Ava glanced up at the clock, it had gone past ten and she left Lance to tidy the kitchen and went to phone the hospital.
“Hello, this is Joanna Hobbs’s great niece phoning to see how she is.” Ava waited while she was transferred to the ward.
“Hello, I believe you’re phoning about Mrs Hobbs?” an efficient voice asked.
“Yes, that's right.”
“I’m glad to say she's had a comfortable night, doctor has seen her and thinks it would be best to keep her in for another night to keep an eye on the swelling in her wrist. By all means come and visit her, I’m sure she will be happier to see a friendly face.”
“OK, thank you, we’ll be there within the hour. Could you tell her please?”
“Yes, of course, I’ll do it now, goodbye.” Efficient and busy, by the tone.
“Goodbye.” Ava hung up, and went back into the kitchen.
Lance had washed up and put everything back in its proper place. He turned to watch her come in, noting the troubled look on her face.
“Everything OK?” he asked.
“Yes. Well they're keeping her in for another night, to keep an eye on her wrist.”
“So why do you look so worried?” He came over to put an arm around her shoulder.
She wiped her hand over her eyes, brushing away the tears that threatened to fall.
“I’m worried, that's all, you know she thought she would never come home, I hope she's not going to get herself into a state.”
“Well, let’s get there and make sure she knows she'll be home soon.”
“I ought to have a shower first.” She got up and started to slowly climb the stairs.
“I’d join you, but we'd never get to the hospital.”
She half turned to look at him, his smile lifting her spirits, she was so glad to have him there with her. It was what relationships and marriage was about, sharing your problems, and fears.
Ava thought she should explain her reservations to him; after all he wanted to share a side of him he kept from other people. The journey to the hospital might be a good chance to get her worries off her mind.
Ava had the quickest shower ever, she put her hair up so it didn’t get wet, because she definitely didn’t have time to dry it before they left for the hospital. Coming out of the shower in a towel she opened her wardrobe and pulled out some jeans and a clean shirt, dressing quickly.
Lance met her at the bottom of the stairs, looking as devastatingly handsome as always. He held her hand and they walked out to his truck where he opened the door and helped her in.
A true old fashioned gentleman, it was a novelty for Ava. She wondered if it was the way he had been bought up, or if men in this part of the world were expected to act that way. Maybe country boys were best, time would tell.
“Has your family always lived here?” she asked as they drove down the track away from the small cottage.
“Yes, around here anyway. They haven't always been so prosperous, the estate struggled for years, but my brother Nat is a good businessman and made some investments in machinery and bought some more land. When I took it over it barely broke even, but between us we've turned it around. It’s a good place for other members of our family to start out, they learn about hard work, and getting respect for their effort.”
“So you have a big family?”
“Quite big, we're very close knit, so the estate workers are my nephews, cousins, you name it.”
“You must all get on really well.”
“We have our moments, but the clashes are usually settled before they get out of hand. It’s easier when you have a leader like Nat.”
“Leader?” This sounded like a cult again.
“Yes, head of the family, that sort of thing.”
“But he can’t be that old, not if he’s your brother.”
“Age isn't everything,” Lance said, and then changed the subject, Ava wondered if this was part of the secret he didn’t want to tell her yet. “What about you, where's your family?”
She paused, taking a deep breath before spilling her life story. “I’m from the city, but to be honest right now I don’t feel as though I have a home or a family. My parents split up, which I know happens all the time, but mine seem to take great pleasure in emotionally murdering each other at every opportunity.”
He looked at her sideways. “That must be hard.”
“It is, especially when they expect you to take sides over everything. My Mom is the worst, I suppose it’s because my Dad already has a girlfriend, so she feels out numbered. But kids shouldn't have to take that kind of flack. It’s the reason I came here, my grandmother saw what was happening and contacted my great aunt hoping she would give me shelter while I finished my studies. I’m quite sure if I hadn't come here I’d have ended up in the loony bin.”
“I’m sure that wouldn’t have happened,” Lance said reassuringly.
“I don’t know, my doctor wanted to prescribe me antidepressants, but I’m too young to get hooked on something like that. But sometimes it was a struggle to get out of bed, the stress became too much, the pressure from so many sides started to suffocate me.” Her voice wavered dangerously.
“Why did you pick horticulture?” Lance asked. She knew he had seen how close she was to breaking down and had tactfully moved on to something she enjoyed.
She took a deep positive breath. “My family started to fall apart about three years ago. My Mom thought my Dad was seeing someone else. They stuck together, but the damage was done, they were always arguing, and I decided I hated seeing things die, I wanted to make things grow, so I got interested in a project to help old people with their gardens.”
They were coming out of the countryside, the roads becoming busier and more built up. Ava found the sight unappealing, in the short months she had been living in an isolated area she had become to think of it as home. The peace and tranquillity of so much open space had helped her, and she had spent many hours walking in solitude.
