Clouded Innocence (11 page)

His lips and tongue danced across my body in soft, warm caresses until they found my breast. Lightly, he teased my nipple, sucking it then lightly scraping his teeth across it.

“Oh god!” I moaned gripping Conner’s hair pulling him tighter to me.

He switched nipples doing the same exquisite, torturous process to the other. My body ached, needing some relief from his exquisite torture. I tried to guide him back to my lips but he grabbed my arms pinning me to the bed, forcing me to take all the pleasure he had to offer.
 

“Please Conner. I need you,” I begged.
 

Finally he adjusted and slid into me, but continued the assault on my breasts. Within seconds I came apart around him, but he did not stop, he continued pleasuring me. Our bodies still moved together. His lips and tongue teased my breasts while his hands kept me pinned down unable to move. Conner had never held me down before and I had not expected to enjoy not being able to move as much as I was.
 

I could feel the familiar build rise again deep inside me just before I crashed harder than the first time, but still he would not stop. I did not know how much more I could take but I could never ask him to stop. I would never want to. I would let Conner have me however and for as long as he wanted.

He pressed himself harder and deeper into me. My body started to convulse as the building of pleasure began again. I moaned and writhed as much as possible with Conner still pinning my arms to the bed. I fell so hard, my back arched as my head fell back. I could feel the warmth of Conner's body spilling into mine, making my own release that much better. 

I gradually floated back to my body from the otherworldly experience. Conner removed his hand from over my mouth. I had not even realized he had covered it.
 I giggled softly at the idea that I had been too loud that he had to make sure I did not wake the house.

He rolled over, pulling me in his arms as I drifted off into a well-earned, glorious exhaustion.

Chapter 13

Maddy

I was so happy today. Conner and I had finally gone to my father. We told him how in love we were and he whole heartedly, had given us his blessing. Today was our wedding.
 

It was time for me to make my way down the aisle toward the man I would spend the rest of my life with. We were outside. The trees were filled with beautiful pink flowers. The wind blew through them bring several of the flowers with it. They swirled through the air landing in various places. It was like pink snowflakes in the middle of summer. It was so beautiful. I had no idea how my father had managed trees. I knew they had not been on the property until today. But by the look of them, they had been there for years. Something seemed off.

I let the hounding thought subside as I started walking toward Conner. Nothing else mattered but him. I smiled brilliantly at him from across the distance where he stood, as handsome as ever, in the light tan suit he wore the first day of his arrival. My bell-like, white dress swayed with each step. My feet landed on several of the pink petals that littered the ground. I paused, staring down at them. There was something I was supposed to be remembering about the petals. I looked up at Conner.

Wait a second. Something was not right. I took a few more steps towards Conner, but I was not any closer. I paused but the distance seemed to be spreading between us, it might as well have been miles. His hand reached out to me.

I broke into a run, but I could not catch him. We just drifted further and further apart. I heard a soft whisper of my name. Darkness consumed him and he was gone. 

I woke with a jolt. Tears streaming down my face as I tried to catch my breath.
 

“Francesca, are you alright?” Conner sat up next to me. He saw the tears rolling down my cheeks. He wrapped me in his arms. “Oh, darling it was just a nightmare. I have you.” His hands rubbed up and down my arms like he was trying to warm me. “Do you want to talk about it?” He asked pulling me back to the bed.
 

“No. I want to forget about it.” I pressed my lips to his. I cleared my mind of everything else but him.

After the dream, I could not sleep. I laid there wrapped in Conner's arms while he slept, thinking it over until the sun slow began to make its morning appearance. Quietly I climbed out of bed. The cool air assaulted my bare skin causing goose bumps to spread. I found my nightgown then snuck back to my room moving a little slower than normal. My body ached a bit, but it was a good ache. It reminded me of the extraordinary night Conner and I had experienced. I could not believe the multiple times he had caused me pleasure and even after our first episode, I woke up from my dream and had needed him again. He was becoming my safe haven and that thought frightened me for fear I would someday lose him.

