Broken (15 page)

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 where 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.”

His brow furrowed, but he nodded, which spurred me on. “You're a wonderful man, Charles, just not the right one for me. I know you'll find someone who will give you everythin' ya desire.” I could see by the way his shoulders had straightened, by the way he held his head a little higher, that he was buying every stroke of his ego. “I may be makin' a terrible mistake…”

His eyes widened.

“But I don't believe I can make you happy anymore.”

He flashed his gleaming teeth, nearly blinding me, and I knew he had bought it.

Chancing a glance over Charles's shoulder at Adam, I could just make out the smirk he was hiding behind his hand as he chuckled silently to himself.

We said our goodbyes and Charles left with a renewed spring in his step, which I have to admit made me happy. For all our troubles throughout our marriage, I never wanted to hurt Charles. I just wasn't in love with him anymore.

As soon as the door closed, Adam scooped me up into his arms and I knew that this was where I was meant to be.

He nuzzled my neck, still chuckling to himself. “And the Academy Award for best actress goes to…”

I stirred, rolling over to find the bed beside me empty but still warm. Snuggling into the soft covers, I could smell Adam's scent and knew he hadn't been gone for long.

“It's snowing, baby,” his rich accent announced, as my eyes adjusted to the ray of light gleaming through the window, and I saw him sitting on the sill, gazing out.

Wrapping the quilt around me to keep warm, I shuffled over to where he was perched, his arms opening instantly and pulling me into his side.

“It's our first snow here.” I yawned. “Snow on the sand seems weird, doesn't it?” It was like the weather didn't know what it was supposed to be doing, as patches of sand showed through areas of pure white snow. The deck had a thin layer of white covering it as soft snowflakes floated down from the heavens.

His hand rubbed my arm to warm it. “Well, one thing's for certain. We won't be going swimming or running today.”

“So what should we do instead?” I nibbled on his earlobe, giving it a little tug with my teeth.

“I think I'd like to start painting you. Do you feel like reclining seductively draped in a sheet?”

I giggled. “Cheesy much?”

He smiled. “Okay, so how about sitting right here by the window.” His gaze ran over my face. “You look breathtaking just like that.”

“Hmm, you're lookin' at me from an artistic point of view, where disheveled is interesting.”

“No, I'm looking at you from a man's perspective, and you are incredibly stunning.”

Instinctively, I ran my hand through my hair to smooth the bedhead look that I was no doubt sporting.

“Leave it like that. You look natural and beautiful.”

I let Adam get organized while I used the bathroom and freshened up a little, making sure my hair stayed in the bird's nest that he seemed to want. By the time I came back out, the snow had stopped falling and the first rays of sun were breaking through. Adam placed a stool in the sunlight where he wanted me to sit and I took up my position.

“We'll have to do this over a number of days if that's okay.”

I nodded. I didn't have anywhere I needed to be, and watching Adam paint was a real treat for me; he was usually so shy when it came to his art.

“I'll do a few sketches until I'm happy with the position, but I can't do the entire painting in one day with the light changing so quickly.”

I nodded again. “Got it, babe. Don't stress.”

Glancing over at the clock, I took note of the time. It was 7:25 a.m., which meant we would have to do it at around the same time every morning, to capture the same light. Adam stood back, taking in the scene, before coming over to adjust the quilt that was wrapped around my shoulders.

“Can we show a little bit of skin, baby?” he asked as he slid the quilt down and I pulled my arms out from underneath, until I was clutching it to my chest to hide my boobs. My hair was draped over one shoulder and he manually adjusted my head position until it was just right.

“Now stay still.”

After about an hour, I began to fidget and my neck was getting stiff. Adam had been sketching away frantically, flipping over page after page and moving around me to get just the right angle. Normally, the only time I could sit still was when I was in front of the computer writing, and I didn't have my story to get lost in to make the time go faster.

“Bored now.” I sighed.

Adam's eyes flicked up to meet mine from behind the sketchpad, the smile in them telling me he was laughing, although his mouth was hidden. “This is why I paint landscapes. They don't complain.”

I let out a very unladylike yawn and stretched the kinks from my neck. Adam stopped drawing, waiting for me to get back into position.

