* * * *
Lillian continued to walk up the front steps.” Only when you open your mouth."
Michael gently took Lillian's hand to stop her. He took the final step, standing in front of her under the dim light, one step below where she stood. Her head was level with his chin.
"Are you sure you're okay? Gary didn't hurt you?” His concern was apparent as he inspected her wrist again, more closely. He turned it over palm up before bringing it to his lips, gently kissing it. Lillian felt the shiver but tried to ignore it.
She looked down to the ground, avoiding Michael's gaze, giving into the shyness she felt.
One of his feet stayed on the step below, the other foot was right next to hers. The move caused his solid inner thigh to brush against her knee. She wanted to step back, put some space between them, but she stood frozen in the same place. Urging herself to remain calm, she wanted to appear stronger than she felt at the moment.
"I'm sure, Michael, really. I can take care of myself. You didn't need to get involved.” She pulled her wrists away to cross her arms in front of her chest.
Michael reached out to caress her long black hair, letting the strands run swiftly through his fingers. He took a step closer.
"I disagree completely. I know Gary. He's hot headed. No man should ever think he can treat a woman like that. You have no idea how angry that made me.” Michael put his arm around her waist, pulling Lillian against him. Lillian uncrossed her arms to lay her palms against Michael's chest.
"I told you I could have handled it."
"A knock-out lady like you shouldn't have to handle it."
Michael softly touched her cheek with his hand, tilting her chin up toward him. They held one another's gazes.
Lillian could feel his thumb tenderly caress her chin and neck. She found herself leaning in closer, offering her mouth, wanting to feel his lips against hers.
Nervously, she licked her lips, tucked them in, then released them. Michael watched the process. She heard him exhale, felt him pull her closer before his lips covered hers.
She didn't pull away, she didn't want to. Instead, she allowed her body to meld against his without hesitation.
Lillian ran her fingers through the brown curls of Michael's hair and to his neck. She could feel the strength beneath her fingertips. She felt her feet leave the ground. He lifted her up with little effort as if he wanted more of her. Did he really like her or could this just be his nightly routine to catch the girl, take her to bed, add another notch to his belt?
She couldn't help but counter argue her thoughts against the sensations his kisses evoked deep inside her. She could easily fall for Michael, he represented everything she feared as well as everything she found attractive and desirable in a man. Every quality she fought the urge to seek in a partner due to the past.
Certain men demanded certain types of women. Everything about Michael, his controlling actions, the strength and demand in his intriguing eyes, led her to question his compatibility to her needs.
The fear set in as she gripped his shoulders and slowly pulled away.
As if sensing it, Michael, gently lowered her feet back down to the ground, ending the kiss softly, adding a small nibble to her bottom lip before pulling away.
Lillian froze where she stood.
"You taste even better than I imagined,” he whispered softly, still holding her around her waist.
Lillian laid her hands flat against Michael's chest.
She loved the deep feeling she had inside, it felt natural, familiar. She couldn't help but want more of it.
The thought surprised her yet scared her at the same time. The intensity of the situation could make her ignore appropriate caution, and her lack of character judgment could prove disastrous. With lips as lethal as Michael's, inhibition stared her in the face.
In an attempt to retreat, she began to turn her body out of Michael's embrace. He allowed her a few minor inches before pulling her closer against his body.
"No, no, no ... not this time, gorgeous. What are you so afraid of?” he inquired, once again caressing her hair, holding her determinedly, whispering seductively close.
Lillian attempted to put her head down to think of something good, some way of parting from the whole situation. She panicked as her forehead hit his chest, a realization of just how close he held her.
Michael touched her chin, tilting it up toward him again.
"I came to your rescue tonight, drove you home. You just kissed me like that. Don't you agree that it was fantastic?"
Lillian felt her mouth drop, her eyes widen in disbelief. A feeling of anger and insult filled her belly. Was he trying to say she asked for it, she owed him now? She could feel the heat reach her cheeks, the anger apparent as she attempted to put some distance between them. Her heart pounded in her chest. She refocused on his words, his actions, as wisdom and knowledge from her counseling resurfaced to her brain. Buried but not lost completely, she had a spark of courage, an attitude.
"What do you mean, the way I kissed you?"
Michael laughed deep, loudly, confidently, before stealing a quick kiss on her cheek.
He was just teasing me and I fell for it?
These word games were giving her a headache. She needed to be smarter and pretend as if she knew exactly what was happening between them.
"I told you I could...."
"I know, you could take care of yourself. Right."
"I can!"
"Yeah, like any of those guys who were looking at you tonight would have just stood there watching? No way, honey. That chance, I wasn't willing to take. Nice try getting me off the subject,” he teased as he led Lillian by her hand toward the porch bench swing. Michael sat down naturally pulling Lillian's hips toward his lap for her to sit on.
Once again, a combination of panic and want filled her to her soul, it was an up and down roller coaster of emotions leaving her speechless as she attempted to stop Michael from pulling her onto his lap.
It was too late. On his lap, she sat not moving an inch to get more comfortable, avoiding his face and those eyes the best she could. She fumbled with her hands not knowing where to set them.
