by Sky Winters
She didn't tell Aaron what she'd seen. She just wasn't sure enough that she had seen the men. After the visions and the dreams, she just didn't feel confident enough in her senses. Telling Aaron only to have him dismiss her as he'd done with the previous set of paw prints might, as far as she could tell, accomplish nothing other than make him think she was crazy. Considering she could tell that he was still not quite to the point where he could place his full trust in her, having her think this was the last thing she wanted.
Getting away from all of this, even for an evening, sounded perfect to Adeline.
"Yeah, sounds good to me, too," said Aaron, taking another sip of his coffee. "I'm thinking we can spend the afternoon finishing up the cleaning, then head into town. Adults only."
He mussed Bethany's hair and flashed a warm smile.
"Does that mean I can stay here by myself?" asked Bethany, her eyes lighting up with glee at the idea of having the house to herself for the evening.
"No way," said Aaron. "I hired a babysitter from town. She'll be here around six."
"Aw, man," said Bethany, her shoulders slumping as she picked half-heartedly into her breakfast.
"So, what'd you have in mind?" asked Adeline.
"Well," said Aaron. "This isn't exactly a metropolis, but I found a restaurant in town that looked pretty promising. I'm thinking we can grab a bite to eat, maybe some drinks after."
"That sounds amazing," said Adeline, not needing to hear any more details; she couldn't remember the last time she'd had a night out like that.
"Perfect," said Aaron. "Then let's knock the rest of the cleaning out and relax."
With that, the three finished their breakfasts and went to work. As she tidied up the last bedroom, Adeline thought about Aaron and their date. There was something about him, she thought, beyond his painfully apparent good looks. He was calm, confident, and had a way with his daughter that always seemed to send the underlying message that whatever he did, he did for her. What's more, he seemed to exude a certain strength that put her at ease whenever he was around.
Adeline couldn't help but wonder, however, what the next few weeks would hold. She'd been drawn to this place for reasons she didn't understand and was no closer to learning why, exactly, she was here than she was when she'd first arrived. For now, however, things were good.
At six o'clock, the babysitter, a fresh-faced blonde who looked to be barely out of high school arrived. Adeline could tell that she was a little hesitant to take babysitting gig at a house that clearly had a mysterious reputation, but once she saw that everything was on the level, she settled in with Bethany, the two of them getting along like fast friends.
Aaron stepped out from his room, and Adeline took in a slight gasp. He looked gorgeous. Dressed in a well-fitted white button-up with a slim gray tie, a pair of coal-black slacks, and finished off with a sporty pair of dress shoes, he looked the picture of effortless sophistication.
"Shall we?" he asked.
Out of the corner of her eye, Adeline could see that the teenage babysitter was having quite a hard time keeping her eyes off Aaron. Adeline smiled, but knew that the feeling was mutual.
"Let's do it," said Adeline.
The two went into the garage and got into Aaron's car, which was a sporty, silver sedan.
"You look great," said Aaron, pulling the car out and onto the main road leading off the property.
"Thanks," said Adeline, blushing.
She cast a glance down at her simple outfit of nice-is dark, blue jeans and light blue top.
They drove into town, Adeline's eyes on the woods as they made their way down the winding road. Soon, the smattering of buildings on a gridded road pattern that was Branle’s downtown came into view, and minutes later, they were walking into a quaint, charming Italian restaurant. The place was packed full of people, which surprised Adeline.
"Believe it or not," said Aaron as the hostess led the two to their seats, "this is a Michelin Star restaurant."
"Really?" asked Adeline, sliding into her seat.
"Really. This town seems to be equal parts small-town types and rich people from the city looking for a quieter place to live, so I suppose it makes sense that some New York talent wound up here."
This surprised Adeline. "That's crazy- I kind of assumed that this was some off-the-map place."
"These woods are full of giant compounds like my family's; lot of wealth up in this part of the state."
"I guess first impressions can be deceiving."
