The Line That Binds Series Box Set (37 page)

LJ rubbed her hands against my jaw, running her fingers so lightly along my skin that it sent ripples down my neck. She leaned down and kissed the corner of my mouth. “I want you.”

Those words knocked over my conscience’s scale, then lit it on fire for good measure.

I reached around her body and ran my hands up the back of her thighs, trailing my fingers as lightly as she’d done to my face. Her mouth came back down to mine, fast. She straddled my lap and dropped her hands to my waist, tugging at my shirt.

I pulled back from her lips long enough to yank my shirt over my head, then crashed my lips to hers again. I slipped my hands under her shirt, feeling the ridge of her panties, the indent of her bellybutton, and all the goosebumps forming beneath my fingertips.

She leaned back, tossing her hair behind her and stretching her neck out from my touch. Her skin was smooth and warm, and I just wanted to worship every inch of her. Then I thought about the box of condoms I had in my bedroom and how I forgot to grab one.

Shit.

LJ’s sat up straighter and slipped the green shirt over her head, sitting topless on my lap.

I stared at her breasts and she smiled, breaking my trance. “I’m not sure how to say this,” I said as she leaned down to kiss me again. My breath was heavy and tangled with hers. I broke away again. “I forgot a condom. Shit. I’ve got to go back and get one,” I said as she nibbled my neck. Her hands grabbed one of mine, removing it from her back, and pushing it down to the front of her panties.
Gah!
“LJ, did you hear me?”

“Yeah,” she said with a giggle, pressing my hand farther down. She lifted a little bit of the fabric while she kissed my mouth again. Then I felt the ridges a familiar packet tucked inside her pantie’s edge.

“Oh shit! That’s undeniably the hottest and most sensible place to keep a condom.” I said, freeing the packet. I grabbed the sides of her hips and tossed her onto the bed beside me.

She giggled again as she unbuttoned my pants and waited for me to kick them off.

“Please tell me that you’ll be stealing my boxers to sleep in tonight.”

Moonlight shone through the window, casting a comfortable glow around the room. The lines between light and shadow blended subtly together, void of all sharp, distinguishable ends. It was like the room flowed with contentment. Exactly how I felt lying beside Ben.

I moved my hand across his bare chest, cherishing the rise and fall from his slow breaths and the rhythm of his heart, all beneath my fingertips. Tonight, my mind wasn’t battling with the decision to push him away. I only wanted him closer.

His closed eyelids twitched after my movement. “Mmm,” he hummed. His fingers started tracing circles along my back again and his mouth formed a small grin.

“You totally fell asleep,” I whispered, positioning my chin on his chest so I could see his face.

“No way,” he whispered back. His eyes remained closed with his chin tipped toward the ceiling.

I smiled. “I think you were out for a good five minutes.” I moved my fingers up to his face, touching the stubble along his jaw.

“Mmm,” he hummed again. “I think I’m still asleep. This can’t be real.”

“Oh, it’s real,” I said, climbing on top of him and kissing his neck.

His hands adjusted the comforter around us then grabbed a hold of my thighs. When I kissed my way back up to his mouth, his eyes were open, gazing at me sleepily.

“Hi,” I said, between kisses on his lips.

“Hi.”

“How’s your jaw? It didn’t get reinjured during our fun, did it?”

“No,” he replied, his voice still husky from his tiny nap. “I can’t say I would’ve told you if it did, though.”

“Wow, you look and sound so sexy right now,” I said, nibbling his bottom lip then moving to his neck again.

“Stop. You’re making me blush,” he teased. “What time is it?”

I looked past him to my alarm clock on the nightstand. “Just before midnight.”

“Best birthday ever,” he said, pulling my body down on his. “I like how this feels. Can I just stay over?”

“That would be so nice, but I don’t think breakfast with my father would be much fun.”

“Right,” he agreed, then pressed gentle kisses around my face. “I guess that means you’ll have to come over and help me hang the curtains soon.”

