TIME TO REMEMBER: A NEW ADULT TIME TRAVELING ROMANCE (RAVENHURST SERIES)

by Lorraine Beaumont

  “I am fine, really.” And Marguerite was surprised that she really was fine. It still felt a bit tender, down there, but something else was beginning to burn in a good way, a very good way indeed.

  The moment seized Darias once more… he had tunnel vision. He could not stop the ripples of pleasure from tearing from him as he lost all control. Moving his hips back and forth, clenching his muscular buttocks he pumped into her body, his strokes fast… swift…deep. Sweat slipped down the sides of his face, splattering onto her breasts. He dipped his head down, and licked the wetness from her breast, continuing his relentless pace, sliding rapidly in and out of her body. He felt possessed, unable to stop. “That’s right…,” He sucked in his breath, feeling her body clench around his length, urging him to move faster, pump harder, pushing him closer to his release.

  Marguerite held on for dear life, her fingers digging into the bunching muscles across his back. She leaned forward and kissed the saltiness from his shoulder, lowering her hand to his muscular buttocks as he brought her closer to the edge. Her arms hurt but there was no way she was going to let go. She was afraid her world would come tumbling down…spiraling out of control.

  Darias groaned out in pleasure, heedless of her nails digging into his flesh; he was beyond himself, beyond comprehension. Nothing mattered but the here and now. He was completely lost in the moment, reveling in the sensations coursing through his body.

  Marguerite held on, her body jerking as ripples of pleasure began to build within. She could see flashes in her mind of doing the like a thousand times before and the love she felt for him spun through her mind, turning the fire burning inside into pleasure so intense, she felt like she may just burst from it.

  Darias gripped her legs and leaned back, pressing them further apart, thrusting into her one last time… taking them both over the edge. He shuddered, groaning in ecstasy as the last spasms of his orgasm seized him.

  Marguerite’s body, free falls in a tumble back to Earth as her heart rate slowed back to normal. She loosened her grip on him, and finally relinquished her hold.

  After a moment, Darias pulled himself from her body and fell onto his back, breathing heavily. He lifted his hand and ran it through his sweat-dampened hair, moving it away from his face.

  “That was quite pleasing,” he said casually, even though, if the truth were to be told it was so much more than simply pleasing. He had never felt the like in all his years on this Earth.

  These strange emotions warming his innards made him uncomfortable. They were not something he was accustomed to feeling. So instead of saying anything else, he turned on his side and pulled her body against his own. He took a breath, inhaling her sweet scent, finding sleep once more.

  Wandering Minds

  PRESENT DAY * RAVENHURST

  RAVEN’S Nikon clicked soundlessly as she took a few pictures of another pair of gorgeous, white enamel-cased, cut to red lusters with hand-painted accents. These were definitely Moser, and not a chip on them. This pair had huge, crystal prisms dangling around the edges on either side. They sparkled beautifully in the dim light of the small parlor she was in now. Reed was right: most pieces in this section of the house were magnificently preserved.

  “Focus Raven,” she told herself, trying to keep her mind clear of what happened earlier in the library. This was the second time the jolt shot through them both. She knew he felt it too, but was obviously reluctant to say it out loud. At some point, she was sure they would have to talk about it, but later seemed the better choice at the moment. She had no idea why it was happening, but was sure it had something to do with the house. Obviously, she did not have any of these visions before coming here. She tried to concentrate on the large oil painting. It was encased in an elaborate, hand-carved, gilded frame with cartouches on each corner.

  Oftentimes, painters would take up residence with the wealthy for months at a time to paint family members or prized animals such as dogs or horses. The paintings would be done over time in exchange for food and shelter, as well as coin sometimes. If the artist was good enough and the family wealthy enough, they may even get to stay years at an estate before going to other wealthy families to do the like. Leaning forward she tried to study the painting but unfortunately she could not make out the painter. The painting had darkened over time from the smoke of the hearth, but she was pretty certain it was the work of a master or one of his protégés.

  Even now, looking at the elaborately carved, gilded frame, Raven could tell a lot about the artist. In the auction world, if a painting had an ornate frame, the odds were that the painting inside was valuable. It was a good cheat.

  Seriously, who would spend a lot of money on a portrait, and put it in a cheap, ugly frame? It was the same as exquisite perfumes made in France. The nicer, more elaborate the bottle holding the perfume suggested what the contents were worth.

  She wondered if there was a Cinderella frame in the house. The thought of that find made her pulse race a little faster. A “find” to the auction world could come in many different mediums: it was simply something of great value that is found, per se, whether it be from a flea market, estate sale, yard sale, etc. She always kept an eye out for such finds. She was lucky enough to score a gilded, parlor mirror with hand-carved pineapples and ribbon decorations from an auction for a meager amount of money. When she spotted it her heart raced, knowing it was well worth over a thousand dollars, although she only paid fifty for it. She practically killed herself getting it to her car before people realized what a steal it was because they were not paying attention. That was the beauty of auctions in obscure locales, you may have to deal with a few undesirable people, but it was worth it in the end if you obtained a find of your own.

