by Leslie Pike
“It’s fucking beautiful, man. Thank you so much.”
“Dove said you liked the one I did of her, so I figured I’d give this a try.”
“You painted the one hanging in her grandparents’ house?”
“Yeah.”
I had no idea my favorite painting was Jimmy’s creation. But it makes sense. He got the eyes right.
“It’s beautiful, man. And this one is too.”
My eyes get misty looking at Maudie’s face again. Seeing her spirit. I come in for a quick hug. Not the first one we have shared in a year of knowing each other, but the most heartfelt.
“Don’t cry, bro. You big baby.”
My chuckle hides what I really feel in the moment. Here is my brother from another mother. Or another life where he called me a baby too.
The stage manager stops at the open door.
“Jimmy, I need to speak with you for a minute. Excuse us, Nobel.”
“I’m outta here. Thanks, man. I love it.”
“Good.”
I grab the oil painting and head out.
* * *
“Here! Nobel sit here!” my father calls above the din of the club. He waves me over to the group of tables where my family sits. There wasn’t any big enough for the Lyon’s and their guests. So, they got creative and pushed four together.
I take the three steps off the stage and snake through the happy patrons, most in the dark as to who will be performing. There was no billboard outside or online news. That alone should spark their imaginations.
Just as I’m about to reach my family, a hand grabs my wrist. It’s pink hair. The friend sits with an arm around her shoulders. Ah. Girlfriends.
“We meet again,” I say, smiling my recognition.
“You remember us then?”
“Yeah, I do. That was a good night. How you girls doing?”
Pinky lifts her left hand and shows off a ring.
“We’re engaged. Hey. Who are we going to see?”
A grin proceeds the answer. “I’m not sure. And congratulations!”
“Bullshit,” she whispers. “We’ve seen you on TMZ with,” she looks around before continuing. “With you know who.”
“I can neither confirm nor deny,” I say chuckling.
Their eyes widen and I see the excitement rise. Pinky squeezes her girlfriend’s hand. I lean down and give a final message.
“Keep it to yourselves. We don’t want a stampede outside.”
“We noticed the extra security! I’m so excited!” Blondie says, ignoring my directive.
I tilt my head giving a firmer order. “Come on. Behave yourselves for another five minutes.”
“Okay, okay! We hear you.”
“Good. Have fun, girls,” I say, walking away. One of them squeals their excitement. I shake my head.
“Hey! This is going to be fun. Hi,” I say, taking my place with the family.
“What you want to drink?” Aargon says. “Whiskey?”
I’m almost rendered silent as I surreptitiously try to figure out who he has an arm around. A woman. Jesus.
“Yeah, that’s good. Introduce me to your dates,” I say, bringing Van into the mix.
“This is Addie. Addie this is Nobel,” Aargon says with an expression I haven’t seen in years.
Then Van pops in with his latest interest. “And this is Diedre.”
“Hi, Diedre, Addie. Glad to meet you both,” I practically have to shout.
The noise in the room is growing. Anticipation. It’s hard to hear each other at this point. Our conversation will consist of expressions and body language at this point.
Out of nowhere my father grabs my face and plants a big one on my cheek.
All I can do is laugh.
The lights dim and the room illuminates with energy. They are going crazy before they know who is coming to the stage.
“Ladies and gentlemen, you are about to be verrrrry excited!” The familiar baritone voice announces his prize. “You will talk about this night for years to come. McCandy’s welcomes back to the stage, the one and only, Montana!!!!”
Oh shit! The place goes wild. Screams and whistles, as the curtains pull back revealing the band. Dove opens her arms to the room and the guys begin to play their first number one song, “Mined”. It comes to me that they are the same as they were that first night. The same talent, sexual appeal, just as dedicated and one-minded in their art. The public just needed to find them.
Now, as they sing the chorus, the audience joins in. Singing along, knowing every word of the clever combination of notes that have captured people’s attention. I love it and so do the band members. Dove is playing the stage, picking a person to focus on for a minute. She goes from one side to the other, engaging her fans.
The guys do their thing, varying little from what I watched a year ago. Tony still checks out the fresh meat, and Oscar stays in his mind, feeling the music. ZZ beats the rhythm with the same one-minded aim. Getting lost in the drums. Jimmy, he may be the only one who is in a different headspace. I catch him looking at his girl and not being able to control his smile.
So much has happened in a year.
As the song ends and the applause dies, Dove speaks.
“Hello, McCandy’s!! We are so happy to perform for you tonight! We want to thank you for your steady affection. Here’s a song you might remember us singing. It was our most requested, a year ago.”
“Wild Thing’s” opening chords play, and again the crowd explodes with energy.
I catch the eye of my mother, who sends me a wink and a nod. Then she locks eyes with my father and smiles. Her own wild thing.
* * *
Sunlight streaks across the room and illuminates her face. Being in my house again feels better than good. Maybe because it’s rare that we are here. In the last year it’s only been a handful of times. That has made the coming home, if even for a few days, kind of magical. I remember how I felt the first time I saw the property. It’s like that again. I’ll never sell this place. It has become touchstone, not just for me, but for both of us. Thank God.
“I wish we had another few days here,” Dove says, wiping the sleep out of her eyes. “We could go fishing.”
“Are you really thinking about trout when I’m laying here naked?”
She rolls against me and crosses her arms on my chest.
“No baby. It’s just that your squirming cock reminded me of a fish jumping.”
