Lily's List (10 page)

Grinding his teeth to keep from swearing, he
cut through a back alley, keeping to the shadows until he finally
came out at Lily’s back door. He hated sneaking around, but if
that’s what it took to get Lily’s trust, so be it. From there it
would be a short step to taking their relationship public. She
might not know it now, but he wasn’t going to settle for anything
less than a ring on her finger. He wanted the entire world to know
she was his.

He rapped on the back door and it was opened
immediately. The fact that she was waiting for him made him feel
slightly better. She was still wearing the long, loose denim skirt
and sweater that she’d had on earlier, but she seemed different. He
stared at her, trying to figure out what it was.

She smiled at him and held the door wide.
“That smells wonderful.”

Carson dropped a quick kiss on her delectable
mouth as he passed. That was it! It was her attitude that seemed
different. She seemed happy to see him and not as tense as she had
been at the store.

His heart soared and then sank again. Maybe
it was because they were in private now, where no one could see
them. That situation was about to change if he had his way. He
planned to start out slowly, to get her used to them being together
in public, and the infamous list would help him.

Feeling better, he set the bag on the table
and opened it. “I’ve got ribs, coleslaw and home fries.” The vase
of roses sat in the center of the kitchen table. They were faded
and wilting, but the fact that she hadn’t tossed them yet lightened
his mood.

Lily groaned. “I don’t even want to think
about the amount of fat in all of it.”

He ran his eye up and down her trim form.
“That’s not something you have to worry about.”

When she laughed her entire face lit up and
her eyes twinkled. “That’s true. Lucky genetics.”

They didn’t bother with “real” plates and
cutlery, instead using their plastic utensils and eating directly
from the foam containers. As if by mutual consent, they both kept
the conversation light until they’d finished. But once the food was
consumed and the table cleared, everything changed.

“You’re off tomorrow,” he began.

“Yes.” He could sense Lily’s tension rising
again.

“So am I, and I think we should tick another
thing or two off your list.”

“The list,” she parroted.

He nodded. “I want you to go shopping with me
tomorrow.” He hurried on before she could say no. “I know you won’t
want to do it here in Summersville, but we can take my truck and
head somewhere else.” There were several large towns within an hour
or so drive.

The pulse in her throat jumped and her eyes
widened. “What do you want to shop for?”

“Lingerie.” He said the word with a certain
amount of satisfaction. “You’ll need some items if you want to
attempt a striptease.” He didn’t tell her that he was also thinking
of ways to satisfy the “sex in a public place” item on her list as
well. He’d play that one by ear.

He could tell he’d shocked her with this one.
Her face was pale and he couldn’t quite tell what she was thinking.
He’d laid his cards on the table and it was time to make a
strategic escape. Standing, he reached down and lifted her from her
chair. She grabbed his shoulders for support.

He captured her mouth and kissed her with all
the suppressed passion burning within him. He reached down and
cupped her ass in his palms, angling her hips so that her mound
pressed against his erection. Lily made a whimper of desire that
fired his blood. He grabbed her thigh in his hand, lifted it and
wrapped it around his hip. The motion brought her so close he could
feel her heat through their clothing.

She squirmed, trying to get even closer.
Carson plunged his tongue in and out of her mouth, taking as much
as she would give him. His body was howling for release, but that
wasn’t on tonight’s schedule. When he finally took Lily, he wanted
to know that she was truly his. He didn’t quite know when that
would be, but it wasn’t tonight. She was still too confused about
what she wanted from him, from them.

Breaking the kiss almost killed him, but he
did it. Panting heavily, he slowly unhooked her leg from around his
hip and removed her hands from his shoulders. “The decision is
yours.” He spun around and left her standing there. He didn’t look
back, because he knew if he did, he’d never leave her.

• • •

Lily’s legs shook and she slowly lowered
herself back down onto her chair. She pressed her trembling fingers
against her swollen lips. Her breasts ached and her panties were
damp. Her clothing felt tight and confining.

What the heck had just happened?

