“Trying?”
“No, no, that’s not what I mean! I just am trying to let you be more… yourself… with me. You know?”
“Hmm. Maybe. So, you want me to take you for BBQ?”
I laughed and squeezed his leg again. “Yes, absolutely. Because that’s what you want.”
“Cool!”
“Cool.”
Adam turned and started driving in the opposite direction, already visible excited at the prospect of his favorite meal, dripping in American-style barbecue sauce. “What’s brought this on, anyway?”
I shrugged, not wanting to overthink it too much. “Things have been weird. But I don’t want you to worry about me, or think I’m hiding anything. I just want us to enjoy each other, and our time together.”
He was quiet for a few minutes. “So, you’re thinking about leaving soon, aren’t you.” It wasn’t a question.
“Yeah, I am. I did what I came to do.”
“And what about me?”
I turned to meet his eye momentarily. “I came here to be with you, in whatever way I could be. But there isn’t any future for me here in this current situation. You know that, don’t you? I mean, you live with your brother’s family, which includes a woman who has it out for me…”
“Yeah, sorry about that. She shouldn’t have shown me your emails. And honestly, after the shock wore off, I realized you hadn’t said anything wrong.”
“Thanks.”
When we were situated at a dimly-lit table in the restaurant, the conversation continued. I fiddled with the edge of the white-and-red chequered table cloth as Adam scratched his head, trying to pick his words.
“We had a good time, before the drama started, though…didn’t we?”
“Of course! Most of my time here has been fantastic, mostly because it was spent with you. And all things considered, we probably haven’t had to deal with anything more than most long-term couples have to deal with, don’t you think?”
Adam shook his head, his gorgeous eyes wide. I couldn’t help but smile as a wave of tenderness and longing went through me. “As much as any normal married couple, I expect.” The words weren’t meant to insinuate anything, but they still affected me. I felt my bottom lip wobble just a bit, and picked up the laminated menu to hide it.
“Then we’ve done a good job, seeing as we still like each other.” I said as casually as possible, though a hint of emotion crept out from my throat. I kicked him playfully underneath the table. “So what is it you are craving, exactly?”
He smiled softly and stroked my leg with his foot. “What, you mean in terms of food?”
“For now, anyway.”
“Ribs, baby! A big plate of ribs, and another big plate of French fries. Ah, yeah.” He rubbed his palms together in delight, and I made a face.
“Wow, babe. Wow.”
“You said whatever I wanted! Is there anything on the menu you even like?”
I wasn’t known for my ravenous appetite, particularly when it came to big pieces of roasted meat. Nevertheless, I’d meant what I said, so I perused the menu earnestly.
“Um…prawns sound good, but it only comes breaded and deep-fried. So…maybe the chicken and gravy?”
“You hate gravy.”
“Well I’m doing my best, Adam. I’m sure they can leave off the sauce. No big deal.”
He narrowed his eyes at me before beckoning a waiter to his side and placing his order.
“Okay,” the young man confirmed. “And for the lady?”
I started to speak, but Adam cut me off.
“Actually she’s going to need something off-menu.” He didn’t bother framing it as a question, nor did he give the waiter a chance to comment. “Get her some sautéed prawns, please. No breading, just butter and garlic. With a side of mashed potatoes and… what, babe, peas?”
I nodded quickly.
“Peas. And a cranberry cocktail and a lager. Thanks.”
The waiter pursed his lips and nodded before disappearing into the kitchen. I heard him call out to the cooks before the door swung shut behind him. Flushing a little, I blew Adam a kiss while rubbing his thighs with my foot. I let my shoe drop to the floor so I could wedge my toes between his warm legs.
“That was really hot, babe. I like it when you boss people around.”
“I know you do. Speaking of, wiggle your toes for me, pretty lady.”
I giggled and did what I was told, hoping for the quickest meal of my life.
Chapter 23
Making a Hot Mess
“Shit, this is frustrating!” Adam tugged impatiently at the buttons on my shirt.