Breakfast was quick and uneventful. Shortly after, I found myself sitting on the porch, quietly absorbed in my book. 

“Do you play?” Steven asked standing just outside the doorway holding up a deck of cards.
 

“A little,” I mentioned, turning my attention to Steven.
 

“Well Conner and I were going to play. Would you care to join us?” Steven very rarely asked me anything, except for the occasional favor.
 Even though he had said he was tolerant of Conner’s and my relationship, he had still managed to keep his distance. So the fact that he was asking for me to join him, I could not refuse.

“I would love to.”
 

I followed Steven to the library, where Conner was busy clearing the table for the game. He beamed at me as I entered the room. I sat at the end with Conner to my left and Steven to my right.
 

“Alright, we are playing poker. Are you familiar with the rules, Francesca?” Steven asked and I nodded.
 

I actually had fibbed when I told Steven I could play a little. I was actually quite good. But if my mother was alive and she heard me boasting about cards, she would have had my head. For one, according to her, young women should always be modest in their talents and two they especially did not play cards. Steven dealt the first hand. I asked what the wager was, but I was told it was just a friendly game. That was fine but friendly game or not, I was still going to win.
 

“I call. Two pair,” Conner said confidently. Steven had nothing.
 

“I think you won Conner. I only have three of a kind.” He looked at me dumbfounded for a moment.
 

“No Francesca, you won. That was very good,” he said confused.
 

Next hand, “I have a pair,” Steven said.
 

Conner laughed, “I have three of a kind. What about you Francesca?”
 

I tried to hide the smile threatening to appear on my lips, “I do not think I have anything. I do not have any of the same numbers, but they all have the same symbol on them.” I laid out my cards.

They both looked at me in shock. 

“You have a flush.” Steven said shock lingering in his voice. “You win again.”
 

“Really? That is wonderful. This is fun.” I put a little too much feeling behind the last few words.

The next hand was dealt. “Alright, I think I got it this time. Full house,” Conner smirked happily with a crooked grin, laying his cards out on the table.

“I do not know what it is called but they all match and go in order.” I showed my cards.
 

“You have a royal flush?” Steven sneered.
 

“Is that a good thing?” I said innocently.
 

He eyed me suspiciously, “I cannot believe it. She is hustling us.”
 

I laughed hard. “Excuse me? You are the ones that assumed I did not know how to play,” I shrugged. “I just did not correct you.”

Conner threw his head back in a laugh that warmed me inside, “Well, she got us there.” He leaned close to me, “Well aren’t you just full of surprises.” I smiled leaning into him begging him without words to kiss me.

“She learned all those tricks from me.” I jerked around breaking away from Conner seeing my cousin Madison, standing in the doorway.
 I was shocked to see her and was also glad that she had appeared when she did and not a few seconds later. If she had seen Conner kiss me, it would have been very difficult to explain.

Her hair was medium brown, lighter than mine, which she had pulled up under a hat. Her green eyes shone brilliantly making it the first thing most people noticed. I had envied her eyes all of my life, mourning the fact that I had been given ordinary brown ones. She wore a simple green dress that made her eyes stand out more. It fit tight over her slim waist.

“Maddy!” I jumped up throwing my arms around her. “Did you just arrive? Father did not tell me you were coming for a visit” 

“Yes. It was supposed to be a surprise,” she said, but her gaze was no longer focused on me. I did not have to turn to know who had caught her attention, but hoping I was wrong, I spun around anyways.
 

Conner was leaning casual back in his chair, arms crossed behind his head. He was having a conversation with Steven, allowing Madison and I a moment to catch up.

“Who is that?” She asked. 

I felt my stomach sink. I knew she was not talking about Steven. That would not be my luck. I led her over to the table.

