Believing Lies

by Rachel Everleigh

  “Of course you can stay. I’m just hungry.”

  I stood up, and my dad pinned me in place with his eyes. “Sweetheart, are you going somewhere?”

  “Meatball.” Geez. Can’t you say anything besides meatball, Sienna? Get. It. Together.

  My dad furrowed his brow, and Adam explained, “She’s going to go get a meatball. She’s hungry.”

  My dad started to laugh. “Your mom will skin you alive if you spoil your appetite before her turkey is ready. Plus, aren’t you sick of them after how many you ate last night?”

  My face colored in embarrassment, and I sat back down.

  A slight grin crept across Adam’s lips. “Just how many meatballs did you eat last night, Princess?” he asked me quietly.

  “Don’t call me that,” I quietly snapped back.

  “That many, huh?” He started to chuckle, and I elbowed him. His chuckle turned into a laugh, and now we had all eyes on us. Great. Just great.

  Mother came into the sitting room and stopped short when she noticed the boys. Her eyes instantly zeroed in on Adam. Even though she’d never met him before, it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out who was sitting next to her daughter. She went to Conner first and introduced herself, welcoming him to our home. Then she came our way.

  “Mrs. Trudeau, I’m Adam Korbell. It’s nice to meet you. Thank you for inviting me to your home.”

  My mother cocked her brow. “Oh, I didn’t invite you. That was my husband’s doing.” Booyah! Finally, someone who wasn’t a traitor.

  Mother informed us all that dinner was ready and abruptly left the room.

  Adam’s face was unreadable. My dad tried to comfort him by saying, “Don’t worry too much. Clarice always takes a while to warm up to a person.”

  As my dad and uncle left the room, Sophie snorted. “Yeah, Adam. I’ve known her my whole life, and she just started being nicer to me a few months ago.” She giggled. “So give her a couple of decades, and she’ll come around.”

  She left with Conner to the dining room, leaving Adam to mull over her words. He looked a little pale, and his foot was tapping rapidly.

  “You didn’t expect her to take it easy on you, did you,” I asked playfully. He looked at me, and his face relaxed. I stood up and extended my hand to him. “Come on, let’s go eat.”

  The tension in his expression melted away, and his mouth curled up into a small smile, which shook my brick wall.

  ***

  My mother peppered Adam with question after question over dinner, and in typical Adam fashion, I watched him slowly begin to win her over. When it appeared that she was satisfied with her inquisition, talk shifted to other topics.

  I leaned in and whispered to Adam, “Pretty charming. I think it’ll only take you one decade instead of two to get in her good graces.”

  He leaned in closer, and whispered back, “The only person at this table I care about charming is you.”

  Very quietly, I replied, “Impossible. You don’t affect me anymore.” I pulled back and took a drink of my white grape juice, and my lips curled into a smirk around the glass rim.

  And that’s when it happened—I felt Adam’s hand graze my thigh under the table, and I sprayed juice all over my plate and the tablecloth. All conversation instantly ceased, and all eyes were on me, yet his hand didn’t move. Nope, it inched further up and under the hem of my dress.

  “Are you okay?” my dad asked me.

  “Sorry. Wrong pipe,” I sputtered.

  Sophie laughed, and Conner tried to hide a smile.

  My uncle started back up the conversation, for which I was grateful.

  Adam’s hand moved a little higher, his fingertips skimming my bare skin, leaving behind tiny licks of heat. It took every ounce of willpower to not show any change in demeanor. What the hell did he think he was doing? How far would he go? How far would I let him go? Wait, why wasn’t I stopping him in the first place? Because you’re enjoying every second of this. Stupid inner vixen needed to shut up.

  I stood up, and his hand fell away. Even though I was the one who caused his hand to move, I was still mourning the loss. My mother looked at me questioningly. “Um. Excuse me. I’m going to use the bathroom,” I mumbled.

