Release (Iris Series)

by Lynn, Rebecca

  “Ah, I forgot I didn’t have any food at the apartment. There’s a market right on my block. You can take us to my place, and I’ll run down to get some.”

  He seemed hesitant. “We’ll talk to Mr. McCallister.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Yes. We will…where is Jeremy, by the way?”

  “At his gallery. We should be there shortly.”

  She leaned back, and enjoyed the ride.

  When they arrived at the M Gallery, she felt flutters in her stomach. This is where they met. Well, technically they met on the street outside the Holland Tunnel. But this is where the attraction flourished.

  He appeared in the doorway, and Manny was already out his door to open Jeremy’s.

  When Jeremy scooted into the back with Ryann, he smiled lazily at her, wound his hand into her hair, and pulled her forward to meet his lips. “I’ve missed you today,” then he reached over to raise the privacy screen, and swooped down to kiss her.

  Manny got in the car to drive them away, but she didn’t even notice. She was too consumed by the sexy man, who couldn’t seem to get enough of her.

  His tongue plundered her mouth, while his hand held her head captive. She could barely catch her breath, or calm her heart rate, especially as his hand found her nipple through her shirt, and began playing with it.

  She whimpered, and he finally tore his lips from hers. “Oh, what I want to do to you…I can’t wait to get to your place.”

  She raised her eyebrow and said in a low, breathy voice, “You’re not even gonna feed me first?”

  “I’ll give you anything you want to eat, just as long as I get to eat what I want to eat,” he said huskily.

  She smirked, and whispered against his mouth, “You’re an adolescent.”

  He took her hand and pressed it to the juncture of his legs. “Trust me, baby…I’m all man.”

  She groaned at his joke. “Definitely an adolescent.”

  He bit at her lower lip. “We’ll see if I can change your mind.”

  Manny’s voice filled the space. “Excuse me, sir. What would you like to do for dinner?”

  Ryann interjected. “I told him he could just drop us off at my place, and I can run down to the market on my street to get some food.”

  “He’ll take us there first, then take us to your place.”

  “Jeremy, I’m happy to walk down and get some food.”

  “Manny? You can take us to the market on Ryann’s street, then we’ll head to her place.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  She huffed. “I’m perfectly capable of going to get us some food.”

  “Of course you are, but why do it by yourself when we can both do it, and get a ride back?”

  She sat there quietly.

  “What’s wrong? What did I do?”

  She looked at him, her arms crossed over her chest. “I feel like you do so much for me.”

  He leaned forward, and put his finger under her chin. “I do just as much for you as you do for me. In fact, you do more, because anyone who can love me like you do deserves to be treated like a queen.”

  She rolled her eyes, “Would you stop.”

  He held her face more firmly, and pulled her closer. “There is nothing that I would rather do in this world than to do things for you, take care of you, make you happy…what’s wrong with that?”

  Her eyes glittered, touched by his words, then she sighed. “There’s nothing wrong with that. But I want to do things for you, too.”

  “I can think of something you can do for me,” he said with a lecherous grin.

  “Like I said, adolescent.”

  “I was going to say make dinner,” he said with an innocent look.

  “Uh, huh.”

  Just then, they pulled up to the market, and she put her hand up. “I’ll get the food. Stay where you are.” And with that, she hopped out of the car.

  He allowed her that small victory, but rolled down the window, and watched her the whole time she was in the store. When she came out, both he and Manny got out to help with the bags.

  When they were in the car, he tried to look in one of them, but she slapped his hand away. “Hey! Get outta there. This is my surprise.”

  He raised an eyebrow, and she gave him a saucy wink. He looked at her and licked his lips. “Well who am I to stand in the way of your surprise?”

  She leaned forward and gave him a soft kiss. “Come on, big boy. We’re here.”

  …..

  While Jeremy was opening the wine, she changed into a pair of yoga pants and fitted t-shirt, and threw her hair into a topknot. She started the dinner, and he went and changed too, into a pair of sweats and an old t-shirt. He came up behind her and hugged her, kissing her neck.

