Wickingham Way (A Harbour Falls Mystery #3) (14 page)

Chapter Eighteen

A
dam and I returned to Fade Island the very next week.

I was thrilled to be back, thrilled to leave behind the house I’d been renting in Harbour Falls. I originally leased Mrs. Heider’s Victorian before breaking up with Adam. When I left the island in January, it was under the guise of leaving the man I loved. On a dark winter evening, I’d found Adam down in the wine cellar and told him I needed time apart. How far from the truth those words had been.

I vowed to never say them again.

It seemed so far away now—that phony breakup—but it had occurred only three months earlier. Not only had a lot changed in my relationship with Adam—we were more solid than ever these days—but I soon discovered things had changed on the island as well.

First, the owners of the storefronts along Main Street had returned to Fade Island. The morning Adam and I returned, we’d driven up from the dock to find many of the store proprietors out on the sidewalks, washing down windows and re-hanging signage that had been taken down for the off season. Early preparations for the upcoming tourist season were well underway.

“I can’t believe winter’s finally over,” I had said to Adam as we’d passed the shops.

He’d put his hand on my knee, and murmured, “Well, it is, Maddy. And wait until you see how beautiful the island is this time of year.”

Adam was not kidding. Winter was nothing but a distant memory on Fade Island. As we’d driven along the coastline, I took note of how spring certainly was in full bloom. If I’d thought Mrs. Heider’s flower beds were impressive, Id been sadly mistaken. Tulips of every tone and color, as well as varying shades of yellow daffodils, dotted the island landscape.

All of that occurred yesterday, but I was still in awe of the beautiful springtime island displays today. In fact, I was standing out in front of my cottage, admiring some of that floral beauty right in my own front yard.

“Pretty,” I said to no one in particular as I scanned the grassy expanse that was dotted with vividly colored daffodils, crocuses, and tulips.

I would have been talking to Adam about the loveliness of the island, had he been with me. But today I was on my own. Adam was over on the mainland, working at his Harbour Falls office until evening.

As I lingered on the walkway, my eyes were drawn to the window boxes. I’d planted chrysanthemums in the box closest to the front door back in the fall. Sadly, though the plants were still in the box, the once-white blooms had seen better days.

I sighed, recalling how Max had brought two potted flowers to me as a peace offering after he’d caught me trespassing on Adam’s property. He had felt bad that he’d scared me to the point of fainting that fateful night. I smiled now, thinking of how Max slipped up the morning he brought the flowers. He confessed that it was Adam who’d suggested the white mums, something I’d mentioned to Ami I was interested in purchasing. Seemed Mr. Ward had been attentive and observant right from the start.

I wished the reminders of my early days with Adam could remain forever, but the blossoms had long since shriveled and dried up. I moved over to the window boxes and dug out what was left of the mums. Once my task was completed, I swiped my hands on my jeans to brush off the soil on my fingers.

“Well, what next?” I mused as I glanced around.

I’d traveled down to the cottage to retrieve the last few belongings I’d left there. I was more or less moved in with Adam, living with him at the large estate a mile north from where I currently stood. Adam and Max had moved the last of my big stuff the evening before. Now I was here just to grab some books I’d left on the shelves inside. Adam warned me not to overdo it, though, as I was still recovering from being hit by the car driven by Ruslan. My shoulder remained in a sling and would for another month.

Cognizant of Adam’s request that I not push myself and reinjure my shoulder, I was careful when I went inside and packed up the last of my books. I took the boxes out and loaded them into the silver Navigator I drove when on the island.

Just as I was placing the last box in the SUV, Max drove by. I waved, and he quickly pulled his dark green Hummer into the driveway, parking it behind my Navigator.

Max rolled down the window and called out, “Hey, Maddy, how’s it going today? Do you need any help with anything?”

I looked around. All the boxes were secured in the vehicle, so I replied, “No, I don’t think so. I’m actually just about ready to go.”

Max nodded, and then I asked, “Hey, where are you headed?”

I was kind of bored, and Adam wouldn’t be back on the island for a few more hours. I had time to kill.

“Down to the lighthouse,” Max replied. “Work is just about finished up down there. But there are a few things I need to check on before the guys leave today.”

