‘Noah…’
His hand slipped up the inside of her thigh, stroking and kneading the soft flesh there, until his fingers crept under the cotton of her shorts and began to stroke her sex. Lila moaned softly, her own fingers knotting in his short dark curls. Noah moved to tease her other nipple as his long forefinger slipped inside her and began to seek the spot that made her groan and cry out.
His head came up and he grinned, kissing her mouth, his intentions clear. He slid her shorts down her long legs then stood to push his own shorts down. His cock, so big and thick, stood proudly against his belly and he fisted the root of it as he came to her again. She held out her arms to him and he went into them, both of them sighing at the feel of skin against skin.
‘I love you, Noah Applebaum,’ she whispered as she wrapped her legs around his waist and he smiled as he slid into her, groaning softly at the feel of her soft, wet cunt enveloping him as he filled her.
‘God, Lila…’
They moved together, completely focused on each other, enjoying every sensation as they fucked for the first time in weeks. They loved and laughed, made each other come over and over long into the night then finally, exhausted and sated, lay together, limbs entwined, watching the distant light show of the volcanoes.
‘This place is unreal,’ Lila said, her head resting against his chest. ‘Your friend’s very generous to lend this place out to you.’
‘He is,’ Noah agreed, his hands gently stroking her bare skin. ‘When we get back to Seattle, we should double date with Jakob and Quilla – you and she have a lot in common. A lot.’
‘Do they have kids?’
‘Twins, adopted. Girls, Maika and Nell, I think their names are.’
They lay in silence for a long time the Lila sighed. ‘Do you think we’ll have a lot of kids?’
‘We already have one. Just because she’s no longer here…I still feel like a father.’
She smiled up at him. ‘I know, I feel like a mom. You think we’ll have more?’
He pressed his lips to her forehead. ‘I think so, I hope so. We have time though, baby. Let’s just enjoy us, for now.’
‘Agreed.’ She snuggled closer, tracing a line down his chest with her finger. ‘Noah?’
‘’Sup?’
‘I’m thinking about going back to school, retraining as a teacher.’
Noah looked down at her in surprise. ‘Really?’
‘Yup. I haven’t painted anything new for years now and I can’t live off your goodwill forever.’
Noah hissed in frustration. ‘Baby…I wish you’d stop worrying about that. It’s just money. What’s mine is yours; I thought you would have realized that by now.’
‘Easy for you to say; you’re not the one being called a gold-digger. Besides, I am realistic – even teaching, I’ll never match your wealth but I can at least contribute. I need that.’
Noah sighed, clearly not satisfied. ‘Fine.’
She nuzzled his chin. ‘Don’t be mad, Applebum.’
He chuckled, kissing her softly. ‘I’m not mad, just…I want to look after you.’
‘And you do. All the time. But money isn’t a part of that, you care for me in far more important ways.’
‘Mushy.’
She laughed. ‘If you like.’
They held each other in silence for a while before Lila untangled herself from him. ‘Where are you going?’ Noah grumbled as she got up. She grinned.
‘Just to pee, be right back.’
She padded barefoot and naked through the dark villa to the bathroom. God, she could happily live here forever, just the two of them. She had a slight headache and she leaned her hot forehead against the cool tile as she used the toilet.
Here, she could forget about the mess in New York. Cora had been arrested and bailed and the DA was considering the charges against her. She had confessed to hiring someone to kill Tinsley - during a psychotic break, Cora claimed, driven made by jealousy. Tinsley had been shocked to the core that Cora was behind the attack and hadn’t taken the news that Lila had known and not told her well. Not well at all and for the past couple of weeks, before they had come to the island, Lila and Tinsley’s relationship had cooled.
Cora, however, vehemently denied that she was behind Lila’s attempted murder. Lila somehow believed her but Charlie was so convinced they had at last found the answers they were looking for that she kept her beliefs to herself. Charlie wasn’t an irrational man, she figured, if he was so convinced, there must be a reason.
