“I’ll be right down,” he shouted. Finally, Meg managed to break free and rushed past him straight down the hall to Will’s bedroom. All the while, she felt his eyes linger on her back. She closed the door to the room, quickly locked it, and slid to the floor.
Footsteps eagerly made their way up the stairs and past the room. Meg stood up, grasped the towel tightly and listened carefully.
Lynn was pissed. “John, where have you been? You said you were coming right back, I have been sitting there waiting for at least ten minutes.”
“Can’t I take a piss without you following me? I’ll be right down, give me a minute.”
The bathroom door closed loudly, and Meg knew John was annoyed at the interruption. Following the loud bang of the bathroom door were footsteps that came to a dead stop just outside Will’s bedroom. Meg’s first reaction was to cover her mouth with her hand, then she stood back and held her breath. The doorknob twisted, and she backed up further, tensing for a moment when she heard Lynn sputter something under her breath. Lynn gave up and walked away. She released the pent up air from her lungs in relief. Shit, that was close. Not that she would feel too badly, as Lynn wasn’t her favorite person in the world. Meg narrowed her eyes and let out a bitter sigh.
She leaned back against the wall and stood there, her eyes closed. She relived his touch and the sensations they triggered. Her body ached for him, and she wanted to feel his touch everywhere. His voice alone had her tingling all over. She could almost feel his hands caressing her skin and his eyes darken with desire. Ahh, God, he’s so hot! She was almost ready to beg him to put his hand under the towel and touch her. For God’s sake, Meg, pick your jaw up from the floor, get dressed, and get the hell out of here.
She retrieved the clothes from the bed and stepped into the large track pants. She yanked the black T-shirt down over her head and cursed under her breath; it was huge. After rolling up the waist of the track pants, hoping that would secure them around her waist, the hardness of her nipples brushed against the material of the shirt, making her ache a little more. I guess I won’t be going back to the party after all, no bra and no panties. Her face was flushed, and she knew that would be a dead giveaway, particularly if she ran into Lynn.
Meg listened from behind the door. After two minutes, she was somewhat certain no one was on the other side. She took that opportunity and quietly made a run for the exit leading to the driveway. She managed to grab her sandals from the kitchen on her way out and prayed that no one would see her leave, especially Will. Meg laughed to herself, once her feet hit the pavement. She looked like an idiot in over-sized clothing. Who wears track pants with sandals? How attractive is that?
Everything inside of her wished that Lynn hadn’t shown up tonight so that John could have finished what he started. She wanted more than anything to be alone with him just once before leaving town for good. Who knows if I’ll ever see him again? A heavy sadness filled her chest, and her eyes watered, thinking this chapter of her life was over. She would never again be alone with John Lake.
* * * *
A few weeks earlier, Sarah had mentioned that John had asked a lot of questions about her. He told Sarah he thought Meg was sweet, beautiful, and perfect. He told her if it weren’t for the fact that she was leaving town, he would consider leaving Lynn and asking Meg out. Sarah was pretty upset with him for waiting this long to open his eyes; she made it clear to him it was a little too late and to back off. “I didn’t want to see you hurt, Meg.” Sarah knew Meg had been hung up on him for the past two years.
When Sarah shared that with Meg, her heart dropped. She knew Sarah was being protective of her, but she couldn’t help but feel a little tinge of resentment for her interference. Meg made it very clear to Sarah that she didn’t need her protection when it came to John and that she wished she hadn’t said anything in her defense. She told her in no uncertain terms that she still ached to be with him, and if that meant one night, she would have taken it. Meg was convinced that one night with John would have given her a memory for a lifetime.
