“Please tell me you have a condom somewhere on your person.”
“After the last time I didn’t think…”
She lifted her head. “Antibiotics mess with birth control.”
“Shit.”
Yeah.
But rather than separate, they sat there, neither willing to be the first to move. Until a loud tap, tap, tap on the driver’s-side window made Neve jump.
Rory groaned, in pain or ecstasy, she couldn’t be quite sure.
“Company,” Neve said. “This could work out to our benefit.”
“Are you crazy? Get your pants on.” Rory tried to lift her up.
“No. Wait. Let’s see who it is first.” So with Rory still deep inside of her she hit the button to roll the electric window down a smidge, happy she’d decided to leave the car on for warmth.
“Over on this side,” she called out.
From around the front of her car came Nate, illuminated by the headlights of his police cruiser, all copped out and looking annoyed. “Hi, big brother,” she said with a smile.
“The evening janitor, on his way home for the night, called in a report of a suspicious vehicle idling in the parking lot of the elementary school. They’ve been having problems with vandalism on the playground. Imagine my surprise when I recognized that vehicle. What are you doing here, Neve?”
“Honestly, Nate. Sometimes you ask the stupidest questions. What do you think we’re doing here? I can assure you we’re not plotting playground destruction.”
A woman laughed. Neve hit the button to roll down the window a smidge more, just enough so she could stick the top of her head out. “Hi, Officer Ziger,” she yelled to Nate’s partner. Love her.
“Hi, Neve.” She waved, smiling. “Having fun?”
“You know me, all fun all the time.” Not really.
“Who do you have in there with you?” Nate shined his enormous flashlight into the fogged-up window.
Neve covered her eyes. “Careful, you may wind up seeing something that will be burned into your memory forever.” He lowered the light. “And who do you think I have in here with me?”
He gave a look that said, Well, with your history it could be anyone.
If Neve had a gun she’d have whipped it out and shot him for that. Not to kill him, mind you. She’d have shot him in the shoulder or the foot, someplace that’d leave a nagging reminder to think twice the next time he felt like being obnoxious. Of course the urge to shoot her brother over such a trivial matter was the main reason she’d never buy a gun.
“That you, Rory?” Nate called out.
“Hi, Nate.” Rory stuck his hand up to the crack in the window and waved. “How’s it going?”
“Couldn’t wait until you got home?” Nate asked, not at all amused.
“No.” Neve answered. “Rory needed me.” She liked being needed.
“You couldn’t need her at home?”
“I’ll probably need her then too,” Rory said.
Neve smiled.
Nate did not.
“Hey, since you’re here, and what fortuitous timing that turned out to be, may we borrow a condom?” She held out her hand.
“Have a condom,” Rory said. “Have, not borrow.”
“Right. Yuk. Didn’t think of that, you probably wouldn’t want it back, would you?” She looked up at Nate. “Help a sister practice safe sex? Pretty please?”
“No, I will not give you a condom so you can have sex, in a public place, in an area I’m responsible for patrolling. Go home.” He crossed his arms over his bulked-up chest, trying to look all intimidating, and glared down at her.
Like playing the bully had ever worked before. “Sorry. No can do.” She pulled her hand back in. “And unless you plan to bash in my window and forcibly drag me out of here—”
“Jeez, Neve,” Rory said quietly. “Don’t give him any ideas.”
Neve continued. “I’m about to have unprotected sex. And antibiotics mess with birth control. And with my luck, I’ll no doubt wind up preggers. And I’m going to ask you to babysit, a lot. Between that and worrying about me being an unfit mother to your niece or nephew, you’ll have no free time left over to date or have sex, so you won’t even be needing that condom you’re so intent on holding on to.”
Nate reached into his back pocket. “You’re a pain in the ass, you know that?”
“But you love me.”
“And you’re damn lucky I do.” He handed her a condom.
She looked at it. “How long has this been squished in your wallet?” A girl couldn’t be too careful, which was why Neve maintained her own stash…in her bedroom.