I dropped my face to kiss the side of his neck. “I’d love to.” I smiled against his skin then started to slide my body off his.

“Where are you going?” he asked playfully, tightening his hands around my thighs.

“Restroom,” I admitted. “I’ll be right back, promise.” I leaned down and kissed one of his dimples.

“Okay,” he groaned, letting his hands fall from my legs as I slid off the bed.

I pulled my panties and Ben’s green shirt on before walking to the bathroom. When I finished, I moved around the boxes toward the door to listen for any noises in the house. It was completely silent. Before I had a chance to turn around, Ben grabbed me from behind, squeezing me against his bare chest and boxers. He lifted me off the floor and walked us backward until his foot hit something and he tripped. His arms cinched tighter around me before we hit the floor, breaking our fall with his back.

“Sorry about that,” he said with a laugh, letting his head relax onto the floor. “What’s with the maze of boxes anyway?” He loosened his grip around my waist.

I stifled my giggles and sat up. “They are from Janine’s room, which is now Dad’s. He wanted me to look through this stuff before he added it to the junk in the basement.” I stood up and flicked the closet light on to brighten the room. “I started going through some before you got here.”

Ben stared at the boxes and a trunk placed next to the dresser. “So these were all from Janine’s room?” He hopped up beside me and strode over to them.

“Yeah. The ones I checked earlier were only filled with clothes and bags. I even checked the purse pockets. I didn’t find anything except some loose change.” I stepped beside him as he squatted down.

“Did he say where he found this trunk?” he asked, running his hands over its wooden slatted surface.

The top was arched, like a pirate’s chest complete with iron brackets and studs securing all the joints. Two leather straps buckled in the front, and between them was a metal panel lock with a date stamp of 1858.

“The closet, I think,” I replied as he unbuckled the leather straps.

He shook the top then ran his fingers along the lid’s seam before trying to pry the opening apart. “Hang on,” he whispered. He leaned closer to the keyhole then jumped up and snatched his jeans off the floor. “This is a long shot, but it’s worth a try.” He removed the skeleton key from the front pocket of his jeans and slid it into the lock.

I pulled in a soft breath when he turned the key. It clicked open.

He looked at me with a crooked grin. “I didn’t actually expect that to work.”

When he lifted the top open, the inside revealed a flower-patterned lining, yellowed with age. A tray shelf sat propped up on the inside, holding small items like travel souvenirs, pens, and half-empty spools of thread. Ben picked up the tray and set it aside, then removed a couple of throw blankets, digging until he reached the empty bottom.

I sighed and let my butt drop to the floor from my squatted position. “I really thought there’d be something inside, especially after the key opened it.”

“I’m sorry. I was hoping for something too,” he said, kicking his feet out and sitting on the floor beside me. He slid his arm around my waist and pulled me closer. “LJ, I know I told you Pop knew about the well from Janine, but I never told you that he also searched this place for answers. Actually, he had me help him, several weeks after the will reading.” He leaned back to see my reaction.

“I understand,” I replied. “He wanted to know the truth, too.”

He cracked a timid smile. “I didn’t believe it then, and I also couldn’t believe that Janine would leave this place to you instead of Pop or Simone. So, the reason I was in here was to search for any paperwork that could alter her will.”

“So you’ve already been through some of her things. Like in the basement, and this?” I asked, poking the trunk.

“Yes, but I didn’t search her room. Pop did. I’m guessing if something was in there he would’ve already found it.”

“Right,” I agreed, dropping my head.

“Hey.” Ben pulled my chin up, kissed my lips, and pressed his forehead to mine. “We’ll keep looking.”

“But not tonight. My dad will be home soon.” I kissed him back then rocked onto my knees to put everything back into the trunk.

“Why are you wasting time then?” he teased, tugging at the edge of the green T-shirt, trying to pull me into his lap.

