Songbird (Songbird, #1)

by Lisa Edward

  Riley raised his eyebrows, waiting to hear more about a subject that was virtually taboo with me. I guessed it was time to explain.

  “I was sent to a private girls’ school from the age of three. It was exclusive and expensive, so there was no time for playing and being a kid. After school, I went to ballet lessons and various music lessons, initially learning the piano, flute, and violin. When the head of the music department told my mother I had a natural aptitude for the piano, she became almost obsessed with it.”

  He nodded for me to continue, finally getting some insight into my childhood. Then I told him how from the very beginning, my mother had made it known that she owned the money, and therefore made the rules. I was expected to behave in a certain way, even as a toddler, and attend the required lessons to ensure I would obtain the best possible future husband.

  All frivolity was unnecessary in her eyes, including the “childish” notion of Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. Birthday and Christmas presents were strictly educational, as toys were deemed a waste of time. The one and only doll I ever owned—and still do—was given to me by Mrs Prichard, my piano teacher. My mother only let me keep Katie because I screamed the house down when she tried to take her from me.

  I rarely had friends over to play, and was never allowed to go to other kids’ houses, unless the child belonged to the right social circle.

  “Your parents must have been proud of you when you got into the Victorian School of the Arts?” he asked, almost hopefully.

  I shrugged. “My dad was happy that I could study music, seeing as I loved it so much, although he never had time to come to any recitals. My mother’s focus was always on how things would appear to others. All I remember after being accepted is my mother hosting a luncheon with her friends to celebrate that all her hard work had paid off.” I smiled at him. “My dad did his best to juggle gruelling working hours with spending time with me, but to my mother, I just felt like another possession of hers. You’re the first person to ever say they were proud of me.”

  My eyes welled with tears and I wiped them away quickly.

  “I am proud of you in so many ways, and for so many things. I think you’re an amazing, beautiful person,” Riley said as he held me close.

  Leaning back into his chest, we watched the exchanging of vows and rings in an easy silence.

  We ate our last dinner on the veranda at our favourite table before walking back along the sand for the last time, then cuddled up in the hammock and listened to the waves roll in.

  Riley seemed lost in thought, and I wondered if there were anything wrong. Usually we would lay here and talk about anything and everything, but not tonight. Just when I was about to ask him if he was okay, he rolled onto his side, and looked down into my eyes.

  “I don’t want to go home,” he started, and I smiled. I didn’t want to go either. “No, seriously, this has been the best week of my life, and I don’t want it to end. I don’t want to leave here, and I don’t want to leave you. I just want to stay like this, with you.”

  Reaching up, I cupped his face, stroking the stubble on his cheek with my thumb. “I’ve had the best time, babe. I don’t want to go either. This place, and being with you, has been perfect.”

  He leaned forward, touching his forehead to mine. When he lifted his head back up, I could see his eyes glistening as the full moon cast light and shadows across his face.

  “I love you, Tara,” he whispered.

  I went to speak but he placed his fingertips against my lips, stopping me.

  “I know it’s probably too soon to tell you, but I’ve wanted to say it for so long. I think I’ve loved you since you fell on your backside in the kitchen, the first night we met.”

  He smiled at the memory. I could feel tears welling in my eyes now.

  “For the entire three weeks I was away, all I thought about was getting through the exercise so I could see you again. You’re it for me; there’s no one else, there’s nothing else, just you.” He gingerly removed his fingers from my lips. “You don’t have to say anything …”

  It was my turn to stop him from talking, so I placed my fingers on his lips. “I love you too, Riley.”

  He wiped a tear from my cheek. “Happy tears, I hope?” he asked, and I nodded.

  He kissed my cheeks, my jaw, and then found my lips. The kiss was long and tender, and so full of love it took my breath away.

  THE TRIP home felt like it took three times as long as the journey to the island had. There was no excitement as there had been when we were going to Fiji, just a knot in the pit of my stomach that continued to grow as each hour passed.

