“All right. I’ll fly back as soon as it’s over.”
“Take your time, poppet. You almost lost him.”
“I’ll talk to you soon.”
Lily tapped the screen and set the phone on the counter. She felt the heat from Adam’s broad chest radiate through her back.
“You miss him, don’t you?”
She turned to nestle into his arms. “Yes, he’s been a loyal companion for a long time. Does that upset you?”
He took her into his arms. “No, not at all. I like Tony. He’s been good to you. And…good to you while I’ve been away?”
She curled her shoulders into the safety of his embrace. “Yes, Adam, he was good to me while you were away. Look.” She pulled the white T-shirt up to show him the fresh marks laced across her pale back.
“Ah, I see he’s been very good to you. And what about here?” He reached down and slid his hand under the waistband of her white cotton panties. “Has he been good to you here too?”
Her eyes drifted closed as she leaned her forehead onto his chest, letting his fingers explore the tiny curls covering her mound. “Yes.”
“You’re not swollen. When was the last time he fucked you?” His finger began to work faster, making her knees give.
“It… It’s been a while.” She tried to catch her breath. “About t-two weeks.”
“Then we had better take care of that.”
She stepped away, pulling his hand out of her panties. “Adam, it’s only been three days since you were released from the hospital.”
“I know.” He took her hand into his and guided her back to the kitchen table.
She tried to pull free from his grasp. “Adam, it’s not a good idea. You’re still—”
He pulled the chair out from under the table and sat down. “Have a seat, my Lily Flower. I want to feel you.” He pulled down the red-and-black chili-pepper pajama pants she’d bought him and freed his stiff cock.
Lily tried to hide her excitement. “We really shouldn’t.”
“Come here and sit down.” Adam held out his arms.
She giggled and shimmied out of her panties. “All right, but don’t blame me if you pull something.”
“I want you to come here and pull something.”
Lily straddled his thighs as he steadied her over the tip of his shaft. She felt her body ease for him, open for him. She was almost painfully tight, but he didn’t seem to mind. Soon enough, she’d stretch out again for him. She’d been made to fit him. Tony had kept her accessible, but she needed Adam’s cock, his mouth, his touch.
When the first moan escaped her mouth, Adam held on tight to her hips as she worked his length in and out, slowly stretching to fit all of him inside.
“Did you miss my cock?” he murmured into her ear.
“Y-yes, I needed you. I’ll a-always need you.”
He wrapped his arms around her. It had been too long since she’d felt the safety of his touch. Her body felt full of Adam. The way her pussy stretched to accommodate his size made her shudder. With every stroke his rigid length pressed against the throbbing bud between her legs. She moved with him, riding the sensations as they built deep in her belly, shaking her thighs, and finally grasping her breath in a vise of pleasure. The orgasm crashed through her as he clutched her lush body. She vaguely heard him whisper how much he’d missed her as she pressed her cheek against his shoulder.
“I missed you too, Adam.”
“I’m never going to leave you again.”
* * * *
Lily spun around, taking in the gallery that Nicholas had always spoken of as if it were some sacred shrine. The last time she’d been in New York, it was to say good-bye to her dear friend. This time it was to honor his memory with an exciting opening of his beautiful artwork.
“And this one?” Tom asked, startling Lily from her thoughts. “This is on your property?”
“Yes. I haven’t been down to see the garden shacks in a long time, but Nicholas spent a great deal of time in those little shacks. When I was little, my grandma and I would plant flowers in the meadow. She always had a big garden surrounded by marigolds and snapdragons. It was like a huge rainbow spreading across the grass. Now I’m sure it’s a field of weeds.”
“I see.” He turned to Lily and smiled. “He’d have been so proud of his brother.” The twinkle in his eye was gone as sadness crept into its space. “I almost lost both of my boys.”
