“Want to get some pizza?” Kurt asked.
I winced. “Yuck. I need to go home.”
“I’ll take you if you want,” Marc said.
Kurt and Ryan gave each other a look then asked if I would mind.
I shook my head. “Nope. I need help and Marc’s offering.”
Marc practically carried me out of the cab. My legs weren’t working so well as I slipped from the seat. He put his arm around me and led me to the elevators.
“Where’s my purse?”
“You didn’t bring it,” Marc said as he got me into the elevator.
I shoved my hand into my pocket as I leaned against the wall for support.
“Here it is.”
“Here, what is?”
I pulled my hand out, and my key fell to the floor. Marc picked it up just as the elevator dinged, and the doors opened. He helped me down the hall, unlocked the door, and led me into my apartment, whistling as he looked around.
“Nice place.”
“Yep. I like it better than my house in Los Angeles.”
“You’re from there?”
“Sure. Didn’t Kurt tell you? I used to be a big CEO of a film company, then it all fell apart.”
“You got fired?”
I wiped drool from the corner of my mouth. “I lost him and almond.”
“Who?”
“Him. Austin. He didn’t want me anymore.”
Marc looked confused. “He dumped you?”
I nodded as he sat me down on the couch, “He doesn’t know about little almond. I can’t tell him.”
“Whose little almond?”
“What?”
“Little almond.”
It was the last thing I heard before I passed out. When I woke up, I was on top of my bed, still clothed, and my head was pounding like a conga drum. I sat up and fell back down to pillow. I felt horrible. I didn’t even remember how I got back to my apartment. I turned on my side and saw a piece of paper on my nightstand.
* * *
You really can’t hold your beer. You passed out on me, and I had to carry you to bed. I think you owe me for this one. Text me to let me know you’re okay.
* * *
Marc
* * *
I didn’t remember him bringing me home. The last memory I had was sitting in Donovan’s. I hadn’t indulged like that in a long time. I sat up and waited for my head to stabilize before I stood. I had to use the bathroom before I wet myself. After I was done, I turned on the faucet in the tub. I needed a good soak. While it was filling, I went to the refrigerator and got two bottles of water.
An hour later, along with a dose of aspirin, I started to feel better. Marc didn’t leave his cell number, so I called Kurt.
“Hey, how are you this morning.”
I pressed my fingers to my eyes. “Jesus, do you have to talk so loud.”
Kurt chuckled. “You had a rough night? I had a great one.”
I heard a woman in the background. “Did you take that woman home?”
“Yes, yes, I did.”
I heard him walking, and I figured he was looking for some privacy.
“I passed out, and Marc took me to bed.”
He cleared his throat. “Pardon?”
“I mean he put me in bed, then left.”
“I thought you meant he slept with you.”
“That means he would like unconscious women because I was. He wrote me a note and wanted me to text him. Can you give me his number?”
“I guess the ice melted between you two.”
I winced at the mention of ice since Kurt had no idea of my former nickname.
“I guess since I can’t remember much.”
I heard my phone ping with an incoming text.
“I just texted you his number. I have breakfast to make for my guest. Drink some water and take it easy today.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
He chuckled as he hung up. I texted Marc to let him know I was alive, although I had a killer headache.
* * *
Serves you right. You should stick to wine.
* * *
Shut up! You said I owe you. What’s your desire?
* * *
Hmm, since you put it that way…
* * *
I’m not even reading into that.
* * *
How about lunch this afternoon? I could use a good slice of pizza.
* * *
I’m in no condition to leave my apartment. What about tomorrow?
* * *
Tomorrow it is. I’ll stop by at noon.
* * *
I spent the rest of the day nursing a hangover. By early evening, my headache finally abated, and I felt decent enough to eat something. I went to bed early, and when I woke up on Sunday morning, I debated whether I should work out or take it easy.
Jay had recommended a trainer in midtown, and I hadn’t yet started working with him. Enzo Miliano was also a former MMA fighter. I decided on the same schedule I kept with Jay. Wednesday was my first session with Enzo, and for the time being, I was working out in the gym downstairs. I decided to rest rather than run myself ragged.
I read The New York Times that was dropped at my door each morning and sipped a cup of green tea. By the time noon rolled around, I was dressed and ready to take Marc out to lunch. I hoped he would be as nice as he was on Friday. I might have myself another friend.
I wiped the sweat from my upper lip and looked over at Marc. We just had sex, and he was a machine. Something came over me while we had lunch together. I liked him even though our relationship started off the way it did. He rolled the condom off and planted a kiss on my lips before he went to throw it away.
“Christ, Samantha. If I knew you were a little wild cat in bed.”
I finished his sentence. “You wouldn’t have been such an ass?”
“I would have fucked you sooner.”
