Lila
As soon as I got out of the car, my breath was taken away. One would think that it was mostly because of Danny Downton’s vast estate, but that was only a fraction of the reason.
It was the man in the upstairs window who blew me a kiss that really blew me away. He was quite cute, and if his torso had told anything of his physique—the only part I could see from the window frame—it was that he was also as fit as an athlete.
Most of the men in town had ordinary bodies—some too skinny, some just regular and unimpressive—and the ranchers, well, they rarely lived anywhere near me.
The mystery man had his hand on his chest, with his shirt halfway undone while his strong arms proudly filled those sleeves. The scene was rather sensual, if I must admit, and I caught myself wondering what he would look like topless.
He must have liked what he saw, otherwise, why would he have stared so incessantly and tossed me a smooch?
When he disappeared into the room, I realized that I had been blushing. Luckily, the sun was up and my parents were walking ahead. Nobody would have suspected anything. The last thing I wanted was for my mother to start nagging me about men already.
As we made our way over from the parking lane on the driveway to the gates of the garden, I could not help but glance up every few seconds, hoping that my admirer would return. But he did not.
We had to go slow, since both my parents were careful steppers by habit or age. I would not complain, either, because my wedge heels were far too high, unlike the everyday flat shoes I wore to work and out on the town.
Knowing that I was looking my best in the new dress my mother hated so much, I walked with my head up high. The blue shade I had chosen brought out my eyes. It also clung in all the right places, showing off my curves without being too open or too short. After all, I was a teacher and wanted to respect my parents’ presence.
Flipping my hair back as I walked, I thought about how the hairspray they had applied at the salon gave me the comfort of knowing that I could dance and enjoy myself freely for hours without worrying about frizz.
My confidence levels were at an all-time high and I enjoyed it.
At the gate, and before we got inside, Danny and Gigi greeted us with the utmost hospitality. She immediately gestured to one of the waiters and he brought a tray of welcome drinks—margaritas. On the first sip, I discovered that it was rather delicious and very refreshing.
What a generous hostess Gigi was.
While they struck up a conversation, I looked around and felt bad that Bianca was not able to come after all. She would have totally loved it here. The atmosphere was friendly yet sophisticated, with spots of shade and sun to satisfy all preferences.
Across the garden in the distance, I noticed my mystery admirer standing alone in a corner. He was sipping wine and speaking to a woman whose facial expressions carried a great deal of sarcasm. Was she his partner? I caught myself hoping that they were siblings.
He was, in fact, really handsome, now that I could study his face more carefully. But I only kept it as a glance while he looked at his conversation partner, turning away immediately so that he would not see me staring.
After the initial pleasantries, we stepped over the threshold and he began to approach. Gigi seemed to take notice as she led us in.
“Now, I must introduce you—” She took my hand while smiling at my mother.
“Good afternoon.” In a heartbeat, he was right in front of us, giving me the most intoxicating smile I had ever received. “Frankie Downton, Danny’s brother.”
As he shook Father’s hand then kissed Mom’s, his gaze stayed with me, and I could not help but smile back. Danny Downton was definitely a handsome man, and I knew that he had brothers. But this one… there was something about him.
When he took my hand and kissed it, it felt as though he was making love to it. His lips lingered on my skin for a fraction of a second, and time stood still in a moment only he and I shared.
Once again, I blushed and hoped that we could blame it on the sun. But when he slowly raised his eyes to lock onto mine, I suddenly felt like he was stripping me naked, right here in the garden, in front of everyone.
Inhaling sharply, I could no longer hold back the electricity that was charging through me, sparking out of my eyes, creating a tangible tension in the air between us.
He was… mesmerizing.
Those eyes and the volumes of desire they exuded—he was not even trying to hide it.
And my heart raced.
Going through the usual mingling, I noticed that wherever he went, his eyes remained on me. Following me like my own shadow. Half an hour later, he approached with two glasses of margarita.
“Thirsty?” He grinned.
“Parched.” I tittered, accepting the drink he offered. “Thanks.”
“What d’ya think o’these?” He lifted his glass before taking a sip.
“Mmm.” I swallowed, savoring the exploding flavors in my mouth. “Really good.”
“Thanks.” He puffed out his chest with unmistakable pride.
“You made these?” I widened my eyes.
“Yep.”
“So, what are you, a bartender?”
“Oh,” he laughed out loud, “I would’ve loved to be one.”
“But?”