“Sorry, Sugar. Is this back in the same spot?” I slid the quilt down from my chest, letting it pool in my lap, then stuck out my boobs and gave him my best wide-eyed, innocent expression.

He chuckled, shaking his head. “That's perfect. But I'll have to keep the painting in my own private collection if that's the pose we're going for.”

Giggling, I pulled the quilt back up to my chest.

“No, leave it down,” he said, smiling. “I'd like to paint you like that. If you don't mind sitting in the window topless.”

Quickly scanning the beach for any sign of life, I relaxed. The snow had stopped falling, but it was still too cold for anyone to be out on the sand. Taking a deep breath, I dropped the quilt again and tried a few poses with my shoulders forward or back. Eventually, I loosely wrapped my arm over my chest to rest my hand on the opposite shoulder and looked up at Adam. The rise and fall of his chest told me I was onto a winner as a sexy smile spread over his face and he sighed.

“That's perfect, Buttercup. Stay just like that.”

Again he sketched as if his life depended on it, the concentration on his face so adorable that I couldn't help smiling.

“Bet when you first got here you never thought you'd be posing topless for some chap you'd just met.”

I paused, considering what Adam had just said. How different had I been when I'd first arrived only a few weeks ago? I'd felt lost and alone, adrift in a sea of uncertainty and confusion over where my life was heading. My only ray of light had been Angie. She'd had faith in my ability to tell a decent enough story that a few people might be interested in, and give an unknown author a chance. Maybe she'd felt sorry for me, understanding that I needed something to focus my energy on, but either way, I'd ended up here in the Hamptons.

Then I'd met Adam. And he had changed everything.

In such a short space of time, he'd taught me so much about myself and about the type of person I wanted to be, and the type of person I wanted to be with. He had become my rock, my teacher, my friend and confidant. I smiled as my stomach clenched, thinking of the things we'd done and the way he had touched me.

“Whatever you're thinking about, Buttercup, I love that expression on your face.”

I bit my lip playfully. “What expression might that be, Picasso?”

His head tilted to the side as his eyes roamed over my body and face. “The reflective one. Like you were thinking about something pleasurable, something that made your heart race.”

I tried to blank my face. “I have no idea what ya talkin' 'bout.”

“Was it about me?” He'd put down the sketchpad and walked over to me. “Were you thinking about me when you got that look on your face?”

His hand cupped my chin, raising my head to look up into his eyes. Leaning forward, I kissed him tenderly on the chest, trailing butterfly kisses down his abdomen.

“Are we finished for today?” I asked, swirling the tip of my tongue around his navel.

“Uh-huh,” he sighed.

“Good. I'm goin' to take a shower.” Standing, I let the quilt drop to the floor and brushed past Adam.

“You are such a tease.” He turned and tried to grab hold of me, but I was too quick and sidestepped out of his grasp. “Fine, go have your shower,” he said with a chuckle. “I'll get you back later.”

As Adam focused on his most recent painting of the lighthouse and cliff, I snuck up behind him and slid my hand down the front of his jeans. “Is this what you wanted to show me before? It's kinda big and hard, isn't it?”

“Yes, baby, that's my cock you're holding.”

Slowly, my hand stroked the length of him. He stood perfectly still as his breathing increased.

“And now you're stroking it.” His hand reached behind him until it grabbed my ass and squeezed. Bridging the final gap between us, I snaked my free hand around his waist and pressed the front of my body to his back. The hand down his pants moved more quickly.

He stepped away. “Right, I need to go out for a few minutes.”

“Really? You don't want me to keep goin'?” I pouted seductively.

“No. I think now is a good time.”

He went to his drawer and pulled out a sweater, changed his jeans to clean ones, and found his boots.

“But it's pourin' outside. You'll catch your death.”

“Everyone has to die sometime, right?” His eyes skimmed my naked body, the tip of his tongue wetting his lips as his gaze traveled over my hips. “I need to make a little trip to the drugstore.” In three steps he was standing only an inch away. “I need to be inside you, with your legs wrapped around my hips before the day is over.”

With a slap on Adam's butt, I asked, “Well, whatcha waitin' for? Skedaddle.”