“The buttons, or the situation?”
“Both!”
I kissed his neck with my tongue, a move that I knew drove him crazy. He sighed and gave up on the finicky buttons, pulling the shirt open and popping them right off.
“Hey!”
“Quiet honey, I need to concentrate.”
I smothered a laugh that turned quickly into a moan as he tossed me backwards onto the bed and pushed his warm hands deep into my open shirt. I spread my feet apart just a little to accommodate this body between my legs, and dropped my shoes to the floor of the project house’s bedroom.
Rapidly, I unbuckled his leather belt and opened the fly of his jeans as he pulled off his own shirt. There were no tricks, no ropes, no gadgets, just he and I and our bodies, and it was the most powerful session of lovemaking I’d ever experienced.
With his boxers still on, Adam pushed himself up onto the mattress so that he could press his already rock-hard erection into my lap. Desperate for friction, my little button responded wildly. I pressed up into him, both of us hot and moaning. Our lips met firmly and I ran my tongue back and forth on his, rhythmically.
Both of us grappled with my skirt, and in a few moments both of us were totally naked, our skin rubbing each other’s insistently. Adam’s musky, masculine smell wafted over me, causing a pulsation in my stomach that fluttered down to my knees. Nearly overwhelmed with desire, I nestled into the crook of his neck and wrapped my legs tightly around his hips.
“Ah!” I cried out, unintentionally. His rhythm had synced with that of my own tiny contractions, and in another half-minute, I was climaxing, hard. He watched me, eyes fixated on my own as I cried out – making the moment even more intense.
When the contractions died down and my breathing slowed once more, Adam took hold of both my arms and pushed me back further on the mattress. He straddled me for a moment, just looking at my body from a variety of angles. Kissing me so gently on the cheek and collarbone that I could barely feel his lips, he then moved backwards, spreading my legs out to either side of his head.
I was too worn out to cum again so quickly, but Adam’s warm tongue still felt soothing on my soft labia. He whetted the part of me that lie between my vaginal opening and my ass, something I was once again surprised to find I enjoyed. My own tongue darted against my teeth, mimicking Adam’s movements as he excited my nerves again. My eyes shut, and without warning, he pushed two thick fingers inside of me. Feeling that I was slippery and wet, he let out an almost exasperated sigh and worked his fingers in and out firmly.
His attentions caused my knees to bend and my hands to grasp at his chest.
“Melissa,” he said softly, not really needing a response.
“Fuck me, Adam.” I begged in a sweet, happy voice. “Put your cock in me now, please?”
He licked his ruddy lips and brought his hands back up to my breasts, caressing them softly. His thumbs rubbed over my nipples several times before he put his mouth to them. He suckled as if desperately in need of love; eyes shut and arms wrapped tightly around my upper body, with his mouth taking in as much of my white breast as possible. Instinctively, I put my own arms around his shoulders and lay a cheek on the top of his head. My heart pulsated with love and adoration for the sweet, needy creature. Even if he were an in-control, alpha-male during the day, I was overjoyed to see him bare his emotions s
o tenderly like this. It reminded me that he needed me, just like I needed him.
I reached down and grasped Adam’s firm, round buttocks with my long fingers, and urged his hips forward. He assented, crawling forward one knee at a time until the head of his penis grazed my inner thigh. A shudder went through me, and my fingers dug into his flesh.
We kissed; a long, lingering, deep kiss, full of unspoken and unspeakable emotions. Our fingers laced together and Adam began to move his hips, pressing that length of hardness between my legs until at last it found its place.
We moved together that way, slowly, looking into each other’s eyes and trying to read the pleasures we both experienced. The slow, deep thrusts of my lover’s firm cock into my eager pussy ignited my senses to the point that I whimpered with each motion. As the intensity built up between us, Adam raised himself up onto his hands and rocked himself into me more and more steadily. I gripped him more tightly and he groaned, squeezing his eyes shut and throwing his chin backwards.