“I enjoyed it more than I ever thought, what had started off as a way of escape really became a passion, and I was good at it. So I enrolled in college and loved it, but when my parents finally split, even my studies suffered, my tutor agreed a change would be a good idea, so it all came together and I moved.”
The hospital loomed in front of them, so different from the way it had looked in the dark. Lance parked and came around to help her out. He kissed her on the lips and she met him with the same passion. Only a few days ago Ava would have been embarrassed at such a public display of affection.
“Is that why you pushed me away?”
She was startled at the bluntness of his question, but she nodded, and he kissed her again.
“Your parents are not you; their marriage is not a reflection on you. You are your own person. I think you're smart enough not to make the same mistakes. It’s the same as the estate, Nat and I could have followed in the footsteps of the elders, but we didn’t we decided if the place was going to survive we had to do things differently.”
She stroked the side of his face, and then planted a kiss on his neck where she could see his life blood pumping through his veins. Everything about Lance made her think of life and vitality; she rested her head on his shoulder and drank in his strength and power for a moment. Then she stood straight, ready to go and face the bustle of the hospital.
She held his hand and started to move away, he pulled her back into his arms and leaned down to whisper in her ear, “I have an errand to run first.”
She looked at him quizzically, he winked and then her expression changed, her face flushing bright red. “Ohh.”
Laughing, he kissed her on the cheek and she stood and watched him run across the road and disappear into the crowd. Sighing happily she practically skipped across to the entrance of the hospital. If this was love then she wanted to wallow in it for ever. Lance made her feel so free.
***
Aunty Jo looked happy and relaxed when Ava reached her ward.
Her hair was combed and the old lady had a familiar sparkle in her eyes.
“Hello, Ava. It’s so good to see you. Is everything alright at home?”
Ava leaned down and gave her a hug and a kiss. “Yes, the place survived without you for a night. How are you doing?”
“Great, don’t you worry, dear. It’s quite nice in here, lots of people to talk to. The food isn't too bad either,” said Aunty Jo.
“I hope you’re behaving yourself,” Ava said with a laugh.
“Oh, yes. The nurses are lovely too. They keep bringing me cups of tea.”
They chatted on for an hour; Ava discovered her aunt would be able to come home tomorrow, as long as she promised to rest. It was good to see her so happy and relaxed, and Ava felt relieved the whole ordeal was nearly over for her kind hearted great aunt.
As Aunty Jo talked about what had happened throughout the morning Ava found herself drifting off into musing how funny life turned out. If her parents hadn't split up and caused her so much pain then she would never have ended up here, with the man of her dreams. She could have spent her whole life going through the motions and dying a lonely old spinster.
“Penny for them,” a familiar voice said, waking her from her daydream.
“Mr Greystone, I can’t thank you enough for what you did.” Mrs Hobbs winked at Lance. “But I feel you have earned your own kind of reward.”
“Aunty Jo!” Ava blushed, and Lance laughed.
“You could say that,” Lance said. “Is there anything I can get you?”
“No dear, well, perhaps Ava could get me a cup of tea before you go.”
“I’ll get it,” said Lance.
“No, dear, I’d like Ava to get it for me.”
Ava got up and went to find a cup of tea for her great aunt, glancing back she saw the old lady talking intently to Lance. He nodded at her words, Ava wondered what it was about, more importantly she worried that her great aunt was keeping something from her. Maybe the doctors had some concerns that the old lady had decided to keep from Ava.
She returned with a hot cup of tea, and carefully set it down on the bedside.
“Now is there anything else you need?” Ava asked, not sure whether to pry into what had passed between them.
“No dear, now you two go on home and don’t worry about me.” Ava leaned down and kissed her goodbye. “You have fun, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Alright, I’ll phone the hospital later to check everything is OK.”
“Very well, now enjoy yourselves.”
As Ava turned to go she was sure Aunty Jo winked at Lance, who smothered a smile, perhaps things were alright after all. Then she had the shocking thought that her great aunt had guessed exactly what was going on between them, and this was what she had spoken to Lance about.
They walked out of the hospital, Ava deep in thought, but not so switched off to her surroundings that she didn’t see the way a couple of the nurses smiled and flirted with their eyes as Lance walked past. She would have been cross if it were not for the fact that Lance didn’t bat an eyelid.
“Does that happen often?” she asked Lance, nodding her head in the direction of a pretty nurse who was twisting her hair coyly between her fingers as they walked by.
“What? Oh yes, I guess, not that I take much notice.”
She smiled at him. “I bet they are all thinking you could do so much better than me, either that or thinking I’m a relative you’ve been forced to walk with.”
He grabbed her elbow and turned her to face him and there, right in the middle of the foyer he kissed her, with at least twenty pairs of eyes watching them.
When he released her she swayed slightly, he always seemed to have that effect on her, and then he linked his arm through hers and walked them out to where he had parked his truck.
“Was that public enough for you?” he asked smoothly.
“Yes,” she answered still shocked.
He opened her door for her and while she slid into her seat he leaned down and whispered. “It’s a good job they can’t read minds, or they will be very shocked at what I plan to do to you when I get you home.”
