Falling Star

by Laura DeLuca

  “Oh. My. Gosh.” Lainey lifted a hand to cover her mouth and then dropped it just as quickly. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. The front door of the house stood wide open. “Are we breaking and entering? Because as thrilling as it might be to make love in a deserted house, we may have a slightly smaller chance of getting arrested on the beach. Besides, I think public nudity is only a misdemeanor.”

  Drew threw back his head and laughed. “You know, it’s adorable when you get nervous and start babbling. But as much as I would enjoy sex on the beach, even if misdemeanors were involved, I’m afraid I’ll have to take a rain check on that one.”

  Lainey chuckled anxiously. “You know turning down an offer like that could seriously wound a girl’s confidence.”

  “I’m not turning you down, just the location.” Drew kissed the nape of her neck as he gestured to the porch steps. “I already have something special planned for us right here—at my new home.”

  Lainey inhaled so quickly she sucked in a piece of her hair and started choking on it. “Your home,” she asked between spasms. “Did you just say this is your house?”

  “Settlement was this afternoon.” Drew jingled the keys again. “So we won’t be breaking any laws, but I do believe what I have in mind for us will be just as big of a rush.”

  “My adrenaline is already in overdrive,” Lainey admitted. “How did you—when did you manage to pull this off.”

  Drew shrugged. “I started looking into it right after that hayride. I had a lot of time on my hands while you were working. Speaking of which, I’m going to need to purchase homeowners insurance.”

  “What?” Lainey came out of her daze long enough to go into business mode. “How did you manage to get through closing without insurance? No mortgage company would ever let that slide. So unless you ... holy crap.” Suddenly Lainey’s legs went wobbly as the realization dawned on her. “Did you pay cash for this place?”

  Again he hitched his shoulders. “No interest that way.”

  Lainey understood the logic behind his words, but still her wheels turned at super speed. She wondered a lot about what Drew’s life was like back in Hollywood. He’d told her all about his childhood, how great his parents were, and even about his college days, but his more recent history was a giant black hole. It was obvious he didn’t like to talk about whatever issues sent him fleeing to the East Coast and it wasn’t in Lainey’s nature to be pushy. But after that large donation he’d made to the hurricane victims and now this ... it didn’t take a genius to do the math. Those two things alone would come to a sum of over one million dollars. Real estate and insurance went hand in hand, so Lainey was well aware of what a house like that went for in the current market, even in poor condition. Drew obviously had a fortune at his disposal, which explained the big tips he left and why he was always willing to pick up the tab for her friends. But his generosity left a whole range of speculations blaring in front of her about where the money came from—inheritance, money laundering. Maybe her mob statement had been more appropriate than she realized ... he was Italian after all.

  Stop letting your imagination run away with you, Lainey scolded herself. Maybe his job pays well ... really, really well.

  “Lainey.” Drew sensed her perplexity and reached for her hand. “I know it’s a lot to take in. I plan to explain a few things to you today that will help you make sense of all this. But first, I’d really like to show you around. It’s not much to look at yet, but I’m sure you’ll see the potential.”

  That was an offer that was hard to refuse. Lainey had always wanted to see inside the colonial. She thought the closest she’d ever get was perhaps reviewing the inspection if whoever bought the house happened to take out an insurance policy with her. Actually getting to step inside was something she’d never even imagined, but she wasn’t quite sure how she felt about it. Only one thing was certain—she needed to see if the house lived up to all her fanciful expectations. So with her heart fluttering like a nervous newlywed, she allowed Drew to take her hand and lead her across the threshold.

  “Wow...”

  That was the only syllable she could manage. Lainey gasped with wonder as she stepped into the massive foyer. The long walkway was lined with chipped but expensive tiles. That area alone was larger than her whole condo unit. The foyer opened up to an even more impressive family room. There was a large wooden banister leading to the second floor, decorated with intricate sculpted roses that had to be hand-carved. Based on the peeling wall paper and chipped plaster, it had been awhile since anyone had taken up residence, but Lainey could see past the empty space and bare walls to a time when men in fedoras and women in long skirts had clinked champagne glasses in their house at the shore.

