James' eyes.
Smiling, Alex waved to him, smiled and took a long
sip of her drink. Turning her attention back to
Suzanne, who watched the whole thing with some
interest, she avoided her gaze. "What's going on with you two? He hasn't let you
out of his sight since you got here. "
"I don't know, Suzanne. "
"Do you love him?"
"More than anything right now. There are just so
many complications. "
"Like what?"
"Like his marriage to Jean, his affairs, my
'engagement' to Tad. Take your pick. "
"Alex, James is so complicated. . . "
"Tell me about it. "
"Would you like me to explain him to you?"
"No. I want him to do that. " "Alex, you made it," shouted Harry from the yard
seeing the two of them on the deck.
"Yeah, Harry, I did. And now everyone in Ashmore
Valley knows it too. "
"I thought you were going to D.C. "
"Change of plans. They had a death in the
family. "
"That's too bad," sighed Suzanne.
"Yeah, it was. "
"Come join us. We're getting a game of volleyball
together. "
Laughing, Alex set down her screwdriver, kicked off
her shoes and walked to where a volley ball net had
been set up. "Alex is on my team," claimed Harry as soon as she
reached the yard.
"No way, she's on mine," said James gently grabbing
her arm and pulling her to his side of the net.
"How did I know that," asked Harry, laughing as JR
served the ball.
The game went on for about an hour as everyone
got more drunk. Instead of points, they had to
drink if the opposing team got a point. James
watched as Alex, laughed with the guys and played
really well. Her shirt occasionally lifted too high
for his liking offering everyone a glimpse of her full
breasts. Eventually, Suzanne called the game off
so that the steaks could be put on the grill and
everyone could relax before eating. Alex decided to leave her shoes off and went in the
house to help Suzanne get the side dishes
ready. Melissa and Beth had come with Morgan
and David, as well as other significant others who
were helping in the kitchen.
"Alex, take these out to Harry, for me please,"
requested Suzanne handing her a tray utensils and
sauces for the steaks.
Alex took the tray to the porch as requested and
found James sitting in a lounge chair watching the
door, waiting for her, she guessed.
Smiling casually at him, she handed the tray to
Harry and saw that James' beer can was nowhere to
be found. Walking over to him, she knelt down
beside his chair and asked, "Do you need another
beer?" "Actually, if Suzanne can spare you, I'd like to have a
minute with you. "
"I think she'll be okay without me for a while," Alex
responded, smiling.
James stood up, grasped Alex's hand and led her off
the porch. Alex was aware of the looks they were
garnering as they crossed the lawn to a secluded
corner near the woods that Harry's property
backed.
"Hi," he said once they were out of earshot and
partially hidden by a tall bush.
"Hi. How'd you sleep?"
"Fine until I realized you weren't there anymore,"
he responded wrapping his arms around her waist. "James," she said squirming slightly, "are you sure
this is a good idea; with everyone here and
everything.”
"I think it's a fabulous idea," he replied before
leaning down to capture her lips.
Alex leaned into the kiss feeling the desire between
them grow again. "James, stop," she gasped as he
moved his mouth to her throat.
"What? What's wrong?"
"We need to talk. "
"We talked last night, Alex. We know we're in love
with each other what more is there," he questioned
standing up but still holding her in his arms.
"Why did you and Jean divorce?" "You know why," he answered dropping his gaze
"I know what lead to the divorce, but that doesn't
explain why you did what you did or what you're
doing now. "
"What am I doing?"
"Moving from woman to woman," she charged.
"Alex, that's not fair," he swore, finally dropping his
hold on her.
"Yes, it is. You broke off your fling with Francine
only to fall into bed with me. How many were
there when you were with Jean? Why do you do
this?" "You don't know the first thing about what went
down between Jean and me. I didn't start sleeping
around on her by accident. She made it possible
for that door to be opened. I just walked through
it.”
"What do you mean?"
James sighed, "Jean had a lover; one that she took
up with after I had to start taking maintenance trips
for Hasani.
"So it's do unto others? Is that your philisophy?"
"Basically yes. I found out one night when I came
home from a trip a day early. His car was sitting in
my driveway and I walked around back to see if the dogs were outside. I saw Jean and this man in the
yard with each other. "
"James, I'm so sorry," she offered, reaching up to
caress his cheek. James grasped her hand tightly
and held it against his chest. She could feel his
heart beating and the pain seeped through his
pores and into her.
