by M. E. Nesser
I told her how excited Emily was about the opportunity to intern at her firm, and Katharine said she’d found two attorneys looking for interns. Emily needed to be interviewed by each of them the next time she was in town to figure out which one would be a better fit. I told her that Emily would be home for Thanksgiving, and Katharine handed me a slip of paper with their contact information.
Katharine had also spoken to her son Jack about the possible internship with my advertising firm. He knew all about my company, she said, and was excited to talk to someone about the position. I told her I would get her the contact information the following day so that Jack could call and arrange a meeting. It felt good that we were able to help each other out with our childrens’ dreams. It felt even better to be able to put a smile on her beautiful face. I had to pinch myself. Where had this woman been all my life?
Dinner was almost ending, and I didn’t think I could handle spending the night without her. After the passionate kiss in her office, I was pretty confident she was feeling the same way. We were having an after-dinner drink when I asked her if she wanted to spend the night at my place.
“You want to have a sleepover, Mr. Jensen?” she teased.
“I don’t want to sleep much, but yes, I would love to have a sleepover with you,” I said with a laugh.
“I’d love it. In fact, I’d love to see where you live.”
“I would love to show you where I live. To be honest, I’ve never brought a woman to my place before,” I admitted to her.
“Is that so? Well, I’m honored to be the first woman you take there. Do you mind if we stop by my place so I can grab a few things for work tomorrow and feed the cat?”
“Of course not. Actually, I have a request about what you should pack, if you don’t mind. I think you should bring your Yale T-shirt. That’s probably my favorite outfit of yours that I’ve seen you in thus far,” I suggested as seriously as I could.
“Consider it packed.”
25
Ian pulled up in front of my apartment and waited for me while I went upstairs to feed Tabby and pack a bag. I couldn’t believe that after our wonderful weekend together, I felt nervous about spending the night at his place. I’d asked him if he was serious about never having a woman in his apartment before, and he said he’d never wanted a woman to see where he lived. He felt like his living space was private and would reveal too much about his lifestyle. I was the first woman he’d felt comfortable bringing to his apartment. He realized that I wasn’t interested in his money, just him. “This is the first time I felt proud to share my accomplishments with a woman before,” he admitted to me. “I’ve always felt the need to protect myself. There is a part of me that assumes that all the women I go out with have an alterior motive. But with you it’s different. I know none of that matters to you. It’s refreshing to not be so guarded. I’m not sure how to thank you.” Every time Ian opened up to me, I found myself even more intrigued by him. I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I just leaned over and kissed him gently.
We didn’t get to his place until close to eleven. His driver dropped us off, and we walked into a beautiful foyer hand-in-hand. He used a special key to take us to the top floor. While the elevator ascended, he leaned toward me and kissed my neck. I felt goose bumps run up and down my body. It was unbelievable how this man affected me. When the door opened, we walked down a short corridor to his unit. He unlocked the door, and I was flabbergasted by the space in front of me. I walked into a large room with cathedral ceilings and large, contemporary furniture filling the space. There was a whole wall of floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city. The view was spectacular. The kitchen and dining space were connected to his massive living room, one room flowing into the next. The space was open and elegant, and I loved everything about it. It was such a contrast to my own. I lived in smaller rooms, with smaller windows and cozier furniture. I loved my place, but there was something about the expanse of his apartment that was fascinating. Even his living space was sexy.
He set our briefcases down, grabbed my hand again, and led me into his bedroom. Massive windows overlooking New York lined this room as well, and I couldn’t get over the view. He pointed to the bathroom to show me where it was and set my bag on his dresser.
I grabbed my Yale shirt and toothbrush out of my bag and went into the bathroom to change and freshen up. When I came out, he was lying in bed with just his boxer briefs on. The way they sculpted his body was lethal. He told me he had used the other bathroom to brush his teeth, because he didn’t want to waste any time. He patted the empty side of the bed, indicating that I should lie down next to him, and put on some soft jazz music. I wasn’t sure where it was coming from, but the sound surrounded us beautifully.
We climbed under the covers, and I snuggled next to him. Although his boxers were sexy as hell, they needed to go. I helped him take them off. Oh yes, I much preferred him naked. The sight of his body was all it took to get my engines racing. I tilted my head up and started to kiss him. He put one arm around my back, and his other hand held onto the back of my head so I’d be more comfortable kissing him. It didn’t take long for our kissing to become more frantic. The more intense our kissing became, the more our hands wandered. I felt like I needed to explore his body all over again. It was exciting to be in his bed; it made me feel special knowing I was the first woman he’d shared it with. I needed to show him how appreciative I was, so that is exactly what I did.
26
It’s hard to predict how your life is going to turn out. I thought I was going to be married to my wife forever. That didn’t happen. She tore my heart out when she cheated on me. The only good thing that came out of our marriage was our two beautiful daughters. There was a part of me that couldn’t imagine ever bringing another woman to my apartment. I had accepted the fact that I would probably never fall in love again. I didn’t think I’d have the nerve to risk opening up my heart again. I didn’t want to experience that kind of betrayal from another woman for as long as I lived.
