by L.H. Cosway
“Soon,” I panted. “I’m going to come soon.”
Just like that, his mouth left me. I heard him take off his jacket. It fell to the floor. Next, he undid his pants. I was about to complain about a ruined orgasm, but then he flipped me to face the wall. He stood behind me, his hand coming around my stomach to hold me to him, his erection flush with my backside. His other hand yanked my underwear down then spread my legs apart. A second later, he was pushing inside me, one hand splayed out on my stomach, the other coming up to cup my breast. He pulled it free of my bra, pinching my nipple as he drove into me deep. Pleasure shattered through me, and I moaned loud. His laboured breathing and sexy groans filled my ears.
He fucked me from behind hard and fast, a physical expulsion of his need for me, of the turmoil he’d been going through the last two days. I lost my mind when his hand dipped down, fingers finding my clit. Just like that, my orgasm was back on track, so much more intense than before. His cock filled me while his fingers drove me to the height of pleasure.
“I love you,” he murmured right when my orgasm hit, then bit down on my shoulder. The sting of his teeth felt illicit. I was surprised how much I liked it.
“I…love you, too,” I said, gasping.
He kissed my neck now, nuzzling with his nose. I turned my head to stare at our reflection in the glass, transfixed. He was beautiful. No, majestic. I still couldn’t get my head around the fact that this incredible man belonged to me. I had his heart and he had mine.
He let out a deep groan and I felt him fill me. Still, I watched. I couldn’t look away even if I tried. He held me tight, burying his face in my neck, his breathing heavy. When he finally came down from his release, he pulled out then swiftly picked me up. I let out a squeak, wrapping my arms around his neck as he carried me upstairs to his bedroom.
He kicked open the door then laid me down on his bed. My head hit the pillows and I was momentarily overwhelmed by the smell of him. I turned my head to the side, breathing in the masculine scent.
James disappeared into the bathroom and turned on the light. It filtered through the hallway and into the bedroom, illuminating the space in shadows. I heard the tap come on and a moment later, he reappeared with a washcloth. My chest squeezed with affection when he brought it between my legs, cleaning me, his eyes on my body.
“You were made for me,” he whispered and butterflies filled my stomach. I would always be overcome when he levelled me with his intense, singular focus.
When he was done, he returned the washcloth to the bathroom and turned off the light. The room was dark now. The bed dipped as he crawled in next to me. He wrapped his arms around me tight and held me to him, my back to his front.
“Never leave me again,” he said, and there was a note of desperation in his voice. I suspected our separation had been as tough for him as it was for me. “Promise me no matter what hardships we face, you’ll always come talk to me first,” he went on.
Guilt pinched at my heart. I twisted around to face him, my voice heavy with emotion. “I promise.”
He reached down to interlock his fingers with mine. “Whatever comes our way, we’ll face it together.”
“Together,” I agreed.
I kissed him gently, then buried my face in the crook of his neck. I was surrounded by his warmth and scent and I never wanted to leave this cocoon of contentment. For as long as I could remember, I’d wanted to be invisible, but I was slowly coming around to the idea of being seen.
Because James saw me and it was the most wondrous feeling in the world.
Epilogue
James
4 Months Later
It was good to be back in New York. The city held only fond memories. I moved across the Brooklyn rooftop, the iconic Manhattan skyline just across the water. I knew there were cameras nearby, capturing our run, but my focus was on my friends and me. I loved parkour, loved how much skill it took, the mental and bodily calculations, the focus. When I managed to achieve a flow state that synced with those of my castmates, there really was no feeling like it.
Well, except for when Michaela smiled at me. That was a pretty spectacular feeling, too. When I was old and grey and my body was no longer equipped to run, her smiles would see me through.
I leapt through the air, breaking the six-foot gap between one building and the next, my feet landing with a thud on the solid concrete. I caught up with Trev and reached out to give him a high five. Today had been a good day.
