Ashe Griffin and Marion Beemish sat at one of the many long tables, racks of magazines nearby. “Ashe,” Griffin said and the boy obediently lowered his copy of the Hollywood Reporter. “Son, this is the woman who wrote that letter we liked so much—Lorraine Devonshire, and this is Carmen Mendez and Albert Jenkins—they also work for the library.”
“Hello,” Lorraine said.
“Nice to meet you,” Carmen offered.
Albert extended his hand and the young man shook his, a serious expression on his nine-year-old face.
Griffin went on, “Mister Jenkins, Ms. Mendez, this is my son’s nanny, Marion Beemish, who we fondly refer to as Mrs. B.”
Lorraine took in the old woman’s short, slight frame and cheerful smile, among other details—one of them a broach on her pressed, gray four-button jacket. “What a lovely broach,” Lorraine said. “Is that a ruby?”
“My birthstone,” she said, boasting.
Griffin said to Mrs. B., “I’m going to finish up with these people and we’ll be on our way. Excuse us?”
Ashe nodded, his own blond hair shorter than his father’s, a few strands hanging over his forehead.
“Of course sir,” Mrs. B. said, glancing at Lorraine and the others. “So nice to have met you.”
“The pleasure was ours,” Albert said, Lorraine and Carmen nodding.
Walking away, Griffin quietly explained, “My son doesn’t mean to be rude. Poor kid hasn’t said a word since his mother died.”
“How awful,” Lorraine couldn’t help but say.
“Yeah, he’s really taking it hard. Great kid though—really smart, big, big heart.” Griffin turned to gaze at the boy. He forced a smile. “Had a thought. We’re gonna stick around a little while, and we could use somebody to show us around town. Can you take a few days off?”
“Me? I…um…” Lorraine turned to Albert and Carmen. “Gee, it’s not for me to say, really…”
Albert and Carmen looked at each other, Albert once again stammering, his mouth flapping but producing no actual words.
Griffin said, “I think since Miss Devonshire here has saved the library, she’s deserved a little vacation.”
Albert said, “No, it’s…it’s fine, really. I’m sure we can muddle through a few days. Go ahead, take the week.”
“The whole week? Mister Jenkins, I can’t afford to take a whole week off!”
Griffin said to Albert, “Miss Devonshire and I may need to work out the details of our campaign, so it’s really library business…”
“Right, business,” Albert said, “of course, I… anything you say, Mr. Phoenix.”
“Excellent.” Griffin turned to Lorraine. “You don’t mind?”
“Why…no, not at all, Mr. Phoenix.”
“Griffin.”
Lorraine’s head dipped, demure. “Griffin.”
“Great.” After a moment of Lorraine’s silent amazement, Griffin said, “Get your coat.”
Chapter 4
The ziplines cut through the thickly forested Rocky Mountains; the smell of pine was rich in the air and a falcon soared overhead. The breeze pushed Lorraine’s short red hair back, refreshing and a bit frightening. A chasm opened up beneath Lorraine as she clung to that harness, the metal cable thunking a reassuring base drone above her. For as long as that cable stayed tight, Lorraine knew she’d be okay. But there were the various buckles and straps to worry about too. Luckily, the trip down the line was so thrilling and fast that Lorraine didn’t have too much time to worry about it.
Wow. I can’t believe I’m here doing this. I can’t believe I’m here with HIM! That he wants me to be his tour guide. This is all so outside my comfort zone. I read, I stay inside, I play it safe, I don’t mingle with insanely hot Bajillionaires. Fuck, he is so hot. Focus on the line, Lorraine; don’t crash into anything! I know I have to stay in line, keep my emotions in check. I can’t screw this up.
But her blood was still rushing in her veins. She arrived at the end of the line, falling into Griffin’s strong arms. Lorraine couldn’t deny the rush of excitement pulsing in her tissues, swirling around her and within her. Laughter erupted out of her mouth as she leaned against Griffin’s strong chest, sheer exhilaration overwhelming her.
Ashe was silent and somber, but even he couldn’t fight the smile that was wriggling its way onto his young face—a miniature of his father’s. The zipline adventure included several more stretches of death-defying thrills before it was over and they unstrapped and unfastened the buckles.
