Beyond the Orange Moon (Mathews Family Book 2)

by Adrienne Frances

  Charlie raised his eyebrows and laughed when she covered her mouth to shut herself up. “Girlfriend?”

  She leaned forward into his chest and groaned. “I did say that, didn’t I? Sorry. I’m an idiot.”

  With a lot of effort, he pulled her head up and pried her hands from her face. “Hey, look at me,” he said, and tried not to laugh. “You practically live with me; you take care of my son like you love him more than anything in the world, and you’re on a trip with me right now. I’d say that pretty much makes me yours, right?”

  A smile crept over her pink lips as she took in his words. “I’m yours,” she whispered.

  “Good,” he said. “Now, kiss your boyfriend.”

  Lucy leaned forward and placed her lips against his. He nibbled on her lower lip and slipped his tongue in her mouth. It had been way too long since he’d been able to do that, and it was no one’s fault but his own.

  He made a small sound of complaint when she eventually pulled away, and asked, “Have you heard from the Monroes today? How’s Jack?”

  “Marie called a few hours ago.” Charlie pulled the top of her dress down to get a better view of what was underneath. He looked up at her and smiled.

  Lucy rolled her eyes at his attempt to undress her. “And?”

  “This is actually kind of funny. She wanted to know what Bee is, because Jack is really frustrated that she can’t understand what he’s talking about.”

  Lucy gave the most glorious grin he’d ever seen and covered her mouth. “Oh my God. Did you tell her?”

  “Well, yeah.”

  “What did she say?”

  “She just kind of said ‘oh,’ and left it at that.”

  “Hmm,” Lucy said. “Marie seems to like you.”

  Charlie flopped his head back and closed his eyes. “Marie does what Tom tells her to do. It doesn’t matter how she feels.”

  “She seems really sad, too.”

  He opened his eyes to find Lucy frowning. He ran his hands up her smooth arms and sighed. “She is,” he confirmed.

  “Because of Meredith?”

  That might have been the first time that Charlie heard Lucy say her name and it didn’t affect him the way he had expected. If possible, it made him care for her more.

  He nodded slowly. “She was always a little sad before, too, though. Tom isn’t the greatest husband in the world. But, yes, Meredith passing away made it worse. Plus, I’m sure it hurts her that we all don’t get along anymore.”

  “Well, they have your picture up in their condo,” Lucy said. “They must still care about you.”

  Charlie’s face turned grim. That picture had been what set off his mood in the first place. “That picture wasn’t there before, Lucy. They never had a picture of me in any of their homes. There isn’t even a picture of Jack. Do you think they would have me on display and not their own grandson? That was just Tom’s way of taking a jab at you.”

  “Oh,” was all she could seem to say.

  “I put you right in the line of fire. I didn’t know that Tom could go that low. He’s become evil in his grief. I guess I’ve just been so preoccupied with wondering what else he’s going to do that I didn’t realize I was making this trip even worse.” He cupped her cheeks and kissed her forehead. “I’m sorry, baby. I shouldn’t have taken you to their house. I’m just trying to make everyone happy—I want Meredith’s parents to see Jack, but I also don’t want you to feel like I’m ashamed of being with you.”

  “You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t, I guess.”

  “I don’t want to hide you away, but now all I’ve done is hurt you.”

  Lucy pulled back and looked right into his eyes. “You didn’t hurt me, Charlie.” She thought for a minute, searching for the right words. “You were married to a beautiful woman who you probably still love to this day.”

  Charlie inhaled, ready to speak, but she shook her head and silenced him.

  “I know that Meredith will always have a piece of your heart. I wouldn’t respect you if she didn’t.” She ran her fingers over his face and he closed his eyes at her touch. “Your heart is so big that it can fit everyone inside. It’s what makes me fall harder for you every day.”

  “Lucy?” he asked to get her complete attention.

  She looked into his eyes, and there it all was: everything he’d once thought he could never have again.

