A Taste of Pleasure

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A Taste of Pleasure Page 22

by Antoinette


  They walked hand in hand inside, where he kissed her as he took off her clothes piece by piece. He carried her up the curved staircase to her room, kissing her and nibbling on her neck all the way up. He laid her on the bed, pulled her toward the end of the bed, where he undressed and entered her. She murmured, “This was well worth losing a pool game for.” When he was done, he pulled her to him and held her tight into the early night. She enjoyed him again and again. Afterward they went down for dinner dressed only in robes and slippers. He whipped up grilled steaks on the barbecue and she challenged him to another game of pool afterward. They got up and went back down to her pool table. She racked up the balls, and as she lay on the table to make a shot, he came up behind her, took his foot, and separated her feet while he rubbed his hardness between her legs. She ignored him, and when it was his turn, she walked behind him to rub his ass then reached in between his legs and grabbed his hardness. It was her turn again when he walked behind her, separating her legs, inserting his hardness inside her, pumping her as she lay on the table enjoying the wonderful tingle when he hit her G-spot that made her shake and grip the edges of the table. He took her this way short of making her come. She moved off the table over to the bamboo love seat, where he whispered in her ear, “Come for me, London.” She gave him his wish with her screams of ecstasy. Back and forth to the pool table, she beat him seven games to one, between all the lovemaking. He smiled, knowing he had been hustled by the best. They went to the bedroom, their hands clasped, and he held her through the night.

  They awoke Easter morning, dressed in their finest spring attire, and drove into town to Max’s parents’ home for a holiday gathering. The smell of brown-sugared ham baking in the oven filled the air along with the sounds of shrieking children running through the house. Max had five brothers and sisters, some of whom London knew from their school days, especially his sister Marie. They had been close back then. Most of his siblings were now married with children. Max had a total of twelve nieces and nephews. All the children, with the exception of the two tiny infants, came bounding into the family room to greet their uncle Max. He was besieged by a troop of toddlers as they tackled the gentle giant to the floor. They rolled around, laughing and wrestling.

  London was overwhelmed by it all. She struggled through numerous introductions to his family members, attempting to make conversation as the nosy sisters and sisters-in-law cornered her with prying questions, hinting about Max getting married and having his own little family soon. London avoided the subject as Max swept in to save her. He took her by the hand and together they snuck out to the backyard.

  “Will you help me with setting up the Easter egg hunt? I have to hide all one hundred and fifty of these eggs for the kids.”

  “Sure.” London giggled, and they proceeded to conceal the plastic eggs filled with treasures all around the beautifully landscaped yard.

  “Sorry about my sisters,” Max said. “They want so much for me to settle down. I should have prepared you for the onslaught.”

  “Yes, a little warning would have been nice,” she said with a smile.

  Marie emerged to help them. She too was apologetic for the interrogation London had been subjected to.

  “Marie is the only one who understands,” Max said. “Since she hasn’t settled down yet either,” he explained.

  “Max, I wanted to tell you that Mom invited Madison and Mikey to join us for dinner tonight,” Marie said, her eyes fixated on his reaction.

  “Oh, wow! Are they back from Texas?” His voice quavered.

  “Yes, Mom and I saw her at the grocery store on Good Friday. She spent several months with her family over the holidays, but she finally decided to return home last week.” Marie continued as London listened, curious as to whom they might be talking about.

  “How is she coping, and how’s little Mikey?” Max asked, and London noticed the genuine concern in his voice.

  “She seems to be doing well, they both do, and she looks fabulous,” Marie said, shooting London a glance.

  “Max!” called a voice from the house. “We need you in here for a minute.”

  “Ladies, duty calls.” Max chuckled as he bowed out gracefully, leaving London at Marie’s mercy.

  “So, London,” Marie asked, “how have you been?”

  The two of them chatted, catching up on the lost years between them. Marie eventually segued back to explaining who Madison and Mikey were.

  “You remember Michael, Max’s best friend from high school, don’t you?” Marie asked.

  “Yes, I sure do,” London replied as she tucked another egg behind some blossoming lilies of the valley, the fragrance drifting into her senses.

  “Well, he joined the Navy after high school and was stationed in Corpus Christi, Texas, for a while, where he met his wife, Madison. He eventually moved back up here when they had their first child, Mikey Junior. Max was very close to them and looked after Madison when Michael was deployed overseas. Sadly, Michael was the victim of an IED attack a couple years ago.”

  “Oh, that’s terrible,” London said, suddenly feeling the devastation of Max’s loss. “I wonder why he never told me.”

  “He doesn’t like to talk about it much. The funeral was devastating for everyone,” Marie explained. After a long pause, Marie boldly asked, “London, do you love my brother?”

  Shocked by her forwardness, London hesitated to respond. “I’m not sure. I love being with him and I treasure our time together, but I’m not sure if we are truly in love. Why?”

  “Never mind, I’m sorry to be so blunt.”

