A Risk Worth Taking Read online

  "Okay, if you're sure."

  "Thanks guys. It was a great day. And I'm sorry he had to end it like this.” She got into the car beside Rob, gave the driver the address, and they were gone.

  When Lance turned back to Josie, he saw that she was very pale and trembling. “Baby, what's wrong?"

  "That was too much. He reminded me of Dan."

  "Why? What happened?"

  "He really scared me on the dance floor the last time. His hands were all over me, grabbing my ass and tits. He was slobbering on me, trying to kiss me. His breath reeked of beer. He kept grinding his hard-on against my hip and he said that if I got tired of you, he would take me on."

  "Why, that son-of-a-bitch."

  "Lance, please. Don't. Just take me back to our room where I can feel safe again."

  "Okay, sweetheart. The car's just over here, let's go."

  Chapter Eight

  Once they were safely back in their room, Lance poured Josie a warm relaxing bath. She lay in the steamy, scented water, with her head resting against the side, closed her eyes and tried to let the tension of the past hour just float away.

  She heard Lance moving around in the next room and then come into the bathroom. She heard the glass as it was placed on the edge of the tub and felt his feet as they joined her in the wonderfully warm water and she opened her eyes.

  Lance was sitting on the edge, with his feet on either side of hers.

  He was naked, relaxed and the most glorious sight she had ever seen.

  He slowly lifted one of her feet out of the water and began massaging it. His thumbs worked in small circles all around the bottom of her foot. He rubbed from the tips of her toes up to her ankle.

  Josie closed her eyes again and allowed herself to simply enjoy the moment, “Mmm, that feels absolutely wonderful."

  "I brought you some brandy, to help with the whole relaxation thing we have going on here.” He kissed the tip of her big toe and slowly put her foot back into the water.

  It was now the other foot's turn for exactly the same treatment. Once both of her feet were more relaxed than they had ever been, he moved onto her legs. His strong hands manipulated her calf muscles simultaneously.

  By now, he was kneeling in the tub between her legs. He moved his hands up to her thighs, rubbing and stroking all of the tension out of her.

  When his hands moved to between her legs, she winced slightly. “Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"

  "I think maybe we were a little too over-zealous in the park earlier! We will just have to take it easy."

  "Oh shit, baby, I'm sorry."

  "It's okay. It's as much my doing as yours.” She sat up and kissed his sweet lips.

  Running her hands down his back to his naked wet ass, “I am feeling very relaxed by the way. You do a wonderful job, but I think I want to get some tension going again."

  "Well, as this is our last night—for now—I have something special in mind. You get dried and put your little gift on and I will meet you in the bedroom.” With that, he kissed her and got out of the tub. Rubbed himself dry and walked out of the bathroom, still naked.

  Josie pulled the plug and took her time drying off with the huge fluffy towel. After dabbing some perfume behind her ears and between her breasts, she slipped the nightgown over her head.

  As the super fine material cascaded down her body, a shiver ran through her. She had no idea what he could possibly have planned for them tonight. This weekend had been heaven and she could not imagine it getting any better.

  When she was finally ready, she made her way into the bedroom.

  She could hardly believe the vision in front of her eyes.

  Every available surface had a glowing candle on it. Huge vases of roses where scattered about the room and the bed was covered with rose petals.

  Lance was standing on the opposite side of the big bed holding a single rose and wearing nothing but a smile.

  "Oh my god, Lance. This is so beautiful!” She looked around in amazement. “I don't know what to say."

  "Then say nothing, my love. Just come to me and let me take you to ecstasy."

  Josie slowly made her way across the space separating them. She walked so slowly and softly, she felt as though she was floating across the plush carpet.

  Lance held his breath as he stood watching her.

  Josie knew that the candlelight had to be shining through her thin negligee, silhouetting her body for him to see. The feel of the luxurious thinness against her skin was breathtaking; it was so ethereal. The material didn't hide her; it was more like a mist floating around her.

  When she finally made it to him, he lifted the rose to softly stroke it along her cheek and she was able to see the effect her entrance had on him. His want and need for her glowed in his candlelit eyes.

  The feather-like touch of the velvety petals against her skin caused Josie to suck a breath in and hold it. She was almost afraid to breathe, in case she broke the spell.

  Slowly, Lance moved the rose down her throat, across her collarbones and on down to the cleft between her breasts. The pounding of her heart made the petals shake as they softly moved across her chest.

  With shaking fingers, Josie reached up and undid the spaghetti strings that were holding the garment up on her slender shoulders. With a soft whisper, the material fell away from her body to lie at her feet, like a soft snowdrift.

  Lance continued to tantalize her flesh with the rose.

  He had not touched her, except with the rose since he left the bath. It was driving Josie wild; she wanted to feel him. Knowing that he obviously had a plan in mind, she forced herself to keep her hands at her sides.

  As he moved the flower over her erect nipples, she moaned softly. Never in a million years could she have imagined that a touch so tender, could ignite such a deep need within her.

  "Lay down my sweet. I don't want you to fall."

  Josie hadn't realized that she had been swaying, until Lance said this.

