Intimate Strangers (The Lisa Millar Series Book 1)

by Lasairiona McMaster

  He’d told her that his parents also knew the truth, and while they admired his loyalty to his friend, they didn't think marrying for any other reason than love was a good idea. Despite Britt being the daughter of their friends, AJ’s parents supposedly weren’t thrilled that he’d married someone, anyone, he wasn’t in love with and didn’t want to spend the rest of his life with, especially for a visa she could have gotten herself with a bit of work. Lisa liked that about them, though I coulda done without the raising him with such a strong chivalrous need to pay for every single little thing, she mused, smiling as her fingers glided along the floral embroidery on her shawl.

  This was a side to his life she was wholly unfamiliar with. She’d never met his parents and this fancy ball with a dress which made her feel like a princess was way out of the ordinary for her everyday life. She took her social cues from AJ. She didn’t want to unwittingly land him in trouble, or reveal the truth about his marriage to the room. While they’d spoken about it briefly in the car, she was so nervous and so excited, she didn’t want to mess up in a moment of emotional overwhelm. She was fairly sure having to keep any kind of distance from him – especially when he looked this good – could actually drive her to insanity.

  It’s probably best that I don’t get too drunk tonight, she thought, whilst simultaneously mentally undressing him, afraid if she got too drunk, she’d attempt to actually undress him in a dark corner somewhere. She felt that it could go one of three ways. The first, she’d become giddy and happy drunk, confessing her love for AJ and being too “handsy” in public. The second, she’d become a tearful and upset drunk, confessing her love for AJ and being too “handsy” in public. The third? She had no idea, a combination of both, perhaps? Either way, she ventured a guess that she’d end up too “handsy” in public and opted to keep her wits about her.

  Plus, if we do end up taking things further tonight, I really don’t want to be drunk. I’m glad I started rationalizing all of this out before I went beyond this first glass of champagne, she thought. Sober me is much more sensible. She bit her lip.

  Damn, he’s hot.

  Am I drooling?

  Part of me wishes we’d been able to stay awake long enough in London to get down and dirty…stupid needing to tick everything off the damn list left us bloody knackered. Double damn him for being a stubborn gentleman. This prince and princess thing tonight definitely has that Disney-perfect kinda feel about it!

  She expected distance, perhaps even an air of coldness between the two of them. She thought they’d leave their personal relationship at the door and be “just friends” in polite company. Maybe she imagined it, but listening to him make introductions to some of his parents’ friends, some definitely felt much warmer than others. His parents had strong ties to Alabama. AJ’s grandparents on his fathers’ side were from there, and his dad had lived there until he met AJ’s mom and she’d convinced him to try northern life. They still spent a lot of time there, and, while AJ never referred to her as anything other than a friend, she suspected that some of the people she was meeting might actually know the truth – and made a mental note to ask him later.

  They sat at a table with four married couples, and the conversation was mostly pretty easy. His parents’ friends complimented him on his hockey, talked about his future and, more often than was comfortable, his wife.

  He was, after all, still married. So, when they asked where Britt was, or asked if Lisa was a friend, he casually explained that Britt was on holiday visiting family, and that Lisa was a family friend from Ireland. He tried to avoid the question if he could. It annoyed them both, as did the answer. She noticed that AJ hadn’t drunk much either, despite the open bar. Probably for the same reasons as me, she pondered as she listened to his mother’s oldest friend tell her a story about AJ as a child and how he often tormented his sister in that way only siblings can.

  The couples at their table had such fascinating life stories to share. Lisa was sure AJ had heard them all before over the years, but he seemed as genuinely rapt as she was to hear them. In other moments she could feel his stare, watching her as she took in every word from the strangers ‘round the table.

  When the meal had finished and the tables were cleared and moved, the room became a dancefloor. Music began to play, and couples took the floor. AJ excused himself from her for a moment and left her with a few people from their table. She was enjoying herself. In her mind, her accent had never been particularly strong, but, nonetheless, on the advice of Chelsea and Ana, she attempted to speak more slowly and clearly. She only had to repeat herself once or twice.

  I could get used to this, she told herself.

  He was back by her side before she knew it, although he didn’t sit down. She looked up and saw he had his hand extended towards her. He looked relaxed and happy.

  “Dance with me, princess?” he asked.

  Nodding, she followed him onto the dance floor. The music was slow and she was ready. To her, there was no one else in the room. Just her, and just him. Though to the room they were “just friends,” they knew they were together. He wrapped his arms around her to rest in the small of her back and pulled her closer to him. Her hands linked at the nape of his neck, their heads touching slightly, and they danced. For how long? She didn’t know. But she was happy. She knew she was glowing. She wondered how anyone in the room could believe that they weren’t in love. She felt like it was radiating from both of them, and, if she could have stopped time and immortalized one moment in her life thus far, it would have been this one, right here.

  Pulling her head back slightly, she looked into his eyes, he looked as happy as she felt.

  “You ok?” he asked her. She nodded. He slipped her arms down from his neck to his waist and rested her head on his chest. She sighed deeply, “Never better.”

  Chapter 18

  The evening was perfect.