Desperately in love, I bent upwards and embraced his rib cage while he pumped, fast and faster. My mouth found his skin and fondled it gently. I heard his heart beating with a strong thump-thump, and listened as it quickened. When it reached its peak rhythm, guttural sounds started to emerge from Adam’s throat, and I felt his dick swelling within me. I began to nibble on his chest.
“Fuck, Mel, oh fuck…”
“Cum inside me, baby, come on...”
He did as I asked, pumping stream after stream of hot sperm all the way inside of me. My pussy quivered at the end.
He lay down on me afterwards to catch his breath, and slowly his erection lost its rigidity and slipped out of its cozy home. On cue, his juices spilled out of me and spread over the sheets.
“Oops,” he said in a tired voice. We turned over and held each other, away from the mess.
We fell asleep that way.
Chapter 24
My Bags are Going to Tokyo
Goodbye is Part of Life, I Guess
So yes, I’m 100 percent sure that my boyfriend and I are in love with each other. I’m just as sure that we’re physically compatible (and how!) and both reasonable stable human beings, in the scheme of things. But, I guess, sometimes that’s actually not enough. Example: Instead of moving forward and starting a life together, A and I are about to be separated by about 16,000 kilometers. Yep, I’m once more about to board a plane.
No one is to blame. Things just weren’t right. Some of those things were external, some were not. It’s okay. There won’t be any hard feelings. Maybe we’ll even have some good times somewhere down the road. Who knows?
This sucks, this sucks, but at least I can tell myself that I tried my hardest and put my all into it. At the end of life, isn’t that really the only thing we can count on?
I know from your comments and letters that every single one of you has been forced to say goodbye to someone you love in the past. It’s a big part of why we’re here, having this round-table, virtual discussion! So let’s ask ourselves: Did saying goodbye kill us? Did it ruin our lives? Or did it hurt and then force us to find our inner strength? (HINT: It’s the last one.) In this day and age, couples don’t stay together for life. Families don’t stay together. And often times, they really shouldn’t! So it naturally follows that we will find ourselves in several relationships through the course of our lives.
And what’s wrong with that? You can’t force perfection. You can’t force a lasting connection. You just can’t.
As always, the bottom line is this: Keep your own company and be your own best friend. When we’re comfortable alone, we’re less likely to waste time with the wrong person. And therefore, more likely to find a person we can spend our lives with. Or, at least, a couple of years. Humans are serial monogamists, after all. Maybe don’t tell Cinderella, though – she’ll be pretty upset.
Love to you all.
I snapped my laptop shut and slid it back into my carry-on bag, then let out a heavy sigh. Usually, I enjoyed my time in airports, but this was a serious exception. Thank god my readers couldn’t actually see me, since my chin was wobbling and my eyes were red with unshed tears. I told myself this reaction was normal, but it didn’t make me feel any better.
While I waited for my flight to start boarding, I knew that Adam and Dave were busy getting the open house ready. I genuinely wished them luck; both of them needed an influx of money ASAP if they wanted to stay in the real estate business. I wondered what sort of property they might tackle next, and was sad that I wouldn’t be around to participate. I would have loved a shot at decorating that little apartment building we’d looked at a few months ago.
Low on energy thanks to my predicament, I hugged my knees to my chest in the little airport chair and squished my bag in the middle. So, back to the city soon. Back to the condo, the car. The other men I’d left hanging. I sighed again. My phone vibrated in my pocket, but I let it ring. No way was I capable of speaking just then, not without my throat catching. Whoever it was could wait a day or two. No worries.
The mandatory two hours of waiting for an international flight dragged by, and I barely moved from my spot except to find some water. My brain suggested texting Adam for an open house update, but I chided it harshly. Bad idea.
