Felisha Goulding's Stolen Innocence Series

by Felisha Goulding

  With a pained look on his face, John answered. “Mom’s good. She’s holding her own. I call her every week, but Julie stepped away from the family. She doesn’t bring the kids around and refuses to have anything to do with the old man. They haven’t talked for years. They live at one end of the county and Julie lives at the other end.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that, John. That’s got to be hard on everyone, particularly your mom.”

  “Yeah, it is. Things could certainly be better that’s for sure, but I don’t blame her. She had no life until she moved out of that house.”

  John turned to Meg then. “So, Meggie, tell me something; why haven’t you gone back home to visit since you moved away?” Oh no. She should have been better prepared to answer that question. She stilled herself, not wanting the conversation to get too deep. She was trying to find the right words without looking haunted. She straightened up in the chair and cleared her throat. “You know, other than my parents who visit me every year, I really have no desire to go back there. I’m focused on my career and enjoying my life.”

  “I get that, but you should make the time to go back. It’s nice to see the people you grew up with and the changes to the county. I’m sure your parents would love to see you go home and show you off.”

  Meg’s phone started to vibrate. She picked it up, it was a BBM message alert. Who could this be from? Maybe it’s Sarah. A tender smile crossed her face and John Lake stood there staring back at her curiously. She opened the BBM message to see it was from Drake.

  MM,

  Hope you enjoyed dessert. I know I sure did. You were great company. Are you okay? My offer still stands, you are welcomed to stay at my condo if you’d like, just say the word.

  Good nite Meggie! Get some sleep.

  DN

  Without looking, she felt John’s stare linger and chose to ignore him for a moment. Meg quickly hit reply.

  DN,

  I definitely enjoyed dessert. The company was even more delightful. I’m good staying here at Sarah’s for now, but once again, thank you for the offer.

  Sleep well!

  MM

  She waited for a response and looked up to see John, he was watching her intently. “Sorry, I’ll just be a minute,” she said and tried to hide her excitement.

  MM

  Are you in bed yet?

  DN

  DN,

  No, why? Should I be?

  MM

  MM,

  Absolutely, it’s late. Is your friend keeping you up?

  DN

  DN,

  Kind of, we have been talking for a few hours. Have to admit though, I am dying to crawl into bed right now. I’m so tired. How about you?

  Sweet dreams,

  MM

  Meg turned her attention back to the conversation. John’s face took on a frown and his eyebrows drew together in a straight line. “Who was that?”

  “It was a friend.”

  “Someone special?” he asked.

  “I hope so,” she answered honestly.

  His face dropped and his shoulders slumped over a little. It was like she punched him in the gut. Meg wasn’t sure what he was thinking or what his plans were. But she knew for certain, she could never go down that same road with him. Not now and not ever.

  “Someone back in Toronto?” he asked.

  “Maybe,” she lied.

  “Think I’ll hit the sack,” he said. Before leaving, he stood in front of her; his build wasn’t as large as Drake’s. John was a little thinner, but he was definitely solid and breathtakingly gorgeous just as she remembered.

  “Meggie, I’ve thought about you so many times over these past few years, wondering how you were, wishing I could see you again. I don’t know how serious you are with this other guy, but I can’t promise that I’ll back down. Now that I’ve seen you, even after all these years have passed, I want you as much now as I did back then.”

  Eyes wide, Meg was taken by surprise. Then he bent down and brushed his lips tenderly over hers. She was stunned. The kiss wasn’t passionate, but it was certainly gentle. His lips felt the same as they did back then, soft and moist.

  As much as she was attracted to him, she had to make it clear that she was no longer interested in pursuing anything more than a friendship. Meg had come to terms with that fact years ago. She had a new agenda now, and John was going to remain in her past. She knew she couldn’t go back there, it would be far too painful and resurface too many bad memories.

  “Good night, John,” she whispered back to him. Her eyes followed him until he was out of sight. He walked down the hallway leading to his bedroom and Meg let out a long sigh when his door closed.

  That night, she left the lamp on, as always. She tossed and turned while trying to make sense of it all. Both John and Drake were equally attractive, both wonderful men, protective and confident. One held the heart of the young woman she used to be, and with him, she knew the consequences would be unwanted memories and a troubled life because of her past. The other mysteriously pulled at her heartstrings. He left her breathless and wanting more. What she felt when she was with Drake was confident, desired, and he didn’t scare her. She didn’t know a whole lot about Drake Noble yet, but the hold he had on her was like nothing she’d ever felt before, not even with John Lake.

  * * * *

  The following morning, Meg woke up to an empty condo. She’d heard John in the shower earlier that morning and didn’t as much as move. She heard the door to her room open slightly after he knocked softly, but she pretended to be asleep. She wondered what time it was and looked toward the night table at the clock radio. Shit, it’s ten in the morning already? Where does the time go? I never sleep in!

  Meg hopped out of bed and eagerly made a run to the bathroom; her bladder was about to burst. Ahh, that feels so good!

  After devouring two slices of rye toast and the coffee that John must have made before he left this morning, she decided to go for a long overdue run in Central Park across the street. She’d heard so much about it and was hopeful she would run into someone famous like Tom Cruise or Bono from U2. That would be awesome!