"She never knew that I knew. She still doesn't. I
let her believe that I had had affairs while I was
away. There were only two others during our
marriage and you know one of them. "
"Francine. "
"Yeah," he replied shaking his head.
"But why them, James? Why did you have to sink
to her level?" "Why shouldn't I have? Why should I be the one
wondering where she was? I just turned the
tables. "
"Is she still seeing this man?"
"Yeah. I just found out that he moved in with
her. "
"James, I'm sorry. Morgan made me believe that
there were so many others. "
"I know. I let them believe that. If they believed
and Jean asked . . . "
"They would tell her what she already believed,"
Alex finished.
James shook his head in agreement, "I'm sorry you
had to find out from Morgan. I should have been
honest with you. Alex, you have to trust me. I love you and I wouldn't betray you for anyone or
anything," James promised reaching up with his free
hand and caressing her cheek, brushing a lock of
hair out of her eyes.
"I love you too, James. And I will trust you until
you give me a reason not to. "
"Thank you," James whispered leaning down to kiss
her once more.
"Alex! James," hollered a voice from the deck.
"It's Suzanne," Alex laughed.
"We better go and see what she wants," James
chuckled still holding Alex's hand and leading her
back to the house. Suzanne noticed the smile on their faces and
sighed. She only wanted the best for James and
Alex was it in her opinion. If anyone could make
him walk the straight and narrow it was Alex.
Grayson saw the closeness between Alex and James
all day. He tried to avoid the inevitable but had to
accept that he had lost Alex for good.
Dinner proceeded into the early evening as dusk
began to fall. After the dishes were cleared away,
everyone settled in to watch the fireworks over
Ashmore Valley.
James cradled Alex in his arms mindless of anyone
around them. He had retrieved a blanket from the
car left over from the winter and sheltered them in
it as the cool winds of fall appeared suddenly. "Let's go to my place," whispered Alex during the
first volley of fireworks.
"Great idea. Do you think we'll be noticed if we
leave," James asked, his breath hot on her neck.
"I don't care," Alex replied smiling.
James and Alex stood up suddenly drawing
attention from Suzanne and Harry who were sitting
with them in the back of the group. Waving
goodbye and smiling they snuck around the side of
the house and got into James' SUV. They had
decided to leave Alex's car and pick it up in the
morning.
"They look good together," whispered Suzanne to
Harry.
"Yeah, they do. I hope they'll be happy. " "Me too," replied Suzanne, leaning her head back
on Harry's chest to watch the fireworks.
James and Alex stumbled into her house, kissing
each other. He remembered the last time he was
here when she had rushed him out of the house
and into the street. He had only guessed at the
possibilities that night. Now they had each other
and he swore he would never lose her. Alex took
James' hand and led him to her bedroom. Unlike
his bed, hers was welcoming and flexible.
James laid Alex down on the bed and spread her
hair around her face. He loved the smell and color
of her hair. It represented her sweetness and
fire. James kissed Alex softly on the lips, gently
stroking her cheek. "I love you, Alex. Don't ever leave me," he
requested, looking into her eyes.
"I won't," she promised.
James and Alex undressed each other in between
kisses and giggles and slipped between her cotton
sheets. Stroking the hair out of her eyes, James
laid feather light kisses on her face, throat and
breasts as she reveled in his attention. James
continued his tortuous mouthing of her skin, kissing
her flat belly and stroking the inside of her thigh.
Alex writhed underneath James seeking
release. Knowing that it wouldn't be forthcoming
if she didn't take it, she quickly tossed James aside
and brought herself to lay on top of him, skin against skin, breast against breast, thigh against
thigh. James chuckled quietly at her bold move.
Bringing herself to sit on his belly, avoiding his male
hardness, Alex leaned down and savored the taste
of his skin. Licking his paps, Alex ran her nails
down his arms to his hands, where she grasped and
eased them over his head. Smiling, Alex kissed
James passionately easing her hips down to meet
his. With little resistance, James thrust his organ
into Alex's smoothness.
Sighing with pleasure, Alex sat up, tightened her
knees at his waist and began to grind her hips
against his. James watched as Alex closed her eyes
and continued her smooth ride. Reaching up, James
caressed a nipple between thumb and forefinger, gently bringing her attention back to him, "Don't
close your eyes," he whispered.
Alex looked into James eyes and smiled. Needing
to hold her in his arms, James deftly pulled Alex
down on to him and rolled her over to her
back. Intermittently nuzzling her neck and
whispering nonsensical words in her ear, James
began the slow movement of his hips to hers as
they again found their rhythm. Alex wrapped her
legs around James' hips to receive more of him.
