White Lies

by Jenny Lynn

  There was a fork in the road and Nicholas guided Max along it, veering off the main path. I followed behind him, wondering where he was going, when we arrived in a clearing by the water. He hopped off Max and tied the lead to a post near a grassy space, then walked over to me. He helped me off of my horse then led her over beside Max where she was tied and both animals immediately started grazing on the lush patch of grass. I noticed that a picnic basket was waiting for us on a blanket and looked at Nicholas in surprise.

  “You planned all of this for me?” I asked him, touched.

  “I wanted you to have a nice trip,” he told me as he led me over to the blanket. We both sat down and he glanced over at me. “I did have an ulterior motive too, I have to admit.”

  “What is it?” I asked. He sighed.

  “My family wants to have dinner with you tonight. My sisters you’ve already met and they’re lovely, but my mother can be a bit challenging.”

  “So this was your way of breaking the news to me gently?” I teased.

  “You could say that,” Nicholas told me as he opened the basket and took out a bottle of wine. He unscrewed the cork then poured a glass and handed it to me. “Ever since my dad passed away, she’s been extremely protective of me. I would try not to take it personally, she’s been through a lot of stress lately.”

  “I can understand that,” I told him. “My parents are protective of me too. It’s what they do.”

  “What are your parents like?” Nicholas asked me as he removed a tray of fruit and cheese from the basket, popping a grape into his mouth.

  “They’re wonderful,” I told him. “My mom, Sylvia, is an office manager, my dad, Paul, is an electrician. They work really hard, I grew up in Michigan, and only moved to Chicago for school.”

  “Do you have any siblings?” he asked. I shook my head.

  “No, they wanted a big family but my mother had trouble conceiving. It was just me and my parents growing up. You’re lucky to have sisters, it must have been nice when you were younger.”

  He laughed and shook his head as I bit into a strawberry. “Yeah, I was roped into quite a few tea parties and playing house when I was younger. I spent a lot of time with my dad, we were the only guys in the house so he always told me we needed to stick together since we were outnumbered.”

  “What types of things did you do together?” I asked.

  “I was really into planes and boats,” he said. “We’d go sailing or take a flight. We also travelled a lot, whenever he had a business trip he’d try to arrange for the entire family to come. He was a busy man but he made time for us whenever he could. I really admired him.”

  “He sounds like a really caring father,” I said. Nicholas cleared his throat then placed a creamy slice of brie on a cracker, biting into it.

  “It’s really nice by the water,” Nicholas said, changing the topic. It was apparent that talking about his father was hard for him, he must still be feeling the loss. I turned my head and looked over at the calm stream flowing past us, framed by trees and colorful blossoms dotting the bank. Birds were hopping from branch to branch, twittering amongst themselves. It was calm and serene, I could have stayed there forever.

  “Thank you for doing this for me,” I told him. “I didn’t expect any of this when I agreed to come away with you this weekend.”

  “Neither did I,” Nicholas admitted. “But I learned a long time ago to appreciate the unexpected surprises life has in store for us.” He reached forward and ran his hands through my hair, pulling me closer and pressing his lips against mine. I leaned against him as he wrapped his arms around me. “You’re not like anyone I’ve ever met before Breanne.”

  “I’m just an average student and waitress, I don’t know what you mean.”

  “You’re a risk taker, like me,” he told me as he popped a grape into his mouth.

  I laughed. “I don’t think I’d consider myself a risk taker, Nicholas.”

  “No? You agreed to go on a weekend away with a stranger. You’re afraid to fly and you went up in a helicopter. And I bet this was your first time on a horse, but you went with it.”

  I couldn’t disagree with him. “Well, I guess you make the unknown exciting.”

  Nicholas looked over his shoulder, then back at me. “I have an idea,” he said. Then he stood up and pulled off his shirt, revealing his toned chest. I watched in confusion as he unbuttoned his pants and shoved them down, stepping out of his shoes.