  His chest, completely in sync with his rapid heartbeat, rose and fell with his harsh breaths. He ran his hands up her arms and wrapped them around the nape of her neck. “I’m in love with you,” he finally whispered.

  They were the words he never thought he’d say again. God, did he feel them all the way down to his bones. He wholeheartedly belonged to her.

  Now, he just needed to hear it back. He watched for her reaction. She seemed completely lost in his eyes as they gazed into hers.

  Her chin trembled, a sign of hers that he had come to know: she was fighting tears. “You’re in love with me?” she asked quietly.

  Charlie bit back a smile and nodded. He placed her hand over his chest. “You are my heart, Lucy. And, yes, I do have other people in it, but it beats for you.”

  In one swift movement, she lunged for him and placed kiss after kiss on his lips. “I love you, I love you, I love you,” she repeated. She leaned back and pressed her palms to his cheeks. “I love you, Charlie Mathews.”

  “Thank God.” Charlie sat up and put his hands under her dress. He nibbled away at her shoulder and left a trail of kisses up her neck. He couldn’t wait anymore. He hadn’t been inside of her for days. It was too long.

  “Make love to me,” she said as he ran his tongue up to her earlobe.

  She didn’t need to ask twice. She didn’t even need to ask once; he was already a man on a mission. Still, it was nice to hear the pleading in her voice.

  He stood, picking her up and wrapping her legs around his waist. He walked inside and closed the French doors behind him. On his way to the bedroom, he kissed her lips and groaned when she tightened her grip on his waist.

  In the bedroom, he set her down and pursued her as she stepped backward and put her hand on his chest.

  “Wait!” she yelled, and giggled.

  Charlie shook his head and pulled off his shirt. No waiting.

  “You have to!” she yelled again, and jumped up on the bed to get away from him.

  Charlie crawled onto the bed and grabbed her leg. He kissed her foot, and then licked and nipped his way up until he was in between her thighs.

  “Oh,” she moaned and closed her eyes. “I have something for you,” she said, panting.

  As he was about to lower her panties, he raised his head to look at her. This could be beneficial. “What?” he asked, his voice hoarse with need.

  She looked down at him and gave him a warm, lusty smile that made him even harder. “You have to let me go into the bathroom to get it.”

  “I’ll carry you in there,” he said, not wanting to let her go.

  She shook her head. “It’s a surprise.”

  Charlie sat back on his haunches and sighed. He raked a hand through his hair and asked, “What should I do while you’re in there?”

  Lucy knelt down and fluffed one of the feather pillows. “Relax.”

  “I’ve been relaxing all day,” he said, well aware that he was whining like a baby.

  She slipped off the bed and grabbed a bag that was sitting on a chair. “Just stay there,” she demanded. She stumbled a little as she walked backward. She flipped off the bedroom light, leaving a golden trail of light coming in though the blinds. “And don’t come in here.”

  Charlie leaned back and folded his arms behind his head. He watched her like a pouty little boy, scowl and all.

  “And, also,” she paused in the doorway and tilted her head to the side, “leave the jeans on.”

  “How’s that going to work?” he asked, and then grumbled when she closed the door without answering him.

  * * *<
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  In the bathroom, Lucy hurried as she slipped into the tiny black bustier made of nothing but lace and black ribbons that tied up the sides. She looked in the mirror and saw her nipples right through the lace, which was the intention.

  She bent down and slid the black G-string up, laughing because it was only going to be on for about five minutes. He’d get the effect before he ripped it off, though, so it was worth it. She rolled the thigh-highs up her legs and attached the garters.

  After slipping into her sexiest stilettos, she bent over and fluffed her hair out for a little volume. She ran a tiny amount of lip gloss over her lips and loved how swollen they looked from his kisses.

  She took a step back to look at herself in the mirror. Hot damn. Lydia was right: she did look like a sex vixen in this outfit.

  It was almost a shame that Charlie was about to rip it off her.

  She took in a deep breath and called out, “Are you ready?”

  “For about twenty minutes now!” he yelled back, his voice dripping with impatience.