That fucking look that she gets whenever she talks about my dick. Like it is her favorite toy. It’s an aphrodisiac. I push the conversation aside and get to more interesting things. Like her ass and pussy, the beautiful breasts and the softness of her skin. And how she smells like a summer morning.
“Come here,” I say, touching my lips.
She abandons talk of anything outside this room, this bed, and takes the kiss. Nothing in this world compares to how it feels to make love to Dove. To have her make love to me. She paints with all the colors. Words are an injustice.
I throw the bedding back and start a tour of her body. Lovely thing that it is. My hands wander over the wonderland. Fuck. Those nipples. They are in my mouth before I finish the thought. Babe. There is nothing like making love slowly. Like walking without a destination. Just for the journey’s pure pleasure.
Getting between my legs, she climbs my body with kisses. When she presses her mouth to my nipples I wish I could absorb her in my skin.
It is strange to want the thing you already have. But that’s the gold. We want each other. My pulse picks up its beat as she meets my stare. The feel of that sweet pussy grabs ahold of my senses.
“You fucking goddess,” I say between clenched teeth.
One second later, she turns and climbs on top of me. Backwards. Oh Lord. The perfect ass right in front of me. I part her cheeks and see the wet, soft pussy lips, I see it all. My mouth takes its share of the bounty, licking and sucking. While she worships my dick. That’s what it feels like. Like she has mad
e a god of it and vowed allegiance.
With my hands on her bouncing breasts, I continue to feast. Her pussy tastes so good. I lick from top to bottom. Taking my dick, she rubs it against her nipples, and it makes me hard as fuck. Then she sits back on my face and wiggles a request.
I’m happy to oblige. I eat that sweet thing and taste the slick juices that result. Rolling her over, I make an instant decision. Want to see that gorgeous face while we fuck. Kiss her. Hear the sounds that escape parted lips. And I am not disappointed.
We do it on our sides, on top, on her stomach, me on my knees, her on my lap. I hold her head back and we kiss while my dick is inside her. My orgasm delayed as long as possible. She came twice. Just another day in Paradise.
“Let’s never let this go,” she says softly.
Then we laugh because it’s a ridiculous thought. My eyes take their due, looking at my heaven.
“Want to have coffee out on the porch? It looks like a beautiful day.”
“Yes. Let’s.”
This right here is what floats my boat. A big cup of strong black coffee and a view. Maudie and I used to sit out here staring at the majestic scene. Today it looks especially stunning.
“Love this,” Dove says, lifting her feet onto the railing.
“Love you,” I answer.
We sit in silence, taking in the details. The sun highlighting the mountains, the colors of the flowering plants. There are so many shades of green. The tree leaves, the shrubs, the variegated vegetation. Turning my head, I look out over the far vista, where river meets shore.
A feeling rushes through me. Like a wind. I have felt this before but had forgotten. It was when Dove sang to me that first time. Does it mean something important is happening? Or is it only reaction to extreme beauty?
“Whose hat is that?” Dove’s question breaks my focus.
She points to the basket of hats I keep on the porch for visitors who want some shade.
“Which one?”
“The purple one with the pink band. Who does that belong to?”
“It was Kristen’s. I can’t get rid of it, so I threw it in the pile. We’d sit out here and solve the world’s problems.”
The oddest look comes over her face. She wants to tell me something, I can see it in her eyes.
“I’ve seen her. Several times.”
“What?”
“My visions. I thought I was seeing you with another woman. She was touching your shoulder or arm. But it was always from the back. I never saw her face. Once she was touching a toddler. Oh my God.”
Chills run up my spine. And a feeling of happiness wraps itself around me.
“Wow. I’m stunned a little. Did she look happy?”
“She was happy. Being with you made her really happy. I could see that without hesitation.”
“Who was the kid?” I say, coming to my own conclusion.
She doesn’t answer, but just looks in my eyes and smiles.
“Ours?” I ask.
“Who knows?”
* * *
The sense of wind blowing through me, and clearing away every unnecessary thought, returns.
Listen, it says.
And I do. Now is the time. As Dove waits and watches for my reaction, I respond with the only thing that has been on my mind for months.
“Will you marry me?”
The words float on the wind and settle in her eyes. She knew. Of course, she knew.
THE END. See what happens to the next Lyon brother in The Sky In Summer https://books2read.com/u/bMRBzv
Also by Leslie Pike
The Paradise Series
The Trouble With Eden
Wild In Paradise
The Road To Paradise
* * *
Love In Italy
The Adventure
The Art Of Love *
* * *
Swift Series
The Curve
The Closer
The Cannon
The Swift Series Collection
* * *
Santini Series
Destiny Laughs
Destiny Plays
Destiny Shines
Destiny Dawns
* * *
Lyon Family Series
The Beach In Winter
The River In Spring*
The Sky In Summer
* * *
Standalones (for now)
7 Miles High *
* * *
Royal Pain * (Cocky Hero Club)
* * *
Until Now (Happily Ever After World and Swift Family Crossover)
*Available in audio.
About the Author
USA TODAY bestselling author, Leslie Pike, has loved expressing herself through the written word since she was a child. The first romance “book” she wrote was at ten years old. The scene, a California Beach. The hero, a blonde surfer. The ending, happily forever after.
Leslie’s passion for film and screenwriting eventually led her to Texas for eight years, writing for a prime time CBS series. She’s traveled the world as part of film crews, from Africa to Israel, New York to San Francisco. Now she finds her favorite creative adventures taking place in her home, in Southern California, writing Contemporary Romance.
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