“What do you both say we check out the restaurant, grab some dinner, and catch this magnificent sunset?” Griffin suggested. Lorraine smiled in agreement and Ashe nodded his head. The sun was beginning a slow and glorious descent, the blue sky burning orange and yellow, with purple bleeding in over the horizon.
At the restaurant, they nestled in, enjoying the beauty of the nature that surrounded them. The truffle fries were drizzled with a black aioli and herbed Parmesan; the Bangs Island mussels were served with chorizo sausage, white-wine garlic butter sauce, tomato brunoise, chives, and focaccia. The combination of favors collected on Lorraine’s tongue, exciting her taste buds and all her senses. Every bite was sensual. A crisp chardonnay was the perfect compliment, and also helped soothe Lorraine’s nerves from the rush of the ziplines.
Ashe was silent as always, but Lorraine kept talking to him anyway, treating him the way she’d treat any child at the library or anywhere else. “I can’t believe you weren’t afraid,” Lorraine said, the chewy mussels savory and buttery on her tongue. “I was half-convinced that line was just gonna snap and down I’d go.”
Ashe just shrugged; Griffin’s eyes fixed on his son. “These things are generally well-maintained,” Griffin said. “There are worse things out there.”
“I know that’s true,” Lorraine said. She wasn’t sure how far she should go, or how the boy would receive any outreach. But she already had a fondness for Ashe, and she couldn’t resist the temptation to try to help him. “What a delicious meal. Thank you again, Griffin.”
“It’s more than my pleasure.”
Lorraine turned to Ashe. “When I was a kid, it was Kraft mac ’n’ cheese and weekends at the ice rink if we were lucky. I wonder what it’s like to have so many fun adventures and such fine dining all the time.”
Ashe didn’t answer.
Lorraine and Griffin glanced at each other, and she could tell that he appreciated her efforts, that he supported her attempts to reach that sad, fractured soul.
“I suppose I know it now,” Lorraine said, inspiring a little chuckle from Griffin. “I wonder what it’s like to be homeschooled. I just went to public school with the rest of the kids on the block; nobody thought anything about it.”
Griffin nodded. “Me too. It was never my favorite part of growing up. And public schools today are more like prisons. Private schools are fine; we’ve had a few of those. But the past few years, well, the Phoenix men are sticking together. The homeschooling fits our lifestyle too, which is always nice.”
“It certainly is,” Lorraine said. “You’re in the stock market?”
Griffin nodded. “You?”
“Nope. I’ve never bought a single stock. I’ve never done a lot of things, actually. I guess you could say that, where some of those things are concerned…I’m a virgin.”
Griffin turned his head, eyes squinting with a keen interest. “Really?”
“Really.”
“Well, that’s…that’s very interesting. You’ve never…bought a single share, not one?”
Lorraine shook her head. “I came close once or twice, but…I had a bad investment, and I didn’t wanna play the market anymore.” The truth was Lorraine pined for the right man; every guy she thought might be a good match proved otherwise or just didn’t feel right.
“I see.” Griffin took a sip from his water glass. “Are you interested in playing? The market, I mean.”
Lorraine cleared her throat. “I don’t know very much about
it.”
“I could teach you everything you’ll need to know.” He smirked as he gently touched her forearm. Grazing it ever so slightly, the touch of his large, manly hand on her soft skin sent a shock of sexual desire coursing through her body. Lorraine felt that familiar feeling between her thighs return once again—one of hot, unbridled lust and sexual craving. The sexual tension collected between them, becoming even more intense when Griffin locked eyes with Lorraine and went on, “I’ve got a number of interests. It brings us a certain amount of independence. That’s why Ashe and I believe in giving back, the way we did with your library. That’s a cause we’re very excited about.”
“Lucky for us,” Lorraine said, trying to keep her sexual urges contained.
“It wasn’t luck, Lorraine, not at all. You earned it. You took a risk in the service of a worthy cause. You were willing to throw it all away, sacrifice yourself, your job—”
“It wasn’t that bad,” Lorraine felt inclined to say.