Lila, on Charlie’s recommendation, hadn’t contacted the Carnegies and it was killing her not to know how Delphine and Richard Sr. were doing. For so long, they had been her family and now…she couldn’t ever imagine a way back for their relationship. That part of her life was over and if Cora really was responsible for the horrific stabbing Lila had endured and somehow survived, then the silver lining was that she could truly move on.
With Noah. She washed her hands and smiled to herself. God, she loved that man. Every time she saw him it was like the first time; her heart would race, her breath would catch in her throat. When he put his hands on her – god, his hands – her skin would vibrate with pleasure, the pulse between her legs would start to pound.
Thinking about that, she went back to the terrace to find him asleep. She grinned and straddled him, her hands slipping between his legs to cup his balls, stroke his cock into tumescence.
She chuckled as he pretended to be asleep then as a wide smile spread across his face and his eyes opened as she spread her labia and guided him into her slick cunt.
‘Well, hello again to you,’ he murmured, his hands splaying out over her bare back as she rode him gently. His lips found hers, his tongue teasing hers. ‘God, you taste so good, Miss Lila.’
She smiled, her lips curving up against his. ‘Glad you think so.’ She slammed her hips hard against him, taking him in deep and he groaned. His fingers clamped onto the soft flesh of her waist, keeping her impaled on his cock. He looked up at her, his clear green eyes amused, loving, and intense.
‘I love you, Miss Lila Tierney, more than anything else in this godforsaken world.’
‘Glad to hear it.’
He grinned widely. ‘Then, seeing as my cock is deep inside your beautiful cunt, I think this is the exact right time to say, Lila Tierney, would you do me the honor of marrying me?’
Lila thrust hard onto his cock as he reached down to rub her clit and she moaned with pleasure. ‘Yes…yes, god, yes Noah…I will marry you….as long as you promise to keep doing…that…yes…yes…’
Manhattan
Tinsley rolled over in bed and sighed. Sleep was eluding her yet again and next to her, the bed was empty. Charlie was working a case that took him into Brooklyn most nights – at least that was the official story. Tinsley knew he was searching out any and every place that Riley might be. Now that Cora was on the hook for the attempted murders, Charlie had grown quiet and restless, wanting to find his partner and friend. Tinsley knew it was because he felt guilty about being convinced of Riley’s guilt and not listening to any other theory than ‘Riley tried to kill Lila’.
God, what a mess. When Lila had told her that Cora had confessed to Tinsley’s attack, the shock had made her lash out at her friend, accuse of her of putting Cora first. Lila had taken her tongue-lashing stoically.
‘I know it seems that way,’ she had softly, ‘after Tinsley had ranted at her, ‘but it’s not the truth. I love you so much and I wanted to be sure. I want Cora to come to you herself but she turned on me too.’
That last line haunted Tinsley. She turned on me too…jesus, if Tinsley thought she’d had it bad over the last few months, it was nothing to what Lila had endured. Tinsley remembered the pain of the knife slicing into her body and her cuts weren’t even serious. Imagine having a knife plunged deep in your belly, repeatedly…Tinsley shuddered. She couldn’t fathom it.
She got out of bed to get some water. A cigar box sat on the kitchen count
er, half-open. Tinsley couldn’t resist. She sipped her water and flipped open the lid to the box. She saw, straight away, the photo of Charlie and Lila – god, how sweet, she though. They were teenagers; Charlie must have been about nineteen, twenty, Lila a little younger, maybe not even in her teens. Charlie had his heavy arm around her neck and they were both laughing as they play-wrestled.
Tinsley guiltily looked through the rest of the box. Receipts from movies – some really old, she noticed – tickets from the Staten Island ferries, from the Washington State ferries, museum leaflets, concert ticket stubs. A life, she thought, a whole life documented in memories. She had never thought that Charlie could be so sentimental.
She found the letter at the bottom and recognised Lila’s handwriting immediately. The envelope was a heavy, expensive paper and Tinsley picked it up. She hesitated before sliding the notepaper out and opening it.
