Pink Lilies (Beautiful People Book 1)

by Lacee Hightower

  “Let me get Mason,” Tyler said, setting down the plates and napkins and pushing his hands in the pockets of his jeans.

  “You stay. I’ll get him,” I said, brushing my hand across his back and stepping around him. Not sure where the sudden urge to check on Mason came from, Tyler’s expression showed the unplanned action was a huge surprise to him as well.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Alex

  “They loved you, angel.” Tyler handed me a glass of the wine I’d brought over, and we walked hand-in-hand toward the living room, both stopping to look at the Empire State Building that Mason had amazingly put together in little over an hour. I still didn’t know what was wrong with his brother, but I guessed Tyler would tell me when, and if, he wanted.

  His soft eyes watched mine as he took a drink of the Pinot while I drank in the perfect symmetry of his face. Probably not up to his expensive standards, hopefully the wine tasted okay. For me, thirty-five dollars for a bottle of wine was splurging, but the restaurant sold this brand for sixty, so I figured it was probably pretty good. On the schedule for the day shift tomorrow, hopefully two small glasses of Pinot wouldn’t make me wake up with the raging headache reds generally gave me.

  “You totally wowed me tonight, Tyler.” He eased his long legs up onto the square marble coffee table sitting in front of the large, plush sofa, flashing the same boyish grin I’d noticed earlier. He’d put the bottle of wine in an electric cooler and it sat beside his legs on the table. Everything about this evening had been completely laid back. He acted so comfortable. He made me feel at ease.

  “Wowed you, huh? Did you really think I was just an asshole every minute of every day?” He grinned again, the dark five o’clock shadow covering his face looking sexy as all hell. My fingers itching to touch him, he’d kept the look ever since I told him I liked it. And damn, was I liking it right now.

  I elbowed him lightly in his side. “No! I just hadn’t seen you around your family, that’s all. You’re obviously very close to your brother. It was sweet to watch. And your mom and Mason are both so nice. Your mom is very beautiful, too. Now I know where you get your looks.”

  “Well, first of all, I’m glad I was able to wow you, Alexa, and yes, my mother is quite beautiful.”

  I brushed my hand over his hard thigh, the muscles in his leg tensing at my touch.

  He cautiously lifted my fingers and took them between both hands, raising them to his mouth and kissing each one as he gazed into my eyes. Another intimate gesture, every time he did that made me feel like melting.

  “I’m pretty confident you noticed there’s something wrong with my brother.” Tightness laced his voice.

  “Yeah, I noticed he doesn’t talk much. Although he did say hello when he opened the front door.”

  “No fucking way! Did he? He rarely speaks to anyone.” Eyes full of surprise, he added, “Jesus, I guess my little brother still knows when he sees a beautiful woman. Good to fucking know,” he murmured, giving his head a quick nod.

  “Mason was thirteen when I walked in on him being sexually abused by our father,” Tyler said soberly. “He’s had a very tough time dealing.” The side of his lip twitched as I fought choking on the wine I was trying to swallow.

  “My God, Tyler,” I whispered.

  “Our dad was abusive to both of us,” he murmured, a sadness in his eyes as he looked away from me, lost in the past. “But, I never realized he was hurting my brother. Mason never said a fucking word … and I should have known.” A small bead of sweat glistened above his top lip. I wanted nothing more than to reach for him and kiss away the pain covering his face. Or just hold him. Shaken and not really knowing how to react, I rested my hand back on his thigh, my index finger moving in tiny nervous motions as he opened up to me about his troubled past.

  “I’m sorry, Tyler. I had no idea.”

  “I had a sister. Her name was Carly. She died in a car accident when she was in the eighth grade. That’s when it all started.”

  “Oh, Tyler, I’m…” Raw emotion etched in his expression, he stood up so hurriedly that my hand slapped at the leather sofa when it fell from his thigh. I remembered him mentioning his sister once before. That’s what the tattooed letter C on his chest represented.

  Our eyes locked, Tyler’s looking lost and beaten. I didn’t really know what to do. My heart ached for him. What he’d told me was a lot to process and he was plainly still fighting these demons. His younger brother had been abused by their own parent. That, on top of losing his younger sister, was a lot for anyone to live with.