We had taken a cab from the pizza shop after a pleasant lunch, and I leaned my head back against the seat and closed my eyes. I felt Marc running his finger over my jawline, and I fluttered open my lids. It was like electricity between us, and I could feel the crackling as he pressed his lips to mine.
The driver had to tell us three times that we arrived at my building before we broke apart and threw some money at him. Marc had asked if he should come up, and I know he wanted to based on the bulge in his jeans. I pulled him into the elevator, and his hands cupped my breasts while he claimed my mouth.
Clothing was strewn from the door to the master, and we fell into bed together. Marc had to get up to retrieve a condom from his wallet. He was large, but not quite as large as Austin. I waited with anticipation for him to fuck me. He had a nice long penis, and we engaged in a minute or two of foreplay before he entered me.
His hips churned against mine, pistoning his cock in and out of me with precision. I moaned loudly and dug my nails into the muscles of his arms. He gave me a fast orgasm, and I bucked and arched my back, tensing against his pulsing organ as I began to come. He didn’t stop, pounding me hard and ignoring my cries of how sensitive I was. A minute later he had me coming again, and he joined me, ramming himself deep inside me as he climaxed.
It was very unlike the sex I had with Austin, who was gentler and more attuned to my emotions. But then again, he loved me. There was chemistry between Marc and me, but I doubted it would turn into anything.
“Just fucked me but still acted like an ass?”
“No. I’m sorry for that. I thought you were totally hot when I first met you. I was angry, and I took it out on you.”
I turned on my side to play with the soft hair on his chest. “It sucks to be dumped.”
“I’m sure you’ve broken plenty of hearts.”
“Not really. I’ve had my heart broken though, so I know how it feels.”
“I still love her, but she doesn’t want anything to do with me. I guess it was all about money. What about you?”
“He’s marry
ing someone else. His grandmother lives here, and she says he still cares about me, but if that were true, then he wouldn’t be marrying another.”
“We’re some pair.”
“I like you, Marc. I want to be friends.”
“Can we be friends with some of this occasionally?”
“I wouldn’t mind. I’m not rich with dates right now.”
“I’m not ready for any dates right now. I compare them to her.”
I do the same thing, so don’t feel bad.
“It gets better.”
I didn’t believe the words I had spoken because it had been months and it wasn’t getting better. I missed Austin so much that it physically hurt sometimes. Two months and he would be getting married. Edith and I hadn’t seen each other in three weeks and planned to call her to set up a lunch date.
16
“That horrid woman wants to have a horse and carriage to the church. Can you believe?”
I was having lunch with Edith, and she was complaining about Jessie. It was the week before Thanksgiving, and she’d just arrived back from a week spent in Los Angeles with Austin.
“It’s not my style, but it is her wedding.”
“She’s spending my grandson’s money like it’s water. She redecorated his man cave, and I know he hates it though he won’t say.”
“She moved in?”
“After the wedding, but she’s making changes now.”
“Austin loves her, so he’ll let her do what she wants.”
“I’m not so sure sometimes. He took me out to lunch without her, thank God, and he kept asking me about you.”
I raised my eyebrows. “He did?”
“He wanted to know if you were dating and that you were happy.”
“Well I think I’ve given up on dating, but I am happy. At least I try to be.”
She put her napkin to her mouth and coughed hard then crumpled it up into her lap. I frowned because I thought I saw pink on the paper like there was blood.
“Are you okay?”
“Fine. I think I have a cold coming on.”
She coughed several more times throughout the meal, which made me worry there was something she wasn’t telling me. I watched her and looked for staining on the napkins she shoved into her purse.
“What are you doing for Thanksgiving?” she asked.
“My friend Kurt invited me to his house. He’s having a Friendsgiving.”
Edith narrowed her eyes. “What’s that?”
“It’s where friends get together for Thanksgiving. We’re all bringing a dish and Kurt will make the turkey.”
“That’s lovely, dear. I’m so glad you have some friends. You can’t continue spending all your time with an eighty-one-year-old lady.”
I grasped her hand. “I love spending time with you.”
“You need some people your own age.”
“I like people of all ages, especially you.”
I squeezed her hand. I hoped Edith wasn’t sick. I think Austin would be devastated if anything happened to her.
Edith was sick and went into the hospital right after Thanksgiving. She had lung cancer, and it was aggressive. I cried when I found out, but not in her presence. Austin texted me to let me know. I was with Marc, and he held me until I was all cried out. I loved Edith. She was the type of mother I wish mine were.
Marc took me to the hospital to see Edith. She looked so much frailer than when I’d seen her a week before. I was sitting with her and holding her hand when Austin startled me. I didn’t know that he was in New York. He smiled at me, and I rose so he could sit next to Edith. Instead, he pulled me into his arms and gave me a tight hug, whispering into my ear.
“Thank you for coming.”
I sniffled and held the tears that threatened. “I love her too.”
