Chapter Fourteen

Unchartered Waters

“Confessions? As in plural? More than one? You’ve got me worried, sweetie.” I lie in his arms as he runs his hands up and down my body. “Is it about last night? Did something happen? I knew I should have come out to find you.” His hands stop and I can feel him gripping the arms of the lounge chair.

“No, Evan, nothing happened. I swear!”

“Then tell me. Now. Please.” He starts caressing me with his gentle touch again.

“Food and drink first. Come.” I pull him up and off the lounge chair with me. Time to eat.

Evan finds a take-out menu for the local Chinese restaurant that delivers. We settle on Lo Mein, Beef & Broccoli, Wonton Soup, and Crab Rangoon. While I place the order, Evan opens up a bottle of Riesling. Trying to keep the topic light, I ask him where he’ll be spending Easter Sunday. We’ve just reconnected and I cannot stand the thought of not seeing him tomorrow.

“Funny you should ask. I was just going to invite you to join me at my sister’s for dinner. I don’t know if you remember me telling you about Callie, but she and her husband Dean live in Cedar Grove. Both my parents will be there and I really want them to meet you.”

“Baby, I’d love to meet your parents, but I can’t. I have plans with my mother and grandmother in Bayonne.” He puts the bottle of wine down, and takes three quick strides straight for me, gathers me in his arms and kisses me. My mouth immediately opens to welcome him. Our tongues become reacquainted and I know immediately that I’m falling deeply, madly, passionately in love with this man. How could I think that I could live, for even one more moment, without him?

He releases me slowly. “Wow! I should say no to you more often.”

“That wasn’t for saying ‘no’. That was the first time you called me anything other than my name.”

“That’s not true. I’ve called you chief and bossy man plenty of times.”

“Not the same. You called me baby. It’s a name that’s only shared by lovers. And I absolutely love hearing you call me that. Especially now, after everything I’ve told you.”

“I wish I could meet your family tomorrow. I really want you to meet my mom, too.”

“Why can’t we do both? Can’t we have dinner with one and dessert with the other?”

Is he crazy? It’s easily a half an hour drive between the two towns. “Seriously? I don’t know, Evan. I’d hate for everyone to have to change their plans just to suit us.”

“Well, what time is your mother’s dinner?”

“Early, probably around three o’clock. She’ll start cooking right after church.”

“See, it’s perfect. Callie will be eating closer to six o’clock. That means dessert’s not until seven. We can make it in plenty of time.”

“Are you sure about this, Evan?”

“I’m one hundred percent sure. I’m calling my mother now. Okay?”

“Okay.” So much has changed in the course of a day. Yesterday, I didn’t know if I was ever going to see him again. Now we’re making plans together as a couple and he wants me to meet his family. Am I ready for this? Are we ready for this?

“Hi Mom, how are you? I’m sitting here talking to Juliette about our plans for Easter dinner.” He steps a little closer to me and plants a small kiss on my lips. “Yes, she is. I couldn’t agree more.” He winks at me. “We’d like to stop and visit with her family in Bayonne first if that’s okay. We can make it to Callie’s in plenty of time for dessert. What do you think?” Evan looks at me with a grin and a nod. “Great. See you tomorrow. Tell Dad I said hi. Love you, too, Mom.”

I love that he’s obviously told his mom about me. They must be close. I can’t wait to meet them.

“Your mom seems okay with the change in plans.”

“She is.” He kisses me.

“And she seems to know exactly who I am.”

“She does.” He kisses me again.

“I guess I should call my mother now.”

“You should.” Another kiss.

The call to my mother is a little longer than Evan’s call was. I haven’t told my mother anything about him. She’s surprised to hear that I have a boyfriend, much less one that I’m interested in bringing home for Easter dinner. She wants to know everything: how we met, how long we’ve been seeing each other, how he treats me.

Evan tries to give me a little privacy by grabbing some plates and silverware to set the table, but I know he can still hear my conversation. I’m grateful when the doorbell rings. Evan leaves the room to pay for our dinner and I have a moment to talk privately.

“Mom, I’m really falling for him. But he has a past. A relationship with Evan is going to be ... challenging.”

“Juliette, every relationship has its challenges. The real question is, is he worth it?”

Evan is back with our Chinese. He’s standing at the dinner table, sorting through the cartons and pouring us more wine. I can easily see this becoming routine. Sharing meals together, chatting about our day, making plans. He looks over to me and our eyes meet. “Yes, Mom, he’s definitely worth it.”

Immediately, Evan’s at my side, feasting on my neck and shoulders with his hungry kisses. He knows how much it tickles and that he’s torturing me. I can’t hold back and a small giggle slips. It doesn’t go unnoticed by my mother. “Yeah, that’s Evan. I’m going to go now. Give Gram my love. See you tomorrow, Mom.”