  Cooper was still running Kelli ragged, so Jason volunteered to pick us up from the airport. I think he wanted to get to know Riley a little more, now that it was clear that he was going to be a permanent fixture in my life.

  As we came through customs and saw Jason, I had to stifle a laugh at his reaction. Riley was looking hot—there was no other way to describe it. He was wearing simple faded jeans that hung low on his hips, a white T-shirt that hugged his body, and flip-flops. His hair was longer, and he hadn’t shaved for a couple of days, his skin was tanned, and he looked relaxed and well rested. Where his eyes had looked tired the last time he’d stepped foot into Melbourne airport, this time his eyes shone with health and happiness, and it didn’t go unnoticed by me. Jason, as well as every female within sight, was appreciating the magnificence that was Riley.

  Not that Riley noticed any of the adoration coming his way; he was too busy fussing over me, wanting to make sure that I was all right.

  We told Jason all about the holiday on the way back, then sadly realised we only had a few more days together before Riley had to go back to Sydney.

  “You’ll need a haircut and shave, I guess,” I said, reluctantly. I did love the new relaxed look.

  “I can cut your hair for you, if you like,” Jason volunteered. “You can wet it in the shower and I can come in and do it for you.”

  I laughed and they both looked at me, puzzled, before it dawned on Jason what he had just said, and he turned scarlet. “I didn’t mean I would get in the shower with him!”

  “That’s okay,” Riley said, laughing, “I’m used to showering with guys.”

  Well, that sent Jason into a tail spin, and I thought I was going to have to grab hold of the wheel as he threw his hands in the air.

  I looked over at Riley. He gave me a mischievous wink. He had such a cheeky sense of humour; it was one of the many things I loved about him.

  Eventually, after we’d all calmed down, we arranged for Jason to come over the following evening to trim Riley’s hair.

  Riley and I sunk into bed that night, not happy to be home, but happy to be in familiar surroundings. My neck and shoulders were a little sore from sleeping awkwardly on the plane, so Riley decided I needed to be pampered, and I wasn’t about to argue. We found some Ylang Ylang and Patchouli scented oil, and I stretched out on the bed while he lovingly massaged my shoulders, back, and down my legs.

  He knew my body so well now that he could feel every tight muscle under his hands, and worked them until the knots faded away. His firm pressure then turned to light gentle tickles as his fingertips ran up and down my back and across my shoulders, sending shivers up my spine.

  “Roll over,” he whispered in my ear as he lay down next to me.

  I did as instructed and looked up into his eyes. I knew him well enough to be able to read his expression in an instant, the look in his eyes and his impish grin unmistakable.

  He ran his hand gently over my stomach and hips and down my thighs, then back up my inner thighs. I closed my eyes, taking pleasure in the way his touch awakened my body. He continued slowly caressing me. His hot breath heated my neck and his soft lips moved along my jaw until they found my mouth. The kiss was teasingly soft and gentle, and I sighed longingly as his hand continued stroking my hips and thighs, my body reacting to every touch. I instinctively moved my legs apart slightly
so he could touch wherever he wanted to, and he took that as a signal to move his kisses further down my body.

  His soft whiskers brushed against my breasts as he kissed and licked first one nipple and then the other, before moving further down to my stomach and hip bones. He moved in between my legs, and I opened my eyes.

  He was watching my face, and smiled up at me seductively. “Just relax,” he said, still smiling as he got comfortable.

  “You know, for someone who didn’t want their head between my thighs, you sure do spend a lot of time down there,” I said teasingly, referring to a comment he had made during our self-defence training. “Not that I’m complaining.”

  He chuckled. “I never said I didn’t want my head between your thighs. In fact, it’s one of my favourite places in the world to be.”

  He gave me a devilish wink and pulled the sheet over his head.

  I closed my eyes again. The sensation of his mouth against me as he kissed and licked my most sensitive area made my body tremble. Riley knew how to coax me to the brink over and over again, but not tip it over the edge, each time heightening my pleasure. It was the most divine torture imaginable.

