Lily White Lies(77)

I cleared my throat and inhaled deeply. “It’s hard... I know you want to wait but I’m not made of stone and being with you like this... well, it makes it that much harder.”

“It’ll happen...” He pushed back the loose hair that had fallen from my braid with his fingers as he wrapped his free arm around my waist. “...when it’s supposed to happen.”

I searched his eyes for a better answer, but couldn’t find one. As he closed the gap between us, I found myself lost, lost in a sea of desire with the only man who could save me.

His kisses began as slow, soft teases; his lips barely brushing against mine, veering off to caress my ear lobe lightly, only to find their way back to my eager lips. He left a trail of damp kisses over my lips, face and neck and each one of them danced with desire as he blew one, soft breath across them.

Pulling me snugly to his chest, we slowly fell to the cushions of the couch together, as he pressed me into them and deepened his kisses. I felt the exact moment that his sensual assault swept me away, my eyes rolling back under closed lids. His tongue caressed mine, as our legs intertwined. The wanting moan that escaped from me caused him to kiss me even more passionately, his hands exploring every curve of my body. I began to press myself against him and as if on cue, I felt him pressing himself into me. His desire was obvious through his jeans causing me to arch my back, and murmur, “Don’t tease me.”

Guiding my head back, he kissed my chin and down my throat causing my head to spin, before he softly replied, “I won’t.”

His hands continued to fondle and tease as I pressed myself into him with more force. I was aching to be satisfied and his teasing increased my need.

His hand rubbed lightly over the spot that craved his touch most and I gasped from between our joined lips.

He whispered, “Relax,” into my ear and I took a deep breath in an attempt to do as he asked.

He began to caress me gently, his hand moving in a slow, circular motion and I instinctively began to press into his hand. His free hand cupped my face as his lips returned to seek a response in every kiss. As his gentle caressing became more rapid, I pressed into him with even more urgency, arching my back and kissing him feverishly.

We had fallen into a rhythm until with one soft cry my body went rigid. His caresses became gentle again until I eventually relaxed underneath him, into the cushions of the couch.

Once my breathing had steadied, I opened my eyes to find him smiling down at me.

“That was...”

He kissed the tip of my nose.

I tried to express my thoughts again. “But you didn’t...”

“I’m fine.”

“What about your code of ethics?”

“I’ve known from the moment I first saw you that you were the one. I know it sounds crazy and I can’t offer a better explanation, but I’m as sure of that as I’ve ever been of anything. But, I want you to be sure, too, and until you are, I don’t want to do anything that you could come to regret.”

I applied pressure to his chest with my hand, forcing him to sit.

Once upright, I looked at him and said, “Although we haven’t known each other very long, there’s a part of me that knows for sure already... but then I think of our families and the pain that our being together will cause them and I wonder if I’m not being selfish.”

“I don’t want to be with your family, I want to be with you. They can share in our happiness or be alone in their misery; either way, it won’t change anything between us.”

He shifted his weight and lay alongside me with one arm underneath my neck as he pulled me close. Several minutes passed before either of us said another word.

Running a finger along the contour of my face, he asked, “What is your idea of the most romantic way to spend an evening?”

I gave his question a moment’s thought, and replied, “Well, I would be alone with you and we would be somewhere no one would ever think to look for us... somewhere romantic...”

“And what would we be doing?”

I turned my head to look at him, and laughed, “Playing Monopoly, of course.”

“Okay, I guess that was a stupid question.”

“How about you? Tell me about your most romantic evening.”

There was no hesitation before his answer. “Soft music... a bath for two... lace curtains blowing in a cool breeze... maybe a light rain... and lying naked with you all night long.”

Goosebumps flowered across my skin. In my heart, I knew I had found the one who would make me happy for the rest of my life. Now all I had to do was convince my head and my family of the same thing.





Twenty-Three





...Several days passed without seeing Con and I felt as though I were going through withdrawals, minus the shakes...