  I jumped up and rushed to his side.

  “After she died, my dad lost his complete shit. He was never the same. He beat the living hell out of me more than once.”

  “Tyler, did your dad also abuse you … sexually?” I asked softly, my hands trembling.

  “No!” he snapped. “Only my brother. But, the motherfucking piece of shit admitted to doing it for months before I finally found out.” His lungs were heaving, his eyes red as he reached for his wine glass, draining it. “I nearly killed the bastard when I walked in on it.”

  He pinched the end of his nose and clenched his jaw. I was suddenly filled with so many things I wanted to say. So many questions to ask.

  “Please sit down with me.” I sat back down on the couch, pulling my feet underneath me. After long seconds, he followed and sat back down. We were both silent. I dropped my head against his chest, his pulse racing.

  “Mason rarely spoke another word after that night. In honor classes all through elementary and middle school, he finished high school being home-schooled. Now, all he does is build goddamn Legos … or play video games.”

  “Jesus, Tyler. I don’t know what to say. Where is your dad now?”

  Tyler blinked down at me, draping an arm around my shoulder, a deeper bond or something heavy happening between us. “He’s wasting his sorry ass away in a home for Alzheimer’s. He doesn’t remember one fucking thing. Isn’t that convenient?”

  His heart pounded ferociously underneath his t-shirt and I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him into me and holding him tight, trying to calm him the only way I knew how. The pain was so pronounced in his eyes. Tyler was strong and he’d stayed that way and fought for his family. I respected him more than ever.

  “So you see, Alexa? Every family has their own demons. That’s why I never intend on having one of my own. That evil gene is somewhere inside me. Streaming through my DNA. Marriage is something I will never consider.”

  “Oh.” A cold shiver crept through me as I absorbed what he’d just said. “Marriage is something I will never consider.” He wasn’t just saying that out of anger. He meant it, the seriousness undisguised in his expression. My knees were suddenly shaking as my eyes filled with tears and I bit back a sob. Tyler reached for me, holding me while we both fought to recompose.

  “Jesus Christ, Alexa. Forgive me. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have told you all that. God, please don’t cry.” He backed away from me and reached for our wine glasses.

  “Tyler, I feel privileged that you shared this with me. But, it’s in the past. Just focus on the future, now. That’s all you can do. Just…” Before I could finish, he reached for me, bringing me back against his chest. He grazed my cheek with a long finger.

  “For the love of Christ, Alexa, it doesn’t work that way with me. My past—that minute I walked in his room—it’s always here,” he said, pointing to his head. “You can’t will something like that away. I should have been there to stop it. I’m responsible for what that monster did. If only I had stayed at home more, maybe it wouldn’t have happened.”

  “I’m so sorry,” I whispered, leaning my head back against his rapidly moving chest, craving the warmth.

  “Why are we even talking about this? Forgive me for dumping all that on you.”

  I shook my head slowly, wanting him to know I understood. That I cared. I did care. More than I realized.

  “No, Tyler. I’m the one
that’s sorry,” I added. “I’m glad you told me. You never have to apologize.”

  A cold tremor pushed through my body. I just wanted to help him. Something motivated me to find help for both Mason and Tyler. Mason had never recovered. Notably, neither had Tyler. I knew he would never open up to the thought of forgiveness. His scars were too deep. But maybe there was some way to help him work through the guilt and hell he’d lived with all these years. The little voice inside my head told me I needed to get off my ass and find a career in the psychology field.

  It was my calling. I suddenly realized it now more than ever.

  Tyler’s eyes still full of grief, I opened my mouth to speak, but he brushed his forefinger across my mouth, shaking his head. “No more tonight, angel. Besides, I want to hear about your family.”

  I almost felt guilty. There was nothing negative to say. My family was the best. “Well, my parents live in San Angelo, where I grew up. Have you ever heard of it? It’s a fairly small town in West Texas.”

  “Yes, sweetheart. I’ve heard of it.”