  She pulled herself out of the trance that she seemed to be in and looked at her lover. Smiling at him sweetly, she slowly lowered herself onto the bed of roses and lay on her back in the centre.

  The scent of the roses as they became crushed beneath her was heady.

  Lance knelt on the bed beside her and took up his journey with the tip of the rose where he left off.

  He ever so carefully traced the petals along her sensitive skin, raising goose bumps all over her flesh. All of her nerve endings were on fire from two days of wild passion.

  This light touching was by far the most erotic thing she had ever experienced.

  With her eyes closed, she concentrated on the touch of the rose petals. She felt every movement to the core of her being. Her nipples were hard, pointing at the ceiling as if they were trying to reach out to Lance of their own accord.

  Her pussy was wet and the very bottom of her stomach was in delicious turmoil.

  One of the petals came loose from the flower; Lance picked it up with his lips and laid it against her pussy.

  Josie moaned deeply when she felt the touch of his chin on the top of her thighs, and his breath against her.

  Lance straddled her and sat on the top of her legs. His erection was against her mound. The heat from both of them mixing together.

  He reached to her sides and gently stroked his fingertips up her arms and back down to her fingers. As his fingers met hers, she lifted her hands and their fingers intertwined.

  He raised her hands up, above her head, pressing them gently into the pillow and lowered his mouth to her waiting lips. The kiss was slow and deep; they moaned into each other's mouths. As they separated, they shared a breath and looked deeply into each other's eyes.

  "I want you to just lay here. You don't need to do anything to please me. Just you being here with me pleases me. Just stay there and let me do this. Okay?"

  Josie closed her eyes for a moment, “I'll try,” she vowed when she opened them again.

  He carefully
released her hands and traced his fingers down the soft flesh of her inner arms to her sides. At the same time, he kissed, licked and nibbled his way down her throat to the warmth between her breasts. His hands came to hold either side of them and press them into his face.

  He slid his tongue around first one nipple and then the other. Gently sucking the nipples into his mouth, to suckle on them as though they were the most precious things in the world.

  Josie was moaning softly and pressing her thighs together to try and control herself. Her heart was pounding and it was becoming difficult to breathe.

  She could feel his hard cock between her legs and desperately wanted to take hold of it. However, she forced herself to stay as still as possible.

  His lips left her breasts to make their way with agonizing slowness down her rib cage. He traced his tongue across her abdomen to her gently rotating hips.

  He slid his knee between her legs, forcing them open gently. His mouth closed over her pussy and he breathed onto her sensitized skin. The warmth of his breath making her shudder.

  Her hands came down to his shoulders.

  Raising his head, he looked to her face “If it hurts, tell me. I want everything we do to be nothing but pleasure for you."

  Josie's only answer was a soft moan and a slight rising of her hips toward him.

  As he settled himself on his stomach between her thighs she opened her legs wider for him. He slid his hands under her ass and darted his tongue out to taste her once again.

  They made careful, gentle love twice before climbing under the covers completely satiated.

  Josie's head was on Lance's chest. She was listening to his heartbeat. “I have never been so completely happy or exhausted as I am right now. I want to freeze this moment and carry it with me for the rest of my life."

  Lance chuckled quietly, “If only that were possible"

  Josie fell asleep, cocooned in his arms.

  He lay there for a long time, holding her and feeling her deep rhythmic breathing against his skin.

  With tears glistening in his eyes, he lowered his lips to her hair, kissing her softly. “I love you, my sweet,” he whispered. “I can't lose you now that I have finally found you."

  Josie stirred in her sleep, but made no reply.

  Lance fell to sleep knowing that in the morning he would tell her the secret, he had been keeping for the last few months. Come Hell or high water, he had to let her know how he really felt.

  Chapter Nine

  When Lance woke the next morning the sun was streaming through the window and warming his skin. He rolled over to take Josie in his arms and found nothing but an empty bed.

  He stretched languorously, listening to see if he could hear her in the shower. Silence, was all that met his ears. He got up to see if maybe she was in the lounge.

  When he found that empty, he moved on to check the balcony.

  She was nowhere.

  Panicking he returned to the bedroom.

  Every trace of her was gone, all except the negligee that he had bought her. It was neatly folded on the dresser, with a piece of paper on top of it. A simple white sheet of paper, folded as neatly as her gift.

  He nervously picked it up, praying that it would not be a note.

  It was in fact a note. He had to read it twice before he was able to truly comprehend what it said.

  *My sweet secret;

  I can't believe I am doing this. But I have to

  leave. I am so sorry baby! If I waited for you to wake up I know that there is no way that I would be able to go. You have no idea how much you mean to me.

  I promised myself that I would not have true feelings for you. That this would just be a weekend fling, but that's not how it worked out! I am sorry, I broke the rules! I fell in love with you! I don't want to hurt you. Go home to your wife darling. Know that you gave me my life back just by caring about me.

  Forever yours Josie xoxo*

  Lance was in complete shock.

  How was it possible that this could be happening?

  She loved him!

  He loved her!