  “What are we having?”

  She smiled, while she stirred what was in the pot.

  “Smells good, whatever it is…”

  “Tri-color pasta with some veggies thrown in…peppers, celery, carrots, onions, olives, zucchini…with some olive oil and spices...do you want a green salad too?”

  “I don’t need one. The pasta will be enough. What can I do?”

  She smiled and leaned back to kiss him. “Sit there at the dining table, and look pretty.”

  “That should be you.”

  For some reason, she blushed. She was still getting used to his mushy behavior. “I’ll take some wine, if you wouldn’t mind pouring me a glass.”

  “Absolutely.”

  An hour later or so, dinner complete, they sat on the living room sofa talking politics. They discovered that he was a fiscal conservative, but a social liberal, whereas she was a flaming liberal, through and through.

  They both liked The Rachel Maddow Show, and agreed on many of the same issues.

  They both believed in God, and grew up going to church.

  They both liked to eat... she was borderline vegetarian, he was a carnivore.

  They both exercised regularly.

  They both grew up with pets... him a dog, her a cat.

  He went to private school, she went to public.

  He loved chocolate, she loved strawberries.

  Which led to the surprise she’d bought him at the market. She told him to stay where he was, while she went into the kitchen to get the strawberries, hot fudge, and whipped cream. She made one big bowl for both of them, and swore she would run it off the next morning.

  When she walked out with the bowl, he moaned as he saw what was in it, and she came forward with the dessert.

  His eyes took on a predatory glint. “You know what would make this even better?”

  “No, but somehow I think you’re going to tell me.”

  “Take off your yoga pants and panties, and put on a pair of those fuck me shoes...that would make this dessert just about perfect,” he murmured, then touched his lip with his tongue.

  A wave of arousal hit her with such force, she almost stumbled while walking to him. She stopped, gave him a sultry look, and put the bowl down on the coffee table.

  Then she slowly hooked her thumbs in her waistband, and pulled the yoga pants down her legs, and stepped out.

  Her panties followed the yoga pants to the floor next. She removed the clip from her hair, and shook her hair out down past her shoulders.

  His eyes were nearly black with desire as he watched her strip.

  She turned and walked with a little swing to her hips and went to her bedroom to get a pair of black pumps, then in a moment of inspiration, she removed her shirt and bra, as well, and walked back into the living room wearing her pumps. And nothing else.

  Jeremy watched her intently, his jaw dropped slightly. She almost giggled. She retrieved the bowl, then sauntered over to him, straddling him on the sofa, and placing her breasts right near his face.

  He skimmed his hands over her heels, up her calves, thighs, then gripped her buttocks. “You have no idea what you do to me, Ryann. Honestly,” he breathed, resting his lips on the pulse of her neck.

  “I think I have
an idea,” she purred, as she wiggled herself on his erection.

  He grabbed her hips to still her. “What are you going to do to me?”

  She smiled. “Feed you.”

  She wrapped her fingers around a juicy strawberry, then dipped it in the chocolate and whipped cream, and coated his mouth with it. She put the berry in her mouth and bit, then leaned forward and licked the cream off his lip, finishing by popping the rest of the berry in his mouth.

  “My turn,” he said, as he reached his hand in the bowl, and dipped his finger in the chocolate and cream, then rubbed it on her nipple.

  “Mmm,” she murmured.

  He captured the nipple in his mouth, and sucked it clean.

  She began squirming, feeling the tug deep inside her. He reached down and pushed his sweatpants down, taking himself out. When he looked at her again, she almost burst into flames.

  “I need to be inside you, baby. I can’t wait…”

  She pushed up onto her knees, then positioned herself over his shaft, and rubbed herself along his tip.

  He grabbed her hips and pushed her down onto him, gritting his teeth, and grunting his approval.

  “Oh, yeah. That’s much better,” he said, his voice gruff. After a moment of adjustment and a whimper from her, he said, “Where were we?”