  I stood in front of the bathroom mirror, staring at my reflection, my fingers white-knuckled on the sink. I couldn’t get my body to stop humming. I was starved for his touch. Instead of images of sugar plums dancing in my head, images of Adam doing naughty things danced around. I needed to pull myself together. I’d heard that pregnancy could make a girl extra horny, but this was nuts. I came close to splashing my face with cold water, but smeared makeup would be pretty noticeable. I had no idea how long I was in that bathroom, calming down my raging libido, but everyone was conversing in the sitting room when I emerged.

  Mother looked genuinely worried. “Sienna, are you feeling alright?”

  “I’m fine, Mother. Thank you for asking.” I managed a smile that I hoped was reassuring. “Just tired out, is all.”

  It was as if I was a little child again. My parents tried to get me to go upstairs and go to bed, explaining how important it was to not wear myself out. If this was their reaction when I was only five months pregnant, I could only image how they would act a few months from now.

  Sophie saved me by saying that she was ready to get going and that we’d go straight back to the apartment. My parents seemed appeased, so I went upstairs to get my things while my mother went to the kitchen to pack up some leftovers for us to take. I was putting my clothes in my bag when my bedroom door creaked open behind me. I turned to see Adam standing on the other side of my now closed door, smiling deviously. My heart rate picked up, and my traitorous body began to warm from the inside out.

  “Why are you in my room, Adam?”

  He held out a very small, red envelope with a tiny lime green Christmas bow. “I wanted to give you your Christmas present.”

  “But I didn’t get you anything,” was the first thing to pop out of my mouth.

  “Just open it.”

  My fingers trembled as I took the envelope from his outstretched hand and pulled open the flap. Hanging from a red ribbon was a key. It was a gorgeous silk ribbon, but the key was nondescript. I glanced at him in confusion. “What is the key for?” I questioned, running the ribbon between my fingers.

  “I’m not telling you.”

  “Huh?”

  “I’ll only tell you when you’re ready to know.”

  “And I’m not ready to know yet?”

  He seemed sad when he answered, “You’re getting closer, but no. Not yet.”

  “Well, then I guess I’ll just say thank you and maybe someday I’ll know what I’m thanking you for.”

  He drew close and reached for my hand. He took the key from me, untied the ribbon, and said, “Give me your wrist.” I did, and he tied the ribbon around it, creating a beautiful bow. The key rested against the top of my hand. He lifted my hand to his mouth, and placed a single kiss on my palm.

  Adam looked at the goose bumps that were rapidly scattering up my arm, and grinned. “Downstairs, you said that I don’t affect you anymore,” he challenged me.

  I looked him dead in the eye. “You don’t.”

  He wrapped one arm around my waist, tugged me to him, and locked his mouth to mine before I could even blink. My humming, tingling body melted against him, and my mouth opened enough for him to kiss me . . . really, really kiss me. It was a toe curling, butterflies swirling, best kiss ever. He took a step back, and for the life of me, I couldn’t open my eyes.

  “Open your eyes, Princess.”

  I slowly did, looking up at him from under my lashes. The fevered look in his eyes took my breath from me. He kissed a hot trace of electricity across my jaw and up the side of my neck. My disobedient fingers found their way to the buttons of his shirt and started to open them.

  He whispered, “Are you sure that I don’t affect you?”

  “I may have been mistaken,”
I honestly admitted on an exhale. The second shirt button popped free under my fingertips. I un-tucked his shirt from his pants and ran my hands under the fabric and up his washboard abs. Oh my God, I had missed the feel of his skin.

  “What are you doing?” he asked, his voice low.

  “I have no clue,” I breathed out.

  “Your parents could come in,” he pointed out.

  “Don’t care.”

  That was the green light he needed. He undid the rest of his shirt and dropped it to the floor. Holy Hell. The sight of this man was mouthwatering. He lowered himself and slid his hands under my dress. He slowly stood, bringing the dress up with him.

  “Raise your arms.”

  I didn’t hesitate. I should have, but I didn’t.

  He pulled my dress off and ran his hands over my body, his fingers skimming my skin from my waist and over my bra.

  “You’re so beautiful.” The reverence in his voice melted me.

