He moved lower, brushing wet kisses over her stomach, smiling as her muscles quivered. He moved farther down on the bed pushing her thighs apart, settling between them laving her navel.
His hands gripped her hips as his mouth moved downward.
She gasped as he placed a wet kiss on her pussy mound, bolting upright. “What are you doing?” her eyes wide, panicked.
He glanced up just making out her face in the dim light. “I am going to taste you.”
“What…?” Lily squeaked.
“I am going to taste you.” He glided his tongue down the line between her pussy lips his fingers resting on her outer thighs.
She shook her head, pulling away from him.
“No,” he whispered, his breath hot against her aroused flesh. “Lie back, enjoy.”
“No, Clay,” her voice high pitched. She pulled her legs away, he would… might…, especially if…. Lily couldn’t, wouldn’t let that happen.
He looked up as she shook her head frantically. “I want to taste you.”
“Morning is coming. We have to get ready to go.” She struggled away from him, slapping her thighs closed she grabbed a pillow from behind covering her body.
He closed his eyes, gritting his teeth. “Fine, go get ready.”
She flinched, scrambling to the side of the bed. Bending, she grabbed the towel. She wrapped the towel around her body flying into the bathroom closing the door behind her.
Clay slammed his fist into the mattress, his cock throbbing. Damn! Why did she keep pulling away and running? She had been as aroused as he had been.
He took a few deep breaths staring out the window, dawn just beginning to break, light filtered into the room. He went to his room, taking a long cold shower, thinking about Lily.
****
Lily stood in front of the mirror, staring at herself. Everyone thought she was respectable, but only because she hid the truth. She sighed, closing her eyes.
Resigned to the knowledge she would never marry; never have children, she was grateful for all Clay had shown her. She wished things could be different, that she could be different then he might want to be with her if he saw her. Really, saw her.
She frowned. She was a fool to think such things, she knew better. It was time to get ready for the day.
She was sitting on the bed putting her shoes on when Clay knocked on the door.
“Lily, you ready?” he called.
She walked to the door, opening it, “I’m ready.”
Once again, they left the hotel together, but not touching. Lily greeted everyone. He whispered in her ear, telling her to buy something today as he exited the car for another round of meetings.
She gulped, knowing she wouldn’t. He would have to be mad at her.
The girls went into clothing stores. She browsed again. She enjoyed looking at the clothes she would never wear. The low cut blouses, the backless dresses, and the midriff baring shirts.
She heard Melissa behind her. “Why don’t you try the shirt on?”
“Oh no.” Lily felt heat race over her face at being caught looking at the shirts.
“Why not? Part of the fun is trying the clothes on,” Melissa said, gesturing toward the racks with the shirts.
She stepped away. “No, thank you.”
Melissa stood in front of her, “Come on! Spend some of Clay’s money.”
Her face got hotter. “I can’t, Melissa.”
“Why?” Melissa asked, “You are his girlfriend.”
She gulped. “I don’t like trying clothes on.”
“You two ready?” Amy called from the aisle.
“Yeah,” Lily replied, walking toward Amy, Melissa next to her.
At the next store, they again went their separate ways, but this time she stayed away from the clothes. She didn’t want to be caught looking at them again.
She meandered through the house wares, caught Melissa and Amy talking out of the corner of her eye. She knew they were talking about her, but didn’t care. Let them tell on her. She only had two and half more days left before she could go hide again.
To her lonely apartment, her one room lonely apartment. She hadn’t accomplished much in her life, at twenty-one – she was already washed up, used and doomed to wither away a wallflower.
“Lily,” Amy motioned to the others, “we are ready to head out, you?”
She sat in the car listening to the three women talk. One name caught her attention. Jason! Lily listened to the conversation. Jason was friends with Clay and Tom.
Her heart raced, Clay knew Jason, she never thought, it never occurred to her.
Amy leaned forward, clasping Lily’s hand. “Lily, are you okay?”
“What?” She snapped out of her daze.
“Your face went white,” Melissa said, “are you okay honey?”
Lily forced a smile. “Yes, I am fine.” She took a deep breath walking inside with the girls. She saw the frown in Clay’s eyes, knew he was angry with her. She wondered which of the girls ratted on her or if he was still upset over this morning.
****
They arrived at the hotel, no words spoken since leaving the restaurant. She smothered a yawn as the elevator doors opened. Clay opened the suite door and she went directly to her room, changing quickly, she lay down.
Clay walked into her room, wanting to talk to her. Twice now, she had left him hard. Twice she had run away on him. Twice she had refused to spend his money. He didn’t understand her.
Melissa told him Lily refused to try clothes on at the store, had gotten panicky when confronted about it. He never heard of a woman not wanting to try clothes on or buy them.
He stared at her sleeping face, tomorrow in the morning he would have a conversation with her. Find out the truth. For now, he wanted to sleep with her in his arms.
Chapter 10
Lily woke feeling so warm, so safe. She didn’t understand why at first, but quickly recognized the weight on her waist, the warmth against her back. It was Clay.
She glanced over at the clock it was only 5 a.m. She should go back to sleep, but knew she wouldn’t, couldn’t with him behind her.
It was wrong to lie in his arms, to let him hold her, to believe in something that was nothing more than a temporary fantasy.
She eased out of his arms and went to the kitchen, making some coffee. She sat at the table watching the skyline as morning broke. The light shone through the windows casting shadows against her coffee cup.
