by M. E. Nesser
“Oh, I’d never forget. I hope the weather’s nice. Some fresh air sounds wonderful.” She stifled a yawn and I knew it was time to call it a night.
“Being with you is what sounds wonderful to me,” I said to her honestly.
She didn’t say anything; she didn’t have to. She blushed and gave me the sweetest smile. There was definitely an intense sexual chemistry between us. But I wanted there to be so much more. Foreplay in the limo and dancing at the gala were both exhilarating, but I planned to be as patient as humanly possible with her. There didn’t need to be any rush; I wanted this to be a long-lasting union.
We arrived at her place just before one in the morning. I could tell she was exhausted. Although I could have pulled an all-nighter with this exquisite beauty, I was respectful of her need to get some rest. I got out of the car and gave her a long, sensual kiss. She responded with such ardor that I could instantly feel my arousal. I knew that if I didn’t walk away, I would have to walk her upstairs, and I was determined to behave. She needed some rest. Tomorrow was a new day.
“Goodnight, Katharine. Thank you for an incredible evening.”
“Goodnight, Ian. Tonight was great. Thank you for including me.”
17
Tonight was magical. We laughed and danced for hours, and I felt like I’d been reborn. Sadly, reincarnation was exhausting. I collapsed on my bed as soon as I was able to get my dress and shoes off. I didn’t even bother to wash my makeup off; it could come off in the shower in the morning. I wanted to recap the evening in my mind, but I was too tired for that, too. So I sent a short text to Ian saying, “Thanks again—K” and fell into my deepest slumber in over a year.
I woke up bright and early to get ready for my day outdoors. Most people in New York walk everywhere since parking is so expensive and difficult to find. But walking in the city is just a means of getting from one place to another. You need to drive away from the city to enjoy the natural world. Fortunately, you never needed to drive far. New York state is very diverse, and there were a lot of wonderful places to go to get away from it all.
Ian was supposed to pick me up at nine, but I had already figured out that he liked to be early. And I was right. At 8:45 a.m., the intercom chirped. The doorman alerted me that Ian was downstairs waiting for me. I grabbed my backpack and hurried downstairs.
I had never seen Ian dressed casually. He looked heavenly in his Armani business suits. The tuxedo he’d worn last night had made him look even more divine. Today he was sporting a pair of jeans and a simple black T-shirt. This outfit was, by far, the sexiest to date. What was with this man? He was so beautiful. His jeans were worn, and his fitted black T-shirt accentuated his lean physique. I have always liked men dressed in black. How could a simple black T-shirt be such a turn on? He had black hiking boots on that made him look rugged. Holy crap, I was in trouble. This man was so hot. I really wanted to see him naked. Hiking could wait.
It was obvious that he’d just gotten out of the shower; his salt and pepper hair was messy and wet. Even that turned me on: I wished I could have been in the shower with him. I could have washed his hair. I could have washed other things…I needed to calm down. But if I could just grab his hair, stare into his eyes, and suck his face…This was not helping. I feel like my body has been invaded by a seventeen year old horny teenager.
“Good morning, counselor. What’s going on in that beautiful head of yours?” he asked me mockingly as he walked towards me.
“I was thinking that it was nice to see you dressed casually,” I said lightly. How did he know I was having perverse thoughts about him? He leaned into me and gave me a solid kiss on the lips. Holy crap, the kiss took my breath away.
“Is that all?” he asked seductively. Yep, I was busted. There was no way I was going to be able to conceal any of my emotions in front of this man.
“No, but it needs to be all, or we’ll never make it out of the building,” I admitted in defeat.
Ian laughed and kissed me again. He grabbed my bag and my hand, and we walked outside. His large hand held mine possessively. It felt incredible. I loved the strength and confidence he exuded. It made me safe and adored. He had a sports car waiting at the curb. It was not the vehicle I expected to drive us to the mountain. It was black, sleek, and very shiny.
“No driver today?” I asked him.