“It’s fine.”
“How long?”
“About two weeks.”
Hmmm. To investigate further or leave it be? Neve couldn’t resist. “So you put it in there two weeks ago as part of a scheduled rotation or because you used the one that had been in there before it?”
Officer Ziger laughed again.
“Shut up, Neve.”
She stuck her head out the window. “What’s he not telling me, Officer Ziger? Does my big brother have a girlfriend?”
She held up both hands “I don’t know” style. “I’m going to wait in the car.”
“We’ll be back in ten minutes,” Nate said. “And you’d better be gone. Or else.”
“Or else what?”
“I’m going to break out the handcuffs and take you both down to jail.”
Handcuffs! “Hey. Can you break out the cuffs now and let me borrow them so I can—”
“Stop talking. Ten minutes.”
“Well, I don’t know, Nate. Ten minutes might be all you need but—”
Rory sat up and poked his head out the window next to hers. “Ten minutes is fine. Plenty of time. Thank you.”
Nate turned and left without another word.
“You are insane, do you know that?” Rory grabbed the condom from her hand.
Neve closed the window. “I got us a condom and ten minutes to use it.”
“With all your moving around, I’ll be lucky if I make it to five.”
She contracted her internal muscles, squeezing him tight.
“Stop it.” He gripped her hips and lifted her off of him. Two seconds later, after the fastest condom application in history, he slid back in. “God help me, I love being inside you.”
An overeager beaver, he grabbed her ass and started moving.
“Lift your shirt,” he ordered. “Bring that tasty little nipple to my mouth.”
Gladly.
Rory was a master, using his tongue, his fingers, and his big, thick cock to send her flying in a matter of minutes.
Both of them panting in the aftermath of one of her best orgasms yet, Rory said, “You screamed.”
Yes, she had. “For all the right reasons this time.”
“Thank God.” He kissed her, then slapped her ass. “Now get dressed. Your brother’s going to be back in two minutes.”
Neve hurried into the driver’s seat, not an easy thing to do with legs that’d fallen asleep. “Whatever you do, do not throw that condom out the door.” For sure Nate would look.
Before they left Rory pulled her over for a deep, passionate kiss. “Thank you. You were right. All I needed was you.”
Neve liked being all he needed. “And thank you for the most fun I’ve ever had on a date.”
He laughed. “I find that hard to believe.”
Ouch. Comments like that one made it perfectly clear Neve would absolutely have to include Rory in the old friends she would leave behind when she moved on to her new life. A girl couldn’t start over with her past constantly being thrown back at her.
Chapter 16
December seventh, his last day with Neve, had arrived all too soon, leaving Rory with a heavy feeling in his gut. Rather than spending the next few hours depressed and dreading his evening departure, he decided to treat it like any other day and enjoy the little time they had left. So as had beco
me his morning ritual, he got ready to go to the doughnut shop.
“I’m heading out for coffee,” he told Neve as he walked into her bedroom. “You want anything?” She never did, but he made it a point to ask anyway.
“No.” She held up her arm. “I’ll be so happy when I don’t have to wear this sleeve every time I take a shower.”
“Shower?” Now, there was a great idea. Rory pulled her close and ran his hands up and down the silky red robe he liked so much better than the old purple one she preferred. “You want company?”
She pushed at his arms. “I can’t believe you’re not tired of me after all the sex we’ve been having.” Since their quickie in her car, every single day, sometimes several times a day.
In the bathroom: in the tub, against the shower wall, and on the vanity. In the living room: on the couch, the loveseat, and the coffee table. In the kitchen: on the counter and the table and one of the chairs. They’d even managed some very creative activities on her exercise pole. He’d never look at one the same way again.
But his favorite place, by far, had to be making love to Neve in her bed, him on top, staring into her eyes, taking it slow, drawing out their pleasure until neither of them could stand to wait one second longer. The past ten days had been the happiest of Rory’s life, and not just because of the best sex of his life. Neve was everything he’d thought she’d be, and so much more.
