by Dorie Graham
He held up his hand to silence her. “Not another word. Let’s try for a positive attitude from here on out.”
After giving her a pointed look, he returned his attention to the mail.
“Okay, Mr. Positive. So what am I going to do about breaking my promise to spend the entire weekend with Adam?”
Elliot glanced up. “You sure he’s so upset?”
“He hasn’t spoken to me since I told him I was going away.”
“Well, maybe he’s communicating through other means.” He handed her a thin package. “No return address, but looks like the same kind of label that was on that cookbook. Could be another gift from your secret admirer, who maybe isn’t so secret anymore.”
“He doesn’t believe in blatant gift giving.” Hope whispered through her as she turned the package over. The postmark showed he’d mailed it after that phone call. Could it be a peace offering?
With unsteady hands, she tore open the seal. A small wrapped rectangle tumbled out along with the standard folded note. She opened the note and read:
How delicious is the winning
of a kiss at love’s beginning.
—Thomas Campbell (1777–1844)
Freedom and Love
“Doesn’t sound like he’s too upset.” Elliot leaned forward as she ripped off the same flowered paper that had covered the cookbook.
Lauren lifted the deep-green and gold scarf, its silky surface shimmering in the light. A shiver ran through her as the memory of Adam’s silk-bound wrists floated over her. “It’s beautiful.”
“See? Everything’s all right. Why don’t you call him and thank him?” With an encouraging nod, Elliot left.
She rubbed the soft fabric between her fingers.
You’ve forgotten what it’s like to be nurtured.
Could she learn to give up control and allow him to nurture her—pleasure her the way she’d pleasured him?
A moment later, she waited with bated breath as Adam’s cell phone rang on the other end of the line. To her disappointment, his voice mail picked up. She hesitated for just a moment.
“Hi. It’s me. Just wanted to say thanks for understanding about this weekend. I’ve been thinking about what we talked about…and you might be right. I really miss you. Please call me.”
She hung up. The scarf was soft against her fingers. Closing her eyes, she imagined the feel of it gliding over her naked body—imagined the softness circling her wrists. She owed it to Adam to get over her inhibition. She owed it to herself.
THE SUN SHONE DOWN the following afternoon, glinting off the white sand of the beach. Lauren adjusted her sunglasses. Her surroundings seemed surreal. How could she be here, soaking up the sun? It didn’t seem possible. She longed to be back home—to see Adam, make up for ditching their weekend plans.
She sipped her umbrella-topped drink while Elliot and Norma continued their rehashing of “the old times.” Apparently they had run around with a wild crowd.
“Do you remember that pajama party we had and the police came, but instead of breaking it up, they joined right in?” Norma chuckled with the memory.
“As I recall, you answered the door in some scanty little black thing. And they went easy on us because you had such a pleasing attitude.” Elliot pursed his lips in mock censure.
“I vowed my life to sexy lingerie right then and there.” The two of them engaged in a round of laughter, while Lauren and Charles grinned along with them.
Charles leaned forward and patted his wife’s hand. “That’s my girl.”
Norma’s face brightened. She turned to Elliot. “What do you think about a campaign centering on men in uniform? You know, with scantily dressed women falling all over them?”
“I can see that.” Elliot tossed his partner a sideways glance.
She straightened. At last they were getting around to business. “Men in uniform certainly have mass appeal.”
“Draw something up.” Norma waved her hand.
“Actually, Norma, I’ve jotted down some ideas—”
“I can’t think about it now, Elliot. I’m in a rum buzz. No more business. It’s time to play. Come, Charles dear, let’s go for a swim.” With that, she set down her drink, tossed aside the big straw hat, then threw off the frilly pink cover-up.
Beneath it, she wore a shockingly scanty one-piece, which she wore with great aplomb. Charles made an enthusiastic grunt beside Lauren and rose to chase after his younger wife as she lured him with seductive glances over her shoulder toward the sparkling water.