“No, I don’t get many opportunities to drive my car, so I thought today would be a great day for it. I also wanted to be alone with you. This way we can talk about anything and not worry about being overheard.”
“It’s a beautiful car. It looks different from a normal corvette.”
“It’s a special edition; there weren’t many made. I love how it handles. It has a big engine, which is useless in the city, so it’s fun to drive out to the country with it. Are you ready?” he asked me.
“Sure am!”
The ride to Bear Mountain took a little over an hour. It was a clear, sunny day. It was still a little cool out, but it was supposed to warm up, and I knew the hiking would make me warm. We chatted comfortably. He was very proud of his daughters and told me more about their personalities and their lives. “Emily is more conservative than her younger sister. She has worked diligently in college to maintain a near perfect GPA so she can get into law school. She has been dating a fairly conservative young man for about a year now. His name is Martin. He seems like a nice enough fellow. They seem pretty serious, which makes me nervous. They’re so young, you know?”
“You can’t control when you fall in love Ian. Heck, I was only seventeen when I met Bryce. I always knew he was the one for me,” I admitted honestly.
“Were you ever with anyone besides him?” he asked me. “Unless you’d prefer not to say. That’s fine if you’d like to keep that information private. I don’t mean to pry,” he continued apologetically.
“No, it’s a valid question. We both fooled around with other people our freshman year of college. I slept with a handful of guys. Every encounter was a disaster. I know Bryce slept with several girls. I think he may have fallen for one, but he would never talk about it. It was just a feeling I had at the time. In the end, we had a long-lasting, committed relationship. That was what was most important to me.”
“You both were lucky for the time you had together,” he remarked. He was very right about that. I know I was blessed, but that was not what I wanted to think about right now.
“Tell me more about Sara,” I urged.
“She’s a free spirit. She’s a happy, vivacious young woman who doesn’t have a clue what she wants out of life. For now, her main objective is to have fun. Honestly, as long as she maintains decent grades, I’m OK with that. I think you’ll like her. She has a lot of spunk. I can’t wait for you to meet both my girls. I have a feeling Emily will drill you with a million questions about your profession.”
“Fine by me,” I told him. “I wanted to be a lawyer for as long as I can remember. We will definitely have a lot to talk about. I look forward to meeting them both.”
His enthusiasm for his children was endearing, and I responded by bragging about my son. He asked me several questions about Jackson. It was obvious that we were both interested in knowing more about each other’s children. “Was it hard for Jackson to go away to college so shortly after his dad died?” he asked.
“Very. He didn’t want to leave me, but I insisted. I didn’t want my inability to cope with his father’s passing to hold him back. His father and I were both so proud that he was accepted to Yale. I had to make him go. It helps that it isn’t too far away. I wouldn’t have been thrilled if he was off to California or Seattle. We talk on a regular basis, and he is enjoying his college experience. It was hard to see him leave, but I knew it was best for him.”
“That was very noble of you, Katharine. It had to be very difficult for you to see him go. It shows how selfless you are and how much you love your son.”
“Thank you Ian. I appreciate that.”
I liked h
earing about his daughters, and he seemed sincerely interested in knowing more about my son. Our kids were close in age, and I was glad for that. I think it would have been strange if he’d had small children; that would have changed the dynamics immensely. I’m sure I would have been willing to adapt to having younger children around, but I was relieved that I didn’t have to. I hoped that someday our children could meet and possibly be friends.
We arrived at the mountain at 10:30 a.m. The sky was clear, and it had warmed up immensely. He parked his car in a parking lot next to a lodge, retrieved a backpack from the trunk, and we started to walk. I had never been to this area before, and I couldn’t believe how breathtaking it was. We followed a trail for about an hour, and then Ian suggested we take a break at a picnic area that overlooked the river. He pulled out a bottle of white wine and poured two glasses.
“I thought we would celebrate,” he said as he raised his glass to me.
“And what are we celebrating?” I asked.
“Two pimentos,” he said with a huge grin.