They liked the same movies, enjoyed working out, and laughed at the stupidest things. And not to be conceited, but he’d gotten pretty good at that adagio stuff, balancing Neve easily, performing the basics of her routine, even managing some overhead lifts and a toss-and-catch. He’d never met anyone more determined, focused, or hardworking. And sure, most nights she passed out from exhaustion as a result, but she always made it up to him, morning, midday, and evening.
Whether from frequent sex, sleeping in constant contact with Neve, or a combination of the two, Rory was now nightmare- and flashback-free. But as his departure came closer with each passing hour, his apprehension grew. What would happen when he left? She’d become his crutch. How the hell would he survive without her?
Not wanting to think about that, he kissed her neck. “You know what my mother said. I can’t go home until I’ve had my fill of you.” He moved his lips to the skin of her chest left exposed by the V of her robe while moving his hands to the knot of her belt. “And I haven’t.” He untied it. “Not yet.” Probably never would. Knowing they didn’t have time for what he wanted, but unable to stop himself, he leaned in to suck on her nipple.
“Stop.” Hands on both sides of his head, she pushed him off. “If I don’t get in the shower right now we’ll be late for my appointment at the hospital.”
“Right.” To get her PICC line removed, after which they’d be picking up the rental car he would use to drive himself out of her life. “Then I’ll leave you to it.”
“Later.” She blew him a kiss. “Definitely later.”
They had a lot to do today. He doubted they’d have time for “later.”
Lost in thought about whether to head directly home to appease his mother or take Shane up on his invitation to visit and discuss PTSD, Rory almost missed the rectangular white box of chocolates with a brown bow someone had propped up in the corner of Neve’s porch.
Not today, damn it. He closed the door behind him, quietly, not giving in to the angry urge to slam it shut. He didn’t want to deal with the frustration of how she’d chosen to handle these late night deliveries…by doing nothing. Didn’t want to think about all the early mornings she’d snuck out of bed with him to check the porch, thinking he’d been asleep. Most of the time she came right back. Twice it’d taken a bit longer.
Last night he’d gone at her hard, for hours, trying to make the most of every last minute they had together. This morning she’d slept in. He wished she hadn’t, wished she’d gotten rid of this box same as she’d likely gotten rid of others, so he didn’t have to see it and think about what it meant.
Leave it alone. He turned, took a few steps forward, then stopped, curiosity swinging him around and sending him back. Without touching it, he squatted down and angled his head to read the card: See you tonight. Around ten. Can’t wait. Adam.
How could she do this? A heated rage surged through him, forcing him to stand. He unzipped his jacket, trying to cool off, remembering the last time they’d argued about the chocolates. Just because Adam wants to go out with me doesn’t mean I want to or will go out with him. But the note on this box sounded like they’d made a date. For tonight.
No, he shook his head, refusing to believe it. He stared at the box, fought the urge to stomp on it for making an already tough day even more difficult, for making him wonder…He fought the urge to go right back inside and confront her. He didn’t want to spend their last day together fighting.
So he left the box untouched, figuring he’d decide how to proceed when he returned, fortified with caffeine and sugar.
Not in the mood to smile or make idle conversation with the clerk, he pretended to read the newspaper while she filled his order. The paper could have been written in Chinese for all he knew. Instead of sticking around to eat and drink, he returned to the car, eager to get back. Why? He had no idea.
Still tossing around ideas on how to handle her middle-of-the-night delivery, Rory returned to her condo to find that someone, likely Neve, had taken the choice from him. The box of chocolates was gone. He glanced at her neighbor’s porch. It wasn’t there either. Interesting. The ball was in her court. He’d wait to see how she played it.
