by L. M. Carr
“I hope you don’t mind my asking, but is everything okay?” she asks as she cuts and serves me a generous slice of pumpkin bread.
“It is now.” I simply smile. “Thank you.”
I dunk the corner piece of my bread into the cup of coffee and smile. “This is delicious. Adam would love this. You’ll have to give me the recipe, but if I eat any more of this, I’ll have to put myself on a diet.”
“Speaking of diet. Did you change Brady’s food or anything?” What an odd question. Why would she care what food I’m feeding my dog? She must see the puzzled look on my face because she explains her inquiry.
“The reason I’m asking is Brady kept me up half the night, yelping and barking to go outside.” He has been doing that a lot recently, waking up in the wee hours of the morning. Those damn wild animals are driving him insane.
“As soon as I opened the back door, he took off like a bat out of hell into your yard, barking like a lunatic.”
“Yeah, he’s been doing that the past few weeks. Poor guy’s getting older. I need to schedule an appointment with the vet to have him checked out.”
“That’s a good idea, dear. You know, the older they get, the less their boy parts work properly,” she says with a wink. Ewww…I think I just threw up in my mouth. The thought of Mr. Longo’s boy parts is just so…so wrong. I swallow the bile that threatens to rise.
After Brady and I say a final thank you and head on home, I decide that I should probably shovel my walkway before the temperature drops overnight and the snow freezes. I send Adam a quick text as I walk over to the garage to dig out a shovel. I notice the door is ajar and some things are moved around. I’ll have to remind Mr. Longo to put things back after he uses them. I climb over my paddleboard to get the shovel. What the hell! I can’t imagine why Mr. Longo would have put the shovel so far back after using it. Maybe Mrs. Longo needs to make an appointment for him, too.
Brady trots back over to me. I grab my phone out of my jacket pocket and tap out a response to Adam’s attachment. It’s a car selfie of him and the kids with the words, “We love you.” A cheeky grin slides across my face when I see it. I send him a picture of Brady and me, “We love you, too.”
Winter in New England really is so beautiful with a blanket of white covering the ground, the tall pines tree branches hang low from the snow’s weight. Something dark in the white snow catches my eye. I walk over and pick it up; it’s a glove. What the hell? I haven’t been here and Mr. Longo doesn’t usually go past the garage. But what sends chills down my spine are the footsteps that lead away from the garage into the woods going down toward the lake. I retrace my steps only to find out that these large footsteps lead to my back door to the garage and then into the woods. I’m deep thought when the sound of my phone startles me.
“Hello, Peter!” I hate calling him by his full name, but he insists so I oblige. Every once in a while, I want to call him Peter Peter Pumpkin-eater, but I know he’d get mad. He’s such a pansy sometimes.
“Hey, gorgeous. What’s going on? Are you home?”
“Yeah, I’m here. I just got home. What’s up?”
“There’s someone I want you to meet.”
“Um…Okay, sure.” I’m not really in the mood for company, but it’s Pete and I can’t ever say no to him.
I lie in bed that night with Brady at my side, thinking about Pete and his new “friend” Tyler, who came over and watched the Patriots game with me. I tried to pay attention to the game, but between Adam’s constant texts to make sure that I was really okay and Pete and Tyler’s ogling over Tom Brady and Julian Edelman in their uniforms, I couldn’t concentrate. Pete swears that if he had five minutes with Tom Brady, he could make him forget all about Gisele. And that is why I love Pete so much. I think we won, but I’m not really sure. I’ll have to text Josh in the morning to find out the final score. He’s much more animated than the commentators on Sports Center.
Chapter Thirty-Two
TO SAY THAT ADAM has become very protective of me would be a serious understatement. One might say he’s borderline domineering, even rushing out of an important business meeting to help me when my Jeep got a flat tire during a light snowfall.
“Babe, I do know how to change a tire.” I laugh into the phone when he insisted that I stay put and wait for him. Maddie and Luke sit patiently in the back seat.
“I know you do. But it’s my job to be there for you, baby. Tell me exactly where you guys are.”