We climbed down a fire escape to the street level and shot across to the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, where the rest of the TV crew were waiting. I spotted Michaela sitting on a bench next to Reya, who held her four-month-old daughter on her lap. Trev hadn’t been able to handle the idea of leaving them to film Season Five, so he’d packed up his little family and brought them with him.
Their daughter, Grace, was admittedly adorable, with jet black hair and bright blue eyes. I watched as Michaela smiled at her, running a finger over one of her wispy baby curls. A sudden, sharp pang hit me right in the chest. It wasn’t a pain exactly, more like a longing. It was in that moment that I realised I wanted her to have my kids someday. It was still early on in our relationship, and we’d only been living together a few months, but I wanted it all with her. Kids, marriage, the lot. There was a lightness in my soul to know I’d finally found the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.
I admired her quiet strength, how gracefully she handled being in a relationship with me, what with my fame and the media attention. After discussing it with the Running on Air PR team, we decided to give a short magazine interview, simply to say that we were seeing each other and to put rumours to rest on who Michaela was to me. We hadn’t had too many paparazzi following us since, which was a relief because neither of us particularly enjoyed that side of things.
Trev approached Reya and picked up Grace, cradling her in his arms. “Hello, Gracie,” he murmured, beaming down at her. He’d taken to fatherhood better than any of us could’ve ever expected.
I went to Michaela, placing a quick kiss on her lips before whispering, “Hey.”
“Hey,” she whispered back. “How was your run?”
“Great. You hungry? We should grab some food.”
“There’s no time for food,” Neil interrupted, carrying his ever-present tablet. “Two cars are waiting to take you all to Autumn’s podcast studio in Bushwick. She’s interviewing the entire cast for her latest episode, remember?”
“So forgetful,” Michaela teased me playfully as she nudged her shoulder against mine.
Neil’s phone started ringing in his pocket. He pulled it out, swearing under his breath when he saw someone was trying to FaceTime him. Neil wasn’t a fan of FaceTime. He despised it in the same way my sister Shanise despised people who called instead of texted.
He pressed cancel and shoved the phone back in his pocket.
“Hey,” Michaela said curiously. “Was that Afric’s name I saw flashing on your screen just now?”
Neil’s expression clouded. “Yeah, um, it’s a different Afric.”
Michaela arched a suspicious eyebrow. “Just how many Africs do you know?”
“A few.”
“Ha! Don’t lie to me. Why is my best friend calling you?”
Neil sighed, casting her a beleaguered look. “If you must know, I’m helping her with her accounts. Her old accountant retired and her finances are a mess.”
Michaela frowned. “How did this come about? I thought you hated Afric.”
“I don’t hate her, but she’s doing something for me, so I’m returning the favour.”
“What is she doing for you?” I questioned. Now I was curious, too.
“That’s no ones’ business but mine,” Neil answered in a clipped voice. “Now come on. The cars are waiting.”
Michaela and I shared a look, both of us intrigued by Neil’s shifty body language. Unfortunately, the bloke was like a fortress. If he didn’t want to tell you something, then
good luck getting it out of him.
When we arrived at Autumn’s place, her sound engineer welcomed us all in before leading us into the studio. Me, Trevor, Paul, Isaac, Leanne, and Callum sat while Autumn took her spot at the head of the table and put on a pair of headphones.
“Okay, welcome everybody. How exciting!” Autumn began once we started recording. “I’ve never interviewed six people at once before, so this should be interesting.”
“We can always kick this lot out,” Paul interjected with a flirtatious grin. “You know I’m your favourite.”
Autumn chuckled. “As much as my listeners adore you, Paul, I’m sure they’re eager to hear from all of you. Today, ladies and gents, I’m interviewing Callum, Leanne, Isaac, James, Trevor, and of course, Paul, or as you might know them, the stars of one of our favourite shows here on the podcast, Running on Air.”
“It’s a pleasure to be here,” Leanne replied.
