Broken Page 13

  With eyes closed, I felt every kiss, every lick as Adam’s hot mouth explored my breasts, sucking the pert nipples into his mouth and flicking them with his tongue. My back arched as my head dropped back, and he kept going. Down farther and farther, his hands lightly gliding, his mouth tasting my skin, every inch lovingly caressed until he settled between my thighs.

  As his tongue took the first swipe, I moaned loudly. “Fuck.” I exhaled as he did it again.

  Hot breath tickled my thigh as he kissed lightly. “Do you like that, baby?”

  Raising my head, I took in the most erotic sight I’d ever seen—Adam with hooded eyes, nuzzling my most sensitive area.

  “Do it again.” And I watched as Adam deliberately and slowly licked. I reached down to run my fingers through his hair. “I want you to do that forever.”

  Sadness clouded his gorgeous face and I kicked myself for saying ‘too much, too soon’. “I just meant…I meant keep goin’, that’s all.”

  Oh God, I’d just majorly messed up the entire evening with my stupid blabbing. I went to sit up as panic threatened to surface. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to freak you out. I know this isn’t…” I couldn’t finish the sentence, because as much as I knew deep down that this wasn’t forever, with all my heart I wanted it to be.

  “Hey, what just happened?” Adam crawled up beside me, cradling me in his arms.

  “I mentioned the ‘F-word’ and you got this look on your face, like bein’ with me past tomorrow wasn’t a consideration.”

  He let out a ragged breath, his chest trembling. “I can’t make any promises, Evie. I have to go back to England when I leave here, and I don’t know how long I’ll be there.”

  Leaning up on my elbow, I gazed down at the stress etched over his face. “I understand. It’s fine, really.”

  His fingertips combed through my hair. “No, baby, none of it is fine, but it has to be done. But we’re here now and we still have a few weeks together.”

  The pain in his eyes made my breath hitch in my throat. Whatever the reason for Adam’s return to England, it was not a happy one. He looked scared, as if he dreaded what was to come.

  I did the only thing I could think to do in this situation. I leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. “Let’s make the most of it, then.”

  Instantly, Adam’s face relaxed and he smiled. He rolled me onto him, my body lying flat against his. I dropped my knees to the side and he grabbed my hips, pushing up against me.

  “I want to continue what I was doing before,” he murmured in my ear. “I want to fuck you with my tongue.”

  Oh sweet baby Jesus. My stomach clenched, my chest heaving.

  Adam bit his lip playfully as he searched my face. “I think someone likes a bit of dirty talk,” he teased.

  “I reckon someone does.” My cheeks were on fire. “Who knew?”

  He rolled me over, and this time he didn’t take his time exploring my body. Kneeling between my legs, he pulled me toward him, then grasped my thighs and pushed them open. With one chaste kiss on the stomach, he was back with his head buried in my crotch and I was writhing uncontrollably, as he sucked and licked until I was seeing stars. Raking my fingers through Adam’s hair, I arched my back as the sensation built until it was almost too much to take, but I was fighting to let myself go over the edge.

  Adam’s pressure increased as he sucked my swollen, sensitive nub into his mouth and drove his fingers inside me.

  “Let go, baby,” he breathed against me before continuing his onslaught.

  Clearing my mind of everything but the sensation of what Adam was doing, I let go, my body trembling as wave after wave of pure ecstasy rushed through me. Eventually, Adam was beside me again, but I was too overcome with so many emotions to move.

  “Hey, beautiful.” Adam kissed my hair. “Why the tears?” He wiped his thumb under my eye and I gazed up at him, unable to express how life-changing that moment had just been for me. After all the years with Charles where it had gotten to the point I could no longer be bothered with sex, I would replay that last ten minutes every day for the rest of my life.

  I pecked his swollen lips, then scrunched up my face playfully at the taste.

  He licked his lips and grinned. “I love how you taste, but you don’t have to kiss me.”

  Stretching up, his lips brushed my forehead. I took his face in my hands and brought his mouth to my own. He resisted at first, but as my tongue delved into his mouth, he held my head, his tongue dancing with mine.

