Clifford Arbor: Savouring Emily (2 page)

“What the fuck?” Emily said, stunned and broken.

Daddy, mummy and uncle had conveniently come back without being aware Emily wasn’t staying the night at Sandra’s.

“Baby, I thought you were at Sandra’s?” He heard her mother scrambling round and the men putting clothes back on.

Not able to bear hearing the pain in her voice and the lies Chase moved to stand behind Emily and offer her the comfort she needed right now.

“What the fuck is all this?” He put his hands on her shoulders to try and ease her pain but she brushed him off and turned on him instead. “Did you know about this?” she demanded.

Shrugging he glanced at the people in the room. All three looked guilty and broken.

“Take me away, take me away from this,” she begged.

His heart breaking for her he sent a comforting sign to the people in the room and took her by the hand back out to the truck.

Chase helped her into his truck, got in himself and started driving.

“Don’t talk, please take me some place that is far away from here.” He didn’t need telling twice. Emily stared out of the window and didn’t bother to speak again. He took her to Clifford Arbor beach. It was late and dark but the beach still held the beauty of the place. The very essence of Clifford Arbor survived by this one piece of property, it’s what brought people back time and time again.

Chase pulled into one of the free parking spaces and killed the engine.  Taking off his seat belt. He sat and waited for her to talk.

The stars shining brightly in the sky, the moon illuminated the sea, the sand a dark mound in the distance.  They got out and took a short walk down a grassy hill to get to the sand and then more walking to get to the water’s edge.

“Did you know about my par–family?” she asked. He understood her confusion. Her uncle had lived with them for as long as he could remember.

“Yes.” There was no longer the need to lie to her.

She let out a sob and Chase’s heart broke a little bit more. On instinct he reached across and pulled her into his embrace, holding her to give her comfort. Her first sob turned to heart wrenching cries of pain.

He stroked her hair and rocked her. Holding her in his arms was so right. Never before had he been so whole.

His shirt drenched in seconds from her tears but he didn’t mind. He could hold her in his arms forever.

Being in Clifford Arbor was completely different. His own parents share a similar relationship to that of Emily’s parents. He’d known about it. Hell, he’d shared women with Lawrence for crying out loud.

Chase held her through the heartache. Her soft little body pressed against his side. He shouldn’t be thinking these rude thoughts about a twenty-year old woman. Emily had passed the stage of being a girl a really long time ago.

A pity Lawrence didn’t want to respond to her crush. The lucky bastard was content with her admiring him from far away.

“Please, can we sit down?” she asked between her sobs.

Chase found a spot away from the water and near the soft sand.

“Does Lawrence know?” Emily played in the sand and didn’t bother to look up at him. Her distance was killing him. Why couldn’t he have protected her from this?

Better still, her parents should have known better.

“Yes. Lawrence and half the town know.”

Her hands rubbed down her face.

“I’m a complete laughing stock.”

Chase reached out and grabbed her hand. He interlocked their fingers. “You’ve never been a laughing stock. Clifford Arbor is just a little different from everywhere else.”

“Yeah. I get that. Two men fucking my mother and it suddenly becomes really clear.”

“I know you’re angry,” he said.

“I’m not angry. Being lied to my whole life what have I got to be angry about?” Her sarcasm hit him in the face.

“I’ve never lied to you.” His thumb rubbed across the delicate column of her wrist. Her pulse jumped at his touch. He hid his smile by looking out at the sea.

He’d known all about the sharing in Clifford Arbor. Especially having grown up with two dad’s and one mum. Everyday he’d seen the love shining brightly between all of his parents. When he’d walked into Emily’s home tonight he hadn’t been disgusted by what he’d seen. If anything he’d seen the beauty of the love shining brightly between the three. Emily had never been told about the private life of the Clifford Arbor residents.

Chase couldn’t recall when the sharing first started but the quiet town people respected other people’s business. They protected their own from outsiders. Lawrence and himself shared women. The joy of seeing a woman lose control and give herself over to extreme pleasure was one of the most satisfying feelings in the world.