“Steven Henry, Conner Edwards, this is my cousin Madison de Bella. Madison this is my stepbrother and his friend from school.” I said gesturing to everyone as I spoke. 

“Nice to meet you, Conner,” she said throwing her hand out for Conner to kiss.

Conner's eyes locked on me, reading the hostility on my face. He grabbed her hand rotating it over, he shook it instead. A smile spread across her face. 

“So what are we playing?” She asked taking my seat at the head. I turned walking around the table to sit next to Conner. He carefully reached under the table. Grabbing my hand, he squeezed it reassuringly.
 

That was just Madison. She always wanted to be the center of attention. You either loved her or hated her. I remembered when she would come to visit when we were younger. She would always have to find some way for her to be the one to get noticed. I always stood in her enormous shadow. She was also a very bad influence on me. We had got in trouble many times for her little stunts. Madison was the reason my mother had caught me gambling.

We had been with some of my friends from school. We had all been congregating around by the creek outside of town, which was the usual spot for us to meet and go swimming or just to have fun. Madison had thought it would be a good idea to teach everyone to play poker and then to gamble away what little money everyone had.

I had been a fast learner and picked up the game quickly. We had cleaned the others out of their money.

Apparently one of the members did not take kindly to losing their money to us and went home to tell their mother, who of course, told my mother. Luckily, we had spent all our winnings on candy at the local store so there was no proof. My mother had made a point to talk with both Madison and I about how bad gambling was.

“Poker,” Steven said, bringing me back to the game.
 

Madison smiled, this was definitely her game and she knew it. We played a few more hands, she won every time.

* * *

The rest of the day passed without anything interesting, with the exception of Madison's constant flirtation with Conner, which drove me mad.

Dinner came and went with minimal flirting. Thankfully, Lilly asked Madison to take her spot at my father’s right so she could feel included in the conversation.

That night, when I snuck into Conner's room I was still sore from the previous evening.
 

“Conner?” I asked as I crawled into bed, while he held the covers up for me.

“Yes?” 

“Do you mind if we just hold each other tonight?”
 

He laughed, “Of course not. I enjoy being buried inside you but it is not what I love most. I just have to be around you and I am happy.”
 

“I love you, Conner.”
 

“I love you too, Francesca,” he said as he wrapped me in his arms.

“Conner?” 

“Yes, my love?”
 

I sighed burying my face in his shoulder, “Do you find Madison…attractive?”
 

“She is pretty,” he said pulling back. He tilted my head up, “but she is nothing compared to you.” He placed a sweet kiss on my lips then engulfed me in his arms.

Chapter
14

The Arrangement

“Let's go horseback riding today,” I said with enthusiasm.
 

We had not been in a while and I knew poor Sophie was dying for a good run.

“Alright,” Conner said as we left the dining room. 

Lilly had taken Madison into town that morning to find her an outfit for the Independence Day Celebration that was arriving soon.
 

We took the horses out and rode them for the better half of the morning. It was nice having the day to ourselves. With Madison's arrival a little over a week ago and Steven no longer having his business trips into town, I had been worried that Conner and I would not find time alone except in his room at night. Trying to get away from Madison was always difficult and I could only usually manage it for short periods of time. So it was a blessing that Lilly had insisted on taking Madison for a dress and not force me to go along too.
 

It was lunchtime before we returned. We unsaddled the horses before making our way up to the house.
   

“Wait. I forgot something.” Conner said turning back toward the stable, he yelled back. “Go ahead inside. I will meet you in a moment.”
 

I nodded then continued in the direction of the house. I was almost to the porch when I saw my father standing there.
 

“Francesca, join me in my study,” he demanded.
 

“Of course.”
 

I did not know what this was about, but it could not be good. Perhaps he knew Conner and I had been out riding alone. My stomach churned with anxiety. My father only asked me to his study when he had bad news or I was in trouble. The last time had been when he told me he was marrying Lilly.