“Was that necessary?” I scold Evan as I try to push him off me. It’s no use, that man is hard as steel.

“It was completely necessary.” He wraps his arms around my waist, lifts me off my feet, and kisses me deeply. I tangle my fingers in his hair, close my eyes, and revel in the delightful sensations coursing through my body. Too soon, my feet are placed back on the floor and Evan is leading me towards the table where our dinner awaits.

As we eat, we chat about tomorrow’s plans. If we leave around noon, we should arrive at my mother’s place in plenty of time for a nice little visit and dinner. I cannot show up without dessert, and now it seems I have to make twice as much. That means a trip to the grocery store tonight. I want everything to be perfect. It has to be; you only get one shot at a first impression.

Once we’re done and all cleaned up, I try to stall a little longer. “Evan, can you take me to the Food Mart now? I have to get a few things for tomorrow’s dessert. You know we can’t show up empty handed.”

“Sorry, Juliette, but time’s up. The grocery store can wait. Let’s go sit in the living room and finish our talk.”

There’s no use arguing, so I sullenly follow him back to the living room. “You’re going to be mad,” I tell him.

“I don’t know how I’ll feel until you tell me what happened. But I can’t imagine anything you could have done that would change how I feel about you.”

“It’s not what I did; it’s what I didn’t do.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Well, yesterday, there was a flower left on my car when I got out of work. It was wrapped in cheap plastic with a sticker on it. I knew it wasn’t from you.”

“No, you’re right. It wasn’t from me. Did anyone follow you again like last time?”

“No, I’m positive. I drove straight home and called Derek to come pick me up. That’s where I was when you texted me last night.”

“I can certainly understand why you drank so much. I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you.” He sweeps a random lock of hair off my face and behind my ear. “I don’t suppose Derek tried to convince you to call the police, did he?”

“No, he didn’t. What am I supposed to tell them, Evan? There was no threat, no harm, and no damage. What could they do?”

“I definitely wish you would have called the police.” He holds me close and I can hear him take a deep breath. “You had me worried. I thought it was much worse than that.”

“There’s more.”

“Okay.” He releases me and I sit back in the couch. I don’t want to look at him when I tell him this next part.

“When I got home from work today, I found signs that someone had been in my house.” Evan stands up and walks to the other side of the room. He has his back to me.

The timbre of his voice is off. “What kind of ... signs?” He’s mad. Really mad.

“For one thing, the dog was outside. Auggie and I never leave Maddy out all day.” I hesitate for a moment and consider leaving it at that, but my conscience gets the better of me and I tell him the rest. “Someone was in my bedroom, too. A sexy red dress, thong, and stilettos were laid out on the bed for me.”

He punches the wall. I was afraid of this reaction. “Juliette, do you have any idea what could have happened? He could have been waiting for you in your closet, under your bed, in another room. This sick fuck could have taken you, raped you, and killed you.” Now he’s pacing around the room frantically.

“That’s why I called you and came right over.” The reality of the situation is starting to sink in. I’ve been telling myself all along that songs, flowers, and dresses are harmless. But the truth is that he seems to be escalating. He’s invaded my work, my car, and now my bedroom. What’s next?

“Get your shoes on. We’re going to the police. Now.”

“It’s Saturday night, Evan. There’s no one there but the dispatcher right now.”

“I don’t care. Let’s go. I’m not kidding, Juliette.” He walks over to the hall and grabs his wallet and keys.

“Evan, this is a small town. Please listen to me. There’s a non-emergency number we can call. They will send someone here.” I take out my phone and find the number for the police station and hand Evan my phone. “Just hit ‘call’. Go ahead. Make the call.”

The dispatcher tells Evan someone will be here within the hour. He’s pacing the room again. It’s much worse than I anticipated. Evan makes another call. He asks Adam to come over, too, although I’m not sure why.

When Evan speaks to me again, he’s practically shouting at me. “Juliette, you’ve been here for over two hours. This should have been the first thing out of your mouth! When something is wrong, you have to tell me. I want to take care of you, dammit.”

Now I’m getting angry. Evan’s got to know my limits. “I’ve taken care of myself for a long time now. I don’t need someone to take care of me. My father only cared about taking care of himself. And my mother? Her idea of taking care of someone was to stay out of the way.”

Evan is now looking at me like I have three heads. A smile spreads across his face and he begins shaking his head. Then he laughs, loudly. Not the reaction I was anticipating. “What’s so funny?” I bark at him.