“Have you and Lawrence shared a woman?” she asked.

Fuck. Being part of a threesome may have been one of the most amazing experiences of his life but when faced with that question by the woman he cared about. He wished he’d kept his dick in his pants.

“Don’t ask me that,” he begged. Saying the words out loud would make it harder for her to understand.

“I’ve already got my answer,” she said and got to her feet.

Chase watched her storm off up the sand bank and head toward his truck.

“Shit. Emily,” he called.

She kept on walking and didn’t bother to look back. He stared out along the dark scenery and cursed his stupid words.

A part of him had known he should’ve come clean straight away.

“Emily,” he shouted but she continued walking.

Chase caught up with her as she was about to pass his truck. He grabbed her round the waist and hauled her against his truck.

“What the fuck are you doing? Planning on walking on home?” he snapped.

“I don’t know. I can’t go home. How can I face them?” she demanded.

Her hot little body pressed against his, tempting him in more ways than one. “Regardless of what you think. Your parents do care for you. They always have and always will.”

“It’s alright for you. You’ve known about this alter ego of Clifford Arbor for years by the sounds of it. I’ve never known. Never even thought about it. How can I go home? Face two men and my mother?”

Chase cupped her cheeks and tilted her face up to look at him. Her beautiful eyes begged and pleaded with him for help. He saw it written in her depths but he couldn’t help her.

He brushed a thumb along the curve of her cheek. His heart filled with the need to help her anyway he can.

“You’ve got, Lawrence,” she whispered. “And I’ve got no one.”

His heart broke. Emily clearly didn’t understand. For years he watched his best friend and the girl he loved become friends. He watched the chemistry and the spark of attraction clearly shining between them. Emily didn’t even know he existed. In her mind, Chase had simply been Lawrence’s rebel friend. He had a bad attitude and even worse he had tattoo’s. In his mind as long as he could be in her company, he’d been happy.

Now was his time. No more standing on the sidelines or waiting for something to happen. Tonight he could make Emily his own. He could finally know if the fire within him was as bad as he first thought.

“You’ve got me,” he said seconds before his lips consumed hers. Emily was soft and sweet beneath his much larger body. She let out a moan and his heart soared when she instantly began to respond. Her hands wrapped around his body and he felt her nails sink into the flesh on his back. He wore a loose shirt and each touch was the same as against bare naked flesh.

His fingers sunk into the hair at her nape and he twisted the entire length, wrapping her hair around his fist.

She gasped and the move opened her lips wider for him to sink his tongue inside her warm heat. She tasted of strawberries and the faintest hint of alcohol.

Only when he heard, the distant echo of a dog barking, only then did he pull back with reluctance.

“Please, don’t leave me,” she begged.

Emily rubbed her chest against his and her tight nipples pressed on his chest.

“What are you asking for?” Chase didn’t want to read too much into her pleas. He knew how easy he could assume what she was asking.

“Take me somewhere. Take me somewhere and make love to me,” she whispered and wrapped her arms around his neck.

His heart pounded and Chase held her close.

“Are you sure about this? I don’t want any lasting regrets,” he warned.

She hesitated for a second and he thought she was about to ask him to take her home.

“No. I want this.”

He stared down into her eyes and looked at her swollen lips. How could he deny her anything?

Chase helped her inside his truck and together they travelled along the road until they reached a secluded hotel.

“Stay here. I’m going to go and get us a room.”

He walked into the hotel and waited to be served. Chase had thought about taking her to the house he shared with Lawrence but thought better of it. If his best friend was to walk in on him making love to Emily, things would become bloody. Lawrence may be his best friend but he hadn’t been entirely honest with him.

Lawrence believed Chase couldn’t stand Emily. In fact he’d made sure his friend didn’t know anything about his obsession. He couldn’t remember when his obsession with this kind hearted woman began.