  “Incredible, isn’t it?” Drew whispered behind her, breaking her from her fanciful reverie. “But you haven’t seen anything yet.”

  Drew offered her a guided tour of the rest of the premises, which couldn’t be described as a mansion, but it was still the closest Lainey had ever come to visiting one. The kitchen had been updated more recently than the rest of the house. Perhaps that was as far as the previous owners got before going into foreclosure. The countertops shined with sparkling black granite and the refrigerator and stove were shiny stainless steel.

  Upstairs they inspected five bedrooms of various sizes, two of which had their own bathroom, though they weren’t in working order. One room was painted a faded baby blue with dancing teddy bears along the trim. In the corner of the old nursery, they discovered a vintage rocking chair. The cloth seat was in desperate need of new upholstery, but the wood was solid and well-made. Lainey ran her hands along the armrests, having brief and somewhat scary fantasies of herself with a small bundle in her arms, rocking in that very chair, a content smile on her lips as the old joints creaked in a gentle and soothing rhythm.

  “That’s a great old rocker, isn’t it?” Drew stepped up behind her, agreeing with her unspoken thoughts. “I was thinking about refinishing it.”

  “The whole place is stunning,” Lainey admitted. “I can’t believe it’s really yours.”

  “Actually.” Drew cleared his throat. “It could be ours.”

  Lainey blinked a few times, unsure she’d heard him correctly. “What did you say?”

  “The house could belong to both of us,” Drew repeated. “I’d like to add you to the deed eventually. All you have to do is sign the papers. This was your dream house, after all. The whole reason I bought it was so I could be close to you.”

  Lainey’s heart beat a mile a minute, in excitement or maybe a little fear. She wasn’t sure which emotion ruled, but either way, she found herself sputtering to reply. “Drew, I—I—”

  “It’s okay,” he interrupted, touching a finger to her lips. “You don’t have to make a decision right now. I know we haven’t been together that long, and I certainly don’t expect you to move in tomorrow. It will take at least a year to get the place patched up anyway. But when it is ready—and more importantly, when you’re ready, the option will be there. In the meantime, this will be a place for the occasional romantic getaway and assurance that no matter how far away my work takes me, I’ll always come back.”

  Lainey heard a sound come from her own mouth that was half squeak and half nervous giggle. “You really didn’t have to buy a house to prove that.”

  “Ahhh, but if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t be able to show you this....”

  Drew laced his fingers with hers, pulling her toward the door at the very end of the hallway. She expected to find another empty bedroom, but when he turned the handle, they came to a winding staircase that seemed to lead to nowhere. The passageway was dark, lit only by a single bulb that Drew activated by pulling a long cord. Lainey strained her neck to get a better view as she padded up the steps, but the spiral stairs made it hard to see more than a few inches in front of her.

  All Lainey could see were the walls around them, which were unfinished plaster and plywood without decoration. She also
noted the temperature dropped at least fifteen degrees, and it was getting colder with every step they took. Finally, Drew hopped up the last step, vanishing completely from view. It was only when the sudden and stunning view of the heavens appeared that she figured out where he’d taken her. This was the widow’s walk that stood at the tip of the old colonial. Despite the picturesque panorama, Lainey paused, feeling jittery for reasons she couldn’t quite explain. She still forced her feet to move forward, until her head poked through the hole in the floor leading to the wooden platform.

  “Come on now,” Drew encouraged, nudging his head back in her peripheral vision and momentarily blocking the light of the moon. “Nothing to be nervous about. This is completely tame in comparison to that Sling Shot you forced me to ride.”

  “I don’t know,” Lainey fretted. The insurance agent in her again reared its head, questioning the liability issues of standing on a dubious platform three stories high. “Are you sure this place is safe? Considering the wear and tear in the rest of the house, I’m worried the wood might be warped.”

