Need You Now (Martha's Way Series Book 2)

by Jolie, Mika

  Claire nodded. “I’ll be back for the wedding. After that I have a year of touring ahead of me to support my movie and new record drop.” She rolled her eyes to the ceiling. “By the time I see you again, your little bundle of joy will actually be a couple of months old.”

  Lily admired Claire’s talent and was a fan of her music, but the idea of spending a whole year on the road made her cringe. “Do you love the whole thing that comes with the fame?”

  Something crossed over Claire’s delicate features, but once again it was quickly buried. “It comes with sacrifices, but I love what I do.” She pulled a hand on Lily’s back. “Come on. Let’s go join the fun. One more thing, have you told Adam you’re in love with him?”

  Just the thought made Lily cringed. “Oh, God no.”

  “Well, don’t look, but the big bad wolf is coming this way.”

  She looked of course and caught sight of Adam’s imposing figure approaching them, holding her gaze prisoner the whole time.

  “I’ll leave you two alone,” Claire said as Adam closed the distance between them.

  “Come with me,” he summoned in a controlled tone and took her hand in his. The gesture was filled with such an innate claim that she could only follow as he led her outside. He turned to face her. “All right, say what’s on your mind.”

  The authority in his tone removed Lily from the spellbound trance she was under. She gazed up into the sky; the light of day had oozed away. “Your parents.” She paused and cleared her throat. “You told them we are getting married.”

  He released her hand and took a few steps away from her. “You already know that’s what I want.”

  Lily exhaled and glanced at him. Adam was leaning against the wall, one foot planted on it. Eyes closed, he tilted his head back to rest against the wall that braced his back. Static electricity vibrated off his body.

  Her brain pulsed agonizingly. Her heart followed. “Yes, but…”

  “We’re dating, Liliana. We’re getting to know each other.”

  Only they weren’t. He was shielded in his armor.

  “You’ve shut me out since that dream. You didn’t sleep next to me last night.” Lily paused and swallowed the loneliness inside. “You don’t trust me enough to share your pain with me.” She walked over to him and slid her hand over his face.

  He opened his eyes only to narrow them at her.

  “Why can’t you just tell me what you feel?” Her fingers traced his lips. “I need to know what’s inside you, Adam.”

  He caught her hand and held her still. “Liliana,” he said in a gruff tone.

  She shook her head and watched him. “How you act is confusing me. I need you to trust me.” Under the evening sky, she searched his face, the pained expression that met her. “You don’t trust me enough to let your guard down and be vulnerable.”

  Adam straightened himself to his full height and turned his head away from her piercing stare. “Let’s go eat.”

  And just like that he closed the door on her once more. One strong hand came to rest on her lower back as he guided her back to the room.

  The aroma of the dinner prepared by Forrest filled the house. Lily followed Adam to where his parents sat. They smiled at her and she caught a hint of concern in both of their eyes. As Lily sat, she caught a glimpse of Claire walking over to where Forrest was working a bottle of wine. She uncorked another bottle and the two fell into a natural routine.

  Adam leaned into her, his lips brushed against her ear, and Lily trembled with awareness. “For the record, I do trust you,” he whispered in her ear. “But all of this is new to me.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  “Let’s misbehave.”

  Anonymous

  Lily adjusted her eyes to the glaring morning sun seeping into the bedroom. Realizing she was still in the dress she wore for last night’s dinner, she glanced at the empty space on the bed. Another night of sleeping alone. Sighing, she pulled her weight to a sitting position. Images of the drive back to the house were a blur. They had stayed out late and fatigue had taken its toll on her body, but she remembered Adam’s voice gently telling her to close her eyes as he carried her to the bedroom. She asked him to stay but he slipped out of her grip and left the room.

  She took a deep breath and exhaled.

  On the nightstand, I’m Sexy and I Know It ringtone echoed in the room, immediately causing her heart to skip a beat. “You didn’t come to bed again.”

  “I left you coffee,” he said, ignoring her words. “Decaf.”