  Sometime after midnight, the limo driver took Lisa and AJ home. They giggled together as they climbed the stairs to his apartment, talking about the evening; the people, the food, the dancing and what a wonderful night his parents had missed. In truth, she was really quite glad his parents couldn’t go, as they had both truly enjoyed themselves.

  She dropped her bag and shawl on the breakfast bar, flicked the switch on the kettle to make a cup of tea and then went to the bathroom. When she emerged, he was sitting on a chair, his back facing her, with his guitar propped on his knee. He was tuning it, and humming softly. Stopping, she leaned against the door frame.

  “Sing for me?” her voice was almost a whisper. He didn’t ask what. He didn’t have to. He’d written her a song when they first met online and had sent her the lyrics by email. He had his band record it, with him singing alone. He sent her the audio, and she had fallen in love with it. The more she heard it, the more she loved it. No one had ever written a song for her before. It was so personal, intimate, and just for her. It made her glow inside, and she’d been waiting for the day when he’d sing it to her in person. She closed her eyes as he started to sing.

  She walked up behind him and slipped her arms around his shoulders as he sang. When the song finished, he barely paused before he started to play a second song she recognized immediately. A duet, a song she had long wanted to sing with him. One of their favorites. She’d never sung with him before, and she was nervous. She closed her eyes again as he started to sing, and listened, waiting for her part to start.

  His rich, mellow tones calmed her shaking nerves and she stood up behind him, not moving her arms from his shoulders, and sang. Her voice was a little shaky, but she tried to hide it. She usually didn’t care what people thought of her voice. But him? She cared what he thought.

  Calm down! she scolded herself. He’s heard you sing before!

  His voice took over once again as her confidence started to return,

  Baby, I’m falling….

  She could tell he enjoyed singing with her. He was smiling, she could tell that too. Her turn again, sh
e breathed deeply and she relaxed into herself and sang again.

  They were both enjoying this, and, truthfully, she was looking forward to the part where they sang together. Her voice joined his, she smiled with anticipation. This could either go really well and work, or our harmonies will suck, she thought. Luckily, she was used to harmonizing. She’d been in a choir for most of her life, but sometimes voices just didn’t gel well, regardless of how good the singers were. She had almost no doubt in her mind that they’d be fine, but, for just a split second before she opened her mouth, she wondered.

  They sang together.

  She was in her element; her heart was soaring. She loved music, and singing was her release. She leaned forward and kissed his cheek as her singing faded and left him solo again. She kissed him again, soft, little kisses along his jaw line, and again slightly below at the top of his neck. His singing stopped, he tilted his head slightly towards her and she kissed him again. He sat down his guitar, and without moving he guided her in front of him and took her hands in his own. He pulled her towards him and turned slightly so he could kiss her on the lips. Deeply. She felt a flutter in her stomach and was suddenly glad she’d remembered to shave her legs.

  “Hold that thought?” he asked when they finished kissing. She looked at him quizzically, “I really, really need to pee,” he answered, blushing.

  She burst out laughing, he laughed too. Things felt so easy and normal with this guy. In some moments, things felt like they’d jumped straight out of a Disney movie. In others, like right now, the every-day-ness of things made her feel like she’d known him for years and that they’d been a couple the whole time.

  Standing up, he didn’t let go of her hand. He kissed it and smiled. He went to the bathroom while she sat on his bed. She turned on the bedside lamp and hunted through his CDs.

  “Mind if I put on some music?” she called to him.

  “Go for it,” he answered.

  “Nathanson?” she called to him.

  “Sure.”

  Pressing play, she kicked off her flats and sat cross-legged at the end of the bed, humming to the music. She played with the fabric of her dress. Maybe I could be a dress kinda girl after all, she thought. It’s such a pretty dress!

  As if he was reading her mind again, he said, “You really do look amazing tonight, you know?”

  Looking up, he was in the doorway. He’d taken his jacket off before playing his guitar, but his shoes and tie were now both gone, and the top buttons of his shirt were open.

  Damn this boy is epically hot…and the more he strips himself off, the less work I have to do! she thought.

  He stood in front of her and took her hands. Getting back to her feet, she slipped her arms around his neck. As she stared into his eyes, she felt his strong arms slide around her waist, drawing her closer to him. She loved when he did that. She loved feeling like she was his. But, mostly, she just loved when he felt confident and comfortable enough to just take her in his arms, like she belonged there forever. She loved being close to him.

  And we’re about to get a whole lot closer, she told herself with a small smile.

  “Did you have fun tonight?” he asked her.

  “Yes, I did, actually. Did you?”

  “I always have fun when I’m with you.”

  “How do you get away with calling me cheesy when you say stuff like that?” she giggled playfully and nudged his nose with hers.

  “Well. Cheesy or not, it’s true,” he told her, nudging her back. “Have I mentioned how amazing you look tonight?” he finished.

  She felt the color rising in her cheeks and smiled again. She couldn’t stop smiling. Even if she didn’t want to smile, he could make her smile anyway.

  “You should wear a tux more often,” she told him. “You look good, Pim,” she said, “you look very, very good.”

