by Clara James
“I can’t,” he insisted.
“Well, she’s still going to be under for a while anyway,” Ros shrugged. “I can call you and you’ll be back before she’s awake.”
Leaning against the wall, he rubbed his index finger in a circle at his temple. “No,” he sighed. “No, I can’t.”
“Okay,” she responded, dropping the argument with an understanding half-smile.
There was nothing else to be said. Neither of them could make the other feel better or ease the anxiety, so they simply stood, sat and walked intermittently in silence. Unlike Reece, Rosalind was unable to keep her eyes off the time and she counted the agonizingly slow minutes. It was nearly seven o’clock in the evening and Allie had been in surgery for a little over five hours, when footsteps could be heard.
Rosalind was sitting with her head in her hands and as she saw Reece move out of the corner of her eye, she leaped to her feet. They stood in the middle of the corridor side-by-side, their shoulders touching, as they watched the doctor’s approach. He was still in his scrubs, the surgical hat he’d worn balled up in his hand. His expression was impossible for either of them to read, so both Rosalind and Reece held their breath as they waited for him to reach them.
CHAPTER TEN
THE FINAL JOURNEY
Six months later...
Reece pushed the door open wide and lead the way into the luxurious apartment. When he reached the middle of a ridiculously high-ceilinged room, he slowly turned to face her. There was an unmistakable look of discomfort on his face and he rubbed his palms together nervously.
Allie entered the room much more gradually, her mouth open as she surveyed the spacious living space and the floor to ceiling windows that opened out onto his eighth floor balcony. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” she muttered, mostly to herself.
“So, umm,” he hesitated, his bashful face watching hers closely for signs of disapproval. “What do you think?”
Feeling herself drawn to the windows, she moved almost hypnotically toward them. The sun was just beginning to set and it caressed the horizon with a beautiful amber glow. “So, this is what you didn’t want me to see?” she whispered, sure that he’d hear her.
“Well,” he hedged, considering the question carefully before committing himself to an answer. “People see this and they instantly get an idea about who I am.”
Allie’s body still faced the window, but she tossed her face over her shoulder. “But I know you,” she softly pointed out.
“Yeah,” he nodded, walking toward her with large strides. “But we’ve both changed since high school and I just...” he sighed, as he reached her side. He wasn’t quite close enough to touch her, but the heat from his bare lower arm was radiating through her thin sweater. “I’ve discovered something over the last few years,” he said, tackling the topic from another angle. “Money, even all the money in the world, can’t bring you happiness. In fact, it tends to bring the exact opposite. People only want to know you because you’re wealthy; there are those who want to try and rip you off, and those who just think they can ride your coattails for a while,” he exhaled, rocking slightly on the heels of his feet. “I just decided that it would be better to keep all of this,” he muttered, gesturing to the room behind him, “secret, because that way I could live a normal life.”
“You have a condo with a gorgeous view of the Golden Gate Bridge,” Allie sarcastically pointed out. “I hate to break it to you, Reece, but that ain’t normal.” She was smiling, as she shook her head. “I still don’t understand why you couldn’t tell me,” she added. “You have to know that this could never change the way I feel about you.”
Reece’s face dipped to his feet and he studied the red oak floor. “I suppose,” he breathed. “It had become a bit of a habit to hide it,” he admitted with a shrug. “And I knew that if I told you, I’d never know for sure, whether it would matter to you. If you didn’t know, then I could be certain you loved me for me.”
Allie was hurt by his confession. Although she understood where his concern came from, it was difficult for her to accept that he could doubt her motives. Nevertheless, she had no moral high ground to take. She had done her fair she of deceit when they first got back together “So,” she eventually said, “now that I do know, how can you be sure I don’t want you for your money?”
Turning, Reece placed his hand on her hip and coaxed her body around so they were facing each other. “I’m so sick of playing games,” he said. “I don’t want to hide anything from you and I sure as hell don’t want to ever risk losing you again.”