“I’ve never been interested in taking care of another person in my life. Ever. I finally find someone who I want to be with, share everything with, and take care of. And how does she feel? She doesn’t want me to take care of her.”

“You think you have it bad? I have huge trust issues with men, and here I am, falling for a man who didn’t want to tell me his real name!” Now we’re both laughing.

“You’re right, we should end it now.” He walks over and extends his hand to shake. “It was nice knowing you. Good luck with all that nasty little stalker business, Miss Fletcher.”

“Yes, it was nice finally meeting the real you. Good luck with those annoying intimacy issues, Mr. McGuire.”

I turn to leave, and Evan grabs me by the hips and spins me around. “You’re going to be the end of me, you know. What am I going to do with you?”

“I have a few ideas.” As I kiss him deeply, I find an opening beneath his shirt and run my fingers across the toned muscles of his back. He grabs my ass and pulls me closer to him. He whispers in my ear, “You’re not going home tonight.”

“I had no intentions on going anywhere tonight. Not unless you were to come with me.”

“Sweetheart, I have every intention of coming with you, believe me.”

Before things get taken too far, there’s a loud knock, followed by opening of the front door, and the familiar voice of Adam. “Hey guys, I’m here. What’s going on?”

Evan brings Adam up to speed on the details of the past few days. “Why didn’t she call the police?”

“Damned if I know. She thinks she can take care of it herself. Do you believe this shit?” They keep talking about me like I’m not even in the room.

“You’re not letting her go home tonight, are you?”

“Hell, no. She’s not setting foot in that house alone until we install a security system. Can you take care of that? You know who to call, right?”

“Sure. But tomorrow’s a holiday. I can’t get anyone there until Monday or Tuesday. Does anyone else live in the house? They shouldn’t go back there, either.”

Crap. Auggie. I never even thought about the danger I was putting him in. How could I be so thoughtless?

“Yeah, she has a roommate. Juliette, please call Auggie right away.”

While the boys continue their conversation, I step out onto the deck to call Auggie. I tell him absolutely everything: all about Evan, our rekindled relationship, and my unwelcomed attention. He says he can stay at Brandon’s until things are straightened out. The two of them will go back to the house together to get a few things. Brandon even allows him to take Maddy with them. I don’t know what I would do if anything happened to him or Maddy.

When I come back inside, Adam’s nowhere to be seen. “Did he leave? I wanted to thank him.”

“No, honey. He’s in my office making a few phone calls.” I wrap my arms around his waist and lay my head on his chest. He’s right, I should have listened to him sooner. He’s not only taking care of me, he’s taking care of those I love. How could I have ever doubted him?

The police arrive to take our statements. Just as I suspected, there’s nothing they can do right now. Nothing was stolen or damaged. But Officer Harper assures us that we did the right thing by filing a report now. If anything else were to happen, there will be a record of previous activities. Additional patrols will be made on my street for the time being.

“Officer Harper, I’m sure you know who I am. I don’t want any of this leaked to the press. I need to know that all of this will remain completely confidential.”

The two men shake hands, “Of course, Mr. McGuire. You have nothing to worry about. Have a good night.”

It’s almost ten o’clock at night when Adam leaves. Evan walks over to the front door and sets the alarm. I guess that means we’re in for the night and I’m not happy about it. I’m definitely not going to be able to make dessert for tomorrow. Evan agrees to take me to the bakery early in the morning so at least I can bring something fresh, if not homemade.

“Evan, I’m sorry I ruined our night together.” The more I think about it, I have to admit to myself that I haven’t been making good choices lately. When faced with new information about Evan, I took everything at face value and denied him an opportunity to explain things. I find myself on the receiving end of inappropriate, unwanted attention that could quickly turn dangerous, and I ignore it, putting myself and my loved ones in harm’s way. A man that I am crazy about tells me he only wants to take care of me and I challenge him on it. Throughout it all, Evan has been steadfast and unyielding in his devotion.

“You’re right. You did ruin everything. I think you should be punished for your appalling behavior.” He lunges for me, but I wriggle away, trying to evade his advances. “I don’t think so, young lady,” Evan retorts. I try to run away, giggling, but I don’t get very far. He leaps in front of me, sweeps me into his arms, and swiftly deposits me onto his bed. Next thing I know, Evan has me pinned beneath him, kissing me with a hunger and passion that makes me feel weak.

His hands move over me, gently stroking my hair, kneading my breasts, and cupping my heat. Our hips begin rocking against one another, needing and wanting more. Desire is pooling in my stomach, and I cannot stop my hands from finding his hair and holding his face tightly to mine.