Lily took his hand into hers. “Nicholas was very special. He had a laugh that could make my heart sing. He was kind and generous, just like his older brother.” She gave his hand a gentle squeeze. “You’ve raised two wonderful men. I’ve been so lucky to have known both of your sons.” She flashed him a warm smile.
He patted her hand, the silent gesture revealing everything he wasn’t able to say.
“Are you trying to flirt with her, Dad?” Adam’s deep voice rang out from behind them.
Tom’s boisterous laugh made Lily laugh also. “Son, I’ll flirt with anyone I want to. And by the way, this one is worth flirting with.” Tom winked at her before releasing her hand.
Lily turned around. Adam was standing by the wall where the painting of her porch swing was hanging. He’d gone back to his apartment to get ready after finalizing everything for the evening. Lily caught her breath at the sight of him.
His broad shoulders were encased in a well-fitted black suit jacket. The trousers hung perfectly against his long legs. Lily knew what was hiding underneath the tailored affair and had to keep herself from kneeling right there.
The crimson shirt under the dark jacket made for a sexy contrast in colors. He hadn’t worn a tie, leaving the top three buttons open. For her? To tease her? God, he had been carved by Michelangelo’s hands. The musky scent of his sandalwood cologne wafted through the crisp air of the gallery. Thank God she wore underwear. The wetness seeped from her little space. She shifted her feet, trying to squelch the mounting desire to touch herself.
His moved his gaze up and down her body. Was he examining her the same way she was him? It made her stir even more. He ran his long fingers through his thick, dark hair. He must have just stepped out of the shower. His hair was still glistening damp, making its rich color turn an eerie shade of blue. Lily fought the urge to tangle her fingers through it.
She was going to crumble right here before his father. How embarrassing! Do something. She had to move, fast.
“Everything looks great, son. Lily tells me Nick painted the things he most enjoyed on her estate.”
Adam cleared his throat. He’d been exploring her. Good, she thought. She shouldn’t be the only one feeling the torture. “Yes, he did. He really liked living there, with Lily I mean.”
“It shows. I think I’m going to buy a couple for the office. Charlene likes the one with the garden shacks.”
“Huh? Oh, the garden shacks, yeah,” Adam said as Lily flashed him a seductive grin. “I think Nick spent a lot of time in them.”
Tom pointed to the painting. “Have you seen them?”
“Uh, yeah.” Adam stalked closer to Lily.
Her breath hitched.
“I went down there when I first arrived at her estate. They’re haunted.”
“Really, you don’t say?” Tom teased.
“Nick wrote about it on the back of the painting.”
They followed Adam to another small room where the painting was displayed on the white wall. The dark hues of the oils were in startling contrast to the brilliance of the wall. The dilapidated condition of the small buildings made the vibrant flower garden look fresh and new. Nicholas had captured every vein in the leaves on the roses, every crack in the tin porch roof. The painting made a person want to walk into the canvas, to experience this magical place where the new growth of a thriving meadow gave hope to the muted browns and reds of the worn-down buildings.
Adam lifted the painting from the support hook and turned it over. “See.” Tom and Lily leaned in to read the inscription.
The haunted shacks live independently from her soul,
yet her soul resides here. I can feel her here. She won’t come
to see me or herself. All she fears and loves resides within
these walls. These little decrepit boards hold her longing and
desire. Her deepest and most sacred pleasures confined, whipped,
and ultimately…satisfied.
Lily gasped as she pressed her hand to her chest.
“Interesting,” Tom said. “We’ll take it.”
“What do you think, Lily?” Adam hung the painting back on the wall. “Do you think they’re haunted by this woman?”
“Well…” She fumbled, sliding her hands behind her back. “I couldn’t say. I don’t really go down the hill anymore. It’s a little too real for me. You know, the fact this plantation has been in my family for so long and…” She fidgeted her fingers. “Well, I don’t go there. It’s been years since I walked through that meadow. It used to be lovely, but I guess there’s too much history there. My grandma took a place that was so horrific and gave it new life. She used to tell me it was for the people who lived there. She wanted to make happy memories for the ones who gave their lives on her land. She liked to sit and watch the flowers grow. One time she told me she was never alone when she’d take her walks down there. After my grandfather died, she never remarried. Her gardens and flowers were her friends and confidants. She’d taken the darkness and made it a place for sunshine to grow.”
