by Parker, Ali
“But you wanted to see this place,” I pointed out. “That requires you leaving Texas.”
Her pretty laugh floated around me. “Yes, it does, but we’ll be going back soon.”
“I suppose we will.”
“You mentioned a while back that you’d like to travel after Olin graduates, correct?” she asked.
I shrugged. “I do—eventually. I don’t see myself ever setting out on one of those year-long vacations, but I would like to see the world. Like I said, seeing the pictures in magazines and on TV isn’t nearly as thrilling as seeing it all in person.”
She nodded. “I believe you. Honestly, I think part of the reason I’ve never thought much about traveling is because of the cost. I do have a savings and I am planning to at least visit Greece before I die, but that’s about the extent of my dreaming.”
“Greece, huh?” I said, intrigued by the idea. “Do you have a passport?”
She laughed, shaking her head. “I’m almost afraid to answer. You’ll have me on a private jet and flying over the Atlantic before I can blink.”
I grinned. “You’re on to me.”
“I do have a passport, but it is perfectly clean. I’ve never gone anywhere. Would you believe I’ve never even gone into Mexico?”
That surprised me. “Really?”
“Really. My girlfriends in college went down there quite a bit, but I never went. I was always working or studying.”
I leaned forward. “All of that is about to change. I want to travel the world with you. I want you to be by my side as I see things for the first time. I want to see the look on your face when you see those same things.”
She hesitated. “We’ll have to see.”
“Leila, it’ll be on me. I don’t think I’ve really talked much about my financial status, but trust me, I can afford to go around the world a few times.”
“I believe it. You’re so humble. You said before you haven’t always been wealthy?”
I had to chuckle. “No. Definitely not. We were dirt poor growing up. I was broke when I married Carlie. My wealth is fairly new. I’m what you call new money.”
She rolled her eyes. “That is so snobbish. Money is money.”
“Rich people don’t feel that way. At least a few that I’ve encountered. They are not fond of rags to riches stories. They like the people that were born with a silver spoon in their mouths.”
“Dumb.”
I laughed. “I agree.”
Our meals were delivered, leaving us wide-eyed at the size of the platters. We both dug in with gusto. It was only eight our time, but after the exercise on the plane, we were both famished.
“What’d you think?” I asked her of the meal.
She dabbed at her mouth. “So good. Well worth the trip to New York.”
“We will have to make a date to come back,” I told her, testing the waters a bit. I wasn’t sure where she was at. I hoped she was thinking about a future with me, but I knew I still had to prove myself a bit.
Her bright smile put me at ease. “The Empire State Building,” she said.
“You want to eat steak at the Empire State Building?” I questioned.
“I want to see it. I want to go to the top and have a moment with you.”
I nodded, very eager to have a moment with her just about anywhere. “Okay. It’s a date.”
“You’re crazy!” she said with a laugh. “We can’t—”
“We can. We can do anything you want. We can go anywhere you want. You name it, and I will make it happen.”
“You really know how to woo a girl.”
I shrugged. “Just you. I only want to woo you. That sounds really weird.”
She grinned. “I think it sounds cute.”
“Would you like to move into the lounge?” I asked. “I hate to come all the way here and hole up in the room.”
“I’d love to go to the lounge. I feel so fancy.”
“I want you to get some mileage out of that dress,” I told her, getting to my feet and extending my hand.
We wandered into the hotel lounge where a jazz singer was belting out a song I didn’t know, but immediately loved. We ordered drinks and sat at another small table. I wanted to soak up every minute alone with her. Being away from the stressors back home helped me relax. I had texted Olin several times. He assured me everything was fine. I believed him.
When she yawned, I took that as my cue the night was over. We made our way back up to the room, her leaning her head against my shoulder as the elevator slowly slid up to our floor.
“Thank you for a wonderful night,” she said when we got back into the room. “It’s been amazing.”
“It’s not over yet,” I told her.
She smiled. “No, I suppose it’s not. I’m going to change. You sit tight.”
I hoped she had brought along something sexy. I checked in with Olin one last time while she was in the bathroom changing. When she came out, she was wearing a simple black nightgown that fell mid-thigh. It wasn’t overly sexy by itself, but on her, it was very sexy.
“My turn,” I told her, dropping a kiss on her lips before going into the bathroom. I brushed my teeth and stripped down to my underwear. Guys had it easy when it came to sexy bedroom attire. We got to wear our underwear and call it good.
I turned off the light and walked into the room to find her already under the blankets. I walked to the bed to make sure I was seeing what I saw.
She was sound asleep.
I smiled, looking down at my sleeping beauty. I liked seeing her asleep in the bed I was going to be in. It made me feel possessive. She was mine and I wanted to make sure she knew it. I would have loved nothing more than to make love to her and show her how much I cared about her, but I couldn’t wake the woman up. She looked so comfortable.
Obviously, she needed the rest. I could use some sleep as well. I put the do not disturb sign on the door and turned off the lights. I very carefully crawled into bed beside her, tugging her warm body against mine.