Aaron flashed a knowing smirk. The waiter arrived and Aaron ordered a bottle of red wine. Scanning the menu for the bottle, her eyes went wide when she saw the price.
How much money does this guy have? she thought.
"That’s a little pricey for a bottle of wine," said Adeline, becoming self-conscious.
"Don't worry about it," said Aaron. "I've got more money than I know what to do with. Especially now that the house is sold."
"So, you just picked up and left home like I did? How's Bethany handling that?"
"Well, it's not permanent. We...had a rough couple of years, and needed to start fresh. I told her we'd come to stay with family for a month or so before putting down some more permanent roots. We didn't expect that we'd walk right into the mystery of the disappearing family."
The wine was brought, the waiter silently pouring them both a glass. Adeline took a sip; it was rich, tart, and delicious.
"And, I had the same weird call to come here that you seemed to have."
Adeline took another sip. "I…just want to say ‘thanks' again. I know this is all so weird, but you and Bethany have been so accommodating."
"Think nothing of it. Like I said, there's something about the Swift Compound that attracts people; you're not the first to feel the call."
Adeline perked up at this. "What do you mean by that, exactly?"
Aaron's eyes widened, as though he realized that he'd said too much.
"Ah, well, I think that that's…something you'll find out about on your own."
Before Adeline could ask further, the waiter came by to take their orders. Aaron placed two orders for the chef's special, and by the time he left, the previous thread of conversation seemed too far behind to Adeline for her to feel comfortable picking it up.
"So…no Mrs. Swift?" asked Adeline.
"There was; she passed a couple of years ago."
"I'm sorry," said Adeline, feeling as though she were intruding on topics that were too personal to discuss.
"Thank you. It was part of the reason why I felt that Bethany and I should get out of California; neither of us could stay there without being reminded of her. My job is mostly investments that don't need me to be there, so a change seemed like a good idea."
Adeline enjoyed listening to Aaron talk. Though she still couldn't shake the sense that there was something major that Aaron wasn't mentioning. She realized, however, that she, too, was guilty of this. She still hadn't mentioned the strange men in suits the previous night.
Their meals soon arrived, and Adeline and Aaron happily dug in, chatting more as they ate. And as they talked, Adeline couldn't help but notice the ease with which she was able to speak with Aaron. She'd always considered herself something of an introvert, but conversation with him was light and fun.
Desert of tiramisu followed, and the two dove into the delicious dessert, the meal finished with a pair of espressos. Aaron, of course, snatched the bill before Adeline could even glance at it.
"This was really nice," said Adeline as the two walked to their car.
"Well, the evening doesn't have to end," said Aaron. "The babysitter's there for the evening."
"Oh?"
Aaron flashed another smile that made Adeline want to swoon right then and there.
"I've got an idea," he said, ducking into the car.
Adeline followed him in, and soon they were off. Aaron drove down a winding road away from the city center, taking them up into the hills, Bear Mountain l
ooming in the near distance. Soon, the night sky was above them as they drove, Adeline looking up through the open window at the glittering tapestry above, the cool evening wind rushing through her hair.
After a time, they made another turn. Aaron parked the car and got out.
"Come on," he said, beckoning Adeline to follow him.
She did, and the two made their way down a narrow path that led further up. Soon, they reached a clearing that ended at the end of a sharp, steep incline.
The view before them took Adeline's breath away. The trees of the valley stretched on and on, the leaves a deep purple frosted with light from the moon above, the gentle curves of the landscape drifting on for miles. The sky above stretched like infinity, each square inch packed with shimmering stars, the moon bright and full. It was a perfect view for a perfect evening.
"This is incredible," said Adeline, looking out over the vista in awe.
Aaron smiled a half-smile. "When I was a kid visiting my family out here, this is where I'd go to get all of my thinking done. Hell of a view, huh?"
"Beautiful," said Adeline.
