knowing Lily was somewhere on the vast land beneath it.
In the very spot James now stood, the decision to start a new life in the Old World was solidified between him and Lily. As he stared out the window, he was struck by how different his life would currently be had his father not found them. He realized that he would now be a world away, sitting in a rocking chair with his baby napping on his chest. Had his father not found them, his baby would still be alive. Had his father not found them, Lily’s career would still be thriving. Had his father not found them, he would not be on the verge of having spent a year of his life without his wife. Had his father not found them, he would have given Lily a wedding fit for a princess in the land of kings and queens by now.
Unbeknownst to Lily, James had been planning a sentimental wedding proposal after her performance at Winter Garden. Backstage, he was prepared to get down on bended knee and ask her to marry him, in front of all their adopted family members. He was hoping to turn their journey across the sea into a massive week-long engagement celebration, complete with pyrotechnics and endless fine wines. As James stood there thinking about his failed proposal plan, the emotional tide in his chest rose a little more.
Had my fatha’ not found us, how different would life be? That question was suddenly added to the one already plaguing James: What if Lily’s dead? Had my father not found us? What if Lily’s dead? Had my father not found us? Relentlessly, those questions began torturing James’s mind, causing the pressure in his chest to rise to unbearable levels. He suddenly tilted his head back. “SHE’S NOT DEAD!” he shouted out the window, tears erupting from his eyes. He then angrily sat down on the couch nearby and dropped his head into his hands. “Where are you, Lily? God, please help me find ’er,” he begged as he continued to weep uncontrollably. He wept with such intensity that Preston Mills nearly broke down in tears himself as he stood outside the door, listening to the sounds of a man who had just shattered under the extreme weight of his excruciating emotional pain.
Chapter Fifteen
Three months into their painstaking search, William and Griff arrived in the town of Galveston, Texas. It was among the cities that Austin had overheard Ghost Riders speaking of often during the months he had infiltrated their organization. It was the twenty-ninth city on Griff and William’s assigned plotted map that was rumored to be inundated with black market slaves. The twenty-eight towns they had searched prior to arriving in Galveston had only produced frustration and extreme exhaustion. Traveling for ninety grueling days without producing a single lead was beginning to fray their confidence that Lily would ever be found. But still, the pair pressed on, clinging to hope for dear life.
Holding on to that shred of hope, Griff began his usual sly investigation tactics in Galveston. With his rough exterior, he fit in well at town pubs. By now, he had become a master at striking up conversations with inebriated patrons and getting them to verbally vomit town gossip. Through that gossip, he had learned that nearly every politician in Galveston seemed to own more slaves than was listed on slave registries. Griff did not know if it was just the usual hatred for greedy town politicians that had led to such gossip, but he did not want to leave any stones unturned. He and William, therefore, got a list of all the politicians in town and began paying them a visit.
On the third day of their search, they arrived at the massive estate of the seventh politician on their list, Atticus Atkins. Atticus’s sprawling land and mansion rivaled William’s. While Griff fit in well at pubs, William always provided the image of importance and trustworthiness when knocking on the doors of the well-to-do. His affluent air, British charm, and intellect was always useful in talking their way past some of the security detail standing guard at many of the politician’s estates. Such was the case at the Atkins residence. After William’s charm and quick-thinking lie easily gained them access to the grounds, they plodded up the steps of the beautiful manor home and rang the doorbell. A thirteen-year-old, blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl answered the door with a cheerful smile and a personality that was equally as bubbly as William’s. “Hello, may I help you?” she asked.
“Well, hello little lady,” William smiled. “I’m William. William Werthington. May I ask your name?”
“Well, hello Mr. Werthington!” she replied respectfully. “I’m Abigail! Are you here to see my fatha’?”
Typically, William was eager to speak with adults, but most were reluctant to answer questions to two strangers. He figured he may have better luck getting answers out of the sweet little girl in front of him. “Actually, I was hoping that a wise little lady like yourself would be willing to help me,” William smiled.
“Sure! How can I help?”
“I’m searching for a young lady.” William dug inside his interior coat pocket looking for the picture he had of Li
ly. When he failed to find it, he turned to Griff. “I think I’ve left the picture of Lily in the carriage. Would you mind fetching it for me?”
“Sure?” Griff replied, trotting down the porch steps to retrieve it.
William turned his attention back to Abigail. “The woman I’m searching for is a slave. Your family may have recently purchased her within the last year or so. Her name is Lily. She is fair skinned, light eyes, dark hair and about so tall,” he explained, motioning with his hand. “Has your family recently acquired anyone of that likeness?”
“My fatha’ actually bought two new slaves within the last year or so, but their names are Olivia and Bella.”
“Well, would you mind if I speak with the both of them?”
“Not at all,” Abigail smiled. She then turned around. “BELLAAA! OLIVIAAA!” she yelled.
Abigail’s yelling only ended up summoning her curious mother. “What in God’s name is all this yellin’ about?” she confronted after arriving in the foyer.
“Sorry mama,” Abigail replied sheepishly. “This man just wanted to ask Bella and Olivia some questions and I was tryna call ’em up here.”
Her mother turned to William with embarrassment written all over her face. “Please forgive my daughta’s manners, or lack thereof, I should say.”
“No worries ma’am. She was polite as can be. It’s apparent that you’ve raised her well,” William replied, hoping that the compliment would make her as eager to help as her daughter.