Surrender to Fate (Fate's Path Part One: A New Adult Romance Series) (12 page)

Adley turned and walked away from Sarah, leaving her breathless and trembling. He didn’t even turn to look at her as he left the garden and strode out of sight. He left her with so many thoughts swirling in her head that she actually felt like she might faint.

What an amazing display of resolve.
She could not believe what had just taken place, and if it wasn’t for the pulsating ache in her body from the feel of him pressing against her, she might have doubted that it even really happened. But it did happen. And now, everything between her and Adley would be different. What was once left to Sarah’s imagination, was now permanently imprinted in the forefront of her mind, and more importantly, on her body. The feel of his arms around her, his wanting mouth devouring hers, and his body, so clearly wanting her. Now she knew. Her imagination absolutely paled in comparison to the real thing. She would be crazy to even try to deny that she didn’t take pleasure in the sensations that Adley could so easily create within her. The question now was, could she deny it from ever happening again?

Sarah mindlessly gathered her gardening tools. Although her mind was numb, her body was anything but. Something had been awoken in her, something that had permanently transformed her from girl, to woman. Sarah felt the inner conflict as she realized that it had been Adley, not Will, who had given her the first taste of wanton desire. Her time with Will had been undoubtedly new and exciting as they would steal kisses from each other whenever they could. But they had never gone beyond that. And now, Adley. Adley had taken her beyond the threshold, and Sarah would never be the same. She knew what Adley wanted. And whether or not her mind was telling her to avoid him at all costs, her body was telling her that the taste she had just been given would not be enough.

Sarah trudged back to the garden shed. She put the tools away, and put her head in her hands. She shook her head and she took a deep breath.
I’ll just have to tell him. I need to get this shut down, and as soon as possible. He needs to know about Will, and how I feel about him, and what I’ve decided. That can not happen again, I will just make him understand that.
Sarah seethed with disappointment. She had always held herself in high regard of being able to keep her word. But now, she realized that was a complete farce, if she couldn’t even keep her word to herself, how could she possibly keep it to Will.

Sarah knew that the sooner she cleared the air with Adley, the better. With the sun setting, she knew that she didn’t have much time before she would have to be home. She went to the barn, but found only the animals that had already turned in for the night. She walked to the machinery garage and the other small sheds, but Adley was no where to be seen. She decided that first thing in the morning, she would find him, and set the record straight. But for now, her last interaction with Adley would be that of his hands pressing her body into his, and her giving in to his ravenous kiss.

Despite the unexpected start to his day of fishing, William found that the afternoon with Margaret was not as awkward as he would have predicted. And, in all fairness, the time that he had spent with her in the past several years had always been at community events or at the lumberyard. In fact, as he watched her throw her head back in laughter at his bad fishing jokes, he realized that this was the first time he had ever spent time with her when there wasn’t another soul around. Most of his interactions up until now had been either strictly business at the lumberyard or the unfortunate occurrences that had taken place when he had been with Sarah. William recollected the night of Sarah’s birthday in the soda fountain, and the horrible scene that had ensued because of the spilled cherry cola. Sarah had been adamant that it was intentional, and William wasn’t going to argue with her, at the time. But he found himself wondering if Margaret really was the Devil in disguise as Sarah was so certain, or if Margaret simply hadn’t been given a fair chance.

“How am I doing?” Margaret interrupted his deliberation. She dipped and yanked the pole, attempting to imitate what William had earlier showed her.

“Well,” he paused and contemplated his words, because in actuality, he knew there would be no way on God’s green Earth that she would catch a fish flailing the pole around so haphazardly.

She raised her eyebrows and blinked in expectancy, “Yes?”

He cleared his throat and began again, “Actually, I think you’d have a better chance of catching a cold, than a fish, if you keep jerking the pole around like that.”

“Oh! Well, by all means, let me know how you really feel. Apparently
you’re
not a very good teacher then, are you? Considering I’ve learned everything I know about fishing from you.” She put her hand on his chest and gave him a slight push, “I won’t be blamed for your poor instruction.”

William put his hands up in defeat, “Sorry. I tried to show you what to do, but maybe it’s just not…I don’t know…not in your blood to be a fisherman?”