“Ah, well. We won’t be seeing them for some time.” Elliot tossed the little umbrella from his drink and gulped back a long swallow.
Lauren sighed as Charles caught his wife in the breaking surf and her excited laughter drifted to them. “What must it be like to lead such a carefree life? Sometimes, I wish I could be like that.”
“You could, if you quit all your worrying.”
He gestured toward the wide expanse of beach and the vast home behind them. “We’re in paradise, a place where time stands still. Worries aren’t allowed here.”
As he settled back for another long draw from his drink, she tried to relax, but something nagged at the back of her mind. “I’d better call to make sure we’re set for Monday.”
“You already did that. The shoot is scheduled. Everyone will show up. It’s all set. We don’t even need you. You know how boring those things are. I could handle it blindfolded. Quit obsessing.”
She closed her eyes. He was right. She usually felt in the way at shoots. Since she always bowed to Elliot’s judgment, should intervention on their part be needed, her role was superfluous. However, she still wouldn’t miss the shoot.
The waves crashed and retreated in an endless rhythm. Drawing deep breaths, she forced herself to relax her muscles one by one. Still, a sense of impending doom crept over her.
After another quick check on her cellular phone, she let out a frustrated sigh. No messages. Why hadn’t Adam returned her call?
“Put that thing away.” Elliot adjusted his chair to face the sun. “You’re making me nervous. The best thing you can do is recharge, so you hit next week fresh.”
“Something’s wrong. I can feel it.” She dug around in her bag and found her Palm Pilot.
“I can’t believe you brought that to the beach.”
Ignoring him, she punched up her calendar, then scrolled through the days. “I just have the nagging feeling I’ve left something undone. Let’s see, confirmed with Bennett, sent out invoices, paid bills…oh…my…God.”
Horror filled her. “I can’t believe I forgot.”
“Forgot what?”
She stared, stricken, willing the dates to change on the digital display.
“Lauren, you’re scaring me. What did you forget?”
Her throat constricted as she focused on her partner. “Today is Adam’s birthday.”
“Ah, I knew it.” Norma’s voice startled Lauren.
She turned to find the woman dripping and smiling broadly, Charles by her side.
“I told Charles you weren’t all work. Now, who is Adam? Someone important, by the look on your face.”
“Her best friend turned lover,” Elliot supplied and Lauren choked.
She opened her mouth to comment, then shut it. Had it been any other time she would have been mortified at how her professional relationship with the couple seemed to be deteriorating. But all else paled next to abandoning Adam on his birthday.
Charles beamed and rubbed his hands together. “Oh, a mission of love.”
“Yes.” Norma squeezed his arm. “We’ll need to return right away so you can fix this whole thing.”
“Oh, no.” Lauren rose to her feet. “I wouldn’t dream of asking you.”
“But we insist. Don’t we, dear?” Charles turned to Norma, who nodded enthusiastically.
“It’s just the opportunity I was looking for,” she said.
A measure of relief flowed over Lauren. If she could r
eturn home in time, maybe she could make things right with Adam. “I would be eternally grateful.”
Norma patted her arm. “There’s just one thing I ask in return.”
“Oh, of course. What would you like me to do?”
A light danced in Norma’s eyes. “I’ve been dying to test out this new lingerie line.”
“OKAY, breathe.” Norma gripped Lauren’s shoulders as the limo stopped in front of Adam’s house well after dark that night. The trip home had seemed to take forever for Lauren. Her anxiety had grown with each passing mile, until she felt like a huge bundle of nerves.
“Look, the light’s on,” Norma said. “It looks like he’s home, but we’ll wait until he answers the door, just to make sure.”
“Maybe I should try to call one more time.” A fit of trembling overtook Lauren. How would she ever make it up to him?
“You’re here. You might as well ring the bell,” Charles coaxed.
Lauren gripped her coat tighter. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.”
Charles straightened her collar. “He’s going to love it. What man could resist?”
