Chapter Thirteen
Lila stood to clear the plates off the table, but Mrs. Perez grabbed her hand. “Let me do that for you, dear. You’ve cooked this delicious meal, the least I can do is take care of the cleanup.”
Her father nodded. “And I’ll help. Gloria and I have sort of gotten into a little routine while you were away.”
Mrs. Perez winked at Jesse. “I wash, you dry?”
“Of course.” He grinned back.
Lila hadn’t missed the meaning of the exchange. Those two had obviously gotten close in her absence. It seemed a lot of things had changed while she was gone. Her father was in the works of remodeling the store. His motto had been, ‘If it ain’t broke don’t fix it, so it’ so it had come as a surprise to see the beginning of the renovations.
Jesse had said Gloria and the teenagers who worked for him had suggested a few changes. Lila had been telling her dad for years about changing things around the store, so it surprised her that he’d been so open to the suggestion of others. Then she’d learned that Mrs. Perez had been over almost every night for dinner and in fact they’d gone out on several dates.
It seemed as if her father was doing well and thriving. He was losing weight, his blood pressure was low, and he seemed happy. Even being here right now made Lila feel like an intruder.
For so long it had been her and her father, depending on and taking care of each other, but having been away for two months, she realized her father was fine on his own. In fact, he seemed to be better off without her around.
“Okay,” she finally answered. “I think I’m going to turn in a little early.”
Jesse frowned. “Don’t you want some apple pie? Gloria made it from scratch.”
“Yes, please have dessert with us.” Mrs. Perez smiled at her. Lila didn’t doubt the other woman’s sincerity, but she thought it best to leave the couple alone.
“I’ll pass tonight, but please save me a slice.”
After she left them alone, she went through the motions of getting ready for bed. When she was in the shower she let her head rest against the stall, the tears mingling with the water falling over her head. Her father was doing great, while the world around her was falling apart.
It was time she started to pick up the pieces of her life again. Perhaps she could contact the hospital and let them know she was ready to come back to work for them. Now would probably be a good time to start looking for a place of her own, especially when it was clear her father no longer needed her.
As hard as she tried not to think about him, her mind drifted to Hunter. What had started out as a sacrifice she was willing to make on behalf of her father turned into much more. She hadn’t expected to like being with Hunter. Sexually, he fulfilled her as no one else had, satisfying her so thoroughly. Besides the physical however, they’d made a spiritual connection as well. Somewhere along the line, she began to care for him more than a little. He made her laugh, he engaged her mind, and she felt safe and secure in his presence. For so long she’d had to be strong, but in those weeks she’d been with him, Lila was able to relax her guard and let go of all her worries.
She realized that his words had had the power to hurt her because she had fallen in love with him. What a fool she’d been. She should have known what they had was doomed to end terribly. Not only were they from different worlds, he had too many damned hang-ups.
Still, it had taken her by complete surprise how he’d said such cruel things to her. It was almost as if he was trying to make her hate him. But that made no sense. By now, he probably would have moved on, so it was time she did so as well.
Later that night, as she tossed and turned in bed, Lila thought about Hunter. What was he doing now? Was he thinking of her? Did he regret the things he said? Stop it, girl, he’s not worth it. And she refused to shed any more tears over someone who didn’t deserve them.
She glanced at the clock, and saw that it was nearly midnight. Maybe a couple of sleeping pills and some decaffeinated tea would do the trick. On her way to the bathroom, to get the medication, she noticed the kitchen light was still on.
Lila frowned. Her father was usually in bed by now. Or had he forgotten to turn it off? Always conscious of the electricity bill, he wasn’t likely to leave them on. After getting the bottle out of the medicine cabinet, she headed for the kitchen.
Her father was sitting at the table in his robe, sipping what smelled like hot chocolate in an oversized mug. There was another steaming cup across from him and instantly, she knew he’d been waiting for her.
She took the seat reserved for her. “How did you know?”
Jesse grinned. “The walls aren’t that thick, baby. I knew it was a matter of time before you got up. I made your favorite. Hot chocolate with cinnamon, whipped cream and a giant marshmallow. Just like when you were a little girl.”
She smiled. “Thanks, Daddy, but I think I’ve outgrown this.”
“You’re never too old for my special hot cocoa. Anyway, it’s the least I can do, especially when I see you’re hurting. Do you want to tell me what’s been going on?”
She squeezed her eyes shut. It was time to come clean. “I lied to you, Daddy.”
“About your private nursing assignment? Yes, I know.”
“What?”