Margaret huffed, “No one will tell me what I am able to do, or not to do, William. You should know that right now.” She smiled wryly, “So, you just get over here and show me again, and again, until I get it.”

William took a few steps until he was next to her. “You’ve got to
gently
tug on the pole, quick little jerks with your wrist. You want the fish to notice your bait and want to follow it, not completely scare them off.”

He noticed her slight smirk, and realized that again, Margaret probably knew more about getting noticed than he ever would. “Like this?” She yanked and jerked the pole with only slightly less force than before.

William shook his head, and exhaled deeply, “No, not really. Here, let me show you, again.” He reached for the pole but Margaret had a different plan.

“I’ve already watched you do it and obviously, I don’t understand. Can’t you show me? You know, with me still holding the pole? I mean, if I’m really going to understand how to do it, I can’t just watch you, I have to feel what you want me to do, right?”

William looked down and scratched his head and ran his fingers through his hair. He looked up at her, “I suppose so.”

She smiled triumphantly as he relented to her request and placed his right hand on hers and moved behind her. He put his left arm around her and guided her left hand to hold the line in the crook of her finger. Leaning over her shoulder so that their cheeks were almost touching, William found that the last thing he was actually thinking about was catching a trout. Margaret’s hair was soft against his neck, softer than he had imagined. She smelled delicious, with just the slightest hint of rose water.

He cleared his throat, and could only muster a whisper, “Like this,” he easily encased her delicate hand with his and began the slight jerk of his wrist. He felt Margaret lean into his body and actually position her head even closer to his. He could feel her soft skin against his cheek, and he literally thought that she would surely feel his heart, that was practically pounding out of his chest. Her petite frame was nestled against the entire length of his torso and feeling her against his body made him light headed. “Just a gentle pull, and then let it settle, gentle…see?”

“Ohhhh, yes. Now I know what it’s supposed to feel like. I see exactly what you mean now, William. I take it back. You are quite good. I’m sure you could teach me just about anything.” She leaned and turned her head so that now, instead of her cheek being next to him, her lips were merely inches away from his.

William froze in place. Her breath on his mouth was warm and sweet and her lips seemed like a ripe strawberry just begging to be plucked and devoured. She moved her mouth to his ear and whispered, “I don’t think I’ll ever think of fishing the same way after today, William.”

Feeling her breath sent a wave through him that made him close his eyes and savor the sensation. It made him want to pull her in closer, and have her tell him more, let her lips move across his ear so he could breathe in her scent. That is what he wanted to do, and it took every bit of willpower to resist the urge to do just that. Another moment and he might’ve lost that battle had it not been Margaret who broke the intoxicating interaction and leaned forward.

William blinked and swallowed a little too loudly for his liking. But Margaret just turned to him and smiled. “There. Now, was that so difficult?”

“Um…no. Not at all.” He let go of her hands and took a step back. Stepping away from her, he immediately realized how good it had felt to have her against his body. Not quite knowing what to do, he jammed his hands in his pockets and walked to the edge of the bank and peered over. He turned back and looked at Margaret. She smiled and tilted her head slightly, “What is it, William? The fish aren’t scared off, are they?”

“No…I think you’ve got the hang of it. I’m sure you’ll be catching one any minute now.”

“Hmmm…yes, I think you’re right, William. I have a very good feeling that I’ll be leaving here with a very good catch.”

William and Margaret had eventually given up on catching a fish. Despite William’s expertise, and Margaret’s willingness to learn, the day was ending with nothing for William to bring home to his mother for dinner. The sun had begun to set, and a chill was beginning to settle in the air. William realized how quickly the day went by, and recognized that the majority of his day off had been spent with Margaret Thornton. He marveled at the sheer surprise of that actuality. It also occurred to him that other than that one moment earlier in the day, he hadn’t thought of Sarah. Upon that admission, William felt a slight pain in his chest. The entire afternoon, Margaret had commanded his attention, and he gave it to her. How could he not? Margaret was very clearly a woman who could not, and would not, be ignored. And, furthering his uneasiness, if he were to be completely honest with himself, he would more than gladly give her his attention again.

