Harkham's Corner (Harkham's Series Book 3)

by Lowell, Chanse

  Her left leg went up and bent at the knee.

  “Sure.”

  “And soda? I can have that as well?”

  “You can. Just share.” Her voice was softer.

  “What if I decide to go to another grocery store?”

  “You can do that, sure, but you’ll feel guilty while you’re buying it.”

  He groaned, and his head fell down to his chest. “Why? Why do you have to do this?”

  She kissed his crown and set her hands on his shoulder. “Because I love you, and I want you to feel like a man. And when you have episodes and feel out of control, you act out. You regress, and I know you hate yourself when that happens, even if it doesn’t bother me. I want you to like you.” She paused. “Do you realize you’ve told me about a dozen times today you’re a man? You only do that when you’re really upset.”

  “I like you. I like you wet and soft and melting in my hands. I like you listening to me when I tell you where to touch me.” He ignored her man comment. Who counted stuff like that?

  “Tell me right now you’ll talk to someone tomorrow, and I’ll do all of those things.” She gripped his shoulders harder.

  “In the garage?” His voice went up in pitch, and his body temperature rose.

  “Tomorrow I’ll do whatever you want in the garage, but only after you talk to someone.”

  “In the car? If I want you to put your head in the trunk, and I get that sticky back seat down so it opens to the trunk, you’ll do that?”

  She laughed for a moment, and it was low and sexy sounding, traveling down to his tightening groin.

  “Yes, Adam. I’ll bend backward and do the splits with one leg out the window if that’s what you want.”

  “Fucking hell and damn straight,” he said, smirking. “I need your pussy that way.” He lurched forward and practiced with her in that moment, making sure she was as limber as she was suggesting. Practicing was important.

  She sighed when he rubbed himself all over her.

  “Okay, Mari. I promise I’ll do whatever you ask, if you’ll make my garage fantasies come true tomorrow.”

  She nodded, grinning at him and touching her nipples with her naughty fingertips.

  Maybe he’d bring a soda so he could drink one afterward. He might need it if she was going to let him moan and scream, too.

  Chapter 3

  “What has you so upset?” Adam’s mom asked.

  “You know what has me like this.” He gripped the back of his head.

  She sat next to him, and he scooted away, creating distance. “It wasn’t done to upset you. He just wants to make things better.”

  “By taking me to court?” Adam huffed, his voice going up in pitch. He gripped the edge of the couch.

  “You wouldn’t talk to him or discuss this with him. He wants some rights.” Her fingers flexed on her lap. Was she going to try and touch him?

  Adam stood. “You know what? Fine. He can have all the rights. I don’t want anything to do with him or his music.” He pointed down the hallway. “You tell him I don’t want any credit. See—then he has no claim on me. I did that because it was his birthday, not because I wanted to make any money off it. How was I supposed to know it would be so popular?”

  “You have a gift. We both realize that—your father and I want to help you. This could make you a lot more money. It already helped you gather a down-payment for your home.” She slouched and leaned toward him. Was she about to hug him?

  His spine stiffened, and he angled away from her. “That’s fine. I’ll give you all the money back.” He flinched.

  “No, Adam.” Her eyes went wide. “That’s not why he did that. It’s not about the money—it’s about having some claim over you as your father. It’s about you recognizing him.”

  Adam’s shoulders went back. “I told you—I did it for his birthday. Obviously I was recognizing him as my father! He wants money, or why would he be claiming rights to the song?”

  “Forget it. It’s clear you’re still not ready to talk about this. He made money on it for you. He gave all the money to you—had Dustin put it straight into your joint account with him. If you’d just let him, your father could market you, and you could do what you love, instead of languishing away in some medical office.”

  His eyes twitched, and his back was on fire as he damn near shouted, “I am not languishing! I’m good at what I do! Ask Dad—my real dad, not Thomas! I don’t know that man!” He was pointing down the hallway once more. “And see if I ever do anything nice for him ever again!”