We walked up the stairs and down the hall into the study. 

“Francesca, I understand there was an incident the other day when you, Steven and Conner went into town.”
 

My eyes widened in shock.
Oh no
, someone had seen us in the alley, and now my father knew. 

“Nicholas Jackson says he rescued you from a fall that day.” My heart sank in relief.
 

“Yes, father he did.”

He smiled at me encouragingly. “He seems quite taken with you,” he stated. 

“Does he? I had not noticed,” I said. It was hard to notice anyone outside of Conner.

“Well Francesca, I am sure you have noticed my incisive business trips by now.” I nodded. “And as you know, Nicholas’s father owns a successful business in town.” I nodded again not quite sure where he was going with the conversation. “I have been working on a deal with him for some time about how to become partners. Do you understand?” I nodded again. “Good! We could think of no better way to seamlessly merge our businesses than to merge our families as well.” 

My stomach sank. “Excuse me?” I did not think I heard him correctly. Merge our families?
 

“We have come to an agreement where you and Nicholas will be married.”
 

A cold sweat broke across my skin. “You cannot be serious, father?” I felt my brow furrow as the anger rose inside of me.
 

“I am absolutely serious. I understand you may be indifferent now but later you will grow to love the boy.”
 

“You cannot tell me who I will love!” I felt the heat rise in my face making the anger hard to hide from my voice.
 

“Francesca!” He bellowed, making me jump, “Enough! You are my daughter and you will do this. Do I make myself understood?”
 

Tears filled my eyes, “How could you?”
 

I ran from my father's study, down the stairs and out of the house. I forced my feet to move faster, carrying me through the woods to my sanctuary. The branches whipped against my skin as I pushed past them. One leaving a long stinging scratch across my cheek, but I pushed myself harder determined to ignore the pain. 

I made it through the tree line into the open area. I dropped abruptly to the grass, burying my face in my hands I became consumed with tears.
 

How could he? If my father was so desperate to get rid of me, why could he not marry me off to the one man I wanted. I loved Conner. I needed him to make me feel whole. Complete. Everything before he came into my life seemed painful. The thought of him no longer allowed in it, and having that pain come back, seemed unbearable.
 

“Francesca?” Conner appeared, seeming almost to materialize from my thoughts.
 

Perhaps I was dreaming. I had not even heard him approach so consumed in my own self despair.
 

Conner sat down next to me pulling me into his arms. I threw myself around him burying my face into his neck, inhaling his sweet familiar scent, which did little to comfort me. He did not ask me what was wrong. He just held me tightly as my tears streaked down my face, soaking his shirt.

When my sobs quieted, he looked into my tear stained face. His pale blue eyes were full of compassion and a hint to sadness. It was then I became aware that he knew.

“I am so sorry, Francesca,” he said wiping my tears away.
 

“How could he, Conner?” My voice was so shaky I hardly even recognized it.
 

He sighed, “He wants what is best for you.”
 

“You are what is best for me. Why can he not see that?” I paused looking deep into his eyes and slowly they began to sparkle with tears threatening to be shed.
 

“I love you, Conner. You are my forever.”
 

I could not hold back. I lunged myself to his lips wanting to be close to him, to feel him, to be completely lost in him. Sensing my need, he did not resist me. Forcing him to the ground, I positioned myself on top of him, straddling his hips. A fury of emotions overtook me. The most prominent was desire. I wanted Conner in every way, for him to be mine forever. But in that moment, there was the need to be close; to feel our bodies connect.

His hands slid up my legs under my dress. I pulled back from his lips and busied my fingers with undoing the buttons of his shirt. I saw his eye reflect the desire I felt and I knew he wanted me just as strongly. Maybe he wanted to ease my suffering or to make me happy or maybe it was just the way he always desired me when we were this close. Whatever the reason, I was glad he did not resist me.