  “I swear I had it checked out by the building inspector before closing.” Drew tsked at her nervousness. “Besides, I’m the one who has the problem with heights. Remember? Do you really think I’d come up here if it wasn’t safe? I’m not that much of a daredevil.”

  Feeling reassured, Lainey pulled herself up the last few steps. “That’s good because I—I—”

  As Lainey took in the rest of the view, she found herself once again unable to articulate. Drew was slick. She had to give him that. He’d arranged things just perfectly, so the entrance from the stairway was a complete blind spot. But as soon as she climbed up onto the widow’s walk, she was able to see the full effect of his efforts. Lainey was stunned to silence and breathless with wonder and awe.

  Of course, the view the beachfront property offered was absolutely exquisite, facing out over the dune covered beaches. The quarter moon seemed to dip its tail into the deep blue water, and the stars twinkled brighter than strings of Christmas lights with few lampposts to diminish their glow. Far off in the distance she could make out the tip of the sunken cement ship peeking out of the water. But it wasn’t the serene landscape that held her there, speechless, frozen in place.

  “Great view, huh?” Drew wore a victorious smile as he worked on lighting the dozens of candles that lined the deck, each set in deep lanterns so the slight breeze wouldn’t extinguish them. “Even better than the Ferris wheel, wouldn’t you say? And a lot more private.”

  “D—definitely,” Lainey finally managed to stutter. “And, and th—this ... I can’t believe you did all this.”

  Lainey stepped further into the center of the widow’s walk and into a patch of fresh plucked bouquets. Flowers surrounded her on all fours sides. There had to be at least twelve dozen roses in different shades of red, pink, white, and yellow. Sprinkled in among them were baby’s breath, carnations, and daylilies. At least, those were the varieties she recognized at first glance.

  Lainey breathed in the aroma carried on the breeze. As Drew continued to light the surrounding candles, the petals appeared to glimmer in the moonlight. There were so many flowers, it was hard to believe there was room for anything else, but in the center of the man-made garden Drew had set up one final surprise. There were dozens of soft pillows and white satin sheets, piled in the very center of the deck. Beside that was a small table with a bottle of champagne on ice, a tray of crackers and cheese, and strawberries dipped in chocolate.

  “So what do you think?” Finally finished with the candles, Drew set down his lighter so both hands were free to embrace her. “Too much? Not enough? Don’t leave me hanging here.”

  “Perfect.” Lainey laid her head against his chest, and could feel it thumping every bit as rapidly as her own. “It’s absolutely perfect. And at least now I know why you turned down the beach offer.”

  “A new house does need to be christened.” He paused to tickle her neck with his tongue. “I figured it would be fun to start at the top and work our way down.”

  Lainey bit her lip, stuck somewhere between wanting to cry and wanting to get his clothes off as quickly as possible. This beautiful setting, and the time he must have put into it, it was all too much. She never expected any man to sweep her off her feet so thoroughly.

  “No one’s ever done anything like this for me before,” she admitted. “I didn’t think things like this happened in real life. I thought it was only for fairy tales and romance novels.”

  Drew cupped her cheeks and wiped away the single tear that snuck free. “If you let me, I’ll make sure you always live happily ever after.”

  Before she could reply, his lips were pressed against hers, and Lainey melted into the embrace, completely helpless in his arms. He guided her to the blankets, which were even softer than she’d imagined. Her body burned with her primal urges so she didn’t notice the frigid November air as Drew lifted her sweater over her shoulders and slipped her yellow skirt free, leaving her in nothing but a set of lacy undergarments. Each movement was slow and deliberate, and Lainey was certain he knew he drove her mad with each stroke and nibble. Watching him remove his own clothes, seeing every muscle flex, became almost too much to bear, and she found her fingers seeking refuge inside her black panties, trying to relieve at least some of the agony as he forced her to wait for him.

  “Sweet Jesus, Lainey.” Drew groaned as he scrutinized her, his organ stretching to its maximum length. “If you keep doing that, I won’t even need you to touch me before I explode.”

