by Caine,Ruby
Handing over the key, he wearily watched her run up the creaky front steps. "Terrific. She thinks it’s gorgeous." Yet another stepping-stone in his path to getting the property. He'd just have to make sure she found him more attractive than the building.
Four
A month later, he was still trying to convince Adrienne she wanted him more than River Oaks. His masculine show of frustration her first night in the parish proved to be his downfall. She was not as open to his advances these days. He did not halt his efforts though. Carrying two large suitcases, he followed her inside the newly rewired house. The utilities were connected the night before. Most of Stanislaus' amateur art projects had been removed, but the demented pelican remained on the front porch. Adrienne was hell bent on staying at River Oaks for the entire month of July.
"Which of the downstairs bedrooms should I put these in?" he asked. Adrienne pointed to his left and he started down the hall to the largest bedroom. Turning on the light switch, he looked around the room. She had decorated it with dark greens and lacy material. It was way too feminine for his taste.
The bed was a queen-size. He'd never fit comfortably. Since he was not going to let her stay in this isolated house alone, he considered offering to buy her a king-size mattress. First, he would need to handle any trouble she gave him when she figured out he was staying with her.
Adrienne placed Donny's cactus on the mantle of the fireplace. She walked from room to room, admiring the hard work they had put in to fixing this place up. Taking a deep breath, she smiled at Chance when he walked up behind her. On a whim, she reached over to give him a quick peck on the cheek. "Thanks for all your help these past few weeks, Chance. I know you're a bit disappointed I've put off selling you this place again. A chance to live in a real life historical home is too attractive to pass up."
"Home Place is more historical than this," he told her, deciding he deserved a hell of a lot more than one little peck on the lips for all his hard work. He reached to capture her face in his hands and gave her a real kiss. When she moaned with satisfaction, it was all the invitation he needed to slip his tongue inside and stroke hers. "Damn, you taste so good," he groaned.
"We should probably fix something to eat," Adrienne sucked in her breath, as he reached down to pull her shirt free from her jeans.
"At the moment, I'm more interested in eating you all up." A few buttons popped off in his haste to undo them. It was his turn to expel a deep breath. The sight of her full breasts made him harden. "Let's check out the springs on that old bed, babe." Reaching down, he scooped his strong arms under her knees and lifted her up.
Adrienne debated silently how far to let this go. The promise in Chance's eyes had her going damp. "Do you have any protection?" Did she actually just ask that? Apparently her libido won the battle against better sense this time.
"I'll always protect you," he promised, laying her across the bed. Standing up tall, he reached down to yank off his own shirt. The buckle of his belt was unfastened, and it took him no time at all to step out of his shoes and jeans. Reaching down he pulled out his wallet. He searched and fished out a small, plastic package and tossed it on the nightstand.
"You have too many clothes on, babe," he told her, kneeling beside her on the bed. Strong fingers unfastened her jeans as he straddled her legs. Then he reached inside to spread his large hands between her and the material. "Lift up," he ordered. After she raised her hips, he slid the jeans slowly down her body, the heat from his palms caressing her as he went. Her panties disappeared with the pants and soon she was totally exposed to his lustful gaze.
"Perfect," he muttered. Her boots impeded his progress. Unzipping each slowly, he eased them off and tossed them aside. The jeans and panties followed. Then he reached down to kiss the top of her foot, His tongue darted out and licked a path up her slender legs before pausing. "I've been thinking about doing this for a long time." Lying between her thighs, he lifted her hips and swung her legs over his wide shoulders.
The wicked things he did with his tongue left her moaning. Adrienne had not expected him to take her this way, which was probably best. She might have fought against the very notion instead of marveling in the exquisite torture of his efforts. A flush started at her face and soon settled down her body. Tensing against the pleasure, she grabbed on to his head, not knowing if she was trying to stop or hasten his efforts.
