Fifteen Weekends (15 page)

  Liam approached Ashleigh placing his hands on her shoulders. “Ashleigh, I hope you know that you don’t need to feel guilty. It sounds like Nick loved you very much, and he wanted you to be taken care of if anything should have happened to him.”

  Ashleigh turned to face Liam, she hugged him tightly and said, “I know you’re right Liam. Thank you for listening to me.”

  “Of course, darling. I cannot believe you were holding onto this for so long.”

  “I actually feel like a weight has been lifted off of me by telling you, Liam,” Ashleigh said. “Besides my family, Emily is the only one who knows I was ever pregnant, and now you know.” 

  Ashleigh sat the remainder of her drink on the coffee table and curled up on the couch. She began to cry, sobbing so hard she fell asleep. Liam grabbed a blanket from the closet and placed it over her. He sat back in the club chair across from the couch sipping his scotch and peering out the window at the bright lights of the Manhattan skyline. Once he finished his drink, he scooped Ashleigh up from the couch and took her into the bedroom. Liam slipped off her shoes and tucked her into bed.

  Ashleigh moved slightly causing her hair to sweep across her face and let out a soft moan.

  He brushed her long brown tresses away from her face and kissed her on the cheek, “Goodnight my darling, Ashleigh. I hope you feel better in the morning.”

  Ashleigh was suddenly jolted from her deep sleep. She rolled up from beneath the covers discovering that she was in Liam’s guest suite. Padding across the living room, she found Liam sleeping peacefully in the master bedroom. Ashleigh gently lifted the covers and slid into bed next to him. The sounds of her body stirring beneath the cool sheets woke Liam.

  “Ashleigh, are you okay?” Liam asked as he shifted towards her.

  “I’m fine, Liam,” she lied.

  Ashleigh was not fine. In fact she was feeling lonely, wanting nothing more than for Liam to make love to her so she could feel something other than sadness. She shifted her body, pressing close to Liam. His arms instantly wrapped around her slender frame. Feeling his warm body against her cheek, the soft, light dusting of hair spread across his broad chest tickled her nose. Looking up through her long lashes, she grazed her teeth over her bottom lip. That was her tell –Ashleigh wanted to be kissed. Liam was all too familiar, as he had seen that glint in her eyes and look on her face many times over the last two years.

  “Kiss me, Liam,” Ashleigh begged softly.

  Sweeping her long wavy tresses over her shoulder he obliged her request. Capturing her mouth with his, he delivered slow lush licks. Ashleigh rolled her hips closer to Liam’s body and climbed on top of him. Slowing pulling her shirt over her head, Ashleigh tossed it to the floor. Admiring her soft and lightly bronzed skin, Liam ran his hands over her body, cupping her firm breasts in his hands. Liam rolled up, encircling his arms around her back while kissing her soft lips over and over. Ashleigh’s breathing escalated as Liam began nipping her jawline while his fingertips strummed against her smooth skin. Feeling Liam’s touch, his hands expertly roaming over her body, she began to build.

  The anticipation, this heated dance they did, twisting their bodies with one another, pulling apart and coming together, it was electric and sensual. The perfect combination of wanton need and passionate feelings weaving together created the most beautiful intimate moments between them.

  Liam flipped Ashleigh to her back, grinding his hips into her and flexing fingers around the curve of her hip. Her heart pounded in her chest, and a whimper escaped her lips. He steadied himself over her, as she removed his pajama bottoms down his long legs. A delicious smile crossed her lips when Ashleigh heard the bundle of cotton fabric drop to the floor. Staring into Liam’s dark eyes, she saw the lustful desire sharpen. He hitched his finger under the waistband of her lace panties and pulled them from her body.

  Ashleigh inhaled sharply as she felt the weight of Liam ease into her, and they began to move in rhythm with each other.

  “Liam,” she breathed.

  Liam only smiled, giving her exactly what she wanted and needed. He took pleasure in knowing he drove her body to writhe in ecstasy. Liam began kissing her, engulfing her mouth with fevered twists of his tongue. Ashleigh returned those kisses as her hips bucked wildly against his hardened frame.

  Every moan, every whimper, every gasp and heart pounding climax—Liam knew how to work her body to trigger the release at the exact moment she desired.

  Ashleigh dug her nails into Liam’s biceps, and the orgasm flooded through her body sending radiating waves straight to her core. Her cheeks were red, her lips were swollen and her body trembled uncontrollably at the rush of the release.

  “I love watching you unravel beneath me,” he growled.

  Liam thrust deeply, his hips working relentlessly, driving into her core. His orgasm riveted through Ashleigh causing her to spill out a severe pleasure filled, breathless cry.

  Warmth spread through Ashleigh. Liam held her in his arms until the early morning light peeked through the white curtains. Pulling on her clothes, she quietly exited his hotel suite, returning to her own.

  Liam’s eyes fluttered open, at the sound of the heavy door catching and locking into the frame. A deep sigh escaped him as he lay, staring at the ceiling.

Chapter Nineteen:

Emily

  The evening at the Carlson’s was coming to an end. Ethan’s family was so welcoming to Emily, making her feel at ease immediately. Evan and his wife had just said goodnight and were on their way upstairs to their living quarters. Ethan’s sister Lauren and her fiancé were helping Ethan’s parents clear the remainder of the dishes from the table on the veranda. Dinner was fantastic, Marisol, the Carlson’s housekeeper, and Jillian made Margherita pizza in the wood burning oven. For appetizers they had fresh guacamole made from California avocados and shrimp and avocado spring rolls served with rice noodles. After everyone devoured the tasty appetizers, Marisol brought out the California Cherry Walnut salad.  Dessert was a mixed berry coffee cake, which reminded Emily a lot of her blueberry buckle. Drinks, of course, consisted mostly of wine and champagne, but the bar was fully stocked with multiple kinds of liquor and beer.

