Page 47 of Never Without You
“Double holy shit. Is he the one?”
I nod.
“Are you his one?”
I blink. Slowly.
“Holy fuckin’ shit.”
I know that tone. The three hundred questionsare lined up for launch. “Not tonight, Laurie. I don’t think he’sgoing to be here long, and I want as much time with him as I canget. I will tell you everything, I promise. But right now, I’mleaving. I saw Andie and Lars, and they told me they want you andBaz to go hang with them.” I let go of her hand and give her atight hug. “I’ll call you in the morning.”
My beautiful sister has tears in her eyes.“God. I’ve wanted this for you for so long. Go. Tell him we can’twait to meet him.”
“I will.”
I turn and push my way through a throng ofpeople like a mini pile driver. I get my coat, then walk out ontothe sidewalk and hail a taxi.
Ethan is a cab ride away.
***
Getting from SoHo to the Upper West Sidetakes way too long, even though I have a great cabbie who got usout of SoHo and onto what I think is called the West Side Highwaypretty fast. Now we’re off the parkway, going up Seventy-ninthStreet, and my breathing is becoming a little erratic again.
Since the shooting, everything I’ve done hasbeen measured. Recovery and therapy in the hospital. Rehab andtherapy in the care center. Therapists coming to the house. Goingfor walks with Boo and playing in the park. All of it has been donein increments. A slow and steady progression to build up my lungcapacity while giving my body time to heal in a way that wouldbenefit me the most.
I’ve never had these kind of adrenalinerushes except when Ethan and I were going at it in the storeroom.I’d been breathy then, but nothing like this where it’s becomedifficult to pull air into my lungs. I close my eyes and rememberthe exercises I’d been taught about visualizing my lungs expandingwith each inhale and deflating with each exhale. Slowly, I can feelmy lungs loosening, but now I’m worried I’ll ruin what I hope willbe nonstop sex.
I feel the taxi slowing, and I open my eyes.We stop in front of a lovely older building, maybe ten storieshigh, the kind you see all over New York City. There’s a maroonawning over the entryway with the name of the hotel in white. I paythe cabbie, walk into the hotel, and I’m on a landing looking overthe lobby, which has old-world charm. I walk down the steps, andtake the cardkey out of my clutch in case the front desk peoplewonder who I am. I want to show them I belong there. I walk to theelevator and press UP. When it arrives, I’m alone when I step inand press 6. I have the sense I’m supposed to slip in unseen.
When the elevator stops, I walk out into anarrow hallway and look to see if anyone’s around. Assured it’sempty, I look up to the room number plaques to see which way I needto go. To the left, I go down the hall, make a right, and the roomnumber is on the door at the end of this little hallway. My wholebody is shaking and my hand is so unsteady I can’t get the card inthe slot. As I’m about to try again, the door flies open and Ethanpicks me up and plants me in a small living room as he closes anddouble locks the door.
This is one of those moments where I wish forthe superpower to slow down time. I want to take in every inch ofhim. His broad shoulders, his fine behind, those thick thighs, and…Whoosh, I’m off my feet again and in his arms.
“Baby, I’ve missed you,” he whispers in myear. “Give your man some sugar.”
I move my head and take in the fire blazingin his fabulous blue eyes and just like that, he’s my entire world.I open my mouth and lower my lips to his, and he touches the tip ofmy tongue with his, and we ignite. Gentle exploration is nothappening here. We’re going at each other full throttle. He tastesexactly as I remember, musky and fiery. I push my fingers into hishair and grab on as I drink him in, knowing I have to get enough tolast me until he finishes with his op.
He pulls back and says, “Damn, baby. Youtaste so fuckin’ good.”
I smile and he lowers me, holding my armsuntil I’m steady on my feet.
My clutch is on the floor, my gloves next toit, and the envelope is lying across the clasp. He bends down andpicks up my stuff and puts it on a desk behind me. When he turnsaround, he puts his hands under my coat onto my shoulders and Iloosen my arms as he removes the coat and walks to the closet wherehe hangs it up. I turn to take in the room, and I feel his warmfingers dip beneath the bottom of the oval cutout. He rests hiswarm palm on my back.
“That’s a lot of skin you’re showing.”
I understand that’s code for this is mine andno one else gets to see it, but I know he’s more enlightened thanNeanderthal so I don’t respond. Instead I turn and ask, “How longdo we have?”
New York City
Ethan
All Mine
“Forever, baby. You’re all mine for the restof our lives.”
She smiles and leans into me, putting herhand on my stomach when she says, “That works.”
I want her so bad I don’t know what to dofirst. But as much as I needin there, I’ve got to slow thefuck down. My heart is thundering in my chest and my brain isscrambled. I take her in, scanning her body from her sexy fuckin’boots to her sparkly earrings. She looks so beautiful it hurts.That dress – damn, that dress – is a homing signal for my dick.From the front it covers everything, but it clings to her body andshows off all her dips and curves. The back is an invitation. A bigoval of nothing but skin. If I’m out with her when she’s wearingsomething like that, I’ll be throwing off,Yeah, that’s mine,and no, you’ll never get close to that. But when I’m not withher… Yeah, I’m a caveman, but she’s a grown woman, and I don’t getto tell her what to wear and where to wear it.
