When I Lie With You

Chapter 7

Ian

It bothered me that Rory was struggling. Not only about her father, but about the guilt she felt with Stephen. I got up from my office chair and stood in the entrance of the living room, where Rory was playing the piano. Words couldn’t describe the feeling that overtook me every time I heard her play. I walked to the kitchen and poured us each a glass of wine and then set her glass on top of the piano while I sat on the couch with mine. She stopped playing and looked at me.

“Keep playing, sweetheart. I just want to sit here and watch you.”

She flashed me a smile and continued playing. As I stared at her, I remembered the first time I saw her, when Joshua opened the door to the limo and set her in my lap. The pain on her face and the fear in her eyes as she looked at me unleashed a part of me I didn’t know I had. I instantly wanted to protect her. I’d never felt that way with anyone before and, to be honest, it frightened me. That was why I brought her to my house instead of the hospital. I feared that once they took her, I’d never see her again and I wouldn’t be able to protect her. I stared at her intently as her fingers hit the keys, and I watched her lose herself in the music. She possessed such talent and it made her happy. This girl, the woman who made me fall in love with her, was now a vital part of my life.

She finished her song, grabbed her glass of wine, and walked over to the couch. As I held my hand out to her, she gracefully accepted it and sat down beside me. After taking a sip of my wine, I set my glass down and wrapped my arms around her.

“I’ll never get tired of hearing you play the piano,” I said as I kissed her cheek.

“I hope not, because I plan on playing for you forever.” She smiled.

“You better keep that promise.”

I gently sucked her bottom lip as she continued smiling at me. I wanted her. I took her hand and softly kissed each finger.

“I love these hands. They’re very talented in more ways than one.” I smiled.

She closed her eyes and I knew she was highly aroused. I slowly laid her back and hovered over her as my erection was jammed between her legs.

“I need to fuck you, Rory,” I whispered.

“I want you to fuck me, Ian,” she whispered back.

My hand traveled up her shirt and under her bra. Cupping her bare breast, I smashed my mouth into hers, passionately, letting her know how much I wanted her. She wrapped her leg around my waist and returned the kiss with her tongue exploring my mouth.

“Hey, welcome back, bro,” Andrew said as he shut the door.

I broke our kiss and looked over the back of the couch. “Andrew, I didn’t know you were stopping by.”

“I called you a few times, but you didn’t answer your phone. Hey, Rory.”

I got up from the couch and gave him a light hug. “Good to see you, man.”

Rory sat up on the couch and gave Andrew a small smile. I wasn’t exactly sure what was going on with the two of them. Andrew had talked to me a couple of times and expressed his opinion that he didn’t feel Rory was good for me. I basically told him to mind his own business and that he needed to get to know Rory better.

“I think I’ll head upstairs and leave the two of you alone,” she said.

“You can stay, sweetheart.”

“No, it’s okay. Have your bonding time.” She smiled as she lightly kissed my lips.

As I watched her walk out of the room, Andrew poured himself a drink. “Glad you’re back, Ian.”

“It’s good to be back,” I said as I walked over to the bar and poured myself some bourbon.

“I take it things with you and Rory are good.”

“Things with me and Rory are great. I’ve never been happier. You should try it.” I smiled as I held up my glass.

“No thanks. Women just fuck you over at some point and end up ruining your life. I thought you and I were on the same page about that?”

“Yeah, well, maybe we’ve been wrong about that. Rory walked into my life and she changed everything for me.”

Andrew rolled his eyes as he walked over to the bar and poured another drink. “Whatever, Ian. She has you so pussy whipped already that before you know it, you’ll be a daddy and you’ll be shoveling out millions in child support.”

I sighed as I sat down on the couch and glared at him. “First off, don’t tell me I’m pussy whipped because that’s not the case. I love her and she loves me. Second of all, there will be no kids. You know that’s the one thing I’m firm on. There’s no way in hell I’d bring a kid into this world.”

Andrew chuckled. “Really, Ian? You don’t think that little woman of yours is going to secure her future and trap you?”

“No. Rory isn’t like that. She doesn’t care about my money. She cares about me and the person I am,” I said angrily.

“All women are like that and you’re stupid to think otherwise. That girl came from nothing. You took her in and showed her this life and now she won’t leave it. Why do you think she came back with you? Any secure woman would stay away from a man like you after the things you said. But the minute you ran after her in Paris, she was seeing those dollar signs, a rich husband, and three little kids running around this mansion with a future so secure she’d never have to worry again.”

I shifted myself and took in a sharp breath. Andrew and I had always been close and always had each other’s backs, but I didn’t like him talking about Rory like that.

“You’re wrong, Andrew. Very, very wrong. Rory and I love each other deeply. I love her for who she is and she loves me for who I am.”

“She’s in love with what you represent, Ian. Fuck, get your head out of your ass.”

I shot up from couch and pointed my finger at him. “That’s enough, Andrew. I will not sit here and let you talk about Rory like that. You’re the one who needs to get your head out of your ass and go find someone to love. It’s time to grow up, man.”

Andrew chuckled as he threw back his bourbon and slammed the glass down on the bar. “You’re making a serious mistake, Ian. Don’t come crying to me when she takes you for everything you’re worth,” he said as he shook his head and walked out the door.

I stood there, pissed, enraged, and a little surprised by his attitude. He needed to see and understand that Rory changed me, my life, and my views. She knocked sense into me when I thought I had everything in life figured out.

“Did Andrew leave?” I heard Rory ask behind me.

I turned around and smiled when I saw her standing there. “Yes, sweetheart, he left.”

“He wasn’t here very long.”

“He just wanted to stop by and say hi. He had somewhere to be,” I lied to her.

There was enough tension between the two of them already. I wasn’t about to tell her his concerns and what he had said. As I walked towards her, she gently bit down on her bottom lip. She must have known what I wanted because she had that sexy smile on her face. I wanted Rory Sinclair every second of every day, and I couldn’t get enough of her. She was my girl, my woman, and my partner. I was no longer Ian Braxton, and she was no longer Rory Sinclair. We were now Ian and Rory, a couple, a team, and we were ready to build a future together.