Twenty minutes later, Adam pulls up and saves the day. The kids and I wait in the warmth of his luxury vehicle while he tends to the flat tire. The name “Nora” flashes on the dashboard screen when his phone starts to ring. I shouldn’t answer his phone. I’m sure it’s just a work call, but this “Nora” calls him a lot. I remember him saying that some people couldn’t take “no” for an answer or the time he canceled our New York trip at the last minute, claiming something came up. Before I pick up his phone, I look around to see where he is. I feel guilty, like a snoop. Oh right, maybe that’s because I am.
“Hello?” I answer quietly, swiping the green button on his phone.
I’m met with hesitation and then, an agitated voice asks, “Where’s Adam?”
No hello, no cordial greeting of any kind. Why does she need to know where he is anyway?
“Uh, I’m sorry. He’s unavailable at the moment. Can I give him a message for you?” My breathing starts to become uneven and my heart races in my chest. I’m terrified to know what kind of message she wants me to deliver.
“Yeah, you tell him that I don’t appreciate him storming out in the middle of a meeting. Who’s this anyway?”
“Excuse me?”
“I asked who you were. Are you the reason he’s been so distracted lately?”
I don’t know what to say to this woman who obviously is comfortable with him. If she’s only a business associate, why are goose bumps lining my skin?
“I’m Mia. Who are you?” I glance back and see Adam walk around the back of my Jeep to get my spare tire.
“You’re the school teacher. The girlfriend?” There’s a definite change in her tone as she sighs audibly, but I can’t seem to figure it out. How does she know about me?
“I’ll tell him you called,” I mutter quickly.
“You better. It’s important.” She disconnects the call.
Adam opens the trunk of his Escalade and tosses my flat tire in before slamming the door shut. His eyebrows are furrowed and he looks worried, distracted. I feel guilty for having him rush out here to change a flat tire. He’s covered with a dusting of snow when he opens the passenger door for me. The white flakes against his dark hair and black jacket make him look delicious.
“You are all set,” he enunciates each word as he leans over to kiss me chastely.
My nerves haven’t calmed down yet after Nora’s phone call, but I manage a small smile and kiss him back.
“Hey kids, let’s go. Put the movie on pause.” He clears his throat as he taps the DVD screen mounted on the upholstered ceiling. “I have to go back to work for a little bit, but I’ll see you for dinner.”
I want to tell him about the phone call and ask who exactly she is, but I don’t. His cold fingers brush the hair away from my face, “You okay?”
“I’m fine.” I smile weakly. “I told you I could’ve changed the tire myself. You didn’t have to rush out here.” I look into those chocolate eyes and know without a doubt that he would do more, so much more, for me.
“Stop.” He silences me with his lips. “I said Stop.” His lips press against mine when I try to talk. “I’ll see you around seven or so. I have a couple of things to take care of.”
“Okay.” I step out into the cold and lead Maddie and Luke back to the Jeep.
Looking pensive, Adam walks alongside us, his eyes scanning the road. My poor man! He’s got so much going on at work and he thinks he needs to protect me like I’m helpless. No, my love, I’ve been on my own for quite some time and can
handle most things without anyone’s help.
Later that night after the kids are asleep in their beds, Adam and I soak in a hot bath to relieve the stress of the day. “So how was your day?” His strong hands rub deep circles into my shoulders while he places kisses on my neck.
“Mmmmm…It was fine until I got a flat tire. Those are brand new tires.”
The circling of his fingers pauses momentarily and then resumes.
“Why’d you take my tire anyway? I was going to swing by Mr. Jackson’s place and have him fix it.”
“It’s okay. I’ll take care of it.” He pushes my hair over the other shoulder and inhales at the nape of my neck. “I love this part. Kiss. Right. Kiss. Here.”
It’s my turn to ask the questions. “So, other than saving a damsel in distress, how was your day?” I smirk, offering my cheek for a kiss.
“I’ve had better days,” he sighs. His words make me sad. I feel like I’m an added burden.
“Want to talk about it?” Water swishes around as I turn to face him.
