by Alex Rosa
“What about Noah?” he asks as my heart thuds in my chest at hearing that name.
“You said we’d work on mending it together. I want to believe that’s still an option.”
His mouth does that thing I love so much and it makes my heart flutter in hope.
“Then what is it you want to save?”
Troy never minces words or moments. He’s been like that since I first met him, and I hate and love him for it.
His questioning is fair but has my mind reeling, trying to keep up. My eyes fall to my hands as I fiddle with my fingers. I’m too scared to say it and decide on a precautionary escape route. “Just know you can send me away, Troy. You can do whatever you wa—“
“Julia, stop. I want to hear you say it.”
“What?” My eyes perk up, intrigued by his shift in tone that’s all too familiar.
“Say what I need to hear before I go insane.” The funny curve to his lips reveals itself as he continues, “I demand it.”
The corners of my mouth reflexively mirror his. “You know why I’m here?” I ask curiously.
“If it’s not to tell me you want me and it’s only to return the rhino, I’m going to be really upset.”
His teeth clamp down on his bottom lip. He wants his pound of flesh, the bastard.
“You’re such a jerk,” I quip as I try my damndest to hide my smile. But I adore this jerk and his terrible yet wonderful way with words and the mood.
My anxiousness dissipates and is replaced with my panging heartstrings reverberating throughout my body, only ever strummed by his smile alone.
“I’m aware. Now say it Jules. What are you here to save?”
I heave in another deep breath. This time the bit of air is a liberating expulsion of the last of those nerves. “I’m here to save us. I don’t care what it takes anymore. I was trying to pack my life away, but only one thing mattered to me anymore ...” I gulp down a large helping of air. “… and that’s you.”
When he reveals his full Technicolor grin, my knees go weak, and my own smile becomes incriminatingly comical, but he doesn’t speak, which is so unlike him.
Seconds go by, maybe even minutes, I don’t know.
“So, are you going to send me away to my flight back to LA, or what?”
He doesn’t need to say anything when he takes a step forward, dropping the rhino to the floor and grabs for my face before crashing his lips to mine.
The heavy tightness in my chest from days of heartache loosens. He’s so much better than a simple breath of air, because whether I like to admit it, Troy Dillinger has become pure oxygen. My requirement to live.
His lips are as determined as my steps were that brought me here, and I revel in the possessive capture of my mouth. He even tastes like happiness: sugar, and spice, and everything nice.
He manages words between his strokes. “I knew sending in Lizzy would do the trick.”
I try for a gasp of shock, but knowing this, he refuses to let his lips release me as his laughter tangles around my attempt to be angry.
I can barely manage my words, let alone my gasp and relentless smile. “I can’t believe you!”
He pulls away with a wolfish grin. “I knew, well hoped, you’d figure it out. You just needed a little push in the form of—“
“Sniffles!”
We peel ourselves from each other as we turn to face Lizzy who’s rubbing her face of sleep as she meanders down the hall. Her blinking eyes adjusting to the light seem to have only one thing in sight as she grabs for the purple rhino. It isn’t until her eyes adjust fully and her petite chin lifts upward to see us standing in the doorway that she too tosses the rhino aside before running up to us and embracing our legs in a hug.
It doesn’t seem like she needs Sniffles any more either.
THE END
I stuff my phone back into my pocket, ignoring my brother’s call for the umpteenth time. I don’t shy away from his voicemails, though. I’d never turn down hearing an apology from him, because rarely does he ever do it. But no matter, his voice is always level and demanding. It’s the tone that bothers me. It always implies that I should forgive him.
Maybe he’s right.
All those years ago he forgave me for something similar, but those were such different circumstances. His marriage was already in shambles. My relationship with Julia was most definitely running smoothly … or was it?
I can’t wrap my head around what my relationship was. I want to be angry at my brother, and I want to be furious at Julia, but for some reason I can’t convince myself of either. However, I am allowed to be bitter. The thought makes me want to punch something.
There’s a part of me that has always been a fan of self-loathing. I find a sense of home in wallowing. I know this is a dangerous thing to become comfortable with all over again. In my youth it was a way of existing. It was my social norm, along with recklessness. Staying active has been my way of battling it, but lately it’s been hard to get myself moving.