His hands slid up my thighs, tickling me playfully. I laughed as I pulled away from him, leaning too far forward and losing my balance. He yanked my shirt and tried to catch me by sliding his body under mine, but I still had to thrust my hand down into the trunk to keep from smacking my face on its edge. Something made an audible
pop
when my palm hit.

“Oh, are you okay? I’m sorry,” Ben said, kneeling beside me.

“I’m okay.” I pulled my hand up and noticed the bottom corner of the trunk had bent down. “What is that?” I asked.

Ben reached inside. He flicked the bent piece, pushed it in, then peeled it back. “A false bottom,” he said, removing the piece of thin wood that concealed a secret compartment.

Inside laid a thin pocket journal and a small tin box. I opened the tin’s lid first, finding a couple of old pictures and a yellowed envelope.

Ben took one of the pictures and flipped it over. “It’s Dahlia again. This one’s dated eighteen sixty-three. I think that was the same year as the one we found in the basement ledger.”

Dahlia leaned against a tree beside a half-built well with stones stacked at her feet. Her long brown hair wasn’t pulled back like it’d been in the other picture; it was loose, falling in elegant waves over her shoulders. She wore another servant dress, but that didn’t matter; she was stunning regardless of what she wore.

“All of the other pictures don’t have dates, but they look like they were more recent. The picture quality is far better and I don’t recognize anyone in them. The only other one that we know is this one,” he said, holding up another picture of Dahlia. This time she was beside Charles Stockton.

“Ah,” I replied, poking my finger at the photo. “My adulterous ancestor.”

“Not here. This was eighteen sixty-three, too. Like the others of her alone. He wasn’t married until eighteen sixty-four,” Ben said, dropping the picture in the tin and closing it. He gripped the envelope and slid the paper out from inside. “This was when he was in the war.”

“What? Let me see,” I said, crawling closer to him and tucking myself under his arm. “Can you read it?”

“It’s pretty faded.” He ran a finger across the print and began to read. “Harrisburg, December first, eighteen sixty-two. Dear Dahlia. Please know it was never my intention to leave. I hope for one gracious day of your forgiveness. After receiving word regarding the draft, my father spoke of plans to pay my obligation. His condition was that I wed with his partner’s daughter. Instead, I volunteered with the 177
^th
Pennsylvania Regiment. We leave Harrisburg in two days’ time. Please understand that my plan remains to forever be joined with you. Yours affectionately, Charles.”

“Oh,” I breathed, clinging to Ben a little tighter. “It’s beautiful, but I’m confused.”

Following the guide of its permanent creases, he folded the letter back into the envelope and set it down. “I think I know what happened.”

“It makes no sense to me. He married someone else.”

“I’m not sure how that happened either. But by this letter, his father planned to buy him out of the draft if he married who his father chose. Charles volunteered for the war instead, to piss his father off.”

“It’s sweet, but very sad because it seems like it was all for nothing.” I opened the leather pocket journal and scanned it, seeing small recipes and chore lists. The signature on the back inside cover was Dahlia’s. I flipped through the pages again, noticing one dated section toward the back. “Check this out,” I said, tapping Ben’s leg. “This is dated September fourth, eighteen sixty-four. It says, ‘Charles laid with me tonight. I thought he’d changed his mind, but I was mistaken. He said it was the last time for he doesn’t love me anymore. Tomorrow he is to be wed. Because of this, I will take my leave before the fortnight, though in that time I vow to gift the same grace that he has bestowed upon me. His family will have what they want once then they will serve others until their final thought fades.’“

“That sounds … threatening.”

“He broke her heart. He lied to her. Heartache is often the cruelest fate of all,” I said, flipping more pages. “All the other entries look normal, but there are a few pages missing.”

Ben removed a threadbare quilt from the bottom of the trunk. Regardless of the loose seams and frayed ends, its patchwork was beautiful. Whoever made it had taken their time, stitching every section with careful consideration. “It has something in it,” he said, weighing the quilt in his hands. He unfolded the material, exposing a stone the size of a brick, the color of desert sand. His hand smoothed over the surface, examining its even texture.