Dreams Collide: Collide Series Book 2

by Kristina Beck

  The water splashes around us, making waves crash off the sides. “I wish I could take you right here, but…no condom.”

  “No matter how much I want to fulfill this fantasy, we do need to be careful,” I say as I touch him. I love it when his eyes become heavy because of the pleasure I’m giving him. “Do you want me to stop,” I ask in sync with the motion of my hand.

  “Yes, or it’ll be over before we’re back in the house.”

  Chapter 35

  Gerry

  As soon as she steps out of the pool, I scoop her up, and within seconds we’re back in the bedroom.

  We both kneel on the bed, soaking wet, teasing every sensitive spot until our bodies quake. Her silky tongue on my skin sends flames through my body. She touches me in ways no other woman ever has before. Is this what it feels like to be completely in love with someone? When I want to consume and embrace every ounce of her, but it’ll never ever be enough? To give her pleasure physically and emotionally, more than I receive? To put her happiness before my own? This is one moment I’ll never forget, because it’s clear I want to spend the rest of my life with her.

  “Gerry,” she says passionately. “This is almost too intense. Please.”

  She watches as I slide it on. It’s the most erotic thing I’ve ever experienced. I sit back on my knees, resting on my legs. “Come here,” I say with a rough voice. I stay in position as she moves closer. I lift her up and lower her onto me slowly. We don’t move at first to enjoy the tight, warm connection between us.

  She holds on to my shoulders as I gently move her up and down. Our bodies scream for more as we increase in speed. I lose all control when the most incredible warm pulses rip through my body. She captures my mouth with hers as we unravel together into a dreamlike state I hope we never wake up from.

  Chapter 36

  Tina

  Gerry and I walk out of the main train station parking garage with his mom, Claire.

  He grabs my hand. “My meeting shouldn’t be more than two hours.”

  I love that he’s affectionate and likes to hold hands even in front of his family.

  “Where do you want to meet up?” he asks Claire.

  “How about the Münsterplatz market? I’m going to take her to my favorite ice cream place. Since it’s her first time here, she needs to see the market. We can buy the fresh food we need for the barbecue tonight. I want to show her the flower vendors.” She turns to me. “They’re my favorite. I could spend hours there.”

  “Sounds good. I’ll call you when I’m done. Have fun.” He gives me a soft kiss goodbye.

  I grab his shirt. “Good luck. If it’s meant to be, you’ll get it. Show them who’s boss.”

  He pats me on the butt and walks in the opposite direction of us.

  Why am I encouraging him to get this show? I don’t want him to leave New York City. But I’d never ask him to give up this chance just for me. Especially since we’ve only been together for a few weeks. Ridiculous!

  Claire and I walk down the busy street in silence. I lay my sweater over my shoulders. “It’s a bit cooler today.”

  “I think the little heatwave is over, and fall has finally arrived. Time to close the pool.”

  I blush when she mentions the pool. Before we went to sleep after our swim the other night, I made Gerry get our bathing suits from outside before we forgot they were out there. I didn’t want his parents to know what we were doing.

  She points up in the sky. “See that steeple pointing out over those buildings? That’s the Münster in the middle of the marketplace. It’s a beautiful cathedral. Maybe before we leave, we can take you to a beer garden nearby that has a spectacular view of Freiburg. It’s a little touristy.”

  “Well, I am a tourist, so we have to go.” We both chuckle.

  “Is there somewhere I can buy a little cuckoo clock for Lisa? She thinks it’d be fun for Felicia. Maybe I can find something for Dad and Beth too.”

  “There’s a store right near the market. I can show you after we have ice cream. If you see any other stores that look interesting, let me know. We have time.”

  “I didn’t bring a big suitcase, so I need to watch how much I buy. But I’m definitely loading up on chocolate and licorice to take home. I’ll make sure Gerry does too.”

  She tugs on my sweater to go to the left. I’m awed at the size of the cathedral towering in the middle of the bustling market. “This is the Münsterplatz,” she says with pride.