James kissed Alex passionately, threading his fingers
through her hair while she traced intricate patterns
on his back. Reaching their heights together, James
filled Alex with his juices and took his pleasure
murmuring her name over and over again like a spell. James continued his rhythmic motions until
Alex too laid satiated and glowing underneath him.
James kissed Alex softly and rolled from on top of
Alex and gathered her in his arms in one smooth
motion.
"I'm hot," Alex whispered after a few moments.
"I wonder why," James whispered back, chuckling.
Quietly sliding away from James, Alex opened the
window closest to the bed and adjust the blinds to
that they received the air.
"Better," he asked as she crawled back into bed and
snuggled against him. "Much," she sighed.
"Good. I only want you to be happy. "
"I am, as long as you're with me. "
"Then I'll be here forever," James said, kissing her
neck.
Alex woke up the next morning and looked
anxiously at the clock. For a moment she forgot
that it was Saturday and almost panicked at being
late for work especially if they had to go in together.
Turning her head, she saw that James still slept
soundly beside her. She smiled lightly at their
lovemaking from last night. It had been a
wonderful Fourth of July for her. Undisturbed by
her minor movements, Alex decided to let him
sleep. Dressing in a soft cream colored satin robe, Alex descended the steps to the kitchen to make breakfast.
Chapter 14
Alex set the griddle on the stove, turned on the
coffee maker and went to the porch to collect the
newspaper. She was just about to close the door
behind her when she heard a voice calling her
name. Cocking her head to one side, she thought
it was James at first, but then realized the sound
was coming from outside the house. Turning
around in the doorway, she gasped sharply as Tad
made his way up the sidewalk to her house.
"Good morning, Alex," he said, slightly out of breath
and then kissing her cheek.
"Good morning," she responded shocked at his
appearance. "Can I come in or will we have to have our reunion
on the porch and shock the neighbors," he smiled.
"Please, come in," she offered finally, wondering if
she could keep James and Tad separated long
enough for Tad to leave.
Tad strolled into the house and frowned at the lack
of elegance in the house. Alex noticed the frown
and frowned herself. She knew that he was not
impressed with her surroundings or the house.
"The furniture looks out of place, Alex. It'll look
better back in Washington. "
"You think so," she asked trying to keep the
conversation neutral.
"Yes, I do," he said turn
ing to her, "You're not
dressed?" "No. I'm just getting up. "
"I didn't mean the robe. I meant that there's
nothing under the robe. "
Alex forgot that her back was to the door and the
sunlight. The thin fabric of the robe clung to her
breasts and illuminated the gap of her legs
underneath the garment. "Oh, um, I was, uh, I just
got out of the bathtub," she lied.
"Really? Your hair is dry already?"
"I didn't wash it. "
"Must have been a short bath," Tad remarked
looking at her appearance closely. He saw the
gleam in her eye and the kiss bruised lips and knew
there was somebody recently taking his pleasures.
"So, who is he," Tad asked finally. "Who is who?"
"Don't play stupid with me, Alex," Tad said crossing
the room coming to stand in front of her.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Tad," she
lied insistently.
The beeping of the finished coffeemaker broke the
confrontation and Alex went into the kitchen to
create space between them. "Coffee," she
offered.
"No, thank you. I didn't drive 300 miles for coffee,
Alex. I came to take you home. I'm announcing
my intentions for Adler's seat on Monday
morning. I'm going to need a loving wife or
fiancée to stand beside me. " Alex turned and looked at Tad from the
kitchen. He had followed her through the house
and into the dining room.
"I'm not going back, Tad. "
"So there is another man?"
"No," she replied shaking her head, "I like it here. "
"Bullshit," he swore.
Alex finished fixing her coffee and began to make
her way back to the living room. She was trying to
keep him away from the stairs. The noise might
rouse James. Halfway across the room, Tad
grabbed her right arm and spun her to him. The
tea cup, which had been in her left hand, flew from her and projected itself into the wall where it
smashed.
"What do you think you are doing," Alex asked
angrily.
"Go upstairs, get dressed, and pack your things. A
moving company will be here this afternoon to take
care of your furniture which will go back to the
storage facility," he hissed.
"I will not. I'm not leaving, Tad. That's
final. Besides, even if I wanted to, I would need to
give Hasani two weeks’ notice "
"Why? You won't be working again. You won't
need a reference. "
"Tad, I'm not leaving. I don't want to go back to
D.C." "Or to me? I'm not letting you make the biggest