Hope’s fingers snarled in the bed clothes as her hips soared up to meet the thrusting of his fingers. It was too much. Her head thrashed from side to side as the pressure and the pleasure built. She cried out when he pulled away from her, called out his name and begged him to continue, to give her some relief from this frenzied need.
And then she felt him at her opening, not his fingers or his lips, but him and she pushed her hips down against the full tip. She could hear him murmuring softly, urging her to go slow, but slow wasn’t what she wanted. She wanted him, filling her, completing her. She allowed him to set the pace until he was deep enough to trap him. She wrapped her legs behind him and surged onto him. There was a flash of pain and he hesitated. How dare he. She wouldn’t allow it. She pulled him to her with her legs until he was thrusting to her rhythm.
“Oh, Oh, Oh,” she cried and his finger crept between them and touched her swollen nub and the world exploded. This was rapture. This was ecstasy.
Nico heard her cry and felt her body clench around him. He continued to thrust through her orgasm, once, twice, three times, until he came with her and he too shouted his joy.
He crawled up beside her and stroked her hair, kissed her eyes and watched her face change from ecstasy to bliss. “Now do you see how I see you?” he asked.
“Yes,” she breathed. Her eyes were closed because she hadn’t the strength to open them. “Oh, yes.”
Chapter 22
Hope stretched her body out, neck, shoulders, torso, legs and toes, to pull herself from sleep. She opened her eyes to find Nico smiling down at her.
“Time to get up, lazybones” he said. “We have reservations at the Lodge and if we lose them, you’ll be eating tonight from a vending machine.” He bent down and kissed her nose. “You need to get ready, if we’re to be on time.”
She sat up and the sheet slid down to her waist. Nico’s breath sucked in on a hiss. Without taking his eyes from her, he grabbed her gown from the foot of the bed.
“You need to put this on,” he said and he turned his back and strode to the other side of the room.
Hope was confused. Nico had spent a great deal of time making love to her breasts and telling her she’d no reason for shame. Now he snapped at her because she was uncovered.
“I’m sorry, Nico,” she whispered, sliding the gown over her head. “Have patience with me. I’m new at this. I didn’t mean to offend.”
“Offend? Good god, woman, I’m not offended, I’m aroused.” He turned back to face her and she could see the telltale bulge of his pants.
“Aroused? But didn’t we just…”
“Yes and I would have gladly done it again, and again, but you’re a…” One corner of his mouth turned up, “…new at this and I didn’t want you to be sore.”
“I always thought that once a man was, well, empty, he was done, for the day, so to speak.” She stood and shimmied her hips until the hem of her nightgown reached her ankles.
Nico groaned and spoke with exaggerated patience, “Go into the bathroom, Hope. Close the door, take your shower and don’t come out until you’re fully dressed and ready to leave. If you don’t like what I’ve laid out for you, tell me and I’ll pass you whatever you want. Just don’t open the damned door.”
“Yes, sir,” she said outwardly meek. Inside, laughter was bubbling. Nico said he loved her. Nico thought her body beautiful. Nico wanted to make love to her again, and again. His words. Just the sight of her breasts aroused him. She almost skipped on her way to the shower.
Yesterday, the little black dress with the deeply scooped neck and the hem at mid-thigh would have made her self-conscious. Today, it made her feel powerful and sexy. Earrings made of fine gold chains tipped with tiny golden bells drew attention to her long neck and the heels of her shoes made her Nico’s equal in height. He obviously didn’t mind. Watching his eyes darken as he tracked the path of her legs when she slid into her seat in the ‘vette, seeing the images flashed from his mind, sent a thrill zinging through her and made her wriggle with anticipation.
Madison Lodge sat halfway up the mountain and its wide porches overlooked the valley below. The hostess explained that they were booked full and with the additional diners, there would be an unavoidable delay in seating. She offered complimentary drinks as recompense and they took them out onto the porch to enjoy the spring evening. Nico found them a spot away from the other waiting parties and they stood at the porch rail, shoulder to shoulder, looking out over the darkening valley and the dotting of lights from the houses below.
Though the evening was warm for spring, it was still too cool for Hope’s light weight shawl and she shivered a little in the breeze. Nico immediately set his drink on the rail and removed his leather jacket.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were cold?” he asked as he wrapped her in its warmth.
“It’s my own fault. I should have worn my coat.”
“I should have reminded you.”
“But I hated to cover this dress,” they said together and laughed.
Nico moved back to her side but kept his arm around her waist. Hope rested her head on his shoulder.
“I’ve been thinking,” she said quietly.
Nico chuckled. “I’ve heard a thinking woman is a dangerous thing.”
“You’d rather I didn’t?”
“Oh no, I’d rather you did. I’ve always liked to play with dangerous things.” He laughed when she smacked his arm playfully.
“I’m serious.”
At once he sobered. “I’m listening.”
“I’ve been lying to myself.” She felt his arm tighten around her waist. “Not about you. About my past, about the Community of Saints, about my father.”
“How so?”