  I stand still and absorb my surroundings. It hits me again that I’m in Germany. In Europe. The crystal blue sky adds to the wonderful scene before me. “Wait, Claire. Let me take a picture. Then we can take a selfie together if you’d like.”

  “Sure, I’d love to. You also need one with the cathedral behind you.”

  After spending the past couple of days with Gerry’s parents after they arrived home, I can see Gerry is more like his mom. She’s warm, loving, and spunky. I didn’t spend much time with his parents after the wedding, but when she saw me again, she embraced me like I’ve been a part of their family for years. I already want to call her Mom.

  After taking several pictures, we filter through the thick crowd. She points to a café with several tables outside. “Here’s my favorite ice cream place. There’s an empty table in the sun.”

  I follow her and listen to the range of languages being spoken. “I’m amazed how many people speak English here. Everywhere we turn, I hear it. Well, it’s the only one I clearly recognize.”

  “You’ll hear a lot of English in this area because of the number of tourists and students. There’s a big university here in Freiburg. Your generation and younger speak it very well. They start English classes during the fifth grade. In other parts of the country, they start in first grade.”

  “Wow. I didn’t start Spanish until the seventh grade. I think it has changed since I was in high school. Kids might start earlier now.”

  We pull seats away from an empty table, making a horrible scraping noise against the cobblestone. The poor people sitting around us. We take our seats and look through the picture menu. “See, just like I said yesterday—ice cream is a form of art here. What would you like? Let’s get the biggest ones possible. I’m always hungry for ice cream. Andreas doesn’t eat as much as I do.”

  “I think you just found your match. Bring on the ice cream.”

  I point to a picture and try to pronounce what it’s called. “Schokobecher.”

  She laughs. “You sound just like I did when I first learned German. You want a chocolate sundae.”

  She teaches me how to pronounce it correctly. It takes a few times.

  “Not bad, but still with a heavy American accent,” she points out. “I never lost mine. It was hard when I first moved here. I took classes, but it wasn’t easy to submerge myself. I’d speak German, but when my American, or maybe I should say foreign accent, was obvious, people tended to switch to English.

  “One time I asked for cheddar cheese in German, and the worker responded in English. Was it because I asked for cheddar? I’m not from Ireland. It was frustrating because I wanted to learn. To top it off, the people from this area have a thick dialect. Even though I can speak German, it’s still hard to understand some people that are from this area. It’s the same in the US. We’re from New Jersey, but when we hear someone from maybe Louisiana, it could be a problem for us.”

  A server takes our order and leaves us to bask in the sunshine. I relax in my chair and aim my face to the sun.

  “What was it like when you first moved here? Was it major culture shock, other than the language?”

  “Yes,” she grumbles. “I have some good stories from my first couple of years here.” She taps on her chin in deep thought.

  “Here’s one. It was the first time I cooked Thanksgiving dinner. I wanted to celebrate with my in-laws. The one thing they didn’t know was I was two months pregnant with Gerry. I went to buy a turkey, but the stores didn’t have turkeys prepared like in A
merica. I was hormonal, so it angered me. Andreas asked a good butcher for a fresh turkey.” She hangs her head in annoyance but with a smirk on her face. “We pick up the darn turkey, and it looked like they just gutted it and plucked the feathers. It didn’t look anything like I had ever prepared before. I was surprised the head wasn’t still on it.”

  I burst out laughing.

  “Laugh away. I laugh at it now, but boy, was I angry then.

  “When we got home, it was difficult to fit the turkey in the roasting pan. And the ovens are much smaller here than in America. I didn’t even think about it when Andreas ordered it from the butcher. On top of that, I had mild morning sickness. I wasn’t a happy camper, and I was exhausted. Turkey was not my best friend during the months that followed.”

  The server places our sundaes in front of us. I blink my eyes several times because it’s enormous. “How many scoops of ice cream are in my dish?” I count them. “Five?” I say in shock. “I’m glad I’m starving.” I take a quick picture of our masterpieces.