Allie’s eyes searched his and found only sincerity and an almost desperate desire to express himself. “I’m not going anywhere,” she smiled, lifting her right hand and running it through his hair. “And for what it’s worth, I’m done hiding things from you, too.”
“Good,” he grinned, with a quick nod of his head. Before the word had completely left his mouth, his face was moving; lunging forwards and dipping to hers. He caught her lips with a passionate kiss, slipping his tongue into her open mouth and tasting her as if it was the very first time he’d done so.
Unconsciously, Allie found her body leaning into his. Her arms instinctively finding their way over his shoulders and interlocking at the back of his neck. Reece’s hands meanwhile were at her waist, the fingers creeping up beneath the hem of her thin, wool sweater. As he was met with nothing but soft, warm skin, he groaned into her mouth. Her own breathing becoming labored, Allie pushed herself more firmly against Reece’s muscular body.
It had been far too long since they’d experience each other like this, and both felt that lack with a voracious hunger. However, Reece was cautious and carefully pulled away from the kiss. Smiling down at her, he stroked his hands through her hair, which was now in a short, pixie style. He’d always thought he’d prefer long hair on her, but he had to admit, there was something cute about the way she wore it now. “Are you going to grow this out?” he wondered aloud, his hand lingering through the soft strands.
“Was planning on it,” she replied, nodding in confusion at his sudden change in focus.
“I like it like this,” he hummed.
Giggling, Allie reached up to remove his hands from her head. Holding both of them in front of her, she encouraged them back to her hips. “You also said you liked me bald,” she reminded him.
“It’s not my fault you look so damn good all the time,” he responded, grinning.
Carefully, Allie coaxed his fingers back up the inside of her sweater. “Now, where were we?” she said, holding his hand to her abdomen.
“I don’t want to start something we can’t finish,” he regretfully groaned.
“Who says we can’t finish it?” she argued.
“Well...” he shrugged.
“I’m fine,” she told him firmly. “I can assure you, I’ve got my strength back,” she joked, winking at him. “And so far, so good, right?” she added. “I’ve got the all clear.”
“Yeah,” he agreed, happily nodding. “So far, so good.”
Allie felt sure that his hands no longer needed her guidance and slowly released them. Her fingers then sought out the waistband of his jeans. “Actually, that reminds me,” she said, her voice sounding distracted, as she only half-concentrated on what she was saying. “I owe you money.”
“Al,” Reece muttered. “You’re not serious. I told you before-”
“No,” she insisted. “You agreed that we’d talk about me paying you back after it was all over.”
Rolling his eyes, Reece sighed. However, he didn’t remove his hands from the warmth of Allie’s skin. On the contrary, they roamed a little higher the fingertips finding the edge of her lacy bra. “I don’t want you to pay me back,” he stated calmly. “I don’t need you to pay me back.”
“That’s not the point,” she dismissed, her index fingers looping inside his belt and tugging his lower half against hers. “We had an agreement. I said I’d only accept the money if you�
��d let me pay it back.”
“And you want to talk about this right now?” he asked, mischief twinkling in his eyes as he inched his hands higher and cupped her covered breasts.
Her grin growing wider, Allie nodded. “I think now is a perfect time,” she sighed. “You see, I’ve been thinking and I obviously can’t afford to pay you back all at once.”
“Uh huh,” he responded, only half listening, as his fingers molded her soft curves.
“So, I figured we could set up some sort of payment plan,” she suggested. “And,” she added slowly, her hands moving to the belt buckle and leisurely unfastening it. “I was wondering if you’d accept payment in kind?” she suggested, her eyebrows dancing saucily.
Reece broke into light laughter, before clearing his throat and trying to affect an air of seriousness. “Well,” he said, as though he was considering the proposal. “I don’t know about that.”
Looking up at him, Allie giggled as she unfastened his belt and made short work of his fly. “What’s the problem?” she asked.