  I grabbed him by the belt and backed up until my legs hit my bed. I sat and leaned back, bringing him down to me. He slid his hand into my panties and a moan escaped my mouth the minute his fingers touched me. I wrapped my hand behind his neck and brought his lips to mine. The delicious rhythm of his tongue was matching the rhythm of his fingers in perfect synchronization.

  “Tell me to stop, and I will,” he murmured against my lips. “Tell me to go, and I’ll leave right now.”

  “Don’t stop,” I begged in a desperate, urgent whisper.

  He pulled my panties down very slowly, letting them flitter to the floor. He took off his pants and boxer briefs and then stretched his long body over mine, bearing his weight on his forearms.

  He glanced at the ribbon and key on my wrist, smiled, and then captured my lips in his. This kiss was not sweet. It was full of need and want, desire and heat. When he entered me, it was as if I my entire body was ignited. When he began to move, I went up in flames. Everywhere he kissed burned and blazed. My fingers singed from the heat of his body as I ran my hands up and over his chest and arms.

  “You feel so fucking amazing.” His words sparked something inside me, and the fire raged higher and higher. I threw my head back and closed my eyes tight. I could feel him getting closer as his movements intensified. “Open your eyes, Princess,” he coaxed. The moment my eyes fluttered open, he whispered, “I love you.”

  It was as if he doused me in gasoline. We were trapped in an inferno, and I was consumed by it. I fell apart around him, and I bit my lip to keep from shouting. As I rode the aftershocks, I could feel his release.

  Our breathing evened out, and he brushed a stray lock of hair from my eyes. “Say something,” he pleaded.

  A knock at my door was like ice cold water being dumped on me. Both of our eyes snapped toward the sound.

  By instinct, I yelled, “Just a second!”

  “Sienna?” My entire body froze as stiff as a board when I heard my mother’s voice. I forced my eyes to shift to the door, and it was thankfully still closed.

  I basically pushed Adam off of me and snatched my dress and panties from the floor. “Coming, Mother.” I tried to sound casual, but I could hear the tinge of hysteria that seeped in. Oh my God. Oh my God. My mother is going to walk in on me. My life is officially over.

  I dressed in warp-speed. Luckily, Adam did too and had just finished tucking in his shirt. I turned the doorknob at the same time my mother did. She took a step into the room. Adam was sitting on the bed, which was a good thing. At least if he was on it, she wouldn’t notice it being a bit messed.

  “You look flushed, darling. Are you still not feeling well? I thought we all agreed it was time for you to go back with Sophie and get some sleep.”

  “Um . . . I was just getting my things.”

  She cocked her head. “And Adam came up here to help you?” she asked skeptically.

  Adam spoke up. “I came up here to give her Christmas present to her and to talk. We had a lot of things to discuss. I’m sorry for keeping her so long. You’re right, she really should get some rest now.” I noticed the slight turn of one side of his mouth before he added, “All of our talking seems to have worn her out.” I choked on my own spit. I am going to kill him. This is a disaster.

  My door opened wider, and Sophie walked in. “Why does it smell like sex in here?” she asked candidly.

  Nope, not a disaster. This is a fucking catastrophe.

  My mother’s eyes widened, then narrowed, then popped back open. Sophie looked at me and saw the deer-in-the-headlights expression on my face. She let out one loud laugh and sat next to Adam.

  “Sienna Melissa Trudeau, explain yourself right now!” my mother demanded.

  “Sophie’s cracking a joke, Mother,” I stated. “Right, Sophie?”

  Sophie smiled coyly. “Of course, I am . . . but even if I wasn’t, what’s the worst that could happen? I mean, she’s already pregnant.”

  “Enough of this nonsense,” Mother bellowed. “I’m going to go downstairs, and everyone better be down within the next two minutes.” She left the room, leaving the door wide open behind her.

  Sophie threw her head back and laughed loudly. “Best fucking Christmas ever,” she said, wheezing. As soon as she controlled her giggles, she informed us that Conner was outside starting our vehicles. She then skipped out of the room.

  Adam walked over and bent his head to kiss me. I pulled back. “Please don’t.”

  “Why? Because of your mom?

  I averted my eyes. “No. I . . . I just need time to think.”