Chapter 4
A vehicle slowed down to Meg’s right, and her first thought was to keep walking. She didn’t look to see who it was right away. She sensed the vehicle pull up next to her and come to a complete stop. A part of her was hopeful that it was him, and at the same time, she worried that it might be Sarah. She would be pissed at Meg for leaving her like that. She finally turned to see who it was. Holy Shit. It was him. It was John, and he was staring straight at her. He continued to drive slowly, and Meg stopped dead in her tracks. She felt paralyzed and breathless as she watched that sexy smile spread across his handsome face. The driver side window was all the way down and his elbow rested on the ledge. In a stern voice he said, “Get in, Meggie."
Meg continued to walk. “No, thank you, I’m almost home. It’s literally a ten minute walk from here.” Mentally, she kicked herself for being stupid and knew she should hop in with him, but no, for some lame reason she was nervous and continued to walk.
“Meggie, come on, I’ll take you home if that’s what you want.”
She wanted to get in with him, but she didn’t want to go home. A million thoughts raced through her head; no bra, no underwear, such easy access for him to touch her everywhere. No makeup, although he hadn’t seemed to care about that earlier. Over-sized clothing that hid her curves well and she was sure made her look shapeless. Thank God I fixed my hair before I left. She stopped and turned to him.
“Come on, Meggie. Get in, please.” He threw the truck in park and stepped out. His stride was quick, and before she knew it, she came up against hard muscles and stared straight into his chest. He didn’t budge. She could have walked around him, but instead, her right hand moved up to the middle of his chest and she looked up. His features were strong and beautiful, large hazel eyes captured her attention, and he stared down at her. His hands moved down to grasp Meg’s waist, and he held her in a firm grip. His lips found hers, and she was completely mesmerized by him. His lips were moist and possessive, and she gave in to the kiss, returning the same urgency. Although Meg lacked the experience, she decided it best to follow his silent instructions. He pressed firmly between her lips with his tongue, forcing them to part, and she opened up to him. The kiss was hungry, and she was filled with the taste of him, his masculine scent, a hint of alcohol, but it wasn’t overpowering. His hands caressed her lower back before they moved slowly up and down her sides. Feeling absolutely lost in his embrace, she could feel his heart race against her chest, and nothing else mattered in that moment.
Slowly, he pulled away and searched her eyes. “Meggie, get in the truck,” he said with a look of unfinished business.
Meg couldn’t walk away if she tried. She moved towards the parked vehicle just behind them and opened the door to the passenger side. She slid in next to him. Finally. She was almost eighteen years old, and as pathetic as it was, she had just kissed a guy for real, for the first time. She would hold on to that memory forever. Meg considered for a brief moment asking where Lynn was but quickly decided against it. All that mattered was the fact that she wasn’t here.
“I asked around for you at Will’s party. Turns out, you disappeared. Did I scare you off earlier?”
“No, you didn’t scare me off, but your girlfriend sure did.”
He chuckled lightly and held out his hand to touch her face. “I dropped her off at home. After I ran into you, I didn’t want to be with her. l couldn’t stop thinking about you and found myself heading back to Will’s house. Truth is, I’m not sure what I’m doing here,” he said honestly. “All I know is, I had to be with you. Say something, Meggie. You’re too quiet.”
She made quick eye contact with John before he turned back to focus on the road; she ached for him. “Look, I know this is wrong for so many reasons, but I’m glad you came looking for me.”
“What time do you have to be home?” His voice was a little unsteady.
“I’m almost eighteen, I don�
�t have a curfew, and Mom thinks I’m sleeping at Sarah’s so she isn’t expecting me home tonight.”
He turned her way, “How about I take you for a drive?”
Feeling a little nervous and excited, she smiled back at him, “Where are you thinking of going?”
He hesitated before saying anything. “Would it be okay if I surprise you?”
Meg felt a little embarrassed when she reminded herself what she was wearing and that she was sitting next to the sexiest guy alive. “I guess, as long as I don’t need to be dressed up. Just look at me, I look ridiculous.”
John chuckled again, his hand moved to her upper thigh where he squeezed lightly, sending a nice warm sensation through Meg’s body. “You look sexy as hell right now, Meggie Malone.” His gaze went back to road, and Meg smiled to herself in appreciation of his response. Sweet mother of God, the way he just said that.