  I shrugged, feeling a little stupid for asking now. Yet, a lot of people didn’t know of my home town.

  “I have one older brother. Adam. He’s a marine and I haven’t seen him in over a year.”

  Long minutes passed as we talked back and forth about our families. My head against his shoulder, I rubbed at his hard pecs, moving down and lifting his shirt, running my finger down the sexy trail of hair that led to the top button of his unbelted jeans. I eased down the zipper over his thickening erection.

  “Ahhh, baby,” he groaned, his gaze hot on my face.

  Dark gray tight boxers leaving very little to the imagination, I urged him up enough that I could lower them and his jeans, purposely running my hand across the thick pink tip already oozing pre-ejaculate.

  I gave him a playful push backward and removed his shoes and then the jeans that were still around his ankles. Then, I removed my own clothes and reached for his face and moved my tongue slowly across his cheek, before descending down his neck and then across his small, hardening nipples. I dropped to my knees, clutching his hard shaft between my hands and licking just the tip before slowly moving downward to the bottom of his hardening balls.

  “Feel good, baby?” I looked up, moving my tongue back up his length.

  He angled his body upward and groaned, the sound coming from deep in his chest, giving me all the reassurance I needed. I gathered his wide crown into my mouth and sucked him in deeply, careful to breathe through my nose.

  He forced his hips forward, tangling his fingertips through my hair. Another low guttural moan rumbled up his throat as I moved my tongue back up, teasing the tiny slit again and tasting the salty liquid that covered the soft skin of his crest.

  His fingers hugged my hair as I swallowed him even deeper, taking complete control, even though I was on my knees. His sounds of pleasure were almost a whimper as his eyes were like magnets against mine.

  “Angel, I can’t hold back much longer.” He tried sitting up and I pushed him back again with a small shake of my head, the same as he’d once done to me. We both knew that right now, I was the one holding the upper hand.

  My lips rolling over his wide crown, I teased and sucked, flickering my tongue while I watched one of his hands forcefully curl into the side of the couch. His restraint was breaking. He was getting close. Losing the collectedness and composure he demanded at all times. I took his balls in my hand and squeezed gently. He screwed his eyes shut for a few seconds, his jaw clenching tight.

  “Jesus, Alexa…”

  I was in control. I held the power. I was so turned on that it was me in the driver’s seat at least for the next few minutes. Leading him over the edge.

  As difficult as it was for my gag reflex not to kick in, I pulled him in a little deeper, my eyes tearing up. I wanted to watch him completely lose himself to me. Take my mouth until he filled my throat with his blistering release, awarding me with the desperate sounds he made when he could hold back no longer.

  “You’re mine, Alexa,” he growled. “Mine.”

  His hand tightened against my bobbing head as he moved inside my mouth, more tears threatening the corners of my eyes while I sucked and stroked, brushing over every heavy vein. “Tell me, angel.” He suddenly slid out and pushed me down onto the couch underneath him, his heavy body weight making it hard to breathe.

  “The words, Alexa.”

  “Yes. I’m yours, Tyler. God, yes…”

  His mouth swallowed mine. Deep. Taking control. Demanding the edge. I moaned as I moved my lips over his thick controlling ones. He drew back, staring with the same flashing eyes that were darker than only seconds before. Deliriously dark. And loaded with desire.

  “Tell me you like me having the advantage, Alexa. If not, we stop … everything.”

  A shiver rocked through me. Every cell in my body was on fire and my blood boiled as I reached for his mouth. He could have his damn advantage. He could have everything. As long as I had him. His chest contracted as our kiss hardened and he licked into me with deep strokes. He rolled onto his back, taking my hand and pulling me down on top of him.

  “Christ, I do want you,” he whispered, raising me slowly and lowering me onto his hard erection. Expanding and swelling inside me, we both watched as I accepted every inch. My eyes slid shut as I indulged in the precise way he filled me, stretching me so perfectly to accommodate his size.

  “Alexa,” he whispered. My eyes eased opened. His full lips were pressed together as he gazed at me.

  “Watch me.”

  God, that’s hot!