“I knew almost from the beginning. First of all, it seemed like a major coincidence that shortly after you left for this so called job, I get a letter from Ramsey’s stating they were no longer interested in buying my property. And then I get a phone call from you. You know I’m an old man and I don’t mess with technology like you young people do, but I’m sharp enough to know about caller ID. When I saw that the call had come from an H. Jamison’s house, I began to suspect what the deal was.”
She lowered her head in shame. How stupid could she have been? She’d called from Hunter’s house. Lila should have known her father would pick up on it, but she hadn’t been thinking clearly. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Because by the time I realized what was going on, it was too late to do anything about it. I’d hoped I misread the situation and it wasn’t what I think it was.”
“It was,” she whispered, wishing she could have kept the details to herself, but she began to tell him everything, glossing over the most intimate of the details, but giving him a pretty fair picture of what had happened.
When she finished telling her tale, her father pounded his fist on the table, anger entering his eyes. “Dammit!”
“I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have lied to you, but I didn’t know what else to do. Please don’t hate me.”
“Baby, I could never ever hate you.” He scooted his chair next to hers and engulfed Lila in his embrace. She had no more tears in her, but being in her father’s arms was a comfort.
“I shouldn’t have lied to you.”
“No. You shouldn’t have, but my anger was directed to myself. When you were gone, I realized how much I had depended on you. I’ve said this time and time again, you’re young, pretty and have a beautiful soul. You deserve a life of your own, not to have your world revolve around me. The very fact that you would do something like this shows me I should have been more firm about you getting out more and pursuing your own interests.”
“Dad, you haven’t been a burden to me. I love you.”
“And I love you. But we both have our own lives to live and it’s unfair of me to expect you to give yours up for me, and I won’t let you anymore.”
Lila finally found the courage to meet his eyes. “Are you disappointed in me, Daddy?”
“Honestly, I’m not happy about what you did. In the future, come to me before doing something that will affect me, okay?”
“I promise.”
“Like I said, I’ve had a lot of time to put things into perspective. I’ve allowed my life to become stagnant. You and the shop have been my life and I don’t believe that’s been healthy. Lila, while you were away, Gloria and I have gotten close and I’m thinking about asking her to marry me. I know you may think I’m rushing things, but at my age, every day is a blessing.”
“That’s wonderful. I think you two are cute together.”
He grinned. “You’re not upset?”
“Not at all. She’s a very nice lady, and I know she’s been crushing on you for a while. At least one positive thing has come of this whole mess after all. If you two got married, would she move in here?”
“I haven’t thought that far yet, but it would make sense with the store downstairs.”
“Then I should probably start looking for another place to live.”
“Honey, you will always have a home here.”
“I know, but if or when you and Mrs. Perez get married, I don’t think it would be a good idea for me to be around. You two will need some time to yourself. I know if I were recently married, I wouldn’t want my grown daughter hanging around.”
“Is there no hope for you and Hunter?”
Lila brought her head up sharply. His question took her by surprise. “What do you mean? He used me. I don’t even want to talk about him.”
“Are you sure? From what you’ve just told me, something doesn’t quite add up. A man doesn’t go from the way you described him to a jerk with the snap of the finger without there being a reason. Us guys aren’t as complicated as you women.”
“It doesn’t matter. It’s over.”
“But you still love him,” he said softly.
Lila sighed. “Dad, I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”
“Okay, baby, but you’ve always been a fighter. You always stood up for the little guy. I remember getting a call from your teacher when you were ten, and she told me you’d punched some little boy in the nose. When I came to pick you up from school and asked you why you did it, you looked me square in the eye and said, ‘Because he was picking on the smaller kids’.”
Lila laughed at the memory. She had been a bit of a firecracker back in the day. “What does that have to do with anything, Dad?”
“You seem ready to fight for anyone else, myself included, but when it comes down to you, you don’t fight for yourself.”
“Dad¯”
He held up his hand. “Hear me out, baby girl. While I want to smash this Hunter character’s face in for making such an indecent offer to you in the first place, I don’t think he’s as indifferent to you as you claimed he was. Something doesn’t add up. And anyway, you still have feelings for him. Don’t you think you owe it to yourself to find out the real reason behind his sudden about face?”
Her father might be on to something, but did she have the courage to put her heart on the line?
*
“This is getting ridiculous. You haven’t heard a word I’ve said have you?” Thomas spoke loud enough to bring Hunter out of his daze.
Hunter tore his gaze away from the painting on the wall. He hadn’t really been paying attention to much lately because his mind randomly wandered. “Huh?”
“Exactly. You can’t go on like this.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I think you know. You’re letting your personal life get in the way of business again and this shit is getting old fast.”
“What do you expect me to do about it?”
“Find someone else.”
“I don’t want anyone else.”