  He stomped through the living room and toward the door.

  As soon as he was in his car, tears flooded down his cheeks.

  His fingers shook as he held the steering wheel and raced down the street.

  “Ahhhhhh! I hate that man!” he hollered over and over again.

  The minute he was inside his house, he blasted down the hallway in search of his wife.

  She was napping, and Button was in his crib, sleeping as well.

  He went to Mari’s side, grabbed her into his arms and before she could speak, he was heading to the garage.

  “I spoke to her like you wanted me to. Now, you’re coming with me. In the car—strip, and I’ll tell you what I want,” he growled.

  She blinked with rapidly changing emotions crossing her features—shock, elation and being turned on. All of this while she was still waking up.

  “What’re you . . . I mean, did you . . .”

  “Shhh. I talked to Sarah, and that’s all I’m gonna tell you about it right now. I don’t want to talk about all that mess until after I’ve had you.” He kissed her, then opened the door to the garage. “When I’ve had my fill, then we can talk. So no more. I want quiet in this garage. This is my space, and you’re only to breathe hard and touch me where I say, when I say and how I want.”

  “Okay.” Another set of rapid blinks from her and mixed emotions.

  He set her down and opened up the car. “Clothes go over there and then you go in here.” He pointed at the little spot on his work station that he kept clean in case the opportunity ever arose to have her out here.

  She shrugged out of her clothes while he put down the backseat of the car so it was gaping into the trunk.

  His attention was riveted on her since her skin looked creamy and yummy.

  Watering mouth.

  Tightening pants.

  Fingers flexing and aching for her.

  He tore his clothes off, and instead of turning the car on for music, he pulled out his iPhone, put it on the front seat and set the song on repeat that had started this whole mess.

  Her eyebrow arched up in question, and she paused.

  “Yes, we’re going to love each other while playing this song. I want it to make a good memory for me.” He reached for her. “And stop worrying about the kids. They’ll be fine. This won’t take long.”

  Her hesitation disappeared as she slid onto his lap.

  In the next breath, his lips were all over her body, and his hands dug into her hips.

  “I want you under me. I want you loud. Do that, and we can talk after.” He kissed her mouth.

  She nodded when he broke away. “Okay, sweetheart. Whatever you need.”

  “I need you to follow me.” He swapped spots with her, leaned her back so her face was in shadow from being in the empty trunk.

  It was odd that such a small thing should make him so sore and achy for her, but it did. This was forbidden, and he knew it.

  People didn’t do this. But he did.

  His pulse raced as he spread her legs and made love like he never had before.

  The music filled the car along with her panting breaths.

  His voice, his piano playing, along with his father’s deep tones, morphed into something more . . . Something better.

  It was his mixture of funky and serious. It was a cross between classic piano, a touch of jazz and hip hop. His father’s voice sounded amazing, and Adam’s was okay.

>   It was the first time he was truly all right with jazz. He was learning to appreciate it.

  “Ohhhhhh, you sound insanely sexy,” she whispered as he nipped at her neck and kept touching her.

  “Shhhh . . . Just listen. Just breathe hard for me.” He gripped her behind the knees and kept reveling in the feel of her, thrusting harder, deeper, finding her special spot inside that made her very gushy and creamy for him.

  The darkness, the steaminess of her skin and ragged breaths was too much, though.

  He could feel it building too fast inside him. His balls were about bursting with his come, ready to move out of him and into her.

  “Can you get there? I need you to . . . I’m gonna . . . I have to,” he stammered.

  He entwined her fingers with his and locked them down by her head.

  Then he realized he wasn’t touching her, and she needed that.

  So, he let go with his right hand and sang along to the music to keep his mind occupied on the song so he wouldn’t come too fast. He brushed his fingers reverently over her swollen, sweet tissues. Her clitoris was really stiff and big, not to mention slippery and fun to tease.