Adam looked at his father from the corner of his eye, then back to her. “How about I take you sometime? You can see the work Nick’s done. He’d obviously spent a lot of time working on the buildings.”
Lily looked back at the muted tones and vibrant splashes of color on the painting. “I don’t know. I’m sure everything has been taken over by weeds, and those buildings were in disrepair when I was younger. I can’t imagine what shape they’re in now. It’s probably dangerous to go inside any of them after all these years. I recall the last time I went to check on that part of the property. Gosh, it must have been at least a year ago. The shacks were still standing, but in pretty bad shape.”
“Nick’s done an amazing jobs restoring two of the shacks. I can’t believe he didn’t tell you he was working on them. You really didn’t know he was down there?”
She looked up, surprised. “No, I didn’t.”
“He’s done a great job, even cleared some of the brush.” Adam didn’t smile but kept his gaze serious and intense. “I think we need to make a trip to your grandmother’s meadow.”
“If it would please you. I would go there. It was always so beautiful. I wish it could be that way again.” Lily’s voice was barely above a whisper.
“Yes, it would please me very much.” Adam gave his dad a nod and took Lily by the elbow, guiding her into yet another small white room. She gasped when he pushed her against the wall, rattling the paintings. His hot mouth was delving deep inside hers, claiming her, possessing her. She tipped her head up to catch her breath. He didn’t give her much time before sliding his rough tongue between her lips again.
“Adam…wait.” She flattened her palms on the planes of his chest, feeling the fine fabric of his suit. He tried to lean in for another go at her flushed lips. “It wouldn’t be easy for me to go there. There are so many memories.” She tried to avoid his gaze. “It’s too real—the memories are so overwhelming for me.”
“Yeah?” His voice lingered in her ear as he took her hand and led her behind one of the walls where he’d stored the extra prints. He quickly scanned the space and slid his hand inside the waistband of her black skirt. He didn’t try to penetrate the thin elastic of her panties. He rested his hand on the outside, where her lust had betrayed her. She was wet. Really wet.
“I think you want to be real and overwhelmed. You need to accept your past and find strength in the fact that you’re a vibrant, accomplished, and oh-so-fucking-sexy woman.” He pressed his palm harder against her twitching sex. “This wants to be in those shacks, whipped and confined. Besides, I know what you need, Lily Flower, not what you think you want.”
“Oh, Adam.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, letting him massage the soaked fabric.
“Kiss me now.” His command was all direct, assertive, yet loving. Just like a dom should be.
She pressed her lips against his and opened her mouth to allow his tongue to taste her. This was what she wanted, needed. Tony had made her feel accepted with his passionate touches, but Adam made her feel loved.
Chapter Sixteen
“Did you talk to Tony today?” Lily asked Adam as he carried another box into the kitchen.
“Yes, he said Cassie is proving harder to break in than he thought.” He laughed. “He said you spoiled him.”
Lily opened the box and started stacking the books on the counter. “I still can’t believe he broke up with Renee. I don’t understand why I can’t talk to him. I mean, it’s been months—and besides, you get to see him and do your guy things.” She read a title, The Distinction of Light in Photography. “I don’t see why he’s stayed away so long.”
Adam stopped unpacking the box he’d been working on. “He wanted to give you some space. Things have been so hectic with me selling my apartment and moving in here. I have an idea.” He stood up and wrapped his arms around her waist. “How about we interview for someone to live in the stable house again? I mean, how about someone you’d like? She could help you around the house…and with other stuff.”
“She?” Lily teased. “What makes you think I want a girl in the stable house?”