“They’re good people, you know. The Community, I mean. For the most part, they’re upright and law abiding and kind. They take care of each other. I don’t think there are any more wife beaters or child abusers among them than there are out here in the world. What I heard them say, what I saw, I interpreted based on what went on in my own home. I wanted, no, I needed to believe that was the way everyone’s life was.”
“You needed to believe to survive.”
“Exactly. Watching Grace and Canaan, Dov and Col, I can see so many similarities between them and the people at home. The bantering for instance.” She smiled into the darkness. “Not as filled with innuendo as theirs, but bantering just the same. I always took it so literally and never saw the love behind it.” She snuggled a little closer. “Don’t get me wrong. They do believe that men are first in God’s eyes, but that doesn’t mean that the men don’t cherish they’re wives. The more I look back, the more I see how wrong I was. I think some of them may have suspected what was happening to me, but felt powerless to stop it.”
“Do you miss it?”
“The Community? Sometimes. I miss the children terribly. Their happiness should have been the slap in the face that woke me up. They didn’t cringe when their fathers walked in. They ran to them with open arms. That boy, Henry, I told you about…” She laughed at the image in Nico’s mind. “You have no reason to want to strangle him. I told you he’s a good man. It was telling you about him that made me think. When his wife was carrying twins, he took over most of her chores. The other men teased him about doing woman’s work, cast aspersions on his manhood. I see now what I couldn’t see then. It was all in fun. Most of them would have done the same for their wives. We never teased in my house, sarcasm was always cruel and laughter followed malice.”
“Knowing this, would you like to go back, not to your father, but to the Community?”
“No, not unless you were with me. And somehow I can’t see you farming by the light of the moon.” She tilted her head and kissed the lobe of his ear. “Hey, when did you get your ear pierced?” The diamond stud glittered in the light. “And why haven’t I noticed it before?”
“In 1916 when I was living on the docks in Burgas. I was quite the buccaneer with a giant g
old hoop hanging from my ear.” He laughed at his youthful foolishness. “I’d tried tattoos on my forearms, but they didn’t take. I thought the earing made me look dangerous. I don’t wear one often because it captures the light and might give me away. Tonight’s a special occasion.”
The hostess walked along the porch calling Nico’s name and when he answered, she escorted them inside to a small table set for two. Candlelight shimmered across the table settings and mirrored off the window panes. Dimly lit chandeliers cast an amber glow, softening the rough texture of the rustic furniture and a fire blazed in a huge stone fireplace across the room adding warmth to the cozy atmosphere. Hope knew there were finer restaurants in the world, but this was the nicest place she’d ever been and she couldn’t imagine anything lovelier.
After they gave their order to the waiter, Hope picked up the conversation where they’d left it on the porch. “I’m thinking Burgas is in Eastern Europe, but I can’t remember where.”
“Then you know more than most. It’s in Bulgaria on the Black Sea.”
“Is that where you’re from? The Professor says you probably speak several languages and your accent is a combination of them all.”
“Do you often discuss me with Broadbent?”
“I don’t seek him out. We talk about a lot of things.”
They paused while the waiter poured a taste of their wine in Nico’s glass. When Nico sniffed, tasted and nodded, the waiter filled their glasses. Nico lifted his glass in a toast.
“To lips that touch wine,” he said with a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
“May they always touch mine.” Hope lifted her glass and blew a kiss across the table.
“Touché.” He watched Hope take a sip and smiled fully at her look of surprise.
“Why doesn’t Grace’s wine taste like this?”
“Perhaps because Grace thinks aged means how long the box has been sitting in the refrigerator.”
“So tell me how you know good wine from bad.”
“I will, as soon as you tell me how often you discuss me with Broadbent.”
This was a question she’d rather not answer. Broadbent had several theories about ‘our man of mystery’, and he only revealed them to Hope because he knew how she felt. Nico wouldn’t be pleased. Rather than lie, she changed direction.
“You never tell me anything.”
“You’ve never asked.”
“I have and you give half answers or change the subject. You did it a few minutes ago. Are you from Bulgaria? Do you speak several languages?” She tried reaching into his mind.
“No. Yes.” He was goading her and he knew it, but he loved the flash of fire it brought to her eyes and when she puckered her mouth in frustration, he only wanted to kiss her all the more.
“I’m not falling for that smoky, smoldery thing you do with your eyes,” she said. She could almost feel him pealing the clothes from her body. His images of love making made her body warm and her juices begin to flow. “Stop it,” she hissed. “You’re going to embarrass me.” She took a sip of wine.
“I keep my thoughts to myself.” Nico taped his forehead. “If little girls are going to snoop, they can’t complain about what they find.”
She took another sip. “I’m not a little girl.”
“I know.” He ran his tongue slowly across his upper lip and sent her a very clear image of where he wanted that tongue to be.
The waiter brought their food. Nico took her wineglass from her and brought it to his lips. He leered at her over the rim. She almost squeaked at the images he presented in her mind. This was different. Before, the images were no more than flashes. These were slower with way too much detail. She held her hand over her heart to slow her breathing.
The waiter asked if he could bring them anything else. Without taking his eyes from Hope’s, Nico waved his hand in polite dismissal and with a knowing smile, the waiter withdrew.