After a twenty minute drive, things grew quiet and neither of them said much of anything. Meg grew a little anxious, wondering just how far they would go. She trusted him implicitly. She knew he was a flirt with the girls, but he was no threat to anyone; she knew that much for certain.
The truck took a right turn that led onto a dirt road, just outside the county. Meg wasn’t familiar with the area, but she had heard about the white sandy beach and waterfall just outside the county. Anticipation of what lay ahead raced through her mind. She wasn’t a little girl any longer, she reminded herself and then sat back and relaxed a little. She welcomed this new experience with John. Whatever it is he’s willing to give, she’d take it.
The pickup slowed down just before coming to a complete halt. Once he turned off the headlights, they both stepped out of the truck and were wrapped in complete darkness for a moment before their eyes adjusted to the light from the bright moon. The night was beautiful, warm, not a breeze could be felt; the lake was calm, even the branches on the trees remained completely still.
John came around to her side and slowly pulled her toward him. “Okay, Meggie, this is it.” Once again, butterflies danced around in her stomach at his touch. She could easily make out the expression on his face, and he was looking straight at her. His eyes were bright, warm and inviting, and glittered in the moonlight. Meg thought it should be illegal to be that good-looking.
John wrapped his large hand around hers, and together they walked up the steep hill of rocks that gathered along the coastline. With ease, they followed a path through the wooded area, and a large deck immediately came into view, hovering above the waterfall. As they approached the loud sound of gushing water overlooking the falls, Meg realized they must be standing at least thirty feet high from the pool of water below. The view was incredibly striking. John held her hand firmly in his and led them both to the edge of the deck. The scene was spectacular. Water gushed quickly out through a small opening in the wooded area across from them and roared like thunder as it hit the rocks below.
Meg chanced a quick glance, she could feel the weight of his stare, and sure enough, he was looking straight at her. He took her other hand in his and stood directly in front of her. Meg’s back leaned against the wooden railing behind her. In a low reassuring voice she heard him say, “Meggie, don’t be nervous.”
“I’m not nervous. This place is incredibly beautiful. How did you find it?” she asked curiously.
“I used to come out here a few times a year to go hiking with my older brother before he moved away to Boston. Oddly enough, we kind of stumbled upon it when we were kids. I never did come back after he left. But I can see it hasn’t changed much. Are you cold?” he asked.
The corners of Meg’s lips turned upward into a smile. “No, not at all, I’m fine, honestly.”
“I like you, Meggie Malone. I’ve been watching you for a long time. I like what I see. You’re smart and did I mention sexy as hell? But I guess guys tell you that all the time,” he said with hint of jealousy. “I may not know all there is to know about you, but I do know this; I can’t stop thinking about you, about that night at the church two years ago.” He reached for Meg’s mouth and slowly traced the outline of her lips with the tips of his calloused fingers.
“I can’t stop thinking about these lips, how soft they looked that night. I desperately wanted to kiss you back then. Now that I finally got a taste of you, I can’t help but wish—” He looked away for a second then back to her before continuing. He shook his head. “I should have left her, I don’t know where or what this would have led to, but if I could go back two years, I would have done things a hell of a lot differently.”
The whole world seemed to spin around Meg with each word that fell from his lips. “You know, John, I wish you would have asked me to kiss you again when you walked me home that night. I was hoping you would. But then you left and I—” Meg’s words trailed off into John’s mouth as he took her into a deep passionate kiss, showing her exactly what they missed out on for the past two years. His taste was minty with a faint hint alcohol, but she knew he hadn’t drunk that much. He was at the party for no more than half an hour. His lips were moist and his tongue peeked through, deliberately finding hers. Kissing this man was like falling from the sky with nowhere to land: it was exciting, dreamy, and intoxicating. He broke away and left her panting for more. She wanted him closer, to touch her. She looked up and watched as his tongue danced slowly over his bottom lip.