Margaret and William had arrived back at the Harstons’ house just as the sun was giving its last light for the day. Walking slower and slower, William finally stopped and turned to Margaret, “Can I…take you home?”

Margaret smiled broadly, “Thank you, but no, I have Daddy’s truck,” as she pointed to the far end of the driveway. “I’ll be fine.”

William wasn’t sure why, especially after spending the entire day with Margaret with ease, that he was suddenly feeling very anxious. He couldn’t quite understand what he was feeling. The day with Margaret was ending, and it was dawning on him that he didn’t want it to.

Margaret sighed deeply and smiled. “Well, fishing today was…very enlightening, William. I have to say that I enjoyed it, very much. And, I will say that while you are a very patient and able teacher, I’m not sure very effective. I don’t think the trout have anything to worry about when I’m around.”

William blushed and looked at his feet, “No, I guess not. I guess today I wasn’t really concentrating on catching fish.”

“Well, in case you couldn’t tell, I wasn’t either,” Margaret looked intently into William’s eyes. “But, just so you know, you’re not the only one with something to teach. I might know something that you don’t.”

William scoffed, “Really? And what might that be?”

“You’ll have to wait until next Saturday to find out.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Next Saturday, you come to me. Come first thing in the morning, and plan on being gone for the whole day.”

William squinted and looked at her suspiciously. “Hmm…sounds…interesting.”

“I won’t take no for an answer, William Harston.”

“Can I think about it?” William was suddenly quite enjoying teasing Margaret.

“No! Please, William. Are you going to make me beg?” Margaret took a couple of steps until she was right in front of him. She put her hands on his chest and looked up into his eyes. “Because if you want me to beg you, William, I will.” She locked her eyes onto his and lifted her chin so once again her lips could demand his full attention.

William tried to look at her eyes but he couldn’t help staring at her mouth, and her amazing pink pout. Margaret ever so slightly licked her bottom lip and gently bit down on it.

William’s pulse quickened and he swore he had never before seen such a slight, minute movement that could actually make every muscle in his body physically respond. He wanted to know what those lips would feel like, what they would taste like, but all he could do was stare, and try to resist the urge that was pulsating through him.

Margaret gently let go of her lip and whispered, “Please, William. I am
begging
you. Please say you’ll come to me.”

William compelled his eyes to move away from her lips and back to her eyes. She stared expectantly until he managed to stutter, “I’ll be there.”

“Well?” his mother asked expectantly as he walked in the door. “Did you bring me any fish?”

William walked into the kitchen where Catherine was moving the rested bread dough into a loaf pan. “Oh, no. Not today,” he answered hesitantly. “They weren’t biting.”

“Really?” his mother asked as she pursed her lips and nodded slowly. “Hmmm,” she said thoughtfully.

“What?” he asked, eyeing her carefully.

“Oh, nothing.”

William nodded in response, but before he could turn and leave the kitchen, she continued.

“I noticed Margaret’s truck was here all day.”

“Yes,” again answering slowly, not knowing exactly where this conversation was heading. But knowing his mother the way he did, he could imagine.

“I assume that she found you at the creek?” She wiped her hands on her apron and stared him squarely in the eye.

He breathed in slowly and nodded.

“Well,” she said, in a tone that couldn’t be mistaken as anything but disapproving, “that must’ve been quite the surprise.”

William shrugged, “Yea, I guess so.”

She turned away from him to put the loaf pan in the oven. It didn’t go unnoticed that she slammed the door closed with more force than necessary.

“What’s on your mind, Mom?” William knew that it would come out sooner or later, and he figured he might as well get it over with.

His mother brushed the flour from the countertop into her hands, and he could tell that she tried to answer calmly. “Well, I was just thinking how you and Sarah used to go fishing all of the time, and how it must’ve been hard to be at the creek without her.” She looked at him again and raised her eyebrows for extra emphasis.

He opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, she stalked out of the kitchen. He ran his hands through his hair and exhaled loudly. He couldn’t blame her. The day held the promise of a delicious trout dinner. Instead, he had come home with something, or rather
someone
, that neither one of them could’ve possibly prepared for.