John could see his father was thinking, and thinking hard. His work, for the moment, was done.
"Yeah, well she shot that idea down real fast.” Then he checked his watch. “I think I'll head up. Good night, Dad."
John knew he'd pushed all the right buttons. It only remained for him to sit back and wait for things to happen.
* * * *
Lily dusted her hands off and stood back. The somewhat battered desk had been hiding in a corner of the barn, covered with a tarp. She didn't know if the piece was an antique, or not. Constructed of solid wood, it had definitely seen better days. Not ten feet away from where the desk had been stored sat another piece of furniture. At first she took it for a mini china cabinet, owing to the presence of doors missing their glass. But when she examined both pieces again, she realized that the second piece fastened on top of the first.
She tried to remember whether or not the desk appeared in any of the old family photographs her uncle had. But she wasn't as familiar with the photos as she might have been. Her mother—her uncle's sister—hadn't kept any photos of her life as a child on the farm. There'd been a falling out at some point between her mother and the rest of the Robertson clan. Lily never did learn what it had been about. She decided to look through the photos later to see if this piece of furniture played any role in family history.
In the meantime, she needed to have this piece appraised.
Why?
Lily shuddered involuntarily as the question reverberated in her mind. She tilted her head and looked at the forgotten desk. Thinking in terms of dollars and cents emulated her mother's thinking. And her ex-husband's. But did she want to think that way? Really?
She liked the look of the desk. Couldn't that be enough? Her living room, sparsely furnished as it was at the moment, needed more furniture. This desk, cleaned up, would look good in the corner, between the two windows. She wondered how expensive it would be to have the desk restored. It probably wouldn't cost that much. She could look in the yellow pages, find a cabinetmaker that took in pieces to refinish.
Or she could do the work herself.
No. She didn't know anything about restoring furniture. It would likely be hard, and possibly grimy work. She'd likely ruin her manicure, probably get slivers, and had no guarantee at all that she'd succeed.
And that, Lily thought with some resentment, sounded like her mother's thinking again. So what if restoration proved hard and grimy work? She'd never shied away from hard work. So what if she didn't achieve professional results? The piece would only be in her living room, not on exhibition somewhere.
Lily reached out and gently caressed the wood. It felt warm and vital under her hand. No, she didn't know anything at all about restoring furniture, but she bet she could find out how to do it, if she only investigated.
Turning sharply on her heel, she marched into the house, straight to her office. Switching on the computer, she settled herself comfortably in her chair and prepared to breech two personal horizons: Internet research and furniture re-finishing.
* * * *
"Grr. All right. Let me try this again."
"Who's winning?"
Lily turned at the sound of Ryan's voice and gave him a smile. She hadn't heard him come into the house, but she smiled, happy to see him. And standing there with a cocky grin and his arms akimbo, wasn't he one handsome son-of-a-gun?
"At the moment the machine is, but I hope to conquer it soon."
"Whatcha doing?"
"Trying to find out how to refinish furniture."
Rather than take over the task, Ryan pulled up a chair and sat beside her. Echoes from the past—a series of “Here, let me do that, you'll only mess it up/do it wrong/hurt yourself/look like a fool,"—skittered through her mind. Ryan knew very well she had no experience at this new medium. Since he made his living, and a pretty good one from what she could tell, using the computer, he likely excelled in its use. But he obviously had no need to show that skill off for her now, or to take control of her project.
She looked over at him, one eyebrow raised in question of what he thought of her efforts so far.
"You're doing all right."
"Yeah, now. The first thing I did was to query the keyword ‘Furniture.’ The machine promptly served me page one of twenty-seven million, four hundred thousand."
Ryan laughed. “You have to learn somehow. May I ask why furniture refinishing?"
"I found this old desk out in the barn. I thought if I could clean it up ... anyway, it's a secretary desk, I've already figured that much out. It'll look something like this when it's done.” She handed him a picture she'd managed to print of a desk that resembled the one in her barn.