Our breathing becomes erratic, and I find myself struggling for breath. Evan takes my hand and places it over his chest. “Do you feel that, my heart is racing. That’s you. That’s all you.” I sigh at how good it is to feel his touch again, to hear his breathless confessions.

His hands move towards the button on my jeans, but he hesitates, unsure. He looks up at me with smoldering eyes, seeking permission. “Evan, make love to me. Please.”

Silently, he slips from our embrace and stands at the foot of the bed, his eyes never leaving mine. I lean up on my elbows, watching his every move with fervent desire. First, he removes his shirt, stripping it up and over his head, and then tossing it to the floor. My eyes linger over the indent in his hips, forming that sexy v-line that extends beneath the waistband of his jeans. Looking at the ripples in his muscles sends tingles down my spine. He unzips his jeans and slips them off his long lean legs. He now stands before me only in his boxer shorts, and the sight of him is unnerving. It feels as if I could explode from the tension building up in my body. Finally, he removes his boxers and crawls back to me.

He trails kisses along my neck as he presses against me. He finds the hem of my shirt and pulls it up and over my head, tossing it to the side. I remove my bra, and his lips find one breast while his hand claims the other. “Mine,” he mutters against me as he gently teases my nipple with his teeth.

“Yours,” I repeat as I rake my nails across his back. He lets out a whimper that travels right to my sex, causing me to become even damper with want.

Evan kneels above me and begins to remove my pants so slowly it is almost torturous. I lift my hips to help as he slides them down and off my legs. He sweeps kisses up my leg, stopping at my hipbone, whispering “mine” again and again. When he finally reaches my ear, he gently nibbles and hisses, “You are so beautiful.”

Lying there together on his bed, completely exposed to one another, we take time to explore each other’s body. I discover I can make him groan when my fingers, lips, and tongue explore his abs and the cut in his waist. He revels in delight when whimpers of pleasure ripple from my lips as he tugs on my nipple with his tongue and teeth.

We lie on our sides, face to face, and kiss slowly. Our hands continue to explore each other’s bodies, all the while, our eyes gazing into one another’s, filled with desire. His hand travels down my navel and he slowly slips one then two fingers deep inside me. I am so wet with need, it is almost unbearable. Instinctively, I find his firm erection and begin stroking his length, slowly and deliberately.

I close my eyes so I can shut out everything except the feel of our hands caressing each other. I open them again to take another look at the beautiful man in my arms. The realization that he is mine and I am his washes over me and overpowers me. This must be what true love feels like. A lone tear escapes and I bite my lip to keep from losing control. Evan gently sweeps away the tear and reassures me, “I know, I feel it too.”

Slowly, he rolls me onto my back, placing his knees between mine, opening me up to him, and he slides into me. Inch by inch, our bodies expand and contract to accept one another until we are as tightly bound as any two people could be. When it feels like I can take no more, I call out his name and grip his ass tightly in my hands. I hold him to me, moving ever so slightly in order to feel all of him as he glides in and out.

Our hips rock together, finding a rhythm. “Juliette, don’t ever leave me again,” Evan pleads.

“Never,” I promise. I reach up to touch his face when he takes both my hands in his and pins them to the bed above my head. Holding me in place, he grinds his hips into mine, creating the most delicious friction.

“Oh, my God, Evan, please. I’m so close,” I moan into his mouth. Without needing any more encouragement, he thrusts inside me over and over again. He wraps his fingers around mine as we both move closer and closer to the edge. “Harder,” I plead, arching my back to welcome even more of him inside me.

“Juliette, come for me,” he demands. He groans against my neck as he thrusts into me, bringing the most exquisite release from deep inside me. I cry out for him as I begin to tighten and pulse around him. “Oh, baby,” he calls out as his body tightens and his hips jerk against me. I can feel his release inside me and the look on his face is the sexiest thing I have ever seen in my life.

He collapses on top of me; our muscles and limbs forming a languid tangle. We are a mess of sweat and sex as we struggled to breathe. Carefully and slowly, he pulls out of me and rolls onto his side. Turning to follow him, our eyes meet and we smile at each other. He reaches up to touch my face, and kisses me.

For the longest time, we just lie in each other’s arms, staring at each other and enjoying the post coital warmth of our lovemaking.

I turn away from him so he can snuggle up behind me, wrapping his arms around me. He whispers in my ear, “I’m never letting you go. Just so you know.”

I smile at the thought and simply reply, “Okay.” I hold his arms that are held tight around my middle as he pulls me closer. I can feel him breathing against me, our chests rising and falling in unison. “Good night, baby.”

“Good night, baby.” The heaviness of sleep is overwhelming and I drift into a blissful sleep, cradled in the arms of the man I love.

Date: 2015-02-28; view: 586