  “What are you doing?” I asked. He grinned at me as he held the waistband of his boxers in his hands, then suddenly pulled them down until he was standing fully nude in front of me. I felt my heart start to beat quicker, he had an immaculate body and the sun was shining off of his skin. Without another word he turned away from me and jumped in the water with a splash. My jaw dropped as I got to my feet and stood by the edge of the stream. Was he crazy?

  Nicholas popped his head out of the clear water and smiled at me. “The water’s great, come on in, Breanne!” he told me. I crossed my arms and looked at him as he treaded water. Then, before I could second guess myself, I was pulling my shirt over my head. I stripped then dipped a toe in the water, the sun beating down on me and warming my skin. “Just jump!” he told me. Taking in a deep breath I looked in front of me, then I leapt into the water. I popped up and swam beside Nicholas, who wrapped an arm around me and kissed me. The cool water felt heavenly against my skin, and the area was secluded making it our own private oasis.

  Nicholas skimmed his hand along my curves under the water, caressing me as he moved his mouth over mine. I pressed my hands against his chest and held onto him, wrapping my legs around his waist. I could feel him growing hard against me and I blushed, looking into his eyes. “You drive me wild,” Nicholas said as he kissed along my shoulder. “I can’t get enough of your body.”

  “I can’t get enough of you either,” I admitted, loving the feeling of his body pressed against me. Nicholas held onto me then started to walk out of the stream, supporting my weight and carrying me over to the blanket. He crouched, laying me down, then returned to my mouth and kissed me passionately. I felt the breeze on my body as the sunlight beat down on us, water beading on our exposed skin. Nicholas moved his lips down my neck, nipping at me gently, then reached my breasts where he cupped me with his strong hands and closed his lips over my nipples. He took one, then the other into his mouth and massaged me expertly with his mouth and tongue. His hands trailed down my torso, reaching lower and lower, until he was between my legs.

  Slowly, gently, he started to stroke me and my body came alive under his touch. I looked up at him as he stared into my eyes. I bit my lip as he found my clit and started to rub slow circles along the bundle of nerves. I felt a thrill bubble inside me, we were in the middle of a densely wooded area lying in the sunlight. It felt so exposed yet also highly intimate. I lifted my legs to wrap around him as he continued to stroke me, then he slipped a finger inside me. I gasped as he pushed deep inside. He moved his hand against my sex, knowing exactly how to touch me to put my body on edge. I moaned gently as I felt myself grow wet and needy under his touch. Nicholas Blackstone brought out a whole other side to me, and I was completely at his mercy willing to do whatever he wanted.

  Angling himself between my legs Nicholas positioned the head of his shaft against my eager body, then with a slight shove of his hips he forced himself inside me. I groaned, feeling my body stretched against his thickness, then he continued to move inside me inch by inch. I felt everything he gave me until he was up to his base, reaching a deep place inside me, then he started to pull out. He returned again to my mouth and kissed me as he moved in and out of my soft opening, filling me and pinning me under his body. I wrapped my legs around him and he returned a finger to my swollen clit, rubbing me softly while he continued to thrust inside me.

  I arched my back, closing my eyes and feeling the overwhelming sensations taking control of my body. The warmth of the sunlight on my skin, the sound of the strea
m rushing past and the horses grazing behind us. It was highly erotic and arousing. In no time I was gasping, moving my hips along with his finger’s movements as he continued to shove into me. Each time he pushed up to the base I felt filled by him and a sensation deep inside me that caused me to clench my fists at my side, gathering the blanket between my fingers.

  I could feel myself getting close as Nicholas continued to stroke my clit with his finger, rubbing against the sensitive bundle of nerves and pushing me towards the edge. He dipped his head low and nipped at my breast, gently holding a nipple between his teeth as he increased the speed of his thrusts. The sound of our bodies connecting echoed off the trees in the grassy clearing and I felt the building inside me nearing its peak. With a gasp I threw my head to the side and fisted the blanket as I came, my body finding its release as I spiraled into waves of pure pleasure.