“But then I probably would’ve been here as hired help and would never have the chance to prove my Cousin Phoebe wrong.” With the hand holding his glass, he pointed toward the woman in the hat, the one I had seen earlier.
“Oh yeah?” I was relieved. “What about her?”
“She bet me that you won’t dance with me today.”
Smooth.
“And why’s that?” I raised an eyebrow, trying to play hard to get.
“I’m a shitty dancer.” He casually shrugged, his boyish charm keeping me on my toes. “But I make great cocktails, so you see…” He gestured with both hands, signaling a fair balance.
“What else can you do?” I threw him a challenging look.
He shot me the most seductive look, a smooth smile curling up the side of his lips. They were pink and plush, indicating that he did not smoke. I hated the taste of cigarettes on a man’s lips.
My knees felt weak and I quickly wanted to change the subject.
“Well, this can’t be too hard.” I waved my hand in the air, referring to a slow Frank Sinatra number that had just started playing.
“Are you saying we can put Phoebe to shame?” He was already placing his drink down on a tall table, his other hand grabbing mine.
“We can try.” I tilted my head with a look of approval.
As he led me to the center where a small group of people had started dancing, I seized the opportunity to study him well. His back was shaped in an almost perfect V, leading down to a tight waist and a firm behind. His straight jeans were well-fitted at the thighs, giving away the details of his shapely muscles.
Was it getting hotter in here?
The moment he put his arms around me, I started to sway and he followed suit. Contrary to his claims, he seemed to be keeping tempo and blasting the right moves. A fairly good dancer, if I had to be asked.
But what did I know? The last time I had danced with a man was at last year’s senior prom, and my partner was Mr. Schneider, our fifty-year-old biology teacher who was also my co-chaperone at the party.
Since we both preferred slow dances, we remained inseparable throughout the party. I had lost track of my parents at some point, which was certainly a plus. Frankie kept the drinks coming, but thanks to my better judgment, I drank just enough to feel giddy.
As we were about to watch the glorious sunset from Danny’s magnificent field, Frankie took me by the hand and led me all the way to the back, behind the crowd.
“Would you like another drink?” he offered.
“Um, no thanks.” I shook my head with a titter. “I’m good.”
Silently, we said our goodbyes to the sun as it sank to the horizon. With the sky still beaming with shades of pink, orange, and turquoise, Frankie turned to me, excitement filling his eyes.
“How ‘bout I show you ‘round?”
“Sure.” I shrugged.
The house was massive, and as we went upstairs, he led the way to a door and turned the knob open. As I stepped inside, I realized that it was a guest bedroom.
Oh, Frankie.
In a desperate attempt to conceal my anxiety, I went over to the large window and looked outside. There was nothing to see since it was now completely dark.
It wasn’t long before I could feel him standing behind me. His fingers gently brushed my hair to one side, his breath warm against my nape. Before I could brace myself, he started to kiss the crook of my neck and I began to melt.
My mind immediately went to the noise coming from downstairs—nobody would hear us. I stepped away from the window, my hands pulling the drapes shut as I did.
His strong hands grabbed me by the waist, hoisting me up and setting me down on a couch placed against the wall.
“We’re doin’ this?” he whispered as his lips grazed my jawline.
“Uh-huh.” I breathed into his ear, throwing my arms around his neck, pulling him closer.
This was the first time I’d ever felt this way about a human, or at least, that was what it felt like at the time. For a second, I froze, trying to figure out if what I was feeling was true. I felt all tingly on the inside, like something was tugging at me. I couldn’t keep my eyes off him. I just stared at him endlessly. Except I didn’t know much about him, in fact, I’d be lying to myself if I thought I knew anything at all.
“Oh, you’re pretty special,” Frankie said. I gazed into his eyes for a second before I leaned in and kissed him again. As he breathed me in, our lips interlocking and his hands soft on my thigh, I felt like nothing else mattered. I was in a complete emotional bliss that wrapped around me like a warm blanket.
I could feel the thin fabric of my skirt slide upwards as his hand explored my thigh, and he gently pushed me onto my back, his lips pressed against mine as I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer. I felt the heat rise in my cheeks, and as his lips traced a line down to my neck, I embraced the full weight of him on top of me and the hardness pressed up between my thighs. I couldn’t believe I was doing this. I couldn’t believe I trusted him this much.
