Forbidden Fruit (14 page)

“
You’re trying to figure me out?” he guessed.

I smiled.

“
Is it working?” he waited.

I stalled for a moment, watching his reaction, hoping he would give something away. He had an excited and nervous air to him as he waited on the reply. He kept pace with me, meeting me eye for eye. He was waiting with bated breath. Just as we walked under a construction scaffold, he stopped, grabbed my upper arm and spun me around. He waited on an answer still.

“
Not really,” I finally allowed.

He smiled in relief. What was he afraid I would discover? He closed the small space between us and grabbed my hands. I felt that familiar electricity that tickled my skin every time we touched. Then he brought my hand up to his face and gently pressed his cheek into my palm. He breathed out, “You should be happy,” he swore.

My breath caught as he placed a kiss on my inner wrist. “I am…with you,” the words tumbling out of my mouth of their own accord.

He opened his eyes and stared at me in disbelief. “What?”

“
I…” he looked so incredibly sexy. I swallowed my nerves. “I said...I’m happy with you.”

A grim smile spread on his beautiful face, “I don’t want to ever hurt you…”

“
So don’t,” I suggested, though deep down I knew this had to end in heartbreak. There was no way a girl like me gets a guy like him.

Those dark eyes bore into mine as his face drew closer. I froze in a haze of anticipation. His face, his lips, those eyes…they were hypnotizing. As he closed in, I could smell the heady, exotic scent of him. I inhaled deeply and felt lightheaded.

Then our lips met. It was like a sweet, yet sharp fire exploded in me. My body burned from my lips to my toes as the spicy taste of him coated my heart and mind. I felt his warm hands cradling my face as the kiss grew hungrier. We were like two people who had been starved for centuries and were finally getting what our bodies craved the most.

The last thing I felt was the tips of his lashes tickling my cheekbones before everything became muddled.

I heard a loud screeching noise and felt a strong arm wrap around me, dragging me down to the sidewalk. My back hit the concrete as Michael pressed his frame over me.

When my eyes adjusted to the sudden chaos, I found myself under his hard body, all saccharine gone from his touch. He had one arm bracing himself over me and the other over his head, bracing the entire scaffolding rafter. I blinked in surprised and then let out a gasp, “Oh my god!”

“
Are you okay?” he asked, worried, yet without an ounce of strain in his voice.

“
I…you…” I stammered.

“
Don’t worry about me,” he demanded. “Are you hurt?” his voice notched higher.

“
No.”

He sighed, “Good.” Then he did something I couldn’t explain. He simply tossed the rafter into the street like it was a basketball. No grunt, no struggle, nothing. He manhandled what had to be a five hundred pound pile of metal like it was nothing.

He picked me up immediately and tucked me under his arm. I could feel myself shaking from nerves and adrenaline. Michael peered around the street and then up each building for a few moments with a fierce expression. I was too stunned to notice my surroundings.

After a minute, he said, “Let’s get you home.”

The whole way back to my house, Michael looked anxious. He peered into dark alleys and checked his rearview mirrors frequently. I had a thousand questions but thought it best to not say anything at that moment. He was seriously on edge.

Walking me to the door, he kept a hand on my back protectively. I unlocked the front door with embarrassingly shaky hands and immediately stepped inside. The way Michael was acting had me frightened. My mind filled in the blanks and determined that we were attacked in that alley and were now being followed.

He just stood at the threshold of my front door.

“
Aren’t you going to come in?” I urged.

“
If you wish,” he said unsure.

I grabbed him by the hand and pulled him inside. Then I locked the door behind us and proceeded to close the curtains of the nearest windows.

His expression harden. “Lily, I’m sorry.”

I shrugged. “So what should we do? Call the cops?”

“
No,” he said quickly. “They will be of no help.”

“
Then what do we do, hide?” I was lost, I had no idea what to do.

He gave a dry smile, “I will keep you safe Lily.”

“
How?” I demanded, sounding a bit more frantic than I wanted.

“
I will watch over you tonight,” he explained.

“
Do you have a gun? Because if those are mobsters I think we need some serious protection.”

He laughed and brought me to his chest. Wrapping both arms around me, he chuckled, “We don’t need a gun love.”

I wasn’t so sure. But I enjoyed his embrace. I stayed in his arms until I calmed down enough to think straight.

“
So you’re staying here tonight?” I asked, finally getting the meaning of his protection detail.

“
Yes, but I will stay outside if you prefer.” He was serious.

“
What? No! Like I would make you stay outside all night!” I laughed at the ridiculous thought.

“
I don’t mind. I want you to feel comfortable.”

“
You sleeping outside will not make me comfortable,” I clarified.

“
Okay.”

“
Michael? What happened back there?” I inquired.

“
I don’t know,” he said honestly.

I breathed a sigh of relief, as much as I wanted answers, I didn’t think I could handle hearing that there were in fact mobsters hunting us.

“
You should get some sleep,” he suggested.

I was in no condition to argue. “I’ll show you to a guest room.”

As I began to walk up the steps, I noted there were no footsteps following me. I turned and gave him a questioning look, “What’s wrong?”

“
I can sleep on the couch.” He stood in the living room, completely rooted in place.

Why was he acting so strange? I guessed it was his gentleman’s manners. “Okay,” I sighed.

I found some blankets and a pillow in the hall closet and brought them down to him. He looked genuinely surprised. “Oh, thank you.”

“
Sure,” I said then I gave him a little grin. “Goodnight Michael.”

“
Goodnight Lily,” he returned.

I tossed and turned for a couple hours. I couldn’t get comfortable, and I couldn’t sleep. I knew the most amazing guy in the world was just downstairs. The house was quiet, and I wondered if he was asleep.

