Beginning with Forever

by Lan LLP

  As soon as he securely covers my chest with the blanket, he presses a button for the window to slide down. I personally wanted to bury my entire body under it, feeling ashamed. “Yes, do you need something?” he questions the security officer and flashes him a bothered look. Oh my god, I’m stunned. He’s not the least bit deterred or intimidated by this law enforcer. Money is a powerful thing is all I can say. I tuck my head timidly further beneath him.

  “Oh…I’m…sorry, Mr. Bradley. I didn’t know you were in there.” He’s startled and embarrassed, taking a couple of steps backwards.

  “No problem officer. We’ll be here for the night. Will you let security know?” He glances down into my dilating eyes and winks at me with a wicked smile.

  “Yes, and I’ll also deactivate the alarm for you.” He rushes off.

  “Carson, I can’t believe you had me fooled. Living on the edge, huh? More like the edge of your property.” I pinch his chest lightly for playing an awful trick on me.

  “Ouch!” He rubs his pinched spot. “I had to see for myself how willing I could push you. I love you so much, my future Mrs. Bradley.”

  “Like I said before we were interrupted, we don’t have all night. Finish what you started Mr. Bradley.” I pull him down and seal his lips over mine.

  ____________________

  Ah, I appreciatively wake up in another bed that belongs to Carson. My eyes explore my new surroundings. This master bedroom has a cozy quality. The colors are neutrally warm and welcoming, and the furniture and beddings are luxurious. It reminds me of an Ethan Allen furniture showroom. By far, this is my favorite room of all the ones I’ve been in.

  Carson is actually sleeping in this morning. I slip out of his arms and sit by his side, watching him sleep peacefully. His handsome, chiseled face is flawless. I run my thumb pad along his bottom lip, feeling its tenderness. I lean into his lips and kiss them gingerly. His warm body is fully exposed because he prefers the coolness over the heat underneath the blankets. I trace my fingertip along the pale faded scar on his left hip, wondering still how it came to be. For once, I’m able to appreciate Carson in his raw form and loving every minute of it.

  I climb out of bed and make my way to a gigantic walk-in closet. It’s not packed full of clothes like I anticipated. I grab a white t-shirt out of a neatly folded drawer of t-shirts and slide it over my head. I brush my teeth with what I’m hoping is his toothbrush, and walk out to the kitchen—wherever that is. I have no idea where anything is kept as I try to make Carson breakfast in bed. This must not be a place he visits often because there is no fresh produce to be found. I make buttermilk pancakes from a box and coffee. By the time I complete my surprise breakfast in bed, Carson is already quietly sitting at the kitchen island watching me with his chin lazily resting on his right palm. He’s topless with tousled bed-head and boxer briefs—god, he’s hot. Cut it out! He’s already yours! I yell at myself. “Are you hungry? I couldn’t find anything but pancake mix.”

  “Starving, I love pancakes.” He rubs his belly like an adorable toddler would sign for hungry. I slide the plate and a fork in front of him and pour a hot cup of coffee. Rounding the island, I take a seat on his left side to watch him enjoy my homemade breakfast.

  “Carson, is this place yours, too? Why do you own so many properties?” In my humble mind, I can’t understand why anyone would need to possess so many expensive properties if they only live in it a few times a year.

  He interrupts his bite of pancake to answer, “Yes, this place is also ours. I like to get away from the city and relax in the suburbs every now and then. As you can tell from the lack of food, I don’t come here often. Do you like it here?” he asks and then takes a sip of his coffee.

  “I do. It reminds me of home, except with an enormous real estate price tag and luxurious furnishings.” I give him a sly grin.

  “We can move here after our baby is born if you’d like. I can easily commute to work,” he generously offers.

  “We’ll see. I hate to turn your entire world upside down just for me and our Peanut.”

  He swivels his barstool to face me. He tips my chin up and kisses my forehead. “I’d sacrifice anything for you and our baby.” He takes another bite of pancakes and sips his black coffee. “Especially, if I can have all the delicious pancakes that I want—cooked by you.” He feeds me a small bite.