  London’s mind raced as Marie continued on, trying to change the subject to idle chitchat. Finally, they had reached the bottoms of the seemingly endless baskets of Easter eggs and they headed back inside. Marie escorted London to the bar, where she mixed them each a drink. London was relieved as she downed a nip of the tasty vodka and orange juice. She thanked Marie and slipped away to find Max.

  She found him helping with lunch preparations. She sauntered over and pitched in to help in an environment where she always felt comfortable, in the kitchen. Max’s mother was scurrying here and there, dressed in her Sunday best, her sweet voice calm and soothing amid the noisy chaos of the household. Max smiled as London stepped in to chop vegetables while he sliced the ham.

  The doorbell rang and London’s heart stopped. Everything became a blur around her and all the noises seemed to run together as she watched Madison enter the foyer with Mikey. Madison was a knockout, tall and blond, tan, toned, and shapely, looking celestial in a peach sweater with a cream skirt, her slender legs accentuated by neutral high heels. London saw the look on Max’s face as he headed down the hall to greet them.

  “Max!” Mikey squealed, and ran to throw his arms around him. Max leaned in to catch the little guy as Madison glowed, waiting for her turn to move in for a hug. Max propped the four-year-old on his hip as he walked over to Madison. London watched, taking her eyes away from the vegetables as much as she could without risking cutting herself. Her heart ached at the sight of them, apparently so happy to see each other. She blinked away a tear as she looked back down to focus on the task before her.

  The crowd eventually moved into the enormous dining room, where a table accommodated twenty people, and a few smaller tables had been arranged for the children. The feast was amazing, but London had lost her appetite and feigned eating out of politeness. Max and Madison chatted so much London began to feel invisible. Madison’s sweet southern accent could charm the pants off any man, London thought. Part of her wanted to hate this beautiful woman who came in and took over her date for the day, but seeing how happy they were together something inside her felt a sense of peace too.

  Madison mentioned some repairs she needed done at her house. Max assured her that he would be over soon to take a look at it. Feeling like a third wheel, London excused herself to the bathroom to freshen up and take a breather from all of the commotion. As she was returning to the group, Marie reappear
ed.

  “Ready for another yet?” she said as she waved her empty glass.

  “I sure am,” London said.

  “London, I know you and Max have been seeing each other for a few months,” Marie said, pausing as she poured their drinks. “Max told me all about you and your antique store and the wonderful times you two have been having together. But I wanted to prepare you.”

  “Prepare me for what?” London asked.

  “Well it’s obvious, isn’t it? Max fell in love with Madison,” Marie said, her voice in a hushed whisper now. “He was so attentive, caring for her and Mikey after Michael was gone. Madison was in mourning and felt it was too soon for a new relationship. Last year, she decided to go stay with her family for a while to sort out what she was feeling, and Max didn’t know if she was ever coming back or not. But now that she’s back . . . well, I think he has his answer.”

  London was dumbfounded as she tried to process Marie’s ramblings. “So you think she’s back to claim him?”

  “I do. Oh, London, I’m so sorry. I know Max wanted to marry her, and he was torn about it too, but Mikey already thinks of him as a father figure since he was so young when it all happened. Max was lost without Madison when she left, but I think you and your project at the store saved him from his loneliness. My mother didn’t know he was bringing you to brunch today, or she might not have asked her over.”

  London took another large gulp of her drink, the vodka beginning to numb her senses and dull the impact. “As a matter of fact, he saved me too, Marie. I was feeling pretty lost myself when we teamed up together.”

  “I just wanted you to be aware. It’s possible that they might reunite. They both come from big families and both have talked about wanting many more children. They have so much in common. Madison just wasn’t sure about anything back then. And I’m sure Max didn’t want to tell you, as he wasn’t sure how things stood or if she would ever be back.”

  “Well, I’ve had my own demons that I’ve been contending with and I haven’t told him everything either. I guess we will have to have a long talk later tonight. Thank you, Marie. Thank you so much for your support today.”

  “London, please call me if you need to talk about anything after tonight.”

  “I will. And I hope you will join me at the grand opening of the shop next month too. It’s going to be amazing and you won’t believe all the wonderful things your brother has done with the building.”

  London made her way back to the group and pleasantly socialized with her usual charisma. After their meal, she blended into the crowd and watched as the little children scavenged for Easter eggs in the backyard. Her heart melted as she watched Max and Mikey together, and she carefully studied Madison. They were perfect for each other, and as much as London cared for Max, there was no denying it.

  She observed him walking them to their car as they left the party. He stopped at his truck to grab something, piquing London’s curiosity as she moved closer to the window. She watched as he emerged from the cab with a uniform, hat, baseball mitt, and ball. Little Mikey jumped up and down, overwhelmed with joy, and gave Max a big kiss.

  When the event finally wound down, she and Max said their good-byes to his family and headed back to the château. She couldn’t wait to get back to the comfort of her home, and she had so much to get off her chest when they arrived. They were both quiet on the drive home, which felt exceptionally long. Max parked the truck out front in the circle drive and London realized he wasn’t planning to stay over.