  “We can’t have that.” Lainey grinned and playing the vixen, crawled onto her knees and used her teeth to relieve him of his boxer-briefs. “That would be awfully wasteful.”

  Her tongue teased his engorged shaft, flicking and licking up the salty spurts, before taking his full girth into her mouth. She sucked until her mouth hallowed out and he cried out in release, bursting his seed in a gush of sweetness that she lapped up greedily. When she was sure he was temporarily dry, she lifted her eyes and wiped her lips.

  “You’re a goddess.” Drew panted, before falling down into the satin sheets beside her. “I think I must be the luckiest man in the world.”

  “All women are goddesses.” Lainey propped herself up on her knees, but only after she removed her panties and bra. She crept onto his chest, inching forward until her clean-shaven mound was close to his lips. “And this goddess knows what she wants from her consort.”

  Drew obviously enjoyed this brazen side of her. It was new territory even to Lainey, but as they grew more comfortable with each other, she became more aware of her sexuality and wasn’t being shy about what pleased her. At the moment, she wanted, needed to feel his kiss in her most sacred spot. She moaned as his tongue began its gentle teasing, arching her back to give him better access. She guided his hand, urging his fingers to plunge deep inside of her, while his mouth worked its magic on her nub of pleasure. With his free hand Drew pulled her thighs closer, plunging his tongue deeper into her grotto, moaning himself with every flick of his tongue, as though her pleasure increased his arousal. It didn’t take long for Lainey to feel her peak rising. Her body quivered with a pleasure so intense it bordered on pain until at last it ruptured into complete and utter ecstasy.

  “Drew!”

  Lainey screamed his name out and the sound of her voice echoed, carrying across the deserted roads below them. A burst of hot juices surged from her body, only to be kissed away by his still roaming lips. It wouldn’t take long for a second orgasm to consume her, but she was ready for more.

  “I want you inside me, Drew,” she pleaded, rolling onto the satin covers already damp from their lovemaking. “I want you inside me now.”

  It hadn’t been long since his climax, but already Drew was hard and prepared to give her what she wanted. She used her hands to guide his thick rod into her slippery folds, crying out again as he plunged into her, deeper and deeper, until she could feel the pressure in her back along wit
h the unbearable pleasure that drove her forward. She kept her legs wrapped around him like a vice, flexing in perfect rhythm with him even as his movements became more and more frantic.

  It was a perfect, erotic moment, and one she’d never forget. Yet, as wonderful as it was, Lainey’s intense and rapturous pleasure masked a deeper fear. A part of her was afraid this would be their last carefree moment. Things were going to change soon. Drew would have to head back to his life in L.A. and, house or no house, their love would be tested. But this one last time, it could be simple. This one last time, she could pretend he was hers alone and she wouldn’t soon find her bed empty on a cold winter’s night. She intended to indulge so deeply that the memory would give rise to her passion for many months to come.

  “Lainey.” Drew grunted as he pounded into her. “I—I love you so much.”

  “I love you too.” Lainey clutched him tighter, wishing she’d never have to let go. “More than anything.”

  Lainey arched her back higher, urging him deeper, desperate to pull him closer, wishing they could merge into one being so he could never leave her behind. Too soon she felt herself nearing her peak. She wanted to hold back, to force the moment to last longer, but Drew was already straining, desperately trying to wait for her to join him in that infinite moment. So she gave in, crying out as the waves of pleasure consumed her, momentarily wiping away all thoughts but the most primal. Drew’s exclamation and climax were perfectly timed with her own. Their bodies shuddered in effortless unison. They even fell back against the feathered pillows in flawless synchronization, exhausted, spent, but undeniably satisfied.

  “So,” Drew asked with a contented sigh. “How many more rooms would you like to christen this evening. I think I’m good for at least three or four.”

  “I’d like some of that champagne before we proceed,” Lainey suggested. “And some of that food would be great too. I think I worked up an appetite.”

  “Can’t argue with that.”