  She took another strawberry, covering it with the sweet decadence of chocolate and cream, and ran it down his neck, following the line with her tongue, suckling and cleaning him.

  He took the strawberry from her fingers with his mouth, then imprisoned her fingers while chewing the strawberry, licking and sucking at her hand.

  He had begun to move, and at this point she needed to move with him. She put the bowl down next to him on the sofa, careful not to topple it over, and wrapped her hands around the back of his neck, rocking gently on him.

  “Baby…” he breathed, his eyes closed.

  She ground onto him and circled her hips, guaranteeing her own pleasure, and began to pick up speed. He helped her along by using his hands to move her up and down, and adding more force with each thrust.

  Sounds escaped from deep inside her, while Jeremy rubbed his chest along her nipples to heighten her pleasure.

  “Come for me, Ryann,” he whispered against her lips. “Come for me…”

  A moment later, she did, milking him with her orgasm, and he came right after her with a groan of his own.

  They were both breathing heavily, and while she rested her head on his chest listening to the drumming of his heart, she turned her head to kiss it, whispering, “I love you…”

  He wound his hand into her hair, and pulled her head back so they could look into each other’s eyes.

  He smiled and said, “Yes, you do. And very well, I might add.” Then he got serious. “I love you,” he whispered. “Saying the words are getting easier and easier for me. I know it’s only been a few weeks, but I honestly can’t remember life before you…before I loved you.”

  She reached up her hand and stroked his face. “I never thought I would be this lucky again. To find another man to love me. But you do. And…I’m so unbelievably happy, Jeremy.”

  He kissed her possessively, and carried her to the bedroom, prepared to make her happy again.

  Chapter 29

  The next morning, Ryann got her period, which she had been expecting since it came so regularly due to her being on the pill. It put the brakes on their lovemaking in the morning, so they both decided to go for a run.

  After their five miles, they both headed off to work, and slipped into a fairly domestic routine for the next couple of days. They would go to work, she would paint at lunch, Manny would pick her up at the end of the day, followed by Jeremy, they’d make or order dinner, and then settle in to do a little work on the sofa in front of the TV.

  Wednesday and Thursday nights ended with Jeremy giving her a foot or back rub, easing her tired, crampy body, and she’d end up falling asleep in his arms. It was wonderful. If she wasn’t sure of it before, she definitely knew now that Jeremy’s feelings went beyond the physical. Any man who got her a heating pad, and let her curl up next to him on the sofa with her hair in a messy topknot, and bloated and achy, definitely wasn’t just interested in her body.

  On Friday morning, Ryann got in touch with Tabitha. The night before, when Ryann had asked Jeremy for his mother’s number, he was curious, but didn’t ask for details as to why she had wanted it.

  And the reason why she’d wanted it, was to show Tabitha the painting she had completed. She couldn’t wait to show it to her, first because she had promised her at her showing that Tabitha would be the first to see her work when she was ready to show it. And secondly, she couldn’t wait to tell her the meaning behind the painting.

  Tabitha showed up at the Institute at noon for Ryann’s lunch break, and went up to the studio where Ryann had told her to meet her.

  “I can’t wait to see it, Ryann. Thank you so much for calling me,” she said excitedly.

  “I’m looking forward to your feedback…”

  And with that, Ryann led her over to the covered board with the watercolor paper on it, and removed the cloth.

  Tabitha exclaimed softly. “Oh, Ryann. This is beautiful…” She looked Ryann in the eye. “Really. You should be so proud of this.”

  The painting was of a red iris, sitting on her dining table.

  “I’ve always been so impressed with artists who use watercolor,” Tabitha began. “It’s so much more difficult to do than oil, I think. With oil, you layer the colors on top of each other. With watercolor, as you know, you have to think backwards. Start with where you want the negative space to be, then add the color around it.” Pause. “It really is gorgeous. And I love the red of the flower. You don’t often see red irises.”