  As the kiss deepened, my hand ran down his abdomen, settling on his length. He groaned into my mouth as my grip tightened around him. I wanted to do more. I wanted to return what Adam had just done to me, so I shimmied down the bed until I was level with his hips.

  His eyes were dark pools as he watched me lick my lips. “You don’t have to, baby, but fuck I hope you do,” he said, huskily.

  All my experience was from talking to Angie and watching porn, but I had a good enough idea of what I needed to do. As soon as I took Adam into my mouth, he groaned, and I relaxed. His hand came to rest gently on my head as my lips wrapped around his length and slipped up and down, my hand pumping in time.

  It didn’t take long for his hips to lift in unison with my motion, his breathing to come out in short spurts as my tongue swirled around the soft, velvety head before I took as much of him into my mouth as I could.

  “Oh, fuck,” he moaned, “that feels so good.”

  Every word of encouragement, every groan and fisting of my hair made me increase my efforts, until I had quite a rhythm going. His hot salty taste was a surprise, but not an unpleasant one, as his abdominal muscles clenched over and over, and a final sharp expulsion of breath left him.

  I couldn’t help the satisfied smirk on my face as I kissed his stomach and chest, before nuzzling into his neck. We lay together in a comfortable silence for a few minutes until Adam’s breathing was so calm I thought he’d gone to sleep. I was just beginning to drift off when he spoke.

  “You’re amazing,” he whispered, kissing my hair.

  Smiling, I held him tight. “I reckon you’re pretty amazin’ too.”

  He rolled onto his side, head propped in his hand. “How would you feel if I moved a few things over here?”

  “You mean other than your easel and paints and paintin’ clothes and—”

  He chuckled. “Yeah, okay, so I’ve already got some things here. I mean, a change of clothes and toothbrush, stuff like that?”

  Wow, how did I feel about that? We’d virtually be living together after only knowing each other a few weeks. But then he already spent every day here, either painting or cooking for me, while I spent my time writing and ogling him when he wasn’t looking. So really, he already nearly lived here anyway.

  “So ya want a drawer?” I teased. “‘Cause, you know what they say ’bout givin’ someone a drawer—soon they’ll be movin’ in and rearrangin’ the furniture.”

  He chuckled. “I promise not to rearrange the rented furniture in this rented house.”

  I kissed his nose. “That sounds fair, on one condition?”

  His brow rose in anticipation.

  “You have to do all the cookin’.”

  His playful smile turned into a pout. “I was hoping for something more along the lines of I have to become your sex slave, not your personal chef.”

  “If you’re my chef, then I’ll be your sex slave.”

  My encounter with Adam the previous night inspired me to write a new sex scene, one that encompassed the oral splendor I had experienced. Writing it was easy. As I closed my eyes and pictured what had happened, the words came flooding out. Every emotion, every physical feeling and technical aspect was there, bam, on the page within minutes.

  Man, I had to do more hands-on research and soon.

  Adam and Max came barreling in from their run on the beach, filling the house with life once more. We had changed the order of morning events since I’d started joining them f
or a swim. We had decided that the swim should come first; then I would scurry indoors with teeth chattering, and jump in the shower while Adam dressed and went for a quick run with Max. I knew it wasn’t ideal for them, but Adam wanted me to join him in the water, and it was a compromise he was willing to make, seeing as I wasn’t much of a runner at any time of day.

  Max at least was dry by the time he came inside and flopped on the rug by the fire. Adam, though, was always freezing, his lips blue, and I was worried he would get sick from being outside when he was cold and wet.

  After a quick peck on the forehead with his frozen lips, he raced into the shower to thaw out.

  Life was good. In fact, life was better than good—it was perfect. It was like my own little slice of heaven was right here in the Hamptons, and I never wanted it to end. This was the house of my dreams that I was now sharing with the man of my dreams, complete with our own big old lazy dog. Life couldn’t get any better.