His hands suddenly slid down from her breasts and he grasped the edge of her sweater. “I don’t know exactly what that will entail,” he explained, eagerly pulling the fabric up and over her head.
Allie’s hands left his pants momentarily, and shot above her head to ease the removal of her top. “I was thinking unlimited and exclusive access to me,” she grinned, as her sweater hit the floor.
Reece’s face turned suddenly serious as his eyes landed on Allie’s abdomen and the small scars he found there. One was just beneath her navel, the other was to the right of her ribcage. They were small circular marks, where doctor Luitger had entered and removed the cancer from her organs. Realistically, Reece knew that they were miraculously small scars for the job that had been done, but they were a potent reminder of just how close he’d come to losing her. It gave him somber pause for thought. “For how long?” he whispered, his eyes not moving from her belly.
“Huh?” she asked, oblivious to what had captured his focus and busy trying to edge his pants off his hips.
Reece quickly stilled her fingers, covering her hands with his own. “How long,” he repeated. “will I have unlimited and exclusive access?”
“Oh,” she chuckled, still in a much dizzier mood then he was. “Umm, how long do you want?” she added, turning the question around. “Maybe we can negotiate.”
Silently, Reece shook his head at the suggestion. “There’s no negotiation,” he told her flatly. “I’ll only agree to this deal on one condition.”
“What’s that?” she asked, searching his eyes for the cause of his seriousness.
“I want you forever, Allie,” he replied softly.
Instantly, her eyes filled with tears, and she offered him a shaky smile. “You’ve got me,” she mumbled, her hand sliding out from beneath his and clasping around his neck. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“I want that in writing,” he stated.
Despite the tears that were leaving a salty trail down her cheek, she laughed aloud. “You mean you want a contract drawn up?” she chuckled.
“Yeah, I guess so,” he agreed, his mouth moving to hers and caressing her lips sweetly. “Marry me, Allie,” he whispered against her mouth.
Allie’s head tipped back in surprise and, for a moment, she was no longer sure whether they were still joking. The look of sincerity in his eyes didn’t allow her to doubt him for long. “I...I...I...” she babbled, wide-eyed. With a delighted laugh, she pulled him in for another kiss, before shouting a gleeful. “Of course, I’ll marry you.”
Reece smiled, as his hands swept around her waist and scooped her up. Kissing her deeply, he twirled her around, before setting her back on the floor. Her back was now to the window and he stepped forwards pressing her between the solid glass and himself.
Suddenly, Allie found his eyes and noted the desire in them. She could also feel the unmistakable swell of his groin prodding at her belly. Her breath caught in the back of her throat as her own arousal leaped to meet his. “Make love to me,” she pleaded.
Before the words had left her mouth, Reece was already moving. His hands were at her back, unclasping the bra, while his mouth dipped between her breasts and began kissing the inner curve of soft, pure white skin. He leaned back, just long enough to pull the lacy underwear down her arms and it was quickly tossed behind him.
Once her breasts were fully exposed to him, his mouth clasped over one rigid nipple and sucked it between his warm lips. As he did so, Allie’s head dropped back and she struck it on the window with a thud. It quickly prompted an embarrassed giggle, which reassured Reece that she was okay.
While he continued to lick and kiss her breasts, Reece grappled with the button and small zipper on Allie’s dress pants. Hurriedly, he pulled them and her panties down her thighs. Allie assisted, by shimmying and coaxing them further. When they hit her ankles, she kicked herself out of her shoes and stepped out of the puddle of fabric. It was only when her bare ass touched the chilly glass, making her squeal in surprise, that she experienced a flash of concern. “What if somebody sees?” she panted.
“It’s okay,” he chuckled, his lips and teeth nibbling at the soft skin of her collarbone. “They’re tinted, people can’t see in.”
“Oh,” she replied. It was a noise meant to convey her understanding, but soon become an elongated sound of desire, as Reece’s fingers began to creep between her thighs.
