Beauty from Pain (29 page)

She waves the money in front of me. “He
promised to show you the time of your life. This is one of things
he was talking about. You have two months left with him. Have fun
while you can.”

She’s right. I’m making too much of this. We
discussed what he wanted from this relationship in the beginning,
and he told me he wanted to pamper me and make us feel genuine.
This is him following through with his part of the bargain, so I
should keep mine too. If he wants us to feel real, I can give him
real—every day and twice on Sunday.

34

Jack McLachlan

After takeoff in our small private plane to
Auckland, New Zealand, I check my watch to see if we’re on
schedule. I notice the date—February 1st—and I’m struck by the
memory of a conversation Laurelyn and I had on our second date. She
told me she would turn twenty-three on Groundhog’s Day. That’s
tomorrow. I can’t believe I didn’t remember until just
now.

She hasn’t mentioned it. I think she would
tell me if I asked her, but I decide I want to surprise her with
something special. I just don’t know what it will be.

Our flight lands and I usually have a driver
waiting, but not today. Instead, I rent a convertible for the
twenty-minute drive to the house so Laurelyn and I can have this
experience alone and at our own pace.

After pulling off the road several times for
Laurelyn to admire the coastline, we arrive at the house in
Auckland. She hasn’t traveled much outside her small world at home
and her eyes are wide with elation. I love seeing her like this.
Her expression makes me want to show her the world.

“
It’s amazing.”

“
Wait until you see the
beachfront.”

I carry our bags from the car into the house.
I give her the tour, purposely making the bedroom our last stop.
I’m proud of this room, even if I can’t take credit for how lovely
it is since the house was furnished when I purchased it last year.
The previous owner did a fantastic job making this bedroom
romantic.

Laurelyn walks over and runs her fingers down
the sheer fabric draped over the canopy. “I can’t think of a word
to describe this room. Romantic isn’t enough to do it
justice.”

“
I know.”

“
You’ve stayed here
before?”

“
Many times.” I feel the question
she doesn’t ask and I answer it. “But always alone. You’re the only
one I’ve brought here.” I want her to know she’s the first and
only.

She sits on the bed and falls back across the
mattress. “Your boss has great taste.”

I look at the beautiful woman sprawled across
my bed. “I agree.”

“
What are we going to do
first?”

Now is the only time I have to go into town
for Laurelyn’s gift before tomorrow. “I have to go out to the
vineyard for a quick visit. I should only be gone a couple of
hours.” She frowns at my news. “This is still a business trip for
me, but don’t worry. We’ll have plenty of time for fun.”

“
I’m ready to hit the
beach.”

“
You can go while I’m gone, but I
don’t want you to go into the water while you’re alone.”

She pokes her bottom lip out.
“Boo.”

“
I know you’re a big girl, but
it’s still the ocean. Sometimes unexpected things happen and I’d
feel better about you not going in by yourself.”

“
I get it.”

She sits up and I kiss her. “I’ll be back
before you know it. Don’t forget to wear sunscreen. I don’t need
you burned for what we’re going to be doing while we’re
here.”

–––––

I don’t find Laurelyn’s gift right away, so I’m
gone longer than I anticipate. When I return to the house, I leave
her gift in the car’s glove box. I want her to think I’m clueless
about her birthday since she hasn’t mentioned it.

I walk around to the beach and see
Laurelyn’s towel on the lounger where she was lying, but no sign of
her. I call her name several times without a response.
Where is she?

Deciding she is probably inside, I open the
front door and shout her name several times without a
reply.

Would she have gone into the water
after I asked her not to? I know the answer. Yes, she would.
The moment I answer my own question, I dash
toward the beach and shout her name. I hear panic in my voice and
feel it in my chest as I search the water. I don’t see a sign of
her anywhere.

I hear my name in the distance and I turn to
see her walking along the beach’s edge. She’s wearing a bright red
bikini. How did I miss that? I’m flooded with instant relief and
that’s when I notice my hands trembling. She lifts her hand to wave
and I lift my shaky one to return the greeting. I sit on the
lounger to wait on her because my knees are threatening to buckle
beneath me.

I’m calmed, or at least appear to be, by the
time she reaches me. I hold my arms out for her to come sit across
my lap. I pull her close and bury my face in her hair.

“
Wow, someone really missed me
while he was gone. Is everything okay?”

“
It is now.” I forgo telling her
about my near breakdown when I couldn’t find her.

“
Good.” She reaches for the
buttons on my shirt and begins unfastening them. “You, sir, are
overdressed. Go change into your trunks and swim with
me.”

“
Yes, ma’am.”

When I come out of the house, she’s already
shoulder deep in the clear blue water so I don’t get to feast my
eyes on her in the skimpy red bikini. “You just couldn’t wait,
could you?”

“
Nope. It’s been calling to me for
hours and now I’m not alone, so I didn’t break your
rule.”

I toss my towel next to hers and walk out to
meet her in the ocean. She swims over and puts her arms around my
shoulders. “I’ve never been anywhere so beautiful. Thank you for
bringing me.”

“
It’s my pleasure.”

“
I’m pretty sure it’s going to
bring you some.”

“
Oh, is it?”

“
The eight ball says chances are
good.” She kisses my mouth and rests her forehead against mine. “Do
you come here often?”

“
I try to make rounds on Aurelia
at least once a month during the summer.”

“
Why do you always come
alone?”

“
I’ve never been with anyone I
wanted to bring. Until you.”

“
Oh.” That’s all she says and
doesn’t press it further.

When we’re tired of swimming, we come out of
the water to relax on the loungers. She’s stretched out with one of
her long legs bent.