I fidget on the bench and rub at my growing stubble. I’ve been letting it get thicker in the days that have gone by.
I’ve woken up every morning for my usual run but can’t move past the park. You’d think I’d avoid the area entirely or find a separate route, but I still can’t seem to stop my feet from leading me here. I’m a real glutton for punishment. I end up at the same entrance and at this same bench. Then I just sit.
The guys at the station have taken to making fun of my moping now. It’s been a week and they were bound to notice. Not to mention, they eventually figured out it was because of a woman, which only amplified their teasing, but did nothing for my patience.
My morning runs, or more like my early bench musings, are my only moments of calm.
That is until a ball of snow slams into my chest.
I lift my chin to find the culprit but find none. As it is already, the early morning only offers a scarce amount of people walking Central Park.
I look back and forth, thinking I’ll find a child using me for their morning prank, but still see no one.
Then I hear laughter, and it isn’t childlike.
I stand from the bench, brushing off the melting snow as it soaks into my shirt. I naturally run hot and my sweatpants and shirt are my only barrier against the winter.
Another snowball hits me, but this time on my shoulder, and I worry it only narrowly missed my face. Then I hear even more laughter.
This starts to frustrate me, and I decide to follow the sound and break into a jog down the path.
The only thing I see coming is a snowball that crashes into my face. I can’t see the perpetrator as I shake the snow from my eyes, and the moment I get a clear view the person is already sprinting in the opposite direction.
I run after the figure and its trailing giggles, and the closer I get the clearer it becomes that it’s a woman.
I scrunch my brows as my legs try to keep up. The form is petite in long leggings and a fitted black jacket, but the blue beanie on her head hides any defining features. The only thing I can see is the back of her, which has me tilting my head as I less than gentlemanly take a good, hard look at the ass I’m chasing.
I keep thinking I’m going to catch the aggravating woman, but she’s too quick. I don’t know the endurance of the stranger, but I know mine, and if this chase ends up longer than I think then maybe I should pace myself.
It isn’t until I hear more skirting giggles that my legs try harder to catch up, but she’s still too fast.
I’m tempted to grab my own snowball to throw just to get her to slow down, but my instinct is just to try and beat her, and then scold her for her rudeness. Not that I’m complaining the more I stare at the ass leading me.
After at least five minutes of this high speed chase the giggling woman finally comes to a stop at the opposite side of Bethesda Fountain.
She’s keeled over her knees, heaving in deep breaths through her con
tinuous laughter, and I still cannot see her face.
I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I’m also bent over, rubbing at my chest as I try to get ahold of my breathing while I try to speak.
“Who are you?”
The mystery woman shakes her head. “Watching you mope was giving me a migraine!” she replies as she straightens herself to stand, and pulls off the beanie before turning to me, showing off her blonde, pixie hair, and rosy cheeks against her porcelain skin.
My brows knit together as I try to figure out if I’m happy to see this person or not.
“Megan?”
She laughs as she wipes the sweat from her face. “I wasn’t sure if you knew my name. Bet I’m not the person you want to see either, but I seriously couldn’t take it anymore.”
I shake my head, and take some relief in the winter breeze as my body tries to cool down. I want to tell her, her name is hard to forget when your ex-girlfriend tried using it as a way to bargain for a less damaged heart, but I decide against it. “What are you talking about? Why did you throw the snow at me?”
She clicks her tongue as her eyes give me a once over. “Not that bright, then?” she jokes. “I run this stretch of Central Park nearly every day, and every day I’ve been seeing you sitting there, sulking. It was driving me so mad that today I decided to do something about it.”
“So, you threw snow at me?” I chide, not understanding.
“It got you to move, now didn’t it?”
The corner of my mouth twitches at the funny realization. “Touché.”
She nods, seeming to agree with herself more than with me. “Feel better?”
I drag my eyes the length of her body, her legs more distracting than I’d like as she shakes them out while she winds down from the run. “Little bit, actually.”
She rolls her eyes. “Hm. Good. I thought maybe I should leave you alone, but you seem like a nice guy and I try to do my best when it comes to nice guys.”
