by Ellie Wade
“Wow. Looks like I missed a fun day.” He kisses her on the head and sets her down on her feet.
“Hi.” I reach him and press my lips to his. “I missed you,” I say against his mouth before kissing him again.
“I missed you.” He sighs, a hint of relief present.
“Everything okay at home?”
He nods. “Yeah, Dad's home and resting, grumpy as ever but recovering nicely from surgery. I enjoyed my time with Mom before he came home from the hospital. It was great.”
“Good. I’m so glad. You’re home early? I thought you’d be getting back tonight?”
“Well, there’s only so much time I can handle with my father. It was time to come back.” He scans my wet attire. “You said you needed to see me. Was it an invite to whatever this is?” He chuckles.
His question sparks an idea, and I look down to Love. “What do you say? Should we show Amos what we’re up to?”
She grins and bobs her head.
“You might want to toss your wallet and phone over there.” I point toward a dry patch of grass.
Amos does as instructed, and I thread my fingers through his. Love holds his other hand, and we run through the sprinklers. Amos releases cries of mock protest, which causes Love to laugh harder. We dance, and spin, and run in circles through the spray. Water soaks my face making it hard to see straight until we’re once again exhausted and fall onto the grass.
Love plops on my stomach.
“There you go,” I say. “Now you’re fully up to speed on our day. Well, besides the ice cream and games, of course.”
Amos lies beside me and wraps his pinky finger around mine. “I missed ice cream and games?”
“I’m afraid so, but I think we left you some ice cream.”
“We did,” Love chimes in. “There’s a lot!”
“Oh, good,” Amos responds.
We lie in the grass, eyes closed, as the sun warms our skin. After a few minutes, Love’s breathing evens out.
“She’s out,” I whisper and turn my face toward Amos.
“I stopped by at the Lair first. They say you’ve been home,” Amos remarks, quietly as not to wake Love.
“Yeah, I took the past two days off for Mommy and Love time.”
“That’s good, Alma.” Amos smiles.
“It’s been great. I think I want to start taking a day off during the week to be with her, at least until she starts school. I don’t want to miss anything.”
“You should. You have a team of people running the Lair, Alma. It doesn’t always have to fall on you.”
“I know. There are just so many kids who need help and not enough time in the day to do everything that needs to be done.”
“Unfortunately, in our business, there will never be enough hours in the day. You have to take comfort that you’re helping as many as you can. You can’t save the world, but the kids you do help—you’re saving them. And all of your staff has huge hearts. They don’t work as hard as they do because you’re there all the time. They work so hard because they care, and that won’t change if you take a day off.”
I nod, knowing he’s right. “There’s another reason I spent the past couple of days home with Love.”
“Yeah?”
“I planned a weekend away. Just the two of us.”
Amos’s eyes widen, and the corners of his mouth tilt up. “You did?”
I bite my bottom lip, “I did. I’m sorry I said no before. This week apart was good for me. I’ve been able to put some things into perspective, and I’m ready.”
He lifts a brow. “You sure?”
“I am.”
He closes the distance between our mouths and kisses me. “I love you, Almalee Hannelda.”
“I love you,” I answer.
“Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise.”
“Okay.” He smirks. “I like that.”
Amos scoots up close beside me and kisses me slowly and quietly. His lips are magical, and it takes everything in me not to deepen the kiss.
“I should go in and shower,” I say when his lips leave mine. “And you should go home and pack.”
“What do I need to bring?”
“Whatever you want, really. Maybe a bathing suit.”
“I can do that.” He stands and lifts Love from me. There’s a pool of sweat on my chest where her face was. He holds her in his arms, and we walk into the cool air-conditioned house.
Lee-Anne sits at the table reading a magazine. The easy smile on her face is a little too perfect. I can only imagine she witnessed Amos and my kissing session in the grass and is all too pleased.
“Hi, Mom. I didn’t know you were here.”
“Yep, just got here. Wanted to be here while you got ready for this weekend.”
Amos lays Love down on the couch.
“Well, she is excited about her weekend with you,” I tell my mom.
“Oh, I’m excited, too. I have so many things planned. She’s going to be having so much fun. She won’t have time to miss you.”
I let out a chuckle. “Well, I’m glad. I’m going to go shower,” I say to my mom before waving goodbye to Amos. “I’ll see you soon.”
“Can’t wait.”
Me either.
22
Amos
I wind the car through the narrow drive. A forest of tall pines lines either side of the road, creating a beautiful canopy of green over us. Moments later, the house comes into view. Huge and white with dozens of grand windows, the house is exquisite and impressive as it overlooks the white sand and crystal blue water of Lake Michigan.
“How did you score this place?” I ask Alma as I put the car in park, knowing a rental this beautiful would book up two years in advance.
“Well.” Alma grins proudly. “You know, Ms. Betty?”
“Our psychologist, Ms. Betty?”
“The very one.” Alma nods. “It’s hers! She said it’s always rented except for the weekends that she’s up here. She and her wife Florence were supposed to be here this weekend but had to fly to Florida instead. One of their daughters needs help moving or something. So, when I mentioned that I was looking for a place, she offered it to us.”
