“As you wish,” he said with that cocky grin I loved so much. His eyes moved over my body then, slow and wanting. I could feel the burning between my thighs as his gaze moved over my body. He started towards me then, sliding his hand around my waist when he got to me, pulling me close as he looked into my eyes. “You have no idea what I’ve wanted to do to you from the moment I saw you in this dress.”
His hand inched down from my waist to my thigh, sliding under the short hem of my dress. He pulled me even closer so that our hips touched. I could feel him hard against me and all I could think about was having him inside of me. I felt the dress inching up slowly as his hand continued to move higher. I swallowed hard, trying to keep myself under control and doing my best to keep my breathing steady. I moved my fingertips slowly over the strong muscles of his chest as I felt his hand slide into my panties. The cool and collected façade I’d been trying to maintain was gone the instant I felt him. I heard a slow moan escape my lips when he touched me. I closed my eyes, allowing myself to get lost in his touch until he suddenly stopped, turning me around so I was facing away from him. I felt the zipper sliding down the back of my dress and then he was rolling it off me until it was on the floor, leaving me in just my bra and panties. Those didn’t last long either. A second later, he undid the snaps, freeing my breasts and then easing my panties off until there was nothing left. He reached around slowly, his hands finding my breasts. I bit my lip, trying to stop the soft cries from escaping. It was no use though and as he teased me, my head fell back onto his shoulder, exposing my neck to him as I whispered his name. This only seemed to excite him more and his lips were on my neck then, biting at my skin.
I could feel how much he wanted me with every move of his hands and the soft moans coming from his throat. He turned me around then quickly, scooping me in his arms so my legs were wrapped around his waist.
“I’ve wanted to be alone with you all night,” he said as we made our way across the room. “Now that I have you all to myself, I can’t wait anymore.”
He kissed me deeply as we walked, his tongue diving in my mouth and leaving me breathless until we were on the mattress. I reached for him, tugging at his boxer shorts until they were gone. He eased me down so my head was resting on the pillow and then he looked at me, his eyes traveling over my naked body. He made me feel beautiful when he looked at me this way.
“I saw the doubt in your eyes tonight, Caroline, when you saw those women. I’ve seen that doubt too many times,” he said softly, crawling on top of me and kissing me gently before pulling away and tracing a line with the tip of his finger from my lips, over my chin, down my throat and between my breasts, causing goosebumps to explode on my skin. “I don’t want you to doubt yourself any more,” he whispered into my ear. “I’m going to show you how beautiful you are and when I’m done with you, I want you to accept that I love you and only you. Do you understand?” he asked, pulling back and looking into my eyes. I felt myself nod, lost under the spell that was Adam DeLain. “Let me hear you, Caroline. Do you understand?” he asked again, his warm breath tickling my skin.
“Yes,” I whispered and then his mouth was on mine, his tongue pushing inside and possessing me. His hands continued to move over my body, touching and teasing me in ways that were causing me to lose all my senses. He knew exactly what he was doing and I was already nearly spent when he pushed inside me. I lost myself in him, my body trembling as we moved as one and just like he’d promised, there was no doubt. I was beautiful and I was the one he loved.
~~~
I lay with my head resting on his chest. His skin was still slick, but his breathing had finally calmed. The room was quiet now and I could hear his heart beating softly.
“I love you, Adam,” I said quietly and he pulled me closer.
“I love you too,” he whispered.
“I’m so happy for you,” I said after a few moments. “I know how scared you were and I’m glad you got the news you deserved today.”
He didn’t say anything right away, but I felt a kiss on the top of my head.
“Me too,” he replied and it grew quiet again.
“Do you know when you have to come back here for good?” I asked softly.
I was almost nervous to ask. We hadn’t addressed it yet. He’d come home from the appointment and the only thing that mattered was the fact that he’d pitch again. I don’t think either of us really thought about what it meant for us, but as we lay in the silence, I couldn’t avoid it
“I’m not really sure. Soon though,” he said. I could hear the despondency in his voice. “I need to get back into a training routine. I’ve gotta get my body back in shape,” he continued and as I ran my fingertips over the hard muscles on his chest, I wondered how much more in shape one man could get. “I’ve gotta work with the trainers, do my physical therapy and then when the time is right, start working with the pitching coaches again if I want to be ready for Spring Training.”
I knew he was right. February would be here before we knew it and he’d need to be ready to go to Florida.
“I may be able to do some of the rehab in Silver Falls, but…” he continued, but I interrupted.
“You can’t worry about Silver Falls, Adam,” I said softly. He stopped playing with my hair and he gently sat up so my head rested on the pillow instead of on him. He propped himself up on one arm and he looked down at me, his eyes looking into mine seriously.
“Of course, I’m going to worry about Silver Falls. You’re there.”
“Your life is here or wherever the Red Sox say it is.”
“But my life is with you too, Caroline,” he said, brushing a few strands of hair off my forehead.
“I know,” I whispered.
I could feel my eyes growing warm. I didn’t want to think about being separated from Adam. I knew the bubble we’d created in Silver Falls couldn’t last. The summer had been a fantasy; a fantasy I knew was coming to an end.