  “Max, could you come inside so we can talk for a little while before you head home?”

  “Sure,” he replied with a weak smile through the look of grief and shock on his face.

  They went inside, where he lit the fire and London brewed coffee. They snuggled in on the sofa to chat. After a long hesitation, Max mustered the strength to finally speak.

  “Oh, London, I’m so sorry I never told you about Michael, Madison, and Mikey,” he said.

  “Max, it’s okay. Marie filled me in at the party.”

  “She did? So you know . . .”

  “Yes, Max. I understand.”

  He was soft-spoken as he quoted, “If you love something, set it free. If it comes back to you, it is yours. If it doesn’t, it never was.” He paused for a moment as the words sank in to the air between the crackling sounds of the fireplace. “I let them go, London.” His voice caught and she could see the glimmer of tears forming in the flickering firelight. “I thought they were never coming back.”

  “Max, please don’t be sad. You should be celebrating right now. By the way, I saw you at the baseball game on Thursday.”

  “You did?”

  “Yes, I’ve been searching the depths of my soul since then, trying to find a way to tell you this. Max, the truth is, I will probably never have children. I knew after seeing you with the boys that day that I could never give you everything you need in life. You’re a family man and you’re meant to be a father someday. You deserve to have that.” London took a deep breath before continuing.

  “I will admit that Madison was a huge surprise, and it was awkward meeting the way that we did, but I’m so happy for you. I want you to go to her and Mikey tonight. You belong with them, and it’s a blessing from heaven that they returned to be with you.”

  Max blinked away the emotions that were beginning to consume him. She leaned in, wrapping her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly as she rested on his burly shoulders of strength one last time. He embraced her, holding her close as they both quietly sobbed tears of pain and joy together. She finally pulled back, resting her hands on his shoulders and looking deep into his eyes.

  “Max, we’ve been here for each other and we’ve helped each other through some very tough times. I can’t thank you enough for your support and understanding after what happened to me with Deacon and Jen. You have helped me turn my life around and given me hope for the future. I only wish I had known what you were really going through all this time so that I could have been more supportive, but I think I understand why you kept it to yourself. I won’t hold you back from your true love, Max. Madison is your fate. I know you love me, and I love you, but we are both still madly in love with other people. We will always be friends, and we had the most amazing affair two lovers could ever ask for.” She smiled as she brushed away another tear and forced her best smile. “But I do hope that you might still help me to finish the store and see me through to the grand opening.”

  “London, you are amazing. I don’t know what to say except that my crew and I will certainly be there to help you every step of the way.”

  “Thank you so much. I don’t know how I would do it without you and your brawny team.” She gave him a tender and final kiss. “Now go!” she ordered, giggling as she rose from the sofa, pulled him up, and guided him to the door anxiously. As he walked out, he stopped and turned around. He grabbed her, embracing her, his breath hot on her neck. She whispered in his ear, “You were never mine, Max. Now, go be free.”

  He turned to hide the tears that were streaming down his face and walked to his truck. She watched out the window, closing the gate as the lights on his big truck disappeared into the darkness. Her heart ached as she strolled across the room to fetch a box of tissues. She stopped on her way to the sofa to pour a glass of Deacon’s fine scotch, then snuggled down with the remote. She flicked on the TV, searching for distraction from the deep thoughts that overwhelmed her mind. She scrolled through the guide and stopped at the movie classics channel. She mused at the irony of the title of a 1957 film, An Affair to Remember. It had been one of Grams’s favorites, and she recalled watching it many times with her. She selected the movie and the opening credits appeared on the screen.

  Cary Grant reminded her a bit of Deacon with all his glorious charm. She lost herself in the story, only needing a few tissues along the way as she was whisked off to France and back to New York with Deborah Kerr leading the way. Knowing how the film ended, London drif
ted off into a deep and peaceful sleep to visit her palace of refuge. She was enchanted to find Deacon waiting there for her in her dreams.

  Chapter 15

  MASQUERADE BALL AND SUCCULENT FEAST

  The weeks passed by fast, and the following night was the ball. London’s antique shop was ready for the event. Max had kept his promise and was very helpful in making sure everything was in order for the deadline. The responses she’d received from the invites to the ball were overwhelming. She was excited about the day her business would be in full swing and the party where her guests would be wearing masks and eighteenth-century costumes.

  The local costume store was delighted, and as a consequence had already become a fan of London and her new venture.

  She planned to hand out prizes at midnight for the two best costumes. She had found the gown of her dreams and would be dressed as Marie Antoinette. The dress was a gorgeous cream satin number with faux pearls and diamonds throughout the bodice, and lace at the end of the sleeves. The food was also inspired. Her fruit cake was to be designed after the Eiffel Tower, coated with sugar glazing and adorned with removable mini lights. It had sounded amazing, and she couldn’t wait to see it. The front room would be decorated like the Hall of Mirrors ballroom—miniature, of course, but elegant just the same. She could hardly sleep that night, like a child on Christmas Eve.

 

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