Adored: Book 1 (The Beloved Series)

by MJ Masucci

  “I want to be with you more than you know. I feel free when I’m with you. And I liked sleeping with you.” Julian raised his eyebrows, “Not sex as in sleep, I mean sleeping. I want to be near you.”

  “So you didn’t enjoy the sex?”

  “Of course I enjoyed it. It was a new experience for me.”

  His face clouded and a frown shaped his mouth.

  “Julian, you erased my first time. I have new memories of what sex is supposed to be like. I wish you were my first.”

  “I wish that, too. I regret not asking you out after I finished subbing.”

  “You had no idea and I wouldn’t have gone because Madison liked you.”

  “I would’ve waited until the end of the year to date you even if I did ask. How would it have looked if I was with you? The school board and administration would say that I was preying on the young students and could’ve had me arrested. I don’t think your mother would have appreciated a twenty-three year old man dating her seventeen year old daughter.”

  “That might be true; I wouldn’t be eighteen until fall.”

  “Nina, it’s almost fall now. When is your birthday?”

  “October thirty-first, I’m a Halloween baby. Trick or treat?”

  “Oh, you’re definitely a treat. My treat.”

  Julian ran his mouth over her throat, gently sucking at her pulse. He continued until they smelled something burning. Nina turned in his arms to find the pancake she had cooking was stuck to the pan and burnt on the bottom.

  “I never burn things. You’re distracting me.”

  “Is that bad?”

  “No, I like the distractions you provide. Did you turn on the heat? It feels warm in here.”

  He started to laugh, “Maybe it’s because of me that you feel warm.”

  “You’re really full of yourself now because you gave me an orgasm.”

  “You’re not the first, but I hope you’ll be the last.”

  She frowned at him, “Julian what are you saying?”

  “Nothing, forget it.”

  “Julian?”

  “It’s crazy and makes no sense.”

  “What does?”

  “I feel it deep down. You’ve enveloped my soul like smoke. We belong together. Tell me if you feel it, too?”

  “I feel it. I didn’t want to say. I was afraid it would scare you away.”

  “I’m not going anywhere. I need you.”

  Breakfast was long forgotten as he took her to the futon and sat down.

  “I’m going to get an apartment in town.”

  “Why would you do that when it’s so beautiful up here? It’s private and secluded; it’s perfect.”

  “Because I want to be near you. If we have a bad winter, we could go days without seeing each other. I can’t handle that. If I’m in town, we can see each other even if I have to walk to your house.”

  “I have an idea, but its…forget it.”

  “Tell me.”

  Nina hesitated, opening her mouth then closing it, “Why not live together. I could move in here. No, it’s stupid. Forget I said it.”

  He looked at her, his gray eyes shining, “Would you want to do that?”

  “I do but I’m not sure how my parents would react.”

  “You’re an adult. You can make your own decisions.”

  “My mother might not think it proper and I’m sure my father would back her up.”

  “Maybe we should wait to say something. You could stay with me on weekends and I could take you out during the week. We’ve only known each other for less than two months. I’m sure that will be a stumbling block.”

  “But winter is almost here.”

  “If we can’t work it out quickly then I’m getting an apartment in town. Otherwise, we might not have any contact except through email. My phone doesn’t work the greatest since bad weather makes reception worse.”

  “We could Skype?”

  “Skype doesn’t allow you to be in my arms.”

  “No, it doesn’t.”

  They were both silent until Julian asked about breakfast. He was starved since his last meal was tea biscuits and hot chocolate the night before. He sat down at the table and she served him a stack of pancakes then joined him.

  “This is our first meal together. You have to let me take you to dinner. A real dinner. Let’s dress up and everything.”

  “When?”

  “How about tonight. You could come shopping with me and I’ll drop you off at home then pick you up for dinner.”

  “Can I sleep over again tonight?”

  “If you feel up to it?”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “You tell me?”

  “Julian, if you’re asking if I want you to make love to me, the answer is yes.”

  He smiled widely then shoved a large forkful of pancake in his mouth. It was the answer he was looking for. His cock twitched just thinking about it. Their chemistry in bed was explosive and he had so much to teach her.

  Later that day, they were shopping for food and other essentials. He liked how she clung to his hand as they went through each aisle. Nina made him happy, happier than he’d been in years.

  “What about this?”

  She held up a jug of chocolate milk.

  “You like chocolate milk?”

  “I used to drink it all the time but I got away from it. I feel like it now.”

  “Put it in the cart.”

  Nina was reading a label on a bottle of shampoo when he turned down the aisle with several products concerning sex. Julian picked up a bottle of lubricating stimulant when he felt her by his elbow.

  “What’s that?”

  “Do you want to try it?”

  She bit her lip and looked up at him. It was a look of wonder and he had to stop himself from taking her in his arms and kissing her hard. Her innocence was refreshing.

  “I don’t think so. Do we need this?”

  “I have some at home. I don’t think you need it judging from your reaction to me last night.”

  When she looked away, he snickered.

  “Don’t laugh at me. This is pretty new to me. He didn't use anything and it hurt.”