He let me go and went to Edith, taking the seat I previously occupied. I quietly backed out of the room as his shoulders shook while he silently cried. I could only imagine how hard this was for him. I wondered where his fiancée was since this was when Austin needed support.
Marc was waiting for me in the hall and put his arm around my shoulders as he led me down the hall. We went to the cafeteria, but I couldn’t eat anything. I had a tight knot in my stomach.
“My father had cancer,” Marc said.
“Is he alright?”
“He died when I was nineteen. It was the worst time.”
“I’ve never had anyone close to me die. This will be the first.”
“Your parents are still alive? You never talk about them.”
“They have other priorities. I’m a disappointment to them.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“To you, it is, but it’s true. They never bother to call me on holidays. It’s like I’m steel and have no feelings.”
“I’m sorry. Is that him?”
“Yes. Austin.”
“You still love him very much, don’t you?”
“It doesn’t matter. He’s getting married.”
“It sucks when you can’t have the one you want.”
“At least I have friends. I didn’t before.”
“You do, and we’ll support you through this.”
He reached over to tuck my hair behind my ear, and I looked over and saw Austin staring at us. He frowned then walked out with his cup of coffee.
I used one of my sick days to spend with Edith. Charge Media was running well and didn’t need my constant monitoring. I was a phone call away if they had anything urgent that needed my attention. I sat with Edith, and she told me stories of when she was young. I expected to see Austin early in the day, but he hadn’t show up yet.
“Where’s Austin?”
“He was here earlier, but I sent him home to get me some things. He still loves you. I know he does.”
“It’s not going to happen. A few more weeks and he’ll be married.”
“She’s horrible. I’m just glad I won’t be there to see him ruin his life.”
She coughed hard and couldn’t stop. I ran out to get the nurse who came in to help. Another nurse came in shortly with a small bin. I stayed outside the room with tears welling in my eyes. Austin showed up with a bag in his hand.
“What’s the matter?”
“She had a coughing fit. The nurses are with her.”
He stood with me, close, too close. I could feel his body heat. When the nurse came out, she told us Edith was sedated.
“When will she be awake?” Austin asked.
“Could be a couple of hours.”
He turned to me. “Do you want to get a cup of coffee?”
“I’d like to stay with her.”
“We can’t do anything. As much as I want to, there’s nothing we can do.”
He took my hand, and we headed to the cafeteria. I didn’t pull away; I didn’t want to. I wanted this to be real like it used to be when we were together, when he didn’t hate me. We bought acrid tasting cups of coffee and sat at a table away from other people.
“Are you with him?”
I looked at Austin, confused. “With who?”
“That man who I saw you with yesterday. He touched you.”
“His name is Marc. No, I’m not with him. He’s a close friend.”
“I was once a close friend.”
“What are you implying? That I’m fucking him?”
“Are you?”
“It’s really none of your business. You’re getting married soon. Where is your fiancée?”
He averted his eyes from mine. “Jessie stayed behind to make last-minute wedding arrangements.”
“How do you feel about Edith not being there?”
“I want her to get better, but she won’t. She smoked for twenty-five years. The damage was done. Did she tell you she refused treatment? She doesn’t want to deal with the side effects.”
“I was hoping she would beat this.”
“She won’t. The doctor isn’t sure how long she has.”
I wipe
d tears from my eyes. “I don’t want to lose her.”
“Neither do I. I know how it feels to lose someone you really love.”
Austin fixed his amber eyes on me, and I couldn’t stop staring into them. I felt so many emotions, love, hurt, pain, fear, anger, guilt. If he loved me so much, why was he marrying someone else? Why did he push me away?
I visited Edith every chance I could. Austin stayed in New York and took turns standing vigil with Roman. Day by day, Edith was getting weaker. I was sitting with her one afternoon, and she tried to claw her oxygen mask off her face.
“Stop it,” I said. “You need to keep that on.”
“I want this to be over. I want to be at peace,” she whispered.
I put my head down and wiped at the tears that dripped down my face. “I don’t want to lose you. I know that’s selfish to say.”
“I love you, too. I want you to tell Austin.”
“I can’t. He doesn’t need to know.”
“He needs to know. He still loves you.”
“I don’t think that’s the truth. He’s getting married in two weeks.”
“My dying wish is that he ends it with her. You’re the right woman for him.”
“He made his choice.”
Edith was exhausted and fell asleep in mid-sentence. I sat with her until Austin came by.
“How is she?”
“She’s weak. I don’t think it will be long now.”
I pulled some tissues from my purse and wiped at my eyes. I had cried so much in the past couple of weeks that my eyes were burning. I couldn’t sleep, and I was barely eating.
“I think you’re right. I hate to admit that, but she’s suffering. I want this to end soon,” he said.
“I have to go. I have a conference call in an hour. I might be coming out to Los Angeles in a few weeks.”
Sweetest Obsessions - Anthology Page 183