  Lily would never understand decaffeinated coffee; it was like sex without the orgasm. Oh yeah, she wasn’t getting that either. “Thanks.”

  “One cup,” he warned. “Forrest said—”

  “Adam,” Lily interrupted. “I never have more than one cup, and my doctor said I can drink regular coffee, you know. It’s not like it’s a drug.”

  “I would rather you didn’t,” he said after a beat.

  The strain in his voice tore at Lily’s insides. “I won’t,” she whispered. “I promise. Where are you?”

  “At Vapor right now.”

  The bar normally didn’t open until lunch time. Lily scrubbed her hand over her face. “You’re avoiding me?”

  “I have a meeting with the guys to go over Vineyard Sound for a couple of hours.” Vineyard Sound was the center the five of them opened in Vineyard Haven to support abused children. “Then the four of us are going to test the cold water in a paddle boarding race. Nothing serious.”

  He meant nothing too dangerous. His way of reassuring her that he would not flirt with death today.

  “You’re feeling okay? You were pretty tired last night.”

  “Yeah,” she answered with a chuckle. “I’m always tired, but I’m okay.” She paused, wanting to say the words bottled up inside her, tell him she loved him, or worse ask him to spend the day with her. “I guess I’ll see you later.”

  “Yes. Take it easy today.”

  She had to meet Minka, but other than that her calendar was empty. Because all of her time was supposed to be with Adam. That was the reason she came a week early.

  About twenty minutes later, freshly showered, she wiggled into a pair of broken-in jeans. Lily paused to catch her reflection in the mirror and examined the little roundness of her belly. She flicked the thin silver bar going through her navel, wondering how long she’d be able to keep the belly ring. No baby bump yet, but her waist had changed, making the jeans a little difficult to snap closed. Smiling, she slipped into a black silk camisole, grabbed a pair of beige pumps along with an oversized cardigan from the closet, and made her way down to the main floor. Like everything about Adam, the kitchen was an exciting mix of classic and up-to-date amenities, keeping the room timeless in style but modern in functionality. Vintage wide-plank French oak floors, Old Masters oil painting as featured art wall in the kitchen, and a marble-topped island added a farmhouse style. She stopped and glanced at the picture of Adam and his parents on the counter before walking over to make her coffee. The sound of a car engine caught her attention. She peeked out the open window and caught a glimpse of an old pickup pulling into the driveway. Seconds later, Adam’s parents stepped out.

  She gripped the coffee mug and tried to breathe slowly, telling herself to calm down. She’d tell them Adam was out and make a dash for it. And of course use Minka as an excuse. It wouldn’t be a lie; she was scheduled to meet her friend. They didn’t have to know she still had three hours to kill. Putting on her brave face, Lily walked out of the kitchen to greet Adam’s parents.

  When she opened the door, a delighted look stretched across their faces. Lily nodded in their direction, but they reached over for a warm hug.

  “Liliana,” his mother said as she took in Lily’s appearance. “You look much better. We were worried about you last night.”

  Lily found herself smiling. “I’m fine. I was a little tired. Please come in.” Wait. She didn’t mean to say that. The plan was to make a run for it a
nd avoid any marriage conversation. “Adam’s not here,” she added for a little sanity check.

  “We know,” his father responded. “We wanted to make sure you were all right.”

  Geez, could two people be any nicer?

  They were running a close second to her parents. “Thank you. I was about to have a cup of coffee. Decaf,” she added with a smile and they chuckled. She sensed they knew Adam had something to do with it. “Adam has strong views about me having caffeine,” she said as they entered the kitchen.

  “We’re not surprised,” his mother replied. “Although a small cup is fine.”

  “But that’s our Adam,” his father quipped.

  No shit, thought Lily as she found two extra coffee cups. “I don’t know how you like your coffee.”

  “Don’t worry about us, we can make our own,” his mother said as she sat on the stool. “We wanted to talk to you.”

  Lily quickly glanced at them.

  “Come sit with us, dear,” his mother continued, her voice warm and encouraging.

