Catch My Breath

by Lynn Montagano

  “Fancy floating above the city with me?"

  "Floating?"

  "Yes. Floating. Come on." He got out of the car and opened the passenger door; all the while an amused grin remained plastered to his face. We walked a relatively short distance toward the London Eye.

  "Are we going on that?" I asked, gazing up at the gigantic wheel.

  "We are. Hence the floating."

  "Your snark is duly noted, Holden."

  "Feisty as always, Meyers."

  Inside the welcome center, he led me to the Priority Desk. The girl working behind the counter nearly fell over sideways when she saw him approach.

  “Good evening, Mr. Holden,” she stammered. “I have your reservation here.”

  I watched in amused silence as she tried to maintain a professional expression. She placed a bottle of champagne, along with two glasses, on the counter.

  "The champagne is yours to keep, so don't feel as though you have to finish it while on the Eye. Here are your glasses and your tickets. I'll let the priority boarding gate know you've arrived. Thank you and have a lovely time."

  "Would you mind carrying the glasses, Lia? Try not to drop them."

  I followed him outside and up the metal walkway toward the priority boarding area. A young man waved us into an open capsule.

  Alastair walked in first, placing the champagne on the wooden, oval bench in the center of the capsule. I went in after him and put the glasses down. The sliding doors closed with a small swoosh.

  "It's just us?" I looked around wide-eyed.

  "Of course it's just us.” He popped the cork and poured champagne. "For you."

  He glanced at the capsules in front of and behind us. I did the same. They were empty.

  "Come stand by the window with me,” he requested.

  Joining him, I watched the ground become smaller and smaller as the capsule lifted higher.

  "Have you been on during nighttime before?"

  "No. Just during the day." I looked at the twinkling city lights. "It's so pretty."

  "You're so pretty."

  "Cheesy," I muttered, rolling my eyes.

  "I heard that." He squeezed my waist. "A toast,” he grinned, raising his glass.

  "To what?"

  "To your being here with me. And to proper date number two." He lightly tapped his glass against mine. We sipped in silence.

  “I didn’t know you were keeping track.”

  “Well,” he said, taking my glass and placing it on the bench with his, “I am.”

  I had a difficult time tearing my eyes away from his. A warm sensation spread through my body when he wrapped his arms around me.

  "I'm glad you're here," he whispered.

  "Me too."

  The window was at my back faster than I said those two words. Panicking for a second, I pressed my hands against his chest.

  “Sorry,” he breathed. “You just look so…”

  Slanting his head, he kissed me. It was gentle at first, then grew more intense. His quiet moans drove me insane. I knotted my fingers behind his neck, holding him in place. Parting my legs with his knee, the full weight of his body melted into mine.

  For a second, I thought I was actually floating. My feet weren’t touching the floor. He’d hooked my legs around his waist, cupping my behind in a firm grasp. I did not care one iota that I was plastered against a pretty sizable window in the middle of London. This long, deep lustful kiss we were locked in vaporized any sense of modesty I normally employed.

  Trapping my lower lip between his teeth, he bit it lightly. I slumped against the window and groaned.

  "Jesus, Alastair."

  "My Lia." Keeping me caged against the window, he focused his stare. It was wild and hot. And possessive. I stiffened against the glass.

  A strange expression crossed his features. His eyes cooled down as his gaze softened. Fearing I’d made him think he was scaring me, I pressed my lips to his neck. His breathing became labored while I moved my tongue up his neck before nipping at his earlobe. A growl rose from the back of his throat. His mouth found mine again and we were locked in another passionate kiss.

  Not even the promise of a clear, perfect view of London could lure me away from the pressure and warmth of his lips. He placed his hands on the glass, on either side of my head.

  “Touch me, Lia,” he rasped. “I like when you put your hands on me.”

  Resting his elbows on my shoulders, Alastair pressed his body into me even more.