  She opened the door and revealed only one leg, which she ran up and down the wall to give him a little tease. She laughed when she heard the bed rustle quickly, followed by the sound of him clearing his throat.

  “Are you still annoyed?” she asked in a singsong voice.

  “Nope,” he answered quietly.

  “Good.” With her best moves, she spun around and exposed herself to him. She leaned back against the door and gave him a heavy-lidded look.

  With his eyes full of shock and his mouth wide open, Charlie practically jumped from the bed to the floor. He took her all in, from the stilettos all the way up to her completely see-through top.

  “Is that for me?” he asked, swallowing hard.

  Lucy ran her hands up her sides and tugged on one of the ribbons. “It’s all for you, Charlie Mathews.”

  With three giant steps, he was right in front of her. He shook his head in disbelief as he looked down at her body. He ran his hands up and down the ribbons on the sides and then fell to his knees in front of her. “Fuck,” he practically growled.

  “I take it that you like it,” she whispered as he ran his hands up the thigh-highs and garters.

  He was lost in thought as he looked at every inch of her. Making her feel like a work of art, he appreciated all the lace and ribbons. He licked his lips and moved his head to her hip, where he pulled the G-string down with his teeth.

  She let out a little moan and ran her fingers through his hair. His teeth skimmed her skin as he dragged the G-string all the way down.

  “These stay on,” he ordered, running his hands over her stilettos and thigh-highs.

  She began to pant heavily as he turned the tables on her and began to toy with her the exact same way that she had teased him only minutes before. He touched and licked everywhere, driving her almost mad with desire.

  “Charlie,” she breathed, “please.”

  With a quiet chuckle, he stood up and guided her over to the bed. His smile had disappeared, leaving behind only lust and need.

  After pushing her to the edge of the bed, he ran his thumb over her lower lip and then slid it into her mouth. She sucked on it and flashed him a seductive look.

  He narrowed his eyes and shook his head, amused. Without much warning, he turned her around and flipped her to her knees. He guided her back to his naked chest. She collapsed against him as he caressed her breasts through the lacy material. As he teased her neck with his tongue and pinched her hardened nipples, she heard the sound of his zipper sliding down.

  She knew what was coming. It was the sexiest, most thrilling sound she had ever heard.

  Within seconds, he was easing his way inside of her. His hot breath was on her neck while he nipped at her skin ever so lightly. He pushed her forward and let the palm of his hand slide down her spine as he slowly rocked further into her.

  “You have no idea how many times I’ve fantasized about you in this position,” he admitted breathlessly. “Just like this.”

  She cried out when he reached his hand under and touched her with his fingers. She held them there as he lunged forward, sweating and panting. The rush of heat grew to a fiery surge, causing her legs to weaken and her spine to tingle. Like every other time she’d been with him, her body came alive, every nerve ending inside of her lighting up as pleasure swirled through her. As he shuddered behind her, Charlie said her name and they came together.

  After a few moments, he kissed her back as he gently guided her down to the bed and collapsed beside her. They turned to face one another, breathless and full of quiet laughter.

  He pushed the long hair from her face and smiled tenderly as his chest rose and fell with each deep breath. “You, Lucy Marina Dalton, are the sexiest woman alive.”

  Lying on her side, Lucy ran a finger over his abs and loved the way they flexed beneath her touch. “You kept your jeans on,” she said with a smile.

  “You told me to,” he reminded her.

  Lucy untied the side of her bustier and pulled the lace from her body. She slipped off her stilettos and rolled each thigh-high down, until she was completely naked. She sat up, stretching out her arms, and flashed a grin at him when she saw that he was watching her.

  “Jacuzzi?” she asked with a wink.

  Charlie nodded slowly. “Yes, as long as you stay just like that,” he answered with a smile. “No more clothes for the rest of the day.”

  They pulled themselves from the bed and grabbed two towels before heading to the Jacuzzi out back. It was private, behind trees and a wall that secluded them from anyone walking along the shore, but it still gave them a beautiful view of the sparkling water.