“We’ll work this out. We’ll figure it out. One day at a time though. One problem at a time,” he said.
There was a smile on his face, but I could see the worry in his eyes too. He was trying to be strong for me, but I knew he was scared, just like I was.
“Okay,” was all I could muster.
He could tell I was trying to hold it together and so he did the only thing he could at that moment. No more words could be spoken because words couldn’t do anything to help us right now and so he pressed his lips to mine, long and slow. I felt the worry melting away and all I could focus on was Adam. At this moment, I wasn’t thinking about him returning to Boston and leaving me behind in Silver Falls. All I was thinking about was how much I loved this man. No one had ever made me feel the way he did. This is what Adam could do to me though. He could make everything better just by being him.
Thirty-One
My eyes didn’t want to open the next morning. It was warm under the blankets and the sheets felt good against my skin. I wasn’t wearing any clothes. I hadn’t since he’d taken them off me last night and I’d fallen asleep in his arms. I reached for Adam, expecting to feel him next to me, but my eyes finally opened when all I felt was a pillow instead.
I sat up, looking around the room. My pajamas were on the floor at the foot of the bed. I got out of bed, slipped them on and made my way downstairs. I could hear music playing softly in the kitchen and when I walked in, I saw him standing at the stove in a pair of black gym shorts and a white undershirt.
“Hey,” I said softly. He turned around and smiled at me. He looked ridiculously hot in the morning with his messy hair and light beard.
“Good morning.”
“Making breakfast?” I asked, making my way towards him and peeking over his shoulder.
“Yeah,” he said, turning quickly and kissing me before looking back to the stove. “I hope omelets are okay.”
“Perfect,” I said, reaching my arms around his waist and hugging him from behind. “What time are we heading back?”
“Sounds good,” I said.
Part of me was sad to leave Boston behind, but mostly I wanted to get back to Silver Falls and our bubble, even though I knew it wouldn’t last much longer.
I heard him get some plates from the cabinet and a moment later he set one before me. Adam set his plate across from me and then brought us each a glass of orange juice.
“Thank you for breakfast,” I said as I took my first bite. “It’s delicious.”
“You’re welcome,” he said, smiling over to me.
It was quiet for a few moments before I heard a notification go off on my phone. I stood up to get it, but Adam beat me to it, walking over to where it was charging on the counter and turning it off.
“What’re you doing?” I asked.
“I’ve got an idea,” he said with a cute smirk.
“What kind of idea?” I asked, raising a curious eyebrow.
“How about no phones for the rest of the day.”
“What?” I exclaimed. “Why?”
“Because they’re too much of a distraction. Facebook. Twitter. Instagram. Texting. I think we can live without it for one day.”
“Are you serious?” I asked with a laugh.
“Dead serious. Are you up to it?”
“Is that a challenge?”
“Maybe,” he grinned.
“Then I accept.”
He set my phone down and came back to his seat, reaching over and taking my hand across the table.
“Don’t you think it’ll be weird though? Not checking our phones all day?” I asked.
“Probably, but it could be good.”
The easy smile on his face reassured me and I knew he was right. I spent too much time on my phone and I wondered how much of the world around me I’d missed because of it.
We finished breakfast and I showered while Adam cleaned up the dishes. He took a shower himself when he was done and by ten o’clock we were ready to head back to Vermont.
“I hope you enjoyed this weekend as much as I did,” Adam said after he’d safely maneuvered us out of the crazy Boston traffic.
“I did, Adam,” I said, reaching across the console and taking his hand. “It was interesting to see you in your element. I can’t wait to do it again.”
“Me too.” He glanced briefly at me and smiled before turning his eyes back to the road.
We were quiet for a little while, the sounds of the satellite radio filling the car since we were on a phone break and couldn’t use them to pull up any music. It didn’t take long for the scenery to completely change. The tall buildings and packed streets were replaced with rolling hills and open spaces. It started feeling more like home and as I thought about it, I wondered if I’d ever be able to give up my quiet life in a place like Silver Falls and exchange it for the hustle and bustle of a place like Boston.
“So, uh…” Adam began after we’d been driving for a while. I could hear hesitation in his voice and I situated myself so I was leaning against the door and could see him, his hands gripping the steering wheel and his eyes focused ahead. “I got a phone call this morning while you were still asleep.”
“From who?” I asked and he waited a few moments before answering.
“I have to go back to Boston tomorrow,” he answered and I felt my body stiffen at his words. Now that he’d been cleared, I knew he’d have to get back to Boston soon, I just didn’t realize how soon.
“Tomorrow?” I said, surprising myself when my voice only came out as a whisper.
“Yeah,” he said quietly.
“I didn’t realize it would be this soon,” I finally said after a few quiet moments.
“Me either,” he said and I could hear the dip in his voice. “I’m sorry, Caroline.”
“There’s nothing to be sorry for, Adam. This is your life. We knew this was going to happen.”
“I know we did, but like you said, it’s a little more sudden than I expected.”