  The only problem was that she didn't know that he loved her.

  She didn't know that he was ready and willing to devote himself to her. The only thing that they had never told each other was their hometowns. Therefore, he had no idea where to even start looking for her.

  This was all too unreal!

  He picked up the phone and called down to the front desk.

  "This is Mr. Jones, from room 824. My companion left early this morning and I was wondering if there was any way you could tell me where she was headed."

  "Well sir, I am assuming that she was headed home. Although, she did appear quite upset when she handed in her key card."

  "And I don't suppose you would happen to know where home is!"

  "Well, no sir! But, there is something ... She got a phone call just as she was entering the lobby and I happened to overhear part of her conversation. Not that I was eavesdropping, mind you."

  "A phone call? What do you mean she got a phone call? Who knew she was here?"

  "She had a cell phone in her bag, you see. Just as she was getting off of the elevator it rang."

  He'd had no idea that she had a cell phone with her.

  Had she been using it this whole weekend?

  Who could she have been talking to?

  Why hadn't she said anything? “Well, what did you hear?"

  "I heard her say something about someone being in jail, she seemed quite shocked, then she asked if the kids knew and if they were okay ... Oh and then she told the person at the other end that she'd be taking the ‘QEW’ and would be there as quick as she could."

  "That's it?"

  "Well, then she asked me the easiest way to get to the ‘QEW’ highway from here and I gave her directions and a map. I do hope everything will be all right, sir!"

  Lance's heart skipped a beat, “How long ago did she leave?"

  "Oh, not long sir, maybe 25 minutes."

  "Can you have those same directions and map waiting for me in five minutes?"

  "Of course sir!"

  "Good, I'll be right down!"

  Lance threw the phone down and scrambled around to trying to get dressed as fast as he could.

  She was terrified of highway driving, so she would be in the slow lane. If he took the fast lane and really pushed it, he might be able to catch her! Throwing his belongings into his case, he ran down all of the stairs.

  He didn't want to waste the time waiting for the elevator.

  He couldn't remember ever driving so fast, but he was very glad that he had rented a sports car with lots of get-up-and-go.

  At one point he nearly lost control of the car on a blind curve. “Okay buddy, you need to get yourself under control or you're gonna end up in the ditch!” he said out loud to himself. After that, he made a concerted effort to be a bit more careful on the minor roads that would take him to the ‘QEW'.

  Once he was finally on the highway, he got into the centre lane and flew.

  There wasn't too much traffic this early in the morning on a Sunday, which was good for him. Although, it also meant that it would make it easier for Josie and she may be farther ahead of him than he thought she would be.

  Every car that he came up to that looked even remotely like hers, he slowed down and peered into it.

  If none of these other drivers called the police to report him, it would be a miracle. He must look like a mad man!

  Lance had been barrelling down the highway for about an hour and a half when he finally spotted Josie's car.

  As he had expected, she was in the slow lane. What he hadn't expected though, was that she was driving faster than the speed limit.

  As he was coming up behind her, he watched her pull out and pass other cars, twice.

  Pulling parallel to her car and matching her speed as best he could, Lance pushed the button to lower the passenger side window. He laid on the horn and shouted trying
to get her attention.

  When she turned to look over at him, he could see that she had been crying, a lot.

  Her window went down. “Josie, pull over!” he screamed.

  She shook her head, “I can't! I'm sorry!"

  "Damn it Josie! Pull over! I have to talk to you!"

  "I have to get home!” She looked back to him, “I am so sorry!"

  "Josie, pull over, please! Josie ... I love you!"

  She never said another word, never turned to look at him again. She just nodded her head.

  Lance hoped that meant she was going to pull over, as he pulled his car in behind her. Just ahead, there was a service centre. They were approaching the ramp to it quickly.

  Lance was gripping the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles were turning white. “Come on girl, turn in there! Turn in baby, please!"

  At the last possible second he saw her turn signal start to flash. It was like a beacon in a raging storm.

  They both slammed on the brakes as soon as they were in the parking lot of the centre. They threw the cars into park and were out of them almost before they had properly stopped.

  Josie ran to him and he thought she was going to fall into his arms. Boy was he wrong!

  With both of her hands rolled into tight little fists, she began pummelling his chest. Tears streaming down her face. Yelling through the moisture on her lips,

  "HOW COULD YOU?

  YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DO THIS!

  WE PROMISED!

  NO TRUE FEELINGS!

  JUST A FUN WEEKEND!

  THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID!

  WHAT YOU PROMISED!

  WHY DID YOU LET THIS HAPPEN?

  WHAT ABOUT YOUR WIFE?

  WHAT ABOUT MY FAMILY?

  I HATE YOU!

  DO YOU HEAR ME?

  I HATE YOU!!"

  Through her whole tirade, Lance had just stood his ground allowing her to strike out at him. This last part was too much for him to take though.

  Grabbing her slim wrists in his fists, he held her and looked into her eyes, “Do you really?"

  He asked it so quietly; she almost thought that she had imagined that she'd heard it. Relaxing in his grasp, she stopped struggling and really looked at him.