  “I could fuck you like this forever—dip inside your wetness and see what it does to you. It’s what a man like me does to a woman like you. I taste you.” He shoved himself inside with a quick movement of his hips. “Taste you like you’re all I need.” He pulled back and did it again. “Touch your clit until you can’t take it anymore.” Once more with a jabbing lunge and quick penetration with his cock. “Make it hum with pleasure and force your insides to drip for me.”

  She moaned.

  “All those things are satisfying to me. They all make me sore and make my balls tight and achy for you.” He blew down her neck, then licked at the hollow of her throat, following it up with a humid pulse of his breath.

  “God, Adam,” she said, gripping his shoulders.

  “You make everything better, Mari. And touching you makes it better than okay. It makes it perfect.” He kissed her and pinched her clit in sync with his tongue delving into her mouth.

  With a shuddering moan and a tip of her hips, she came undone.

  He released a dying groan and clutched her tightly to his chest, spurting inside her until there was no more left to give.

  As their breaths slowed and the song repeated for the third time, he could hear Meg inside calling out for them.

  “I told you we’d be done before they needed us,” he said, smirking.

  “She’s probably scared. We didn’t tell her we were still here but out in the garage.” She patted his back.

  He was squeezing the air out of her lungs because he was holding her so tight. It was too soon to let go.

  He needed to soak in the final morsels of this moment and savor them.

  “Mari . . . If I go help her get settled, will you stay out here? I want to talk out here, not inside. I don’t want the kids to hear this,” he said.

  “It’s pretty warm out here. Why don’t you set her up, and we can go talk in the bedroom. It’s not like Button will know what we’re talking about.”

  “Yeah, but he sleeps light during the day. He’ll probably wake up, and I want your undivided attention.”

  “How about a shower? We can talk in there?” She wore a lazy grin.

  He nodded, then got out of the car, put his clothes back on and went after Meg.

  It didn’t take long to help her find something to keep her busy.

  He gave her a snack, had one himself, but when he went back to take a shower with his wife, she was in there with Button.

  Adam sighed.

  He loved showering with the baby, but this was kind of important. If he didn’t take his time to discuss this, he might get all worked up and say it wrong.

  “Button—you need to sleep,” he told their little guy, then took him from her so she could wash up.

  “Did we make a mess in the car?” she asked as she doused her head.

  “I don’t know. And I don’t care. If we did, I’m sure Meg will cover it up with crumbs and spilled drinks. No one’s gonna know.” Adam rocked Button in his arms.

  “All right. If you’re fine with it, I guess it’s not a big deal.” She kept washing at her usual lightning-quick pace.

  He couldn’t remember the last time she was able to just relax in here.

  “Slow down. I’ve got him. Just enjoy this. He’s not fussing.” He stroked the baby’s back. “He loves the water.”

  “I know, but Meg’s not known to hang out for long periods of time either, so we don’t have a ton of time to talk.”

  He took that as his cue to begin. “Okay, fine. What should I say? That I still hate him? That he makes me crazy? That he wants to use something that was supposed to be a gift and turned it into a battle?”

  “Is that what your mom said?” She shaved with quick precision, glancing at Button every few moments like he might explode any minute.

  “No. She said he was doing it to be a part of my life, because he wants some credit as my father. I don’t get why he can’t just enjoy it, so I told her I’d give him all the credit. He can have all the money. I don’t even want it anymore.”

  She paused, gave him a curious look and then exhaled. “Are you sure you wanna do this?”

  “Yeah. Why wouldn’t I?” He kissed the top of Button’s head. The little guy was squirming now.

  Adam grabbed the bar of soap and lathered up the squirmer.

  “You realize if you go this route, he’s only going to push harder,” she said, sounding exhausted.

  “Why would he do that? This is what he wants. He wants to control it and make money. I’m giving it to him so he can leave me alone.”

  She stood straight, put the razor away and washed off the soap but kept her eyes on him. “This isn’t the end of it. This is his way of asserting control, but I don’t think it’s totally about the money.”