“Not really. It’s nothing for you to be concerned about.” He reaches forward to grasp my arms so I can straddle him. My legs slide along his thighs while his erection pokes out from the deep water. “I do have something to tell you, though.” I stiffen at his words. Is he going to tell me about Nora or what’s going on with his work?
“You can tell me anything. You know that.” I kiss his chest, licking up to his neck.
“What I have to say is very important so you need to listen closely.”
He’s so serious, not a hint of amusement detected.
“Okay, I’m listening.” I swallow hard in anticipation of his words.
“You and my kids are my life. I would do anything to protect you guys.” I watch as tears fill his eyes. “I love you more than life itself.” Our chests collide when he crushes me against him. His heart pounds frantically in his chest making me push away to look at his face. His eyes are closed, his nostrils flare and he’s trying desperately to hold back the tears.
“Baby, why are you upset?” My thumbs wipe at his cheeks as my fingers caress his scruffy face, willing him to talk to me. “What’s going on?”
“I need you.” He attacks my mouth ferociously, lifting me up to impale me with his stiff length. Oh, God! He feels so good even if I’m not quite ready for him. He stills the moment he enters me, savoring it.
His hands roam all over my wet body as I lift and lower continuously, needing a deeper connection with him. He’s not making sweet love to me. He’s fucking me hard. And I love every minute of it.
Long fingers reach in between us and rub circles on my clit while he angles my body to plunge deeper. My eyes start to close, but his demands to look at him force them open.
“I’m going to c-c-come.” I toss my head back, look to the ceiling, reveling in the high of my orgasm.
“Oh my fucking God,” he groans and breathes heavily into my breasts as he releases and spills into me.
I smile lazily into his neck as he pants against me. He knows I’m smiling. “What are you grinning about?” The image of the very first time I saw him on the summit comes to mind. He was panting so hard, bending over, supporting himself on his knees. I remember wondering if that’s what he sounded like when he comes. Yep, it’s confirmed for the umpteenth time. Once again it’s me that got him this way, not the hike up the expert trail at the park or some other woman. I’m embarrassed that even from the first moment I laid eyes on him, I was attracted to him. The buzzing of his phone makes me roll my eyes as I reach over the side of the tub to retrieve his phone. Maybe I can grab his phone and “accidentally” drop it in the bath water. Oops. Silly me.
When Nora’s name lights up the screen, it earns him narrowed eyes and a dirty look. “Oh, I forgot to tell you Nora called earlier,” I say nonchalantly.
His eyes flash to mine. “Yeah, she told me.” I wonder if she told him how rude she was to me. He declines the call and sets the phone down. What kinds of people conduct work at such late hours? There has to be more to the story than just work. I am determined to find out.
“Who is she?” My voice is small, lacking conviction.
“What do you mean, ‘Who is she?’ She’s an associate. One of our agents.” He says it like it is common knowledge. I wonder if she works for a rival real estate agency.
“Have you ever fucked her?” I look away afraid of what his face might reveal. Yes, the green-eyed monster appears even though his words of love are sincere. Dylan’s words were sincere, so were Shane’s and look what happened there. Both times.
“No.”
“No?” I ask in disbelief. “You’ve never done anything with her?”
“No.” It doesn’t escape me that his eyes look away.
I know he’s lying. I grab the side of the huge bathtub to push myself up and step out, wrapping a white towel around me.
I hand him a towel, but he doesn’t take it. Instead he sits there staring at me. “You don’t believe me.”
“I’m sorry,” I whisper and run my fingers through my hair to pull at the long strands. “You know I get insecure about the women from your past.” I think of the two women I have seen Adam with. The ginger and the blonde. I know there are so many more.
“Mia, none of those women ever meant anything. You know what I did and why I did it. Those women were a means to an end. You are the means to my future.”
I know this. He has said it to me enough times already.
“Remember the night at that club? Why were you so mean to me?” I shiver when remember the harsh words he spoke and the look on his face when he stepped into the light.
Adam breathes a deep sigh and subtly shakes his head like he’s trying to erase the image. “You shouldn’t have been there. That wasn’t a place for someone like you.” He takes the towel from me and drapes it over his lap. “Come here. Sit.”