I was so touched that he remembered the story I’d told him the first night we met; his toast brought tears to my eyes. It was obvious that he wasn’t threatened by my husband’s memory. It was such a loving thing to say.
“To two pimentos,” I repeated, trying to maintain my composure. We clinked glasses, took a sip and sat back to enjoy the view.
After a few minutes, he reached into the backpack again. “I brought some snacks, too. I hope you like them.” Ian unpacked Brie and crackers, grapes, and a selection of cured meats.
“Everything is perfect. Wine on top of a mountain with a handsome man is a lovely change of pace. It was thoughtful of you to bring a picnic. In the short time since we have met, I think I’ve already put a few of the pounds I lost back on, and it feels great.”
“I’m so glad. I have more surprises, if you’ll indulge me as the day progresses,” he said.
“Really? It has been a long time since anyone surprised me with anything. I’m game for whatever you have in store for me,” I told him.
“I’m so glad. I want you to feel safe, happy, and relaxed. Sound good?”
“Are you planning to spoil me, Mr. Jensen?”
“If you let me, counselor.”
He leaned over and kissed me. I savored everything about this man. His strength. His smell. His taste. I was getting more smitten by the minute. When we finished the bottle of wine, we used the facilities and walked for another hour. We ended up at an inn located at the base of the mountain near where we had parked the car. I didn’t realize there was a hotel here. It was such an awesome getaway for someone who lived in New York City. How had I never known about this place before? As we walked toward the front entrance of the inn, Ian took my hand.
“Ready for the next surprise?” he asked with the biggest grin.
“Bring it on,” I told him.
He smiled. “Can you wait here while I grab our other bags from the car? I just want to make sure you have everything you need for afterward,” he said mysteriously.
He was back by my side in less than five minutes. He must have sprinted to the car. He looked like a little kid as he approached me. His enthusiasm was infectious. We walked into the inn and toward what looked like an elegant spa. Ian told the receptionist that we had an appointment at two o’clock, and she directed us to a changing area.
“What are we having done?” I asked him. I really couldn’t have cared less. I was just enjoying every minute of being with this man.
“A couples’ massage. I thought it was about time you indulged in something nice. I’ll meet you in the relaxation area once you’ve changed.”
I locked my clothes in the locker and changed into a robe. I couldn’t believe Ian had arranged all of this. It was so sweet and so thoughtful. No one had ever done something like this for me before. Whenever I’d thought about getting a massage or facial, Bryce would tell me to schedule something. This was such an unexpected surprise. I could totally get used to all of this attention.
We met in the common waiting area and sat next to each other on a couple’s couch. It was obviously a meditative kind of room, where one was expected to be quiet. Fortunately, we were alone in the room. He held my hand. His touch made me feel giddy. There was soft music in the background and a fire in the corner of the room. We each had a glass of water with a slice of cucumber in it. “Have you been to the spa before?” I asked him quietly. “No,” he said. “I tried to get Monica to come here once, but she said she hated the outdoors. I told her about the spa, and she insisted we go to one of the swanky ones in the city. It wasn’t worth fighting over.” It made me so sad that his marriage was so unhappy. “What a shame,” I told him. “So, have you stayed at the lodge before?” I wanted to know. “Yes. Once. I had a business conference here years ago. That was how I discovered the place. I’ve brought the girls here before to hike, but we’ve never spent the night. We have eaten in the restaurant, and the food is excellent,” he told me. I wanted to get closer to him, so I rested my head on his shoulder and he put his arm around me. Neither of us spoke again as we gazed at the fire. It felt good to relax. It had been such a long time.