  I yanked the tails of his shirt out of his jeans, running my nails up his back. Groaning, he kissed me harder, swirling his tongue around mine. At this point, I didn't care that we were in a glass capsule hundreds of feet above the ground. I was all sensation and I wanted him.

  Breathing hard, he pulled away, lowering my legs to the floor. Not wanting to break this moment, I hooked my fingers through the belt loops on his jeans and held him against me. He closed his eyes and moaned softly.

  "We're missing the view, love."

  "Not really."

  "But I want you to see it. You can stare at my boring face for the next few days." He grinned and peeled his body away. "Come on."

  Vibrating with want, I half-heartedly pushed myself off the window. I took Alastair's outstretched hand and let him lead me to the opposite side of the capsule.

  "Stand in front of me."

  I did. He banded his arms around me, resting his chin on my shoulder.

  "There, to the left, are Big Ben and Parliament.”

  The buildings glowed a soft gold that reflected off the river. I’d seen them at night before, but not from such a high vantage point.

  "Wow. They look so lovely."

  Alastair buried his nose in my hair. I looked farther out into the distance at the various buildings and homes. All of them were lit up and practically twinkling.

  "There's so much of London I want to share with you. So much of England. Can you stay longer than four days?"

  "I wish. I have a little something called a job to get back to at some point.”

  "Can you convince them to give you the rest of the month off?”

  "You're cute,” I laughed. "I can't do that. I've already taken so much time off this year between the wedding and now. I'm probably going to be working straight through to the New Year at this rate."

  "Hmm." He turned me so I faced him. His crisp button down shirt was a tad rumpled, as was his hair. "We have another fifteen minutes left. Would you like more champagne?"

  "Only if you can will it over here. I'm not letting you go."

  "I like the way you think, Meyers." He brushed his lips against mine briefly. "My aunt and uncle are looking forward to meeting you. My aunt especially. She's been asking me tons of questions about you."

  "Oh, God. Really?"

  "Don't worry. I didn't divulge too much information."

  "Why am I not surprised?"

  "Cheeky. Come on. Champagne." He strode over to the bench and offered me a glass. I enjoyed a fairly sizable sip.

  He turned and looked out the window. "If you peek out that way, you can still see Tower Bridge."

  I looked in the direction Alastair was pointing. There, in the distance, stood Tower Bridge, glowing brightly as it stretched across the river.

  "I may only go on this at night. These views are amazing."

  "Glad you like it." He fidgeted a bit with his glass. An odd expression crossed his face briefly. I wasn't able to decipher it, as usual. I decided to nip any potential mood swings in the bud.

  "Were you serious about wanting to show me around England?"

  "Very. Why? Do you have something in mind?"

  "Well, this will probably sound super touristy, but I've always wanted to see Stonehenge. Is it far from where your family lives?"

  "Not too far. Maybe an hour or so by car. Would you like to go there?"

  "Yes, please. Unless you'd rather not drive that far."

  "I think I can handle a drive to Stonehenge." He grinned. "We
'll go on Sunday. Sound good?"

  "Sounds fantastic."

  Standing close to him, I asked, "Feel like watching the rest of the skyline with me?"

  "Most definitely."

  Snuggling against his chest, I watched the ground draw closer and closer. The rhythm of Alastair's heartbeat sped up. Closing my eyes, I listened to it, knowing it was my touch that made him react this way.

  I ran my hand lightly down the front of his shirt, stopping at the waistband of his jeans.

  "Are you teasing me?"

  I grinned. "No."

  "No?"

  He spun me around, holding both hands behind my back. His flashing green stare was filled with raw desire. He leaned in, but didn't kiss me. Instead, he let go of my hands and tickled me furiously. The playful, flirtatious look on his face was priceless. He was positively beaming.

  Just when I thought I couldn't take any more, he stopped. A brilliant smile was plastered to his face.

  The doors to the capsule swooshed open.

  "Looks like our ride is over. Time to get you back to your sister’s.”

