by Vanessa Rose
The last thing she remembered before she woke the next morning was Dylan softly kissing on her neck. She clung to the memory for a few moments just in case it had all been a dream. When she opened her eyes and saw Dylan lying next to her, Natasha smiled. The wrinkles on his face were from smiles and contemplation. Natasha reached her hand out and gently ran her fingers through his graying hair. She wondered what he looked like twenty years earlier, but found his mature masculinity irresistible. Slowly, Dylan awoke. A single beam of morning sunlight was peeking through the curtains. It fell perfectly across Dylan's face and made his green eyes sparkle when they opened.
“Hi, there,” he said sleepily.
“Good morning,” Natasha replied.
She'd dealt with one-night-stands before and wasn't afraid of them, but this morning with Dylan wasn't the same. She didn't have that same feeling of arrogant accomplishment. Instead, Natasha felt an astonishing sense of closeness, a pull from the core of her soul, like she had found a kindred spirit. Dylan felt like a dream, but when he took Natasha in his arms and kissed her deeply, she knew he was real.
They made love once more before leaving her bed in a mess of twisted sheets and blankets. Dylan consciously ignored his phone. Its notification light wasn't even blinking anymore; it just held a solid beam of red. He had been so wrapped up in Natasha that he'd completely neglected the rest of his team. He didn't always take a staff with him and he already knew he'd leave them behind on his next visit to the Allegheny Mountains.
Natasha and Dylan shared breakfast with beaming smiles and comfortable morning quiet. She had the windows open to the crisp mountain air. Dylan felt rejuvenated and stress free, even though he knew his colleagues were probably wondering where he'd gone. A quick text message to Marcos eased Dylan's worries that they might send a search team after him. After that, he turned his attention completely back to Natasha.
“I'd like to feature your work as part of my company's offerings, Natasha,” Dylan said suddenly, “is that something you'd be interested in?”
Natasha inhaled a deeply with a look of elation on her face. However, she couldn’t ignore a strange sense of reluctance, and shook her head gently as she answered him.
“I don't know, Dylan,” she answered.
Dylan was immediately confused. Joining his distribution was one of the best things that could happen to a modern American artisan, and he knew that something else was behind her hesitation.
“What do you mean, you don't know?” he asked, mildly shocked, “What holds you back?”
Natasha looked down at her tea and smiled as she reached her hand across the table to take his. Instantly, Dylan understood why she wasn't jumping at his offer. It wasn't his business she wanted, it was him.
“I don't want to take that offer and maybe lose an opportunity for something else...” she said, letting her words drift off into the space between them.
Dylan was used to gold diggers, and he knew that Natasha wasn't one of them. He was momentarily astounded, and his brain ran through a million different things she might have meant when she said something else. Dylan had to look deep into her gorgeous brown eyes to catch a glimpse of her heart in order to convince himself that he wasn't crazy. He found that helpful, especially since he'd started to think he might be going insane by falling in love with a woman half his age. In that instant, Dylan decided to get that hurdle out of the way.
“I will be fifty-five-years-old in December,” Dylan said.
“Well, I'll be twenty-eight next February,” she answered with a laugh.
“Does that bother you?” he questioned.
“Not at all,” Natasha replied simply, “It's actually refreshing to be around someone who truly knows who he is, and can stand successfully on his own two feet.”
Dylan studied Natasha carefully as if etching her twenty-seven-year-old face into his memory for the rest of his life. Never before had anyone made him feel more masculine, more accomplished or worthy of attention than Natasha did. Without his consent, his imagination flashed images of their shared future before his mind's eye. The smile that crept across his face was unmistakable, even to Natasha.
“What if I could promise you that any business deal we ever entered would be kept completely separate from our personal relationship?” he asked.
“Oh, do we have a personal relationship, Dylan?” Natasha responded, deflecting the seriousness of his query with her humor.
Dylan countered her gracefully, showing the dominance his life experience granted him.
“Yes, Natasha, I think it's obvious we do, and I have no intention of letting that flame go out,” he said, “However, your artistry is beyond beautiful and unique. Your style is something that modern fashion is missing, and I could move as many pieces as you could create. I could do it and earn you about ten times the profit you're seeing now.”
For a moment, Natasha considered the possibilities of a future in Dylan's world. Before half of her moment was over, she'd already made up her mind. A grand smile crossed her lips as she felt Dylan squeeze her hand.
“I've got to be honest with you, Dylan,” Natasha said, “I'm much happier at the thought of having you than your profits. I do very well here, and I really hadn't envisioned my life changing too much, at least financially. I'm not saying that money doesn't peak my interest, I'm just saying that it's you I'm thrilled about.”
Dylan lifted his hand to her face as she finished speaking. When her words had fully resonated, he pressed his lips to hers. The distance that the table put between their bodies was almost too much for Dylan to accept. He was just about to rise and take Natasha in his arms when the vibration of his phone on her kitchen table interrupted his movements. They broke their kiss and both looked down at the glowing screen. It was Marcos. Respectfully, Natasha smiled and moved away from him to refill her coffee and allow him to answer his phone. To her surprise, he didn't leave the room or hush his voice at all. Dylan answered the call and spoke as if he couldn't have been more comfortable.