  She edged a cautious inch closer. “I’m sorry if I came across a bit rude yesterday, but…”

  “You were caught off guard,” his father chimed in.

  “I didn’t realize Adam told you we were getting married soon.”

  “You don’t want to marry Adam?” his mother asked with a thoughtful expression.

  Lily cleared her throat with guilt. Put aside the initial shock from last night, she liked Adam’s parents. They were warm and obviously loved their son. “It’s not that. It’s…” she let out a deep breath. “It’s complicated.”

  His mother smiled. “You love him,” she said then turned to her husband and beamed. “See, I told you she was in love with him.”

  His father nodded, leaned over and kissed Adam’s mother. “That’s the best news we’ve heard,” he said, his gaze now on Lily. “When Adam told us the two of you were getting married, we were concerned.” His father ran a hand through his hair.

  The motion made Lily smile; it reminded her of Adam. “I can’t marry someone who doesn’t love me. I’m sorry.”

  His mother stood up, walked over and hugged her. “Adam is difficult. We love him. But he’s built walls.”

  “A fortress he lets no one penetrate,” his father added.

  The words described someone who had been deeply hurt and was refusing to allow himself to feel love again. A forced solitude. Lily nodded and batted her eyelashes in an attempt to hold back the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks.

  “Why?” she asked, wanting to know what brought him so much hurt.

  His father smiled warmly at her. “It’s for him to tell you. It’s not our story.”

  “You’re a strong person, Liliana,” his mother said gently. “Give him some time.”

  Lily winced. “He won’t even open up to me. I don’t know…”

  His mother rubbed her shoulder. “We didn’t mean to make you sad. We wanted to make sure you were all right. No matter what happens between you and our son, we look forward to getting to know you. And…” She smiled brightly. “We can’t wait to meet the little boy or girl. How many weeks are you?”

  “Seven.”

  “You guys have time. Don’t be sad.” She glanced over at her husband. “How about we take Liliana out for breakfast?” Her attention returned to Lily. “Are you up to it?”

  “Oh, as much as I’d love to, I have to meet Minka. Maybe another time?” To her surprise, she found herself a little disappointed. She liked Adam’s parents even if the state of her relationship with their son was out of their control. “Maybe we can do dinner soon.”

  “That would be great. Why don’t you confirm with Adam and let us know a day?”

  Lily nodded.

  His mother clapped her hands. “Well, we must be going. I’m glad we were able to talk Liliana.” She leaned in and hugged Lily. “Don’t give up on him. He’s a good person,” she whispered.

  By the time Lily returned from meeting with Minka, it was dark. She stepped onto the paved driveway and the night swallowed her into darkness. Stars blossomed in the blackness. Not a light was lit in the house, but she spotted Adam’s Maserati. Opening the door, she walked inside and made her way to the bedroom. The room was empty. Her heart fell. She went to the kitchen and switched on the light. Nope. Not there either. She crossed the hall, turned left and entered the den. She caught his silhouette sitting in the dark with a drink in his hand. She flipped the switch and he looked up sharply, his face a black mask. The mere presence of him caused her stomach to contract, and a rush of heat flooded her entire body.

  “Come to bed with me.” She waited. Her heart pounding against her ribs as if trying to fulfill a thousand beats.

  “I was adopted.”

  His eyes locked with hers. There were no words to sum up the intense wave of emotion that shot through her. He was opening up to her. Ready to spill his secrets. She rushed over to him and dropped to her knees between his legs.

  “Adam,” she said through quivering breaths. “It’s all right. We can talk in the morning,” she pleaded, unable to bear the anguish in his voice.

  He chuckled, a dry, lifeless laugh. It shattered her heart and she wrapped her arms around him.

  “My mother was a prostitute.”

  His voice was void of emotion, but Lily felt every bit of his pain. A dark, sickening grief filled her heart. She bit her lip to keep from crying.

  “A drug addict,” he continued and paused again. “I was born an addict.”