Stepping away from her for only a moment, he took off his briefs and slid on the condom. Then he covered her with his body, his callus hands palming her breasts. "Bend your legs, babe. Take me inside."
Adrienne tensed for a second. "I better tell you..."
He looked up and silenced her with one glare. "Please tell me you aren't going to stop me now." If she asked, he knew he would, but dammit, he begged her with his eyes not to ask.
Lifting her legs hesitantly, she gave him her answer. He exhaled with relief and lowered his hand to guide himself toward her heat. He felt a resistance he had not considered. Crap, should he be the one to stop this from going any farther? If he was any semblance of a decent man, he would.
"It's okay," she whispered. "I really want to do this."
His mouth covered hers as he allowed himself to push past the thin shield. She tensed at the invasion and he forced himself to stay still so she could adjust to his size. Several minutes seemed to pass.
"Are we finished?" she asked in a strangely high pitch. Was this it? Had he already come? What the hell was she supposed to do? If they were finished, why didn't he pull out so her body could recover from the tight fit.
Chance's hips rose, and she sighed with relief when he pulled out slowly. Then he sank back inside and muscles she did not even know she had protested. One of his hands reached between their bodies to stroke her most sensitive place, and the pain of his intrusion dimmed. His fingers rubbed faster and faster, and his thrusting hips mimicked the pace. Suddenly Adrienne's flush exploded, and blood coursed through her entire body in wave after wave of bliss. The large man on top of her shouted at his own release, sweat forming on his chest and forehead.
Nervous, Adrienne's sarcasm took over. "Now are we finished?"
Falling onto his back in an exhausted heap beside her, he looked up at the ceiling and sighed. "Give me a minute, and we'll see if I can help you figure out the difference between finished and just starting to get interesting."
Smiling for some unknown reason, she turned to look at the handsome giant beside her. Few people made her feel tiny, but Chance certainly did. He was perfect. No wonder he stole her heart, she smiled. Don't be a fool and yell that fact aloud, she warned herself. Something sticky between her legs drew her attention. The sight of blood alarmed her. "Damn it, Chance. There's a huge red stain on the comforter."
His feet hung over the footboard. The bed was indeed much too small for him. Chance rolled to the side so he could reassure her. "A lot of women bleed the first time they make love, babe. It's nothing to get upset about."
"The hell it isn't." She roared, standing up to glare at him. "This material is dry clean only. I paid a small fortune for it." Grabbing hold of the comforter, she pulled with all her might. Her unexpected move sent Chance rolling off the other side of the bed with a loud thump. Groaning, he pulled himself up in time to see his little principal disappear into the bathroom where she could try and salvage the damn bed cover.
"It was good for me, too!" He yelled after her, tempted to pull off his condom and let it soil her precious sheets. Muttering to himself about crazy women, he reluctantly got up to help repair the damage.
They ate a light dinner in the living room, Chance's laptop running a scary movie. Adrienne had tried to convince him to watch some chick flick, but he persisted on the horror genre so he could improve his chances of being invited to spend the night. Invitation or not, he was determined to stay. He'd get a hell of a lot more sleep if she thought it was her decision.
"Don't go in there, you stupid woman!" Adrienne yelled at the screen, sliding c
loser to Chance's protection. The lights were out and the film, combined with her past experience at River Oaks, was making her heart beat a little faster. "Crap!" A masked figure appeared out of nowhere and raised a bloody knife behind the woman Adrienne had tried to warn. Closing her eyes, Adrienne shoved her face in the big man's neck. "Tell me when it's over! I hate blood. Why did I let you talk me into watching this trash?"
"I'm here to protect you, babe," he smiled, glad his plan was working.
Jumpy because of the movie, every sound in the old house made her look around for some unknown threat. "Turn it off. I'll never be able to sleep tonight."
"We could always go back to Home Place. I have a state of the art alarm system. We'd be safe and able to concentrate on other things." His warm mouth started nibbling at her neck.