"Put your arms around my neck,” he demanded. An instant later and lack of her conscious knowledge, they went around his neck.
"Now, let's get this nonsense out of the way.” He laid his hand on her leg being sure to keep her steady on his lap.
The searing heat in her hip by his touch alone sent her body into flames. She now knew what it was like to be a roasting marshmallow. No spine to stop the handsome man from leading the way, just a lump of mush, scared out of her mind of men in general, resistant to embracing femininity in its greatest form. What happened to my independent, take no nonsense or orders from any man ever again attitude? Counseling? What the hell good did counseling do for me since I'm sitting on a strange man's lap while feeling his ... oh, God, no.
Lillian swallowed hard as erotic thoughts filled her head.
Her face was now inches away from Michael's face as he whispered to her.
"You're blushing, Lilly."
Her heart raced and as if it couldn't be possible, she felt her cheeks burn hotter. They had to look purple at this point.
He grinned, fully aware.
"I want you to name all the reasons why you think we shouldn't get involved, continue to feel the way we just felt when we were kissing one another?"
Lillian laughed to herself. She tried to organize her thoughts.
It quickly became apparent that such a natural thing as thinking was tough, nearly impossible, while Michael held her steady on his lap. She could feel his strength. for Christ's sake, his legs, solid and warm beneath her bottom. One arm wrapped around her waist while the other held her thigh. She questioned her earlier judgment about wearing the shorter skirt. With his hand flush against her flesh, she felt as if she were about to explode. The perspiration reached her brow.
He just kept gazing deeper into her eyes
, trying to overpower her with his good looks, charm, alluring use of his body. His confidence apparent in his tone, his handsome features, total alpha-male perfection, but she wasn't born yesterday. She squinted her eyes, accepting his challenge.
She took a deep breath before beginning.
"I'm not good with commitment."
"Neither am I, so we'll both learn as we go. Next!"
"Carla! She's my best friend. What if things don't work out between us, it could jeopardize our friendship? You're her brother, first. I wouldn't ask her to choose sides."
"That wouldn't be a problem because if things didn't work out between us, she'd blame me anyway. Your friendship wouldn't suffer one bit. Next reason. Make it a good one, Lillian.” He stole a quick kiss, gave her thigh a squeeze, before pulling back, smiling.
Lillian released an exasperated sigh. She placed her hands on her hips, stared into Michael's eyes, attempting to be firm. She fought the urge to allow her sexual attraction to such a charismatic man as Michael Fields to dictate her every move.
"I don't like your attitude or all the experience you've had with women. I don't date much, have only had one ... I mean a few intimate relationships.” She quickly glanced away, trying to recover from her slip up.
Too late, Michael's smile enlarged. It was obvious by his facial expression, he picked up on her accidental confession. The ear-to-ear grin wounded her confidence in denying his advances, never mind the questions it evoked in her mind.
Would his knowledge of her lack of experience come back to haunt her? She suddenly sensed her cheeks flush again. She wanted to run and hide from embarrassment.
She felt Michael embrace her waist tighter, then he placed the palm of his hand against her cheek. She swallowed hard as he softly turned her face toward his.
"I'm relieved you're not as experienced as I am. I wouldn't expect anything less from such a classy woman like yourself.” He caressed her cheek with his thumb.
There was no turning back. Lillian instantly realized that everything about this man set her on fire. His eyes, his voice, the tone of it alone made her fantasize about all the possible words he could use to seduce her. She focused on both now, once again feeling like the marshmallow, with no spine, just mush at the knees. Could it get any worse?
"Believe me when I tell you that all the intimate experiences I've had, in the long run, will mean that you will undeniably ... be more than ... satisfied when I make love to you ... I'm a sure thing, baby!"
It just got worse.
She gasped as his conceit, then failed in her attempt to get up off his lap.
Michael held her tight. Again, he cupped her chin in his hand.
He looked deeply into her eyes when he spoke to her.
"I love the fact that I can push your buttons so easily. I'm just kidding with you because you look so serious. Damn! How can one woman be so sexy, so cute?"
He smiled.
Lillian released a breath, feeling exasperated by Michael's tactics. He confused her.
"I'll make you a deal. You go out on a few dates with me without anyone knowing. We'll meet out of town, see how it goes. If it works out, we'll let everyone in on it. If it doesn't, no one but us knows what happened. No hard feelings, okay? How does that sound? Wait a minute before you answer.” He quickly kissed her again.
Before Michael left, Lillian accepted having dinner with him tomorrow night.
Now she hoped that it wouldn't be the biggest mistake of her life.
* * * *
The stranger stood in the darkness, lurking for just a glimpse, a peak at his treasure. The anger filled his stomach as he watched Lillian get seduced. The other man held her close, pulled her against his body, touched her. She was too good for that. His heart pounded, his hands began to sweat. Lillian stood only across the street. Who is the guy? Would he get in the way of his plans he had in store for Lillian? The anger increased. He had wanted her long enough and waited patiently to make his move.
Lillian would be his. No one else.