  “Wait ‘til you taste my blueberry ones.” I wrap my arms snuggly around his waist, mentally thanking God for blessing me with my happy movie ending.

  Chapter 25

  Carson Bradley

  Lil is in the shower. This will give me a small window of opportunity to call Owen and see what’s going on at Steward Laboratory. Hayden confirmed last night that one of the lab researchers is missing. He was last seen at a local bar. His girlfriend filed a missing person’s report two days ago, and the police have no leads. He’s one of five researchers that are responsible for the chemical make-up of our new drug. Without his contribution, the process may possibly be delayed or incomplete. It was my idea to break up the drug into five equal parts in case someone attempted to get their hands on it. I’m the fifth researcher.

  “Owen, do you have any news on Paul Lewanski? I met Mr. Carter last night and he filled me in briefly.”

  I hear an eerie pause before Owen speaks into the phone, “David Phong is also missing. He didn’t show up for work yesterday, and we haven’t been able to get ahold of him. Our security team is working around the clock to locate them.”

  “Fuck! Someone knows about the progress of our new drug.” I immediately throw out a paranoid assumption. “Do you think they could be in danger? I want you to make sure the other two are under protection and surveillance.”

  “I’m already on it, sir. It’ll be wise to have a bodyguard with you at all times as well. As of now, we’re not sure if these two missing cases are related; however, it’s best to be extra cautious until we find an answer.” Owen’s tone is unusually worrisome today which frazzles me even more.

  How am I going to explain this mess to Lily? I panic. “Owen, I’ll call you for updates after I land in St. Croix this evening.” Owen will have to extend Luke’s contract and employ him as Lil’s shadow. She won’t have a choice in the matter like I led her to believe earlier. He’ll be following her around town for a legitimate reason this time. I can’t risk having her exposed to whoever’s after my Oss-Meta drug, even though this is all based on my personal speculation. My family’s safety is now my priority. Speaking of danger, I still need to get ahold of Jean-Pierre. Lil seems to be seriously shaken up by his warning. I’m not superstitious, but it doesn’t hurt to hear him out. Why isn’t he picking up? I’ll leave him an urgent message to return my call.

  Lil will have to come home to me sooner than three months later. This will be my toughest challenge yet. How will I do this without letting her know all the possible dangers that are involved? I just can’t allow this kind of stress to jeopardize her pregnancy. If only there’s a way to bypass her stubbornness, I wouldn’t have to expose her to any of my minor details. These minor details are my problems, not hers, so I want to handle them with the least amount of interference to her uncomplicated world.

  “Carson, where are you?” It looks like she’s out of the shower and ready to go. We’ll be flying back to St. Croix this afternoon and unfortunately, I have this sick feeling in my gut about leaving her without me.

  “I’m in my office,” I yell out before getting up to meet her halfway in the hallway. She sees my worried expression before I’m able to replace it with my usual impassive mask. This is an open invitation for her to demand explanations.

  Lillian Ly

  Carson disappears out of the bedroom while I shower. I follow his voice to a hallway and see a troubled expression on his face. I wonder if it has anything to do with his conversation with Hayden last night. He’s gifted with mood swings and emotional shifts, but I’m filtering them more skillfully with time.

  “Is everythi
ng okay?” I ask with concern. He was radiantly optimistic this morning at breakfast and now it appears as if he has the entire world’s problems on his shoulders.

  “Yes, I’m fine. I hate the long distance between us.” He plays it off as separation anxiety. I’m not sure if I can believe that wholeheartedly, but I’m not going to challenge him this morning. He seems like he has enough to deal with and doesn’t need my bull-crap on top of it.

  “It’s only temporary,” I reassure him.