"Stop it," she giggled as his tongue tickled the pulse there. "I've been waiting to sleep in my own home for a month now. Nothing is going to stop me. Of course, if you're worried about me, you are more than welcome to stay here. We could always concentrate on the other things you mentioned at River Oaks, too."
His lips captured hers in a lingering kiss, before he reached over to turn off the computer. "How much did you pay for this rug?" Chance asked with a grin. "After the last time, I'd rather start off where you'll end up pushing me if I damage anything else."
"So, be careful," she giggled, joining him on the hard floor. He started unbuttoning her blouse when the porch stairs outside moaned. Both their heads popped up and glanced toward the windows lining the front of the house.
"What is it?" Adrienne latched on to Chance's arm.
"Hell if I know. Stay here and I'll go check it out."
"You are not going to leave me behind so some crazed killer can sneak up on me, Chance Breaux."
"Fine," he groaned, the film backfiring on him. "Just stay behind me and be quiet."
The two almost looked like dancers performing some strange routine. Glued to his back, every move Chance made, Adrienne mimicked as they crept silently toward the front door. Maybe Cherice was back? The child had not put in an appearance since the first night. The chill and odor did follow Adrienne here, but mainly when she was alone in some part of River Oaks.
A cluster of shadows moved around the porch outside, and Adrienne started pulling Chance's arm back from the danger that might await them. "Shh!" he whispered, grabbing a small table by the entrance. The contents crashed to the floor, and the shadows outside seem to freeze at the clatter.
Frozen with the table over his head, Chance waited to see what would happen next. Sometimes the ships that sailed up and down the Mississippi moored nearby. People from different countries worked the vessels. They often took a break to walk up and down the levee hoping to find a store where they could stock up on food and personal belongings. Generally harmless, he did not want to take any chance since Adrienne was with him.
"We call on the ghost of Stanislaus Hymel to appear to us," a husky female voice interrupted the silence. "The atmosphere is ripe for communication tonight. Gather around and concentrate with me," the voice continued on, and the shadows up and down the porch joined hands.
"I don't know what is going on, but let's get the hell out of here!" Adrienne hissed in Chance's ear.
Turning to glare at her, he inclined his head toward the right by the light switch. "Turn it on when I give you a nod," he whispered.
Adrienne shook her head no vehemently, but he inched toward the door. Figuring she could at least give him the advantage of surprise, she crept to the light switch and awaited his cue. Using one hand to turn the knob, he nodded, and abruptly threw open the door. The table balanced above his head like a baseball bat twirling in the hitter’s hand as he attempted to mess with the pitcher's concentration. Half the shadows fled the porch, screaming as they crossed the long driveway to hop in trucks and cars parked on the levee.
A short woman with an impressive chest turned to stare at Chance. Dressed all in black, she barely flinched at the appearance of the tall man. Lowering her lantern, the woman stared intently. "Hello, Chance. Fancy meeting you here. I see you got the electricity turned on. Does the new owner know you're squatting on her property?"
Replacing the table, Chance eyed the intruder. "Madame Lenore, what an unpleasant surprise."
Five
Recognizing the woman's name, Adrienne started to step out into view. Chance reached one long arm over to shove her back. "Give us a minute, please." Slamming the door, he turned to face the angry principal.
"How dare you stop me from saying hello!" She was spitting mad at his overbearing manner. She tried to edge around him, but he pulled her back behind the door again. Hands on her hips, she looked up at him prepared to do battle. He reached across to grab the two ends of her open shirt and pulled them together. Flush with embarrassment, she started buttoning the blouse. He reached to caress one breast, playfully nipping at the tip, before she accomplished her task.
"Still want to say hello?" he teased.
"Nobody likes a smart ass, Chance Breaux." Opening the door, Adrienne forged calm. A short, busty woman stood before her, a cluster of curious tourists behind her. "Welcome to River Oaks," Adrienne smiled, but a worried crease etched across her brow.