Lauren turned to Norma. “I hate that you cut the trip short for me.”
“All for the sake of love.” Charles scooped his arm around his wife.
Lauren’s heart pounded. A tangle of emotions swarmed through her—guilt, worry…and what was it she felt for Adam? Was she in love with him? All she knew was that she had to see him.
“Thank you,” she said to both of them. “I don’t know how to make it up to you.”
“Oh, that’s easy. Come to my lingerie party next weekend. I’m looking for some feedback on the new line. It would mean a lot to me if you’d come and let me know how things worked out. I’ll send an invitation, so you’ll have all the details.”
Lauren forced a smile. She could hardly think past the next few minutes. “Of course. I look forward to it.”
“Wonderful.” The other woman beamed. “Now, shoo.”
ADAM DROPPED the last of his dirty clothes into the washing machine, then glanced at his watch. He’d spent the better part of the day getting caught up on laundry. He hadn’t spent this much time in the basement, since, well, since the last time he’d done laundry.
Carrying a basketful of folded clothes upstairs, he tried not to feel sorry for himself. What did it matter that Lauren had forgotten his birthday? At least he was being productive.
So he was thirty. It was just another day. He frowned. And she had called and said she’d missed him before she left. And that she’d been thinking about what they’d talked about. His groin tightened as he envisioned her bound by silk and at his mercy.
He’d tried to return her call, but hadn’t been able to get through. Of course, she’d feel awful when she realized what she’d done. Maybe she’d feel bad enough to finally carve out enough time for the two of them to get away together.
A flashing light on his answering machine caught his eye and he headed over to the unit. He must not have heard the phone down in the basement.
The loud ring of his doorbell stopped him midstride. He turned, frowning. Who could it be? The only person he was interested in seeing was soaking up the warm breeze down in West Palm.
He pulled the door open, then stood stunned. “Lauren?” he asked, not quite believing she’d somehow appeared on his doorstep.
She clutched her coat to her throat and eyed him warily. “May I come in?”
“Of course.” He moved aside to let her pass.
Her heart pounding, Lauren stepped across the threshold, closed the door, then turned to face Adam. At least he looked more surprised than angry. “Hi.”
“Hi.” He gave her a quizzical look. “I thought you were in West Palm.”
“I was.”
“Oh.”
“But then I remembered something important. And I can’t believe I nearly forgot. And I really want to make things right.” She paused and took a deep breath. She was babbling. Since words seemed to be failing her, she gathered her courage and slowly unbuttoned her coat.
Her fingers fumbled with the last button. For the briefest millisecond, she nearly chickened out. She slipped her hand into the pocket to withdraw a condom, then she dropped the garment from her shoulders.
“Happy birthday, Adam.”
He stood motionless, his gaze traveling over her lingerie-clad body. Heat blossomed in her cheeks. She’d been scandalized when she’d slipped into the merry widow that Norma had insisted she wear.
The push-up bodice barely contained her breasts. If she breathed too deeply her nipples popped over the top. Narrow strips of black leather joined the lacy body, and to her dismay, she’d discovered the bottom was crotchless.
She drew a deep breath and her nipples rubbed against the barely adequate bodice. The corners of the foil packet pressed into her hand. In spite of the short expanse of leather and lace, she’d never felt more exposed.
“Sunshine,” he breathed and scooped her into his arms.
His mouth anchored her, while her body spun out of control at his touch. She met every hungry thrust of his tongue, savoring his warm scent and the roughness of his calloused hands as they moved over her, fondling her hip, her breast, her bottom.
He broke away to nibble her ear and she murmured. “So, you’re not mad?”
“How could I be anything but grateful when you show up like this?” He kneaded her breast, rubbing the taut peak against the leather and sending sparks of desire shooting to her sex. “Are you my birthday present?”
“If you want me to be.” She tugged at his shirt and he leaned back to pull it off.
“I want.” He slipped his hand between her thighs.