Carson wanted to go lingerie shopping with
her. That was a total shocker. The thought of wearing sexy
undergarments and doing a striptease for him had her squirming in
her chair. Even the thought of trying on skimpy underwear while he
waited outside the dressing room was a huge turn-on.

Did she want to take the next step in their
relationship? She knew the chances of someone seeing them together
were slim, but it was there. How did she feel about that?

Surprisingly, the embarrassment she thought
she might feel was missing. She was a sensible adult. If she wanted
to indulge in a relationship with a gorgeous man, then that was her
business.

God, she wanted to pick up the phone, call
Annabelle and Emma and talk to them, but she couldn’t bring herself
to do it. As silly as it sounded, this thing between her and Carson
was special, almost magical, and she was afraid of doing something
to jinx it. Oh, she knew they’d tell her to go for it. They were
both constantly nagging her to start dating again and had been
since Ethan had left home. They were always telling her she needed
to let go and enjoy life.

A secret smile tilted the corners of her
lips. That was exactly what she planned to do. Rising from the
table, she walked to the phone, dialed a familiar number and waited
for it to be picked up on the other end. When she heard his voice,
she said one word. “Yes.”

Chapter Eight

By ten o’clock the next morning Lily and
Carson were pulling into the parking lot of a large mall. They’d
left Summersville over an hour ago, and Lily had just sat back and
enjoyed the ride. They took the back roads, meandering along, in no
rush to get to their destination.

She glanced at Carson, admiring the view. His
dark blond hair was pulled back in a leather thong at his nape,
emphasizing the planes and angles of his face. This morning, he was
wearing jeans and a white cotton shirt, which looked even brighter
against his tanned skin.

As if sensing her scrutiny, he shot her a
quick glance and smiled. She felt that smile all the way to her
toes. He was certainly easy to look at, but she enjoyed being with
him too. They chatted easily and about a variety of topics. And
when there was silence between them, it was a comfortable
one—neither of them feeling the need to fill it with meaningless
chatter.

He pulled the truck into a parking space near
the entrance and shut off the engine. “Wait for me,” he said before
getting out and coming around to open her door. His grip was strong
and firm as he took her hand and helped her out of the truck.

He locked her door and then slung his arm
around her. Lily hitched her purse higher onto her shoulder and
took a deep breath, trying to quell the sudden attack of
nerves.

“There should be a store in here where we can
find what we’re looking for.” He pulled open the large glass door
and waited as she entered the air-conditioned atmosphere of the
mall. The stores had just opened, but there were already quite a
few people in the building.

Lily half expected him to head straight for
the lingerie shop. Instead, they took their time, stopping in a
music store and a bookstore. To her surprise, she discovered they
both enjoyed classic rock and the blues.

While browsing the bookstore, they’d
discovered two of her books sitting on the shelf. Carson had picked
both of them up, staring at them with awe. She was excited and
thrilled and proud. It was a wonderful feeling to be able to share
it with someone for the first time.

He’d run his finger tenderly over her name on
the spine. “Well, Ms. Lillian,” he said in a husky voice, “I think
we should go shopping.”

Her inner core clenched tight. Shopping
wasn’t exactly what she had in mind at the moment, but she nodded.
Carson carefully replaced both books and then reached out and took
her hand. Fingers entwined, they made their way back out into the
concourse, strolling until they found what they were searching
for.

Lingerie.

Determined to be an adult about this, Lily
strode confidently into the store with Carson right behind her.
She’d bought tons of bras and panties in her life, but never at
such a high-end shop and never with an audience. She usually found
whatever she needed at one of the big box stores. Always plain
white cotton. It had been years, more than a decade really, since
she’d bought anything vaguely resembling sexy lingerie.

Carson paused by a rack of lace teddies. He
plucked one in a lovely shade of lavender off the metal arm and
held it up. “This color suits you.”