He reached for my hand again, holding it tightly while he drove.
“This is good, Adam,” I said, trying to sound chipper. I wanted him to know I supported him, even though deep down, the thought of not seeing him every day wasn’t something I was ready for. “This is what you wanted. You want to play again and this is the first step.”
“Doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy going back to that life. The last couple of months have been so different from what I’ve been doing the last few years. Part of me just wants to keep things the way they are right now.” He pulled the back of my hand to his mouth and kissed it, holding his lips there for a few moments.
“I think we both want that, but your life isn’t in Vermont anymore,” I said, stating the truth we both knew.
“But yours is,” he said softly, looking me in the eyes for a moment before focusing back on his driving.
“Let’s not do this right now, Adam,” I sighed. “We’re already doing no phones today. Can we add not worrying about the future to that? Remember what you said last night? One problem at a time?”
He laughed quietly and squeezed my hand.
“You’re holding me to my own words then?”
“I am.”
“Then you’re right. Let’s just have today.”
“Okay. Today,” I said, squeezing his hand again, but as I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye, I wasn’t thinking only of today as I’d told him to and I knew he wasn’t either. My mind was on the future, just as his was. Our summer in Silver Falls was about to end and it was anybody’s guess what would happen after that.
~~~
It was almost four when we crossed into the Silver Falls town limits. It’d taken us longer to get home than we’d expected due to road construction on the interstate and we were both hungry when we saw the sign to my family’s restaurant towering high into the sky so it was clearly visible on the highway.
“Wanna grab a bite to eat? I know the owners. We can get a killer discount,” I said and he grinned.
“I’ve yet to be there since I’ve been back. Is the meatloaf still as good as it used to be?”
“Better,” I assured him and then he turned on his blinker and pulled into the parking lot. It was filling up, which wasn’t uncommon for Sunday, but Adam found a spot to park his truck and it wasn’t long before we were walking inside. As the parking lot had indicated, the dining room was busy. I immediately noticed Erica tending to a table. She must’ve heard the jingling of the bells when the door opened though because she turned and looked at Adam and I. I waited for her usual smile, but it didn’t come right away. Instead, she looked between Adam and me and then gestured to a booth in the corner.
I nodded, taking Adam’s hand and leading him over. I half expected someone to stop us as we walked, but thankfully the other diners seemed too engrossed in their meals to pay any attention to us. I was certain that would change the longer we were in the restaurant. Adam stuck out in Silver Falls and I knew our anonymity was limited.
“This place hasn’t changed at all,” Adam said, his eyes drifting around.
“Nothing in Silver Falls changes,” I said sarcastically as he tangled his feet with mine under the table.
“You sure as hell changed.” He smiled in a way that caused me to blush.
“Hey,” Erica said a moment later, setting two menus before us.
“Seriously? You think I need one of these?” I asked, looking up and meeting her brown eyes.
“Oh, shut up. I’m just doing my job,” she said, glaring at me and then turning her attention to Adam. “Hello, Adam. It’s always a pleasure to see you, which is not something I can say for my cousin.” Erica’s eyes shot to me and she quickly stuck out her tongue at me. I couldn’t help the laugh that escaped.
“It’s good to see you too, Erica,” Adam said.
“What can I get you guys to drink?”
“Water for me,” I sa
id and Adam nodded.
“Same here, please.”
“You got it. I’ll be right back with boring one and boring two.” She looked between both of us before raising her eyebrows and then walking away.
“Does she ever quit?” Adam asked.
“No. Never,” I said with a laugh as I looked over and saw Erica filling our glasses with water before making her way back to us.
“Here you go. Two free waters, which will not increase the amount of my tip.”
“That’s assuming we’re even giving you one,” Adam said with a smirk. Erica huffed playfully and crossed her arms.
“Do you guys know what you want?” she asked, not bothering to take out a pad to write it down on, which meant she’d probably mess up our order.
“Baked chicken and mashed potatoes for me,” I said and then looked to Adam.
“Meatloaf, please,” he said, handing the menu back to Erica.
“Got it. It shouldn’t be long and I’ll think about not spitting in it.”
Adam laughed as Erica walked away and then took my hand in his across the table.
“When do your parents get home?” he asked me.
“Thursday afternoon.”
“How’s their trip been?”
“Truthfully, I’m not sure. We haven’t spoken much.”
“Where are they now?”
“Scotland. It’s their last stop.”
“I thought your dad would’ve called more to check on the farm,” Adam said.
“He probably wanted to, but I’m sure my mom put a stop to that. This is the first real vacation they’ve ever taken. They didn’t even really have a honeymoon, unless you count a weekend in Maine,” I said with a quiet laugh, but then the laughter faded and I felt the corners of my mouth dipping.
“What’s the matter, Caroline?” he asked, looking at me with concerned eyes.
“I just hope they’re having a good time is all. They deserve this. All they ever do is work. My earliest memories are of my dad outside all day long, tending to the cows and providing for us. He busts his ass and my mom has always been there to support him and neither of them has ever complained.”
Catching Caroline (Silver Falls Book 1) Page 27