  I put some coffee on for Adam, then went to the fire to give Max a pat. We were just getting cozy with Max’s head on my lap when there was a knock on the front door. Max leapt up, barking viciously.

  “Hey, come here, boy. Let’s see who it is.”

  I opened the door with a smile on my face, ready to greet whoever was there, but my smile soon dropped, my stomach clenching into a knot. My immediate instinct was to slam the door closed, but I knew I couldn’t run from this encounter.

  “Charles, what’re you doin’ here?”

  Charles’s smile faltered as Max growled deep in this throat. I gave him a pat and told him to settle, but he was having none of it. His hackles were up and he was standing guard.

  There was a shrill whistle from behind me as Adam came jogging out, towel slung low around his hips. Max immediately went to Adam’s side, but he was still growling to show his disapproval.

  I didn’t blame him. If I could have growled at Charles, I would have, too. What was he doing here, poking holes in my bliss bubble?

  Holding the door wide open, I reluctantly ushered Charles into the living room, where Adam was still standing, dripping wet and looking gorgeous.

  My hands went to my face momentarily while I gathered my thoughts.

  “Charles, this is my neighbor Adam—”

  “Your neighbor?” Adam queried with raised brow.

  “Well, that’s how you introduced me to Annabel.”

  Adam’s eyes narrowed as the corner of his lip twitched.

  “Adam, this is my estranged husband, Charles,” I continued, ignoring the fact that Adam had stripped me naked with his eyes.

  I waited for them to shake hands or acknowledge each other in some way, but they didn’t. Instead they stared each other down, metaphorically beating their chests.

  “Adam, perhaps you’d like to put some clothes on?” I suggested, reminding him that he was only in a towel. I expected him to say something witty, but he didn’t. His face was like thunder as he sized Charles up.

  He was territorial, and I had to admit that it made me feel good to think he cared enough to want to lay claim to this little piece of paradise. Finally, he turned and entered the bedroom and I relaxed as much as I could now that some of the testosterone had left the room.

  Charles took hold of my arms, squeezing a little too tightly. “Evelyn, what’re ya doing with that guy?”

  I tried to shrug him off, but his grip was too tight. “Charles, you’re hurtin’ me,” I complained.

  A sharp bark from Max as he came trotting over to us warned Charles that he had better be on his best behavior. He let go, holding his hands up to show Max that he wasn’t a threat.

  I showed him to the sofa, but I really didn’t want him to stay.

  “What’re you doin’ here, Charles? You can’t just turn up without an invitation.”

  “But ya did invite me, Evelyn.”

  Not likely.

  “You told me where ya were and said I’d love it here, that I should see it.”

  A vague recollection of the drunken phone call on New Year’s Eve came to mind. “I said you would love it here, but I didn’t invite you to actually come.”

  Or did I?

  I knew I was shattered that Adam had gone to Philly and was seriously considering trying to work things out with Charles. Maybe the way I’d worded it had given him the wrong impression.

  “When did this phone call happen?” Adam was back beside the sofa, arms crossed, staring down at me.

  “While you were in Philadelphia. I only called to wish him a merry Christmas and happy new year.”

  Adam nodded, fully understanding that I had been an emotional wreck, thinking he was hooking up with his ex.

  “We arranged to catch up, too,” Charles added, knowing he was causing trouble, the satisfied smug look on his face telling me he was enjoying every minute of it.

  I glared at Charles, his all-too-perfect smile gleaming back at me. “Yes, we did. We need to discuss the divorce settlement.”

  Charles’s smile faded, and I felt a terrible pang of guilt to be so blunt about the demise of our marriage, but he must have known it was over. I’d been gone for four months.

  “After ya called, I was hopin’ for a reconciliation.” He looked so forlorn, and I would have crumbled if I didn’t know what a wonderful actor he was and how manipulative he could be. “What’ll I tell people?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I’ve told everyone you’re on a spiritual sabbatical and will be back soon.”

  Adam’s scoff pulled my attention from Charles’s pitiful face.

  “Adam, would you mind pourin’ some coffee, please?” I needed him to not be standing there right then.