  Only one word could describe The Carlson’s estate – palatial. Just a few miles away from the winery itself, it sat on ten acres of land. Emily immediately noticed the romantic sprawling rose garden that surrounded a sparking plunge pool. It was picture perfect.

  The house itself had ten bedrooms all with en-suites. On the main floor was the master suite with a private courtyard and a large fountain. Down the hallway was a guest wing that hosted two suites with private entrances. There was also a movie theater, wine cellar, formal living and dining rooms with ceilings that soared sixteen feet high and a gourmet kitchen. The remainder of the bedrooms were upstairs along with a great room featuring a full bar.  In other words it was immaculate, an ultra-chic California wine country home. And it also made Emily realize just how wealthy Ethan’s family was.

  After everyone had said their goodnights, Emily and Ethan positioned themselves comfortably on two lounge chairs in front of the large stone outdoor fireplace that overlooked the saltwater pool.

  Once they were alone, Emily turned to Ethan and asked, “Why didn’t you go into the family business of wine making?”

  “I intended to, but I was recruited by this high-end specialty retailer, Golden Gate Home Furnishings, for an internship the summer before my senior year at San Diego State, and I found out that I really liked the business. My boss offered me a permanent position after I finished school. I was there for about eight years. A few years ago I met Clark, and he recruited me to join the team at Cooper Bentley.”

  Emily remembered Ethan’s first day at Cooper Bentley as if it was only yesterday. Standing at the reception desk wearing a sleek indigo suit paired with a crimson tie, she noticed Ethan right away. Breezing past him confidently, Emily felt his dark eyes bore into her as she met his gaze. When Clark introduced them later that morning, Ethan shook Emily’s hand, sending a wave of electricity up her spine. She knew immediately she was in trouble—instant attraction. But, he soon became involved with Libby, and Emily just pushed romantic thoughts of Ethan out of her mind. 

  Smiling at Emily, he said, “I wasn’t sure about moving to the Midwest and dealing with cold weather, but it’s not so bad.” He sat up swiftly swinging his legs off the lounge chair and stood up. Ethan grasped Emily’s hands pulling her to her feet. She inched towards him, closing the space between them. Ethan lowered his head so his lips brushed hers. He moved his hands to her face and kissed her.

  “Come on, let’s grab a bottle of wine and take it upstairs,” he said softly as he took some loose strands of her hair and gently tucked them behind her ear. Ethan took a bottle of Pinot Grigio out of the wine cooler. Showing her the label, Emily nodded in agreement.

  Ethan’s room was as grand as a posh five star hotel suite, with a hand carved four poster king bed, a fireplace, and a separate living room area complete with a media center. Ethan had some amazing photographs featuring iconic images from Hollywood scattered around the lush room; there was a beautiful black and white photo of the Hollywood sign, a picture of an old movie studio, a few stills from various classic movies and one of a director standing behind a Panavision camera. They were all in shiny antique zinc frames with ivory matting. Emily especially liked the photo of a Hollywood actress standing on the red carpet facing all the photographers, but you could only see her from the back.

  A minibar sat in the corner near the double doors that opened to a private terrace. The etched crystal glass and barware was the exact same design Ethan had in his office. The bathroom had marble topped dual sinks, a walk in rain shower with gorgeous navy blue and white glass tile and the largest oval shaped, free standing whirlpool bathtub Emily had ever seen. 

  Emily kicked off her sandals and sat down in one of the plush square framed, charcoal colored chairs in the living area.

  “Emily, I’ve shared my ‘how I got to where I am now story’. I think it’s only fair you indulge me with yours,” Ethan hummed, and then took a sip of wine.

  Replying sweetly, “My story is not half as interesting as yours, Ethan.”  Emily shifted her legs underneath her and carefully observed Ethan as he began to light a few of the candles staggered throughout the room. 

  Ethan’s voice is light with laughter as he says, “I am sure that is not true, but what brought you to Grand Rapids? I know you were in Chicago before you came to Cooper Bentley.”

  Emily pondered his question. She could basically say that Chicago was filled with too many memories of her ex-boyfriend Craig, who pulled a Houdini. That would prompt Ethan to ask why someone would up and leave Emily, sneaking out in the middle of the night like the Baltimore Colts did in 1984. It was too much, Emily wasn’t sure she was ready for that intense conversation with Ethan quite yet. Admittedly she stuck around those few months after he disappeared hoping if she stayed in one place Craig would find his way back to her.
Pathetic.

   “That’s an even longer story, and I will share it with you someday,” she replied coolly. She wet her throat with a sip of wine then worked up enough courage to broach the topic she’d been dying to discuss with Ethan.

  “Actually, Ethan, I’d like to discuss a far more interesting topic with you.”

  Lifting one of his thick eyebrows, “Oh,” he says. “And what interesting subject does the curious and sexy Miss Greene want to discuss?”

  A flirtatious smile crossed Emily’s lips, “
Your
sexual activity…preferences, I guess is what you might call them.” She felt her cheeks warm as the words tumbled out of her mouth.

  “Ah, I see, and what about my preferences exactly would you like to discuss?” he inquired as his eyes widened.

  Emily felt her skin grow hot and prickly all over.