  He takes my hand and leads me back to the bedroom. He sets me on the edge of the bed and stands between my thighs. He tips my chin up, so I’m staring straight into his enticing emerald green eyes. “I’d like to ask a favor of you without any resistance. It’s very important to me.” His tone is completely serious. I nod my head with uncertainty. “I want you to allow my bodyguard to follow you for a few weeks. It’s only provisional until we resolve a small problem I’m dealing with at work.” I begin to open my mouth, but Carson places his index finger over my lips to stop me. “You promised to agree without questioning.” I give him a deceived frown. “Now that’s my good little Angel. I feel much better about your return to St. Croix with your agreement.”

  Argh, I’m mad I let him trick me. Whatever he’s dealing with is more serious than he leads me to believe. Why else would he push a bodyguard on me when I’m thousands of miles away from him? “You don’t play fair, Carson.” I punch him gently in his firm abdomen.

  Faking injury, he collapses his body over mine to hold me captive underneath his ripped body. My wrists are constrained under his left hand while he runs the back of his right hand along my cheek and neck. It’s impossible for me to stay mad at this irresistible man. “It’s for your own good, Angel. I’m doing this out of love,” he croons in that voice that stirs fire deep inside me. His right hand loosens the robe around my squirming body and begins to soothe my opposition away. This is one skill he’s mastered, never failing to please me completely. I attempt to fend him off of me even though I know I don’t stand a chance against his seduction. “Don’t fight, baby, it’ll only make me want you more.” He flaunts his dimpled smile, and my legs willingly spread for his entrance. “That’s better.” His fingers sink inside my slick channel, preparing the path for his sizable erection.

  I moan as he slides his fingers in and out of me while his thumb rubs my swollen sex. His clenched jaw and heavy breathing tells me he loves the sounds I’m making. “I…uh…need…uh…you inside me,” I slowly pant my plea. “Now…please.” Carson pulls his fingers out and slides his firm rod in place. My insides crave his fullness, caressing it with tenderness that drives his body wild. His thrusts are gentle, more cautious since his discovery of my pregnancy. Each stroke is a tease, urging me to appreciate his throbbing thickness, pushing me to climax. It doesn’t take long before I surrender to his coaxing, and we both come together.

  “I love coming inside you,” he mutters as he tries to steady his heavy breathing. Slowly he withdraws himself and rolls onto his back with me nestled against his body. His heart still beats rapidly as he wraps his arms around me. “But I love having you in my arms even more,” he whispers along my neck.

  ____________________

  We drive back to the Zen for Carson to pack his overnight bag for St. Croix. His mood is mellow at the moment. I’m even able to briefly greet Jeremy, the nice young doorman on my way in. It’s important to me to always acknowledge people with a smile or kind words out of respect. We run into Andrew and his partner in the lobby before we’re able to make it to the elevators. Andrew excitedly waves us over to them. I hope Carson’s temperament remains unruffled. I know we’re pressed for time, but I hate to be impolite. I grab his hand and force him over to my new Boston friend.

  “Hey, Lillian, Carson. It’s nice to run into you guys again. This is my partner, Stewart,” Andrew greets us enthusiastically.

  His partner appears more reserved like my partner. Stewart is probably in his late thirties, tall and built like Carson. He has heavy dark brows, narrow light blue eyes, a fuller lower lip and a fixed composed expression. His hair is gloriously pitch-black and bountiful. He stretches his hand out to shake Carson’s and mine. Oddly, they eye each other like there’s a lack of trust between them. Do they already know one another from somewhere else? I’m confused.

  “We need to set a definite dinner date. I’m an excellent cook and so is Stewie. I used to own a catering business,” Andrew boasts.

  “Andrew, I’m actually a medical-resident in St. Croix, and I visit Carson whenever it’s possible. I’d love to set something up when I eventually move here in a few months.”

  “Lillian, promise me you will when you’re situated.” I gladly nod my head. For some unexplained reason, I feel an instant kindred connection with Andrew. He seems sincere, charismatic, and kindhearted. “Do you know what specialty you’re leaning towards?”

  “At first, I had my heart set on internal medicine, but now I’m leaning more towards radiation or medical oncology.” Carson turns his attention to me and smiles approvingly with my decision. This is news to him because I’ve never disclosed my specialty preference until now.