  Ryann took a deep breath, and said, “Jeremy gave that iris to me...as a housewarming gift,” waiting for Tabitha’s reaction.

  She turned back to her quickly. “He did?!” She chuckled. “Well, go Jeremy! Looks like I didn’t do such a bad job raising him after all.”

  Ryann reached out her hand and took Tabitha’s. “You did an exceptional job of raising him. I…do you mind if I share a story with you?”

  Tabitha squeezed her hand in return, and said, “I would love to hear it.”

  Ryann told her of the background of the iris flower, as well as the history with her first iris painting and the white flower given to her by Brent…then, unbeknownst to Jeremy, the significance of him giving her the second iris, this time in red. It was Ryann’s plan to give the painting to Jeremy as a gift. By the end of the story, Tabitha’s eyes were misty.

  “Oh, Ryann,” she whispered, then hugged her.

  “Tabitha.” Ryann cleared her throat, and got teary herself. After a moment, she said, “I’m so in love with your son.”

  Tabitha beamed and wiped at her eyes. “You have no idea how thrilled I am to hear you say that…have you told Jeremy?”

  Ryann nodded and smiled shyly.

  “And what does he say?” she asked in typical mother fashion.

  “He says he loves me too.”

  Tabitha squeezed her hand again. “He’s not just saying it, honey. Believe me when I tell you, I have never seen Jeremy react to a woman as he does to you. I knew you would be different from the first moment I saw you two together at my showing.” She paused. “He…met with me for dinner before leaving for Chicago. Did he tell you what we talked about?”

  “No.”

  “Well, I’ll let him be the one to tell you, but suffice it to say, it was all about you…and it was all wonderful. This might be sadistic on my part, but watching my son fall in love, and question himself, his desires, his wants in life…basically watching him struggle? Has been the best time of my life.”

  Ryann let out a gut laugh, “Jeremy might disagree.”

  Tabitha laughed out loud. “Right? How horrible am I?! I was just so thrilled to see him take to you so quickly and passionately. And I already love
you like the daughter I’ve never had. I’m so proud of him for choosing you.”

  Ryann sniffled, and cried, “You’re turning me into a mess!” She dabbed at her eyes with her hand. “Thank you…for everything. For being so…wonderful and welcoming to me. I can’t wait for my mom to meet you tomorrow. You guys are going to get along great.”

  Tabitha clapped her hands, “I can’t wait either. What a great time we’re all going to have! So, when are you going to give him the painting?”

  “Tomorrow night after everyone goes home, after the fireworks. I’m going to touch up some last minute things today, and leave it here, then sneak out a bit during the party tomorrow and get it so I can sneak it back into the brownstone. That way, he’ll be distracted, and won’t know I’m gone. Manny’s picking him up first tonight, so I won’t be able to put it in the car without him noticing. Plus I want to make sure it’s completely finished and dry.”

  “Well, somehow, I think he’ll know when you’re gone tomorrow, but I can help distract him, if need be,” she smiled. “You should ask Manny to drive you tomorrow.”

  “That’s a good idea. I’ll get him alone at some point to ask him…thank you for coming today to look at it. I wanted you to see it first.”

  “Like I said, I’m honored, sweetie. Can’t wait to see you tomorrow.” Tabitha gave her a big hug, then waved as she headed out.

  Ryann wanted to ask Paul for his feedback as well, then she would be ready to give it to Jeremy.

  She couldn’t wait.

  …..

  After Manny picked both Ryann and Jeremy up after work, they ran to the store to get some steaks, and made it back to the brownstone by seven. They put away all of the food, and decided to order a pizza, neither of them wanting to cook.

  When they finally sat down and cuddled on the sofa with their food, they both put their feet up on the coffee table and sighed.

  “Feels good to sit, doesn’t it?” he asked.

  “Yeah,” she moaned.

  “When are you done with your period?”

  She looked back at him and smiled. “Tomorrow…you’ve been very patient, Mr. McCallister.”