Mesmerized by the sight of him, “John, I umm—”
He held a single finger over her lips in a gesture for her to stay quiet. Lightly, he feathered her cheek with the pad of his thumb and then his fingers gripped her chin gently. Meg’s breath caught, she couldn’t tear her eyes away from him. He pulled her close, their bodies melted into one another. In a low husky voice, she heard him say, “Meggie, I’m going to kiss you again.” And he lowered his mouth, his lips gently touched hers in a caress so tender and sweet; his tongue peeked out just a little and swept over her bottom lip before he sucked it into his mouth and coached her lips to part. Their tongues connected in a sensual dance that left Meg breathless. Her body responded in a way that she only dreamed about, the feelings overwhelming her and welcoming him all at once. Her sex throbbed and moisture spilled down her inner thighs, her entire body was slowly burning alive. He did that to her.
They both pulled back a little but their lips remained connected. They took a deep breath before his mouth possessed hers again. He forced his tongue through Meg’s parted lips and took her deeper. She felt his heart racing against her aching breasts, her nipples formed into tight pebbles, and she rubbed against his chest, desperate for the right amount of friction. She was growing frantic with the need for contact on her bare skin, for his hands to cup her breasts.
Finally, his hands traveled down her rib cage and further below settling at her waist just before they made their way inside her track pants, and he gripped her ass firmly. The feel of his hands on her bare skin gave off a heated sensation low in her womb where light spasms worked their way through her sex. His erection pushed toward her lower belly and a moan escaped her. The sound quickly swallowed up by his mouth before his tongue moved in deeper. He loosened his grip and then moved both hands up her back underneath her T-shirt, and gently, he pulled her close.
Releasing her mouth, John trailed a line of wet kisses across her cheek, making his way to her ear and he whispered between panted breaths. “You’re not wearing a damn thing underneath these clothes, are you? You’re making it very hard for me to think, Meggie. My willpower is shot to hell, and I can think of a thousand things I want to do to you right now. If you don’t say stop, I won’t be able to, once I touch you again,” he said with a growl. “Tell me to stop,” he whispered while continuing to trail kisses along her neck. “I won’t do anything you don’t want me to.” He pulled the material of the T-shirt down past her shoulder, baring her skin to his mouth, and he continued to devour her with a series of light kisses and nips. When he reached the crease between her neck and shoulder, Meg thought she was going to die,
literally. The feel of his wet mouth made its way over her senses, driving her completely wild. A shiver worked its way through her body, and she could feel the upturn of his lips as he smiled against her skin, happy with the effect he had on her.
John held Meg’s chin up with one hand and looked deep into those big blue eyes of hers. He took her breath away when she saw how much he wanted her. His eyes were soft but filled with a need that was raw. “God, Meggie, you’re beautiful.” He let go and turned to walk to the other side of the deck before fixing his eyes on her again. Meg felt like his next meal as he ate her up with his hungry gaze.
“John,” his name came out in a whisper, she reached out to him with both hands extended, and in two quick strides he was back to where she stood, taking her in his arms.
He held her close to his body and in a heated voice clear with need, “What do you want me to do, Meggie?” He reached up to push her hair behind her right ear, then traced a line down the column of her neck and around to the back of her head before he placed his forehead against hers.
They both wanted the same thing. The chemistry between them was incredible. They also understood the consequences; their time together was limited and there was no chance of a future for them. Meg was leaving town and as far as she knew John was staying. They were both faced with having to make a decision; should they go through with this and create a wonderful memory and take the risk of getting hurt or do they walk away?
Everything went quiet with the exception of the thundering water crashing down behind them, making its way out into the lake.
“John, I want this; I want you now, right here. Please, take me.” Meg herself was surprised at her bold reaction. But she was through with waiting and doing the right thing. She wanted him without a doubt in her mind at that moment.
Meggie's Secret Page 4