  Instead of going to the kitchen, he perched on the arm of the sofa. “No, I’m good right here, baby.” His hand reached out to stroke my hair, and for a split second I was torn between doing what I wanted to do, which was cuddle closer to him, and guarding Charles’s feelings. I had struggled for so many years to be the wife Charles had expected and in the process, I’d lost sight of the person I wanted to be. I’d pushed my own hopes and dreams to one side in my endeavor to make someone else happy, but being away from the situation had given me clarity and a new direction.

  Sighing, I made my decision. I leaned closer to Adam, closer to my future, and away from my past. Instantly Adam relaxed and slid off the arm of the sofa so he was squished beside me.

  “I guess it has been a spiritual sabbatical of sorts,” he said, tongue in cheek. “So you haven’t really been lying to everyone, Chuck.”

  I could feel the tension radiating from Charles. He hated being called Chuck with a passion.

  There was nothing left to say. I had ended my marriage when I’d walked out the door four months ago, but meeting Adam had confirmed one hundred times over that it had been the right thing to do.

  Charles looked as if he was about to crack, and I didn’t want that to happen. I knew he could become somewhat physically threatening toward me if he didn’t get his way, and if that were to happen, I had no doubt in my mind that Adam would beat the crap out of him without working up a sweat.

  Standing, I moved to the door. “I’m sorry you came all this way for no reason, Charles. Please have a safe journey back home.”

  He looked at me, his eyes bugged open. “So that’s it? You’re throwin’ me out?”

  “If she doesn’t, I will.” Adam had also risen to his feet, his bulk menacing as he towered over the still-seated Charles.

  Holding my hand to Adam’s chest to tell him to stay put, I waited while Charles walked slowly to the door.

  “You’re makin’ a huge mistake, Evelyn. You ain’t cut out for goin’ it alone. You need the sanctity of our community to protect ya.”

  I shook my head. “I’m stronger than you think, Charles. I can make it on my own.”

  “You’ll regret this, Evelyn, but I am a forgivin’ man. This”—he nodded in Adam’s direction—“indiscretion will be over soon, and you’ll realize wh
ere your place is in this world.”

  “This may be over soon, but it’s already taught me so much. You said everythin’ I could want I could get with you. You were wrong, Charles. There’s so much more.”

  He grasped my shoulders, and Adam took a protective step closer. I shook my head at him to stop.

  “But I love ya, Evelyn. You’re my wife. You made a commitment to me for life. Are ya gonna break that vow?”

  I knew how sacred our marriage vows were to Charles and that had always been the sticking point for me. The reason I had backed down so many times in the past when all I had really wanted to do was walk out the door and never look back.

  “I know you think you love me, Charles. But I believe what you love is the idea of marriage. The idea of havin’ someone by your side—”

  “Yes, yes.” He nodded animatedly, releasing his grip.

  “—someone by your side to take all your bad moods, and take care of you when you’re unwell. Someone to launder your clothes, present a united front to the congregation, and speak when spoken to.”

  His face dropped, his mouth agape. I could see the vein in his neck pulse as he pinched the bridge of his nose, before looking up to the heavens.

  I knew the mannerisms; I’d seen them all too many times in the past. I shrugged. “That ain’t me, Charles. The role of your housekeeper, mother, and scapegoat all rolled into one has never sat well with me.”

  Charles’s jaw clenched, and his eyes narrowed. “You are my wife until death, Evelyn. There’s nothin’ more to discuss.”

  Panic punched me in the gut as fear that I may never get out of this marriage struck me. I needed to think quick if I was going to convince Charles that being with me wasn’t the best option.

  “Does my happiness mean nothin’ to ya, Charles? You say you love me, but you want me to be miserable for the rest of my life just to save face.” I shook my head. My happiness wasn’t a concern for him, but maybe his was. “I want you to be happy too. I want you to have the family you want, with a brood of kids runnin’ ‘round drivin’ ya crazy. You ain’t gonna get that with me…but you deserve it.”