My dearest, oldest friend,
I have no words to say I’m sorry for leaving like this – just know I would not do so unless it was absolutely necessary.
Charlie, you are my brother, my friend, my guide and knowing I won’t be able to see you, at least not in the near future, is killing me. I have to do this, Charlie, and please, please, don’t come looking for me. Please. I really need to be alone in this.
If you can, or are willing, please give this other letter to the Carnegies and tell them I’m so sorry to do this so soon after Richard’s death.
I’m sorry, Charlie. I’ll miss you and I love you,
Lila.
Tinsley felt tears prick the backs of her eyes. God, what a shitstorm the whole thing was. She wasn’t surprised that Charlie had kept this letter – the bond between them and the love that Lila felt for him was in every line.
‘Enjoying that?’
Tinsley gasped and spun around, dropping the letter to the floor. Charlie, his face half in shadow, waited. She picked the letter up and put it back in the box.
‘Charlie, I’m so sorry, I have no excuse.’
There was a long silence then he stepped forward into the light and she couldn’t read his expression. ‘Don’t worry about it.’
She watched him pick the box up and shove it into a drawer before finally standing. The tension in the air was heavy.
‘Shit, Charlie,’ she went to him and tried to put her hand on his chest but he ducked away.
‘I said, don’t worry about it. I’m heading for a shower, I’m pretty gross.’
He walked away. ‘I could join you,’ she called out, hopefully, but when he didn’t answer, she felt even worse. She debated following him but instead, went back to bed and waited.
He was toweling his hair dry roughly as he walked back into their bedroom. Their bedroom. Huh. They’d been living here less than two weeks and Tinsley couldn’t get used to the fact she was living with a guy. It just wasn’t her and now she found herself wondering if it had been worth the risk. This right here was why she needed her own space, needed somewhere she could absolutely relax. She hated confrontation at the best of times but when it was with the person you were sharing a bed with…
Charlie got into bed and pulled her into his arms. He smelled of shower gel and fresh laundry. Tinsley snuggled up to him gratefully, felt his erection against her thigh and wrapped a leg around him.
‘Forgive me?’
He kissed her roughly. ‘Nothing to forgive.’ he took her, thrusting deep inside her, pressing her back onto the bed as he fucked her. Tinsley, her hands pinned by his, stared up at him as he moved. Something wasn’t right, something was off, she realized sadly.
She didn’t come although she pretended to and when he was in the bathroom afterward, she tried to figure out why. It was only later, when he was snoring gently beside her that she realized what it was. He hadn’t looked directly at her the whole time they’d made love.
The next day she got home to find all his possessions gone, a note on the table.
I can’t do this. I’m sorry. Tinsley re-read the note and then crumpled it in her hand.
She felt strangely relieved.
Seattle
Mr. Halston Applebaum would like to announce the engagement of his son, Dr. Noah Alexander Applebaum of King County, Seattle, Washington State to Miss Lila Tierney of San Juan Island, Washington State.
Lila nodded approvingly. ‘Nice. Short and sweet.’
Noah grinned. ‘Only my Dad would insist on placing an engagement notice nowadays.’
‘Meh,’ Lila shrugged. ‘There’s no harm in it. I’m just glad he likes me, is all.’
On return from the island, Noah and Lila had been busy, out with his father and his step-mother, getting to know some of his friends. She especially liked Jakob and Quilla Mallory and she and Quilla had met up a few times on their own since. She liked the other woman a great deal; she was sassy, and funny and beautiful and more than anything, a survivor. Quilla had been raped and stabbed by a vengeful ex-colleague of Jakob’s and still carried the scars of that attack. Her two young sons, she told Lila, made everything worthwhile.
‘Even though they are exhausting,’ she grinned at Lila. Lila adored the two boys; their mischievous grins and rambunctious personalities were encouraged by their mother – much to Jakob’s chagrin.
‘You’d think she would want them quiet at the end of the day but no,’ he grinned fondly at his wife, ‘I get home and there they are, all three of them, yelling at me, singing at me.’