“I’m your charity case?” I goad.
“Something like that.” Her lips match the color of her rosy cheeks as they spread wide, reaching from ear to ear.
“I forgot you run, too.”
“I’m a health columnist, remember? I’d be a liar if I didn’t practice at least some of the things I write about.”
“True.”
The moment wanes with silence and I peek up at her, but she’s squinting at me, examining me with her penetrating hazel gaze, but what intrigues me more is the curious twist to the right side of her mouth.
“What is it?’ I ask.
She lifts a dainty shoulder while her eyes ignite gold. “I don’t know. I’m not one to beat around the bush so I’m just going to come out and say it even if it isn’t my business. Are you okay?”
“You’re asking me about Julia?”
“I’m more like asking you about how you’re doing with your break up with Julia.”
She may be pretty to look at, but this has me losing my patience. “Does the whole world know my business?”
“Whoa, calm down sparky!” She pauses and examines me another moment, and I can’t remember a time where a woman I barely knew so confidently appraised me. “Julia didn’t mean any harm, if it makes a difference.”
“I know she didn’t,” I say brusquely with more conviction than I thought I could muster, but I don’t hold back my obvious eye-roll.
Megan’s eyebrows shoot up, but she doesn’t flinch. She’s all petite squared shoulders and a smirk to match. “Hey, do you want to maybe, I don’t know, grab a coffee or something? Talk it out? I don’t know how guys deal with their troubles but—“
Her words rub me the wrong way and I can only jump to one conclusion. “Did Julia send you here to pawn yourself on me because—“
It’s her laughter that interrupts me. She bends over her knees again and reveals pearly white teeth encased by pink lips.
“Noah, chill! Maybe Jules did at one point, but if we are going to be brutally honest here, I’m as emotionally unavailable as you are right now.” She stands up straight, adjusting her jacket. “Ya know what? Sorry. Forget I asked. I get how you feel. I know how this must look.”
My shoulders tense. Maybe she was being sincere. “No, I’m sorry.”
She shakes her head, still sputtering tiny giggles as if finding me amusing, and I consider it even ruder than the snowball. “It’s seriously alright.” She takes a deep breath, and when she exhales, a large white cloud appears before her in the cold. “Well, it was nice seeing you, Noah. I really do hope you figure out a way to get over Julia. You’re gonna have to do it sooner or later.”
I chew the inside of my cheek as I watch the curious creature before me. She was nothing of interest at dinner all those weeks ago, although her company was enjoyable, but right now, it’s that wicked, mocking gleam in her eye as she dissects me that has me, I don’t know, interested?
What do I have to lose?
“Actually, how about I take you up on that coffee?”
She shakes her head again, fighting another burst of laughter through pursed lips. “That ship has sailed my friend, but it’s probably for the best.” She taps her chin with a pointed red nail, her eyes unwavering. “How about same time tomorrow? I’ll even let you chase me again.”
Is this girl for real? I cannot help my responding grin as I try to absorb being asked out, then declined, and then teased. “Who says I’ll chase you?”
She lifts her right shoulder. “Your loss. Nice seeing you again, Noah.” She winks and then sprints in the opposite direction without letting me get in another word.
I’m left shell shocked and frozen to the spot as I watch her ass disappear in the distance.
I shake my head smiling.
I will definitely be here the same time tomorrow, because, what if?
Read Other Books by Alex Rosa:
Tryst Series:
Tryst #1
Entangled #2
Fahrenheit
Emotionally Compromised
Alex Rosa lives in San Diego, California. When she isn’t scouring city parks or cafe’s to write she is more than likely trying to convince her friends to join her on her next adventure. A sufferer of wanderlust, she is always looking for a new mountain to climb, a canyon to hike, or a plane to board. Her resume consists of coroner, to working at a zoo, and most recently as a content writer. She finds her home amongst words, whether it be in books, or in film. Her obsessions are on the brink of bizarre, but that’s just the way she likes it.
Follow Alex Rosa:
www.authorarosa.com
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Table of Contents
Wednesday Designs
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Epilogue
About the Author
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