Louise: A New Beginning (7 page)

I went to the kitchen to pour myself a cup of coffee when I heard a loud knock at my door. And whoever was standing behind it was obviously pissed, he or she didn’t even think about using the doorbell, they apparently preferred to beat the shit out of my door.

I went to answer the pounding, and the moment I did, Will entered my apartment, shouting, “What the hell were you thinking, Louise?”

I stared at him, half surprised, half worried. I didn’t remember doing anything that he might not approve of or get angry about.

“Well, hello to you too, and I have no idea what you are talking about. Care to explain?”

“Oh, yes, of course I’m gonna explain myself. . . Why didn’t you tell anyone that you have been being followed?”

“By whom exactly? Christopher? Or maybe my father’s spies, who, I’m sure, never tire of sneaking around and reporting to him about every single step I take, what I have for breakfast, and even what bathrooms I use while at school. . . You do mean those guys, right?”

“No, I mean Rea Garcia,” Will said, with his hands on his hips. “The woman who visited you today at school.”

“But, how did you. . .”

“How did I know she was there? Well, Christopher saw her leaving the school this morning. He wasn’t there when she came, but he arrived when she was leaving. He followed her and found out that she came to warn you about something. She didn’t tell him much. Is that true?”

“Yes. She said that attending
Balero
is not safe and that I should stop going there.”

“What else did she tell you?”

“Nothing. Why?”

Will rubbed the bridge of his nose and took a few deep breaths, apparently trying to calm down. “Did she introduce herself?”

“No. But you know her name. How did you know it?”

“Rea is the nurse that I once told you about. She worked in the hospital where you were born.”

“Oh, my God. . . At least now I know how she came to know about me.”

“She knows a lot more than you think, Louise. And you’d better not see her, ever again.”

“Because my father might find out that she came to talk to me?”

“Exactly. The day you were born, she promised him she would never tell anyone about you. Then I came to ask questions about you, and your father knew she was the only person who knew what actually happened in the hospital the night you were born. So if he finds out that she came to talk to you, he will make sure she never speaks to anyone again.”

“I didn’t think about it. . . I thought she was someone from my father’s cohort, I could have never imagined her being the nurse he paid off.”

“Jeez, Louise, how can you not see it. . . When Christopher told me she came to see you. . .” Will stepped closer and put his arms around me, pulling me to his chest.

It was so good to be in his embrace again, especially after the hellish day I had had.

“I’m fine, nothing happened,” I said.

“We don’t know that yet.”

“What do you mean?” I moved a little so I could see his face.

“Montgomery’s people are everywhere. If they saw Rea go into your school, we might never see her again.”

“Oh, no. . . Do you know where she lives? We could go there and take her to a place where she would be safe.”

“And that has worked so well with you, right? I have been trying to get you to live with me where you would be safe, but you want to be free… Do you think she would be any different?”

I rolled my eyes, knowing he was right.

“Besides that, I don’t know where she lives now. Christopher found her in a bar close to the school. He didn’t think to track her afterward, so I have no idea how to find her. The place Rea used to live has been sold and the new owners don’t know anything about her.”

“What do we do then?”

“
We
are not going to do anything, but
I
will try to find out if Montgomery’s people know about your meeting with Rea. Besides, I think it’s time for you to stop being a stubborn girl, and move in with me. Or, if you would rather, I can move in here. It’s your choice, but you shouldn’t be alone.”

I shook my head and stepped back. When in Will’s arms, it was really hard to say no to anything he wanted me to do.

“I can’t. You know that.”

“I’m sorry, Louise. But after what happened today, there is no way in hell I will leave you alone again. So don’t even try to talk me out of looking after you.”

“Well, technically, you never stopped looking after me, and we both know it. So what’s different now?”

“I can’t do this anymore, Louise! Maybe you don’t see it, but I’m losing my mind over keeping an eye on you and living my life, without you. Which, I must admit, can hardly be called life. It’s like waking up and falling right back to sleep, living in my personal hell, over and over again, knowing that I can’t do a damn thing to change it.”

“We have already discussed that.”

“We have, but it’s time for you to stop coming up with excuses to avoid me. You know, I know everything going on in your life, so what’s the problem with doing it in one place, and not miles away from each other? Or do you think I have some hidden intentions in asking you to move in to my place?”