“I talk about your show pretty much constantly,” Autumn went on, “So I’m really pleased you managed to fit this interview into your schedules while you’re here in New York. You also have no idea how excited I am that you’re filming in my city. But first, I’d like to congratulate one of you on a new arrival. How are you finding fatherhood, Trevor?”
Trev broke out in a smile at the mention of little Grace. “I won’t lie to you, Autumn, I’ve taken to it like a duck to water, a bit too much, actually. Her mum complains that I’m hogging the baby all the time.”
“Of course you’ve taken to it too much,” Cal teased. “When have you ever done anything by half measures?”
“Hey, I don’t blame him. I caught a glimpse of the little one downstairs when you all arrived and she’s completely adorable,” Autumn said.
“Yeah, I’m loving being a dad,” Trev went on. “She’s pretty much my whole world right now. Stole both our hearts as soon as we laid eyes on her. And let me tell you, that first sighting was kind of gruesome.”
“Great, you had to go and ruin it,” I said, shaking my head at him.
“What?” Trev threw his hands up. “It’s the truth.” Now he leaned into his microphone. “Childbirth is a shocker, boys and girls, remember that and don’t forget to use protection.”
“The public service announcement comes free of charge,” Isaac added with a chuckle.
“I’m just looking out for Autumn’s younger listeners. Teenage pregnancy is an epidemic,” Trev went on.
“I never thought I’d see the day when Trevor Cross was preaching safe sex to teenagers,” Leanne commented with a wry smile.
“Okay, well, I appreciate you thinking of the sexual health of my young listeners,” Autumn laughed softly. “But what can you guys tell me about the new season? Will there be bigger stunts than last time?”
“Of course! We always go bigger and better,” Cal replied. “There are so many places here for us to film, too. We’re like kids in a candy shop.”
“I’m still trying to convince our director that climbing to the top of the Empire State Building isn’t suicidal,” Paul said.
“I honestly can’t tell if you’re joking or serious,” Autumn replied, shaking her head at him.
Paul shrugged. “You’ll have to tune in and find out.”
“Yesterday we shot in Central Park at Belvedere Castle. It’s so beautiful there,” Leanne said. “We even managed to get the place shut down for a few hours.”
My eyes went to Michaela where she stood in the corner of the room next to Neil. Belvedere Castle was one of the places we visited on our trip to the city last year. It was during those few days that I truly fell for her and they’d stay forever etched in my memory. All of the places we visited during that short trip would always remind me of us.
“Sounds amazing. Can you give us any hints of what happened?” Autumn asked.
“Well, let’s just say somebody might’ve fallen into the pond,” Isaac revealed with a chuckle.
“Hey!” Paul complained. “I didn’t fall in. You pushed me.”
“Potayto, potahto.” Isaac grinned.
Autumn’s attention went to Paul. “You fell into the pond? Now, this I have to see.”
“I was pushed. Pushed, I tell you.” Everybody laughed and he faked a scowl. “Ah, I see how it is. You all like to make fun of the innocent victims of heinous crimes. You’re showing your true colours now. I’ll relish it when you all get cancelled.”
More laughter. About an hour later, Autumn finished up the interview and I strode across the room to Michaela. I wrapped my arms around her waist as I dipped my mouth to her ear. “Want to go back to the hotel and order room service?” I whispered, relishing the shudder that went through her at my husky tone. Room service was another thing that held fond memories for us. It was what we’d done the first night we slept together in the same bed. It hadn’t been intentional, of course, but falling asleep with her had felt so natural.
“Room service sounds perfect,” she replied, stretching up to kiss my lips softly.
We said our goodbyes to Autumn and climbed into cars that would take us back to our hotel. I felt content in a way I never had before. I still missed Mum every single day, and though it felt like I’d lost the world when she passed away, I reminded myself of all the amazing things I still had. I was incredibly lucky to have loyal, trustworthy friends like mine, to get to work with my favourite people. And I also got to be with the woman who claimed every part of my heart.