“Wow. This place is incredible.” I step out of the car and look out toward the crashing waves of the lake.
“Yeah, did you know that Florence is a heart surgeon at the University of Michigan hospital?” Alma asks.
“No, I didn’t.”
“Me either. I can’t believe that’s never come up.”
I grab the bags from the trunk. “I can’t believe they don’t live up here full time. How could you own such a beautiful home and not live there?”
“I asked Betty. She said that they both adore their jobs in Ann Arbor, so they can’t move up here just yet.”
“That makes sense.” I give Alma a kiss. “Let’s go explore.”
The interior of the house is just as beautiful as the exterior. A white stone fireplace, dark wooden floors, cream walls with blue accents, and contemporary but elegant features make the huge home feel sophisticated and beachy at the same time.
I drop the bags in the bedroom and follow Alma onto the deck. The calming sounds of the waves and the wind whipping through the trees are some things I’d never grow tired of. The house is set up on a hill away from the private beach. The plot of land is large enough that we can’t see any other homes from the deck, which is rare on Lake Michigan.
Alma and I lay against the cushions of the padded lounger and stare out toward the water. “You should buy a place like this. It’s heaven on earth,” I say.
“I really should.”
“You have the money. Why not use it toward something this amazing? Love would love it here.”
“She would,” Alma agrees. “She adores the beach. I love the Great Lakes. You know I’d never been to one until college? Leo showed them to me.”
“I remember,” I say.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t ha
ve said that.”
“No.” I grab her hand. “I’m glad you did. You need to be able to talk about him. He’s a huge part of your past and Love’s dad. We can’t pretend he never happened, and I know you’d never want that. I understand that you were in love and married before. It’s okay.”
She squeezes my hand and lets out a sigh. “You’re so good to me.”
“Are you really okay?” I ask her, remembering how things ended last weekend after we’d made love.
“I am,” she says, her voice steady. “I promise.”
“I believe you, but I worry. I don’t want to do anything that might upset you. Last weekend was…” I search for the right word to use.
Alma finishes my sentence for me. “Needed.” She shrugs. “I needed to know what it felt like to be with you so I would know how right it was. I needed the guilt so I could get past it. I needed to let go.”
“And did you?”
“I think I did. I feel lighter and happy. I’m sure our future won’t be without struggles. I’m a work in progress, but I hope we’re worth it.”
I bring her hand to my lips and kiss her soft skin. “You’re worth everything to me, Alma. Everything. I’ll never stop fighting for you.”
She presses her lips together in a smile and lowers her chin. “I know, and I’m fighting for you, too. I want you to know that I truly am.”
We get lulled by the melody of the water and sit in silence for several minutes.
“So last weekend was good for you?” I quirk a brow. It’s a self-indulgent question, but I want to hear her say it. I need to know that I made her feel as good as she made me feel.
She releases a light-hearted chuckle. “Yeah.” She scoffs. “It was…God, Amos…it was incredible.”
“Were you surprised?” I wonder.
“Maybe a little,” she admits. “I guess I thought it would be good, but it was greater than any expectation. It’s like…”
“We’re meant to be.” I finish her thought.
“Yeah,” she says softly. “I also wondered how we’d never done that before. I mean, you and I were hormonal teenagers together, and we never tried to see what it’d be like. It’s kind of shocking when I think about it.”
“It is, but it wasn’t our time. Our friendship was more important than anything then. It was the thing that supported us both and gave us the strength to be and do what we dreamed. And truthfully, if we had, we would’ve never stopped, and then you wouldn’t have Love.”
“That’s true. I suppose life has its own agenda. And just so you know.” She rotates her body so she’s leaning into me. “It won’t end the same way. This time.”
Her words cause an ache within my chest. Simply thinking about the finale in the shower unsettles me in a way that’s hard to process. I swallow and pull in a breath. “Okay.”
“It won’t. I promise.”
I nod and kiss the top of her head.
She must sense my hesitation. “I hurt you, and I’m sorry. I didn’t see those emotions coming until they were there, but I’ve dealt with them. Amos.” She holds her palm against my cheek and turns my face toward hers. “I’m good….now.”
“Okay,” I reassure her. “I’m glad.”
I focus my gaze back on the water and allow the lull of the waves to relax me once more.
Alma kisses my neck softly at first. I close my eyes as her lips start to move with purpose, nibbling and sucking against my skin. Immediately, I’m painfully hard within my shorts. She’s making the move, and I didn’t realize it until now, but I needed her to. I had to know that she was ready. I couldn’t survive being a regret, not again.
My skin itches with want when she pulls her lips from me. She stands. Her hooded eyes bore into mine. Her full lips, slightly parted as she pushes the straps of her dress down her shoulders. The dress falls and pools at her feet. I gnaw at my bottom lip as she unclasps her bra and frees her breasts.
“Alma,” I say on exhale as she begins to shimmy out of her panties.
She stands before me completely bare. Her long brunette hair feathers across her skin, lightly blowing in the lake’s breeze. The sun is setting on the horizon, and the sky is alive with shades of blue, purple, and pink. Her body creates a perfect silhouette against the bright orange sun. For a moment, I’m unable to move, captivated by her beauty. She’s so insanely gorgeous, it’s unreal. She’s my living dream. Her body is perfection, but her soul is more.