Adam had finally fessed up that he was indeed having the lighthouse renovated, just as I’d suspected. I’d yet to see the refurbished structure, though, so I asked Max, “Do you mind if I go down there with you?”

He shrugged. “If you want to, it’s fine with me.”

Since there were people I didn’t know on the island, getting things ready for summer, I locked the Nav. Then, with Max’s help, I hopped up into the passenger seat of his Hummer.

And we were off.

Max parked at the lower end of Main Street. He cut the engine and helped me down from his vehicle. He took extra care when I shifted funny and winced at the resulting sharp pain in my injured shoulder.

“You all right?” he asked as I stepped down.

“Yeah, I think so.”

The narrow, gravel pathway that trailed toward the steep set of steps cut into the high cliffs was directly to my right. Max and I stepped onto the trail and headed toward the steps.

I glanced over at him as we walked. Adam had told me Max was completely healed from his gunshot wound. Still, I felt compelled to ask, “How are you feeling?”

Max smiled gently. “Good, Maddy. What about you?” He nodded his chin to my shoulder. “Shoulder healing up okay?”

I nodded. “Yeah, it’s healing. Of course, it still hurts when I move certain ways, but the doctors say that’s to be expected. Overall, it’s coming along nicely.”

Max said he was happy I’d not suffered any worse damage, and then we dropped the subject. It seemed neither of us cared to dwell on how we’d been injured by Ruslan and his cohorts.

The close of the subject came at the perfect time too, just as we reached the end of the trail.

It was a clear day—blue skies, sunny—so the lighthouse at the end of the strip of land below was fully visible. And it looked amazing!

The stark white structure had always loomed in the background of the landscape of oil-black rocks that dotted the thin strip of land leading out into the sea. But with the new paint job the lighthouse stood proudly, taller and whiter and brighter than ever.

I turned to Max, and asked, “Can we go down?”

“Sure. I need to talk to the workers, anyway.” He jerked his chin in the direction of where a few men were milling around the lighthouse.

I clapped my hands excitedly, and Max added, “Just stay close to me, Maddy. We cleared out a nice path—wider than before—but it can still be a treacherous trek. Adam would kill me if you slipped and got hurt.”

Max sounded truly worried. I found it somewhat comical that this huge man who’d
killed
people feared Adam Ward. But Adam could be intimidating, no doubt. Any man with that much authority and power was bound to be feared. It thrilled me in a way, because Adam was all mine. I’d captured the heart of a powerful man.

Heeding Max’s request, I was mindful of my steps as we made our way down to the lighthouse. I didn’t want to end up hurt and have Max feel responsible, so I stayed close to him, all the way until we reached the base of the lighthouse. There, the workers spotted Max and greeted him with a barrage of questions.

I stepped back a few feet to give everyone some space to talk. But when Max was done speaking to the workers, he headed back over to where I stood.

“Sorry about that,” he said.

I waved my hand. “Oh, don’t worry about it.”

I glanced around at all the improvements to the area around the lighthouse. The sandy trail leading up to the structure had been widened, and flowers had been planted in between the rocks on either side of the trail, giving the lighthouse a much more welcoming feel than before.

I wondered how things looked inside the structure. Surely the lighthouse was no longer dark, cold, and musty, like the last time I’d been in it.

“So, what all is Adam having done down here?” I asked, anxious to veer my thoughts away from the night I’d been held captive in the structure before me.

Max listed off many of the improvements that had been made: fresh coats of paint inside and out, a change in the interior lighting, better access to the lantern room, and various aesthetic touches, like the flowers.

“And,” Max said as he finished his spiel. “Adam wants the beacon working again.”

“Oh, wow, how cool.” I tilted back my head and stared up at the top of the lighthouse.

Fade Island would once again have a working lighthouse.

I loved all of the improvements Adam had ordered, and like I’d told my guy, this place held only good memories for me. Well, not completely. But now that the lighthouse looked so different, I vowed to myself that I would no longer allow the events that had occurred with Jennifer and Ami to overshadow my good memories. Good memories, like the one I had of Adam bringing me down to the lighthouse for the first time…or the one of Adam trying to kiss me up in the lantern room.