  His throat exploded as he all but shouted, “Of course it is! He’s a bad, selfish man! There’s no bigger dickhead than him on this planet!”

  She cupped his cheeks. “No, he’s a confused father. He’s trying to reach out but doesn’t know how.”

  “This isn’t reaching. This is stealing. He wants money, and I’m giving it to him.” He swapped spots with her and rinsed the baby off carefully. His grip tightened so the slippery wiggler wouldn’t fly out of his arms.

  Button made a raspberry noise. It was adorable, so Adam kissed his temple.

  “Adam . . .” She took the baby so he could wash himself. “Think about it—what happens when you push our kids away even a little bit, even if it’s just for a few moments?”

  “Meg gets whiny, Button gets clingy. So what?”

  “So, what happens if I say I don’t wanna make love or pleasure you? How do you react?” She pursed her lips.

  “I want it more. I get more demanding, or you say I’m a bear to deal with because then I won’t stop touching you at all. So. What?” His voice was tight.

  “Grown-ups are the same as kids. We all have needs, and if they aren’t met, then things can get ugly. If you push him away, he’s going to get desperate and go after something else he knows is important to you. He’s trying in his own odd way to show you he wants to be involved. You both like music, and you’re both really talented. What else does he have in common with you? We haven’t let him see the kids again other than briefly when you gave him that present. Did you see how his eyes lit up when you handed him the CD with the song?” She played with the few little curls at the nape of the baby’s neck.

  “I didn’t even give him the others I made. I didn’t know if he’d like it,” he said, his breath catching in his throat. “What if I’d given him the rest? Would he have tried to steal those, too?”

  His head was pounding, and he could feel numbers at the back of his brain.

  “Breathe . . . I’m not gonna discuss the what ifs. We don’t know what he would’ve done, so don’t worry about that. Maybe
you need to ask him point blank what he wants instead of assuming he’s out to get you and make money off what was supposed to be a kind gesture.” She rocked the baby. He was squeaking a little now with his fist pushing into his mouth.

  Adam groaned. “I don’t know how to talk to that man. I try, but he’s . . . He confuses me. I feel like a child when I’m around him, and I don’t like it. I’m a man.”

  “I know you are, sweetie. You’re the best man.” She leaned in and kissed his cheek. “The best man I’ve ever known. Now, show your dad that’s who you are, and you’re not intimidated by his presence.”

  A gallon of peace swept over him with the water. “You’re right. Why are you always so smart and sweet? I wish I was more like you.”

  “God, I don’t, but thanks for saying that.” She smiled, and her eyes were softer than the baby’s skin.

  “Why wouldn’t you want me to be like you?” His eyes lifted, and he ignored the water trying to get into his eyes.

  “Because then you wouldn’t be a man, now, would you?” She smirked.

  “You are silly. Sex in a the garage makes me feel better, and talking in the shower makes you silly.”

  She giggled. “I love you.”

  “I love you, but I still don’t like that man.”

  “I know.” She stroked his shoulder. “It’s okay. Sometimes we love our family because we have to, but we don’t always have to like them.”

  He shrugged. “Good, because I don’t know if I’ll ever like him, and it makes me feel sick about it. The only time I feel worse than when I think about him is when I guzzle down too much soda—that’s how awful he makes me feel.”

  * * *

  Dustin answered the door. “Hey, Son, what’s going on?”

  Adam leaned into the door frame. “Do you have a few minutes between clients?”

  “Yeah, a few minutes. You look like you’re not feeling well. Do you need to leave for the day?” His dad motioned for him to join him inside his office.

  “I’m sick over something with Thomas. Remember I told you I was going to court because he was making me crazy?” Adam took a seat.

  “I remember.” His dad nodded and took a seat as well. “I didn’t know what that meant, but I could tell you wanted privacy on the matter, so I didn’t press. I figured you know I trust you and anytime you want to talk about anything at all, I’m here for you.” His dad drummed his fingers on his desk.