Chapter Fourteen
“Knight.”
Petals’ soft voice crooned in his ear. She kissed his neck.
The simple act caused his body to react, but he remained still, wanting to see what she would do.
“Knight.” Her breath tickled his ear lobe and she pressed her naked body to his side, hooking one leg over his. “Time to wake up.” She slid her tiny hand down over his chest.
His breath hitched in anticipation as she moved lower and lower taking her own sweet time.
“Does someone need a wakeup call?” Her tone teased him and at last she took hold of his throbbing erection. They may have spent the night before making love, but that didn’t make his want for her lessen in the slightest. He didn’t know if he would ever be satiated.
She stroked him in long, slow movements that only made his arousal grow.
“Yes,” he hissed and raked his fingers through her already messy and tangled hair.
“Do you like that?” Once more, she kissed his neck, then leaned up and found his lips.
They instantly opened their mouths, their tongues connected, her grip on him tightened.
“I’ll show you what I like more.” He took her by her hips and placed her on top of him.
Without hesitation, she guided him inside her. Her tight wetness welcomed him, and he pulled her down for a long kiss.
Wanting her as close as possible, he wrapped his arms around her and lifted his knees, thrusting up into her, relishing in the way her body opened up for him. “God, you feel good.”
“Um.” Together they moved, no rush, no urgency, just allowing the slow build up.
Her breathing increased, small pants and gasps as the passion took over and she dug her nails into his shoulders. “Harder, Knight. Please.”
He gave into her pleas and propelled himself inside her. The image of filling her yet again made his balls ache, he would come soon. “Now, Petals.”
“Ah,” she called out and ground her hips to his. “Oh.”
With her cries her pulses began faint at first, then more intense, drawing him even deeper. She stiffened as the pleasure overtook her.
Her orgasm brought him to the edge all too quickly. His climax hit him hard, and he slammed into her one last time and let go, the euphoria taking over, making him lightheaded.
The wave of calm that happened only after two lovers came together settled like a comfortable haze around them. He collapsed back on the bed, and she remained on top of him.
“This is perfect.” She kept him inside her and lowered to his chest.
“You’re perfect.” He closed his eyes. The world should always be like this.
Sharp raps at the door jolted him up from the bed. The room spinning with his sudden movement, he glanced around his empty bedroom at the cottage and shook his head. Every day was spent waiting for Petals to return, the fantasies about her had become more frequent and lifelike, almost as if she were already with him. He had to figure out a way to get them together.
At another knock at the door, he stood. “What?” Who could possibly be here?
“It’s your stepmother let me in.” The wench pounded at the door again and tried the doorknob.
Only the fact he changed the locks prevented her from barging in here and finding him in this semi-compromised state.
“Hold on.” Still trying to find his footing, and knowing she wouldn’t leave, he ran to the bathroom, cleaned up his situation as best he could, and threw on some clothes.
With her still screeching his name and trying to turn the door handle, he found his cane and rushed through the small place and unlocked the door.
What greeted him was more of a horror show than just Stacy.
“Nashville.” His stepmother patted his cheek. “Look what I brought you.”
Laura stood there. She never aged, never changed. In fact, if anything, she seemed to appear younger than when he saw her last, back when they were still trying to make it as a couple. Her dark hair hung straight down her back in the same style she sported when she used to wait for him backstage, her dramatic makeup that used to lure him in, now seemed overdone. The half smile that used to intrigue him made a sick sensation rise in the center of his chest.
“What are you doing here?” Rather than let the intruders inside, he clutched the edge of the door and blocked their way.
“Laura didn’t know how to come to you.” Stacy played narrator.
“I’m sorry about your father.” At last, Laura came forward and put her hand on his arm. “It’s been a while.”
Her touch burned through him and he shrugged her away. “Surely, you didn’t come to offer your condolences after all these weeks.”
“I think about you all the time.” She inched closer. “We had something good once.”
“As the story goes, once upon a time.” For the first time ever, he gazed upon her and didn’t feel a longing deep within him, he didn’t feel anything. He would describe the sensation as numb mixed with nausea.
“I thought the two of you were going to be married,” Stacy interjected.
A lifetime ago, he did as well. He continued to stand there waiting.
“I thought maybe we could talk.” Laura reached up and brushed his hair back. “I’m sorry I hurt you. I know we’ve have a rocky road, but we are made to be together.”
Not too long ago if he would have heard these same words coming out of Laura’s mouth, he would have taken her into his arms and kissed her. However, while the saying went time healed all wounds, it also offered some clarity. They had traveled down this path too many times. The road was worn out, cracked, and beyond repair. With Petals, their road was brand new, they could forge ahead any way they wanted, and she expected nothing from him. “And what exactly do I have to do?”
“What do you mean?” She curled her arm around his neck. “God, you feel good.”
Because he had to see how this played, he allowed her to pull him down. He stopped her before their lips touched. “Tell me Laura, what do I have to do?”
“Let’s move forward, give up the past and start fresh.” She pressed her body to his.
Strange. Not too long ago, he would have said they fit together. Now they were mismatched, uncomfortable and foreign. “What exactly does that entail?”
“Let’s sell this land and we’ll have enough to do whatever we want. Everything we ever dreamed of.” She went to connect their lips.
“And exactly how much is Stacy paying you to come here and make these empty promises?” He unfurled himself from her.
She straightened up and looked him right in the eye, the same stance she took when she told him she needed to move on with her life, the same stance she took when she told him not to contact her again, they were done, the same stance she took the first time she saw him walk with a limp. “Nash, you need to learn when to move on.”
“I couldn’t agree with you more.” He stepped back. “You wasted your time coming here.”
“Nashville. Look at the life you could have.” Stacy stomped her foot. “Are you going to throw it all away for the memory of a dead man?”
“I think I’m getting rid of what I need to right now.” He glared at Laura.
“If you send me away I will never come back.” Laura put her hands on her hips. “We will never be together.”
“Sweetheart.” The most incredible sensation of freedom overtook him and he leaned against the doorjamb. “We were never going to be together anyway, even if we were together.”
“You’ll regret this, Nash.” Her words out, Laura turned on her heel and stomped back to Stacy’s car.
“Nashville.” Stacy crossed her arms. “Why are you doing this? Your father would want us to get along.”
“My father would want me to fight for what is right.” He lifted his chin.
Her nostrils flared. “You will never be able to succeed. Trust me.”
“I will never trust you.” He started to close the door. “Trust me.”
“This isn’t the last of it.” With a huff, she turned and head held high returned to her vehicle.
“I’m sure it’s not.” He closed the door. Tomorrow, he would be seeing Petals. The appearance of Laura only confirmed that his mystery woman was the right one for him. She was the one he wanted, the one he dreamed about. Somehow he had to figure out a way for them to be together in the real world without destroying their fantasy, but he couldn’t bring her into his mess of a life.