My breathing quickened, and my fingers interlocked in his hair. His hands explored me, moving everywhere, and somehow, without me even realizing it, had found their way into my dress and were cupping my breasts. I closed my eyes and sighed, my back arching against him and my hands pulling at his shirt. A wave of emotions raced through me as I reveled in what he was doing to me, how he was making me feel.
I gasped when I felt his lips move away from my neck and lightly touch the side of my body, just under the hem of my shirt, his warm breath sending bolts of electricity through me. I looked down as he kissed a line across my stomach, his hands strong on my hips as I rocked gently against him. I shuddered slightly as one hand found its way back to my breasts and gently began massaging them. His mouth soon followed, his tongue tracing circles around my nipple and sucking it in between his teeth, the soft grazing sending shivers up and down my spine. “Oh my God,” I whispered under my breath.
I wrapped my legs around his waist and pulled him closer, feeling the bulge in his pants press against me. I reached down, snaking my hand into his pants and grabbing him. I bit my lip in a wicked grin when he exhaled against my neck, his lips quivering against my skin. I rocked harder against him, and could feel myself getting wetter by the minute as I closed my eyes and let the world around me spin out of control.
I couldn’t absorb what was happening. It was like everything was flashing past me, like I was watching it from an outsider’s perspective. That was what being with Frankie felt like to me; an out-of-body experience. I hadn’t felt this happy, this euphoric, in a very, very long time. No one’s touch had ever made me feel this way. No kiss had ever made me feel so alive. At that point, I just wanted to ride him. The way his fingers gently clawed at my skin gave me chills.
I just wanted this moment to last forever, uninterrupted. I thought that maybe all of this had happened for a reason, that the two of us were meant to be here at this exact moment together. But then I dismissed that thought, and pushed it to the very back of my mind. I hated being delusional. For now, the best thing to do was to bask in the moment, to give into Frankie’s touch, and that was exactly what I did.
There was a sound of tearing fabric, and suddenly I was naked from the waist up, with Frankie pushing the material off of me. My breasts were bared to him, completely exposed. Rather than cover myself, I allowed his gaze to bore into me. His eyes drank me in for a long moment before he leaned down and began sucking and licking the sensitive flesh of my neck. I reached up and made him take off his shirt. Frankie’s muscles were taut and enticing. He was looking at me with a fiery passion, watching me as his fingers traveled up my thigh to my throbbing lower lips. I sighed appreciatively as he began to stroke me. I then reached up and held his head against me, sighing and moaning as his fingers continued to work their magic below. Suddenly he reached down, and unzipped his pants and discarded them. His boxers followed.
His hard erection was apparent where it rested against my body. I knew I should take care of him like he was doing for me. Reaching out, I wrapped my hand around his thick shaft, stroking it. He leaned down and began nibbling my ear as I stroked him, nearly distracting me from the task.
I was so wet now, I didn’t think I could hold out any longer. Frankie seemed to sense that. He pulled my hand away from him and drew it up above my head, leaning me back against the sofa arms. For a moment I wondered how many girls he’d fucked on this very couch. Nevertheless, I opened my legs for him, more than ready to feel his hardness inside me. Frankie got hold of my other arm first, so he could hold both hands in one of his above my head. In this position, my breasts were thrust upwards toward him in a perfect display. He took a moment to kiss and lick them, then leaned over me. His gaze was more intense than ever. I felt him nudging between my legs, seeking entrance. I closed my eyes, preparing for the delicious feeling of him entering me. I’d craved this for a long time, I just didn’t want to admit it.
We gazed into each other’s eyes as he slid down, grunting as he entered me. I felt every inch of him inside me, filling me, pulsing against my walls. When I began to move, bolts of electricity shot out through me, making my legs shake. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he buried his face between my breasts. He squeezed my ass as he moved, slowly, rhythmically, cherishing this moment as much as possible. Frankie alternated between kisses and nibbles, and his pace began to quicken.
My orgasm hit hard, racing through me, coursing through my veins, like waves of fire slamming against every inch of me. I moaned into his neck as my body shook against him, and still he moved. I could feel his pants, his silent groans, and I knew he was close. I moved, enthralled in the moment, and when his hands clenched down on my shoulders, I could feel him expand inside me. I bucked up on him, and Frankie threw his head back and groaned as he exploded.
I collapsed against him; his arms were wrapped tight around me as he breathed heavily into my shoulder. I felt the world around me swim in and out of focus, and every inch of me screamed for more. I never wanted to let go.