He reached between us undoing his pants freeing himself. Grabbing my hips, he lifted me up then gently slid me back. I threw my head back as I gradually accepted every inch of him until he filled me completely.
 

With his hands pressed on my hips he only allowed me to move agonizingly slow. It was incredible, though excruciating, miraculous, yet tortuous, but overall it was phenomenal.

I moaned with satisfaction. Shifting us over, he placed himself on top then plunged into me again, passionately, his eyes fixed to mine. I raised my hips deepening his thrust. I could feel the ache inside me building, needing to be quenched. Neither of us wanted to prolong it. We just wanted to satisfy our need for each other. 

Conner groaned as his body spilled into mine and I followed crying out as the pleasure overwhelmed me, clenching my body around his.

We laid there, our bodies still connected, holding each other until dark.

* * *

I skipped dinner that night. I could not stand to see my father. I was still furious and would most likely remain so. After everyone went to bed, I snuck into Conner's room. He held up the covers for me, like he did every night, as I crawled in next to him. His arms were warm as they surrounded me. I placed my head on his chest feeling the gentle beat of his heart against my face. It was steady and strong. I felt safe and comfortable, pressed against him. I fell asleep wrapped in his embrace.

I awoke with chills of excitement. Conner was teasing my earlobe then moved to nuzzle my neck. I let out a giggle of pleasure before moving to place my lips against his. I loved waking up like this.

I wrapped my arms around his neck pulling him closer to me. His hand ran up the length of my body spreading desire with it. 

“This is a first. I never see you in the morning. When I wake up you are always gone,” he said shifting between my thighs.
 

He pushed my night gown up to my shoulders then brought his mouth down to one of my nipples. He lightly sucked and pulled on it before switching to the other carrying out the same blissful torment. My hands gripped the pillow; I threw my head back and arched my body into him, craving more. My body quivered in delight. As the pleasure built I let a soft moan escape my lips. I raised my hips to him, hoping he would grasp what I was wanting. He did not get the chance to. We were jolted back to reality when the bedroom door was swung open.
 

Steven stood in the doorway with shock across his face. Conner promptly pulled my night gown down, covering my nude body. I turned my head burying it in Conner's shoulder as my face reddened in embarrassment. Steven turned putting his back towards us. He looked to be holding the bridge of his nose, something my father did when he was frustrated.
 

“Francesca, you need to get back to your room. The maids are on their way in to help you dress. You are going to have a caller today.” I looked at Conner.
 

I saw his jaw tighten, but I could not figure out what emotion he was feeling. Anger? Frustration? He gave me a single nod before moving to allow me to get off the bed. I walked up to Steven, his back still to us.
 

“Thank you,” I whispered as he stepped aside to allow me to pass.
 

“I owed you one,” he declared without making eyes contact with me. The door shut silently behind me.
 

I hustled back to my room and into my bed moments before the maids came in to rouse me. I was not looking forward to this day.

Madison came in a few moments after the maids. “I missed you at dinner last night.” 

“Really?” I snuffed in disbelief.
 

“Mmm. I did try to make the best of it though. That Conner Edwards is a delectable man.”
 

I felt heat rush to my face, flushing my cheeks with anger. I hated that I did not think of Madison when I missed dinner. I should have known she would try her best to win Conner over. I also hated it more that I could not tell her to back off, that he was mine. But was he really? I was being promised to Nicholas Jackson. How long would Conner stay with me knowing that I was being forced to marry another? I did my best to ignore Maddy’s talk about how wonderful Conner was. I was completely aware of how wonderful he was, but I could not tell her that either. Part of me wondered if Madison had been here when Conner first arrived, if I would still be the one sneaking off to his room nightly. I pushed the thought from my head and tried to focus on something else, but she made it difficult with her constant ramblings.
 

I knew after my father's talk yesterday that I would never have a claim to Conner. As selfish as it was, I did not want Madison to have a claim to him either. She remained with me until the maids finished their work, all the while talking about Conner.