Lily could feel her cheeks getting warm, but
she went to his side and examined the garment. It looked fragile
and very sexy being held up by his strong, rough hand. Fighting off
a shiver of desire, she glanced at the size, somehow not surprised
that he’d gotten the right one. “I’ll try it.”

That set the mood for their shopping
expedition. The saleslady, as if sensing an easy sale, swooped down
on them, a huge smile on her face. She pointed out some items on
sale as well as others in the latest styles. Before long, she was
ferrying hangers filled with bras and skimpy nightgowns to the
dressing room. Panties and garter belts followed.

Finally Lily held her hands up in
exasperation. “Enough.” Carson cocked an eyebrow in question, but
she shook her head and laughed. “You pick out much more and I’ll be
here until closing tonight trying on everything.”

The saleslady showed them to the dressing
rooms. Lily was impressed with how large they were. The walls were
a deep cream color, but a wingback chair in a vibrant red added a
touch of color and a large gilded mirror completed the décor. It
was classy and sensual at the same time. Best of all, there was a
large, comfortable chair just outside the door.

Carson dropped a quick kiss on her lips
before ushering her into the room. It felt strange to strip off her
slacks and blouse knowing that only a thin wall separated her from
Carson. Her nipples were already tight and puckered when she
removed her plain cotton bra and reached for one made from red
satin. There were matching panties and a garter belt as well.
Sitting on the edge of the chair, Lily smoothed a silky stocking up
her leg. She was glad now that the saleslady had suggested them.
Since she planned on buying them, she thought she’d wear them while
trying on the lingerie to get the full effect.

When she was done, she stared at herself in
the mirror. She didn’t even look like herself. The sensible, staid
Lily Summers was gone. Her nondescript medium-brown hair was still
cut in a no-nonsense style, her face was still slightly rounded,
her chin was still stubborn, but somehow she looked different.

Her hair seemed more tousled, her eyes
brighter and her lips curved naturally into a secret smile. Perhaps
having a lover was good for her. Her smile widened as she turned
right and then left, checking the outfit. Her B cup looked fuller
somehow in this bra. Or maybe it was just her perception of herself
that had changed.

She glanced at the door, knowing she had to
open it. Carson was waiting. Oh, she knew he wouldn’t knock, would
let it be her decision, but she knew he would be disappointed if
she didn’t.

The doorknob was in her hand before she had a
chance to talk herself out of it. She turned it slowly and pulled
the door open. Carson sat directly across from the dressing room,
slouched against the cushions, his long legs sprawled in front of
him. He looked totally relaxed and at ease. That is, until he saw
her.

He slowly straightened in his chair. He
blinked several times, the blue of his eyes darkening the longer he
stared. Lily cast her gaze down to the front of his jeans and was
gratified by the bulge she saw there. Cocking out one hip, she
placed a hand on her waist and the other on the doorjamb. “What do
you think?”

He sat forward, reached out and ran a finger
over the naked expanse of flesh at the top of her stocking. Her
toes curled into the carpet. “I think you’re beautiful.”

Lily shifted her stance, her body heating
under his intense scrutiny. “There’s more.” She indicated the
dressing room.

Carson eased back into the chair and nodded.
“I’m not going anywhere.”

So it went for the next forty minutes. Lily
had no idea that shopping could be a form of foreplay, but she was
quickly learning. She modeled sleek teddies, tempting nightgowns,
push-up bras and skimpy panties. She tried on items she never would
have picked for herself, but she was caught up in the thrill and
excitement of it all. Some of it, she had to admit, even looked
good on her.

Other women came and went, trying on items.
Lily caught several of them checking out Carson, but if he sensed
their notice, he gave no indication. All his attention was on
her.

By the time she pulled on the last item—the
lavender teddy that Carson had picked out—she felt ready to
explode. Her skin felt flushed and tight. She wanted to squirm as
Carson ran his eye over her. Her inner muscles clenched and her
nipples were outlined against the lacy material. The garment was
made from a stretchy lace that hugged her breasts, waist, and hips.
It covered her as well as any one-piece bathing suit. The only
difference was that the material was practically see-through.