“This is what I missed the most this past week. Holding you. Waking up next to you. Keeping you safe.”
I flipped to the other side so I was looking at him, the subtle light highlighting the perfection of his face.
“I thought by now you’d have me completely naked doing all kinds of dirty things to me,” I said with a wanting grin and he laughed.
“While your body is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen and I can’t wait to do all the things I dreamed about while I was gone to you, we have all weekend for that. Tonight I only want to hold you,” he said and I knew he saw the curious look I was giving him.
“Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s perfect now that I’m with you again,” he said softly. “Now get some rest because you’re going to need your energy in the morning.”
A playful grin spread on his face and I knew by the way he looked at me he meant every word he said. I kissed him, snuggling deep into his arms, excited for the morning, but enjoying the simplicity of this moment.
Twelve
I woke up before him. He was breathing hard as if he was still deep in sleep and I watched him for a few minutes. The morning light highlighted his face and his dark hair hung on his forehead. His mouth looked as if he was smiling a little and I wondered what he was dreaming about.
I slid out of bed, careful not to wake him and I grabbed a quick shower, washing the smell of too many drinks last night off of me. He was still asleep when I got out and I went to the kitchen to make him breakfast. There wasn’t much in the house. I hadn’t gone shopping since he left, but I managed to scrounge up some eggs and veggies to make omelets.
“Good morning.”
I heard his voice and I turned to see him walking into the kitchen. He still looked sleepy, but he came to me anyway, sliding his hands around my waist and then started planting kisses on my neck.
“How’d you sleep?” I asked him.
“Like a rock. You?”
“Best sleep I’ve had in a week,” I answered and then he abruptly spun me around so I was facing him. He didn’t say anything before his mouth was on mine, kissing me deeply as the eggs started to burn. “The omelets,” I managed to whisper as the assault on my lips continued.
“To hell with the omelets,” he said forcefully, pulling away, moving me aside as he removed the pan from the burner before quickly turning the stove off. “I was a gentleman last night. I’m not feeling so chivalrous this morning.” His eyes locked on mine and I could see he was hungry for me. “Come here, Natalie.” His words were low and serious and he reached out, gripping the waistband of my pants and pulling me to him. His body was warm and hard against mine as his breathing labored. He suddenly scooped me up, not saying a word as he carried me to the bedroom, laying me down gently before climbing on himself, his body crushing mine as he started kissing me again. Our hands moved over each other’s bodies, reacquainting ourselves. It’d only been a week, but it felt like forever since he’d touched me like this.
He sat up, taking off his t-shirt quickly and then he pulled at me until I was sitting up so he could peel my shirt off too. He grinned a needy smile before laying back and encouraging me on top of him. Our gazes never broke as we moved with each other until I collapsed onto him, his chest hot and sweaty as he wrapped his arms around me.
“I missed you,” he panted. “I missed you so damn much, Natalie. I can’t be away from you again.”
I couldn’t say anything, so I closed my eyes, trying to calm myself. I couldn’t agree with him more though. We’d only been apart a week and it had been too long. I didn’t think I’d be able to say goodbye once Sunday came.
“Let’s not think about that right now,” I whispered and he nuzzled in closer to me. It always amazed me how much he seemed to need me at moments like this. At the office, he was all business, strong and fearless, but when it was just us, like this, he was so different, so vulnerable and it made me love him that much more.
He sat up slowly, easing me off of him so my head rested on the pillow and he hovered over me, propped up on his elbow. He had a slight smile on his face as he ran his fingertip across my jaw line. His breathing had slowed a little, but he was still trying to regain his composure completely.
“Take a walk with me,” he said softly.
“It’s freezing outside.”
“That’s what coats and gloves are for. C’mon. Take a walk with me in the park. We’ll grab some coffee and bagels.”
It’d been forever since we’d been to Central Park together and even though it couldn’t have been more than forty degrees outside, he’d made a very persuasive argument and I nodded.
“Let me grab a shower and we’ll go,” he said, climbing out of bed.
“I already showered, but after our little romp, I think I could use another. Mind if I join you?”
“Let me remind you, my dear Natalie, you never have to ask to shower with me. It’s an open invitation.”
I smiled as he held his hand out to me. I took it and gladly followed him into the bathroom.
~~~
I’d bundled up in my favorite winter coat while Drew had chosen a black pea coat, forgoing a hat so that his dark hair blew in the slight breeze as we walked into the park. We’d had a few nice days that had teased us with spring, but they didn’t last long and for the past few days it felt more like January than the end of March. The wind was cold and he pulled me closer as we walked arm in arm. We’d stopped at a bakery before crossing the street to the park. The sky was cloud covered and I couldn’t wait for spring to arrive. Even though it was my first winter in New York City, I was well aware of the fact it was one of the harshest winters in recent memory. It seemed as if it snowed at least once a week and I was tired of the cold and the snow and was ready for flowers and short sleeves again. But for now, I’d settle on using Drew to keep me warm.
We were quiet as we walked, making our way through the winding path, surrounded by bare trees and brown grass. A few tulip and daffodil bulbs had sprouted thanks to the few days of spring-like weather we’d had, but the flowers remained tightly closed, too smart to bloom just yet.