  “I think I’m finally used to you calling me Pim,” he said. “I kinda like it. It doesn’t feel insulting like it does when Ana uses it. When you use it, it feels much more affectionate.”

  He smiled at her and kissed her. It was a soft kiss, the kind that leaves your lips tingling for a few seconds after you pull away – so you’re not quite sure if you’re still kissing, or not. Looking into his eyes she saw it all. The pain was still there, the pain of having hurt her, the frustration of having to live so far away from each other, the love he felt for her. As though he saw her searching his soul and reading his feelings, he blushed and kissed her again. This time it was a long, deep kiss, filled with a passion that made her cheeks blush. His palms spread across her back and he held her tightly. Her fingers played with the collar of his shirt at the back of his neck. She loved kissing him. She could kiss him forever, only to come up for air, and chips and queso, she thought, amused. As he unzipped her dress, anticipation fluttered in her stomach and she blushed as her dress landed on the floor.

  Her fingers toyed with the buttons on his shirt, she kissed his neck as she opened each button slowly. She hesitated with the last button – but only for a moment. The fluttering in her tummy increased as his shirt, and then his pants joined her dress on the floor. She closed her eyes for a moment to try to steady herself. Standing in front of her was a beautifully sculpted athlete, who didn’t have a spare ounce of fat on his body. Suddenly incredibly self-conscious, she looked away.

  As if hearing her thoughts, he lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze.

  Could you stop knowing me so well for JUST a moment please?

  I can’t let him see me naked – I’m so squidgy compared to him!

  She tried again to look away, but he cupped her face with both her hands and kissed her gently.

  “You’re beautiful,” he breathed, as he tucked a stray curl behind her ear. “I can’t believe you’re mine.”

  Staring into his eyes, she realized that he truly meant what he was saying. He wasn’t poking fun at her. She knew he’d never do that. But her inner demons were so overpowering and so consuming some days. He didn’t care that she had lumps and bumps that she, herself, hated. He didn’t care that she had scars on her thighs from the darkest period in her life when she had cut herself. He didn’t see what she saw. To him, she was as beautiful standing there in her underwear as he was to her.

  She placed her palms against his chest, and slowly traced the lines of his muscles with her fingertips. He swept her hair off her shoulder and kissed her neck, stopping at her ear to tell her he loved her before leading her to the bed.

  Finally! she thought as she lay down.

  Lying under the covers, he was propped up on his elbow and leaning slightly over her. His free hand was tracing down her bare side. They kissed again. Her arm was under his elbow, playing with the hair at the nape of his neck.

  “Penny for your thoughts?” she asked him, watching him intently. She could get lost in those blue eyes.

  “You don’t really want to know,” he replied, grinning at her mischievously.

  He rolled over on top of her as she slipped her arms around him. Her fingers danced along the contours of his back. She loved his broad shoulders, and, as a defensive player, his back was toned and strong. As her fingers moved up his back and over his shoulders, he shivered slightly. Realizing why, she reduced the pressure on his right shoulder. She could feel the scar tissue from a fairly recent hockey injury just beneath the skin.

  He trusted her, so he let her hands explore his shoulders. She was gentle with him; she didn’t want to hurt him and he knew she wouldn’t. He ran his fingers through her hair and she smiled at him. She loved when he played with her hair.

  Her fingers continued their journey along his shoulders, tracing little shapes on his smooth shoulder blades.

  “Are you sure?” he asked her.

  She nodded and bit her lip, “I’m sure.”

  He kissed her deeply and they moved together. Slowly at first, holding each other tightly. As their rhythm intensified their moist skin stuck together. It took a long time for their heavy bre
athing and racing pulses to return to anywhere near normal. As they lay still, she listened to the frantic thumping of his heart in his chest.

  “You ok?” he asked as he pushed her damp hair off her face so he could see into her eyes.

  She nodded and rested her head upon his chest listening to his heart slow down to resting. They fell asleep tangled in each other’s arms.

  Chapter 19

  When Lisa woke, she wrapped herself in a sheet and went to the bathroom. She brushed her teeth and splashed cold water on her face.

  Bang.

  The front door slammed.

  Moving the bathroom door slightly, she saw Jeremy appear.

  “Goooood morning cats and kids, how is everyone

  this -”

  He spied her standing in the bathroom doorway, wrapped in a bed-sheet. She was sure she had bed-hair, there’s no way her perfect curls would have survived not being tied up overnight. His jaw dropped. He glanced at AJ, who was propped up on his elbow in the bed with a boy-smirk on his face.

  “Whoa! Wait!” Jeremy’s head turned quickly between AJ lying in bed and Lisa standing in the doorway, “YOU GUYS HAD SEX! Does this mean she forgives you for having a wife who isn’t her?” He bolted for the bed and tried to yank the quilt away from the very naked AJ, but AJ was too quick. He jumped to his feet and stood with his back against the wall gripping the quilt in front of him.

  “Jeremy,” Lisa’s voice was soft, yet quietly commanding and she was struggling not to rise to the comment about AJ’s wife, “back away from the hockey boy. We’ve both seen what’s under that quilt. We also both know that he has absolutely no qualms about dropping it to kick your ass!”