"Have fun tonight. Happy Valentine's Day," Carrie leaned over to peck Colin's cheek.
Colin reached in his pocket to check if the small box was still there. He put on his new overcoat and the three of them left the townhouse. The air had warmed up some, melting the snow off the plowed streets. They squeezed into Grey's sports car and headed downtown.
Colin got out at 77th Street and walked East to the building where Leah was staying. He nodded at Lance, who smiled at him before calling up to alert Leah, then motioned for Colin to proceed. Nerves made his palms sweat. Again he fingered the box, wondering when to present it to her. The shirt collar rubbed a little though it wasn't too tight. Calm down! You're not sixteen anymore. Colin hadn't been nervous much with women. Perhaps it's because he'd never met one who mattered so much to him before.
He stepped out of the elevator and turned to find Leah waiting at the open door. She wore a winter white wool dress, trimmed in ornate gold ribbon. The neckline was low enough to pull his gaze. The short hemline drew his gaze down to her shapely legs.
"You look gorgeous," he said, leaning down to kiss her.
"So do you."
She took his arm and guided him into the apartment. Colin looked around, amazed to see what must have been twenty candles of all sizes and shapes blazing. Places were set on the coffee table and a mouth-watering aroma wafted in from the kitchen.
"Veal stew, one of my favorites," she said. "Please open the wine. I'll be right back with the food. I know we have an eight o'clock show. Will you tell me now where we're going?"
"Nope. After dinner."
"I love surprises!"
Leah disappeared into the kitchen. He attacked the bottle of Chablis, easily removing the cork and poured out two glasses before placing the small box that was in his pocket on Leah's plate. She returned carrying a tray with two steaming bowls of veal stew resting on a bed of brown rice. Colin helped her place the bowls on the plates as a low rumble tiptoed through his belly. Suddenly starving, he eyed the stew with a hungry smile.
"What's that?" She asked, referring to the box on her plate.
"Just a little something for Valentine's Day," he said, removing the box.
She put the plate down and he handed the box to her. After removing the top, she fished out a beautiful solid gold heart pendant on a gold chain. Her sudden intake of breath and big smile warmed him.
"It's beautiful! Oh you shouldn't have."
"I'm giving you my heart."
Leah shot a warning glance at him, accompanied by a frown. "Don't go there."
"Put it on." Colin ignored the painful twinge in his heart.
She turned her back to him so he could fasten the delicate chain. The heart nested at the cleft of her breasts, near her own heart.
"I love it," she said leaning toward him to plant a kiss on his lips.
"Good. I'm starved. Let's eat."
They tucked into their food leaving unspoken words hanging in the air. Leah's negative reception of his declaration kept him from saying the "L" word, though it was on the tip of his tongue. Though the food filled his stomach and nourished his body, his heart needed mending.
When they finished the stew, he refilled their glasses and they sat back on the sofa.
"So now can you tell me where we're going?" Leah put her wine glass on the table.
"Stand Up and Laugh…comedy club around the corner." Colin kept his gaze level with hers.
"Oh my God!" She covered her mouth with her hands and leapt up from the sofa.
"Is that good?"
"I've been wanting to go there for ages…I'm dying to go there! I love comedy clubs…how did you know?"
Colin beamed. "Lucky guess."
She hugged him. "I almost forgot!" Leah opened a drawer in the coffee table and pulled out an envelope. She extended it to him. "Happy Valentine's Day," she said, grinning.
Colin opened the envelope and found two tickets to a Knicks game the next evening.
"Wow! How did you know I like the Knicks?"
"Lucky guess…a little birdy told me, to be honest."
"Thank you," he said as he bent down to kiss her. "You're coming with me, right?"
"Unless there's some other woman you'd rather take."
"Get serious. What time shall I pick you up?"
They agreed upon a time then threw on their coats as it was ten minutes until the comedy show was scheduled to begin.