  “The sun’s going to set soon.” Charlie removed his jeans and boxer briefs. He slid into the hot water. “You’ve never seen a sunset like this, baby.”

  “Better than home?” Lucy asked.

  “No,” Charlie said, and extended his hand for her to climb in. “It’s just different.”

  Once she was submerged in the steaming tub, she glided through the warm water to Charlie. She slid into his arms and sat on his lap, pressing against him. She leaned her head back against his wet chest and sighed when he ran his hands over her skin.

  “This feels glorious,” she said.

  He bowed his head and kissed her temple. “When we touch, everything is glorious.”

  “I meant the water, but yeah, that, too,” she joked.

  “Funny,” he said, and pinched her side.

  “Ow!” she cried out, laughing.

  He massaged her skin and soothed the ache. “Sorry.”

  “I liked it,” she said, and grabbed his hand to urge him on.

  The rumble of his chest vibrated behind her head as he laughed. He squeezed her tighter and pulled her wet body up so he could lick her ear. “When the sun sets, I’m going to make love to you again.”

  “C’mon sun,” she teased.

  “It’ll go down behind those trees way out there,” Charlie said, and pointed to the west.

  Lucy looked out over the water and sighed at the beauty before her. The puffy clouds filled the sky with brilliant colors of white, blue, and gray. Off in the distance, above the orange sun and treetops, the pink sky touched the clouds and blended to the point where it was difficult to tell where one ended and the other began. Beneath the sky, the blue water of the bay shimmered and mirrored the beautiful scene above. He was right; it was different from a Phoenix sunset. The mountains always made the perfect backdrop for such a sight, but the glistening water of Lake Michigan only added to the effect.

  She closed her eyes and let the sounds of the bay take over her senses. Over the whirr and bubbling jets of the hot tub, the waves and the seagulls along the shore blended with the hum of the boats that came in and out of the bay. She could feel the rise and fall of Charlie’s deep breaths, making her realize that they were in perfect sync with one another.

  “There it goes,” he whispered in her ear.


  Lucy opened her eyes and watched the top of the sun vanish behind the trees, leaving behind swathes of pink that stretched into the clouds as if they had been hand painted there. It was nature in all of its glory and she was witnessing it with the most perfect human being behind her.

  It was, without a doubt, the most thrilling moment of her life.

  “That was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” she said quietly. “The sounds, the water, the sky … I can’t believe how gorgeous the world can be.”

  Charlie nuzzled the wet skin of her shoulder. “You have to be with the right person to appreciate that kind of beauty,” he said, and kissed her neck.

  Lucy hummed as she sighed and closed her eyes. From the top of her head to the tips of her toes, she was in tune with every movement his mouth made.

  “Lucy?”

  “Hmm?”

  “Move in with me.” It wasn’t so much a demand as it was a question. “If you’re uncomfortable, I’ll buy another house for us. Just live with me. Fall asleep in my arms every night and wake up in them each morning. Just don’t leave.”

  She sucked in a breath and held it, replaying the last twenty seconds in her head over and over until she couldn’t stand it anymore. She let out the breath she had been holding and listened to the sound of her own heartbeat.

  He pushed her wet hair to the side and rested his chin on her shoulder. “Is this too fast for you?”

  “No. I mean, isn’t it too fast for you?” she asked.

  Charlie pressed his forehead against her cheek. “I wouldn’t ask if it was.”

  She gripped his roaming hands and looked out at the sky again. The colors had nearly disappeared with the sun. All that remained in the dark blue were slivers of pink and red just above the tree line.

  “Lucy?” Charlie breathed. “A simple yes or no would be great.”

  “I just don’t want you to do anything that you might regret, Charlie. It wouldn’t be just you who I would be starting a life with. What if you change your mind? It would be really hard to lose two people.”

  “Wait, what?” He gripped her hips and spun her around in the water until she was facing him. He pulled her closer and wrapped her legs around his hips. “Why would you lose us?”