Did she have enough homeowner’s insurance on this place in case someone got hurt? Maybe she better get everyone off of the rotten porch. "Won't you all come inside?" Chance appeared even more surprised by her invitation than Madame Lenore and her friends. He started to object, but Adrienne shot him a warning glare.
Closing the door behind them, Adrienne sighed. None of them managed to fall through the rotten spots on the porch. She would have to have someone come out and fix any dangerous spots. Facing the leader of the small group, Adrienne shook her hand. "So you are Madame Lenore. I got your letters. It's a pleasure to meet you." Chance grunted at that comment but the polite women ignored his rude behavior.
How she managed to stand upright, Adrienne did not know. Her chest, which seemed to be unenhanced, was quite large, while black clothes tapered down to a narrow waste, slim hips and slender legs. "Can I ask you something?"
"What's a nice girl like me doing taking part in a séance?" Madame Lenore guessed.
"Well, no." Adrienne smiled and ushered her guests to the living room. "I was more interested in finding out where you got those marvelous boots."
Chance mumbled ungraciously as the intruders enjoyed their tour of River Oaks. Adrienne took them from room to room on the first floor and pointed out all the antique treasures she discovered while fixing the place up. The large man only put his foot down when Madame Lenore asked about visiting the top floor.
"It's off limits to anyone until one of my contractors gives the all clear." The set in his jaw stopped Adrienne from challenging his orders. The frustrating man did not even let her go up there after he saw a few cracks in the hallway.
Madame Lenore's mindless followers, as Chance labeled them, took their leave almost an hour later. Unfortunately, the two remaining women were all chatty, and they left him to make coffee in the kitchen. He found them sitting at the table, laughing like old friends. "Did you hear what Lenore said, Chance? There is a boot store about thirty minutes from here. Tomorrow evening we're going to go shopping while you're at work."
"I took tomorrow off to spend the day with you." Chance was just as shocked by this statement as Adrienne. While he needed to work on a few things, he'd be damn if he let Madame Lenore spirit his woman away. There was little doubt the quack would undo all the hard work he put into convincing Adrienne to sell him River Oaks.
"You've been asking me to take you around the property so you could get a better feel for the area. I thought we'd take advantage of tomorrow's forecast of sunshine." Chance had not actually caught tomorrow's weather report, but he was optimistic. "It's getting late, Lenore. Why don't you hop on your broom and fly away?"
Ignoring the threatening look Adrienne sent him, he crossed his large arms over his chest. His pu
blic relations department head would have given him a similar face, but Chance did not bother putting on fronts. He never had. It was best people knew exactly how he felt. He had not gotten where he was today by pussy footing around with social niceties. Lenore knew he did not like or trust her. Why pretend otherwise?
"You are welcome to join our shopping spree," the other woman smiled back. Reaching up to touch her talisman stone tucked under her shirt, Madame Lenore let its energy calm her. "Adrienne tells me she's encountered a small child here. She's anxious to figure out what's going on."
"Dammit, Adrienne," Chance fumed, his handsome face getting darker. "Why, in the name of all that is sane, would you tell her about Cherice?"
"Cherice?" Lenore asked, noticing Chance just realized he had provided her with new information. "I had no idea you actually communicated with the child." She sipped her coffee to stop herself from smirking. "Have you seen the child, too, Chance? I thought you did not put stock in my line of work. If I did not know better, I might assume you are pretending to see this Cherice as a means of talking Adrienne into selling you River Oaks."
"No, I haven't seen the child. Adrienne hasn't either. She had a few dreams, that's all."
Glaring openly now, Adrienne added, " Stop talking for me. I wasn't dreaming when I almost ran..."
He interrupted her before she could provide too many details for Madame Lenore to latch on to. Any tiny hint of information could be woven into some false reading. "Adrienne knows full well about me wanting River Oaks. We are in negotiations."
"We most certainly are not." How dare Chance even imply otherwise?
"Negotiations break down," Lenore smiled at him.