Chapter 5: The Next Big Thing
A few hours and a couple of Google maps later, Dylan's staff was parking in front of Natasha's boutique. After explaining his absence to Marcos and finally convincing him that everything was fine, Dylan sent them a batch of pictures he'd taken of Natasha's collections. It didn't take five minutes for Marcos to call him back and ask for directions.
Dylan and Natasha looked one another over, making sure the other appeared put together. Dylan smiled down at her. It was as if they'd been doing this routine for years, and it was only their first time. Proudly, Dylan extended his arm to Natasha, and they went downstairs to greet his staff. Dylan extended the door open to them, and Marcos, of course, was the first to enter.
“Well, good day to you, Boss,” Marcos said.
He immediately locked eyes with Natasha and could instantly read everything that had transpired between her and his boss. A knowing smile crossed Marcos's face and it didn't leave for the rest of the day.
After introductions and a tour, the group attempted to situate themselves for business. Neither Natasha's boutique nor the home above were suited to host board meetings. The entire idea of a meeting kind of made Natasha's skin crawl. So, she suggested they have their discussion at a diner down the block.
The quick walk was refreshing and it shed everyone’s lingering walls of politeness. The group entered the diner and was seated in a corner booth surrounded by windows that wonderfully displayed the mountains around them. Everyone noticed that Dylan slid right next to Natasha and how little space he left between them. They all ordered something to eat, broke out their tablets and got down to business.
Negotiations didn't take long, mostly because Dylan's team didn't need to really explain anything to Natasha. She had a full understanding of how their industry worked, and her operation was almost completely ready to jump up to the next level. After a few back-and-forth moments of negotiation, they were ready to sign. Sealing the deal allowed them the oppo
rtunity to power down their devices and enjoy each other's company. When their meal was finished, desert had been cleared from the table and the wine had completely run out, they all happily left the diner.
Fully comfortable with one another, Dylan and Natasha linked arms. Each of their minds was adrift in the happiness of what lay before them. Dylan's colleagues were all happy that their objective for the trip had been accomplished. The mood was surreal until Marcos brought everyone back to reality.
“What time is takeoff tomorrow, Boss?” Marcos asked Dylan.
The blood rushed from his face as if he'd just fallen ill. Maybe it had been a subconscious form of self-preservation, but Dylan hadn't thought about leaving the mountains since he laid eyes on Natasha. Thinking of departure now ripped at his heart and elicited a rather dramatic show of emotion in response to such a simple question. Dylan hesitated in his response, which confused Marcos. Natasha squeezed Dylan's arm in reassurance. They hadn't discussed the fact that they lived far from one another, but it was something Natasha assumed and was ready to handle. In fact, she was mildly grateful for a chance to be separate from him without having to be rude about it. The feelings she was rapidly developing for Dylan, plus the brand new business opportunity on her plate, demanded some time for inner reflection.
Dylan regained his composure and turned to answer Marcos with a much lighter tone.
“I had initially planned to take off just after nine when the temperature has settled out for the day, but I don't see why we can't push that until after twelve. Maybe one o'clock?” Dylan asked of his staff collectively.
They all nodded in agreement, and Natasha smiled, knowing that he pushed their departure back to extend their time together. After ensuring everyone was clear on directions, the group split up. Some of the execs went on a hike, some of them went to tour the rest of town with Marcos, and Dylan followed Natasha back into her shop.
Natasha was the first woman Dylan had ever gotten this close to who didn't treat him like he was different because of what he'd achieved professionally. In his heart, Dylan had always seen himself as an adventurer and a lover of the arts. It had just been good luck and hard work that got him to where he currently was. Natasha seemed to understand that about him without even having to say so.
Their night together was even more spectacular than the previous. They spent the next morning curled in each other's arms, chatting about whatever crossed their minds. Dylan and Natasha had a shared sense of frustration that getting to know one another naturally took so long. It seemed that patience wasn't something that came with age, and their shared lack of patience wasn't the only thing they learned they had in common.
By the time Dylan kissed Natasha goodbye, they had a plan to stay in contact. Thanks to Skype and forward-facing phone cameras, they would only miss the physical contact. Both Dylan and Natasha were confident that the distance would only give their relationship the space it needed to develop naturally. Besides, Dylan had a multi-billion dollar enterprise to oversee, and Natasha had new collections to create. They would touch base again in a month-and-a-half, when Dylan could free up a week in his schedule. With a date to look forward to, Natasha watched Dylan drive away with Marcos.
Chapter 6: Late Arrival
Natasha promised herself that if it didn't come before Dylan got into town, she would tell him. Besides immersing herself in art, the only thing Natasha had been doing for the past five weeks was negotiating with herself. It was enough to make her nauseous and give her a headache.