I lower myself onto his lap. “What do you mean, ‘a place for someone like me’? It was just a club.” Even as I say the words, I know that that’s not entirely true.
A small chuckle escapes his lips and he shakes his head. “Baby, it’s not a dance club.”
My eyes beg for further explanation.
“It’s a sex club. A swingers club to be exact.”
My mouth gapes open. “What? You’re lying! It is not a sex club!”
The raised eyebrows on his face tell me he’s not kidding.
“Oh shit! It is?”
“I was checking out the VIP rooms when you saw me standing on the balcony.” His voice is low; he sounds ashamed.
“Eww! You were going to have sex with that redhead in a sex club?”
“No, I said I was checking it out. One of the owners is a friend of mine.”
Friend of his? Devin? He’s friends with Devin? Oh Lord, if he only knew what Devin wanted to do to me.
“I was just looking around the refurbished club when I looked down and saw you. I couldn’t believe it. I assumed you were there to…you know, find someone for the night.” He couldn’t even say the words. It’s like the thought repulses him that much. Good! Now he knows exactly how I felt. “I wasn’t positive that it was you at first, but then I felt you. I had to get out of there. I was so angry that you were there to…you know and that you had seen me there. You were, after all, my daughter’s teacher.” Oh, if this isn’t the pot calling the kettle black! Humph! A wry smile crosses his face.
“I was so mad at Kate, she just left me there to fend for myself.”
“Who’s Kate? I didn’t see you with anyone.”
“Krazy Kate. She’s a friend from college. She brought me there that night and ended up leaving with other friends. It was pretty fucked up. I heard that she’s in rehab again.”
“Is she in for drugs or alcohol?”
“I’m not sure. Probably both,” I answer honestly.
He shakes his head. “That’s too bad. I hope she gets the help she needs. Drugs aren’t anything to mess around with.�
�
I think about all the crazy things she’s done over the years.
“So, Kate left you there and then what happened?”
“I gave some asshole a bloody nose.”
“You did that?” His eyes pop open. “I heard about that.”
“The jerk had his hands all over me, telling me that he wanted to fuck me.”
Adam winces and then growls at my crude words. “He what? That motherfucker!”
“It was disgusting!”
“Like I said, not a place for you.”
“Yeah, well, it’s not a place for you either.”
“That was my first and last time. When I saw you there, I was determined to make you mine.” He kisses my forehead. I remember when he found out that I was Maddie’s teacher. I wonder if that’s why he asked if I was married.
“What about the blonde at the bar?” I ask now that he’s on a roll, talking openly.
“Blonde? Which blonde?” Oh great, there were so many he can’t keep track of them.
When I describe the blonde from the happy hour at the Pour House, he nods in remembrance. “Oh, that blonde. That’s Nora.” Nora? He was at the bar with Nora and she still calls him all the time and at all hours. What the fuck! My body tenses immediately.
“Babe, work associate, remember? She’s one of our agents. Relax.” He rubs my back trying to soothe the tension.
“We had a business lunch meeting that ran late.” He places tiny kisses along my bare shoulder.
“Whatever.” I roll my eyes. I know I’m being childish, but that’s what jealousy does to me.
“Why were you were so mad at me all that week?” It seems like yesterday Shelby and I were talking about Adam being a fine fucker. I let out a small chuckle.
“Oh, you were such a jerk! Always flirting with me and then walking out with your arm around the Wicked Bitch. I wanted to slap you.” I laugh louder at the memory.
“I wanted you so badly, but I wasn’t sure if you were interested. You were hard to read. So I had to see for myself.” His shoulders rise in a nonchalant shrug.
“You...You did that shit on purpose? You were trying to make me jealous? Oh, Adam Lawson, you are in big, big, big trouble, mister!” I stand up and snatch his towel off exposing his semi-erect shaft. I twist the towel into a whip before snapping it against his thigh, leaving a red mark. “Get up! Let’s go! Bedroom! You owe me!!”