  And who didn’t love a good treasure story? One of her favorites was about a random guy finding an oil painting at a flea market that actually turned out to be worth millions. She had to admit, when she went to flea markets, she was always on the lookout for old oils. Such treasures were found all the time that way. You only needed a little luck and a discerning eye.

  The elaborate frames, however, were usually a dead giveaway for a fine piece of art. Actually, some frames turned out to be worth more than the paintings themselves. It could take weeks or months to finish a frame. It was a long process of pressing, or molding, the composition and applying it to the frame. If it were gilded it took even longer. It was a lengthy process that very few people even gave heed to. She still couldn’t believe she was actually able to go through the house, which was really more of a castle with additions. She felt like she should do a dance or pinch herself. Instead, she simply enjoyed the moment.

  ***

  Reed had no idea why he went to the west wing. He didn’t want to think it was simply because she would be there.

  No, he was sure he needed to check on her, make sure she found everything. Exactly what a good host should do. Reed laughed aloud. The sound echoed eerily off the walls of the stairwell. He ignored it. Since when was he, a good host. Hell, he was ready to leave a million times since her arrival. She had not even been there an entire weekend. Milford said it might take weeks, or even a month, maybe longer, to catalogue the contents of the house. He hoped his damn brother didn’t decide to descend on them. It was his fault he even needed to have her here. He walked quietly to the open door of the parlor. Leaning casually against the doorframe, he crossed his arms over his chest. She had changed her clothing since the last time they were together, and the faded jeans she was wearing hugged her backside quite well.

  Raven was listening to Pitbulls “Give Me Everything Tonight” on her iPod, swishing her butt back and forth, bobbing her head up and down to the beat. She was singing the chorus, as she tried to see the name on the bottom of a painting once again.

  Reed continued to watch her every move. Some of her hair came undone, falling in long waves down her back as she bounced and wiggled her sweet ass, singing aloud, “Give me everything tonight.”

  He would be mo
re than happy to give her something, the thought causing his body to respond.

  “We might not get tomorrow,” she sang out as if she were reading Reed’s thoughts. Then she stood on her tiptoes. Apparently, she was trying to get closer to the painting hanging over the fireplace. Try as she might, she could not get close enough. Reed had an overwhelming urge to go over and lift her in the air, so she could get a better look at the painting, while another part of him wanted to pull her back against him. He was immediately appalled at himself. He doubted he even liked her. But his body had a very different idea. The more he watched her shake her ass, the harder he became. His desire to have her was almost unbearable. Visions of him taking her right in front of the fireplace slammed into his mind with such clarity that his body shook from it.

  The sound of her voice singing, “Give me everything tonight… Reed” broke into his thoughts… did she just say Reed?

  He ran his hands through his hair, making it stand on end. He would be more than happy to give it to her. His jeans were becoming snugger by the moment. He was so hard he thought he might explode. Shaking his head he tried to clear his brain. What in the hell was the matter with him? His hands itched to touch her, but instead, he forced himself from the room. Walking out he shoved the door hard in frustration. It banged loudly against the wall as he disappeared down the hall.

  Raven jumped. The loud banging noise startled her. Pitbull was suddenly drowned out by the sound of her heart hammering in her ears. Pulling the buds from her ears she turned slowly around, dreading what she might see, or worse, whom. But when she turned around, the room was empty. A shiver ran up her spine as she walked towards the darkened hallway and looked out the door.

  No one was there.

  “Just your imagination,” she told herself, even though she knew it was more than that. She rubbed her clammy hands on the fronts of her jeans. After the weird freaky thing with Reed she decided to change into her comfier clothes.

  Grabbing her hair she twirled it back into a loose bun on her head, jamming Reed’s pen back into it. She still did not know what to make of their encounter in the library earlier. What in the hell was wrong with him? She knew he felt that crazy jolt too. She wondered if he saw the girl, she saw, too. Of course, she was too much of a coward to ask. After the weird incident she left the room like a scaredy-cat and practically ran back to her room. Whatever was going on was starting to freak her out. She pulled out her phone. There was still no reception. Damn. Tossing the phone back on the chair with her other things she stuffed her hands into her pockets and looked around the room.

  The sun had disappeared and shadows were casting eerie shapes on the walls, and yet she did not want to leave the parlor. She was afraid to see him again. She didn’t trust herself not to do something stupid. Mostly he acted like an ass towards her, but he certainly was a beautiful ass. Gorgeous even, her body practically purred every time she was near him. And those lips! What she would do to be kissed by those lips just one time. Maybe she should just throw herself at him. But what if he turned her down? Oh good Lord… how humiliating that would be.

  Of course, she would never do that, but it was a nice visual. If she didn’t stop these foolish thoughts, she would need to take a cold shower. Not quite able to dash the heated visions from her mind, she looked around, biting her lip. She waited less than a minute before gathering her things together, and left the room quickly, deciding to do just that.

  ***

  Reed hit the accelerator as he sped out of the turn, shifting gears, his sleek, black sports car hugging the sharp curves tightly on the road. The wind tore at his hair and stole his breath. He only wished it would take the visions of her away as well. After watching her earlier, he left the house and went to see Suzette. She was always ready and willing.