“You mean to tell me you didn’t catch hell for that letter? I’d guess that big supervisor of yours was about to drop the axe, am I right?” Griffin insinuated. She glanced down at her plate. “Of course you won’t admit it. That’s just another sign of the quality of your character, Lorraine. I can tell, in the brief time that we’ve spent together, that the world needs more people like you. If libraries are where we’ll find you, then we need as many libraries as we can get.”
Lorraine smiled, glancing at Ashe. Ashe almost seemed to smile, but she didn’t dare presume. It was enough that she was there with the two Phoenix men. Lorraine felt exceptional in their presence, honored that both men enjoyed her company, and for very different reasons.
Griffin and Ashe drove Lorraine back to her apartment in their rented black Mercedes Benz sedan. Griffin left Ashe in the car and walked Lorraine to the foot of the stairs leading up to her place. In a very quiet, sexy voice, Griffin said, “I want to thank you, Lorraine.”
“Me? Um, I should be thanking you, Griffin, for such a lovely day,” Lorraine said, trying to keep it together the best she could. Am I crazy? Am I getting a vibe again from him? That was way more than a casual thank you. There was definitely something behind that thank you!
“It was, and tomorrow we’ll have another. We will be here at ten o’clock to pick you up.”
Lorraine couldn’t control her smile. “Okay,” was all she could say, feeling like a giggly schoolgirl.
Aware of the magnetic attraction swirling in the air, Lorraine paused, savoring the moment. His musky cologne had her under a spell.
“We’re not going to make love tonight, Lorraine,” he said in a low voice, his words coming fast and certain. “Because I know you’re above that, better than that, more than just some one-night stand. You’ve protected yourself, preserved yourself, and I want you to enjoy that for one more night. I want you to think of me tonight, Lorraine—your last night as a virgin.”
Lorraine stood there with a lump in her throat, wanting to respond, but she just couldn’t. She was frozen in a state of disbelief. Her palms started to sweat.
Oh my god! Where the hell did that come from? I was right. He wants me! He wants me so fucking much. This is so insane—I’ve never had sex before, I’ve barely had any sexual encounters, ever! I can’t do this… Sure, I’ve kissed guys before, but… I don’t. Her thoughts were interrupted when her keys slipped out of her sweaty hands and hit the ground. Griffen went on in a steady and seductive tone. “Because this is your last night as a virgin, Lorraine Devonshire. Because tomorrow night, I’m going to have you; I’m going to take you, possess you—every inch of you. And I want you to know that, to think about it—imagine my cock inside you.”
Griffin put his hand on her wrist and introduced her to his cock—semi-hard, massive. “This is what you’re getting, Lorraine, and it’s all for you, just for you.” Lorraine was stunned into silence, breathless, hands trembling. “I don’t want you to worry, pretty Lorraine; you’ll have nothing to worry about. I’m going to transform you into the woman you’ve been waiting to become. Do you hear me?”
Lorraine nodded, clearing her throat, eyes down. Griffin’s fingers found her chin, raising her unwilling line of sight to lock on his. “Do you hear me?”
“I do,” Lorraine hesitated, “but Griffin, this is all so…so sudden… We’re just getting to know each other; I’m not like all the other women—” She stopped herself.
“Lorraine, you’re an amazing woman. Stunningly beautiful, intelligent; I can feel all the tension and stress bubbling under the surface ready to explode. You need a release. Maybe you’ve had shitty past experiences with guys in this town. You’ve repressed your true desires. I want you to let them out. I want to show you what it’s like to be with a real man. Give me the chance to open up your world to one of pleasure and excitement, Lorraine.”
Lorraine considered his words. They were really genuine. She wanted to be the girl Griffin saw, the girl she wanted to be, the girl he was allowing her to be. She couldn’t help but smile at the thought of him opening up a whole new world for her and stepping in with both feet.
“Something else,” Griffin said. “I want you to go up there and pleasure yourself. I want you to probe yourself deeply, lovingly, without shame. Be glad to have such a beautiful body, such a graceful spirit. Make love to yourself tonight, Lorraine, the way I’m going to make love to you tomorrow. I know you’re brimming with sensuality.”