“
I want to take you into town for
dinner.”

“
Okay.”

“
Maybe dancing
afterwards?”

“
Sure, that sounds like
fun.”

–––––

After dinner at a romantic café, I take Laurelyn to a
dance club I noticed when buying her birthday present. Lights flash
around us in the dark and it’s packed shoulder to shoulder. It’s
not really the relaxed dancing I had in mind, but she seems happy
about being here.

She grabs my arms and we move toward the dance
floor. The music is loud and there’s a fast song playing. Laurelyn
moves to it like it’s something she’s done a million
times.

“
Go out dancing much?”

“
Yeah. Addison and I hit the dance
scene in Nashville a lot.”

She
turns
her back to me and grabs my
hands. She places them on her hips and backs up until her whole
body is rubbing against mine as she dances. She knows what she’s
doing to me. She can feel the evidence grinding against her
ass.

We’re packed on the dance floor and everyone
is in his or her own little world. No one is paying attention to
us, so I slide my hand from her hip to between her legs. She leans
her head against my chest. “You are so bad.”

“
I can’t help myself when you’re
rubbing on me like that.”

“
Sorry. Want to get a
drink?”

“
Yeah, I need one. A big
one.”

We get a couple of glasses of wine from the
bar and migrate to the corner so we can hear each other over the
pounding bass. “Have you been here before?”

“
No. I saw this place today and
thought it might be fun. Do you want to leave?”

She shakes her head. “No. I’m having
fun.”

I feel someone bump into me from behind and I
spill my wine down the front of my shirt. “Shit.”

I turn to look at the jerk behind me and he
sees the damage he’s caused. “Man, I’m sorry. Please, let me buy
you another drink and pay for your dry cleaning.”

I’m afraid dry cleaning isn’t going to save
this. “That won’t be necessary.”

He offers his hand. “I’m Chris and this is my
wife, Trisha.”

I’m not really interested in introductions,
but I choose to be friendly instead of telling these people to get
lost so I can be alone with my girl. “I’m Lachlan and this is
Laurelyn.”

I’m shaking his hand but he’s looking at
Laurelyn. And for longer than I like. “Is the missus your wife or
girlfriend?”

“
Girlfriend.” Laurelyn gazes at me
and we both grin.

The music is loud, so the wife leans closer.
“Have you been together long?”

“
Six weeks,” I answer. That means
we’re half-over. I wonder if she’s thinking the same
thing.

Trish is screaming over the music. “Wow.
Things are still in that new, fun, exciting stage for you.”
Exciting is an understatement. I should tell them what kind of
relationship we have just to freak their married asses out so
they’ll go away.

We laugh at our shared secret. I put my arm
around her and pull her close. “There’s very little about us or our
relationship that’s boring.”

Laurelyn holds her glass of wine out for me.
“Will you hold this for a moment while I step to the
restroom?”

Trisha takes the last gulp and then slides her
empty glass toward the bartender. “I need to go too.”

Perfect. I’m left with my new best friend,
Chris. “Your girlfriend is a Yank?”

I take a drink from Laurelyn’s glass since I’m
wearing my wine. “Yes.”

“
She’s very beautiful. I couldn’t
help but notice her when you were dancing. I’d really like to fuck
her.”

What?
The
music is loud and I decide I misunderstood what he said, so I tilt
my head toward him. “What was that?”

He steps closer and puts his hand on my
shoulder. “My wife is really turned on by you. She wants to give
you head while you watch me fuck your girlfriend. I mean, if you’re
into watching. Our only rule is no kissing. We save that for each
other.”

Swingers
.

I know I do some weird shit when it comes to
women, but this tops the fucking cake. I look like an altar boy
next to this joker. I’m so stunned I don’t answer. I don’t know how
to.

Laurelyn and Swinger Trisha come
back from the bathroom and rejoin the circle. Laurelyn takes her
drink from my hand and I watch her face, wondering if the
wifey
propositioned her
while in the bathroom. Her demeanor seems unchanged, so I assume
Trisha left her husband in charge of closing this deal.

She loops her arm through her husband’s. “So,
did you ask him, honey?”

“
We’re in the middle of discussing
it.” He grins at me. “So, what do you think? Are you guys up for
it?”

I think Laurelyn is trying to read my face,
but can’t. “Are we up for what?”

I pass my empty wine glass to Laurelyn. “Will
you hold this for me, baby?”

I guess it can be called a sucker punch since
he has no idea it’s coming, but I make a fist and slam Swinger
Chris in the jaw, sending him face down onto the dance floor. I
want him to get up so I can beat the shit out of him, but he’s
smarter than that and stays down. “Get up.”

Laurelyn stands there in shock staring at me
because she has no idea what this freak wants to do to her.
“Lachlan! What are you doing?”

I point to Chris on the floor. “You want to
know what I think? Is that a clear-enough answer for
you?”

Security is stalking in my direction to throw
me out, so I put both hands up. “No need. We’re out of
here.”

I take Laurelyn by the arm and pull her toward
the door. “What’s going on?”

“
Not now,” I growl at
her.

She follows me outside and comes to a halt.
“Why did you hit him?”

I keep walking toward the car. I’m afraid I’ll
go back inside and kill him if I don’t get out of there.

We get into the car and I grip the steering
wheel. That’s when I realize how damn bad my hand hurts.

“
Lachlan, you’re scaring
me.”

“
No more than
I’m scaring myself.”
I just lost my shit
over some guy telling me he wanted to fuck her. He made me see red.
I wanted to choke the life out of him for what he
said.