Chapter Fourteen
***Michael***
Michael felt Amy’s legs trembling, her nails digging into his shoulders, and a rush of pleasure filled him, making his groin tighten and throb. He wanted to stop, knew that it was a mistake to let things go any farther, but something deep inside him drove him forward, an instinct that he’d never felt before and was powerless to control. The lies he’d told her popped briefly into his mind, followed by all the reasons this was a bad idea, but Amy moaned with pleasure, and that was all it took.
Pulling back slightly, he looked down at her, the rise and fall of her chest, the pink tinge of pleasure on her cheeks, and reached for the buttons on her shirt. In that instant, he made up his mind. It was frightening, and for a second, he almost stopped himself, but the look of desire in her eyes as he slipped each button free drove him forward.
When he slid the shirt off her shoulders, exposing her rounded breasts covered in lace, his fingers itched to slip under the silky fabric, to touch what was underneath. But instead, he reached for the button on her jeans, and flipped it open, then slowly slid them down her legs. She stepped out of them, her breath coming in short gasps, and he had to force himself to keep breathing as he looked up at her almost completely exposed to his greedy eyes.
He stood up and stripped off his clothes, his eyes locked on hers, loving the way her eyes widened when he shed the last piece and his erection popped free. Pulling her into his arms again, he held her, relishing the feel of her bare skin against his, then looked down at her, the passion between them making the air in the room crackle with electricity.
“Just so it’s perfectly clear, it’s you I want, Amy. I’ve wanted you from the minute I saw you,” he said. “I want every wrinkle, every sagging spot, and gray hair—all of that is what makes you irresistible to me.”
Amy sucked in a deep breath. “I never thought I’d feel this way, Michael,” she said. “I’m afraid I’ll wake up and it will all be a dream.”
“I promise you, it’s not a dream,” he said, lowering his mouth to hers again and letting his hands roam over her naked skin.
When her hands found him and gently closed around his throbbing flesh, it was his turn to gasp and moan her name. Desperate to have her completely naked in his arms, he unhooked her bra and dropped it to the floor, then finally broke the kiss to slide her lacey panties to the floor. He let his eyes feast on her generous body as he climbed to his feet, sliding his hands up her shapely legs, across her belly to capture her breasts in his large hands.
Thrilled to discover that they fit perfectly in his hands, he flicked his thumb over her stiff nipples, making her gasp and grab his shoulders as her knees buckled. He wrapped one arm around her middle, then lowered his head to her breast and sucked a puckered nipple into his mouth. She gasped and clung to him tighter, her nails digging into his shoulders, only making his blood pound faster.
Amy was squirming in his arm, her hips pressed against his throbbing erection, her legs parted just enough that he knew he could easily slip into her welcoming depths. But he reluctantly let her go, quickly shoved her suitcase off onto the floor, then pulled her down with him onto the bed. He pulled her under him onto her back, leaned over her, and captured her mouth in a kiss that ignited a need deep inside him he’d never felt before.
Amy shifted restlessly under him, her legs parted slightly, stroking his back, making the muscles dance under her touch. He slid his hand down her stomach, the throbbing between his legs growing almost painful when she opened her legs for him and cried out with the first gentle touch of his finger. She was slick with moisture, her pleasure button hard against his finger as he stroked her into a frenzy, her breath coming in short moaning gasps as she tumbled over the edge, his name on her lips.
When her body finally stopped trembling, he slid between her legs, and she opened her pleasure-filled eyes; the look he saw there one of complete bliss. A hard wave of delight rushed through him, and he knew that he could no longer ignore the instinct driving him: he needed to immerse himself in Amy’s welcoming body, to leave everything but the moment behind.
“Michael, I need you,” she whispered, her eyes never leaving his. “I need to feel you inside me.”
Feeling the last link in a long chain slipping into place, he slid into her slowly, filling her inch by inch, watching her face. She held his gaze, her eyes filling with passion, then they fluttered closed, her entire body trembled, and she sighed with pleasure. At that moment, he understood what it felt like to be whole for the first time in his life, as the empty place deep inside him he’d always ignored filled with his love for Amy.
***Amy***
Amy could only lay under Michael, gasping for breath as he filled her, every nerve in her body alive with the pleasure of his body invading hers. The weight of a man had never made her feel that way she felt at that moment, and somewhere deep inside, she understood that this was far more than a physical connection. Something between them had changed, something fundamental and wonderful had happened, and her body was responding to that.
His body, hot and pulsing inside her, drove any thought from her mind as deep inside her, a tight knot of pleasure began to build as he filled her over and over, each powerful thrust of his hips taking her closer to the edge. When she finally cascaded over, she cried out his name and dug her nails into his shoulders, her body beyond her control. She felt him stiffen in her arms; a throaty growl came bursting from deep inside him and she felt him trembling as he emptied himself into her.
A fresh burst of pleasure made it nearly impossible to breathe, and she held on, whispering his name over and over until he collapsed on top of her, the last shudders of his pleasure making his entire body shake. Out of breath, her body still trembling from the force, Amy could only lie there, thankful for the weight of Michael’s body on hers.