A tense moment passed. She considered his words and couldn’t help feel aroused at the words that came out of his mouth so effortlessly. She had never considered herself beautiful in the classical sense before, and to hear it for the first time from such a powerful and handsome man was beyond flattering.
So what if things are moving fast, it’s exhilarating. Griffin’s a good man. Charitable, sweet, sexy as hell, and from what I can tell, a great father. The chemistry is clearly reciprocated; when have I ever felt that before? Rules are meant to be broken, Lorraine. I’ve waited for the right man all my life. Who’s to say he isn’t that man? Take a chance! Live your life and have no regrets for once.
“Think of my cock inside you, think of me kissing every part of your glorious, beautiful body. Think of yourself kissing me, kissing that big cock of mine. You can almost taste it.”
“I…” Lorraine looked away even while she cuddled even closer to him, trembling in his embrace, not wanting the moment to ever end.
“You’re going to do what I tell you,” Griffin instructed. Lorraine nodded. “And then I’m going to do what I told you.” Lorraine nodded again, mouth wrestling with the inability to express what she could barely understand. Griffin offered her a gentle smile—confident, almost cocky. “I’ll see you tomorrow then. Ten o’clock.”
Chapter 5
“I… I can’t even describe it,” Lorraine said to Jeremy, the phone shaking in her hand as she paced around the apartment, the phone to her ear. “He’s just…I just…”
“You’re in love with him.”
“Jeremy, no, I… I’m a grown woman, I don’t just fall in love with a man like—”
“That’s exactly what you do, Lorraine. Let your guard down a bit, and go with the flow! Stop overthinking it. But I’ll tell you what…it sounds like you’re hooked this time, like it or not.”
Lorraine’s imagination flashed on a million things. “Well, um, I don’t not like it, that’s not what I’m saying. I… I like it, Jer, I really like it! He’s gentle and understanding…the way he is with his son; I never thought I’d meet someone so bright, so generous, and so caring. I mean he didn’t have to come all the way down here, he could have easily written a cheque at a charity event and be done with it. I’ve never been so attracted to anyone in my life, Jer. It’s crazy. I don’t want to say I’m infatuated, but you might just have to slap some sense into me.” She laughed.
“That is awesome, Lorraine. You deserve it.”
“I dunno—”
“Lorraine!”
“No, I don’t mean that I don’t deserve to have love in my life—”
“What have I been saying?”
Lorraine shook her head. “No, I get that, Jeremy, I really do, and I’m trying.”
“Keep trying,” Jeremy said, “now more than ever.”
“That’s the thing. This guy’s a bajillionare or something, and he’s, well, he’s gorgeous, Jeremy. You’d flip,” Lorraine said knowing Jeremy’s taste in men.
“Then how about I take him, you crawl back under the bed, and we’ll all be happy?”
Lorraine couldn’t help but smile. “I don’t think that’s the arrangement he has in mind.”
“No, he wants you. Fiery redhead and porcelain complexion of yours. If I played for the other team, you know I’d have been all over you.”
Lorraine laughed “Jeremy, stop! I’m just some librarian from Denver, Colorado. A guy like that’s not going to settle down, and he sure wouldn’t settle for me. He must be bedding models and actresses. I’m just gonna be another conquest.”
“Um, and your problem with that is…?”
“I know, it’s…it’s not a bad deal, but…I dunno, I like him, Jeremy, and I like his son. The kid’s so hurt, y’know, but he’s so brave—such a perfect little gentleman. I’m falling for him fast; I just don’t want to put myself in a position where I get hurt.”
Jeremy sighed, and Lorraine knew what that sigh meant. “Lo’, life isn’t a fairy tale…except in my case!” They both chuckled, and Jeremy went on, “It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enjoy the good times that happen to come along, even if they don’t last. Some things just aren’t meant to last, like a flower. Doesn’t mean they’re not beautiful.”
Lorraine knew Jeremy was right, and she wanted to embrace his wisdom. But she couldn’t help but envision a beautiful red rose rotting and blackening, dying right before her eyes, with her helpless to do anything but mourn its loss.
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