  I smiled, knowing I had the whole weekend to spend with him. Butterflies rustled in my stomach. I had to remember to keep a cool head while I was here. The way he entwined his fingers through mine made me melt. He placed a light kiss on my knuckles. We walked along the banks of the river for a while, not saying anything to each other. It was a peaceful, relaxing stroll.

  When we arrived at his car, he opened the door for me.

  I studied his profile in the light and shadows of the passing street lamps as we drove back to Gypsy Hill.

  “You’re staring.”

  “Does it make you nervous?”

  “No,” he smiled.

  Alastair eased the car down the street leading to Dayna and Andrew's place. A little tug of sadness pulled at me.

  "Here you go. Back in one piece."

  He offered his hand. I clasped it, letting him help me out of the car and guide me down the walkway.

  "I had a great time tonight. Thank you."

  "It was my pleasure." He stepped closer. "I'm looking forward to tomorrow. I'll pick you up around eleven. Sound good?"

  “Sure.”

  “Eleven it is then. Sleep well, Amelia." He ran his thumb along my jaw and neck. "I'll see you in a few short hours."

  Tilting my head up, I welcomed his kiss. He parted my lips with his tongue and melted into me. I was so close to the door, I leaned against it, pulling him with me.

  "I should go."

  "I don't want to you to leave," I whispered against his lips.

  He grinned. "You'll see me soon enough. Get some rest. We have a busy weekend ahead of us."

  "Good night, Alastair."

  "Good night, love.”

  A lazy grin played at my lips as I watched him walk back to his car. He moved with such fluid control, it was mesmerizing. After he drove off, I went inside and found my sister typing furiously at the kitchen table.

  "Hey. How was your date?"

  "It was good."

  "He's really nice, Lia. Andy and I both liked him." She stopped typing. "The way his eyes light up when he looks at you is incredible."

  I smiled so widely it almost split my face in two. "He took me on the London Eye. We had champagne and looked at the city lights." The words gushed out of me like a teenager with a crush.

  "I'm not just saying this to blow sunshine up your ass or anything, but he really does adore you. And from the look on your face, the feeling is mutual."

  I stared at Dayna, swallowing hard.

  “He’s a big step up from you-know-who.”

  She started typing again, glancing at me from over the screen.

  "You know,” she continued, “he was on the society pages at Christmas. Some big charity holiday party or something. The only reason I remember it is because the restaurant that catered the event is a favorite of mine. In case you're wondering, he was dateless."

  My curiosity perked up. "Is he in the papers often?"

  Dayna laughed.

  "Not a whole heck of a lot. Only when he's at official company social functions. Even then he avoids the cameras. At least that's what the articles say. He's generally described as stand-offish and private. If you ask me, it only adds to his allure. The girls in the office think he's so mysterious and handsome. All they talk about is wanting to meet him."

  "I'm not surprised."

  "Oh my God, Lia. It's sickening to listen to them. Wait until they find out you’re dating him.”

  "Maybe you should hold off on announcing it to the office."

  "Are you nuts? And miss out on watching those crazy bitches freak?"

  I panicked. "Dayna, I'm serious."

  "Okay, okay. I won't say anything." She searched my face. "Are you excited about the party tomorrow? It's supposed to be the social event of the summer."

  "Thanks. That makes me way less nervous."

  "You'll be fine. His aunt and uncle will love you. So will his grandfather. Just turn on the Meyers charm and you'll have them all under your spell."

  "We shall see. Is Stephanie back yet?”

  “Yeah. She got back about twenty minutes ago and went right to bed.”

  “I should do the same. Thanks for letting us stay here.”

  I stood up, pushing in my chair. Dayna got up and gave me a hug.

  "Anytime. Our house is always open to you."

  "You staying up for a bit?"

  "Yeah. I want to finish this article. Polish it up. See you in the morning."

  "Good night."

  I tiptoed into the guest bedroom to change. Stephanie was fast asleep. The green notification light was blinking on my phone.

