Spend My Life with You

by Donna Hill

  She wanted him there and then. No preamble. No more teasing.

  Preston devoted the same attention to her front, caressing, massaging, stroking. Then he rinsed her off before he switched places, quickly soaped, rinsed and got out.

  He picked her up dripping wet and took her to his bed. He stood above her, looking over every inch of her as if seeing her for the very first time.

  “Preston…”

  He shook his head no.

  Her gaze rolled up and down his body, and she drew in a shaky breath. She was always awed to see him fully aroused and knew what he could do when he was.

  Preston sat down on the side of the bed and took the pillows and propped them beneath her head. Then he took another pillow and placed it beneath her hips.

  He ran a finger down the center of her body, and it felt like an electric current was running through her. He knelt between her slightly parted thighs. He pushed them a little more apart and lifted her knees so that the epicenter of her essence was open to him.

  He began to massage her breasts in slow, circular motions, cupping them, lifting them, using his palms to rotate around her nipples.

  Lee Ann’s breath stuttered in her chest as pleasure rolled through her.

  “In and out,” he coaxed. “Take a breath.” He began working his way down her body in the same slow motions, covering her with the electric heat of his hands, charging her flesh wherever he touched.

  Her thighs were trembling when he touched her between her legs. He pressed his palm firmly against it, cupped it, held it like a treasure then moved his hand tightly up and down. He gently squeezed her outer lips between his thumb and forefinger, and when he was sure that she was ready, he told her to inhale and hold it and he held her pulsing bud between his fingertips.

  “Ahhhh!” Her hips rose. Her legs trembled from her hips to her ankles.

  “That’s it, baby. Let the feeling take you.” With his palm facing upward, he gently inserted his middle finger, moving it in and out, taunting and teasing the spongy wall. Her entire body vibrated. A moan so deep pushed up from her soul and enveloped her.

  Wave after wave of pleasure pushed through her as Preston continued his most intimate massage of her.

  For what seemed like hours, Preston adored her body, bringing her to heights that had her screaming for release, shuddering under the onslaught of pleasure that was so divine that she felt herself shatter into millions of satisfied pieces.

  He placed tender-loving kisses all over her body before covering her with a sheet as she slipped into a deep, satisfied sleep.

  Chapter 16

  When the phone rang it seemed like they’d barely gone to sleep.

  Lee Ann mumbled and buried her head deeper beneath the sheet. Preston turned on his side to tune out the offending noise.

  The phone kept ringing.

  Lee Ann poked her head above the covers and squinted against the morning light. The ringing stopped. Just as she was settling back down, the phone started ringing again.

  “Press…the phone.”

  “Let the machine get it.”

  She flopped back down on the pillow, and the ringing started again.

  “Oh! Either you answer it or I will.”

  “Answer it then,” he said from underneath his pillow.

  Lee Ann reached over him to get the phone and dragged it across his back. “Good morning, Senator Graham’s residence. Desi?” She bolted upright. “What? When. Okay, okay. I’ll be there. I’m on my way.”

  She jumped out of bed.

  “What is it?” Preston sat up and rubbed his eyes. “What’s going on?”

  “It’s Rafe. He went out in the middle of the night on his bike. He ran into one of the dividers and was thrown. They’re trying to stabilize him in the emergency room.” She began to shake.

  Preston threw the covers off. “I’m coming with you. You’re not driving alone.” He grabbed his clothes, and they moved side by side in the bathroom to get ready.

  “Buckle up,” Preston instructed as he put the Lexus SUV into gear.

  Lee Ann had barely said a word since she got the call from Desi. Her thoughts were spinning in a million different directions at once.

  “I should have stayed.”

  “What?” He stole a quick glance at her as he sped across the intersection.

  “I should have stayed. If I’d been there I could have stopped him.” She pressed her fist to her mouth.

  “Lee, don’t do that to yourself. It’s not your fault. There’s no guarantee that if you had been there, you would have heard him or been able to stop him. You can’t be responsible for what someone else decides to do.”

  “But I knew he was hurting—hurting in a way that I’ve never seen before. Rafe is always the image of cool, in control. I’ve never even seen him drink like that.” She shook her head, still in denial.

  “Believe it or not, Lee, there will always be things about your family that you won’t know. Rafe must have some things bugging him that he hasn’t let anyone know about, not even you.”

  She drew on a shuddering breath. “He has to be all right, Preston.”

  He reached across the gears and squeezed her hand. “He’s going to be okay, baby.”

  Her bottom lip trembled. “Welcome to the family.”

  “I’m looking forward to it.” He took the next left and took the expressway across town.

  Lee Ann and Preston pushed through the revolving door of Brook Memorial Hospital, checked signs as they walked, looking for the information desk.

  Lee Ann rushed forward to the nurse’s station. “Excuse me, Raford Lawson, Senator Lawson’s son, my brother. He was in a motorcycle accident.” Her heart was thundering.