  Nicholas was looking down at me, his expression growing intense. “You’re so amazing,” he said breathlessly. He grabbed onto my thigh and lifted my leg, angling me so he could reach deeper inside my body with his quick strokes. We clung to each other in the clearing, the soft blanket underneath my back and the gentle breeze caressing my skin. As he pushed into me Nicholas looked enraptured with pleasure, overwhelmed as he chased his own orgasm. A stray strand of hair fell against his forehead as his body connected with mine over and over again.

  Suddenly he groaned and lowered himself, wrapping me in his arms as he held me against him. I felt him twitch inside me then a warm sensation as he came, his movements becoming slower as he groaned, his face pressed in the small of my neck. Suddenly, he was still. I felt the rapid beating of his heart, his chest pressed against mine, as the birds in the trees continued their chattering. I nuzzled against him, enjoying the feeling of his warm skin against my own and the scent of the cologne at his neck. I could have stayed there, wrapped in him, forever but I knew that wasn’t possible. Sooner or later we would need to head back.

  10

  After visiting my room to freshen up and change I headed over to Nicholas’ suite where he was waiting for me. I knocked on the door and he pulled it open, smiling when he saw me standing there.

  “You look beautiful Breanne,” he told me as he pulled me against his chest, pressing his lips against mine. He trailed a hand down my body, cupping my hips. “Maybe we could be a bit late,” he told me as he raised his eyebrow suggestively. I bit my lip, severely tempted as I looked at him dressed in dark jeans and a grey dress shirt. He always looked incredible no matter what he was wearing, and I wanted more than anything to be hidden away in a room with him with our clothes off. But his family was expecting us.

  “Come on,” I told him, laughing as I grabbed his hand. We left his room and went downstairs to the exquisite five star restaurant in the hotel. The hostess at the front greeted us warmly, then led us past a mirrored wall flanking a bar towards the tables. I recognized the Blackstone family seated around a table, chatting amongst themselves. Evelyn noticed us walking towards the table and smiled brightly at me, then the rest of the group looked our way stopping their conversation. I took a deep breath and Nicholas pulled a seat out for me beside Evelyn and I lowered myself down, smoothing my skirt with my hands. Nicholas sat beside me, Sasha on his other side. Liam and his mother Nancy were seated across from us, I felt my nerves bubbling inside me as Nancy looked at me carefully.

  “We’ve ordered a bottle of wine, is red okay with both of you?” she asked.

  “Red is perfect,” Nicholas said as he picked up the bottle and poured me a glass, then himself. “How was everyone’s day?”

  “We went shopping,” Sasha said. “Then Evelyn and I went to the hotel spa with mom for treatments. We would have invited you Breanne but when we called up to your room you weren’t there.”

  “Nicholas took me out for the day,” I told them. “But thank you for wanting to include me, that’s very kind of you.”

  “What did the two of you do today?” Nancy asked us.

  “Nicholas took me to a ranch and we went horseback riding, then had a picnic. It was a gorgeous day, I really enjoyed myself,” I told her.

  “Yes, you do seem to be enjoying yourself this weekend,” Nancy said, choosing her words carefully. “It will be quite an adjustment getting back to your normal routine I suppose. When are you going back?”

  “We’re heading back tonight,” Nicholas said, placing his hand gently on my leg under the table. Nancy looked at him, mildly surprised.

  “You’re going back too? But we’re all staying for a few more days,” she said. “I thought you were going to arrange a flight home for your,” she paused, then after a brief moment said “friend.”

  “I’m heading back with Breanne,” Nicholas repeated. “I have work to attend to back in Chicago.”

  “Really dear, you’re pushing yourself so hard,” Nancy said gently. “Share some of the responsibility with Liam. I don’t want you to burn yourself out.”

  “It’s exactly what I’ve been saying to him,” Liam broke in. “He’s a hard worker, but I think one of the lessons you’re really going to need to internalize Nicholas is when to delegate.”

  Nicholas ran his hands through his hair in frustration. “Why does every conversation we have when we’re together become about how I choose to conduct myself and my leadership capabilities?”