I threw off the covers and untwisted my nightshirt and shorts. I tip toed over to the door and placed a hand on the knob quietly. I twisted it slowly, trying not to make a sound.

To my surprise, Michael was sitting in the hallway, back leaning against the wall just outside my door. He jumped up when saw me.

“
What’s wrong?” he asked. I took in his vigilant appearance, cringing at the thought of my bed head.

“
I can’t sleep,” I said meekly.

“
Oh…” he looked around, “What can I get you?”

I took a deep breath before I dared to ask, “Um…can you stay with me?”

“
I am. Oh…” he realized what I had requested. “Are you sure?” He became completely still.

I nodded and showed a little smile.

Stepping aside, I gave him access to my bedroom. He walked in and stood in the middle of the room a little stiffly. He looked like a nervous puppy.

Something washed over me, and I felt more confident than I ever had. “Do you want to be with me?”

He gave an incredulous look and breathed, “More than anything.”

“
Then what are you afraid of?” I asked as I pulled back the covers on the bed.

I saw his decision solidify in his expression. He never took his eyes from mine as he walked over to the bed. He kicked off his shoes and then unbuttoned his shirt.

Wow. It was everything I could do to keep my jaw from dropping. He was everything I imaged and more. His perfectly tanned skin highlighted his chiseled muscles, making him look like he came straight off the cover of a Men’s Health magazine. It was hard to believe he was real and in my bedroom.

I focused on his gaze and took the lead, sliding between the sheets. He followed, and propped himself on his elbow, gazing at me still. My heart was beating nearly out of my chest as I lifted a hand to touch his rock hard chest. I let my fingers glide over the peeks and valleys of his abs. His eyes glossed with heat and then he moved over me, cradling my face in one hand and entwining the other in my hair.

The feel of his body pressed against mine made all the nerves in my body dance. He found my lips for the second time that night. We began moving together as I took in his distinctive scent and taste. It was intoxicating.

I don’t know how long we made out. I was in a sea of bliss, all rational thought terminated. Each tantalizing wave took me further away-away from everything in the world. It was me and him, and that was all that existed. I was no longer sure where I ended and he began.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I thought about my virginity. Was it time? Would I give it to Michael?

Absolutely.

He pulled away, breath ragged. Emotion swam in those murky eyes. He gazed at my face and began tracing the lines of my lips, nose, and cheekbones. He did this for a long time. I wondered what he was thinking and wanted to ask, but all I could focus on was the touch of his body and mine.

He kissed me gingerly on the forehead and rolled over onto his back, bringing half my body onto his chest. “Sweet dreams Lily,” he purred in my hair.

I nuzzled into him, still breathing in his scent. He stroked my hair down my back, sending me into a completely peaceful state. He must have done that until I fell asleep because it was the last thing I remembered before lapsing into the sweetest dreams of my life-me and him in that beautiful garden.

This time, no one tore us apart.

I woke to bright sunlight streaming through the windows. A fresh day, filled with hope I never knew I lacked. I had a smile on my face, which probably never left from last night.

Michael
, I sighed inwardly like a lovesick puppy.

But when I rolled over, I found no Michael. Instead, there was a single white Lily on the pillow.

I picked it up and took in a deep breath, swearing he left some of his intoxicating scent on it. Or maybe that was the pillow I was smelling? Either way, I was in heaven. If I could find room spray with that scent, I would never leave home.

I rolled onto my back and drew the beautiful flower to my chest, cuddling with the token of his affection. I laid there for a while, languidly replaying in great detail last night’s amazing date.

I took my time getting ready that morning, a silly smile still plastered on my face. I couldn’t remember the last time I felt so happy, even when my parents were alive. Ginger eyed me knowingly, but chose not to comment as she handed me my usual lunch, and saw me out the door.

When I got to school and began my progress up to the courtyard, Michael appeared in my periphery. Falling into step with me, he asked, “How was your morning?”

“
Great,” I began blushing. “I love the flower.”

“
I thought you might,” he mused.

“
So when did you leave?” I wondered.

“
When I heard the housekeeper and chef come in.”

“
Yeah I guess that would have been awkward, huh?” I realized, imagining our extremely proper housekeeper. Ginger was legit when it came to having guys over, but somehow I don’t think Ms. Teresa, a former nun, would appreciate Michael sauntering down the stairs with bed head.

He slid my book bag off my shoulder, sending shivers where his fingers grazed my arm, and then threw it over his. He took my hand. “Are you ready to walk the gauntlet?” he teased.

I looked at the already peering crowd, many of which were not even trying to hide their disappointment at Michael’s choice. “I think you have officially made me the most hated girl at this school.”

He laughed, “Oh love, they don’t hate you, they want to be you. Besides, you shouldn’t care what they think.”

“
Easy for you to say,” I leaned my shoulder into him, “Everyone likes you.”

School passed that day with a whole lot of me trying to pay attention in class without success as Michael did his flattering, yet distracting, constant staring gig. My GPA was really going to take a hit on the next interim period. My dad would have been disappointed, Rose-not so much. She is living proof that a woman doesn’t have to have an education to work her way up in the world. For the record, I love school and have no intention of marrying for money, but at the rate I have been going this week, I may be living out of a cardboard box soon.

By lunch, I was still floating on the cloud I had been riding since last night. Bailey and Eric were intimately tangled with each other, and Michael and I were doing our best to ignore the whispers and giggles coming from them. I was frequently embarrassed for Bailey. Someone had to be, she was born with absolutely no care in the world what anyone thought of her. Sometimes I envied her that.