by Juliet Woods
I can never get enough of her curves.
We’re back at the dance club, the place I took her on our first date. Lily has changed so much since that day. She’s much more confident and at ease. But she’s still the same beautiful girl – inside and out – she was on that day two weeks ago.
“I’m sorry I put you through that torture with the socialites,” I tell her as she lifts her arms up, ready to begin the waltz. “I just wish I could have seen the look on those women’s faces when you left.” I laugh, picturing the outrage when Fiona Jones saw her walk out of the ladies’ society.
“I’m afraid I’m not cut out to be a socialite, Ethan.”
“It’s for the best. I would never want you to be someone you’re not. I like you just the way you are.”
She smiles up at me as we begin to move with the music. “That’s a relief. I wouldn’t want to become a ‘lady who lunches.’”
“And the community garden idea is perfect – it’s fulfilling work for you and it’s a great cause. I really think it’s going to work. I’m so proud of you, Lily.” I kiss her forehead. “And besides – it’s even better publicity than joining some silly socialites’ group.”
“Harry likes the idea, too?”
“He raved about it. He says it’ll say a lot for your character that you’re doing something so big to help kids in need. This garden project is going to really help the case. You’re a genius!”
Lily blushes, then bites her lip. “I felt so out of place with those ladies today. I didn’t feel like I belonged at all.”
“Those women are empty inside. I wouldn’t want you to fit in with them.”
“Ethan, why do you hang around those people?”
I sigh. “I guess we all have to make some difficult choices. I want to give Masie everything in the world. And in my business, success means rubbing elbows with that crowd once in a while.”
She nods. “Yeah, I can understand that.”
“The charity is another thing. I go to the galas because I want to contribute. I think everyone in my position should help out. And plus – I love to dance.” I wink at her. “Especially with you.”
I lift her chin up so I can look in those sweet blue eyes.
“I don’t want to be with anyone else but you, Lily. I want you. Only you.”
Her face lights up, a smile crawling across her face. “I feel the same way. I don’t want anyone else.”
I pull her into me, my mouth brushing against hers, then pressing into her soft lips. She moans, ever so softly.
I pull back to look at her beautiful face.
“I always thought I’d have a boyfriend first, and then he’d become my husband. But this works, too.”
I grin, and pull her in for another kiss.
Back home in my bedroom, I watch as she lets her hair down. She pulls out a couple of hair pins, and her locks fall in soft curls down her back.
“Are you feeling better today?” I ask slyly.
“Do you mean less sore?” I nod. “You’re in luck, Ethan. I’m all better --”
Before she can finish her sentence, she’s in my arms. I press my mouth to hers as she throws her arms around my shoulders, whimpering.
“Someone’s rather eager tonight,” she says, smiling.
“Sorry,” I say, tracing my finger along the edge of her dress’s shoulder hem. “You can tell me to get lost if you don’t want me crawling all over you.”
She looks me straight in the eye as she stands on tip toe to kiss my neck. My hands reach across to cup her firm ass and pull her tight against my cock.
“I want you,” she whispers.
Her breath in my ear ignites me. I groan, feeling so turned on I want to rip the dress off and fuck her right now.
I lift the skirt of her dress up, pulling it up over her hips to feel her ass in her little cotton panties. She turns around, and I unzip it, pulling it all the way up over her head and throwing it on the floor. She turns back to face me and begins to unbutton my shirt. When it’s open, she runs her tiny little hands all over my chest, feeling the bulge of my muscles, then moving them up and over my arms. I take my shirt off while she removes her bra. I grab her tits hungrily, popping her hard little nipples in my mouth, one at a time.
I lead her over to the bed. I lay on my back and put her down on top, straddling me with her tight thighs. My hard cock strains against my pants and pushes against her tight little body.
She kisses my chest, going down until she reaches my pants. Looking up at me with a naughty smile, she reaches for my belt. I groan with pleasure as she gets closer and closer to my cock – she opens my belt, unbuttons and unzips my pants, and pulls my boxers down.
My dick is rock hard and pointing straight up now, and she looks at it with curiosity.
With one hand, Lily touches the head, then lightly brushes her fingers down the length.
“Do you like my cock?” I growl.
“Mmm-hmm,” she answers, biting her lip.
“Hold it in your palm,” I instruct her, propping my head up so I can see how hot she looks as she hesitatingly inspects my length.
She grips it, wrapping her fingers around.
“That’s good. Now move your hand up and down. Harder.”
She does as she’s told, then looks up at me. “Can I taste it?”
I smile. “Of course you can, baby.”
She moves her head down, and I feel her warm, wet tongue gliding along the length. “That feels so good, baby. Can you put it in your mouth?”
She opens her mouth and puts the head in, taking a bit more in. “That’s it,” I encourage her. Using her tongue, she begins to suck and move her head up and down. I can’t resist pushing my hips up just a little to make it go in further.
After a few minutes, she takes it out of her mouth. “Can you put it inside me?”
Hell yes I can, I think. “Of course, baby. You were so good at sucking my cock.”