“What about here?” he said, gesturing to a bench nestled amongst the trees.
“Looks good,” I said and we sat down.
He reached into the paper bag and handed me a cinnamon raisin bagel with cream cheese. The bagels were still warm, just as I liked them. He’d chosen butter for his bagel and soon, we sat quietly on the bench, eating in our solitude. I was glad the park wasn’t crowded. A few people had strolled past us, but for the most part, it seemed as if we had the whole place to ourselves.
“Remember when I found you here in the park? The day we went to the MOMA?” he asked a few minutes later and I nodded.
“Of course I remember,” I said, my mind drifting to the past. I wasn’t aware of it, but that was when things first started to unravel for Ethan and me. He’d chosen work over me and I’d not been happy about that. Looking back, I knew he hadn’t done it to hurt me. He’d only wanted to take care of me, but it didn’t matter at that moment. I’d been hurt and upset and then Drew had appeared. I could still see what he looked like that day: hot and sweaty as he jogged, the perspiration dripping down his face when he noticed I was sitting alone. I’d had feelings for him even then, even if I wouldn’t admit it.
“They say it takes time to fall in love with someone. That you have to know a person inside and out before you can love them, but I don’t believe that.”
“Why is that?” I asked as he set his bagel down and turned to face me.
“Because after spending that day with you, laughing and talking with you…that was the day I knew I was going to fall in love with you and I was right.”
He brushed his lips against mine softly, letting them linger there for a few moments before pulling back.
“I think I knew that day too,” I said softly and I watched as his mouth curled into a little smile.
“I had no ide
a how much you would change my life when I walked into that conference room and saw you sitting there. Everything happens for a reason, Natalie,” he said, taking my hand and pulling me closer to him. “I don’t know why you came into my life when you did, but I do know the last six months have been the best of my life, even when you were with Ethan. Even though I knew you belonged to someone else, I was still grateful to have you in my life. Knowing every day I came to the office, you’d be there made my whole day better. It didn’t matter that all I wanted to do was pull you into my office and rip off all your clothes,” he said with a grin that made us both laugh. “All that mattered was that I would get to see you…to be in your presence and I was okay. You make my life okay, Natalie, and this last week apart has proven that to me even more. My life isn’t okay when you’re not there and I need my life to be okay again.”
He was holding my hand tightly and the teasing from a moment before was gone. His face was serious. His eyes were staring into mine and I watched as he swallowed hard.
“I feel the same way, Drew, but we’ll be okay,” I said gently, cupping his cheek with the hand he wasn’t holding. “This won’t be forever. You’ll get the office set up and running and then you’ll come home and this time apart will only be a memory.”
He didn’t say anything for a few seconds and I noticed that he swallowed hard again.
“I don’t think I’ll be home for a while,” he said and I felt my stomach drop.
“What do you mean?”
“That I don’t know when I’ll be back in New York for good. I guess I was naïve to think it wouldn’t take that long to get the merger finalized. I was wrong and I don’t know when I’ll be coming home.” His tone was gentle and nervous and I could tell he hated saying these words to me.
I sat quietly, wondering how I should react. I felt a growing lump in my throat that was starting to burn as I tried to stop the waiting tears from forming in my eyes. My stomach was starting to feel sick and I opened my mouth to tell him it would be all right and that we’d get through this, but no words would come out because I knew it wouldn’t be okay.
“I came home to tell you that. I didn’t want you to hear about it over the phone. I wanted you to hear it from me and I wanted to talk to you about something else,” he said and I could hear the apprehension in his voice.
“What else?” I managed to get out through my stinging throat.
“I can’t leave tomorrow not knowing when I’ll see you again. I want you to come with me to California.”
His words hit me like a rock and I could tell he was completely serious.
“What do you mean, come with you?” I asked softly.
“Come stay with me in L.A. I need you there, Natalie. I can’t come back to an empty hotel room anymore.”
“You want me to come tomorrow?” I gasped.
“Ideally, yes, but I know you won’t. I know you’ve got work and you won’t just drop that, but can’t you come out for a few days at least? See how you like it and then we can talk about if you’d stay on a more permanent basis.”
“Drew…” I stumbled. “I don’t know. Visit, maybe, but…to move out there for a prolonged time…I…I don’t know. It’s California. I’ve never even been to California.”
“I’m not asking you to make any decisions now. I’m simply asking you to come for a visit and then we’ll talk.”
My mind was racing. It hadn’t been that long since I’d packed up my life to come to New York with Ethan and now Drew was asking me to consider a move to Los Angeles. I couldn’t make heads or tails of the emotions I was feelings. Of course I wanted to be with Drew. Part of me would follow him to the ends of the earth, but another part of me told me to get a grip and think rationally. I had my own life I was trying to figure out and I couldn’t very well do that if I was picking up and moving to follow a man around.
“Please consider it, Natalie,” he said softly, his eyes moving slowly over my face as his fingers curled around my neck, pulling me to him so he could kiss me on the forehead.