I hold her stare as I unbuckle my khakis and release myself. I kick off my shorts and boxers and pull my shirt over my head.
“Come here.” My voice is gravelly from lust. “I need to taste you.” I hold my hand out, and she takes it. Pulling her toward me, I lie flat on the large lounge chair.
Alma hesitates.
“Straddle my face, baby. Don’t be shy,” I urge her.
She climbs across me and puts a knee on either side of my face. I reach for her hips and pull her down onto me. We groan in unison as my tongue takes the first taste. I start licking faster, greedy for more—more of her sounds, her movements, her body. Grasping her thighs, I rock her back and forth against my face.
“Amos,” she calls out, her voice shaking.
I pick up the pace and make love to her with my mouth, licking and probing and sucking until she’s shaking and screaming my name.
She scoots down my body and falls onto me, breathing heavily. I kiss across her skin, over her shoulders, and up her neck until I’m at her mouth. I lick the seam of her lips, and she opens, allowing me entrance. We kiss, our tongues dancing wildly with one other. She holds my face, and I grasp her hair, pulling her face tighter against mine. I can’t get enough of her. I’ll never have enough of her.
Releasing a hand from her hair, I grab my shaft and run it along her wet opening. She moans at the contact. “Are you ready?” I say into her mouth.
“God, yes,” she groans.
Grabbing her hips, I lower her onto my length. She whimpers, and the sweet sound makes me want to come at this very moment. I start lifting my hips toward her, and I pull her against me. “Does that feel good?” I grunt.
She presses her face against my neck. “Yes. Yes. Yes,” she answers, her words breathy.
Circling my arm around her back, I flip us so that her back is against the cushion, and I’m above her. Tilting back, I grab her knees and push up and out, so they’re at her side, opening her wide. I pound harder, able to go so deep in this position. Alma cries out a sob of pleasure. She’s grabbing at my arms as I enter her again and again.
“Oh, fuck me. Yes. Oh, yes.” She moves her hips to meet me thrust for thrust.
She lowers her hand between her legs and feels at the base as I enter her. Collecting wetness on her fingers, she starts to rub herself. The sight is my undoing, and I pump harder, chasing my orgasm. As her eyes roll back and she starts to tremble, I pound my release inside her. We’re a collection of moans and sobs as we find our high together.
I fall onto her and kiss her lips. “God, I fucking love you.”
“Our bodies were seriously made for one another, Amos,” she says between kisses. “I will never get enough of you. I don’t want to do anything this weekend that doesn’t involve you inside me.”
“What about cooking? We have to eat.” I say, holding her face in my hands as my lips continue to worship her mouth.
“I’ll cook the food while you fuck me.” She circles her tongue around mine.
“I’d say that sounds like a plan, except you usually prefer I do the cooking,” I tease.
She giggles. “That’s true. Okay, new plan. You cook and make love to me at the same time.”
“Well, I’ll do my best.”
23
Alma
I stand wearing only Amos’s T-shirt and my panties and lean against the open sliding glass door of the deck. The water is so beautiful, and the sounds of the waves alluring. The lake breeze blows against my skin. I could get used to lake life. There’s no air conditioni
ng in this place as it’s not needed. Michigan doesn’t get hot enough in the summers to warrant it, especially here where the windows are always open, inviting in the fresh, cooling air from the water.
Amos walks up behind me and pulls my hair to the side, kissing my neck. “Lunch is ready.”
I pivot around to face him and drape my arms over his shoulders. Standing on my toes, I give him a gentle kiss. “It smells amazing.”
Wearing only his boxer briefs, he leads me to the table where a bowl of freshly cut fruit and a plate of French toast sits. The spread is simple, but I know it’ll be delicious. The food resembles a breakfast, but I was craving French toast with fresh maple syrup, and so Amos delivered.
Sitting at the table, I start dishing up. My body is tired, but my soul is alive and happy. Last night and this morning were spent making love to Amos in every position and place this house has to offer. We’re like desperate honeymooners who can’t get enough of one another, and I’m definitely not complaining. Sex with Amos is unbelievable.
“What are you thinking about?” he asks, his mouth in a smirk as he plops a strawberry in his mouth.
“Nothing,” I say meekly, peering down to my plate.
He shakes his head with a chuckle. “You’ve never been able to lie. You know that?”
I shrug. “So, you can’t prove a thing.” I scrunch up my nose.
He nods knowingly. “I was thinking about it, too.”
I press my lips together in a grin.
“I can’t imagine Betty here after we’ve had sex on every surface,” Amos says.
“Well, she rents this place out a lot, and I know others are doing it here as well. I suppose it goes with the territory of rentals. The professional cleaners that come in after each stay probably give Betty and Florence a little peace of mind.”
“Do you think others have done it there?” He raises a brow and nods toward the cream sofa in front of the fireplace.
“Probably.”
“What about there?” He motions toward the wall between the bookshelves that made a pleasant backdrop for wall sex last night.
“I don’t know.” I chuckle.