He clenched his fingers into fists. The stranger couldn't live without her. He wouldn't! He tried to submerge his feelings, his attraction to her, the need to have her in his life, but failed enormously. He even tried to replace her, find a substitute, but no woman came close to his Lillian.
"Our time to be together will come, this I promise you,” he whispered as he stood watching Lillian's Love a little longer. He waited until the man left before he moved to a better location around the side of the house. He had a clear view of Lillian's bedroom window. He watched, waited for the light to extinguish, knowing Lillian lay in her bed alone before he snuck away, undetected through the darkness.
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Chapter 7
Lillian drove down the Palisades Parkway making her way to Nyack. She glanced down at the slim-fitting, knee-length black chiffon dress she wore. Again, she wondered if it wasn't a bit too much. It showed off her figure. Self-consciously, she pulled the light shawl across the front. Too late to change her outfit now. She exited the parkway, making her way into downtown Nyack.
Lillian loved the area, the warm eclectic feeling emitted from the numerous assortments of unique stores was artsy, inviting. The traffic moved smoothly while the sidewalks filled with people window shopping or dining in some of the best restaurants in the area. Business boomed, especially on warm spring evenings like tonight.
Lillian located a parking spot in the municipal parking area. Before she exited her vehicle, she spotted Michael heading toward her car. He looked amazing, of course. Lillian couldn't take her eyes off of him.
He wore a pair of dark dress trousers, a button down white Oxford shirt, along with a matching dark blazer. He styled his hair in a way she had never seen him apply before. The front was slicked back and a bushel of brown curls gathered over the collar of his shirt.
Lillian stepped out of the car just as a small breeze passed between them.
The shawl moved off her shoulders. Michael grabbed it just in time.
Lillian shied away a moment, feeling self-conscious of her bare shoulders as she lost the shawl.
She watched Michael inhale, eye her from head to toe, then smile.
He leaned closer, placing a soft kiss against her cheek.
"You look stunning. You don't need this.” He tossed the shawl over his other arm as he took Lillian's hand.
She smiled, then turned to lock the car door.
"You look great, Michael,” she whispered giving his hand a gentle squeeze.
Michael smiled at her. “Thank you."
They walked down the busy sidewalks, making their way to a quaint little restaurant in downtown Nyack.
Every time Michael touched her or placed a gentle hand on her waist to maneuver them through the bustling crowds, Lillian felt the heat hit her cheeks. Acknowledging her attraction to Michael, she couldn't help but wonder if he were feeling the same. Perhaps he wasn't. Men tended not to ponder over little touches that women analyzed, or felt affected by more deeply. She smiled at the thought glancing up toward Michael. He had such a strong presence aside from his obvious good looks and personality. She couldn't quite name the feeling she had, but in his company, she felt feminine and alive.
The last block before the restaurant, Michael paused to move them to the side of the walkway, away from the crowded passage. Caught off guard a moment, Lillian held his arm tightly until Michael pulled Lillian into an embrace.
He stared down into her eyes, caressed her bare back with his solid hand.
"You look incredible, Lillian."
Before she could respond, he kissed her lips softly, then more deeply.
In her mind, there were no crowds of people passing by them, no busy streets, no music playing from the numerous bars, but instead, the silent energy of their kiss.
"I couldn't hold out any longer. I'm sorry,” he confessed, while his thumb caressed her bottom lip. She smiled. He took her hand, brought it to his lips. He kissed the
palm of her hand, wrapped his around hers, leading her to the front door of the restaurant.
* * * *
Lillian enjoyed Michael's company, thrilled by his grand sense of humor. Not before long, they were chatting away over espresso, holding hands across the table, and enjoying their first date.
"So, do you like your new position in the B.C.I. Unit?"
Michael sighed as he glanced down at their hands, then back up into her eyes. He smiled before answering. “It's a bit different."
"No high speed chases or bad guys shooting machine guns? How sad for you.” Lillian glanced at him sideways.
He laughed as he shrugged his shoulders in response. “I don't do boring well."
"Well death is permanent."
Lillian could tell by Michael's crinkled eyebrows that he was taken aback by her forwardness. Carla and her constant worries over the years for her brother's safety, filled her mind. Michael's new position was a lot less dangerous but even more demanding.
"You worried about me doll?” He asked then winked causing a rush of heat to hit her entire body. Blushing, she looked down toward their clasped hands as Michael gave hers a gentle squeeze.
They were silent a moment.
"I like my new position, I'm learning about a lot of the new technology and equipment available for use on the job. Pretty amazing stuff. There are a number of training courses available that I'm interested in taking."
"How about the other people in the department?"
"They're great. The senior detective and head of command is firm but lenient. It's like being part of a big family. Everyone wants to help one another out and offer assistance and advice. I like the unit and the team."
"That's great, Michael."
They finished their dinner, headed out of the crowded restaurant, back onto the busy sidewalks. They held hands, continued to speak about their similar interests, including how Lillian had started her business from scratch.
"That must have been tough, but you did it,” Michael told her.
"Despite the fact that some obnoxious guy told me the place appeared worthless, my security system stunk, and I didn't know crap about real estate,” Lillian stated sarcastically.
Lillian's Love Page 7