  * * * *

  Meg picked up a little speed as she ran through the park, slowing down once in a while to take in the beauty of her surroundings. Large granite boulders sitting along the tree side sparkled beautifully from the rays of sun beating down on them. From out of nowhere, her attention was immediately diverted to a woman screaming not too far away. “Stop, don’t hurt him.” Two guys were fighting, fists were flying, and the woman continued to cry out for help. The entire scene unfolded right before her very eyes, no more than fifteen feet away from where she stood. Crap, they look pissed. What if he has a gun or a knife? She managed to back up slowly. She watched the heavy set young man pull back his fist and thrust it into the other guy’s face and wham, down he went with a thud.

  Her heart was in her throat, and she couldn’t help but wonder where the cops were when you needed one. She tensed up and continued to back away slowly, trying to get the hell out of there as quickly as she could without drawing attention to herself. The guy on the ground jumped up and gave the guy that punched him a high five. What the…It took a moment before she could comprehend what was really happening. They were filming a part for a movie, and Meg’s face heated from embarrassment. She slipped away unnoticed and relief flooded through her veins. She was hopeful that no one would notice the distress written all over her face. When she was far enough, she relaxed and smiled at her stupidity. Her heart was still racing in her chest, but she was safe.

  She turned in the other direction and headed down a set of stairs taking two at a time. The park was in fact truly stunning, and the day was bright and beautiful but hot as hell. Later, she ventured on to a path in a wooded area, up and over a hill. She found a little clearing where four park benches were neatly stowed on either side of the path. She stopped to take a rest and listened to some random guy play guitar, singing John Lennon’s “
Strawberry Fields” with his case wide open, taking money from anyone that passed by. She hadn’t brought any money, so she continued on with her run feeling too guilty to sit and listen and not reward the stranger for his entertainment.

  Three-wheel bicycles with tour guides were scattered everywhere with a trailer hooked on to the back. A number of tourists took a ride through the park, rediscovering the history of Central Park and its surroundings. Meg overheard one of the tour guides telling a couple, while pointing at the white condo on the corner, that Yoko Ono lives there, the same place where John Lennon was shot and killed. That’s amazing, I’m actually jogging past a condo where John Lennon once lived and was shot down. She overheard the entire story from the tour guide as she slowed down and paced herself behind them. She finally gave into exhaustion and crossed the street to the condo.

  She noticed the limo parked on the side of the street. Fuck me, did I miss his call? I should have taken my cell phone. If she missed a call from Drake Noble, she would never forgive herself. This business deal was the reason for her visit to New York, and she couldn’t afford to screw up this deal for Frank. She also couldn’t wait to see Drake again. As quick as her legs could take her, she sprinted up the stairs and once inside took the elevator to the third floor. She rushed in the door and frantically looked around for her cell phone. After finding her cell plugged into the outlet of her bedroom she picked it up and discovered she has two missed calls. The first one was from Sarah. She accessed her voice mail, “Hey, Meg. Listen, I know you’re pissed at me. We’ll talk when I get back Monday, I promise.” Meg rolled her eyes before she continued listening, “I’ll be home just before noon,” she said. “Please be there when I get back. Love you and miss you, can’t wait to see you again.”

  The second missed call was from John, reminding her of their dinner plans this evening. “Hey, Meggie. I didn’t have the heart to wake you this morning. I peeked in, you were sleeping and looked so peaceful. I made coffee for you, hope you enjoyed it. Looking forward to our evening together. Hope you don’t mind, I asked Sarah for your cell number, talk to you this evening.” Meg sank down in the couch and lay back staring at the ceiling before she closed her eyes. She was thankful she hadn’t missed a call from Drake, but she was also hopeful that he would call her up and make plans for this evening. She really wanted to see him again and wasn’t comfortable with being alone with John this evening. She knew as much as she cared about him, she would never get past that night, and he would be a constant reminder.

  There was a time when Meg would have been thrilled to get a call from John Lake, but now, her stomach was in knots and not in a good way. A smile formed across her face, and she couldn’t help but rejoice a little in the fact that she’d finally gotten over him. Yes, he was devastatingly gorgeous, and she was attracted to him. But she held on to the fact that she’d finally gotten over him. Although, she couldn’t help but wonder, if she hadn’t met Drake, what would have happened between her and John. She was unsure how to answer that, and she decided it would be best to ignore it.

  Now, what to do with myself for the next five hours? After a nice long hot shower, Meg decided to put her hair up in a neat pony tail and threw on a pair of faded old blue jeans and a white T-shirt. She turned to the stereo and found a channel with the latest tunes before adjusting the sound to a boom that vibrated the floor. Meg danced around like an idiot, but she felt good, free and playful. She sang along with the lyrics and finally the song ended. A commercial came on, and Meg could hear the land line buzzing. She picked up the receiver from the end table. “Hello?”

  “Good afternoon, ma’am, I have a package here for Ms. Malone. Is she available?”

  Surprised at the fact that a package was being delivered here to her, she responded, “Yes, that’s me.”

