Chapter 5
"Can it be a big snowman?" Gracie asked, bouncing along towards the park.
"It can be as big as you like" Lulu said, holding tightly to the little girl's hand. "Maybe bigger than you!"
"Yay!" she exclaimed, jumping up and down. Once they reached the park Lulu let go of her hand as she ran and threw herself on the snow to make a snow angel. Lulu smiled as she watched the easy way that Grace played. It had been a tension filled few days since her meltdown on New Year's Eve. Every time the subject of going home to Nathalie was broached, Grace would become hysterical. In an effort to repair some of the damage Nathalie had agreed to move into Wyndermere temporarily. Despite the presence of her mother, the young girl would have nothing to do with her. Instead she would cling to Lulu and sometimes even Nik. Lulu could see how hurt Nathalie was by Grace's rejection and even though Lulu had tried to explain the situation to her several times, the little girl would not be moved.
"Hey munchkin - should we make the base of our snowman?"
"Okay" Grace agreed as she scrambled to her feet. Lulu started a small snowball for her and Grace placed it on the ground and began to roll it. Lulu grinned in amusement as the ball quickly became bigger than her and Grace was unable to move it any further. "Lulu!!" she called. "It's stuck!"
"Maybe not so much stuck as that's just where our snowman should stand?"
Grace
pulled at her lip thoughtfully. "Maybe."
"Should we
make his middle?"
"Yes" she replied
confidently. Lulu helped her roll the second snow ball and Grace
clapped as Lulu lifted it and placed on top of the large base. "He's
going to be huge!" Grace exclaimed.
"I think so."
"That looks like a full scale construction project, do you have all the appropriate permits, Lesley Lu?"
Lulu turned in the direction of the rich baritone and found her ability to speak had deserted her as she stared in to Ethan's pale blue eyes. "H.h...hi" she stammered.
"Ethan" he pointed to himself.
She grinned, her green eyes crinkling. "I remember."
He pretended to wipe his forehead. "Phew! I would hate to think that I was that forgetable. I keep telling myself that just because you haven't replied to any of my e-mails doesn't mean that you've forgotten all about me" he teased.
Grace walked over and looked Ethan up and down. "Who is Lesley Lu?" she asked, pulling on Lulu's leg.
"That's my full name pumpkin - we're still trying to figure out if we should let Ethan call me Lulu."
Grace looked at the young man again. "My name is Grace and I'm four."
Ethan bent down and stuck out his hand. "I'm Ethan and I'm 21."
Grace scrunched up her nose. "You're old."
Letting out a hearty laugh, he ruffled her hat. "I am indeed. It's very nice to meet you Grace."
"Lu, I'm gonna make more angels."
"Okay sweetie - stay where I can see you." Lulu watched her scamper off, fully aware of Ethan standing beside her.
"So is that your daughter?" he asked.
Lulu did a double take. "Uh, no. I don't have any kids. She's my friend's daughter, well actually she's my brother's girlfriend's daughter and she's not having a good time of things lately so I thought she'd be happier if we got out of the house and did something fun so that's why we're here in the park and oh god, please stop me from talking" she covered her face with her hands.
Ethan smiled. "Stop you? Why would I - you're very cute when you ramble."
She rolled her eyes. "What brings you to the park early in the morning?"
"Just on my way to have breakfast with my dad - we try to do that once a week."
"Sounds fun" she said, rubbing her hands together to keep them warm.
"Hands cold?" he asked. He covered one of her hands with both of his and rubbed them together. Lulu could only stare at him. "Better?" he asked letting go.
"Yes" she swallowed thickly.
He looked at his watch quickly and looked back at her. "I'm going to be late if I don't get going."
"Oh, okay" she said, trying to keep the disappointment from her voice.
He couldn't keep from smiling as he watched the way her cheeks reddened from the cold. "Lesley Lu, do you have a boyfriend?" She shook her head slowly. Ethan grinned. "That's the best news I've heard this year! Do you think you might e-mail me?"
She gave him a crooked smile. "Sure."
"Well all right." Lifting his gloved hand, he lowered it quickly as he realized he was about to touch her hair. "I have to run but I hope to hear from you soon Lesley Lu." He waved to her and started to walk away.
"Ethan?"
she called after him.
"Yeah?" he turned around.
"It's Lulu"
Grinning, he winked at her. "Bye Lulu"
She momentarily hugged her arms to her chest before turning back to the snowman. "Let's go Gracie, we have to make his head."
xxxxx
Having poured her coffee, Robin sat up on the counter. Rian was asleep up in his crib, having tired himself out putting rings on a pole. She smiled as she thought of him. He was growing so quickly and developing so well that it was almost impossible to know that he had been born premature.
"Morning" Patrick mumbled as he walked into the kitchen, bussing her lips. Taking Robin's coffee mug from her hands, he took a long drink from it before handing it back to her.
Robin ran her hand through his hair. "Morning" she replied.