  We dig in with smiles on our faces. I sigh because this is the best ice cream I’ve ever had. So creamy and rich in chocolate. Screw frozen yogurt in a paper cup.

  “Back to the turkey. Was the meal ruined?”

  She shrugs. “Not really. It turned out okay. Everyone said the food was delicious, but I didn’t know if they were telling the truth or not. Lesson learned. Gerry takes care of the turkey when he’s home. I’m sure he won’t be home for Thanksgiving since he’s visiting now.”

  “Tell me some more stories. More that’ll make me laugh.”

  She eats one more spoonful of strawberry ice cream. “Andreas traveled a lot for his job back then. One day I decided to pick him up at the train station to surprise him. At that time, I had just learned how to drive a stick shift. I parked our Volvo station wagon and went upstairs to wait at the track for him. When we walked back to the car, we couldn’t find it. I was on the verge of tears. I was swearing like hell, thinking the car was stolen or I’d forgotten where I parked it.”

  I feel nervous for her, as if I was standing there when it happened. “Don’t tell me it was stolen?”

  “No. It gets better.” She huffs. “I forgot to put on the emergency brake. The station wagon rolled out of the parking spot and went straight into the empty one directly across from it. Because the car rolled backwards, it hit the wall and shattered the back window.”

  I choke on my ice cream and cover my mouth. “No.”

  “Oh yes. I’m a crier when I’m angry. So, of course, I cried. I was furious with myself. Here I was, all excited to surprise my husband, and that’s what I get in return. The police had to come, and the German version of Triple A.”

  “Could you imagine if a car was in the parking spot? It would’ve been in the middle of the car lane,” I comment.

  She gestures with her hand. “That’s what was weird. The parking deck was full, but it just happened that the one across was empty.”

  “How did Andreas handle it?”

  She sighs and relaxes in her seat. “He’s such a patient man. Gerry has that trait from him. He basically said, ‘Shit happens.’

  “Whenever I had driven the car I’d panic when I had to stop at a stop sign on a hill. I’d break into a sweat when I needed to press the gas pedal and release the clutch. The car would stall or I’d grind the gears and it’d make a high-pitched screeching sound. Once I had to get a neighbor to help me up a hill. Mortifying.” She shakes her head. “Every car we bought for me after that was an automatic. Years back, it was rare to drive an automatic here. Now you see them all the time.”

  She sits up and leans her elbows on the table. “Now I look back and laugh. I’ve learned things I most likely never would’ve learned in America. Every culture is different, and you learn to adjust. Don’t get me wrong—it takes a while. I had my moments of hysteria. I was annoyed there was no mall around the corner. When I first moved here, the stores were only open until one p.m. on Saturdays and closed on Sundays. Over ten years ago, the stores changed their hours to stay open until eight or even ten. But they’re still closed on Sundays. It’s not bad though, because it means you’re forced to relax on Sundays. I’ve come to really appreciate it. I take a lot of naps.”

  She eats another spoonful of her melting ice cream. I swat away an annoying fruit fly who has been trying to land in my ice cream. Smiling at me, Claire motions I have something on my nose. I giggle as I wipe it off.

  She continues with her stories. “I couldn’t believe how many people didn’t have clothes dryers and still don’t. Washing machines were the size of my pinky. They’re bigger now, but nothing like the US. Some Germans complain Americans like everything extra-large. I guess that’s true in a way.

  “There are so many things I can mention, but in the long run, I’m very happy here. We always thought his job would move us back to the States, but it never did. He always found a job in Basel, Switzerland, so we never had the chance. Basel is only about a forty-five minute drive from here. We decided to stay in Germany because the cost of living is much cheaper.”

  “Do you think Gerry will move back?” Why do I ask questions I don’t want to know the answer to?

  “Hi, Claire.” An older woman comes from behind me.

  Claire’s face lights up. “Hey, Stephanie. How are you?” She stands up to give her friend a hug. “Let me introduce you to Gerry’s American girlfriend, Tina. They’re staying here for the week.”