When their breathing had slowed and they could move again, Michael rolled off her and gathered her in his arms. She lay bathed in the glow of happiness, her head on his chest, the silence between them comfortable, like a warm blanket. But it wasn’t long before Michael broke the silence with the words she’d been dreading but knew were coming.
“I wish I could stay with you all night, but...” he trailed off when she stiffened in his arms.
She knew she was being silly, but a small part of her was afraid that he’d leave and never come back. “I’m sorry, Michael. I know. People are already going to be talking about you being here.”
He nodded. “If it were just me, I wouldn’t care, but my mother...”
“It’s okay. I’m just being insecure,” she said. “This is a bit of a surprise, if you want to know the truth.”
Michael leaned up on one elbow and looked down at her. “It’s a bit of a surprise for me too,” he said. “But a very wise man told me not that long ago that the best things in life come along when you’re least expecting them. I didn’t understand then, but I do now.”
She hated to be that kind of woman, but she couldn’t stop herself. “Michael, where is this going?” she asked, then wished she hadn’t. “Never mind, pretend I didn’t ask that.”
Michael smiled down at her, cupped her face with his hand, and said, “Honestly, I don’t know, Amy. But I hope you’ll stay around for a while so we can figure it out.”
“I think I’d like that,” she said.
When his mouth came down on hers, she sighed with pleasure, all thoughts of the future drowned in the passion that erupted between them. It was several hours later before Michael climbed out of her bed and began to search for his clothes in the mess they’d made.
“This is probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do,” he said. “I hate leaving you in the middle of the night.”
Amy watched him from the bed, feeling the loss of his warmth deep in her soul, wishing they could curl up together and go to sleep. But she knew that keeping him there would only cause problems. “It’s okay, Michael; we’ll have plenty of time together. I don’
t have to be back to the university for months,” she said.
He stopped getting dressed and looked over at her. “That sounds pretty good to me,” he said, grinning. “But by then, I might not be willing to let you go.”
Amy felt the glow of his affection, a feeling so new to her, it took her breath away, but she understood what he meant. “You’d better go. If I’m going to be staying that long, I need to get on your mom’s good side.”
Michael crossed the room, sat down next to her on the bed, and pulled her into his arms. “My mother just doesn’t know you,” he said. “You’ll see; she’ll change her mind.”
“I hope so,” she said, snuggling into his warmth for a second, then pulled away. “Go, before you don’t.”
He got a strange look on his face. “I have the strangest feeling that I shouldn’t leave,” he said. Then he seemed to remember something and got quickly to his feet.
“What’s wrong,” she asked, suddenly cold.
“Nothing,” he said. “I just remembered something I need to do in the morning. Will you meet me for lunch? There’s something we need to talk about.”
Amy didn’t like the sound of that. “It’s never a good thing when someone tells you that,” she joked, but Michael didn’t laugh.
“Lunch tomorrow,” he said, then gave her a huge smack on the lips, turned, and walked out of the room.
She heard the cabin door close quietly and his truck start up and wondered why it was so much better for him to sneak away in the middle night. Shaking her head at the strange things people made other people do, and wondering if she could ever be happy in a town like Prospect Falls, she settled down to sleep. But she already knew the answer to that question: as long as she was with Michael, she could live anywhere.
Chapter Fifteen
***Michael***
Michael was pacing in front of the restaurant, his phone clutched in his hand, hoping that Adam would call. He’d been trying to get ahold of him since he left Amy’s cabin in the early morning hours but had got nothing but a recorded message, and time was running out. He couldn’t keep lying to Amy; things between them had gone too far for that, and his only hope was to come clean and quickly or risk losing the best thing that had ever happened to him.
One way or the other, he had to tell Amy that Molly was fine, but he’d been hoping that Molly would be on the phone when he told her. Now he’d have to go it alone and hope that he could convince her it was the truth, and that he’d never meant to hurt her. That was going to be the tricky part and having someone to back him up would have made it so much easier. Instead, he was on his own. It didn’t seem fair that the lies he’d had to tell weren’t even his own, but that he might have to pay the ultimate sacrifice for them.
When Amy appeared on the sidewalk a few blocks down, his heart began to pound and his palms got sweaty. She looked stunning in a pair of jeans and a thick sweater, her hair cascading down her shoulders, and he longed to pull her into his arms. But that might be a bit much for the town to absorb, so he gave her a quick peck on the lips instead.
She smiled up at him, a blush spreading across her cheeks. “I feel like I’m still dreaming,” she finally said.
“It’s not a dream,” he said, unable to stop the grin that spread across his face. “Are you ready for some lunch?”
He held out his hand, and she took it, but just as they got to the door, he heard a familiar voice calling his name. His hand almost to the door, he froze, afraid to turn around, hoping that what was happening wasn’t happening. Adam’s voice calling his name again made his blood freeze, and he cursed under his breath, then turned around. His heart sinking, he stared at Adam and Molly standing on the sidewalk grinning at him.
“We decided to come home early,” Adam said. “See? You had nothing to worry about; I missed you all too much to stay away.”
Molly laughed. “Adam was spending all his time worrying about what was going on here, so I decided to bring him home,” she said, then noticed Amy standing next to him.