As she looked out over the rolling, tree-filled hills, Adeline could feel Aaron looking at her with a side-eyed glance. Glancing down, she could see that Aaron's hand was only a few inches from hers; a feeling like electricity seemed to jump from his flesh to hers. Turning her head, she found herself looking deep into Aaron's eyes of deep green, his sandy-blond hair framing his gorgeous features. Adeline seemed to feel a loss of control over her body, as though had been frozen, turned to stone beneath his stare.
So, there wasn't a thing she could do when he leaned close and kissed her.
The feeling of his lips upon hers was a shock, at first. Her hands shot up, palms out, as though she had been caught doing something that she shouldn't. But Aaron was quick to take charge, wrapping his thick, strong arms around her and bringing her close. Adeline took in a quick draw of breath as Aaron brought her near, pulling her tight against his body.
Adeline didn't know what to do. Her rational mind quickly realized that this might very well be an awful, terrible idea. But her body, her body wanted nothing more than for Aaron to keep going, to continue kissing her, to continue holding her close, pressing her against his solid form, hard and muscular through the light fabric of his shirt.
She let herself fall into his kiss, her eyes pressed shut, the smell of fresh evening air mixing into a heavenly blend with Aaron's rich musk. He smelled to her like nature itself, a strong, heady scent that belied his California roots. As he kissed her, she wanted nothing more than his touch, nothing more than the feeling of his hands on her body, his lips against hers.
Adeline's wish was soon granted. She felt Aaron's hands move to the front of her body, undoing the buttons of her blouse, the cool night air brisk on her newly exposed skin. Then, once all the buttons were undone, he pulled the shirt off over her shoulders. Taking his lips away, he looked upon Adeline's now-exposed breasts, heavy and ample in her lacy, red bra. A sly smile crossed Aaron's lips, and Adeline took sweet pleasure in being looked at in such a way.
Then, they were right back to it. They kissed ferociously, passionately, like heedless animals. Adeline went to work on Aaron's shirt, her slim fingers fumbling with the buttons, undoing them on by one. When they were finally undone, she pulled the shirt back with the same swiftness that he had shown with hers. She continued to kiss him as she looked down at his perfect, sculpted body, his torso cut and lean, his muscles tight and taut. He was beefy, but too huge; just the right amount of ripped.
The rest of their clothing was soon off, leaving Aaron in nothing but a skin-tight pair of gray boxer briefs, his long, thick cock seeming on the verge of breaking through the fabric. Adeline was in her red bra and skimpy, thong panties; she was thanking herself for happening to have chosen such a sexy pair of underwear.
But she wasn't in them for long. Placing his hands on her slim, bare shoulders, Aaron pushed Adeline back gently, laying her on her back. Then, with a quick pull, he stripped her panties off, his eyes locking onto her now-exposed sex, a hungry glint in his eyes.
"Goddamn, you're sexy," he said, his voice a low purr.
A small smile crept across Adeline's lips.
"Yeah? And what do you want to do with me?"
"I think you know," he said, getting on all fours and crawling over top of her.
"Say it."
"I want to fuck you," said Aaron.
"How do you want to fuck me?" said Adeline, a hot tension building down in her sex, an arousal that was about to reach a boiling point.
"Hard," he said, his voice stern. "So fucking hard."
And that was exactly what Adeline wanted to hear. Slipping her thumbs under the waistband of Aaron's underwear, she pulled them down, his long, thick cock springing out. Her eyes widened as she looked upon it; it was huge, to say the least. And right as she wondered if she was even going to be able to fit the entire thing inside of her, Aaron took his cock by the base and slid it into her, her pussy wet, slick, and accommodating.
Adeline took in a sharp gasp as Aaron entered her, feeling every millimeter of his rock-hard cock as it slid into her completely. Adeline dug her fingertips into Aaron's back, her eyes winced shut as she adjusted the incredible feeling of his cock buried deep inside of her. Adeline arched her back, reaching behind her and undoing the clasp of her bra, pulling it over her shoulders and tossing it to the side along with the rest of their clothing. Aaron's eyes narrowed as he looked upon her full, round breasts, grabbing a handful and licking her nipples as he fucked her, the twin feelings of his tongue on her nipples and his cock moving in and out already driving Adeline to the brink.