“I haven’t been at my job that long. I don’t know if I can get time off already.”
“Will you try?”
“I’ll try,” I said quietly and he pulled away, a hopeful smile on his face.
“Thank you. We’ll book your ticket as soon as you find out if you can get the time off,” he said and I nodded, but I think he sensed my apprehension, because a gentle smile spread on his face. “I hope you know what you mean to me, Natalie. You’re my everything.”
“I love you,” I said softly, the lump still burning in my throat and then he pulled me to him, kissing me and I hated thinking of him leaving tomorrow. Like he’d said, the world was okay when we were together, but when we were apart, I couldn’t imagine a worse place to be.
Thirteen
I hated saying goodbye to him, but it was inevitable. He’d kissed me before turning and heading out of the apartment around nine o’clock to catch the red eye back to L.A., and a knot formed in my stomach because I didn’t know when he’d be back.
I managed to get some restless sleep before I had to get up for work myself. I was grateful to have a job that kept me busy and my mind occupied instead of focusing on the fact I was returning to an empty apartment every night in a city I was basically alone in.
I walked into the office and opened my email, not surprised to see a packed inbox of tasks for the day. Two stories for the noon broadcast that needed editing and a luncheon I would need to arrange with the caterers for a producers’ meeting next week were at the top of my list. I downloaded the first story about an animal shelter hosting an adoption event and got to work.
“Natalie.” My head jerked up from my computer screen to see Ava standing a few feet from my desk.
“Good morning,” I said. “I’m working on this adoption story for noon.”
“I was thinking after you finish that, you might like to join me in the field.”
“Field?”
“Kara is covering that adoption story at the shelter and I thought you might want to tag along to see how it’s done.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes,” she said with a grin. “I figured it’s time to move you beyond editing.”
“I’d love that. Thank you.”
“Will you be done in a half hour?”
“I’ll be sure I’m done,” I said and she nodded before turning and leaving.
I got back to editing, trying not to make any mistakes in my hurry to finish.
Ava had given me thirty minutes, but all I needed was twenty-five. I emailed my finished edit off to the producer and then grabbed my coat, meeting Ava in her office. She led me to the lobby where we met Kara and the cameraman, Mitch.
“Are you sure it’s okay if I tag along?” I asked Kara as she looked through her purse. She was wearing black slacks and a Channel 5 fleece. Her black hair was pulled back into a stylish ponytail and her makeup was perfect. She definitely looked ready for the camera.
“Of course not. I think it’s great. An extra set of hands never hurt anyone,” she said and then turned to Mitch. “Do you know Mitch?”
I shook my head and looked over to him.
“I’ve seen you around, but we’ve never been introduced.”
He stuck out his hands and I shook it briefly. He was a burly man in jeans and a flannel shirt. That, along with his coarse brown beard, reminded me of a lumberjack.
“Welcome aboard,” he said and then motioned for us to follow him outside.
We climbed into a van with the Channel 5 logo on it and Mitch pulled into traffic. Kara looked through notes as we drove and we made occasional small talk, but I couldn’t help but notice how different it was than when we’d gone out for drinks together after work.
Once we got to Brooklyn, it didn’t take long to find the shelter. The event was already in full swing with balloons and streamers. The dogs were all decked out in colorful bandanas and a sizeable group of people were walking around an
d meeting the dogs. Kara got out and went to the director while Ava and I joined the crowd looking at all of the dogs hoping to find a home today. It broke my heart to see all these homeless animals. I wanted to take them home with me, but since I couldn’t, the least I could do was show them love for as long as I was here.
Kara and Mitch set up in front and I stood by Ava as they prepared to go on the air. Mitch gave her a signal and then Kara started talking into the microphone. I couldn’t hear everything she was saying, but she had a smile on her face as she looked at the camera. The director joined her then, along with a shepherd mix, whose tail was wagging as his tongue hung out of his mouth. Kara bent down and started petting him as she introduced him to the audience. She then went around showing other dogs and speaking with more of the volunteers. The whole segment only lasted maybe five minutes and then Kara looked into the camera saying, “I’m Kara Summers for Channel 5 news.” She stood still for a few minutes and then Mitch set the camera down, signaling they were done.
“Short and sweet,” Kara said, looking over to us. “And without getting bit or peed on.” We all started laughing and we decided to spend a little more time with the dogs.
“How long have you been doing this?” I asked Kara as we were each holding a puppy from a litter of Chihuahuas.
“Two years in the field.”
“And do you like it?”
“I love it,” she answered without hesitation. “Someday I’d love to sit behind the desk in the studio, but until that day, I love doing stories out here. Especially ones like these.”
“What’d you have to do…I mean what kind of education do you have?”
“I did my undergraduate in communication, but then I went back to NYU to get my master’s in journalism and mass communication.”
“Is that a requirement?” I asked and one side of her mouth curled up into a smile.
“No, but it doesn’t hurt. Are you thinking you might want to do this?”
“I don’t know. I never have until now. It looks fun…like something I might want to do.”
The Heart of Tomorrow (Book Two) (The Tomorrow Series 2) Page 10