"That would look good in the living room, between the windows."
Lily gave him a huge smile. “That's what I thought."
When he made no other comment, she totally relaxed. Since he hadn't voiced any reasons why she shouldn't pursue this particular endeavor, she felt free to discuss the matter openly. “I may get into it and find I don't like doing it."
"Then you can hire someone to finish it. Or, you may find it's an enjoyable hobby. You'll never know until you try."
She would never know until she tried. Impulsively, she framed his face with her hands and kissed him.
"Why did you do that?"
"Because I felt like it."
"Well, in that case."
Lily giggled as Ryan scooped her up and brought her to the floor, raining kisses all over her face. She laughed harder as he tickled her and undressed her at the same time. She helped him shed his own clothes, seeking to brand him with her mouth.
When he put his hands on her, when he cupped and squeezed her breasts, she stopped laughing and grabbed his hair and hauled him down for another kiss. Her gaze met his, and she saw the wonder there.
"I shouldn't want you again. We fucked all night long, and into the morning. I should be spent. But I do want you again, and I'm beginning to think I'll never have enough of you."
Ryan's words brought a lump to her throat. “I feel the same way. I never knew I could feel the way you make me feel."
"How do I make you feel?"
"Hot. Beautiful. Free. Like I really matter."
"You're all of those things, Lily. All of those things, and more."
"Kiss me like you mean it. Then make love to me."
* * * *
He'd told her no less than the truth. The lady not only epitomized heat and beauty, her presence in his life had become vital. The thought didn't scare him, not in the least. He didn't know if what they had between them would last a lifetime, or not. But he wanted, more and more, to find out if it could be so.
He kissed her, deeply, carnally, her flavor seeping into him. He touched and caressed where it pleased him to, and felt his own arousal kick higher as she gasped and writhed. He cherished her, with slow sipping kisses and long, tender strokes.
"I need you inside me."
"You're getting bolder,” he replied, “I like that."
He handed her the condom package, let her slide the latex on him. Her touch nearly drove him over the edge. His hard cock hungered, so he let it feed on her, with a slow and thorough stroking in and out that thrilled them both. She fit him like a hot wet velvet glove.
"Squeeze me."
"Like this?"
She clenched her inner muscles gently, and he felt the caress down the length of his shaft. “Oh, yeah. Just like that."
He kissed her again, the thrusting both above and below in perfect cadence. When she wound her legs around his hips, he used a hand to lift her bottom even more tightly to him.
Sharp and needy replaced slow and thorough. No room here for words or wasted breath, there existed only the drive for more and still more. Mating evolved into a race with no quarter given, with the sweetest of rewards at the end. Hands clasped and fingers twined as hearts pounded and pleasure poured.
"I keep thinking it can't get better. Then it does."
&
nbsp; Ryan gathered her close as he rolled to his side, her words fitting perfectly into the afterglow. Gradually, he became aware that the short fibers of the carpet prickled.
"Let's go upstairs."
"Good idea. If the object is to get us into bed for a nap first."
"I like the way you think, woman."
Getting to his feet, he helped Lily up and into another embrace, kissing her lightly. She reached to gather the clothes scattered on the rug just as the phone rang.
"I'll get the clothes. You get the phone."
A portable phone lay on the table beside the computer, and Ryan watched as Lily answered it. Her face tensed, and her expression drooped.
"Mother. Hello."
Ryan guessed it would be a bit awkward for a woman to chat with her mom while standing naked and freshly ravished by a lover. But as he continued to watch, as Lily's face filled with color and shame, he had to wonder about the woman on the other end of the line. And then that woman spoke, and though a half a room separated him from Lily, he could hear the shrill voice perfectly.
"Well, you've certainly done it this time, haven't you?"
Chapter 10
"How are you, Mother?"
"As if you care. I blame your father for this. He insisted you be named Lily. If I'd called you Maude, like I wanted, you'd be a much more sober and responsible daughter."