After ten minutes, a woman in a black uniform walked into the waiting area and escorted us into a room where we were left alone to undress and get on our respective massage tables. We had never seen each other naked before, and I felt shy. My body didn’t look the same as it did when I was younger. Even though I was thin, I didn’t feel fit anymore. I was lucky that I didn’t have stretch marks from being pregnant, but I still felt less confident about my body. Moreover, no man had seen me naked aside from my husband since I was eighteen years old. It was no wonder I was feeling ill at ease. It was obvious that I was hesitant about disrobing in front of him. I stood there, unsure of which direction to face. I just looked at Ian, waiting for some kind of cue. Sensing my hesitation, Ian walked over to me. He cupped his hands on my face and gave me the most loving kiss.
“Don’t be embarrassed, Katharine. After the limo, this should be easy.”
He made a valid point. I leaned back from his kiss and removed my robe. He did the same. We just stared at each other. The last thing I wanted was a massage. I wanted this man. It was obvious by the change in his body how much he wanted me, too. His reaction to seeing me naked made me feel more confident.
“We better lie down before we get in trouble,” he suggested with a naughty laugh. I started to laugh with him and scooted onto the table as quickly as possible. I didn’t want either one of us to be embarrassed when the massage therapists entered the room.
The massages were excellent; I felt incredibly relaxed. When they ended, we got up and put our robes back on. Ian walked over to me and enveloped me in his arms. It was such a strong and loving hug. He didn’t try to kiss me. He played with my hair with one hand and held my body with his other. I just held my arms around his back, enjoying the feel of his strong, warm body. I closed my eyes tightly so I could enjoy every sensation I was feeling.
“Thank you so much for this, Ian.” I opened my eyes, leaned back, and looked into his.
“You’re most welcome. I don’t want to pressure you into anything, but I have another surprise. If you aren’t ready for it, just say the word—I have a backup plan. Either way, I just want to be with you.”
“So what’s the next surprise?” I asked him excitedly.
“I’ve reserved a room here. We can go upstairs and relax before dinner. If that makes you uncomfortable, we can always go to dinner now and head back to the city tonight.”
I took his hand in mine and said, “Lead the way upstairs, Mr. Jensen.” And that is exactly what he did.
Still in our robes, we grabbed our clothes from our respective lockers and handed them to a porter, who showed us the way to our room. We went upstairs to a beautiful suite with a spectacular view. There was Prosecco on ice and a tray of snacks on a dining table. Ian poured us both a glass, and we sat on the veranda snac
king and chatting. It was unbelievable how comfortable I was with this man—I had known him less than a week. “Did you and your husband go on many romantic getaways,” he asked me. “Not locally,” I told him. “We enjoyed traveling to Europe on vacations. Even when Jackson was born, we traveled to Europe. What about you and Monica?” He sat quiet for a moment and had a forlorn look on his face. “We went on a few trips when we were first married, like Vegas and Napa Valley. I thought we were happy and in love, but it didn’t last long. Once she had Emily, everything changed. She was miserable. Looking back on it, I guess it was postpartum. Then she got pregnant with Sara and nothing was ever the same again. She complained all of the time about being sick or fat. It was like she was making a huge sacrifice having children. I heard rumors about women loving the process of being pregnant and being thrilled about nursing the baby. That is not how it was in our house. She complained incessantly throughout the entire pregnancy. Hell, she never considered nursing either of the girls. She didn’t want the shape of her breasts to change. I don’t know why it mattered. She got her boobs done anyways after Sara was born anyways. I never realized how selfish she was until after we divorced. I’m sorry about how everything turned out, but I am beyond grateful for my girls.”
I liked the fact that he felt comfortable enough opening up to me about his relationship with his ex-wife. It showed more of his character, which made me feel even closer to him. We were older. We both had life experiences that shaped who we were and what we wanted out of life. And we both had a past. It was important we could be honest with one another about our previous relationships. So far, he had been extremely forthcoming. And so had I.
It felt very intimate, sitting on the veranda with our luxurious robes on, but I wasn’t nervous or uncomfortable at all. If anything, I was excited about our evening. I loved the fact that Ian had planned the day so thoroughly. He was a very thoughtful man, which I found very endearing. It was pretty obvious where this adventure was leading, and I couldn’t wait to enjoy every minute of it.