At nine-thirty, they staggered out into the cold still laughing from the last joke. Leah took his hand, leading him back to the apartment.
"Dessert…we didn't have time for dessert," she said, taking a deep breath of frigid air.
They walked home laughing and talking about the show. When they reached the building, Lance, the doorman tipped his hat.
"Happy Valentine's Day, Lance," Leah said.
"Same to you, Missy. Looks like you got a winner this time," he said, nodding at Colin.
Leah's cheeks pinked. With her head tucked down, she ushered Colin through the door quickly and into the waiting elevator. Colin draped his arm over Leah's shoulders as they rode up in the elevator.
"At least Lance likes me," he chuckled.
****
The heat left Leah's cheeks when she opened the door to the apartment. Colin took their coats freeing her to escape into the kitchen. When she joined him in the living room, he was sitting on the sofa. She put a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon on the table in front of him.
"I know, I know, open it, right?"
She nodded with a chuckle and left the room. While he was pouring the dark red liquid into two glasses, Leah returned carrying dessert. A small flat dark chocolate cake with a squiggle of whipped cream on top graced each plate.
"Molten chocolate cake," she said, placing a plate on the table in front of Colin.
He took her hand when she finished, pulling her into an embrace.
"You're the only dessert I want."
His lips sought hers. His tongue pressed for admittance so she parted her lips. He smells so damned good. The comfort of his strong arms brought her peace and a sense of safety. She relaxed into him, raising her tongue to meet his as sparks ignited between them. Colin held her tighter, crushing her breasts against his chest, his mouth insistent. Her arms slid over his shoulders, her fingers gripped his muscles. Passion sucked her breath away, making her almost lightheaded. He's not going to stop. You'll have to do it.
Leah forced herself away from him slowly. She stood up, averting her gaze to avoid the questioning look in his eyes.
"Why are you running away from me?"
"I'm not running. I'm…trying to keep this light." She walked over to the window.
"Why? Is it because I don't have a ton of money like the Wall Street guys you usually go out with?"
Leah's head snapped back as if he had slapped her. "Of course not! Who told you I go out with Wall Street guys?"
"Come on, Leah. Stop dancing around me. What's going on?"
Colin sat back and sipped his wine. His penetrating gaze never left her face.
"I don't know what you mean."
"Yes, you do. You keep pushing me away…but not completely. You come just close enough to tempt me, tantalize me before you scamper away." He got up and moved next to her at the window. "And I want to know why."
His warm breath caressed her neck. For a second she closed her eyes, her senses taking over. He's right. He nailed it.
"It's just that I don't feel…we're too far apart…you're here, I'm going to Paris. There are too many things against us, Colin. I don't want to hurt you and I don't want to get hurt."
She raised her head to look straight into his eyes. Smoldering desire burned there behind a flash of anger. The window sill provided an anchor she grabbed onto as her knees weakened.
"Why don't you give us a chance? You went out with those rich guys…give a poor guy a chance."
"Those rich guys? They're not so great. You want to know about my life before, do you?"
"Maybe that will help you understand," she said, retrieving her glass of wine then leaning against the wall.
"I'm listening."
"Sure, I went out with the Wall Street men. Looking for a man like Hank. I thought I could find my dream with one of them. But I was wrong. They all wanted a pretty companion on their arms…in their beds but no more. They were committed to their careers with no place for a commitment to me. So after having my heart broken a few times, I figured out the game. I learned how to play… but on my terms. I took what I wanted from each of them, and then I moved on…before they did."
Colin sat quietly, listening. He took a mouthful of wine, averting his gaze to his glass for a moment before facing her. She looked at him expectantly. "You're not doing that with me."
"You noticed?" She laughed. "You're different."
"Oh?" he cocked an eyebrow at her.
"In a good way."
He smiled. "So what do you want from me?"
She turned to face the wall. "Friendship."
"Ouch! No one who kisses like you do is looking for only friendship."
Leah heard the hurt and disbelief in his voice and whirled around to face him.