She lies back on the bed and I peel her panties off, revealing her beautiful little pussy with sparse, light brown hair covering it.
I spread her delicate folds open, and my fingers are covered in her juices. “Baby, I love how wet you get for me.”
I kiss her between her legs, just a little to get her nice and wet and open, then I slide a condom on. I position myself over her, aiming my cock for her tight little hole.
“Are you ready?” I ask.
She nods, biting her lip.
I ease my hard cock inside her, just the head at first, then the length, bit by bit. She’s so responsive, moaning and whimpering and writhing, that I can hardly keep from coming as soon as I’m inside her.
“You like that, baby?”
She nods, biting her lip again. “It feels so good, Ethan.”
I reach down to rub her little throbbing bud, and it starts to really send her over the edge. She’s panting and throwing her hips up to meet mine.
“Come for me, baby.”
She cries out so loud I have to cover her mouth with my hand so that no one hears. Her face clenches up, her eyes close, then fly open, looking wild and intense. And best of all, her pussy muscles clamp down on my dick. And I can’t even begin to resist that.
My insides are on fire, and I groan into her soft flesh. My legs lock up and I push myself all the way inside her as my dick twitches and pumps my load into her. She makes me come so hard.
Fuck, she’s delicious. And this is with a condom on. I can’t wait to fuck her bareback, with nothing between us.
I roll over beside her and catch my breath. She nestles her gorgeous body against mine. This feels so right, lying here next to her, our bodies fitting perfectly against each other.
We cuddle for a while, then finally we get out of bed to clean up.
As she’s putting on her sexy little nightie after her shower, she looks at her phone and groans.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
“It’s a text from Callie. Her boyfriend saw someone snooping around outs
ide their apartment.” I cringe. “She thinks it’s someone working for Vivian.”
My stomach knots up. “Damn. She’s really working all the angles on this. Tell Callie I’m sorry about that, but she doesn’t need to worry. Vivian’s just looking for information to use against us – her spies won’t hurt anyone.”
Lily nods and types out a text message on her phone, reads Callie’s reply, then turns her phone off and crawls into bed next to me.
“Callie’s OK. She just wanted to give us a head’s up,” she says, snuggling her warm body against mine. “Ethan, I’m worried. This is all getting so intense.”
“Try not to worry, Lily. We’re doing everything we can. We’re going to win this case, no matter what.”
Lily nods, and closes her eyes. As I turn off the lamp and lie back on the pillow, I try to push my own nagging worries out of my mind.
Chapter 26
Lily
The custody case goes to court in only one week, and each new day brings me closer to my fears of speaking at the trial.
Ethan has been nothing but supportive and encouraging. His care and affection are helping my self-esteem and confidence dramatically. I feel I walk with my head a little higher, and I’m definitely a little less afraid in social situations.
The therapy has helped so much with that as well. I’ve only been to a few sessions with Catherine, the psychologist, but already I’m starting to feel less fearful around new people and less terrified to speak up. I think the most important thing she’s done is to validate my feelings and assure me that I’m normal. Just to have a real professional tell me I’m not crazy, and that I only reacted to the traumatic experiences I went through in a normal way, has done so much for making me feel at ease. She says we still have a long way to go, but for the first time in several years, I feel like I’m making progress. Soon, I’m positive, I’ll be free of panic and anxiety attacks.
But as much as I’ve improved, I’m not free of my anxiety yet. And I have to testify in a week. In court. In front of dozens of people. The thought sends shivers down my spine. What if I can’t do it? What if I have an anxiety attack there in the court room and can’t speak? Would it ruin the case for Ethan and Masie?
I shake the thoughts out of my head and focus on what’s happening right here and now – a technique the therapist taught me.
Right now, I’m walking down the sidewalk and the sun is shining. It feels warm on my skin after being in an air-conditioned building.
I’ve been meeting with the consultants again to discuss the details for the community gardening organization. I smile, thinking of how exciting the project is. The non-profit that Callie and I are starting will work to partner with foster care workers and group homes. We’ll develop community gardens for at-risk children and teens, giving them social skills, job training, and a creative outlet.
Today we were discussing some studies showing that kids who have access to a garden do better socially and in school. Soon we’ll start picking empty plots of land in Queens and other neighborhoods that we could turn into gardens.
I’m so excited to be making a positive contribution that will hopefully help kids going through a rough time. Not to mention getting some media coverage that will help the custody case. A New York social magazine wrote a short article about me and the non-profit, and I’ve been mentioned in several online blogs, gossip columns, and business sites. It still surprises me every time I see my new name: Lily Cairns Davidson. It’s mind boggling how much my life has changed in the past few weeks.
I decide to walk home today – the weather is gorgeous. Besides, I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to riding in limos all the time. I thankfully wore some flat, comfortable shoes, so I should be able to cover the dozen or so blocks home easily.
I pass by lots of small boutiques, and it seems each one has better window displays than the previous ones. As I’m checking out a tempting display of shoes in the window at Barney’s, I see a guy walk past me out of the corner of my eye. He’s a normal looking guy, dressed casually in jeans and button-down shirt and wearing sunglasses. But he makes my stomach tense up in a knot.