By the time Dylan appeared at her door, she was an emotional wreck. Externally, of course, she seemed productive and exuberant. It took all her energy to hide the turmoil she felt, but the intense happiness that enveloped her when she was wrapped in Dylan's arms was almost enough to make Natasha lose control.
Thankfully, Dylan chalked up her emotions to simple youthful excitement. Happily, he set his bags in her room and took her to sit with him on her couch. They held each other there in silence, simply feeling the vibrations of their hearts beating against their bodies.
“You feel warm, Sweetheart,” Dylan said to her softly.
“I haven't been feeling good these past few days,” she replied, burying the alarm bells that were ringing in her head.
“Are you sick, or stressed?” he questioned.
“I don't know,” Natasha responded casually, “Just run down, I think. Tired today.”
They exchanged loving smiles, and Dylan pulled her closer to him. He let out a deep sigh of comfort as he kissed her head and spoke.
“Well, if you wouldn't mind taking a nap, then I certainly wouldn't,” he said, half-jokingly.
Almost with too much gusto, Natasha agreed. Soon, they were stripped down and lying curled up with one another on her bed. Dylan's hands moved rhythmically up and down Natasha's side from her shoulder to her hip. His scent made her heart race as she inhaled deep breaths. It was the first thing she'd smelled in weeks that soothed her, and Natasha closed her eyes in the comfort.
Before long, Dylan's waist started to move in concert with his hands. Natasha felt his manhood press against her backside. She pushed her worries from her mind and moved closer to him. Dylan's hand traveled around her curvy rear and tickled her thighs open. Natasha gasped when Dylan slid himself inside of her. Gently, she rocked back onto him before slowly lifting herself up and then down onto him again and again. Dylan gripped Natasha's hips and met each of her thrusts with strength of his own. Together they swayed and moaned themselves to explosions of ecstasy. Dylan withdrew from her, and they both fell peacefully asleep.
The rest of the week went by too fast. While Natasha seemed bothered by something, Dylan tried not to pry. He rested assured that she was simply an artist in the midst of work, and he felt thankful that she’d chosen to spend this time with him. They had a beautiful dinner just before he was scheduled to leave, and only then did Dylan begin to think that something might actually be amiss.
“Natasha, are you still happy with our relationship?” he asked her gently with a welcoming smile on his face.
“Of course!” she answered quickly. “Why?”
Dylan wasn't convinced. He shook his head and looked deep into Natasha’s eyes. He saw trouble in her soul and couldn't explain it. Suddenly, a thought popped into his head. Dylan knew that his heart throbbed every time he thought of Natasha. The entire time he'd been away from her since they first met, she plagued his consciousness. However, as strongly as he knew he felt, he had never truly articulated it to her. Without missing another beat, Dylan began pouring his heart out to her.
“I love you,” Dylan confessed simply, “I do, and it's something that I'm very happy about. I'm sorry that I haven't told you before now. It just seemed like something that I didn't need to say over a video call. I guess I thought you already knew.”
Natasha tried to shake the tears from her eyes, but they swelled and ran down her cheeks anyway. She smiled to let Dylan know how much his words meant to her. Breathlessly she whispered back that she loved him, too. Before Natasha could confess anything more, Dylan rushed around the table and swooped her up into his arms.
“I promise the next three months will fly by faster than we know it,” he implored.
During the past week, they had discussed the fact that Dylan was leaving with a team to tour India to round out the next year's supply. Natasha had barely remembered that, and her crying only escalated with his reminder. By then, it would be too late, Natasha thought to herself. By then, she thought, it would seem like a trick. Natasha crumbled into his arms. Dylan, true to his strong, calm nature, only held her while she cried and gently rubbed her back until she steadied herself.
“I'm sorry,” Natasha lied through hiccups, “I don't really know where all that came from.”
Dylan dismissed her apology and squeezed her closer to his chest.
“Love does strange things,” he assured her, “especially to young hearts like yours.”
He kissed Natasha on t
he forehead and they decided to take a walk through town before he departed. It was quite a drive back to Philadelphia, and he still had a flight to New York City and three days of preparation before the team left the country.
Each step made Natasha's heart ache more. She wanted desperately to tell him, but she couldn't find the words. Naturally, she fell elated, but her happiness dimmed when she considered the realities of their lives. The silence was killing her. Despite wanting so desperately to keep Dylan close to her, she was counting down the minutes until he left. The dissonance in her heart made her tone harsh and her movements sharp. Dylan assumed it was a young woman's way of showing her displeasure at his impending absence. It made him smile inside to know that she would miss him so much.
As Dylan drove away, he waved to Natasha who was standing in the threshold of her boutique. She summoned the biggest smile she could, but put her hand to her mouth to keep herself from crying just as soon as his car pulled around the corner. Her heart was beating so hard she heard it in her eardrums. Fatigue took over her body as she turned to walk inside. She had told Dylan that she loved him, and had heard him say it back. However, she hadn't told him that her period was three weeks late, so she had to figure out how to keep moving without hearing what his response would have been. It was enough to utterly shatter her.