"You don't want me at all?" He asked.
"You're confusing me—I didn't say that I-I—" she stammered.
"I don't believe you. What happened with Hank? What happened to your dream?" Colin sipped his wine while watching her.
"I guess you have a right to know." She slumped down on the plush bench near the window.
Colin sat forward, listening.
"Hmm, my dream, remember?"
He nodded.
"We were living on Park Avenue South, in a beautiful apartment overlooking the Avenue. Hank had been made vice president. It was my turn, time for my dream. We found a house in Connecticut, not far from Delia, Carrie's aunt. We put down a deposit and signed a contract, then threw away my birth control pills. I'd never been happier. One day, Hank prepared to go out running. I secretly suspected I was pregnant. So I did the home pregnancy test when he went out."
She took a deep breath then a gulp of wine. Tears stung the backs of her eyes. Colin got up and moved to her side, placing his hand on her shoulder.
"Sure enough, I was pregnant. I went to the window to wave him in. I was so excited. That's when it happened." Her voice cracked, a shudder rocketed through her body. Colin squeezed her shoulder.
"Take your time," he whispered.
"When I was at the window, I saw it...a taxi coming up Park Avenue too fast, then an idiot trying to zip across 38th Street. There was a crash as the cab hit the front of the car and began to spin up the sidewalk, right toward Hank, who was running. The taxi uprooted a tree and flung it plus a metal garbage can up the sidewalk so fast Hank couldn't get out of the way in time. I saw the garbage can knock him flat…" she paused, her breathing unsteady.
Colin snaked his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his embrace. Her hands shook as she tried to compose herself.
"Then the cab came sliding up the sidewalk sideways…so fast…so fast…over him, crushing him…it was horrible." Tears cascaded down her cheeks as she struggled to catch her breath. Colin pulled her closer, wrapping his other arm around her.
"And you saw all this?"
She nodded unable to speak.
He held her close as she buried her face into his shirt.
"My God, how awful…tragic…" he murmured.
Leah closed her arms around his middle and sobbed into his chest. When he noticed her wiping her cheeks with her hands, he offered her his handkerchief.
"I know it's been a long time…but I still dream about it."
"You can't expect to forget an experience like that." Colin smoothed her hair down.
She sank down on a bench, staring at nothing.
"Two weeks later, I miscarried."
"Shit! Leah…"
Colin hid his face with his hand and sighed as he joined her on the bench. Rubbing her back brought a small smile to her face.
"That was my dream. Since I can't have that dream, I have another…to be a Paris clothing designer."
She let out a breath before she leaned against him.
"I'm off to Paris. I don't know how long I'll be there."
He held her.
"Even if we could ignore our age difference…"
"I don't care about any age difference between us."
"…I don't see a future for us. That's what you want, a future, and I can't promise one."
Silence fell over them like a soft blanket. I wish, I wish, sweet man. Leah moved up against his chest as he rested his cheek on her hair. She fisted his shirt in one hand, holding onto him. Stay like this a little longer. Absorbing strength from him, she relaxed. Peace settled over Leah, calming her. The loving protection of Colin's embrace healed a piece of her broken heart.
"I want you any way I can have you…for however long that may be. I'm willing to take the risk. If you leave me because you're following your dream, it won't be as bad as not having you at all, not being together at least for a little while," Colin said. "Women like you don't come along every day."
His hard chest invited her touch. Her fingers wrapped around his bicep, noting the firmness of the muscle there. She heard his heartbeat, smelled the aroma of spicy aftershave mixed with his masculine scent and the clean smell of his freshly ironed shirt…a heady combination. Desire grew in her loins. Need…want…trust came together to break down the wall of her resistance. She felt tingly all over.
"But…if you don't want me, I'll leave now and not bother you again." Colin sat back, releasing her.
"How could I not want you? You're…amazing…gorgeous, sexy…smart…sweet, oh so sweet."