  A gasp escaped her throat, as the shock washed over her like a tidal wave. Images of Adam as a baby, born addicted, a result of the drugs used by his mother. She didn’t know much about it, but she remembered Paige talking about it once. The drugs traveled the placenta, causing the baby to become dependent on the substance, developing an addiction just like the abuser.

  Her stomach quivered and she fought back the nausea that threatened to take over her body. Lifting her head, she caressed his face. “Adam, oh, Adam.” Her voice shook with pain.

  “There’s more,” he added harshly.

  Lily clung to him like a lifeline and shook her head. “No more. Not tonight.”

  “Liliana,” he said her name in a tortured voice.

  She shifted her body and leaned into him. Their faces inches apart. “Please,” she mumbled breathlessly against his lips. “Let me comfort you.”

  He tilted his head down and kissed her hard with an urgency that was almost rough, burning her lips with his mouth. He tasted of bourbon and warmth. And something else. Love. Yes. Most definitely love. She loved him.

  It was her turn to rip apart clothes. With hungry hands, she tore open his button-down shirt, unbuckled his belt with one hand using the other to run her fingers over his stomach.

  His hands caught her arms and held her still. “Liliana, no sex…”

  She met his gaze. “This isn’t sex.”

  He raised an eyebrow and exhaled a long breath. “No?”

  “Foreplay.” She smiled at him, eyes still wet with tears. “You said no sex, but foreplay is totally okay.” She paused. “No penetration, no house rules broken.” She licked her lips and unzipped him.

  * * * *

  The sight of Lily on her knees between his legs stunned Adam. Oral sex, blow job, whatever the fuck one wanted to call it was nothing new to them. Lily had always given as much as she got and always left him winded and wanting more. But something shifted tonight. He opened up to her. At least he started to, but she stopped him from putting everything on the table.

  Adam tilted her chin, and caught a glimpse of the pain that coursed through his veins in her eyes. Only hers were a little feral and mingled with lust, even through the tears still glistening on her cheeks. Brushing his thumbs against her face, he swiped them away, leaned into her and kissed her. She met him with fierce passion. Briefly their teeth clashed, then she sucked on his lower lip, teasing him with her tongue, telling him who was in charge.
>
  “I won’t be able to stop,” he whispered in a raspy voice against her lips.

  “It’s not up to you.” Her voice was a little labored, but filled with determination as she pressed her hand against the firm bulge in his pants.

  A low groan escaped his throat. He was a goner, completely fucking gone and at her mercy. Even with the faintest touch, he’d be sure to explode.

  “Don’t try to stop me,” she warned.

  He needed to stop her; otherwise, he’d be fucking her till daylight. But the tension was still burning through his veins and he craved the physical contact. Eventually, he’d have to gather his balls together again and give her free access to everything that he was, but not tonight. Right now, emotionally exhausted; he wanted to take everything she was willing to give. “I’m not.”

  She licked her lips once more, her intentions clear. Adam felt his muscles tighten with anticipation and moved his hips upwards from the sofa to assist her in achieving her goal. With quick, yet smooth motions, she undid his pants, and pulled down his boxer briefs. His cock sprang up, completely enlarged and rigid.

  Her hand coiled around his erection, and Adam sat frozen. Waiting for the brush of her lips. Needing to feel the softness of her mouth wrapped around him. She leaned forward, brushed one side of his shirt aside and slowly started to kiss his stomach. With each brush of her lips, he took one step closer toward madness.

  He needed to touch. Shift control over to him. Impatiently, his fingers brushed across her shoulders, letting the straps of her top fall, giving him easy access to her breasts. With ease, both hands slipped underneath her blouse and cupped each breast. He molded them in his hands, tugged on her nipples, and she moaned with pleasure. All the while dragging her lips from his navel down the trail that led back to where her hand was kneading him.

  The rosy tip of her tongue swept over the throbbing head of his swollen manhood and licked away his creamy nectar. He grew stiffer, larger. Adam inhaled sharply.

  “Don’t stop, Liliana,” he mumbled, and dropped his head back against the cushion of the leather sofa in resignation.