To emphasise his point he slid a hand between her legs, which she automatically parted for him. Slowly he slid his hand up and down, stimulating her in such a wonderful way she wished she had a magic carpet and could fly them home in seconds.
“Take me home,” she said, and he moved away from her, shutting her door securely.
Ava watched him as he crossed in front of the truck, admiring the way he moved, so supple and sure of himself. A total contrast to how she was feeling at this moment. Her insides were liquid fire, and her sex ached with a longing to be filled by him. She was still a virgin in her book, but later she would feel a man inside her for the first time.
The journey home really did seem to fly by, she knew Lance was going faster than he should, and the thought that he wanted to get home quickly did funny things to her body. Her breasts were already so sensitive the fabric of her bra might well have been sand paper. She wanted Lance to pull over and rip her clothes off and make love to her in the open air.
His body would warm hers, and they could make love on the grass of a meadow, under the stars. The coolness of the evening soon told her that fantasy might have to wait for the warmer summer weather. Right now the best place for them to be was in her bed, under her covers doing whatever came naturally to both of them.
When they got back to the cottage it seemed the thing that came most natural to Lance was helping her out of the truck only to push her back against it and kiss her fiercely. His hand slid straight to her breast and he squeezed it, managing to locate her nipple through her clothes and pinching it enough to send her wild.
She clawed at his clothes, and in one swift movement he picked her up and carried her to the house. Placing her down carefully so she could open the front door. Her fingers were trembling so much she struggled to find the keyhole, and he covered her hand with his to steady it. Turning the key, the door opened inwards and they fell inside, undressing each other as they went.
Ava dragged his t shirt off, and then kissed his bare chest while he fought to unbutton her shirt with trembling fingers. Pushing her shirt off her shoulders he quickly unclasped her bra and her breasts spilled out into his waiting hands.
It felt so amazing, his large hands splayed across her sensitive flesh. His rough palms massaged her breasts, his skin brushing her nipples making her heated with desire. Ava kissed and stroked his chest, finding his nipples just as irresistible and giving him a taste of what he was doing to her.
One of his hands slid between her thighs and stroked her there, a sensation that almost made her knees buckle, even through her jeans. She wanted nothing more than to take them off and let him touch her naked flesh.
“Shall we go upstairs? he asked, “I would take you here, but your first time should be a little gentler.”
Her first time, this was it, Lance Greystone was going to do things to her she had only fantasised about, and after a moment's fear she wanted him more than anything in her whole life.
He took her hand and led her upstairs, she followed meekly, scared and yet thrilled with what was about to pass between them. Going into her bedroom he paused before the bed and turned to face her. His lips sought hers, soft and gentle at first, and then deepening as she responded. His tongue teased her lips and stoked the growing fire with in her.
When his hands returned to her breasts she knew the heat between her thighs had made her wet and she felt a little embarrassed by her need for him. He would find out just how wet she was now, because his hands undid the buttons of her jeans, and he slowly pushed them down over her round bottom, and down further until she stood before him in only her panties.
He moved her to the bed, and sat her down, helping her to lie back and then pulling her panties until they were discarded too. She had never felt so naked, so exposed to another person. Only her intense desire for him kept her in place
when all she wanted to do was run and hide.
Lance looked into her eyes as he slowly undid his belt and then removed his pants. When he was totally naked in front of her she couldn’t take her eyes off his long stiff cock. However that was meant to fit inside her she didn’t know. He was the first man she had ever seen a naked in real life, but even she knew that Lance was more impressive than most men alive.
He moved to kneel before her, and pulled her to the edge of the bed before spreading her thighs and dipping his head down to run his tongue along the length of her slit. Her sex throbbed in need, but he took his time, making sure she was completely relaxed. She watched the top of his head move up and down, feeling the rhythm of his tongue pushing in and out of her until she was sopping wet.
Pushing a finger inside her he worked it nice and deep while his tongue paid attention to the sensitive nub of her clit. It was so good; she stroked his thick dark hair as he worked. Her orgasm so close now.
Lifting her hips up she pushed her mound into his face, and he replied by covering her clit with his mouth and sucking hard, his tongue flicking out to push her over the edge. Her hands opened and closed, pulling his hair and she cried out as he pushed another finger inside her and stretched her walls nice and wide. Somewhere deep in her mind she knew he was trying to prepare her for the size of him, but this thought struggled to register through the intense pleasure her body was experiencing.
Unrelenting he sucked at her clit and fingered her sex until she cried out. It was so incredible she wondered how it could get any better, if it was even possible for his thick cock to make her experience more. When he released her as her orgasm subsided, and turned to find the packet of condoms he had purchased while she was in the hospital, she knew she was about to find out.
Lance opened the packet and took a condom out, leaving it still sealed while he joined her on the bed. He stroked her breasts, kissing her nipples lightly, bringing her back to a heightened state of arousal. Ava responded to him, touching his toned body and then reaching for his cock.
Waiting For Curves Page 4