  Preston kept her from leaping over the desk in her frenzy to get to her brother, with a firm hold around her waist.

  The nurse looked at her computer screen, checked the most recent information and stood. “He’s still being accessed in emergency. Right down the hall through the double doors. Stop at the intake desk.”

  “Thank you.”

  Preston took her hand and kept her from running. “Wait one second.”

  She stopped.

  He braced her shoulders and leaned down so that he could look directly into her eyes. “You need to pull yourself together. Take a breath. I’m here. Okay?”

  She nodded, her eyes glistening. They headed down the corridor.

  Preston pushed open the swinging doors. Everywhere they looked, doctors, nurses and orderlies were racing in and out of the curtained room. Machines beeped, metal equipment clanged. And tinsel and garland decorated the desks.

  They hurried over to the intake desk.

  “Can I help you?”

  “My brother, Raford Lawson…”

  The nurse checked the board behind her. “He was taken up for a CT scan. I believe the family is in the waiting area. Make a left at the end of the hallway.”

  “Thank you.”

  They walked past one curtained room after another even as EMS rushed by them with a stretcher carrying a middle-aged man on a backboard. They made the turn and found the glass-enclosed waiting room.

  Desi, Dominique and Justin were huddled together. Their father sat alone on the other side of the small room, looking as if he’d aged ten years overnight.

  All eyes turned in their direction when they came through the door.

  Desi leaped up. “I’m so glad you’re here.” She practically fell into Lee Ann’s arms.

  Lee Ann looked down at Dominique. She kneeled down in front of her. “Dom…”

  Dominique looked at her sister. Her eyes were red and puffy. The nerves twitched beneath the skin of her face. “I didn’t hear him leave,” she said, her voice wobbling.

  “It’s not your fault, Dominique. You couldn’t have known,” she said, repeating the assurances that Preston had given her. She focused her attention on her baby brother. “Are you okay?” He nodded.

  Lee Ann stood and turned in the direc
tion of her father. Preston took a seat with Lee Ann’s siblings.

  “Daddy.” Lee Ann approached her father as you would a wounded animal. You knew they were hurt, but you didn’t know if they would turn on you in their pain.

  His shoulders began to shake, and the silence of his anguish was louder than any cries. Lee Ann sat next to him, offering soothing sounds and words of comfort as they waited for word from the CT scan.

  “Senator Lawson?”

  Branford glanced up. A nurse was in the doorway. She stepped in. “Your son had the CT scan. He’s going to be admitted. The doctor will come to speak with you shortly.”

  “How is he? What did the test show?” Branford demanded.

  “I’m sorry, but you’ll have to wait to speak to the doctor.” She turned and left the room before she could be bombarded with any more questions that she couldn’t answer.

  It was more than an hour before a doctor appeared. “Senator…”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m Dr. Wilson from neurology. Your son is very lucky. He has a pretty bad concussion and a hairline fracture above his eye, sprained wrist and a bruised rib. It could have been a lot worse. We’ll need to keep him for a few days, make sure he’s stable. He’s resting now and comfortable. He’s going to have a whopper of a headache, and his left eye is going to be swollen for a while as the fracture heals.”

  “Can we see him?” Lee Ann asked.

  “Not now. But maybe this evening. He’s resting, and he needs to be constantly monitored so that he doesn’t slip into a coma. Visitors would not be good now. The nurse can let him know that you were here. In the meantime, get some rest and come back this evening. If there is any change, you will be called immediately.”

  “Thank you, Doctor,” Lee Ann said. She turned to the family. “There’s nothing we can do now. He’s resting. He’s stable. We can see him tonight.”

  Preston kept a protective arm around her shoulder.

  “Let’s all go back to the house.”

  They filed out and returned to the Lawson mansion and were met by news vans parked outside their property.

  They drove around back and parked and entered the house from the patio.

  “How do those vultures find out about every blasted thing?” Branford fumed as he stormed into the house.

  “They pick up information from police radio, hearing about accidents,” Preston offered.

  “I’m going to fix some coffee,” Lee Ann said. “Is anyone hungry?”

  Nods came from all around.

  “Figures,” she joked.

  “I’ll help. I’m pretty handy in the kitchen,” Preston said, going to the sink to wash his hands.

  She tiptoed and kissed him. “Thanks.”

  “It’s going to be okay, you know.”

  She leaned against him for a moment. “I know.”

  Chapter 17

  Rafe remained in the hospital for a week—until two days before Christmas. Lee Ann had served as the family spokesman and gave all the news outlets the same response. “No comment.”

  The doctor said that Rafe would experience periodic headaches, but they would eventually subside and go away entirely. They wanted him to come back after the holidays for a follow-up.

  When he came home, looking a little worse for wear, he at least had sense enough to act humble. And as usual, his sisters doted on him hand and foot.

  “I really screwed up this time,” he admitted while he and Lee Ann sat on the patio.