That made me smile. “We both know you do.”

Will didn’t smile in return. “This is ridiculous, Louise. No matter how much I miss. . .being with you, holding you in my arms and making love to you, but those are not the only reasons I want to have you by my side.”

“Will, please, don’t make me do this.”

He moved closer and cupped my face in his palms, saying softly, “I would never force you to do anything you don’t feel like doing. And if you want, I will go and stay in the hotel, just to give you the space you need. But I can’t leave you here, Louise. I just can’t let anything bad happen to you, and I know that if I leave you alone, someone would use it against you, against us.”

“Can you at least give me some time to think about it?”

“Will ten minutes be enough?” He smiled slightly, rubbing my cheek with the back of his palm. God, it was simply impossible to have him so close and keep pretending that I didn’t need him to make myself feel happy and complete, and secure among other things. He was all I ever needed and wanted. . .

“If I agree to go with you, will you promise me something?”

“Anything,” he said without hesitation. “Even if I might not like whatever you want me to promise you.”

“Well, first of all, I’ll take the guest room. . . And you don’t have to go stay in a hotel; that house is your home, and I would never make you leave it.”

“Guest room?” He thought for a moment. “Okay, I can handle that. Anything else?”

“Yes. . .will you trust me?”

“But I do trust you, Louise. Without any promises.”

“I know. But promise you will trust me, no matter what I might want to do.”

He frowned, watching me carefully. “Only if you promise me that you will let me be there with you, no matter what you might want to do or where you might want to go.”

“Deal.”

“Which means we are going home?”

I nodded. “You win, Mr. Blair.”

He smirked, self-satisfied. “Let’s go pack your things then.”

I never believed that living with Will would be easy, considering he was still not allowed anywhere close to my room, and I promised myself that moving in to his place wouldn’t change my intentions for building my new life without his interference.

Needless to say, I was being a complete fool. . .

Less than two hours after our arrival, I felt like I was about to go insane. Everything about the place was so damn familiar. It brought so many memories to my mind. Every single thing Will and I had done there, was so vivid in my head; I felt the air closing in around me, and I was suffocating with the need to feel his lips on mine again, his knowing hands touching me where I needed him most, and making me high so I would forget my own name, melting in waves of pleasure that only he knew how to make me feel.

My whole body was on fire, and not even the late night chill could help me cool off. I was sitting in a rocking chair, on a terrace, hoping the fresh air would make me fall asleep faster. Will was nowhere around, obviously trying to keep his promise about giving me space. I cursed aloud. How on earth was it even possible to want to have some space, and want to have no space between us, at the same time?

More curses fell from my lips. I had to stop dreaming about Will and focus on what was more important now – finding Debora Griffin and trying to find out the secrets that she might be involved in keeping. 

I rose to my feet and went back into the house. My room was upstairs, but before going there, I thought I would make myself a cup of tea. Not that I believed it would help with my sleeping problem. At least I would busy myself with something other than thinking about waking Will and begging him to make my fantasies come true. Mr. Handsome obviously knew how to become my every thought and need.

I entered the kitchen and stopped dead in my tracks. Will was there, wearing nothing but a snow-white towel, wrapped around his waist. He was standing with his back to me and didn’t hear me enter, so I took a moment to drink in the view of his broad shoulders and back, with small glistening water drops left from the shower he must have been taking before coming downstairs.

My whole body tightened at the memory of the showers Will and I took together when we were in Paris. It was a wonderful couple of days where nothing mattered but us, and our love for each other. Back then, I didn’t know who he really was, but I loved every second of being with him, feeling his heat on my skin, and watching the fire shining in his beautiful eyes, which was the only part of his face I was allowed to see when he was wearing a mask. I kind of missed that part of our game, as well as the mystery that went along with every word he whispered into my ear whenever we were together. Even before I knew he was the stranger from my past, I never doubted I could trust him.

“Stop staring and come have some tea with me.”

“Shit. . .”

He laughed quietly. “You thought I didn’t hear you come into the kitchen?” Will turned around, holding a cup in his hands. “I knew you weren’t asleep yet.”

“And neither were you, obviously,” I said, moving to where he was standing to make some tea for myself. I was trying really hard to not stare at the towel around his waist, it looked like it was about to slip from his hips, which was not helping at all.