Thomas rolled his eyes. “Then go to her, stupid. Get down on your hands and knees and grovel if you have to, but make things right. I’m tired of you sleepwalking through the office like the world is about to end.”
“For me it did, but there’s no going back. She wanted to go home. She was missing her father and what kind of bastard would I have been to make her stay somewhere she didn’t want to be?”
“Did she actually say she didn’t want to be with you?”
“No. She’s too nice for that, but I could see it in her eyes.”
“Is it possible you might have misinterpreted what you saw? She could have been missing her home, but it doesn’t necessarily mean she didn’t want to be with you.”
“I don’t know what to think anymore, but I know I shouldn’t have held her because of that stupid agreement I made. But…”
“But what?”
“I was afraid of what she’d say when I told her how I really felt. I’m not sure if I would have been able to handle the rejection if I laid my heart on the line with her. With the other women, I got over it…but Lila, she’s different.”
“Because you love her?” Thomas asked softly.
“More than you can know.”
“Obviously not enough.”
Hunter shot his friend a glare. “What do you mean? Not being with her is killing me.”
“If you really loved her, you would have taken that risk. That’s what love is. I made that mistake once before and now it’s too late for me, but it isn’t for you.”
“What the hell am I supposed to do? Go to her house and demand she love me back?”
“No, but you can go to her and tell her how you feel. At least you’ll know one way or the other of her feelings for you instead of dwelling on what ifs. If she rejects you, then maybe you can move on with your life. Anything is better than the way you’ve been lately. I think I’d prefer the angry ogre over this show of apathy on your part.”
Hunter swiveled in his chair wondering at the validity of his friend’s words. Could he do it? Go to Lila? In all his life, he’d never met a woman worth laying everything on the line for, but Lila was well worth the fight. It was on the tip of his tongue to say so when they heard a commotion outside of his office.
“You can’t go in there!” his personal assistant cried out.
It was déjà vu. Hadn’t he lived this scene already?
His office door came crashing open, and Lila stood in the doorway looking so beautiful and as pissed as the first day he’d laid eyes on her.
“Mr. Jamison, I apologize for allowing this to happen again. She walked right past me. I’ll call the police right away,” Ann said from behind Lila.
“Call off your guard dog, Hunter.” Lila’s gazed was zoned on only him.
“Ann, that won’t be necessary. I’m always available to Miss Saunders.”
Ann looked as if she wanted to protest, but thought better of it. She shot Lila a glare before turning on her heel.
Hunter saw the smug expression on Thomas’s face and he barked, “What the hell are you standing there for? Can’t you see this is a private matter?”
Thomas grinned. “Of course. I trust you’ll be more yourself the next time I see you.” He nodded in Lila’s direction before he left the two of them alone.
“And tell Ann to take messages for the next hour or so. I don’t want to be disturbed,” Hunter growled.
Thomas’s smile widened. “Will do.” He practically skipped out of the office.
Lila closed the door behind her and strode over to his desk.
Hunter schooled his features, hoping she couldn’t read the turmoil raging within him. He wanted to take her in his arms and hold her close, but held back to see what she did. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”
She cocked her head to the side, her eyes narrowing to dark brown slits. “Is my showing up a pleasure?”
“Yes,” he answered honestly.
She slammed her hand on his desk. “Then why the hell did you send me away the way you did? Were you telling me the truth when you said you were bored with me?”
“Lila, if I didn’t know better I would think you actually cared.” Hunter groaned inwardly. Now why the hell had he said that? He didn’t want to drive her away again. “Look, I didn’t mean that how it must have sounded.”
“Then how did you mean it?”
“I don’t know. My words get all jumbled up when you’re around and I don’t quite know how to act.”
“Is that why you said those hurtful things to me? Because I’m not leaving here until I get the truth.”
This was as good time a as any to lay his heart on the line. “When I saw how happy you were at the mention of going home, I knew I couldn’t keep you with me anymore. It wouldn’t have been right. And because I was too much of a coward to tell you how I really felt.”
“And how is that?”
“I-I love you, Lila, I think I have since the moment I laid eyes on you, but I didn’t know it then. Maybe it was lust at first sight but our time spent together meant so much more to me.”
“You should have told me, Hunter.”
“I didn’t think someone like you would love someone like me back.”
She placed her hand over her chest. “Someone like me? I’m just a person and I really wish you wouldn’t place me on a pedestal. I’m not perfect. And someone like me would be honored if someone like you loved her.” She walked over to his desk to stand in front of him. “During our time together, I’d come to love you, too. And I’ve spent the last couple weeks in hell trying to figure out why you would hurt me the way you did, because the man I came to care about wouldn’t have done that.”