  Julian clenched the handle of the shopping cart until his knuckles turned white. It made him full of rage to know what Caden did to her.

  “I fucking swear, if I ever see that asshole again…”

  “Don’t waste your time.”

  “Did he use protection?”

  “I was on the pill.”

  “But that doesn’t protect from disease. If he cheated on his girlfriend with you, then he could’ve slept with other women also. You need to be careful.”

  “I know. I was so caught up and scared at the time that I didn’t ask. I was tested a week later. It doesn’t matter now. I only plan to be with you.”

  “Have you been tested?” she asked shyly.

  “Yes, many months ago. I haven’t been with anyone since Carly.

  I would never put you in jeopardy. If I hadn’t been tested, I would’ve used a condom. I thought you had with Caden.”

  “He said as long as I was on the pill it was alright. He hated using condoms.”

  “He didn’t care about your well being. I do.”

  They stopped talking as a woman with three children turned down the aisle.

  “Let’s finish shopping and get you home. I have a date planned.”

  “Where are you taking me?”

  “It’s a secret. Dress up.”

  “Is it a fancy place?”

  “I’m not telling. Now let’s hurry.”

  After they had checked out, Julian loaded the groceries in the bed of his truck and shut the cover. He drove Nina home and held her hand until they got to her house. As she got out of the truck, her brother Tony appeared at the front door and pointed towards Julian.

  “Uh, I think Tony wants to talk to you,” Nina said.

  The last thing Julian wanted to do was see Tony C
aro. He wanted to throttle him for what he had done to Maureen a few years earlier. He didn’t condone a man putting his hands on a woman, he never would.

  He stepped out of the truck and Nina grabbed his hand as they walked up the stairs to the front door. Tony held it open for them and clapped Julian on the back as he walked past. He was a little shorter than Julian with huge hands, a stocky build and jet black hair slicked back with gel.

  “So, this is the boyfriend?”

  “Yes, this is Julian.”

  “You treating her right? If you ain’t, then you’re gonna catch a beating.”

  “Knock it off, Tony. Why are you here anyway?” Nina said.

  “I wanted some of Mom’s good home cooking.”

  “Is that all or you wanted to chase another guy away?”

  “Not at all. I just want him to know that he better treat you right is all.”

  “If you must know, he’s taking me out to dinner tonight and needs to go because he has groceries in his truck.”

  “Quite the little domestic, huh, Julian?” Tony smirked and picked his teeth with his nail.

  Nina pushed Julian towards the door and he bid Tony goodbye. After he had stepped out onto the stairs with her, he turned.

  “I’ll pick you up at six.”

  “You won’t even give me a hint where we’re going?”

  “Nope, you’ll just have to be patient.”

  “Fine, can I at least get a kiss?”

  “With him watching our every move?” Julian gestured to Tony who was staring at them through the glass on the storm door.

  “Don’t be intimidated by him. That’s what he wants.”

  “Later, I’ll make it up to you.”

  Nina crossed her arms and gave him a dirty look causing him to renege and peck her on the cheek.

  “That wasn’t a kiss,” she said as she pulled his head down and kissed him on the lips.

  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Tony’s look of surprise and his lip curled as if he were snarling.

  “Okay, enough before your brother kills me.”

  Julian headed down the stairs and to his truck, “Don’t forget, six.”

  Nina waved to him as he pulled out of the driveway. On the way home, he stopped at the florist to pick up flowers. He wanted dahlias, Nina’s favorite but they didn’t have them so he got a dozen pink roses.

  Upon arrival at his house, Julian backed the truck into the garage and unloaded items on the shelf and into the freezer. The leftover bags he carried into the cabin and unpacked them. When he was finished, he went to his closet to decide what to wear for tonight. He didn’t have a lot of fancy clothing except two suits, a few pairs of slacks and dress shirts. He decided on a pair of gray slacks, a white shirt and a burgundy sweater.

  It was still early, which gave Julian plenty of time to prepare the cabin for her stay. He went to the bedroom to change the sheets and found the t-shirt of his that Nina had worn the night before. He put it to his nose and breathed in her scent. He spent the next couple of hours cleaning and preparing until 3:30 PM rolled around, then he took a shower.

  After, he stood in front of the bathroom mirror trying to tame his unruly hair. It was getting too thick and he knew he should get it cut. Normally he would just take the clippers and shave it all off, leaving a small half inch of fuzz. But he decided that it was better to get Nina’s opinion on how he should have it styled.

  Julian dressed and when he was finished, checked his work email. Three requests had arrived and he would have to contact those clients the next day. That was if he was coherent. He didn’t expect to sleep much that night. Julian felt himself twitch in anticipation. The night before had been different for him. Up until Nina, he didn’t even like a woman to stay and share his bed.

  With her, he wanted the contact. Julian needed her to be in his bed and share the afterglow of their experience together. It felt good to have her in his arms and to know that she loved him. He loved her, too and was falling deeper in love with her as the days went by. At 5:15 he couldn’t wait to see her and texted her, hoping she was ready.

  Sweet pea, are you dressed? Can I come early?