  She shakes my hand with a friendly smile. “Nice to meet you.” Her eyes squint. “Oh, I recognize you. You’re the girl in the video. You’re even prettier in person,” she says with a grin. “Good for you. He’s a great man with a wonderful family.”

  She looks back at Claire. “You must be so happy he’s here for a visit. It’s been a while since he’s been back. Right?”

  I look away feeling embarrassed. Even people in Europe have seen the video.

  While they talk for a few minutes, I sit back in my chair and tune them out. I’m sitting in a photo in one of my magazines. Pictures of colorful European cities where people are doing exactly what I’m doing right now. How did I get so lucky? I touch my necklace and have an epiphany. My punishment is finally over, and I can do whatever I want. Gerry’s the blessing I’ve been waiting for.

  Claire’s friend waves to a man waiting for her in the distance. “Sorry. I need to go. I just wanted to stop and say hello. Hopefully, I’ll see you soon at the next meeting.” She disappears into the crowd just as the clock on the church chimes. Music to my ears.

  Claire sits back down and scoots her chair closer to the table. “She’s one of the members of an English-speaking women’s group I belong to. It’s a great way to meet other English-speaking women from all over the world. Including Germans.

  “Now, where were we?” she asks, then scrapes the last remnants of her ice cream soup.

  “I asked if you think Gerry will move back here.” I set my spoon in the dish so I can digest a little bit. I’m ready to burst.

  “I’ll be honest. Gerry has always loved America. Sometimes I felt he was more American than German. In my gut, I knew he’d move there one day. I’m not happy why he moved there, but he’s an adult. Andreas and I visit my family once or twice a year. We’ll visit him then also. Now that he’s met you, I don’t think he’ll move back to Germany.” She winks at me.

  “What about this cooking show? Wouldn’t he move back here if it worked out?” I stir the last scoop of ice cream in my dish to make it soft…the best way to eat it.

  “That’s for you both to discuss. It’s been his dream, but he’s always been let down at the last minute. Just like him, I don’t get my hopes up anymore.”

  “I can’t expect him to stay in New York if this is what he’s always wanted. We’ve just started dating.” Could I handle a long-distance relationship? Again, too early to think about.

  She agrees. “Worry about it if the situation arises. Enjoy your vacation here. Tonigh
t you’ll be thrown into the pit of our family and friends. They’ll be surprised he has a girlfriend. An American, no less. German men love American women. At least in this family, they do.” Her laugh lines become more evident with her big smile.

  “I’ve never seen Gerry cook for a lot of people. He made me dinner once. I look forward to seeing him behind a barbeque.”

  “I promise we’ll all be stuffed. You’ll hear French, German, and English mixed together. By the end of the night, you’ll be screaming for your bed, or at least for silence.”

  She grabs my hand resting on the table. “You’re biting your lip. Are you nervous?”

  Instead of playing with my necklace when I’m nervous, I’ve started biting my lip. Not a good option either.

  “A little. These past days have been overwhelming. It’s been years since I’ve been introduced to someone’s family. I want to make a good impression.”

  “Don’t worry.” She squeezes my hand. “Everyone’s going to love you. I already do.”

  I smile uneasily.

  I’m afraid I’ll love them too.

  Chapter 37

  Gerry

  My body needs a massage to relieve the tension in my shoulders. As expected, the meeting didn’t go as well as I’d hoped. There’s still a chance it could work out, but I’m not holding my breath. For some reason, I’m not as disappointed as I thought I’d be. Is it because I’m used to being let down? Or is it because I’m not the same man since last time? If this doesn’t work out, it’s not meant to be. Strangely, I’m okay with that.

  If I do get it, how would the relationship between me and Tina work? Maybe I could live a couple of months here just to film the show and then go back to New York. But she deserves better than that. She seems so supportive about the show, and she’s aware I’ll need to come back here. Why, if it means we’ll be apart?

  Tina’s a part of me now. To me, we’re a package deal. I have no idea if she feels the same. Well, that’s not true. In my heart, I know she does.