I couldn't stop the excited butterflies circling in my stomach as I paced the floor, anxiously awaiting Adam's return. This was crazy. I'd had sex before, but this was different because this was Adam. Wringing my hands together, I went to sit on the edge of the sofa, but as soon as my jeans touched down, I was back up again, and pacing.

“Okay, Evie, relax. You've got this,” I told myself. “It's just sex. You remember sex, right? It's that thing you used to hate doin'.” I laughed out loud, making Max raise his head to see what had interrupted his snoring. My stomach was tied in knots as I checked the clock for what felt like the tenth time in the last eight minutes. Well, eight minutes and twenty-three seconds, to be precise.

I didn't know what to do with myself. To undress and be waiting in the bedroom would probably come across as a little too needy, and I doubted Adam would walk in the door and start ravishing me. I stopped pacing. The thought of Adam ravishing me put a massive grin on my face. He had seemed as eager as I was as he'd raced out the door eleven minutes ago, but knowing Adam, I was expecting him to make a bigger deal of it than just a quickie bent over the table.

Hmm, bent over the table.

I giggled, then smacked my hand over my mouth as Max stirred again, opening one eye to observe the crazy woman I'd become.

This was too much. I needed to find something to occupy my mind until my soon-to-be lover walked back through the door.

Shaking out my hands, I took three deep calming breaths. What if I'd forgotten what to do? That was assuming I ever really knew what I was supposed to do in the first place. To say Charles hadn't been adventurous was an understatement, with missionary being his go-to position of choice.

“Oh God.” My heart rate that had already elevated due to excitement was now galloping. Closing my eyes, I tried to picture all the porn that Angie and I had watched. All the positions we'd seen were still etched in my mind, but with them came the corny acting and cheesy one-liners. I needed to find an acceptable ground somewhere between boring-sex Evie and over-the-top porn star.

Adam's knock on the door had me jumping out of my skin, and I raced to let him in. He took one look at my stressed face and knew where my head was at.

“Relax, Buttercup.” He dropped the grocery bags on the counter, then cupped my face in his hands. “I'd love to throw you over my shoulder and carry you off to bed right now.” His eyes scanned my face. “But I don't want to rush it.” He pressed his lips softly to mine. “I want our first time to be special, memorable for both of us.”

I pouted. “I wouldn't mind if you threw me over your shoulder.” Running my hands over his chest, I felt a box in the pocket of his jacket.

He smirked. “Is this what you're feeling around for?” He reached into the pocket and pulled out a rather large box, and I did a little inner happy dance that there must have been at least fifty condoms in that packet.

“Wow, I reckon that's a lot of sex you're promisin' me,” I said, trying not to bounce up and down on the spot.

He kissed my head, pulling me in to his body. “They should last us a couple of days.”

My heart fluttered and I leaned into his embrace, lost in the strength of his arms as he held me.

“Where are you up to in your book? We need to finish business before we get to pleasure,” he stated, smoothing my hair down my back.

As I nuzzled into him, the book was the last thing on my mind. “Hmm, I'm nearly done with chapter seventeen, 'bout sixty thousand words in.”

Holding my head in his hand, his lips came down to mine, sending a shiver through my body. “Finish that chapter, then we'll eat a beautiful meal and…play.”

“But it's takin' me ages. I need a sex scene to finish it, and I just can't seem to get it right. You know I write better from experience.”

His smirk said it all. “Okay, you can write it tomorrow.”

Dinner was great, but I could hardly eat, my stomach repeatedly performing a gymnastics routine at the prospect of having Adam inside me.
Balls' deep
was how he'd once described it. That was a lot of him to be squeezed into me. He was bigger than Charles in both length and girth, and at times Charles had been uncomfortable to accommodate. But then maybe that was because I wasn't all that interested in Charles's fumbling, so I hadn't been ready. I smiled. Just thinking about Adam and how amazing he would feel had me ready to go. If how he touched me and kissed me, not to mention the magnificent tongue tricks he could do, were anything to go by, I knew there would be yet more fireworks. Everything with Adam was like an old Hollywood movie, with shooting stars and an orchestra playing, only it wasn't cheesy in the slightest. It was beautiful and romantic and stripped back to the bare raw emotion that I had dreamed about my entire life.