Lily closed her eyes as the familiar refrains of a lifetime began to play in her ear.
"Mother, could you tell me what it is I've done to upset you this time?"
Lily hadn't noticed that Ryan had left the room and then returned. But he must have, for he'd put his jeans back on and had brought her bathrobe to her. She shot him a grateful smile, and with his help, put the garment on. Covered, she immediately felt better.
"Don't sass, Lily. I thought we had agreed that it would be foolish and irresponsible to live in that falling-down shack out in that backwater township. I thought you agreed to do the sensible and responsible thing and unload that millstone your uncle saddled you with. That's how we left things when we spoke last month. I remember it perfectly well. What I would like to know is why you've gone against my wishes, and our agreement in this matter."
"Actually, Mother, that was just your thinking."
"Which, I recall succinctly, you didn't contradict."
"Because it would have been pointless. You don't want to know what I think, so I generally keep my thoughts to myself. You know I've always loved it here.” Lily wasn't surprised when, predictably, her mother ignored that response and plowed on with her complaints.
"It's not enough that you've abandoned your children, physically. Now you've decided to abandon them financially, as well. And to completely ignore my wishes. Well, you've always been a thoughtless daughter."
Lily closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. She was so very tired of hearing her mother's skewed interpretations of reality. “I've done no such thing. Reg asked for a divorce and insisted on keeping the house. Neither John nor Alice wanted to come with me, though I invited both to do so. Since they are both adults, fully grown, they had the right to choose to stay with Reg."
"And that's not the only thing I'm upset about. It's not even the worst of what you've done this time, as you well know. I expected better of you, Lily. Despite the fact that you've been a constant disappointment to me, I never would have expected you to do such a thing. You've sunk lower than even I could ever have guessed you would. John tells me you have a boy living with you. A boy young enough to be your son. Have you no shame? I can just imagine all the sinful goings on out there where there's no one who can see what you're up to."
Lily felt her face redden. She couldn't even say if her heightened color came from embarrassment or anger. “If John told you that, Mother, he lied. I certainly do not have anyone living with me, much less a boy.” That remark, her mother apparently heard.
"How dare you call my sweet grandson a liar? Oh, it's just like you to try and deflect attention away from yourself, to blame everyone else for your own shortcomings. Well, if you think I'm going to sit idly by and allow you to make a laughing stock of yourself, or besmirch my good name and my position in the community by behaving in a wanton, brazen, shameful way, you can think again, missy. You leave me no choice. I'm going to call Reginald. Together, we'll just see what can be done about you. Make no mistake. You've gone too far this time!"
Lily held the receiver, the dial tone screaming after her mother's abrupt disconnect.
"Well, what a pleasant conversation.” Lily carefully set her phone down. It wasn't until she looked up at Ryan that she realized he'd heard every word.
"I can't believe what I just heard. That was your mother?"
"Yes. She calls and berates, and I make noises till she's done."
"She does that a lot, does she?"
"More in the past, before the kids grew up. If one of them didn't get what they wanted, I could be sure to hear from her. I can't prove it, but I've always had the impression that she would speak against me to them. Trash talk me, if you know what I mean."
Lily watched as Ryan shook his head. Amazing, how well she knew him, already. He wanted to give her his opinion, yet he recalled the fight they'd gotten into over his reaction to John. She thought that maybe this time, they could avoid a fight.
"I can't explain why it is I can think of a thousand and one things to say to her after the fact, yet remain virtually speechless in the heat of the moment. I just feel this ... powerlessness come over me when confronted by her. I always have, all my life."
"She treated you like that when you were a kid?"
"Oh, yeah. I think my marriage to Reg is the only thing I ever did that pleased her. My faults, according to her, included laziness, eagerness to get my hands dirty like a common farmer, being not pretty enough, not graceful enough. But her favorites remained my selfishness, and my insistence on blaming everyone else for my numerous failures. Where she got those two from, I have no idea, because I have never been guilty of either. I'm sorry, Ryan. I'm sorry that you had to not only witness her vitriol, but my ... passivity."