“I am having a hard time falling asleep tonight,” he said, standing behind me.

“Oh. . . Is that why you were taking a shower in the middle of the night?”

I couldn’t see his face at the moment, but I could swear he knew exactly what I was getting at. A cold shower was probably what I needed too.

“It has never been easy to fall asleep, knowing you were not here with me, Louise. . . But now that I know you are staying in the guest room, things went from bad to worse.”

I turned around, smirking, “You should have known better than to make me move here.”

He leaned against the kitchen table, watching me closely. “Trust me, I’m enjoying the torture.”

“Oh, really?” I tried to hide my smile behind the cup I put to my lips, but I guess Will could hear the irony in my voice.

“I really do, because I know it is not going to last forever,” he said, before he took a sip of his tea. “Sooner or later, I will break this wall between us, and trust me, Louise. . .when it happens, you will have nowhere to run.”

Oh, sweet baby Jesus, I loved that sexy warning I could so clearly read between the lines. Will had always been too darn good at teasing me, making me all hot and wanting with a mere look of his longing eyes. Tonight was not an exception. And to make things worse, he just had to look so freaking sexy, I would have gladly taken a closer look at what his towel hardly covered.

“I think we’d better go back to our rooms and try to get some sleep,” I said, afraid to let myself think too much about his words and the things they made me feel. We both knew, he was right. There was no way I would be able to say no once the door to his bedroom closed behind me. I was just that weak when it came to resisting the inexplicable power he had over me.

“Good night,
Mr. Blair
,” I said, walking to the door.

“Sweet dreams,
Miss Woods
. . . I hope you will enjoy them.” Now it was his turn to laugh at me.

Touché, Mr. Smarty Pants, touché.

I knew, at that second, there was no way in hell I would be getting even a wink of sleep that night. Then I smiled and thought, looking in his direction,
Neither will you. . . Serves you right! You just got exactly what you asked for by making me come here to live with you.

“Hope you will enjoy yours too,” I said, before leaving.

“I sure will,” I heard him saying quietly after me.

***

William

Hot palms slid up my naked chest, sending pleasurable shivers up and down my spine. I opened my eyes and saw Louise’s green pools staring down at me. She was in my room, in my bed, hovering over me, wearing nothing but a short black nightgown the transparency of which left so little for my imagination.

No lingerie. . . Good God help me!

“Who would have thought you would have changed your mind about sharing a bed with me so quickly?” I said, still watching her.

She didn’t move or say a word, but the look in her eyes said everything she wasn’t.

“Come here.” I pulled her to lie on top of me. I wrapped one arm around her waist to keep her still. “Nowhere to run, remember?”

“I wasn’t going to run anywhere,” she whispered against my lips, brushing them with her soft words.

She was on her knees over my hips when she pressed her lower body harder against mine, showing me just how wet she was. Her nakedness touched mine in the most sensual way, both teasing and begging.

“I’ve been waiting for you for so long, Louise. . .”

Every single part of my body was shaking in anticipation of what we were about to do, this was our favorite game to play after all, and resistance was no longer an option for either one of us.

I wrapped my fingers around the back of her neck and pulled her close to my face, kissing away a barely audible sigh that she let out once our lips met. As her hot, wet mouth opened, my tongue slid inside, hungry and exploring. I moved my hand up her neck and on to the back of her head, my fingers entwining in her hair, pulling it gently.

God, she has always been too much. . .

She was my weakness and my strength, the best and the worst of me; both imprisoning and setting me free. Like a flame on a hot day, my body caught fire beneath her touch; she stopped at nothing to burn every inch of me to ashes.

Vibrating with the need to be inside her, I wrapped my hands around her waist, slid her off of me, laying her down on her back. I pushed her nightgown up, and pulled it over her head. She was naked beneath me; exposed to my hungry eyes, which could never get enough when it came to watching her. She was both innocent and sexy. My volcano could explode just looking at her. Her creamy skin was the perfect contrast against the black of my silk sheets, and the moonlight streaming in through the window seemed to make her glow, making the vision in front of me even more surreal. Her blond locks were spread across my pillow, like a halo over an angel’s head. She let out a loud moan when my palm slid down to her clit and my fingers rubbed it gently. She arched her back at my touch; so sensitive and responsive. . . I had almost forgotten how easy it had always been to electrify the need within her body.