  Luckily, when he arrived, she was already well on her way to being drunk on wine, and more than willing to accommodate his unexpected visit. Wine made her hornier than hell. He loved wine. And it got even better…she was too drunk to ask questions.

  EARLIER IN THE EVENING

  “Reed, you have come to have your way with me, no?” she cooed sweetly, running her hands over his chest and pressing her body against his.

  Reed didn’t even bother to answer her as he lifted her up, making her wrap her long legs around his waist. She laughed excitedly, bouncing up and down. He set her on the black velvet upholstered sofa. Leaning forward she grabbed up her glass of wine, her tits spilling from her robe. Tossing back the contents, she handed out the empty glass to him. Reed walked over and lifted the bottle of red wine, refilling her empty glass. Then he poured one for himself as well. Setting the bottle back down, he casually drank his wine while she spread a cashmere blanket on the floor. Her short silk robe, giving him glimpses of her perfect delectable backside.

  Unfortunately, his raging urgency to have her was fading fast. In fact, the more she swished her ass back and forth, the less he wanted to have her at all. He must be having an off night. This shit never happened to him. Lifting his glass, he continued sipping his wine. He didn’t know what the hell was wrong with him.

  Suzette was a gorgeous girl. Men would fall all over themselves for a moment with her, and yet here he was with her, and he couldn’t even get a little movement. He closed his eyes, imagining the girl Raven from earlier, singing and moving her sweet ass back and forth, much like Suzette, but revealing less. He felt himself harden immediately. Shaking his head he tossed back the rest of his wine and refilled his glass once more. It was ridiculous, the more he thought about the girl, Raven, the harder he became. Savoring the rich taste of the wine, he held it in his mouth the same way he was holding the vision in his mind of Raven for a few moments longer.

  “Reed, I am waiting for you,” she called out, lifting her glass and finishing off the rest of her wine, her French accent becoming more prevalent the drunker she became.

  Reed reluctantly let go of his vision and swallowed the wine. Opening his eyes once more, he looked at Suzette standing in the center of the room, swinging the belt of her robe in circles.

  “I see I have finally gotten your attention,” she said, pouting sweetly, untying her robe. The silky material slid easily to the ground, pooling at her feet.

  Reed admired her svelte model body. She was on the thin side—most runway models were, but she was still beautiful. Finishing off the rest of his wine, he sat his empty glass on the table and walked over to her. He reached out and pulled her naked body against his own. Suzette made a throaty sound, wrapping her arms around his neck, feathering light kisses across his face and down to his neck. He pulled her closer as she licked one of his hot spots, just below his ear, her wine-sweetened breath blowing lightly over the wetness, giving him slight chills. Closing his eyes, he gave over to the moment, while visions of the other girl slipped into his mind unwarranted. Suzette nipped at his neck playfully, her sharp teeth grazing his skin a little too hard. He pulled back a little. “Careful love,” he said.

  Her hands were all over him, sliding down his chest to the fronts of his jeans, squeezing gently at first, but increasing the pressure until he felt like she was strangling his erection. Moving his hand over hers, he pushed her hand a little so she would lessen the pressure but she squeezed even harder. Flashes of pain from her hand broke his concentration, deflating his erection. Lifting his hand to her breasts, he squeezed just as hard. She moaned in response.

  Suzette made quick work of his clothing, her fingers coaxing him back to life. She got down on her knees to unfasten his jeans and released him.

  “I see you can hardly wait to have me,” she purred, pulling his jeans down around his ankles. “Let Suzette give you a little treat,” she said, sliding her hands over his erection and then taking him into her mouth.

  Sucking in a sharp breath, he said a silent prayer of thanks that her assault had ended. Her full lips wrapped around the tip, kissing him gently, and licking up and down the sides. He moaned when she took him fully into her mouth,
suckling him with her lips and tongue. Holding onto the back of the chair he was thoroughly enjoying the treat she was giving him. Unfortunately, the moment was short-lived. Her canines cut across his length, nearly breaking the delicate skin. Lifting his hands, he pushed her head back, holding it in place as he looked down at her face. “Watch your teeth, love,” he breathed.

  Smiling up at him, her pretty eyes glittered with humor. “Oh, sorry my love let Suzette kiss you and make it better.” And she did, her lips sucking as her tongue caressed. Reed gasped out in pleasure as another vision of the dark-haired girl snuck into his mind once more making him throb, ready to explode.

  Suzette pulled back, stopping short of the mark and then laid down on the blanket. “Not so fast,” she laughed throatily, leaving him close to the brink, but not close enough. Lifting her hands, she grabbed at him hungrily.

  Reed kicked off his pants, shoes, and then lowered himself onto the blanket. Visions of the girl Raven slammed into his mind as he entered Suzette, sliding inside easily. She was more than ready for him.

  “Oooh yes, Reed,” Suzette moaned in pleasure, her fake, perfectly rounded breasts barely moving as he plunged deeply into her again and again. She arched upward, clawing her nails across his back, trying to get even closer. “Reed,” she moaned, “faster…harder,” she demanded throatily, thrusting her hips upward to meet his, bucking under him. Her nails scrapped across his buttocks, digging in.