She wondered for a brief moment what could have been with Clay, stupid she knew, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself. She arched her neck rubbing the tendons.
He stood in the doorway watching Lily. He had known the moment she had woken and allowed her to move out of his arms. The light shone on her face, she looked lost, sad even. He took a deep breath, walking toward his room. “Lily.”
She jerked. “Yeah.” She hadn’t heard him come out of the room.
He stopped before entering his room, turning toward her. “Want to go get some breakfast?”
“With who?” She asked.
He extended his arms, pointing to himself. “Just me.”
She couldn’t help but giggle, no more than she could hide her surprise, “You and me.”
“Yeah, you and me.” He smiled at the surprise in her voice and on her face. “I’m hungry.”
She smiled. “Okay.”
“Why don’t you get ready?” He walked into his room.
****
They went to a little café and had some breakfast and light conversation. Clay didn’t bring anything up and she enjoyed his company.
After they finished, he had the car stop at a store. He wanted to get something, so she browsed around, waiting for him.
A cute low-cut shirt caught her eye. She inspected the shirt, shrugged as she put it back on the rack.
She felt him before he spoke, his hands coming to rest on her shoulders. “Why don’t you try the shirt on?”
She tried to pull away from his touch. “No, thank you.”
His fingers tightened on her shoulders, keeping her in place. “Why not? You like the shirt.”
“To look at,” she murmured, “not to wear.”
He glanced down at Lily, wondering, “You don’t wear things like that at all. How come?”
She shrugged. “Are you done?”
He sighed, loudly, his hands moving off her shoulders, “Yes, but I would like you to try the shirt on.” He took the shirt off the rack, holding it out to her.
“No,” she muttered.
“Why not?” He looked down at the shirt, then over at her.
“I don’t want to.” She turned, taking two steps away from him.
He felt her agitation, could see her defenses were up. “You never wear anything low cut, even your gowns come up to your collarbone, why?”
She shook her head. “Can we drop this conversation please. Do you need something else?”
“I would like an answer,” Clay snapped.
Lily flinched. “I don’t wear clothes like that.”
“Yes, I know,” he said, “I am asking why.”
“Because I choose not to,” she snapped, walking away from him.
She stopped by the baby section. She didn’t enter, but stood quietly watching a young woman with her baby girl shopping. She smiled, the familiar sadness engulfing her. She had always wanted children.
“Do you want one?” his hands again came to rest on her shoulders.
She rolled her eyes. Why was he following her? “No.”
He looked over at the baby, then down at her. “Really? You love children, you can’t take your eyes off the baby?”
She smiled softly. “I do, as long as they are someone else’s. And you Clay, do you want children someday?”
“Yes,” he said, watching her face, “I do.”
She bit her cheek, she understood.
“You ready?” he asked.
“Yeah.” She smiled one last time at the beautiful baby, before turning away. His hand settled on her waist leading her out to the car.
They entered the suite and Clay walked to his room to get ready for his appointment. Today the band was meeting with the producer for their next album and she was supposed to go shopping again, but she didn’t want to.
She walked down to his room, calling his name.
He walked out of the bathroom, surprised to see Lily in his room. “Yeah.”
Her eyes skimmed over him, he didn’t have a shirt on. He was bare to the waist, and her dusky eyes ate him up. “Would it be a problem if I skipped shopping, I have a headache and would like to lie down.” She twisted her hands together.
He glanced at Lily, choosing to take her at her word. “Yeah sure, I will tell the girls.”
She sent him a grateful smile, forcing herself not to look at his chest. She turned walking toward the door, “Thank you.”
“Lily,” he took two steps toward her, “would you like me to call you so you can get ready for dinner?”
“Yeah,” she stopped in the doorway glancing over her shoulder.
He moved to the bed, picking up his shirt, his eyes on her. “Do you need anything before I go?”
She smiled. “No, just a nap.”
He returned her smile. “Okay, I will call you, is an hour enough time to get ready?”
“Yes.” She walked down the hallway toward her room, calling out just before she got to her door, “I hope your meeting goes well.”
****
Clay stood in the doorway watching Lily sleep. A habit he developed since she came into his life. She must have really had a headache because she was sound asleep. He walked over and gently rolled her under the covers, making sure she would be warm. He placed a kiss on her forehead, turning he walked out of the room closing the door.
After his meeting, Clay called Don to find out some information on Lily. He hung up, frowning. Don didn’t have any information to give him.
Don did not know much about Lily, no one did. She rarely went out; she didn’t date. He was even more confused. He would have to talk to Lily, but she hadn’t been forthcoming.
He called the suite to wake her up, but she didn’t answer. He sighed, rubbing his lip. He would wake her when he got there. If they were late, they were late; it wasn’t that big of a deal.
****
Lily woke but she was still tired. It was 4:30 p.m. She sat up, stretching, she sighed she had better get ready. Clay should be back around five. She got her clothes ready for the night, laying them on the bed then hopped in the shower.
She took a deep breath, straightening her shoulders climbing out of the shower and drying off.
Clay opened Lily’s door, noticing the bed was empty he hoped she had gotten up on her own. He opened the bathroom door without thinking, “Lily, we have to hur….”
She squealed in horror, grabbing the towel tightly, frantically trying to wrap her body. She hadn’t heard him come in her room, never heard the door open. She had just gotten out of the shower.
“Get out,” she cried, stumbling toward the door. The towel slipped exposing more of her marred skin as she grabbed the door pushing it against him trying to force him out.