Life was full of twists and turns, ups and downs, and though those things might test me, so long as I had Michaela, I knew they’d never break me.
END.
Exclusive Bonus Chapter!
Thank you for reading Something in the Air! Please consider supporting an indie author and leaving a review <3 If you were curious to know more about Neil and Afric, you can subscribe to my newsletter HERE to read a bonus chapter starring these two.
Resources
If you were affected by any of the topics raised in this book, below are some resources that you might find helpful. These are just some of the websites I have found while researching, but there are far more out there that might cater to your particular circumstances. These links are specific to the US and UK, where the majority of my readership is based, however I understand my audience is international. If you are based elsewhere, a quick online search should provide you with websites localised to the area you’re from. I also live in Ireland so I don’t have personal experiences with the organisations listed below. These are simply some starting points for anyone out there seeking further knowledge or help.
US:
https://www.alcoholrehabguide.org/resources/
https://www.thehotline.org/
UK:
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-support/
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-abuse-how-to-get-help
A Crack in Everything Preview
If you enjoyed Something in the Air, then you may also like L.H. Cosway’s contemporary romance, A Crack in Everything (Cracks #1). Read on for the blurb and an excerpt of Chapter One!
BLURB:
Life used to be simple.
I was a city girl with humble dreams. Then Dylan O’Dea broke into my flat, held me against the wall and told me to stay quiet.
It was like in the movies, where the universe zeros in on a single scene. I looked into his eyes and knew he was going to change me.
For Dylan, the sky was always falling. He showed me how our world is a contradiction of beauty and ugliness. How we choose to ignore the awful and gloss over it with the palatable. How you need just a tiny drop of something unsavoury to create every great scent.
Pretty deep for a pair of teenagers living in a block of council flats in inner city Dublin, right? Probably. But we weren’t typical. We both had our obsessions. Mine was growing things, Dylan’s was scent. He taught me how to use my nose, and I introduced him to the magic of flowers.
I had no idea that one day he’d build an empire from what we started
together. But before that, there was love and happiness, tragedy and epic heartbreak…
My name is Evelyn Flynn and I’m going to tell you about the crack in everything.
A Crack in Everything is Book #1 in L.H. Cosway’s Cracks duet.
EXCERPT:
Waiting for a flower bud to open was one of my favourite things.
It started out like a closed little pistachio. The next day its petals moved. The following day they spread. The day after that they spread a little bit more, and then finally the flower blossomed to its full potential.
I was waiting for the buds on my pink hibiscus to open, but they still had a few days to go. I poured a little water into the pot with a plastic bottle then screwed the cap back on. I was just about to place it on the shelf when someone hammered on my door.
It was a panicked knock, one that demanded attention. In this neighbourhood, it didn’t always bode well to open the door to knocking like that. I squinted through the peephole and recognised a boy I went to school with. His name was Dylan O’Dea, or was it O’Toole? Anyway, I was pretty sure he lived one or two floors below me here at St Mary’s Villas.
Don’t let the ‘Villas’ part fool you. There was nothing villa-like about this place. St Mary’s War Bunker would’ve been more apt. Everything was grey. The windows gave the barest minimum of light, and every single flat smelled vaguely of mildew no matter how much you cleaned or aired the place.
Dylan looked sweaty and desperate, and there was something about his panicked gaze that had me unlocking my door for him. Before I even had the chance to say a word, he barrelled in and slammed the door shut behind him.
“What the hell!” I exclaimed, at once regretting my decision. I lived with my aunt Yvonne, but she was at work and wouldn’t be home for hours.
Dylan stared me dead in the eye, his chest heaving, and raised a finger to his mouth in the universal gesture of ‘be quiet.’ I didn’t make a peep and a second later noise sounded from outside. People banged on doors the same way Dylan had been banging on mine. Our eyes met again, and he must’ve sensed I was going to say something because he came at me. He backed me up against the wall until his frame surrounded mine and his hand went to my mouth. I instantly struggled, but then he whispered in my ear.