Patrick leaned in front of her on the counter, his jeans slung low on his hips. He had neglected to put a t-shirt on and Robin couldn't resist running her fingertips along his shoulders. He pressed back into her hands. "Where's Rian?" he asked sleepily.
"Napping. We had playtime and he conked out about 15 minutes ago." She pressed her lips into his neck. "So what's the case?" she asked.
"What case?" he said, reaching behind him and running his hands along her thighs.
"The case that had you tossing and turning and awake most of the night."
He tilted his head to look at her over his shoulder. "Did I wake you?"
She nipped his shoulder. "Not really. Wanna tell me about it?"
He inhaled deeply and Robin pressed her coffee cup into his hands. "Ellie Matthews - she's 10. Medulloblastoma."
Robin sighed. "Any luck shrinking the tumor pre-op?" Patrick shook his head. "When do you operate?"
"Tomorrow. She's the sweetest girl Robin and her tumor is huge."
"You'll get it."
"I hope so."
"You will." She worked her tongue in a small circle around his ear lobe. Patrick moaned and tipped his head to the side. Robin continued to work her tongue along his neck.
"You're frisky this morning" he said, enjoying the feeling of her lips on his skin.
Reaching her hands around him, she stroked his chest as he leaned further back into her. "I've been thinking about this second baby thing."
"Oh?" His hands still on her thighs, he pulled her closer against his hips.
"Mmm-hmm" she murmured. "I think we need as much practice as possible, so that we don't feel cheated by the artificial insemination."
"I like the way you think" he said, turning around to face her.
Running her palms over his chest, she leaned in and captured his lips in a wet, hot kiss. His lips parted immediately, his tongue plunging into her mouth. Robin sucked on it greedily as she ran the pads of her thumbs over his nipples. He gasped into her mouth as the lightness of her touch sent electricity coursing through his body. Shimmying further off the counter, she ground her hips into his now growing arousal. Pulling on her bottom lip, he arched his body into hers. Moving his mouth to her neck, he hungrily sucked on the soft skin, while she fisted his hair.
Pulling on her cotton pants,
he slipped a hand inside and teasingly stroked her engorged folds. He
smiled against the hollow of her neck as she moved her hips against
his hand. He moved his fingers in slow strokes, dipping them in her
slippery entrance but removing them quickly. "Patrick" she
hissed. She pulled at the hem of her t-shirt and tore it off,
throwing it to the ground. Patrick buried his face between her
breasts, breathing in her hedy scent. He lashed one nipple with his
tongue while working the other with his thumb and forefinger.
Combined with the slow, languid pumping of his hand between her legs,
Robin used her own hands to brace herself on the counter. Throwing
her head back, she pressed her breast further against his mouth until
he heeded her silent request to take it all in his mouth. She mewled
at the sensation and Patrick became suddenly aware of how painfully
hard his erection was.
Lifting his head, he ran his tongue along
her bottom lip. "My hot wife" he said huskily. Slipping two
fingers deep inside her slick channel, he nibbled on her bottom lip
as she bucked against his hand.
"Fuck me Patrick" she pleaded. "Please."
He could feel her tightening around his hand and knew that she was close. He ached to be buried deep inside her but wanted her teetering on the brink before he did so. She groaned as he removed his hand. Hooking his fingers around the band of her pants, he slipped them quickly from her hips and let them drop to the floor. Sitting against the still cold marble counter, Robin spread her legs and let her hand drop between them, tugging and rolling her clit with her fingers. Patrick's eyes hooded over as he watched her playing with herself. "God, you are so beautiful" he said reverently.
Robin ground her hips against her hand. "Patrick" she whispered, her other hand now massaging her breast.
"Are you close?" he asked, his own hand gently stroking his throbbing cock through his jeans. She nodded, eyes closed, mouth hanging open. "Show me how you get off" he demanded .
"Inside.me" she panted.
Tugging on her bottom lip with his mouth, he whispered into her mouth. "Come for me Robin" His voice dripped sex. Robin dropped her hand from her breast and slipped two fingers inside her, working her sex. He heard a sharp intake of breath before her entire being shook. "Awww...fuck..." she cried as her climax tore through her.
His own jeans damp, Patrick dropped them to the floor and quickly sheathed himself before thrusting deeply inside her as her body trembled with aftershocks. "Oh Jesus" she cried, biting down on his shoulder. Her second orgasm began almost immediately as Patrick continued to plunge inside her. Her body shook and twitched as she clenched around him. Patrick came hard against her, before dropping his head against her shoulder, panting. He stayed inside her, slowly softening.
She dropped soft, feathery kisses along his neck. "You're better than coffee" she giggled.
"We'll need to do that again" he said, still trying to regain his breath.
"Oh?"
"Practice makes perfect."
xxxxx
Former Ambassador and wife in court against daughter tomorrow
Harder embarrassed by daughter's behaviour, seeks custody of grandchildren
Bruce snipped the article from the newspaper and glued it into his scrapbook. Leaning back, he drank from his beer bottle. He would make Patrick pay any way he could.