Orgasm was typically a long, involved process for her, but for some reason, with Aaron, it was already tantalizingly within reach. She relaxed her body, wrapping her legs around Aaron, pulling his hips close and tight against hers as he bucked into her body, sheathing himself deeply and fully.
Moans slipped past Adeline's lips as Aaron fucked her, the waves of pleasure radiating from down below making her lose more and more control by the second. Her toes curled, her heart pounded, and her thoughts melted into a blur; she wanted to thrash and kick, the pleasure was so intense. She stole glances at Aaron's body, watching the toned muscles of his torso flex and tense as he pounded her. Adeline's hands slid down his sweat-slicked back, coming to a rest on his firm, round ass. Then, just as Adeline was close, so close to cumming, Aaron, his cock still and deep inside of her, sat up, grabbing Adeline by the hips and recommencing his onslaught, pounding her hard from a sitting-up position, her body sprawled out before him.
Aaron pounded her hard like this, spreading her legs apart, his hands on her ankles. More moans slipped from Adeline's mouth, and she could feel her orgasm on the brink.
"Don't stop; don't stop," she said, the feeling of Aaron's cock in her almost too much to bear.
Then, her orgasm broke loose, rushing through her body. It was as though a great void of pleasure opened beneath her and she was cast down into it. Warmth and pleasure rushed through her body as Aaron bucked against her. A heavy grunt from Aaron signaled to her that he was cumming, too. Adeline's lips pressed shut; she savored the feeling that was coursing through her body.
Soon after, Aaron's thrusts slowed, and he withdrew from Adeline. Aaron collapsed at Adeline's side, his chest rising and falling, his hand on Adeline's smooth stomach, which was now slick with. The two of them lay like this for a time, listening in silence to the sound of the wind in the valley below.
CHAPTER 11
"How many girls have you done that with here?" Adeline asked with a smile, breaking the silence.
"It's…been a while," said Aaron, a handsome, boyish smirk on his face.
Against her better wishes, a surge of jealousy ran through Adeline She waved it away, realizing how silly it was to feel this way about a man that she wasn't even dating. Rolling onto her side, she took in another long look at the valley.
/> "Beautiful," she said.
"It really is," said Aaron. "Don't get this kind of view in Philly, I bet."
Adeline laughed. "The view from my apartment was the building right next to it."
Aaron let out a light chuckle. "Well, we should probably get back. The babysitter's staying over, but I don't want to keep her up too late."
"It's…been a great night," said Adeline, sitting up.
"Yeah, it has," said Aaron.
They looked at one another for a long moment, a slight blush forming on Adeline's cheeks. Aaron leaned in, kissing her long and deep one last time before getting up and fetching their clothes. Moments later, they were dressed and back in the car.
Arriving at the house, they found Bethany sitting on the couch, still up and watching TV as the babysitter slept sitting up, light snores sounding from her mouth.
"You're back," said Bethany. "Finally. How was your date?"
"Don't you worry about that, little lady," said Aaron.
He then turned to Adeline. "You mind getting Bee off to bed? I'm going to take sleeping beauty here to one of the guest rooms."
"Sure," said Adeline.
"But I'm not tired!" protested Bethany.
"B, it's almost midnight; I know you're tired," said Aaron. "Come on, off to bed."
"Fine," said Bethany.
"Let's go, Bee," said Adeline, leading the girl out of the room.
As they left, Adeline watched as Aaron carefully picked up the babysitter, lifting her off the couch with ease.
"Can you read me some of my book before we go to sleep?" asked Bethany. "I'm really not tired at all, I swear."
"You sure about that?" asked Adeline, noting the sleepy look in the girl's eyes.
"Positive," she said.
"Well, if you insist."
Adeline led the girl to her bedroom, tucked her in, and opened the book sitting by the bed, which was a collection of stories about various monsters. Sitting down next to Adeline, she began reading, starting with a story about a man who could turn into any animal he wanted.