  Yes, I was hoping you would.

  Julian smiled and let her know that he would be at her house in the next twenty minutes. It was all he could do not to drive faster than was safe down the mountain. He felt overwhelmingly happy when he arrived in town. In a matter of minutes, he would see Nina. As he pulled up in front of her house, she stepped out the door. Julian was mesmerized, she looked stunning.

  The sapphire colored thigh length dress she was wearing hugged her body just right. She had pinned her hair up with tendrils on the sides of her face. Her delicate earlobes were clad in thick sapphire studs and she had put on more makeup than she normally wore. The whole ensemble was capped off by heels that made her much taller than her height of five feet five inches.

  He watched her come towards his truck before he realized his manners and quickly got out to meet her, taking a small duffel bag of fresh clothing from her.

  “You’re gorgeous. If I wasn’t so hungry…”

  Nina nervously giggled, “Julian, be patient.”

  He kissed her cheek though he desperately wanted to kiss her full lips and smear the light blush lipstick she had applied. But they had an audience of Mrs. Caro, Frankie and Tony. He waved to them as he led her to the passenger side of his truck, opening the door for her.

  As Julian navigated to the highway, Nina fiddled with the buttons on the radio, stopping on a classical station. He smiled with amusement.

  “Do you like classical or are you doing this to impress me?”

  “I like it. Mom listens to it sometimes. My father hated it; he only listens to stuff from the fifties and sixties, you know like the Rat Pack. I called it the Italian mix.”

  “Yeah, I know it. My parents liked classical music, but really all types. You can leave it on if you like.”

  She continued to scroll through the stations until she found one that played R&B. They were silent for a time as he drove toward Westchester.

  “Where are you taking me?”

  “Don’t worry; you’ll like it as long as you like Italian food.”

  “I’m Italian, aren’t I?”

  He glanced at her and couldn’t resist stroking her cheek.

  “You look beautiful tonight. I love that dress.”

  “Thank you. I was hoping you would. You look handsome.”

  “Thanks. I had some trouble with my hair; I need to cut it. I didn’t think you would like a buzz cut. I usually do that when it gets too out of control.”

  “I can cut it.”

  “Really? You cut hair?”

  “Mom used to cut my brothers’ hair until they got too uppity and started going to a stylist. Dad still let’s her cut it.”

  “Nina, your parents have a bit of a strange relationship. They’re pretty close for being divorced. Do they date other people?”

  “Part of the reason for the divorce was because my father couldn’t seem to stop cheating on my mother. She had enough and left him. He dates, but it’s always women about your age, which is creepy.”

  “And your mother?”

  “Julian, you can’t say anything if I tell you this. If my father found out, he would have a fit.”

  “I wouldn’t betray your trust.”

  “My mother and Frankie…they date.”

  “Oh.”

  Julian stayed silent while he digested what she had just told him.

  “How long have you known?”

  “I just found out a few months ago. One morning I woke up early and Frankie was coming out of my mother’s room in his underwear. He didn’t see me and I didn’t say anything. I questioned my mother and she told me the truth. It’s been going on for a couple of years. How stupid of me not to know. Now that I do, I watch them; I think they love each other.”

  “I’m sure it’s hard for them to hide it.”

  “That’s just it.
I told my mother she doesn’t have to hide. I’m an adult. Frankie is a nice man and he has always been like a second father to me.”

  “He warned me to take care of you. I promised I would.”

  “I know. I can feel it.”

  Julian pulled off the highway and traveled down a main thoroughfare toward the Hudson River. As he got closer to the destination, he smiled widely which piqued Nina’s curiosity.

  “I really want to know where we’re going now?”

  “Two more minutes and we’ll be there.”

  Julian pulled off near the train station and drove a local street until he came to a large restaurant, Windows. It was situated right on the riverfront. The sun was beginning to sink in the sky and the rays danced across the water.

  “I heard about this place.”

  “My father’s former business partner’s son owns it.”

  “Are you friends?”

  “We used to be very good friends.”

  “You’re not?”

  “No, after my father died we barely saw each other. That’s probably more my fault than his. I occasionally talk to him. Come, I’ll introduce you.”

  He helped Nina out of the truck and extended his hand so they could walk into the restaurant together.

  Buddy Wagner, a tall man with dark hair about Julian’s age, was standing at the host’s stand when they walked in. He shook Julian’s hand.

  “Who is this beauty?”

  “Buddy Wagner, may I present Nina Caro.”

  Buddy began coughing hard, “Pardon me for that,” he said in an attempt to recover. “Did you say, Nina Caro?”

  “Yes, why?”

  “Uh, no reason. A pleasure to meet you. Let me show you to your table.”

  Buddy seemed in a hurry to divest himself from their presence, using an excuse that he had to check the kitchen. Julian thought his behavior very odd and it all stemmed from Nina.

  “That was strange,” Nina said.

  “Yeah, he usually isn’t so abrupt. I’m sorry if he offended you.”

  “No, it’s alright.”

  They looked at their menus until the waiter showed up at their table. After he had taken their drink and food orders, Julian took Nina’s hand.