“How are you doing this?” she whispered.
Nico’s laugh rumbled deep in his chest. “I’m not doing anything, precious. You are. I can feel you dancing in my mind. You’re getting stronger. See if you can send something back.”
She closed her eyes and conjured up some images of her own and smiled when Nico’s laugh turned into a groan.
“Turn it off, precious, or these gentle folks are going to get a lot more than dinner.” His eyes were beginning to glow.
She closed her eyes and concentrated. She could almost hear the click that turned the images off. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes.
“Do you think it’s because…?”
“You’re no longer a virgin.”
“Shhh. Someone might hear.” Though he spoke the word in a whisper, she was sure the whole room would hear. Her face flamed.
“Are you ashamed of losing it or ashamed of who you lost it to?” His smile was gone.
“Oh, Nico, never. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me and I mean that with all my heart. I’ll shout it to the world if you ask me to, but some words will always make me cringe. Where I’m from, words like that are treated the same way as the four letter ones you’re all so fond of. They aren’t mentioned. The only time I ever heard that word spoken was in reference to Mary, Mother of God and only at Christmas. I’m sorry, old habits die hard.”
Nico reached across the table to take her hand and brought it to his lips. “I’m the one who should be ashamed. It’s those old habits that attracted me from the first. Your virtues, like your name, give me hope. I…”
He was interrupted by a small commotion across the room. A man with flowing white hair reminiscent of a lion’s mane strode into the room, voice raised and hands waving. He was followed by a few soberly dressed men with self-important airs who obviously served as his entourage. This group was followed by a second; three couples, two of whom seemed ill at ease with their host’s flamboyance.
Hope’s hand turned icy in his. Her eyes were wide and her face pale as she stared at the man with the flowing mane. When Nico spoke, she pulled her hand away.
“What is it, Hope? What’s wrong?”
She slowly raised her shawl over her hunched shoulders and with one hand held it closed about her throat. Her free hand disappeared beneath the table where she pulled at the hem of her dress.
Nico watched her transform from the beautiful, vibrant woman he loved into a cowering shadow of a nervous and frightened girl. As if under a descending veil of gloom, her lustrous hair became dull and her face took on a grayish cast. Even her slinky black dress that had clung to her womanly curves now hung like a sack from her shoulders. She clenched her eyes shut and her voice shook.
“It’s him,” she whispered.
She didn’t have to say more.
Chapter 23
Her father raised his hands and addressed the room. “Let us all give thanks for the bounteous repast we are about to receive.”
Some diners stared. Some bowed their heads.
Hope began to shake and Nico snarled.
“Most heavenly Father…” the preacher intoned and began a grace that was both lengthy and loud.
A light tremor shook their table. The silverware began to tremble and the water sloshed in the glasses. The candle wobbled in its crystal globe until the melted wax extinguished the flame.
Nico reached across and gripped Hope’s shoulder as unobtrusively as he could. He wanted her attention and none from the other diners. He whispered her name and when he got no response, he said it again. He dug his fingers into her shoulder and called her as loud as he dared.
“Hope. Don’t let him do this to you. You need to get control of it. Open your mind to me,” he commanded. He saw her eyes flicker behind her lids. “Look at me, precious, only me. See me. Concentrate on my mind and nothing else. You’re stronger, now. You know you are. And like you said, I’ve got you’re back.”
He felt the slight tingle in his head that said she was with him. He thought about how she explained what she saw. I
want you to love me, my precious. I need you to love me as no one ever has. Please. He repeated it over and over in his mind praying that she would see him and believe.
The veil of shadow began to lift. Her dress once more showed off her luscious curves. Her face and lips took back their color. Her hair brightened, the red highlighted by candleflame.
The silverware stopped trembling and the water settled in the glasses. The hand that had been clutching the shawl moved to the hand gripping her shoulder. She wound her fingers through his and let out a long, slow, breath. At last, she opened her eyes.
“He can’t hurt you anymore,” Nico’s voice was filled with both love and anger. “I won’t let him. You’re mine, do you hear me? You’re mine and what is mine I defend. Don’t let him do this to you, precious. Don’t give him that power. Fight back.” He brought her hand from her shoulder to his lips.
Hope closed her eyes again, this time on a sigh of relief. Her reaction to her father was a habit that needed to be broken. She was no longer friendless or defenseless. The members of the House of Guardians were more of a family to her than he had ever been. Nico loved her, cherished her for who she was, not for who he thought she ought to be.
The preacher was winding down. “We ask you for the strength to drive away the temptations of the flesh and the courage to seek out those who have fallen from the path to cleanse them of their unholy afflictions. In Your Name we pray. Amen.”
Parsons’ eyes slid around the room gauging the crowd’s reaction. They lingered for a moment on Hope and she met them squarely without flinching. His piercing eyes narrowed with contempt. She boldly faced him down. With a slight shake of his head, his gaze passed along to the next table. Some answered his look with a nod of solidarity. Others ignored him. Only when he’d completed his visual circle of the room did he take his seat with the others of his party.
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