  Reaching down, I ran my fingers through his hair as my back arched and I sighed deeply. He moved his mouth away from my hot skin and blew lightly over my core, the contrast making me gasp, before devouring me once more. When he did finally allow me to reach that point of no return, it sent shockwaves through every muscle in my body, and my fingers dug into his shoulder.

  He kissed my hips again before resting his forearms across my stomach, and his chin on his arms. He looked at me with such devotion it took my breath away.

  “You are so beautiful, especially like this. I love you like this,” he sighed, referring to my flushed cheeks and quickened breath.

  Reaching my hand down, I ran my fingers through his soft shaggy hair. “What am I going to do without you for the next five weeks?” I asked wistfully.

  He gave me a cheeky grin and raised his eyebrows. “We could always buy you a toy.”

  I laughed. “I wasn’t just talking about sex. I’m going to miss you.” I ran my fingers through his hair again, wondering how I was going to cope without him.

  “I wish I could stay right here forever,” he replied sadly. “Christmas seems like such a long time away.”

  I wrapped my legs around his waist. “Can I come up to Sydney to visit you?” I asked.

  It seemed like a logical solution to me, and it wasn’t fair that he had to travel all the time.

  He shook his head. “My place is … not that great. I’d rather come here when I can. Besides, I won’t have more than the odd night here and there over the next five weeks at home, so we wouldn’t see each other anyway.”

  I frowned. “But if I was there, I could at least see you for one night.” It still sounded like a good idea to me, but obviously Riley didn’t share my enthusiasm.

  “No, Tara, it’s not worth the trip, and as I said, my place is not great. You wouldn’t want to stay there.”

  I went to open my mouth again to plead my case, but the look in Riley’s eyes told me not to bother. He wasn’t going to budge.

  The following day, we visited Kelli and Cooper. Riley wanted to get Cooper off the couch, so was taking him for a run on the beach. I filled Kelli in on the most romantic holiday of my life, and she told me how Cooper had been driving her crazy.

  She smiled as I told her about the island and the bure, and how wonderful Riley had been the whole time.

  “You look really happy,” she said, “and so does he. I’ve known him for a while, and I’ve never seen him smile so much. Or you, for that matter.”

  I told her that he told me that he loved me, and she nodded. “I’m not surprised; I think you two will get married before Coop and me.”

  I laughed. She was still waiting for that elusive proposal.

  “Well, if we do ever get married,” I replied, surprising myself that I would even be thinking of these things so soon, “I want it to be on the beach. That’s my dream wedding.”

  Jason came over and cut Riley’s hair in the bathroom, a slight blush on his cheeks the entire time he was there. Riley thought it was hilarious, and played up to Jason’s embarrassment, which only embarrassed Jason more.

  “I’m going home to take a cold shower,” Jason whispered to me as he was leaving. “Your man is H O T.” He ran his finger up and down his ribs, indicating Riley’s tattoo and groaned at me exaggeratedly. “O. M. G!” He pulled a face at me and I laughed; I knew exactly what he meant.

  I went into the bathroom; Riley was still sitting on one of the dining chairs, with a towel wrapped around his hips.

  “You look very tempting,” he said with a sexy grin.

  “Why, thank you,” I said, and gave him a catwalk twirl. I was wearing a little halter-neck top, an A-line skirt, and a frangipani hair clip I had bought in Fiji.

  “You look very tempting too,” I said, appraising his nearly naked body.

  He gave me a sad smile. “I guess it’s time for a shave,” he said, holding his razor. Then he held the razor up to me. “Would you like to do the honours?”

  I’d never shaved anyone before, and was a little nervous, but Riley seemed perfectly okay with it so I decided to give it a try.

  He pulled me onto his lap so I was facing him with my legs on either side. “Can you do it from here?” he asked with a twinkle in his eye.