"Considering the nastiness of her attack, I think you handled her about the best way you could."
Lily walked over, and put her arms around Ryan.
"Thank you for saying that. For not pointing out that I'm a wimp."
"I don't think you're a wimp."
Lily kissed his mouth, taking him deep, her tongue dipping and playing with his. She loved the flavors of him, the way his hands caressed her back and bottom while his tongue danced with hers. She loved the way he made her feel sexy and attractive and wanted.
"Do you know what I want to do right now?” he asked her.
She adored the little half smile that teased his lips, and the twinkle in his eyes. “Play cribbage?” she suggested.
"Don't know how to play cribbage. No, I want to go to bed with you. I want to make love with you, and fall asleep with you in my arms. And I don't care if we get out of bed again before morning, or not."
"What an amazing coincidence."
Lily followed as he took her hand and led her to the bedroom. He shucked his jeans, reached for a condom, slipped it on his already hard cock. When he turned to her, when he pulled the belt of her robe, opening it, such hunger gleamed in his eyes she thought she knew what would come next. But he surprised her, yet again.
His hands trembled ever so slightly, she could feel them as he swept the robe from her, as he stroked her arms, her neck. He cupped her face, and she went up on her toes to close the distance between them. His kiss, soft, questing and, she thought, reverent, thrilled her. No one had ever kissed her like that. No one had ever treated her as if she was precious.
He sat on the bed and pulled her between his legs. Looking down at his head as he leaned forward to lick and kiss her breasts, her heart filled with such ... love.
His brown hair glistened, so soft and long, she was tempted to run her fingers through it. He suckled and she ar
ched, giving him freer access. Giving him everything.
Then he scooped her, laid her down, and took her mouth. The light, wet slide of lips, the gentle forays of his tongue seduced her completely. Her hand caressed his face, a touch of tenderness that he returned by bringing her hand to his lips and kissing it.
His mouth explored her then, slowly, patiently, and Lily thought she might go mad with his ministrations. She never knew the inside of her elbow to be an erogenous zone. Ryan's lips and tongue tasted her there, and her arousal grew. He traveled the length of one arm, then the other, stopping now and then to return to her lips. She reached for him, but he intercepted her hands, kissed them again.
"Just let me love you."
How could she resist? His lavish strokes, his deep kisses overwhelmed her. He nuzzled her breasts, then followed a line down, over her belly. Her body tensed as he neared her pussy, and she arched, her hips trying to entice him to settle there, to taste and tongue and tease.
But Ryan refused to be rushed, and just gave her eager mons a light stroke in passing, as he continued on. He kissed and licked her knees and nibbled her toes, and Lily ceased to think, she could only feel. Emotion and arousal became twined together in a silken cord that held her completely captive. When his hands urged her, she turned, and offered him her back.
The tiny dip in her spine, right at the top of her ass, proved a hot spot that reveled in Ryan's caresses. Her legs parted eagerly for him and when he suckled the dimples where bottom met thighs, she groaned. Her eyes closed and she could only surrender to the slow heavy beat of arousal that coursed through her. Her body moved and undulated following Ryan's worshipping mouth.
"Please!" The word escaped her when she feared she couldn't take any more. He urged her to turn over once more and her legs spread wide, waiting, before she had completed her turn. She wanted to reach down and stroke his ready cock, but he kissed her hand again even as he finally, finally thrust into her.
Lily lost touch with reality as her orgasm overpowered her. The spasms were long, electric, exciting, and she wrapped herself around him, arms and legs, pussy clinging to that wondrous cock as it moved in slow, measured beats in and out. Even when she felt his cock begin to twitch, even when she knew he came, Ryan's movement stayed slow and sure.
Lily in Bloom Page 7