Lila could picture the scene now and felt a pang of sadness. Would she and Matty have been as bonded as Quilla and her boys? She hoped so.
Quilla nudged her, seeing her contemplation. ‘I know what you’re thinking,’ she said, ‘and yes, I think you and Matty would have had a great time together.’
Lila smiled at her, tears in her eyes. ‘Thank you. I miss her. I know that sounds strange, but I do.’
‘Of course you do.’
Lila sighed. ‘I keep thinking maybe the stabbing did something to me, made it so I couldn’t carry to full term.’
Quilla’s eyes were kind. ‘I can’t tell you the answer to that, only that when it happened to me, it destroyed my uterus. Hence…’
‘God, I’m sorry.’
‘Don’t be. It’s just one of those things. We didn’t ask for that, did we? We have to make the best of the fact we survived, Lila. We survived.’
Lila was still thinking of Quilla’s words later when she and Noah were alone. ‘Quilla told me that the arts foundation she runs is thinking about branching out to help survivors of violence get back on their feet. She asked me if I would be interested in leading some groups and doing some work around that. I’m not sure what…maybe art therapy?’
She was excited by the prospect and Noah grinned. ‘Look at you, all excited. You look like a kid with a new toy.’
‘Whatever, Grandpa.’ She giggled at his face then. Noah tugged on a lock of her hair.
‘So, I’m thinking we should mark our engagement somehow?’
Lila gave him a look. ‘I told you, I don’t do rings. Wedding yes, engagement…’
‘You wore an engagement ring for Richard.’
Lila swallowed. ‘Noah…this time’s it’s different. Richard kept on and on and on at me to wear one; in the end I just gave in. You know me better than he ever did. You get me.’
Noah sat back in his chair, grinning. ‘Nicely done, Tierney.’
Lila was going to protest but then thought the better of it. ‘Thank you.’ She yawned and crawled into his lap. ‘If you want me tonight, you’ll have to be quick.’
Noah burst out laughing. ‘My god, has the romance gone already?’ He tickled her until she begged him to stop. They made love slowly and leisurely then fell asleep wrapped around each other.
The phone woke them at four in the morning. Noah scrambled for his cell phone and checked it. ‘Yours,’ he said, somewhat smugly and Lila groaned, not even bothering to open her eyes as she groped for her phone on the nightstand.
‘Yeah?�
� Her voice was muffled but then her head shot up, her eyes opened. ‘Charlie? Is everything okay?’
Noah was watching her now, his brow creased. Lila looked at him, and then said into the phone. ‘Okay. Okay then. Let me know. Yeah, you too, bub.’
She ended the call and looked at Noah for a long minute, her eyes full of confusion and sadness. ‘What? What is it, Lila?’
She shook her head in disbelief. ‘It’s all over,’ she said in stunned voice, ‘Riley’s body has been found.’
Manhattan
Woods Kinsayle was white-faced and trembling as he sat beside Charlie in the police cruiser. Charlie, to his credit, had insisted on going to tell the Kinsayles the news himself and Woods had volunteered to help identify the body.
Charlie looked over at him now. ‘Woods…I have to warn you. We pulled him out of the East River – and it looks like he’s been there for some time. There’s…god, Woods, are you sure?’
‘I’ll know if it’s my brother,’ Woods said stiffly. ‘I’ll know.’
Charlie sighed. The body had been discovered by kids who were no doubt telling the story of how they pulled the gross dead guy out of the water. They wouldn’t have to exaggerate much. Riley – if it was him – was bloated, half missing and naked. What they could tell was that there was a bullet hole in what was left of his skull, at the temple. Fish had been eating him, the elements not helping either; there wasn’t much left to identify.
At the mortuary, Woods gagged when he saw the remains. Charlie didn’t blame him. It was hard to think this had once been Riley – fun-loving Riley Kinsayle, with the charm and cuteness women adored. Riley Kinsayle who may or may not have been obsessed with Lila.
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