  Now I was even more nervous as I reached around for the shaving gel and lathered his face.

  “Do you trust me?” I asked seriously, looking into his eyes.

  “With my life,” he replied. Then he added, “And my heart.”

  I kissed him delicately on the lips between the shaving foam. “Tell me how hard to press,” I said as I started tentatively moving the blade down one cheek.

  Riley reached up and took my hand, guiding it, so I could feel the correct pressure and angle.

  “Just like this,” he said quietly, but his eyes were telling me he was thinking of something else entirely. He guided a few more strokes until I got the feel of it, and then he let me take over.

  His hands were resting on my thighs as I continued carefully shaving his face, then ever so slowly he started running them up and down my thighs, getting higher and higher.

  “You’re distracting me,” I scolded him teasingly. I exhaled heavily and bit my bottom lip, trying my hardest to concentrate.

  “You’re distracting me,” he retorted just as teasingly, watching my mouth. “Let’s see how well you perform under pressure, shall we?”

  His hands continued caressing my thighs then they slid higher under my skirt, his fingers gently pressing into my hips as he pulled me closer into him. He ran his thumb over the silky fabric of my thong until he found the spot he was searching for, and gently started stroking me.

  I took my eyes off his neck to look directly into his eyes. I was trying so hard to concentrate on the task at hand, but it was becoming increasingly difficult.

  “I’m nearly finished. Just give me a minute,” I breathed as the pressure of his thumb increased slightly. I closed my eyes for a moment and shifted my hips subconsciously, a soft moan escaping as I exhaled, before looking back at his face.

  His eyes were glowing with passion, and I could see his chest rising and falling more rapidly as he tried to stay still.

  “Are you finished?” he asked huskily.

  I dropped the razor into the sink. “Finished.”

  “Good.”

  His free hand was in my hair, holding me in place as his lips enthusiastically met mine. His tongue searched my mouth before he pulled away slightly and sucked in my bottom lip. His lips made their way over my jaw, down my neck to my shoulder, and I dropped my head back and closed my eyes, finally able to relax.

  I ran my hands through his still damp hair, over his smooth cheeks, and then down his chest. His body felt amazing, and his lips on my neck and shoulders felt incredible. He ran the tip
of his tongue up my neck to just below my ear, and then nipped my earlobe.

  I sighed, partly for the sensation on my neck and ear, and partly for what my palms were caressing—his glorious body, every muscle clearly defined.

  He slid his thumb inside my thong as it continued its onslaught before reaching down and opening his towel, and then he effortlessly lifted me, and pulling my thong to one side, lowered me down onto him.

  I moaned deeply at the sensation of him inside me as I wrapped my arms around his neck, and then set the balls of my feet firmly on the floor to get my balance.

  Riley’s hands were on my hips as they moved me back and forth, setting the rhythm and depth. I kissed him passionately on the lips, our tongues seeking each other’s out as our pace fastened and the intensity grew. I breathed heavily as I sat back and rested one hand on Riley’s knee for balance.

  He groaned deeply through clenched teeth and growled, “Oh fuck, babe …” as he gripped my hips more forcefully. Every muscle in his arms and chest tensed as he moved me back and forth, his eyes locked with mine.

  I couldn’t hold on. I dug my nails into his knee as my body tensed and I cried out. His release soon followed, his eyes never leaving mine until he finally pulled me into him and rested his forehead against my own, our hearts still racing.

  “God I love you,” he said breathlessly.

  I smiled and rubbed the tip of my nose against his. “I love you, too.”

  SAYING GOODBYE to Riley at the airport was ten times worse than it had been the first time because we had become so close, and would now be spending more time apart. I had almost managed to hold it together at the departure gate, but sobbed uncontrollably once he had boarded the plane, and continued crying into my pillow for most of the night.

  The only time I stopped was when he called to let me know he had landed, and, hearing me cry over the phone, had become distressed. I didn’t want to upset or worry him, so I forced myself to stop and reassured him that I was fine.