He brought his mouth down on hers in a hungry kiss. Leah opened her lips. He took her mouth, his tongue coaxing, teasing, seducing her. Heat began to run through her veins. In an attempt to refuse to give in to her growing passion for him, Leah pushed away to walk a few steps toward the sofa. Colin came up behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and bent down to whisper in her ear.
"I want you so much. Let me touch you, let me love you, Leah."
The magic word, love. All resistance gone, Leah let her head fall back on his shoulder. With eyes closed, she muttered her assent. Colin's lips trailed up and down the column of her neck as his hands moved up slowly to close over her breasts. At his touch, she groaned.
"I want you…God, Colin…make love to me…" she breathed.
He picked her up in his arms and carried her into the bedroom, laying her down gently on the bed. She rolled over on her stomach and shot him a sexy look. Colin ripped his tie off and unbuttoned his shirt before leaning over to unzip her dress. Leah sat up when he joined her on the bed. Before sliding her dress down, she pushed the shirt off his shoulders. He ripped his t-shirt over his head and tossed it on a chair.
A small noise escaped his throat when he eased her dress down, exposing her black lace demi-bra. The heat of his gaze warmed her bared flesh. He reached around and unsnapped the bra. The garment fell. Her hands brushed through the hair on his chest while his hands found her breasts.
"You are more beautiful than I imagined." As he stared at her, fire flickered in his light eyes.
Warmed by his words as well as his hands, Leah pulled him down for a kiss. She fell back and he landed on top of her, bracing himself with his hands. He bent his head to kiss her breasts while her fingers unbuckled his belt. When she unzipped his pants, he pushed away from her, quickly shedding his pants and boxers. Turning back to the bed his jaw dropped when he saw all she was wearing was a skimpy pair of black lace bikini panties, having shed her dress.
"May I?" He asked, reaching down.
She nodded. He hooked his fingers into the sides of the panties and slid them down slowly, following their path with his eyes. When she pushed them off, he knelt on the bed and murmured.
"Magnificent…wow."
<
br /> Heat crept up her neck into her cheeks. Her gaze roamed over his body.
"I agree."
He looked up, bewildered for a second until he realized she was referring to him. A blush reddened his chest and neck. She put her hands on his shoulders and dragged her fingernails down over his chest, stopping to play for a moment in his chest hair while their eyes locked. Colin lowered his mouth to hers in a hungry kiss. His tongue explored teasing hers while his hands cupped her breasts. When he came up for air, he smiled at her then kissed his way to her peak.
Leah closed her eyes, letting heat from his lips travel through her body. Her fingers dug into his shoulder muscles, eliciting a groan from him. His fingers caressed her skin moving to her side as they worked their way down. He palmed her bottom, squeezing as she wrapped her leg around his waist. His hand slid up her thigh, then down again as his fingers found her damp center, probing, seeking her hot spots. She moaned, moving her hand down to close around his shaft.
"Wow," she muttered, opening her eyes to stare directly into his.
He blushed again.
"Like steel…"
"You do that to me," he whispered before planting kisses on her neck.
When his fingers found a sensitive place between her legs, she groaned loudly. He chuckled, intensifying the pressure for a moment before pulling back. He lowered his head, replacing his fingers with his tongue.
"Wow…don't stop."
Colin gently removed her hand.
"Gotta slow this down a little…"
He lifted his head to stare into her eyes.
"Colin…take me…I'm…ready, please."
"What's the rush?"
She moved her hand to his side then his butt, pulling him to her. "If you don't…I'll…"
"Go ahead." He thrust two fingers into her wet core.
She threw her head back as want became need, spiraling up almost out of control. Her hips arched against him but he kept up the pressure while lowering his lips to her breast. A small gasp came from her throat when he sucked on it.
"Come for me," he whispered.
At his words, her muscles tightened, held, then shot pleasure tumbling through her veins. The hot bliss raced all the way to her fingers and toes. Her hips came off the bed.
The Dating List Page 9