She got a strange look on her face, her eyes glazed over for a second, then she stumbled back a step. “Molly, are you okay?” Adam asked, putting his hand around her waist to support her.
“I’m...oh, Amy,” she said, still a bit stunned.
Amy was staring at Molly, her mouth hanging open, then finally asked, “Molly?”
Molly nodded, and Amy rushed forward, threw her arms around her, and hugged her. “I thought you were dead. I thought something terrible happened to you,” she gushed, tears spilling down her cheeks.
She let Molly go and stared at her for a second, looked down at Molly’s rounded belly, then over at Adam. “I don’t understand,” she said, stepping back a few steps. “What happened to you? Where have you been?”
“Oh, Amy, I forgot about you,” Molly said. Then when she saw Amy’s face, she quickly added. “I mean, I really forgot about you. I had a car accident and lost my memory.”
“But...” Amy was speechless, looking from Adam to Molly, then back again.
Molly smiled at Adam. “It’s a long story, but Adam took care of me after the accident, and, well, we fell in love.”
Amy managed a shaky smile. “I’m glad you’re okay,” she said. “I just wish I had known.”
Michael knew the exact moment when Amy realized that he’d been lying to her; her entire body went stiff, and she slowly turned her head to stare at him. His heart sank when he saw not only anger but pain in her eyes, and knew he had to say something, but when he opened his mouth, nothing came out.
“You knew,” Amy hissed at him. “You knew all this time and didn’t tell me.”
He took a couple of steps toward her, but she held up her hands. “You lied to me,” she whispered. “You knew that Molly was fine. Why didn’t you tell me? What kind of game are you playing?”
“I was afraid you wouldn’t believe me,” he offered, knowing it sounded like a lame excuse. “I couldn’t risk you leaving and telling someone that Molly was last seen here.”
“What? That doesn’t make any sense,” Amy said, the pain in her voice making his heart ache. She looked at all three of them, a slightly frantic look in her eyes. “I have to go.”
When she turned and ran back down the street towards the cabins, Michael started to follow her, but Molly stopped him. “Give her a few minutes, and then I’ll go talk to her. I’m not sure what’s been going on, but you should have called us.”
Michael knew that she was right, couldn’t offer much of an excuse for the way he’d handled things. “I didn’t mean to hurt her. I was just trying to keep her here and distracted,” he finally said.
Molly studied him for a second, then asked, “How exactly have you been doing that?”
“I didn’t mean for it to happen,” he muttered. “It just did.”
She sighed. “I guess I’d better go talk to her, but before I do, you’d better tell me what you want,” she said.
Michael knew that he was on the spot, that what he said right at that moment might make all the difference in the world. “I want her to stay here with me forever,” he said. “I think I’m in love with her.”
***Amy***
Amy ran up the long driveway, tears streaming down her face, feeling that her world had crumbled and knowing that it was her own fault. She’d know that something wasn’t right, that Michael was too good to be true, but what she’d felt last night had convinced her that it was real. Now she understood that it was all part of a scheme to keep her distracted, that nothing had been real, and that she was the world’s biggest fool.
When she finally got to the cabin, she slammed the door behind her and collapsed to her knees, sobbing. Filled with disappointment so sharp, it was like a physical pain, she cried for all the times men had hurt her, taken advantage of her, and broken her heart. Years ago, she’d shut herself off, and now she remembered why, but this time, she knew it wasn’t going to be that easy.
She’d fallen hard for Michael, had almost begu
n to believe that she loved him; it was devastating to realize that he was just like all men. The pain of his betrayal lay heavy on her heart, coupled with the disappointment of finding out that she meant nothing to Michael, that all his sweet words were just that, made her sob even harder.
When she’d drained herself, she got to her feet, slightly unsteady, and stood looking out the window, a small part of her hoping to see Michael drive up. But the parking area was empty, only her car sitting lonely in the gravel, and she knew that it was time to leave. Molly was fine—in fact, more than fine from the way things looked—it was time for her to go home.
Taking a deep breath, she turned and headed for the bedroom, glad that she’d cleaned it up that morning. It would have been impossible for her to even go into the room if it had still been the way it had been when she woke up that morning, her clothes strewn everywhere, her suitcase on the floor, the bed crumpled from their lovemaking.
She’d just grabbed her suitcase and put it on the bed when she heard someone knocking on her door. Deciding to ignore it, sure that it was Michael and not trusting herself, she kept packing. But then she heard Molly’s voice coming through the door. “Amy, it’s Molly. Can we talk? You came an awfully long way to find me.”
Amy knew that she was right, and she did want to talk to her, so she set down the pile of clothes she’d been carrying, and went to the door. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to run away from you,” she said when she saw Molly standing hesitantly on the porch. “Come in.”
Molly followed her inside and over to the little kitchen. “I’m sorry, Amy. I feel terrible. There are still little bits and pieces of my memory that haven’t come back,” she said. “I don’t know if they ever will.”
Amy studied her for a second, the sting of being forgotten still a bit fresh, but Molly looked so upset, it vanished. “It’s okay, Molly,” she said, giving her a hug. “I’m just glad that you’re okay.”
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