Rory let himself in, using the key she’d given him. Neve stood in the kitchen sipping a cup of tea and eating from her small container of breakfast yogurt. She looked a little nervous. Or maybe that was his imagination. “Have you been outside yet?” he asked, trying to open the lines of communication.
“No,” she said, not looking at him. Rory’s chest tightened.
“I just finished blow-drying my hair.” She turned, looking past him to the door. “Did you, uh, happen to see anything on my porch when you left?”
When he left? What about just now, when he’d come back? “Like what?” He took a sip of coffee, barely able to swallow it. Tell me about the chocolates. Explain the note. Ask me to stick around to beat some sense into this asshole Adam.
She studied him. “Nate was supposed to drop off some papers the new tenant signed.”
Another lie? Maybe. Maybe not.
Confront her.
They’d made no plans or promises for the future. She could do whatever she wanted with whomever she wanted—even though the thought of Neve with another man made his insides burn.
“You okay?” she asked.
“Stomach’s bothering me.” He dumped the rest of his coffee down the drain. “You ready?”
She smiled. “I have been looking forward to this day for weeks.”
Before this morning’s note he wouldn’t have read anything into that seemingly innocent statement. Now he couldn’t help but wonder: Had she been looking forward to this day to get her PICC line removed or for him to leave so she could get back to dating Adam? Maybe give him a special goodbye before moving on to her new life?
—
Later that afternoon, in a surefire sign Neve wasn’t feeling well, she canceled their scheduled practice at Lil’s. As they exited her parents’ house Rory watched, noticed her shaking out her left arm again. “You okay?”
“Yeah. Why do you keep asking me that?”
“You keep shaking out your arm like it’s bothering you. Let me finish unloading your car.” This was their second trip to move the belongings she wanted to keep out of her condo and into her old bedroom. “Go in and rest. The nurse said to avoid heavy or strenuous activity and anything that requires repetitive arm movements.” Of course, Neve being Neve, she’d been doing all three for the past two hours.
“I’m fine. It just feels a little odd, that’s all.” She shook her arm again. “To be
expected after having a big catheter in there for a month, I’m sure.”
More likely to be expected from overusing the arm after just having her PICC line removed. He stepped in front of her on the stone walkway. “Stop.” He held her by her shoulders. “While I’m here, let me help you. Please. Go in and rest. You’ll need all of your energy once Luca gets here.” In fifteen hours.
“Okay.” She went up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “Thank you, Rory.” She hugged him, setting her cheek on his shoulder. “For everything. I’m really going to miss you.”
He hugged her back, wanting to prolong the contact for as long as possible. “You don’t have to miss me, not yet, you know. I could stick around for the night. We could—”
She jumped back. “No. You have a long drive. Your family is expecting you.”
Not yet. “I told them I’d be home before Christmas.”
“Please.” She shook her head. “Don’t make this harder than it has to be. We both agreed you would leave tonight, after dinner.”
“All I’m suggesting is one more night.”
Her eyes flared. “No. Absolutely not.”
“Why?” Tell me. Tell me now.
“I have to be up early tomorrow.”
“I’ll wake when you do. I’ll leave for home when you leave for the airport.” God help him, he sounded desperate.
“I need to sleep. Luca and I start practice tomorrow.”
He stuck his hands in his pockets. “No sex. No problem.”
She gave him a look that basically called him a bullshitter. “Right.”
It wouldn’t be easy. But, “I can do it. Let me prove it to you.”
She let out a breath. “We’re sticking to the plan we both agreed to. Tonight, after dinner, you’re going home to Boston.”
He’d agreed to that plan before he’d read the note, before anxiety over leaving her had started to make him antsy. “And after that?”
“Rory!” She threw up both arms. “After that you live your life and I live mine. We agreed to a few weeks, and now they’re over.” She turned and walked into the house. End of conversation.
—
Neve retreated to her father’s study, closing the door behind her. Men! Pains in the ass, all of them—some more than others, but still. At the moment, Rory, Adam, and Luca all made Nate look almost amenable in comparison.
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