  “The package will be delivered shortly. I’ll send one of the bell boys up.”

  “Thank you,” she responded before ending the call.

  She walked slowly to the door, pondering over what this could be. She pulled the door open and a tall young man stood there holding out a package. He smiled down at her. Meg took the package from him and thanked the young man. “Oh wait.” She turned to get her purse and pulled out a ten. The young man’s smile widened. “Thank you, Ms. Malone,” he said, before he turned to walk away. Meg shut the door behind him and walked over to the kitchen where she placed the package on the counter. She wondered what it could be and noticed there was no card attached and no indication on the outside of who it was from. She eagerly ripped the package open. There was an envelope addressed to her on the inside and she started to read the inscription.

  Meggie,

  Join me for dinner this evening. Once business is out of the way, I am hopeful that you will join me for a drink afterward. Message me back when you get this. I’m afraid I will be tied up for the remainder of the afternoon. I will get back to you with further details.

  In the box you will find something suitable to wear this evening. Considering there isn’t much time left for you to shop and find something suitable to wear this evening, I thought I would save you the trouble. I hope you like it.

  Cheers!

  DN

  Meg’s thoughts were scattered all over the place; excitement and anticipation worked its way through her veins and she was on top of the world. Everything felt surreal to her. Although their meeting would start off with business, she had high hopes of what would come afterward. The very little time she had spent with Drake the evening before led her to believe there would be much more in store for them. It left her hopeful. She couldn’t recall feeling a stronger connection to any other man. Most of the time, it was one date and then she would end it. A relationship was a huge stepping stone for Meg and something she refused to commit to in the past. Not until she felt that magnetic pull like she found with Drake Noble. She also had trust issues which was more about feeling safe than anything. Trust was a key factor for her, and one she hadn’t found with other men she dated in the past. She knew Drake was trustworthy. His eyes were warm and kind and when he spoke, his voice was calm and soothing, his touch was reassuring and gentle. Drake never made her feel uneasy. She felt safe in his presence.

  Shit, what will I tell John? He was planning to make us dinner this evening. Meg walked a few steps into the family room and grabbed her cell. She wasn’t sure what she would say, but she knew exactly who she wanted to be with. She knew he would be disappointed. I’ll tell him I got called in for a last minute business meeting. It wasn’t a lie, but it also wasn’t the full truth.

  She found the text he sent her the day before and hit reply.

  Hey John,

  I have to cancel our plans for this evening, Just got called in to a business meeting and not sure how long I’ll be.

  Sorry,

  Meg

  After canceling her plans with John, she sent a message to Drake.

  Drake,

  Thanx for the invite and as luck should have it, I am available this evening!

  I haven’t checked out the entire package you had delivered yet. I can’t believe you sent me something to wear! It wasn’t necessary but I really do appreciate it.

  Let me know the details at your earliest convenience.

  Have a great afternoon and I look forward to seeing you this evening,

  MM

  Before Meg had a chance to place her cell on the counter, it vibrated with a BBM message alert.

  MM,

  I’m glad to hear you can make it. I will arrange to have the limo pick you up in front of your building. I very much look forward to seeing you this evening as well!

  See you at 6, don’t be late.

  DN

  Meg diverted her attention back to the package and opened the box. She pulled the yellow tissue paper to each side and her hand flew up to cover her mouth. Wow! Utterly stunned, she stared at the shiny black satin that stood boldly against the yellow tissue paper. She reached in and removed the material from the box and star
ed in amazement at the dress. It was absolutely gorgeous. How he guessed she was a size 6, she had no idea, and right now, she didn’t care. Meg held the dress against her body; it was perfect! She walked over to the full length mirror in the hallway and took a long look. It wasn’t just perfect, it was spectacular. Quickly, she discarded the clothes she was wearing, and not able to wait a moment longer, she threw on the dress. Careful not to stretch the material, she slowly pulled the dress up past her hips, and further up to secure the straps that were embedded with heavy sparkled diamonds over her shoulders. The dress was flawless and hugged her curves in all the right places while displaying the fullness of her breasts. It was longer at the back and touched the floor, but stilettos would give her the height she required to take care of that. The front was a little shorter; her back was dangerously exposed with the material sitting low, just above the V at her bottom and showed off the full length of her back.

  The mirror on the opposite wall allowed her to get a glimpse at the seductive image. She went back to the package and found a pair of open-toed stilettos encrusted in heavy diamonds, with thick black silk ribbons to tie around her ankles. She wasn’t sure what was sexier, the dress or the heels! They were a perfect match to the clutch she found underneath. She turned and gave herself one final look. This was, by far, the hottest dress she’d ever seen, and it screamed sex appeal with an elegant undertone.

  After a long hot shower, Meg carefully applied her makeup. She decided to go a little heavier on the eye shadow than usual. The dress was sexy, and she wanted a sensual, sultry appearance and decided to go with a smoky look of grey and black eye shadows. She pinned her hair up with a few strands falling elegantly around the nape of her neck. The end result was a combination of sexy and innocence all wrapped up in one. She’d always been told she had a beautiful long neck and that it was one of her best features.