“Hey,” she murmured.
“Shh, go back to sleep,” I told her.
“But, we—”
“No, we’re good. You get some sleep.”
She sighed and fell right back to sleep. I held her close. It was strange but a good strange. I was really getting used to her being in my bed. I snuggled closer to her, inhaling the scent of her shampoo. She smelled delicious. I was becoming very familiar with her scent. It was one of those things couples developed. I would be able to find her in a dark room.
I wasn’t sure how I had gotten so lucky, but I had found a woman that completed me once again. I owed the universe a huge thank you.
Chapter 55
Leila
I woke up early and immediately felt guilty for passing out. I decided to wake him up with a special good morning treat to make up for leaving him hanging last night. He was a sweet man. I vaguely remembered him climbing into bed. I couldn’t explain why I was so tired, but I had gotten in the bed and my eyes were so heavy I could barely keep them open.
He jerked awake when my mouth closed over the head of his cock. “Holy shit,” he breathed.
I administered to him, bringing him to completion before making my way up his bare chest. I popped my head out from under the covers and smiled at him. “Good morning.”
He smiled. “Fuck yeah it’s a good morning. Roll over.”
I shook my head. “Nope. You promised me the falls. I’m dying to see it.”
“Are you sure?” he asked in a husky voice. “It would only take a minute.” His hands ran over my sides, smoothed over my thighs and then back up.
“I’m positive,” I assured him. “Let’s just say you owe me one,” I said with a laugh.
“Let’s make it two.”
“Even better, and I know you’ll deliver.”
I gave him a quick kiss before rolling off him and immediately going to the window. I opened the curtain and gasped at the sight below. It was absolutely stunning.
I couldn’t believe I was actually looking at Niagara Falls. It didn’t seem real.
Christopher came to stand behind me, his arms around my waist as he held me close. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” he said in a low voice.
“I’m just in awe.”
“Go get ready, I’ll order some coffee. We can grab breakfast in town or if you’d like, I can order room service.”
“In town,” I quickly answered. “I have to get down there.”
He chuckled. “I thought so.”
I rushed into the bathroom, took the fastest shower known to mankind and then dressed in the outfit I had thrown together. My jeans, low-heeled boots, and the long black sweater that covered my butt felt like the perfect choice for a day of sight-seeing.
I could smell the coffee emanating from the living area the moment I opened the bathroom door. I followed the smell and found Christopher sitting on the couch in nothing but his underwear and texting. I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to be able to wake up to this man.
“All done?” he said looking up.
“All done.”
He got up, kissed me and headed in to take his own shower. I poured some coffee and headed out to the small balcony. I inhaled deeply, taking in the fresh smell of the water on the air. Life with Christopher could be very interesting—if I could allow myself to enjoy some of the happiness he brought.
While the spontaneous trip out of town was nice, I knew there were still some hurdles the two of us would have to overcome. For now, I was okay with not talking about the problems that awaited us back home.
“Okay, I’m ready,” he said, popping his head out.
Thirty minutes later, we were standing on a lookout, the falls in front of us. We didn’t need words. I couldn’t have aptly described what I was seeing. Instead, I chose to feel it all. I soaked in every detail, closing my eyes for a moment and letting my senses come alive.
It was a magical place. There was an air of fear that heightened my adrenaline. The power of the rushing water was incredible. Christopher seemed to understand my need to simply watch and observe and didn’t try to shuffle me along. He let me be.
After some time, I was ready to see more. I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him close. “Thank you for this.”
“You’re very welcome. Why don’t we grab some breakfast and then we can check out Cave of the Winds?”
“I am trusting you. You are my tour guide.”
“You’re in good hands.”
We walked to a small restaurant that was a little off the beaten path, but perfect. I was almost too anxious to eat—almost. I knew we had a busy day ahead of us and didn’t want to end up starving and cranky halfway through.
“How is Olin?” I asked him once we were settled in at a table.
“He’s good. Said he was heading to the batting cages later with another kid from the team.”
I smiled. “That’s a good thing, right?”
“Very good.”
“Have you guys been able to talk?” I questioned.
“About?”
“Anything. Everything.”
He sighed. “Yes and no. It’s dangerous ground. We’ve had many ups and a whole lot more downs. I don’t want to get my hopes up and think we’re all good. He’s proven time and again he’s still not happy with me.”
“Is he not happy with you, or the situation?”
“The situation as in Texas?” he asked.
I shrugged. “Texas. You going to school. Me.”
He sipped from the coffee cup before putting it down and looking me straight in the eye. “I don’t honestly know. I’ve wanted to talk to you about this but didn’t want to impose. I feel like I dump a lot on you and after what I did earlier, I didn’t want to bend your ear. I don’t want you to think I’m using you for your good advice.”
I smiled. “Thank you for thinking it’s good advice, but you can use me anytime you want. It costs nothing to sit and listen to a friend. If that’s what you need, I’m here for you.”