  11:38pm Thank you again for a lovely evening. Sleep well. x

  I curled up under the blankets and fell asleep with a big, stupid grin on my face.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  The car slowed, turned right and stopped at an iron gate. Stone markers on either side boasted the name Holden. Alastair leaned out the window and entered a code into the security keypad. Peering out the window, I saw nothing but a small, tree-lined road.

  "Ready?" He flashed me a hundred-watt smile and drove through the gates.

  Oak trees arched their branches overhead, providing a lush green canopy. The leaves were dusted in gold from the mid afternoon sunshine.

  Out of nowhere, a massive gray stone mansion rose out of the grass, dwarfing me, the car and anything else in its way. The road, which I quickly realized was the driveway, snaked around to the front of the imposing structure, curving into a circle. Sections of the stone front were covered in ivy near the windows.

  It's not a house, it's Harvard.

  “It’s just a building,” Alastair reassured me. “It won’t bite you.”

  “I know,” I glowered. “I just wasn’t expecting it to be so, you know, big.”

  Chuckling, he squeezed my knee. “Let’s go, Meyers.”

  Shaking off my ridiculous nerves, I stepped onto the gravel, smoothing down my blue cotton dress.

  It was quiet. The air smelled like fresh cut grass and flowers. White clouds pulled across the sky like massive pieces of cotton. A gentle breeze sent goose bumps running over my exposed shoulders. Looking to my left, I noticed a lone tree, its branches stretching toward the sky. I wonder if that’s where he was sitting in that photo.

  “Come with me.” Alastair’s warm breath tickled my ear.

  I looked up at him, struck by his confident smile and relaxed demeanor. If I didn’t know any better, I’d have thought he felt right at home here. But I did know better. His eyes betrayed him. It was subtle, but I saw flashes of dread.

  “Sure.”

  He took my hand, leading me to the front door. It had the same iron as the gate covering a pane of thick glass. Seconds after Alastair rang the bell, I heard muffled footsteps approaching. The door swung open and a tall, attractive woman smiled warmly at us.

  "Alastair. You're here." She engul
fed him in a hug, pulled back and looked at him. "You look wonderful. And you must be Amelia. I've heard so much about you."

  She hugged me a bit too tightly for someone I’d just met.

  "I'm Katherine, Alastair's aunt. Please, come in." She led us through the entryway, through another set of doors and finally into the marble foyer.

  Katherine Holden’s elegance blended right in with our surroundings. She fingered a piece of her short, light blonde hair before addressing us.

  "How was the trip down?"

  I followed a couple steps behind them, soaking in every inch of the place. She led us into a spacious sitting room. Even with all the luxurious furniture and priceless paintings, it was lived in and welcoming. I couldn’t help but compare it to the sterile, museum-like quality of Alastair’s house.

  Sitting in the far corner of the room was a baby grand piano. The wall behind it boasted window after window after window.

  Tinny sounding voices lured me back to reality. My hand warmed at Alastair’s gentle squeeze.

  "Why don't you two get yourselves settled? Alastair, your uncle and grandfather are in the study if you'd like to say hello. Your old room upstairs is ready and waiting for you. Do you need help with your luggage?"

  "No, thanks. I can manage."

  "Alright, darling.” Katherine turned toward me. "You are every bit as lovely as my nephew said you'd be. Please make yourself at home and don't hesitate to ask if you need anything. I'll see you both later at the party." She smiled and walked out of the room.

  "I'll go grab the bags from the car. Wait here." Alastair walked toward the front door.

  As soon as he left, I explored the room. Bypassing all the ornate decorations, I stopped near an end table holding various framed photos. I recognized his aunt in a few of them, along with his parents. There weren’t many pictures of him as a boy, which disappointed me. Moving on, I noticed a beautifully framed photograph hung above the fireplace.

  "Do you like it?”

  Alastair's voice scared the bejesus out of me. I spun around.

  "Sorry, didn't mean to sneak up on you.”

  “Do you walk on air or something? I didn’t even hear you come in the room.”