“What?” Hunter wasn’t sure if he’d heard her correctly.
Lila took a deep breath. “I said I love you, too.”
Unable to contain himself any longer, he gathered her in his arms and ground his lips on hers, unleashing all the hunger that had been pent up over the last several weeks without her. Finally, he lifted his head. “Say it again.”
“I love you.”
Hunter rested his forehead against hers. “I’m sorry for the things I said. I thought I was doing the right thing by letting you go.”
She pulled back just enough to slap him on the chest. “Don’t you ever do that to me again! I will be the one to decide what’s right for me.”
He wrapped his arms tightly around her, not wanting to let go even if his life depended on it. “I won’t ever do anything so stupid again. Please tell me this isn’t a dream, my beautiful Lila.”
“I hope it’s not,” she laughed through the tears streaming down her cheeks, “because if it is, I’m going to be pretty pissed.”
Hunter grinned before burying his face against her neck, and inhaling her flowery scent. Having her in his arms again brought his body to life. His cock jumped to attention and he knew he couldn’t go another second without having her. Raising his head, he looked deep into her eyes. “I need you. I can’t wait.”
Lila pressed her body closer, winding her arms around his neck and kissed his jaw line. “Neither can I but is it a good idea to¯”
“No one would dare disturb us now.” Not giving her a chance to say another word, he covered her mouth with his, relishing the way her soft welcoming lips seemed to fit so perfectly with his. Hunter had no idea how he’d managed to get through the past two weeks without her lying next to him.
He pushed his tongue past her lips to taste the heady flavor that was unique to only her. Lila returned his kiss with the enthusiasm of a woman starving. Good. That meant she wanted him just as badly as he wanted her. Too bad she was wearing so many clothes, but that could easily be remedied.
Breaking the tight seal of their lips, he fumbled with the buttons on her blouse until her top gapped open to expose her lace-covered breasts. Impatiently, Hunter pushed her bra up. Her nipples were already hard and they looked ready to be sucked. The sight of the hard blackberry-colored tips made his mouth water. “Gorgeous. I’ve missed doing this.” Dipping his head, he took one hardened nub between his teeth and nibbled.
Holding his head to her chest, she wove her fingers into his hair. “Oh, Hunter, I missed you doing this to me.”
He licked, laved and teased the taut point, making Lila moan deeply. Hunter loved how vocal she was. It told him how much she enjoyed his sensual ministrations although he wasn’t sure of how much foreplay he could offer. He couldn’t remember being this horny in a long time and he wanted nothing more than to fuck her bowlegged, to stave the frustration they’d both experienced the last couple weeks.
“More,” she groaned.
Hunter raised his head with a smile. “You liked that?”
“Mmm, you know I do.”
Chuckling lightly, he set his sights to her other nipple, giving it the same loving attention as he had the other. She tasted just as good as he remembered, but there was something he wanted more: some of that hot, tight, satisfying pussy of hers. Releasing the turgid tip with a wet pop, he moved to his knees as he dropped kisses against her belly. Hunter worked frantically to unfasten her jeans.
Lila offered him assistance, obviously as eager to get undressed as he was to undress her. Once he helped her out of her pants, her panties followed. Leaning forward, he placed a kiss against the patch of hair resting between her thighs. The scent of her arousal greeted his nostrils, making his cock harder than it already was.
Placing her hands on his shoulders to brace herself, she spread her legs in anticipation.
Hunter looked at her. “You’re ready for it, aren’t you?”
“You’d better believe it. I’ve spent too many sleepless nights fantasizing about this.”
“Then I certainly hope the reality lives up to your dreams.” He slipped his middle finger past her slick folds and into her tight cunt.
Lila inhaled sharply. “I have no doubt it will,” she moaned, grinding her hips against his finger.
With his free hand he parted her labia before latching on to her clit. Eating Lila’s pussy was such a turn on, he hoped he didn’t shoot his load before he could get his cock inside of her. Hunter sucked on the engorged nubbin while sliding his finger in and out of her channel. She was so wet and ready for him, her juices rolled down the inside of her thighs.
“Hunter, I love it when you do that to me. It feels so good,” she groaned.
He added another finger, shoving the digits deep into her hot hole. Lila cried out sharply, her hands gripping his shoulders tightly.
The grinding motion of her hips encouraged him to suck harder on her clit and finger her harder and faster. He loved the way she moved in rhythm with his touch and couldn’t wait to be one with her again.
He continued to thrust his fingers into her until Lila began to shake. During their time together, he’d come to know her body well, and when she was about to orgasm. Slowly removing his cream-soaked fingers, Hunter began to lap at her pussy in anticipation of her climax.