  “What a coincidence! Stewie is a radiation oncologist,” Andrew excitedly informs us.

  “Lillian, if you need anything, let me know. I’m the chief radiation oncologist at CureAll Oncology,” Stewart politely offers while he warily glances sideways at Carson.

  “Thanks, Doctor, I can always use a mentor.”

  Carson discreetly tugs my hand, signaling me to get going. I guess my time’s up. “Gentlemen, we’ll be in touch for dinner. Lil and I have a flight to catch,” he aloofly interrupts and ends our brief social gathering.

  Andrew throws his arms around me while my hand is still attached to Carson’s and gives me a girlfriend squeeze. What an unexpected nice gesture. Carson subtly passes me the I’m losing my patience eyes. I clench down firmly on my jaw to fight back the exasperation growing inside my heated body. I wave goodbye to my two new Boston friends and follow him to the elevators. Once again, he’s irritated about something that he’s hiding from me.

  “Can you tell me what that was all about back there?” I immediately demand an explanation for his shortness, praying he’ll be honest and not try to divert my inquiry.

  “Owen was V.P. of CureAll Oncology until I recruited him. Stewart was a first year resident then, so I don’t understand why he’s upset with me for offering Owen a job. He never fails to give me that hateful look whenever I see him.” Carson shakes his head with annoyance, and I’m baffled for him.

  “There must be more to this than you’re aware of. Maybe we can settle those hard feelings over dinner. You were sincere when you agreed to dinner, right?” He avoids my question. Oh that drives me crazy! “Carson, don’t be incorrigible.” I glare at him.

  He seizes my hand and pulls me out of the elevator with him. “Now you know exactly how I feel when you’re stubborn with me, which is quite often.” He smiles mischievously with a smug look on his face. “I’m not completely ruling dinner out, but I’m not committing at this time either. Let’s get going. We have a flight to catch.”

  My maternity clothes arrived from Neiman Marcus yesterday. The concierge dropped them off with housekeeping while Carson and I were gone. At the rate that my belly is slowly progressing, they’ll be of no use to me for a few more months. I decide not to pack any of it and tuck them into my section of Carson’s closet instead. He had considerately moved some of his clothes into a guest room to create some space, especially for me. This was totally unnecessary because his closet is enormous. “Are you sure you won’t need just a few of these maternity items?” he thoughtfully confirms.

  “Yes, I’ll be back here with you in no time,” I assure him.

  ____________________

  Carson’s driver picks us up in the parking garage to avoid the unwanted paparazzi. We’re riding in another vehicle I’ve never been in. It’s like musical chairs, but with cars
instead. I guess this is another tactic to avoid detection. Ever since Carson had his PR clean my public image up, he’s been extra cautious about exposing our personal lives to the media. And now with his new problem, he’s more paranoid and forcing me to abide by his strict rules. I’m feeling suffocated already. He doesn’t want to reveal my whereabouts to anyone but a select few individuals.

  “Mr. Bradley, how long will I be forced to have a bodyguard? I formally address him, wanting to seize his immediate attention.

  “Lil, must I go over this again?” he exasperatedly reiterates. “You need to trust me on this. It’s for your own good. Just once, can you not challenge my judgment?” He turns his frustration out the window. I should probably cool it. He seems like he has a lot on his mind. I lace my fingers through his to mollify his testiness.

  “Yes, honey, I won’t say another word if you promise me one teeny thing.”

  He turns his head, sighs and narrows his eyes at me. “And what is your teeny request?”

  “Will you ask your bodyguard to be invisible and keep his distance from me? I don’t want other people to know that I have a stranger following me,” I persuasively plead while leaning my head against his shoulder.

  “I think this is a reasonable request. I’ll talk to Luke when I see him.” He disentangles our fingers and enfolds his arm around me. I lean my head into his chest.

  “Luke? Is that your bodyguard’s name?”

  “No, he’s your bodyguard and yes, Luke is his name,” he replies wryly.