  “Yes, you did. You need to talk to Dad, Rafe. I mean really talk to him about what’s on your heart, why you’re so angry. He lost Mom, too.”

  Rafe looked away. “I know. I will.”

  “Promise me.”

  “Promise. Speaking of promises, have you two set a date?”

  “No. Not yet. We have to work out our schedules.”

  Rafe nodded. “I’m happy for you. Preston is a great guy, but he’s the lucky one.”

  She leaned over and kissed him. “Thanks, sweetie.”

  Christmas was quiet, just the family and the soon-to-be new addition, Preston. They exchanged gifts, swapped stories and it looked like Rafe and Branford were actually trying to talk to each other.

  This was probably the first major holiday when Rafe wasn’t rolling all around the city with a woman on his arm. Instead, he entertained them with a solo performance on his sax.

  Lee Ann watched her father’s reaction. She could tell that he was completely surprised and realized for the first time that Rafe was a born musician. His small, captive audience applauded loudly.

  “Thank you, thank you. Well, if there are no tips, I’m going to head up to bed,” Rafe said. “Have a good night.”

  “We’re going to a party,” Dominique announced on behalf of Desiree and Justin.

  “Keep an eye on your sisters, son.”

  “I will. Night.” He followed his sisters out.

  Branford swirled the last of his brandy in his glass. “Have you settled on a date?”

  “No. Not yet.”

  “I’ve been trying to get her to settle on a date,” Preston said, giving her a hug.

  “It would make me very happy if you took your vows on your mother and mine’s wedding day.”

  “Valentine’s Day?” Lee Ann said.

  Branford nodded. A soft smile shadowed his mouth. “She told me if we get married on Valentine’s Day you can never forget our anniversary.” He chuckled lightly. “She was right, you know.”

  Preston turned to Lee Ann. “What do you think, Lee?”

  “I…” She looked from one man to the other. She got up. “We don’t have to make a decision right this minute.” She walked out.

  “Excuse me.” Preston followed her out into the kitchen. “Lee, what is it?”

  She kept her back to him. “Nothing.”

  He took her shoulders and turned her around. “Way back when we promised each other honesty.”

  She averted her gaze.

  “So you want to tell me the real reason why you don’t want to set a date?”

  She needed to find the right words so that he would understand that her indecision had nothing to do with loving him but loving herself enough.

  “They still need me. My father, Justin, Rafe. I still have nightmares about what happened to Rafe—if I had been there…”

  “Stop right there. You have spent the better part of your life taking care of everyone else. You need them to need you to make you feel worthy. But Lee, you deserve so much more than that. I want to do that for you. I want to take care of you. I want you to enjoy life—with me. And that will never happen if you continue to believe that your family can’t live without you. I don’t want to live without you, but I will. And as much as you don’t want to admit it they will all eventually move on with their lives, as well. And then where will you be?” He stared at her for a long moment. “I’m going home.” He turned and walked out.

  Lee Ann lay in bed thinking about what Preston had said. She knew it was true. She was scared—scared to step into a new life where she wasn’t sure of her role of being taken care of instead of the other way around. She didn’t know what that was like.

  But ever since Preston had come into her life everything had been different and new and exciting. And he never let her be afraid of the person she was becoming. He was there to catch her, encourage her, love her.

  She felt as though she was standing on a precipice, looking out into the future that she couldn’t yet see, but deep in her heart, in her soul, she knew that Preston was there waiting for her.

  But he wouldn’t wait forever. She reached on her nightstand for the phone.

  Preston answered on the second ring.

  “I was thinking that if I want to make sure you never forget our wedding anniversary we should make a date to remember.”

  “And what did you come up with?”

  “Valentine’s Day.”

  “I think it would be a perfect day to remember our wedding day and
your mom.”

  Tears of happiness sprung from her eyes. “I love you.”

  Epilogue

  The wedding of Lee Ann Lawson and Preston Graham was the social event of the season. The guests were dotted with politicians, entertainers, lifelong friends and family.

  Branford proudly gave his first daughter’s hand to a man who he knew would do great things in the world and would make his daughter happy. His only wish was that their love would be as great as his and his beloved Louisa.

  Rafe played the wedding march on his sax, and Lee Ann had never heard it sound sweeter. Her beautiful sisters and her handsome brother stood witness to their union, and Paul stood as Preston’s best man.

  And when Preston slipped the wedding band on her finger and she slid the band on his, Lee Ann knew that even though she was stepping out into a new, unchartered life, she wasn’t leaving her family. They would never stop needing and loving each other. Now she would begin a family of her own, with the man who made her believe in herself and her worthiness, taught her what real love was. She would spend the rest of their lives letting him know what a great job he did.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Preston Graham!”

  ISBN: 978-1-4268-8487-0

  SPEND MY LIFE WITH YOU

  Copyright © 2011 by Donna Hill

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