I’ve seen him somewhere before.
I don’t know where or when exactly, but I know with a sick certainty that he must be following me. I suddenly feel freezing cold, even in the sun. My heart starts to pound, my breathing is fast, and all the familiar signs of anxiety take me over. I try to focus on my breathing, but I strain to see where the guy went.
He’s already out of my sight, having disappeared in the crowd.
I feel dizzy, and I step over to the curb to hail a taxi.
I give the driver my address and breathe a sigh of relief as my heart starts to calm down. I guess Vivian is having someone follow me. I bite my lip and send Ethan a text.
Apparently Vivian’s pulling out all the stops to win this case. I just hope that Ethan’s right and there’s nothing to worry about.
Ethan’s already home, his forehead tight with tension, when I get there.
“I was so worried about you,” he says, wrapping his arms around me in a protective embrace.
“I’m OK – I just got a little shook up is all,” I say, feeling safer in his arms. “I guess Vivian’s just trying to dig up dirt on me. But what’s she going to find? That I’m starting a charitable organization?”
Ethan laughs. “Yeah, I’d love to see the look on her face when she found out about your gardens.”
His face turns serious. “Lily, I don’t like the idea of you being followed. At all. I don’t think even my sister-in-law is crazy enough to try to hurt you, but I’d rather be on the safe side.”
“You’re not going to lock me away in your penthouse, are you? I’d rather not be the title character in a modern-day version of Rapunzel.”
He laughs. “No, nothing like that – although I would like to rip a tight bodice off you at some point.”
Now it’s my turn to laugh.
“I’ve arranged for a bodyguard to watch you when you’re alone.”
I feel my eyes go wide. “Really? You think it’s that serious?”
“It’s purely preventative. I have to do whatever I can to keep you and Masie safe. But I have to let you live your life and I can’t expect you to stay by my side all the time, so this is the best solution.”
Wow. I’m going to have a bodyguard? My life has changed so drastically in a month that I barely recognize it.
“He’ll stand guard outside the door in your meetings and appointments, and most of the time you won’t even know he’s there. He has a knack for blending in, or so I’ve heard. He comes highly recommended by a close confidant.”
I sigh. “This won’t be forever, will it?”
“No, just until things calm down. Hopefully soon after the trial is settled.”
I nod. “Well, if you think it’s best...”
“I do. And I’ve also arranged for someone to watch over Masie when I’m not around after school.” He looks at his watch. “Speaking of which, I need to go pick her up from school. Wanna come along?”
“Sure,” I say. “I just need to grab a sweater.”
My head is spinning as I walk to my closet. Somehow the idea of a bodyguard makes this whole thing more serious, more scary. Is this really necessary? Would Vivian or her thugs really try to hurt me?
As I walk back down the stairs to join my husband, I decide I wouldn’t want to find out the answer to those questions the hard way.
OK, so now I have a bodyguard, I think. This shit just got real.
Chapter 27
Ethan
Lily and I stand outside the car and wait for Masie to come running out the front door of the school building. My eyes scan the throngs of people – nannies and tutors, mostly, waiting to pick up their charges and escort them back to their ostentatious homes. But I’m looking for someone in particular.
I spot him waiting off to the side, dressed in khakis and a polo shirt. He could pass for a teacher or a tutor,
but I recognize him. Harry introduced him and his partner to me earlier.
The school door flies open and out pours a trickle of school children. Usually Masie is among the first to leave. More and more kids pour out, but still no Masie. My throat clenches shut, and my eyes dart to the man keeping watch, who stands motionless.
Finally, I spot Masie leave. She walks sullenly and without energy – a sharp contrast to the way she usually bounces down the hill to my open arms.
As she nears the car, I walk out to meet her and take her backpack. I look up once more at where the man was standing, but he’s already turned and walked half a block away in the opposite direction. No doubt he saw enough to identify Masie, which is all he needs to do for now.
The last thing I want is to tell Masie that she’s in the middle of a custody battle. I don’t want her knowing there’s a possibility, however slim, of the unthinkable – me losing custody to Vivian.
And I definitely don’t want to tell her that I’ve hired a man she’s never met to watch her from a distance and monitor her safety. I never want Masie to feel anything but secure and safe. I don’t want her to know that anything threatens to take her away from me.
The next time I need to leave Masie at home with a nanny, at least I know someone will be standing guard outside to make sure she’s safe. Things have gotten so crazy with Vivian that I have to take extra precautions to protect my daughter and my wife when I’m not with them.
But when I look at Masie’s face, fear leaps into my heart. Something’s not right.
“Masie? What’s wrong?”
“Someone came to talk to me at school today,” she says. “A lady.”
I grit my teeth. “Did your teacher know about this?”
“Yeah, the teacher took me to another room to go talk to the lady. She said she was some kind of worker.”
“A social worker?”
“Yeah.”
“What did she say?”
“She asked me all kinds of questions. About you and our house. She wanted to know everything, like if you leave me home alone and how much time you spend with me.”