But here was the most incredible woman, lying next to me in my bed. There was no reservation in my mind about my decision. I wanted her here desperately. I’d fantasized about her being here since the first night we met. It was crazy to admit it after such a short time, but I was in love with this woman.
We collapsed in a satiated heap around one in the morning. Our lovemaking was highly energized. I think she liked having sex in new places, and it felt special to have her in my bed, that was for sure. We couldn’t keep our hands off one another. Even while we slept, our bodies were intertwined. I slept so much better with her by my side. It had only been a week, but I was confident that I never wanted to sleep alone again. I wanted Katharine—always.
27
I wouldn’t have thought it was possible to fall in love after such a short time, but I knew that I had. Maybe since I was older, I was more aware of what I wanted. There was a small part of my brain overanalyzing what was happening with Ian, but I have always been a pretty logical woman. I prayed that I wasn’t grasping onto him because I had been so lonely, and he was filling a void. He was so different from Bryce. He was more spontaneous, which I found exciting. He planned a weekend for us, but he had a backup plan in case I wasn’t comfortable with the plans he had made. He was thoughtful and resourceful. My husband and I had a fairly rigid routine, because we were both steadfast on finding success in our careers. And even when we found success, our lives were very organized. Both Ian and I had stayed at each other’s home without any prior notice or planning. Spontaneity was such an exciting addendum to this relationship. It was very new to me. It was refreshing.
Although Bryce and I had an excellent sex life, this was different. Ian was extremely strong and profoundly fit. Some of the positions we made love in were creative, to say the least. His physical prowess lead to some interesting and satisfying rounds of love making. I’m not sure how I survived the past year without sex, and I didn’t want to ever go without it
again. I forgot how much I enjoyed being with a man. Ian was a talented and enthusiastic lover. We had an incredible chemistry. We laughed freely. We debated intelligently. I was confident that it wasn’t a rebound situation: I had really found passion again. It felt like a miracle.
We fell into a routine where we’d meet for dinner most nights after work and take turns staying at each other’s apartments. If one of us had a meeting or needed to get a workout in, we would meet later in the evening, in time for bed. Where we stayed usually depended on the restaurant we went to. We tried to walk home after our meals so we wouldn’t be too full when we got home—a full stomach had the potential to interfere with our acrobatic sex life.
I couldn’t get over how much sex we had. Our lovemaking was constant. We were insanely attracted to each other and couldn’t seem to get our fill. He continued to wow me with his stamina and strength. Sex had been great with my husband, but this was different. It was more than just intense. It was so much fun! I felt like a waif, the way he tossed me around. We often went without sleep in order to satisfy our continued passion, and it wasn’t uncommon for one of us to wake up in the middle of the night needing another round. When we would get tired enough, we’d succumb to a few hours of sleep; once we quelled the itch, the adult part of our brains would intercede and demand rest.
About a month into our relationship, he asked me if I’d be able to go to lunch with him and his daughter Sara, the sophomore at Fordham. I was nervous about meeting her. I knew she had a strained relationship with her mother, but I had no idea how she would react to me. I knew it could be hard for some kids to accept their parents dating other people even if the marriage was permanently over. I accepted the invitation with hesitation. Even though I was in love with her dad, that didn’t mean she would automatically like me. But it was time to find out one way or the other.
“She’s going to love you, Katharine,” Ian tried to reassure me. He always seemed to know what I was thinking.
“God, I hope so, because I really love her dad.”
We had already exchanged our professions of love to one another. It had happened the second week we were together. We had walked to the National September 11 Memorial after dinner one night. After several minutes of silence, he’d turned to me and brought his face close to mine, holding the sides of my head in his hands. He was gentle, loving and very serious. I wanted to say something, but I didn’t want to interrupt whatever he needed to share with me.
“I thank God every day for bringing you into my life. When I think of all the people who died here and how much their families have lost, I don’t want to waste a minute. I love you, Katharine Collins. You’ve brought me more joy in the past month than I’ve felt in years. I need you to know how much you mean to me. I don’t want to scare you, but I have to be honest. I’m in love with you.”
I felt tears forming in my eyes as he shared his feelings. He was much more demonstrative than I was used to. It was a little scary, but it was exactly what I was hoping to hear. I felt absolutely the same way, but it took a moment to collect myself before I could respond to him.
“You’re not alone with those feelings. I feel exactly the same way. I’m not scared. I love you, Ian Jensen. You came into my life at the most perfect time, and I hope you will always remain in my life.”
We hugged, and we cried. It was a really special moment that I would forever treasure. I cannot believe I found love a second time. It was almost too much to process. I thought I would spend the rest of my life alone, as a widow. Everything changed when Ian walked into my life. I was so grateful that fate was giving me a second chance. Now I had to believe his daughter would like me, because I knew in my heart of hearts that her dad was my forever.