He nestled his nose into her neck, giving her a kiss. “Because it’s been a long time since you’ve tasted a pussy, and I know what you need.”
She giggled, letting him tickle the sensitive space behind her ear. “I do miss it. Okay, let’s send out e-mails to the people who came to the party. Maybe one of them might need a place to stay.”
“Sounds good.” He pulled away from her. “I was making room for my boots in the hall closet and moved a box that said letters. Do you want me to take it up to the attic?”
“No. No. That can go in the closet in the bedroom next to ours. I want them close.”
“Whose letters are they? Do you have some sexy pen pal you forgot to tell me about?”
“No, silly,” she said as she started to walk out of the kitchen.
“Hey, wait. Whose wrote the letters? Are they yours?”
Lily stopped in the doorway. “They are the letters my grandpa wrote to my grandma when he was in the war. Well, and a lot of them were written after too. He was a poet with a romantic heart and wrote her beautiful letters. I never had the heart to throw them out after she died. Putting them up in the attic seemed cruel, so I left them down here where I could be close to them.”
“Tell you what,” Adam said as he went to her and pulled her in for a hug. “Let’s forget this unpacking for a little bit and relax. Let these boxes sit and go get me the salve from the fridge.”
“But Adam…” she pleaded.
“We need to get you somewhat healed up and fast. I want to punish you again, and I can’t very well do it with your back looking like that.” He pulled the cotton shirt up over her head and spun her around. He had been extra harsh on her yesterday. She’d kept coming and coming; he’d enjoyed it as much as she had. He smacked her on the ass, sending her toward the refrigerator.
* * * *
“Please, Adam.” Adam heard Lily’s cries from behind the wooden door. “Please let me out!” He leaned against the outside of the door as she banged her fists against the solid wood. “Please. Don’t do this to me.” Tears had to be drenching her cheeks by now. Adam’s heart sank. “I promise to be good. I won’t touch it again. I promise! Please!”
Adam continued his stoic stance, waiting for her pleas to stop. He rubbed his forehead, knowing soon enough she’d fall into the blackness of what was happening and find the joy in it. A small grin tilted his lips
as he thought about the look on her face when he’d found her in the outdoor bathtub. He’d told her not to masturbate and there she was, working that little hand as hard as she could to make herself come. It was his fault. He sighed. He hadn’t fucked her in over three days. They were both going mad, but he had to force her into despair so he’d have a real reason to truly punish her.
The bangs on the other side of the door slowed, as did her cries. Footsteps echoed from inside the tiny shack. She was walking around. He’d been down the hill a few days earlier and prepared everything. The basics were all she’d need—a mattress he’d bought and laid on the wide planks of the hardwood floor; a sheet he’d folded up and laid at one end of the mattress and a pillow at the other; a large porcelain basin; the journal he’d found inside a box while he was unpacking; and last a pen. He’d bring the rest later.
He turned to the door and fastened the heavy hook-and-eye latch. There. She’ll be content soon enough. The noise stopped completely from inside the little shack. Adam sat down on the thin wooden planks of the front stoop. Nick had done a nice job securing the roof and fixing the water pump. He’d even painted the handle bright red. Adam sighed as he leaned his elbows on his knees. Had he put sunscreen on her today? He’d bring some tomorrow. For now, he wanted her to get settled in and accept that this was her time to face the demons haunting her. She might live in her grandmother’s house, but the void left by her grandmother’s death wasn’t going to be filled by material objects. Just like Nick. A bathtub and a few paintbrushes weren’t going to bring him back. Losing two very close people would be too much for anyone to handle.
He wanted more for Lily than just surviving emotionally from day to day. She deserved to experience the true joys of life without the baggage of loss and despair. She’d been handling that long enough. This was her time to grow and gather the puzzle pieces together. The time she was going to spend down here was destined to bring her peace and give the fresh start for them to begin their lives together. They would build from the strength she found in this meadow.
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