“Thank you,” he replied. “I do appreciate it and I do hope you will be my friend no matter what happens between us.”
His words sent a flurry of butterflies through my stomach. He made it sound like we were still on the fence. I supposed we were, but it was hard not to want it all with him. I wanted him. I wanted to be with him but both of us still had one foot in the single lane.
“I will always be here for you,” I managed to say.
“Olin is a good kid,” he said before busting out a laugh. “I hear myself say that a lot. I think I might be trying a little too hard to convince myself.”
“I doubt that. I didn’t get the feeling there was anything inherently evil about him. He’s a teenager. I’ve seen a lot worse. Olin seems like a kid trying to find his way.”
He slowly nodded. “That’s my opinion as well. I want to help him, but I feel like every time I get him going down the right path, he jerks back.”
“He’s independent, that’s a good thing.”
“It reminds me of when he was younger, like a lot younger. He absolutely hated holding our hands when we were out somewhere. I used to get so angry. I was angry because I was terrified he would get hurt or kidnapped or God knew what else. Carlie was the one who always told me I had to give him some breathing space. She used to say we had to let him trip and fall on occasion. I don’t know how she did it, but she managed to be a great, doting mom while keeping her hands off.”
I imagined his wife was a beautiful woman. I wasn’t jealous of her, but I certainly envied her. “I think you’re trying. You want him to be independent and able to stand on his own two feet. That means taking a hands-off approach while still being there to help him up when he falls.”
“I’m trying,” he said on a breath. “I want you to actually meet him if and when you’re ready. I know that’s a lot to ask. You’re young and meeting a teenager that I’ve done nothing but complain about doesn’t sound like a great idea, but I’d like you two to officially meet.”
I shrugged a shoulder. “I would be fine with meeting him, but I think it’s him who needs to be okay with it.”
“I think he is. He did say he was, but I didn’t really jump on the idea since he tends to change his mind more often than his socks.”
I burst into laughter. “Understandable. We don’t need to rush anything.”
“I want to marry my two worlds,” he said looking me in the eyes. “I want to spend more time with you, and I want to spend time with my son. Both of you are a big part of my life and it would be easier if those two parts could occasionally interact.”
“I get it,” I told him. “I really do. You do what you think is best. I’m not pressuring you to do anything that doesn’t feel right.”
“I appreciate that. More than you know.”
We ate our breakfast, neither of us in any real hurry. We talked a little more about Olin and his plans to go out for baseball. I envisioned myself wearing the school colors and sitting next to Christopher in folding chairs as we cheered the team on. I could totally get on board with that.
The trick would be getting Olin to be okay with that. I knew there was a good chance the kid would want nothing to do with me and would not want me in his life. If that was the case, I wouldn’t be able to be a part of Christopher’s life either. I wouldn’t make him choose. I wouldn’t make him feel torn between the two of us or stretch him so thin he burned out.
“You okay?” Christopher asked as we made our way to Cave of the Winds.
“I’m great, I’m just absolutely awe-struck.”
He smiled. “I’ve never been down into this cave, but I’ve heard it’s incredible.”
“Do you think we’ll have time to do the Journey Behind the Falls?” I asked hopefully.
“We’ll make the time. Why don’t we plan to spend another night?” he suggested.
“Can you do that?” I asked hesitantly. “I mean, Olin and all.”
He smiled. “Olin is
fine. We’ll squeeze in as much as we can today, and we’ll head back tomorrow.”
“Thank you!”
“You’re welcome. I’m having a blast. I can’t believe I’ve never taken the time to see this place.”
We crowded our way onto the elevator and began the descent. I was a little bummed we were visiting in the offseason and wouldn’t be able to experience all of it, but even what I was seeing felt like enough. It was magical and romantic and made me feel like the luckiest woman on the planet.
“Thank you for the best, most exhausting day ever,” I told him as we made our way back to the hotel room.
He chuckled. “I don’t know about you, but that hot tub in the room is sounding mighty good right about now. I am chilled to my bones.”
I laughed. “Me too. We’ll order in tonight. You don’t have to take me anywhere else.”
“Thank God. I don’t think I could if I wanted to.”
I was looking forward to a relaxing evening in with him. The hot tub was almost a necessity after spending the day being sprayed by ice-cold mist. We’d been soaked, then dry, then soaked again. With room service ordered, we settled into the hot tub with two glasses of wine. I snuggled against him, the hot water bubbling around us as we sat in silence, simply enjoying the atmosphere. We lit lots of candles, turned on some soft music, and really got into the moment.
“I never want to leave,” I whispered, not actually meaning to say the words out loud.
“We can do this as often as you’d like. I have a hot tub at my house,” he reminded me.
I smiled, thinking of more nights just like this with him.
Chapter 56
Christopher
I was sad to be leaving the little piece of heaven we had created for ourselves, but hopeful there would be many more mini-vacations in our future. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders as we made our way through the hotel lobby. It seemed very natural to have her by my side. She fit perfectly. It was as if we’d been together for years instead of weeks.