When it came, Lila screamed his name. “Hunter!” Her nails dug into his shoulders and he was sure, had he not been wearing a shirt, she probably would have tore into his flesh. He licked her pussy and inner thighs, catching her juices on his tongue.
She leaned forward as if her legs were going to buckle, but Hunter was ready for her. Catching her in his arms, he eased Lila on her back.
With frantic motions, he unbuckled his belt and was out of his pants in five seconds flat. His cock strained against his boxers to the point of pain. Hunter made short order of those as well. He didn’t bother to take off his shirt. The sooner he could be inside of Lila, the better.
With a smile on her face, offering wicked delight, she spread her legs, and held out her arms to him. “Hurry, Hunter.”
Needing no further encouragement, he positioned himself between her thighs. Grasping his cock he guided the rock hard shaft to her pussy. He ran the tip along her slit before pushing himself into her.
Hunter gasped as he sunk balls-deep into her. “Jesus Christ,” he hissed between clenched teeth. Her pussy gripped him in a vise, sucking him deeper still. She was so damned tight and it felt right as if the two of them were made for each other. Planting his hands on either side of her head so his arms could hold him braced, Hunter remained still for a moment simply to savor this moment.
What a fool he’d been to let her go. They belonged together. She was his.
He glanced down at Lila, to see her eyes closed. A smile curved her full lips and he could tell she was enjoying the sensation of being deliciously stuffed with his cock. Bending his head, he dropped a light kiss against those luscious lips of hers.
Lila opened her eyes with a smile. “I love you, Hunter, but I’d love you more if you finished what you started.”
Hunter threw his head back and laughed. “What Lila wants, Lila gets.”
“And don’t you forget it.”
He moved slowly at first to find his rhythm, and then began to pick up the pace. Lila lifted her hips to meet each thrust and clenched her muscles even tighter around his cock. Hunter knew with absolute certainly he wouldn’t be able to hold out long, but he intended to revel in every moment of it.
Hunter positioned his upper body on his forearms, enabling him to kiss her more easily. Lila wrapped her lithe legs around his waist, her eyes locking with his. Cupping the back of his head, she guided it towards hers until their lips met. Their tongues dueled as they strained together in a dance as old as time.
His balls tightened signaling his climax was near. Gritting his teeth, he tried to hold on, wanting Lila to come first. Fortunately he didn’t have long to wait before her legs tightened around his waist and she cried out release. Finally he let go. With a loud grunt, he came, shooting his seed deep into her pussy.
Panting he rested his head against the curve of her shoulder. Never had he been so overwhelmed with emotion. He felt so many things for this amazing woman, love, pride, and contentment, not to mention happiness.
“I love you, Hunter Jamison,” she whispered.
Hunter’s heart leapt in his chest. There was no feeling in the world like loving someone and being loved back. For so long he’d scorned the emotion called love, but no longer would he doubt its existence because he found his soul mate in Lila. “I love you too. More than you can know.”
Without warning she began to giggle. “Do you think they heard us outside? Your assistant’s desk isn’t that far from the door.”
Hunter smiled. “I don’t give a damn. It’s no one’s business what I do with my woman.”
“Am I really your woman, Hunter?”
“Damn right.” He kissed the tip of her nose. Hunter wanted to pinch himself to verify this wasn’t a dream. “I can’t believe this is happening, that you actually love me—especially when I look like this.”
She ran his fingers along his scars. “All I see is a handsome prince.”
The sincerity in her words could not be denied. “A prince needs a princess. I want you to be her.”
Lila raised one delicately arched brow. “Are you asking me to marry you, Hunter?”
“No. I’m telling you. After making the mistake once, I’m not going to do it again. I can’t take back the nasty things I said, but I can spend the rest of my life making up for them.”
She threw her arms around his neck and he held her tight. Nothing ever felt so right.
The Beast had finally captured his beauty. And this time, it was forever.
About the Author
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Eve Vaughn has always enjoyed creating characters and stories from an early age. As a child she was always getting into mischief, so when she lost her television privileges (which was often), writing was her outlet. Her stories have gotten quite a bit spicier since then! When she’s not writing or spending time with her family, Eve is reading, baking, traveling or kicking butt in 80’s trivia. She loves hearing from her readers. She can be contacted through her website at:
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Books by Eve Vaughn:
GianMarco: Blood Brother Book 1
Niccolo: Blood Brother Book 2
Romeo: Blood Brothers Book 3
The Kyriakis Curse: Book 1 of the Kyriakis Series
Whatever He Wants
Finding Divine
Run
The Auction
Jilted
A Night to Remember