  “We just want to make sure you make the right choices,” Nancy said gently. “That you exercise good judgement.” As she said that last part she looked directly at me. I felt a chill run through me at the icy look in her eyes.

  “There isn’t a decision that I’ve made lately I don’t feel good about,” Nicholas countered. There was a tense silence at the table, until a waiter mercifully appeared with a warm greeting.

  “Good evening,” he said. “May I take your order, or would you like a bit more time?”

  “We’re ready,” Nancy said as she scanned her menu. “I’ll have the salmon.”

  “That sounds good,” Liam told her. “I’ll have the same.”

  “House salad with grilled chicken,” Sasha told the waiter.

  “Duck ravioli for me please,” said Evelyn.

  The waiter looked at me and I quickly scanned the menu. Everything looked delicious and I was starving. “I’ll also have the duck ravioli,” I said. “It sounds delicious.”

  “I’ll have the steak, medium rare,” Nicholas said as he handed his menu over. “And I think we could use another bottle of wine. Same vintage.” The waiter nodded then walked away, leaving us alone once again. I took the opportunity to change the topic of conversation.

  “So, Evelyn,” I asked. “I never got to ask, are you a student too?” She nodded.

  “I’m in my first year at the University of Chicago studying English,” she said. “I’d love to work in journalism or become a writer. You go there too, don’t you?” she asked. I nodded. “We should meet up sometime on campus, grab lunch or a coffee.”

  “That would be great,” I told her. Nancy was watching me closely still, her expression was no friendlier than it was earlier.

  “What is it that you’re studying, Breanne?” Nancy asked me.

  “Psychology,” I told her. “I have a special interest in forensics.”

  “And what exactly does one do with that sort of degree?” she asked.

  “Well, I’m hoping to go on to graduate school. Then from there find a placement working with the criminal justice system doing forensic psychology.”

  “Graduate school,” she said. “That will be quite expensive for your parents.”

  “Actually, I pay for my schooling,” I told her. Her eyes widened.

  “All by yourself?” she asked. “How do you support yourself?”

  “I received a partial scholarship,” I told her. “The rest I cover by working part time as a waitress.” Her face was impassive, but I stared straight ahead. I was not ashamed of who I was, or the fact that I worked hard to put myself through school. She looked from me to Nicholas.


  “Well,” she said, the word almost a sigh. “I suppose you must feel quite lucky then to have caught the attention of my Nicholas.”

  “Excuse me?” I asked.

  “Being a waitress, coming from the background you do. You must feel a bit like Cinderella right now, swept away on a luxurious vacation. Riding horses through the California countryside.”

  Sasha and Evelyn looked at me, mortified and Nicholas slammed his palm against the table. “Mother, that’s quite enough.”

  “What?” she asked, incredulous. “Are we just supposed to sit here and act like you’re not from completely different worlds? Really Nicholas, I’m only looking out for you.”

  I was mortified by her unspoken insinuation, that I was only with Nicholas because he was rich and that I was low class. My hands were shaking in my lap and I felt tears prick the sides of my eyes. I didn’t want to let her words get to me, but they were.

  “Excuse me, please,” I said, getting to my feet. “I need to use the restroom.” I started to walk away and heard Sasha speak to her mother in a hiss.

  “That was completely unnecessary,” Sasha said firmly.

  “Totally uncalled for,” Evelyn added. “Breanne is a really nice person.” Their voices grew faint behind me as I rushed to the restroom and locked myself in a cubicle. Finally alone I choked out a sob, my entire body shaking. What was I thinking? Nicholas and I really were from two different worlds. Lilly knew it, his mother knew it, were we just deluding ourselves? What was I really expecting when I got back home, that we would continue to see each other? Was I expecting Nicholas Blackstone, one of the most eligible bachelors in Chicago to become my boyfriend? Collecting myself I took a deep breath then exited the stall, facing my reflection in the mirror. I washed my hands and dabbed at my cheeks with tissue, cleaning up my streaky makeup. When I was presentable again I steadied my nerves and held my head high, it was time to head back to the table and face them again.