The phone vibrated more and more as I started to hear announcements on the PA system regarding my flight into Tokyo. Relieved that the wait was almost over, I checked my things and watched people begin to line up at the gate. When I tried to stand and join them, however, my stomach clenched tightly and a sob escaped my throat.
“Shit. Keep it together.”
Gulping rapidly, I sat back down and tried to breathe normally. Tears streamed down my face and there was nothing I could do to stop them. Too depressed to feel embarrassment, I covered my face with my hands and let out another sob. The phone rang again.
Angry at the repeated intrusion at such a sensitive time, I grabbed my phone with the intention of shutting it off or snapping at the person behind the messages and calls. I froze when I saw Adam’s name. He had called, texted, even emailed me. My hands shaking and wet from my tears, I opened the most recent message.
-OMG you aren’t seriously going to make me buy a plane ticket just to grab you from the gate, are you?! I can’t afford that shit, I just bought a house!
“What? What the hell does that mean?”
-??
-Mel, I bought the project house. Bought out Dave. Broke, need my girlfriend. Get out of the boarding gate please!
At first, I was confused. So what if he’d bought out his brother for the project house? What did that change? Then, after a few minutes, I started to understand. As the PA echoed with my boarding call, I very slowly stood up and slung my bag over my shoulder. Steadily, I put one foot in front of the other, and exited the boarding area. I kept going until I was in the main terminal.
And there he was – clearly losing his mind with anxiety. His face was red and his movements rapid; he appeared to be making a call. My phone buzzed again, and I stopped walking. Stood still until he saw me. When he did, his hand fell to his side and the buzzing in my pocket ceased. Unsure, I stepped towards him again.
“Umm, Adam?”
He set his jaw and marched towards me, scooping me off my feet in a vice-like hug. When he set me back down, I was silently crying. He put his hands on my shoulders and spoke to me in a firm, decisive tone.
“No more of this,” he said. “No more back and forth. You’re coming back with me and staying here, okay?” He nodded, and my head mimicked his. “No more running away, you crazy thing. No more.”
He took my hand, and I let him lead me out of the lobby, into the bright light of the day. “Adam?”
“What is it, babe? I’m here. Anything you need.”
“My bags are going to Tokyo.”
He laughed, and I cried myself out onto his chest as he stroked my hair. “There she is. There’s my girl. Better?”
I nodded and took a deep bre
ath. “Thank you for coming to get me. I love you.”
He took my chin in his hand and smiled at me. “I love you too. That’s why I bought us a house. A “starter home,” I think they call it.”
“No more Dave and Julie? Well, Julie, anyway?”
“Babe, it’s the craziest thing! Dave found a bunch of emails she was sending to some guy, Cole, I think was his name? They are totally over. She’s going to have to live with her parents. Anyway, no worries because we won’t need to share space now. Okay?”
I laughed out loud. “Wow. That’s just the best news.”
He led me to the ute and opened the door for me. It was New Year’s Day.
The End
COMING UP NEXT
a sample of the new series
FORBIDDEN PASSION
from the first book
Cuffed & Dominated
co-written by
Melissa Devenport and Camille Crosby
Chapter 1
The Funeral
Charlene Penticton raised her head and stared at the shiny, somber black box at the front of the church. Her father, Charles Albert Ray Penticton had been the last family member she had left. At twenty-six she was unprepared to face the world totally alone.
The huge church was packed. Charles had been a good, fair man and people loved him. Business associates, old and new friends and those he had mentored and befriended throughout his too short life packed the church almost full.
The rows of pews with the somber faced, tear filled eyes were so orderly that Charlene wanted to scream. She kept her back carefully turned to them, kept her eyes glued to the front. A strange numbness settled over her. She blinked, trying to dispel the wild, detached feeling. It was like she was standing somewhere else, on the roof perhaps, if such a feat were possible, staring down at the rest of the people gathered there.
“We commit this soul to god,” the pastor’s deep voice boomed out over the people assembled.
My Burning Temptation Page 8