  His brows pinched. “What’s there to think about?”

  “This was a mistake, Adam. I got caught up—”

  He put his finger over my lips and gently traced the edge. My eyelids closed, and all I felt was an overwhelming sense of peace. He kissed the side of my cheek, and then stepped away. I opened my eyes, and he was gone.

  I quickly tossed the rest of my stuff in my bag, went to the bathroom and threw in my toiletries, and raced downstairs. I looked out the window, but to my complete disappointment, he had left.

  “Are you ready to go?” Sophie asked, coming up behind me and holding my jacket.

  “Yeah.”

  The instant we were in my vehicle, she said, “Tell me it was good.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “The guilty look on your face tells me that you know exactly what I’m talking about.”

  “Does the guilty look on my face also tell you that I don’t want to talk about it?”

  “Nope.”

  I sighed loudly. “Not tonight, Soph. I just need to process things, okay?”

  She smiled broadly. “Okay. I can live with that. Process away.”

  Later that night, I lay in bed, watching the snow fall outside my window. I had taken the ribbon off my wrist, and was twirling the key above me. What was it for? What did it mean?

  I still couldn’t believe I had slept with him, especially at my parent’s house. And then he had to go and say that he loved me. Those words were supposed to make me angry—not give me an orgasm. I set the key down on my nightstand and curled onto my side. I needed to rebuild the wall around my heart. I closed my eyes and reached for a brick, but they were all gone. In fact, the whole wall had been completely incinerated.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  “Are you absolutely sure you won’t come out. It’s New Year’s Eve!”

  “Sophie, you can beg and whine all you want, but I’m not coming with.” Her persistence had begun to grate on my nerves. After she got the full story of what happened on Christmas, she was more determined than ever before to get Adam and me back together.

  “WHYYY?”

  “I can’t drink, the bars will be packed full, and . . .”

  “And Adam hasn’t called you,” she said, finishing my sentence for me.

  I flopped backwards on her bed. “Yes, ‘and Adam hasn’t called me,’” I admitted begrudgingly.

  She whipped her head around
just long enough to gloat. “Hah! I knew it! You want him to call you. You want to see him tonight.”

  Even though she was sitting at her vanity and couldn’t see my face, I shot her a dirty look. “I do not. It’s just that . . . I just don’t get it. He shows up at Christmas, gives me this mysterious key, we sleep together, he tells me he loves me, and then nothing since.” I sat up and crossed my legs.

  “Maybe he’s waiting to see if you call him. You forgot the part where you told him that sleeping with him was a mistake. That had to hurt.”

  “Okay, I’ll agree. That was pretty shitty to say right afterwards, but it was also true. I shouldn’t have slept with him. That was a really bad judgment call on my part.”

  “You’re such a whore,” she teased. “Speaking of whores, have you thought about who he’s going to kiss at midnight if you’re not there?”

  I narrowed my eyes. “Really? Playing the jealousy card?”

  “I’ll play whatever card I can.”

  “He can kiss whomever he wants.” Yep, that sentence stung.

  “I’ll make sure to let him know that.” Her tone was sassy and sweet all at once.

  My patience fried, I snapped, “You do that,” and then stormed out of her room.

  I went to the living room, laid on the couch, and turned on the TV. Twenty minutes later, Sophie came out and said goodbye.

  I hadn’t planned on falling asleep, but when the TV started to blur and my eyelids became too heavy, I gave in. I woke up some time later to a strange feeling in my stomach. For a split second, I was scared, but then I realized my baby was kicking me. I placed my hand over the spot and giggled with happiness as she kicked again. My eyes shifted to the clock. Eleven-fifty-nine. She had woken me up just in time for New Year’s.

  The clock changed to midnight, and my heart fell, morbidly wondering who Adam was kissing right now. My phone chimed from on the coffee table. I reached over and picked it up.

  ADAM: Happy New Year’s Princess.

  I stared at the screen in disbelief. He wasn’t kissing someone. He was texting me. A second chime and new text bubble popped up.

  ADAM: I miss you.

  I didn’t think about it. I just typed.