When he found her damp, his patience reached its end. Hurriedly, and with one hand, he shoved his pants and underwear off his hips. “I need you, Allie,” he groaned, gripping his erect member in his hand and directing it toward Allie’s entrance.
Allie parted her legs, shuffling until her feet were shoulder width apart and then lifting her left leg. Reece instantly hooked his hand beneath her knee and wrapped the leg around his waist, as he bent at the knees. Slowly and gently he began to edge forwards. Conscious of the fact it had been a while, he didn’t rush Allie’s body to accept him. Instead, he dipped in slowly, gently moved back and forth, and allowing her sex to stretch and adjust.
Her breath coming faster, Allie gripped the shirt at his shoulders. Reece kept his eyes on her face, watching for any sign that she was in pain. With her mouth open, drawing in quick gulps of air, she tried to smile at him.
Gradually, Reece sheathed himself within her. Allie watched the tiny muscle in his jaw twitch, as he gripped his teeth tightly together. Just like the night in the hospital, he was holding back; worried that he’d hurt her.
“I’m okay,” she whispered, her hand massaging the back of his head.
With a muffled grunt, Reece’s hips involuntary jerked. Allie’s back slid another inch up the glass and she cried out in pleasure. That sound broke the thin hold Reece had on himself. No longer able to control the impulse, he pulled back and thrust into her with a force that knocked the breath out of them both. Still, he watched her closely, and when she did nothing but scream his name in delight, he found himself readying to thrust again.
Allie’s legs were turning to jelly, and she was becoming reliant on Reece holding her up. With each powerful thrust, she screeched a breathless, “Yes!” And with that encouragement, his speed gradually increased. His pubic bone was striking her clitoris each time their hips collided and it only took minutes for her orgasm to hit with violent force.
“Reece,” she screamed, her body arching against his, as she rode the sensation for as long as she could.
Another three slightly weaker thrusts and Reece was spilling himself within her. “I love you,” he panted into her ear. “Ugh, God,” he grunted, the strength of his own climax making him sway unsteadily. Still, he held her firmly, not letting her fall.
“Ahh,” she sighed contentedly, rolling her hips against his. “Hmm,” she hummed pulling his face close to hers. “I love you, Reece.”
His chest moving rapidly, he gazed into her post-orgasmic eyes. “Unlimited, huh?” he asked.
“Y
ep,” she giggled, bumping her hips against his, as she realized he was still hard.
“Because it’s been a long time,” he explained, tilting his head.
“We’ve got to make up for lost time?” she suggested.
“That’s what I was thinking,” he responded, reaching down with both hands and grasping her legs. He easily swept her up into his arms. “And, err, no time like the present,” he grinned, as he carried her to the bedroom.
~The End~
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ALTERNATE ENDING
THE FINAL JOURNEY
Reece stood in the middle of Allie’s living room. He turned in a circle, his eyes moving thoughtfully over the objects within it. His gaze landed on the closed laptop that rested on her coffee table and he found himself sinking into the couch. It felt wrong even as he was doing it, but he couldn’t help himself. He tugged the computer onto his legs and opened it. Shutting out the voice that told him he was invading her privacy, he turned the laptop on and found that she didn’t have any password protection.
Not knowing what he was looking for, Reece began to browse through a few of the documents, most of them were research or drafts for stories she’d written over the past year. He then clicked on her photographs and was not particularly surprised to see that this folder also seemed to be dedicated to her work. There was only one shot that appeared to be her own; a picture of Allie and Rosalind sitting side by side at a restaurant. Both were grinning as they tapped their large wine glasses together. Recee couldn’t be sure, but it looked like they’d been celebrating something.
Unbidden, a smile swept across his face as he looked into Allie’s happy eyes. He made a mental note to find out what had happened to put that beautiful grin on her features. Suddenly, it seemed very important to know those seemingly insignificant things.