28
My daughter picked the restaurant where we’d be meeting for lunch. Katharine was planning to meet us there. I decided to walk; it was only fifteen blocks, and I needed to get rid of my nervous energy. I knew Sara would love Katharine—she was amazing. I was just nervous because my daughter was such a spitfire. She always said what she felt; it was impossible for her to hold back. It could be endearing; it could also be annoying as hell. If nothing else, it was genuine and honest. She had always been the more precocious child between my girls, and I knew she would let me know exactly how she felt about my new girlfriend.
Sara arrived at the same time as I did. As usual, she wanted to go for sushi. It was her favorite food, and she liked it when I paid the check; it was an expensive addiction. Katharine hadn’t arrived yet, so we got a table, and I sent her a message to tell her we were sitting down. As soon as we sat down and waters were placed in front of us, Katharine approached the table. I jumped out of my seat to greet her. My smile must have been infectious, because she smiled back at me and leaned in for a kiss. We rarely saw each other during the day, so this was a treat. I turned toward my daughter to start the introductions when she said, “Jeez, you guys got it bad! Get a room already.”
Katharine laughed and reached out to shake Sara’s hand. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. And yes, I can only speak for myself, but I’ve got it real bad.”
“That makes two of us,” I had to add.
The lunch went better than I could have imagined. The girls chatted happily—I didn’t even need to be there. Sara noticed Katharine’s designer shoes, and they had a conversation about fashion that I thought would never end. Katharine told Sara that she had a friend in Paris who was able to get her designer clothes, shoes, and purses at a wholesale price. She offered to show Sara the items that were available for purchase the next time she got an e-mail from her friend. Sara was ecstatic.
Katharine asked her about her classes and what her plans were for the future. She told Katharine she didn’t want to be a boring attorney like her sister. I cleared my throat, and Sara burst out laughing then apologized profusely.
“That’s OK, Sara. Most attorneys are pretty boring,” Katharine said kindly. It was obvious she was amused by my daughter’s candor. Although my daughter was bright, her personality was quirky and often flippant. I loved her familiar and easy-going demeanor, but it took some people a little time to warm up to her. I was happy to see that Katharine wasn’t offended by my daughter’s behavior and was, in fact, enjoying their exchange.
“I didn’t mean to insult you, Katharine. You don’t seem boring at all. In fact, you’re way cooler than I thought you’d be. As for school, I was thinking about medicine, but my physiology class is kicking my ass. Now I’m not sure if I want to stick with it or not. Who knows? I’m not worried about it though. I’ll figure something out. I always do. OK, enough about school. I want to know more about you and your family. So what’s your son like?”
Sara had a ton of questions about Jack. The more Katharine talked about him, the more fascinated Sara seemed. She had told me the other day that she had broken up with her boyfriend because he was lame and never wanted to do anything but play video games. She kept insisting she would be more fun to play with than the remote control, but he didn’t get the hint. It was more than I needed to know, but I loved the fact that she was passionate and honest. I was so proud of my little girl.
“So, Katharine, when do I get to meet this dreamy-sounding son of yours?”
“I was thinking, if it’s all right with your father, that I would love to have all three of our children join us for Thanksgiving at my place,” Katharine suggested.
“Dad, what do you think? I think it’d be great. I know Em is dying to meet Katharine, too. And then I can find out more about Jackson. We usually go out to dinner on Thanksgiving, and it just isn’t the same. I’d love a home-cooked meal. What do you say, Dad?” Sara asked enthusiastically.
“There’s no place I’d rather be. Will Jack be comfortable with us being there?” I asked her carefully.
“I already asked him if it was OK if I invited your family over, and he said it would be nice to have a good Thanksgiving memory since last year ‘sucked huge’—as he put it.”
<
br /> We all laughed. The rest of the lunch went by too quickly. Sara had a class she needed to get to, and Katharine had a meeting. I stood up and hugged both of my girls. I added an incredibly sensual kiss on Katharine’s lips, then whispered in her ear—something naughty that I was sure my daughter couldn’t hear. Katharine laughed wholeheartedly, said good-bye to Sara, and was off. Sara stayed behind. I knew she had something to say to me.
“She’s amazing, Dad! I’m so happy you found her. Now don’t do anything to screw this up, you hear me?” she said firmly.
I enveloped her in a huge hug. I told her I loved her, and I promised I wasn’t going to screw things up. I loved Katharine, and we were very happy.
29
Before I knew it, Thanksgiving week was here. I took the day before off and closed my office Thursday and Friday so my staff could enjoy a long weekend. Jack was due home Wednesday afternoon, and I couldn’t wait to see him. I ordered Thai food to be delivered for lunch as I prepared some of the meal for the next day. He came bouncing into the apartment at 1:30 p.m., and we sat at the kitchen counter eating and catching up. After an hour, he left to hang out with some friends, and we agreed to meet for dinner. He picked the restaurant, and I told him I would call for reservations and text him the time.
He never mentioned Ian’s name, so I didn’t bring it up. He knew we were having him and his two girls for dinner the next day, and he said he was OK with it. I just prayed he’d give Ian a chance. I had to believe they would like each other. If they didn’t, I didn’t know what I would do. Although I loved my son desperately, I loved Ian too. I’d hate to be forced to choose between them. This was turning out to be more stressful than I’d imagined.