  Our bodies moved in perfect sync together as if we’d been tailor-made for one another. My hands desperately gripped his hair as our rhythm quickened into a frantic pace, both of us greed-filled to reach that one place. His head leaned back into the sofa and I followed, taking his mouth in a lush deep kiss. He held my hips against his, then lifted me, before carefully guiding me back down. My body strained as butterflies filled my stomach, the familiar tingle of my building arousal intensifying.

  “That’s it, baby.” He held my hips desperately. Thrusting up into me.

  I came. Hard. The sensation tore through me, consuming every single tiny nerve ending in my body as his grip remained glued to my hips.

  “Ah, angel.” His voice was a throaty rasp as he pulsed. Shuddering. Filling me with his warm release.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Alex

  I woke to a dark room, automatically reaching over to feel for Tyler and a touch of his warm body, even though I already knew he wasn’t there. His bed so much more comfortable than mine, I’d slept like a rock. As I stretched an arm to touch what I knew was gone, I only felt a very large, very empty bed. I glanced at the small clock on the nightstand. 6:12 AM.

  I peeked around the bedroom that was larger than my living room and kitchen combined, and slipped out of the tall sleigh bed, walking to the adjoining bathroom and flipping on the light. I brushed my teeth with a finger and used Tyler’s hairbrush to tame my uncontrollable hair. After I slipped my panties on, I picked up a neatly folded t-shirt sitting on the counter with Yates Clinic across the front. Had he put that out for me? I smiled at the thought.

  Wall sconces lit the hallway as I crept toward the kitchen. I turned the corner to see Tyler sitting at the table with his back facing me. Bent over, staring into his laptop, only the slight side of his face was noticeable. The smell of strong coffee got my attention. So did the glasses he was wearing.

  I reached his chair, placing my hands on his bare shoulders, squeezing as I leaned over and kissed the top of his head, breathing in his familiar scent.

  “Good morning,” he said, pulling my hands from his shoulder and spinning me around onto his lap. Dressed in black silken pajama bottoms and nothing else, I wound my legs across him and felt his morning hardness press into me. I looked down at his large erection, my tongue sliding across my bottom lip.

  “Something I ca
n do for you this morning, angel?” The sudden gleam in his eyes teased me. His hand dropped down and brushed over his erection.

  Every move he made was so sexual and watching him touch himself set my body on fire. I knew I could probably erupt into an orgasm by watching him do that. I pressed down further onto his lap.

  “I can think of lots of things you can do for me,” I responded.

  “I was letting you sleep. I have surgery at 8:00 this morning, so I wanted to get up and check my e-mail. But it can damn sure wait.”

  I kissed his nose. “I love the glasses.”

  * * * *

  After a lengthy round of earth-shattering shower sex, Tyler left for the surgery center and I drove back to my house to dress for work.

  A shiver moved through me remembering the look in his eyes when he’d laid out the details of his childhood. Heartrending, it was still fresh on my mind. What a disturbing surprise that had been. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. A small voice in the back of my head kept telling me I could do something to help people going through traumas like Mason. This was the kind of thing I’d dreamed of doing all my life, but I didn’t know what that something could be. I didn’t feel quite strong enough yet to offer advice and wondered, with the small bit of money I had left in savings, if I could swing getting my Master’s.

  Two days without checking the mail, the box was full as I opened up the flap. Store flyers and stacks of coupons, along with what I suspected was nothing but more junk mail and bills, I set it all down on the kitchen table to look at later, and poured a small glass of orange juice. Tyler mentioned cooking for me tonight, which sounded great. And normal. Domestic. Something made me smile at the whole concept of the brilliant, suave surgeon slaving over a hot stove, and even though that thought made me happy, his comment on marriage still screwed with my head.

  “Marriage is something I will never consider.”

  Emotion stormed through me as I finished changing into my work clothes and drove to the restaurant. The facts sinking in, I couldn’t even begin to explain how much it stabbed at my heart. As great as things were between us, the last thing Tyler wanted was something permanent. Men like Tyler didn’t stay in long-term relationships. And I … already felt myself falling hard.