I was about to ask if we could go inside, but just then Max got a text. “I’m afraid I have to take you back to the cottage, Maddy,” he said as he read his message. “I have some other things to attend to right now.”

“I understand,” I told him. “I should probably get back, too.”

We headed back up to Max’s Hummer, and after he dropped me off at the cottage, I got in my own SUV and drove up to Adam’s estate. On the way, I kept thinking of how much I loved Adam. Spending time down at the lighthouse had reminded me of how much he turned me on, even back then, even when I wasn’t sure at all if Adam could be trusted.

Adam and I hadn’t done much physically since I’d gotten hurt, and I missed that connection. I knew Adam didn’t want to reinjure my shoulder. That was why he was being so extra cautious. But I needed to reconnect with him. The lighthouse had reminded me of all the hot feelings we were keeping at bay.

I made a decision, just as I turned into the driveway of Adam’s compound. I was going to unleash all those pent-up feelings tonight. Hell, my shoulder felt good enough for
that
kind of physical activity.

But first, I needed to prepare. And I needed a plan—a plan to seduce Adam.

After I was parked, I raced into the house.

First, I checked to make sure Adam wasn’t home yet.

All was quiet, the coast was clear.

I hurried upstairs, where I showered and dressed in the sexiest lingerie I could find—black bra, matching panties, black stockings, and garters. Adam wasn’t going to know what hit him when he walked through the bedroom door.

Since I expected Adam to arrive at any time, I hastily propped up some pillows on the massive bed in the master bedroom and leaned back against them. I’d slipped the sling off for the night, as it was messing with the whole sexy vibe.

After a few moments, I heard the front door opening and closing.

Adam was home.

When I heard him ascending the stairs, I bent my leg at the knee and fluffed out my hair.

There, ready… My seduction was in place.

When Adam walked into the bedroom, the look on his handsome face was priceless. He sure hadn’t expected to find me laid out before him like a present just waiting to be unwrapped.

“See anything you like?” I asked when he hesitated in the doorway, his eyes raking hungrily over my body.

A sly smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Maddy, Maddy,” he
tsk
ed. “You really think you’re up for this?”

“I think the more appropriate question, Mr. Ward, is this: are you
up
for this?” I lifted an eyebrow.

Adam chuckled and undid his tie. He tossed the silk material aside and strode over to the bed. His eyes, as he approached, seared me with intensity.

Adam shrugged off his suit jacket, but when he started to unbutton his dress shirt, I stopped him. “Leave it,” I said in a low voice.

I actually wanted Adam to take me as he was, dressed in a dark business suit. I wanted to be his reward at the end of a long day. I wanted Adam in control, as he was in every aspect of his business life. And the sexy Mr. Ward clothed—while I was not—would give me what I longed for: the feeling of being taken by this powerful man.

Adam, always so in tune with my needs, caught on immediately to exactly what I wanted. With a sexy smirk, he slipped his suit jacket back on. “Is this what you want, Madeleine? Me completely dressed?”

I nodded. “Uh-huh.”

Adam snatched up my feet and slowly slid me to the edge of the bed. Running his hands up and down my stockinged legs, his warmth heating the cool silk, he rasped, “I really like these.”

Before I had a chance to respond, Adam climbed up over my body. He straddled my chest as he unzipped his pants. Fueled with desire, I reached into his boxer briefs and wrapped my hand around him. With a harsh intake of breath, Adam reached down and freed himself from the confines of material.

With no hesitation, I took him in my mouth, hungry for every inch.

Adam placed his hand behind my head, propping me up to accept his measured thrusts more adeptly. When I increased the pace on my own, he moaned out a curse. But then, he pulled back.

“Adam,” I whimpered. “Please, don’t stop.”

His mouth descended to mine. “I have no intention of stopping, Maddy,” he said between hot, wet kisses, “I want to be inside you so fucking much right now.”

With his pants still on but undone, he settled between my legs. His hot shaft pressed up against my soaked panties. I reached down to undo one of the garters, but Adam stilled my hand. “No, like this,” he said.