His eyes widened when his fingers found her exposed sex, already swelling with her desire. “Sweet. You’re so wet.”
He swept his fingers through her damp folds, spreading the wetness, coating her with her desire. Bending his head, he kissed her neck, while he circled her clit, beading it, coaxing it to an aching, hard point. Flashes of fire shot through her. Her fingers trembling, she massaged him through his sweats, her throat tightening as he swelled and stiffened beneath her fingers.
“Sunshine…” He thrust his fingers deep inside her, burying them in her heat, stretching the muscles of her passage. With deliberate movements, he massaged her, coaxing the first tremors of an orgasm.
“I want you so bad, Adam. I’ve missed you.”
His sweatpants gave way easily as she yanked the drawstring. Aching with need, she tore open the square packet, then rolled the thin rubber over him. With a throaty moan, he hooked his arms under her legs, and lifted her, pressing her to the wall.
His thick organ probed her, then he entered her in one swift motion. Heat licked through her as he filled her. Each movement of his hips sent shivers of delight to all her nerve endings as he withdrew, then thrust in an ageless cadence. Time spun into an endless moment of bliss. His rhythm increased. He drove into her, fast and furious. She rocked to meet him, her breath heavy, her body responding in a spiral of desire so intense she seemed to melt into him.
She came.
Her cry of release seemed to drive him into a sensual fervor. Again and again he thrust into her as her muscles quivered around him and waves of pleasure swept over her so intense, she opened her mouth in a silent scream. At last, he cried out and stiffened, collapsing over her.
She closed her eyes and clung to him, her pulse surging, blood pounding through her tender flesh. He nestled his head in the crook of her neck and for several long moments they cradled each other.
The loud summons of the doorbell startled them from their haze.
“Who the hell?” Adam set her down, then slipped his sweatpants in place, knotting them before glancing back to see that Lauren had scrambled into her coat.
Frowning, he pulled open the door.
“Happy birthday, dumpling!” A tall, thin brunette, wearing a slinky black dress and a sexy smile greeted him.
&nbs
p; “Yvonne. This is a surprise.” He angled the door, blocking Lauren from view.
Blood roared through her ears as she sank against the wall, mortification filling her. He didn’t want this woman to see she was there. Who the hell was she?
“Aren’t you going to invite me in? I’ve been thinking about you, Adam. I have a special birthday surprise for you.”
“Actually, this is really not a good time.”
Drawing a deep breath, Lauren slipped around the corner, then into the kitchen. Irrational jealousy burned through her. He’d been with that woman, made love to her. The sultry tone of her voice said that much.
Her hand on the back doorknob, Lauren fought the sick feeling in her stomach. She needed air. Straightening, she yanked open the door, then stepped out into the cool night, drawing deep breaths.
She had no exclusive right to Adam. She shouldn’t be upset if he kept other “friends” on the side. But she was. God help her, she loved him. She loved him the way a woman loved a man. She’d love him forever.
The same jealousy that had invaded her that night she’d found him at Blarney’s ate away at her now. He’d claimed there wasn’t anything between him and the woman. He’d probably claim the same about the woman on his doorstep.
And in spite of the guilt in his eyes the other night, he was probably telling the truth. Knowing Adam, he probably felt guilty because he realized Ms. Brownie was a better choice. If not for Lauren, would he be happily pursuing a relationship with one of these women?
What right did she have to stand in the way of his true happiness? She didn’t. And she had no business hanging around if she couldn’t contribute toward that happiness. Maybe her best contribution would be her absence.
Her legs stiff and unsteady, she headed down the steps, and around the corner. Belatedly, she realized she didn’t have her car. Head high, she pointed herself toward home and started walking.
She hadn’t reached the end of the block, when Adam’s truck pulled alongside her.
“Lauren, please come back. I sent her home. I don’t know what possessed her to drop by like that. Honestly, I haven’t seen her in months.” The truck rolled slowly along beside her.