When they’d been young kids and Emily even younger, she’d always made room for Chase. The girl had a huge heart. In high school when he’d been struggling with a few classes, instead of teasing him she’d tutored him without anyone knowing.

In his wallet he kept a small picture he’d taken of her at a picnic with the whole town. Yes, he was a sap and he was in love with his best friends girl.

Not that Lawrence would ever find any of this information out. How he’d explain, this trip to the motel was beyond him.

He paid for the room and walked back out to the truck. Emily stared back at him.

God, he hoped he didn’t make a complete ass of himself.

Chapter Two

Emily watched as Chase returned.

What the hell am I doing?

She was about to go into a motel room, alone with Chase Spencer. A deep breath later and she thought about the scene with her mother. Then her attention went back to the time she hit on Lawrence.

It was at her eighteenth birthday party. When everyone had left and only she and Lawrence had remained she’d literally thrown her naked body at him.

The humiliation when he’d held her off had mortified her. The next morning she’d feigned a hangover and pretended she couldn’t remember what had happened during their time together.

Chase pulled the keys out of the ignition and went round to her side and opened the door.

“You can still change your mind.  No hard feelings and you can go home,” he said.

Emily glanced at his hand then at the row of doors. Behind each door she imagined a couple locked in an embrace. That awful night with Lawrence had resulted in her staying a virgin forever, or at least the past two years.

“No. I want this.” She placed her hand in his and allowed him to lead her up a flight of stairs to the room at the far end of the lot.

“I thought you might like as much privacy as possible.” He opened the door and let her go through first. The place sat in darkness until he flicked the switch.

“This is good,” she said.

“We could go back to my place but I share it with Lawrence.”

“No. This is better.” She moved into the center of the room and stared at the innocent looking bed.

The sound of the door shutting echoed throughout the room.

“Do you bring girls to motel rooms often?” she asked.

“No. Never.”

His voice had gone a few shades deeper and she glanced over at him. His stare burnt her. She saw the desire shining brightly in his eyes. She was a virgin but she wasn’t stupid. All these years she knew what desire looked like.

“Would you like to go and get comfortable?” he offered.

Emily looked behind her and saw the door leading into the bathroom. “Would you mind?”

“No. Go on. I’ll be here.” He smiled and placed a gentle kiss against her lips.

She smiled and walked through to the bathroom. Emily stared at her reflection.

“What am I doing?” she asked herself.

No answer came. She didn’t want to leave. Chase may not have been the man she wanted to be with but she’d take what she could. He’d been there when she found out about her parents. Shaking her head in trying to find an excuse she takes off her clothes and wraps her body in the white towel  available for the guests.

Then taking a breath, she walks into the room. Chase sat on the edge of the bed. His shirt had been removed and his jeans had the top button and the zipper undone.

He got up when he saw her enter. His ran his hand through his hair while  his gaze travelled down her body.

“We could forget about this,” he said.

She thought he was sweet for thinking about her.

“No. I’m just nervous.”

In a bold act she opened the towel and let it fall to the floor. She placed her hands behind her back and stared at the floor until she gained enough control and met his stare.

He appeared frozen in one spot.

Then with his eyes on her, he pushed his jeans down his body and stood naked like her.

Emily glanced over him and swallowed. She’d never seen a male member before and his stood out long and thick. Was it possible for men to be that big?

“Don’t be afraid,” he said in a soothing voice.

“No. I’m fine. You’re big.” She smiled and she brought her hands together in front of her body.  The awkwardness not lost on her. Is this how every girl felt?

Chase moved a step and then another. The distance between them growing less with each step. He stood in front of her and reached out to caress her cheek. “We’ll go slowly. I never want to hurt you.”

He was like a different man. All of her life she’d known him as being rough and rebellious. At this moment he was being tender and sweet.

“Don’t worry about me. Just treat me like the other girls. I mean women.” She ran a nervous hand through her hair and glanced up, his cock against her belly.