“Damn it, Louise. . . You can’t even imagine how much I have missed seeing you like this. Hot, ready, and wanting more.”

“Yes, I want more,” she moaned, looking up at me. “Moooore. . .”

“Tell me what you want, and I will do it.”

“Kiss me. . .there.” Her eyes traveled down to my fingers playing with her clit, and so did mine.

“As you wish,” I said, smiling. I bent down and placed a soft kiss on her lips, then licked a trail down her body, my mouth working its way to where she wanted me. More sweet sounds escaped her throat, breaking the silence of the room.

My tongue stopped at her clit, circling it and then sliding in between her lips, until it stopped at her wet entrance, it tightened, waiting for me to take my next move.

My head started to spin. Fucking her with my tongue was one of the most exciting things she and I had ever shared. It was somehow more sensual, more erotic, more intoxicating, and totally mind-blowing.

The sweetness of her excitement filled my mouth, making my cock pulse, wanting to drown in it. My whole body tensed at the thought of diving deep inside her wet cunt, thrusting in and out, and making her beg for more. Unlike anything else, I could never get enough of making love to Louise. It was like trying the sweetest drug; that one small taste makes you an addict, always longing and searching for the next hit and going crazy when you can’t get it.

My palms slid up her sides, fingers searching for her hardened nipples.

“Oh, God,” she whispered, languished.

Letting go of my previous reservations, I sucked on her softness, then moved up and covered her body with mine, pressing my mouth hard against hers, and allowing her to taste her own excitement from my lips.

“Please,” she said breathlessly, breaking the kiss.

“Please what?”

“I want you, Will. Now.”

“Not just yet, Beautiful.” I smiled down at her, before covering her lips with mine one more time. Reaching between us, I slid one finger inside her, enjoying the way her juices drenched my hand in mere seconds. She was more than ready for me, but I wanted to torture her just a little longer.

Her hips lifted, meeting my quick thrusts eagerly.

“Not enough,” she said with a warning in her voice.

“More?” I asked, looking down at her.

“Yes.”

I pushed another finger inside her, feeling like I was about to come even before we could get to the most interesting part of the process. It was a torture for me too, but I enjoyed every damn second of it, dying to get and give more, a lot more.

It took every bit of my self-control to not make her come with my fingers. I always loved watching her come from my touch. She looked so lost in moments like that. It was just another memory of her I would never be able to erase from my mind.

“Easy, baby,” I said, slowing down. I could feel she was close, but I didn’t want this round to end too fast. “I want to join you in your climax.” I moved my hips, slid up and down her dripping, hot pussy, without letting myself in.

Her eyes locked with mine. I could no longer tease, I wanted her too badly to postpone the moment we both had been waiting for, for months.

A moan of sheer pleasure filled the room once our bodies connected, becoming one. There was no end and no beginning, just this very moment of pure bliss, shattering and at the same time completing; it was beyond words. We couldn’t live apart, we couldn’t exist without each other, and now I could see that better than ever  – she was meant for me and I never wanted to belong to any other woman but the one I was sharing this consuming passion with. I wanted to take her high above the ground, where nothing mattered but us, where we could be together with no promises, regrets, or fears. . .where we could be complete by simply being together.

A surge of adrenaline rushed through me. My every thrust was getting deeper, faster. I lost control over what was happening between us. It was too strong, too overwhelming, and so freaking amazing. I was losing myself in her.

Her breathing quickened, and so did mine. Drops of sweat glistened on her skin. She was flushed, hot and ready to come, and that, again, made two of us.

I pushed deeper, feeling her tightness embracing me.

“Now?” I breathed against her swollen lips.

“Yes, please.”

My hips slammed harder against hers, and she cried out, calling my name, over and over again, repeating it like a prayer.

The orgasm burst from within, filling our bodies and minds with intoxicating bliss, splashing all over us, like a waterfall; making us surrender to its overwhelming force; breaking us into a million small pieces and then putting us back together again.

My cock surged deep inside, filling her up with my love and satisfaction, so strong, I had never felt anything like that with anyone but her.