The next morning I woke up early, got dressed and fiddled around the apartment to occupy myself to suppress my excitement. Dylan arrived right at eight in his black Maserati Quattroporte. I was surprised to see him driving his car, instead of picking me up with Jeff and the limo.
“So, where are we heading, Dylan?” I asked, without hiding my curiosity when we got into the car and started driving towards Queensboro Bridge.
“To my place… where I have been staying for the last two months.” He spoke blithely and held my hand over the stick shift, gazing at me occasionally as he drove leisurely. His eyes sparkled every time he smiled. Other than talking about the weather and answering my trivial questions about work, he was unusually quiet. At every city sign we passed, I asked him if we were there yet, but he just kept smiling and driving along.
“You are as bad as my five year old cousin, Emma!” He joked after my fifth attempt of guessing where we were going.
“It’s your fault. If you’d have told me already, I wouldn’t have to keep bothering you.” I said, pouting.
He turned slightly towards me while holding the steering wheel with one hand and my hand with the other. “I even missed your complaints.” He said, and placed a soft kiss on the back of my hand.
Quivering inwardly with his touch, I bit my lips and stayed quiet for the rest of the ride. At the end of our three-hour drive, I saw the sign for the city of Montauk and said, “This should be it because after this, it’s the Atlantic Ocean.”
“Yes, we are close. Just a few minutes left.” He replied.
In less than five minutes, we stopped in front of a small, single story house with yellow clapboards, overlooking a long beautiful beach, stretching into the horizon.
“Here we are!” Dylan exclaimed excitedly. He parked the car on the driveway and rushed around quickly to open my door. As soon as I was out of the car, a golden retriever greeted us happily, shaking his tail, and a cute couple appeared right after.
“Welcome back Dylan! You are right on time,” the young girl said. “You must be Emma! I’m Jane and this is my fiancé Aaron.” She added. Then she turned to Dylan. “Everything is all set and ready for you. We even got you a new coffee pot. I can’t believe you were still using that piece of junk.” She explained.
“Thank you, Jane and Aaron for all your help. I owe you guys a big one!”
“Oh, it’s nothing compared to all you have done for us since you moved up here.” Aaron replied.
“Also, one last thing…can Copper stay with us for a little while?” asked Dylan. “We can bring him to you in an hour or so?”
“Sure. Copper will be so happy. I think he likes you more than us. Aaron is so jealous.” Jane chuckled.
I looked at Jane and Aaron and then at Dylan for an explanation. Before I could ask any questions, the cute couple left.
“Come on Dylan… You’ve got to tell me now. Who are they? What were they doing here? What is ready?”
“This house used to belong to Aaron’s grandfather who passed away two years ago. Jane is Aaron’s fiancé and has a little restaurant in town. When I am too tired to cook I eat at her place. We became very good friends since I bought the house and moved to Montauk. I dog-sit Copper when they go out of town.” He explained very quickly. “Now… shall we?” He took my hand and pulled me towards the open front door.
It was a cute, little, cozy house which reminded me of my grandparent’s house in Rhode Island. It had such a familiar charm to it that all of sudden, I felt I was ten years old, playing tag with Steve while my mother chased us around. My eyes welled up and I couldn’t help but let a tiny tear seep down my cheek.
“Emma, what’s wrong?” Dylan asked worriedly.
“It’s nothing… this house. It’s so beautiful, so peaceful. It reminds me of my childhood days at my nana’s house. I can’t believe you were living here for the last two months. I never thought you would be…” I replied stutteringly.
“You thought I could never live in a house without a doorman, an elevator or expensive furniture…”
“No, I didn’t mean it like that.” I looked at him apologetically.
“It’s okay Emma. I understand. Believe me, a lot has changed for me in the last couple of months.” He said, without explaining further what he meant.
“Would you mind giving me a quick tour?”
“I’d love to… but later. Now, come with me. Food is ready!” He held my hand and walked me outside. On his wooden deck overlooking the beach, a table for two was set up; a yellow table cloth, wicker place mats, daisy pattern plates, wine glasses filled with orange juice, and a glazed Bundt cake with fresh fruits placed neatly on it.
“Dylan!” I cried completely surprised. “Oh. My. God. This is amazing. What a beautiful view…” I pointed at the table. “How did you organize all this?”
“This is courtesy of Jane and Aaron, your welcome gift. Jane is an awesome cook. She prepared us her breakfast special. Would you like to start with your crêpes?”
“Yes! I’d love to!” I uttered happily. And in the next few hours as we enjoyed the delicious food Jane had prepared, we talked about his life in Montauk, how he found the house coincidentally at his first night in Montauk and how he rebuilt the house, piece by piece.
After brunch, we took Copper out for a walk on the beach. It was such a soothing feeling to walk on the soft sandy beach, barefoot, as the warm sun caressed my body. We spent hours at the beach, watched blue horizon, walked hand in hand, and played fetch with Copper. Being with Dylan always made me feel excited and elated but this time I also felt at ease and tranquil… Something that I hadn’t felt for a long time.
Neither during our brunch nor during our walk did Dylan bring up any of the unpleasant subjects lingering in the back of my mind; our breakup, his gruesome past, my plans for next year. We talked about Copper, his quiet life in Montauk, art, music, and completely avoided conversation about our future. We enjoyed a day at the beach like two lovers united after a long separation, who were happy to be back together.
“Let’s go back and I’ll show you all the work I’ve done around the house!” He said after we dropped Copper off at Jane’s beach house.
“Sure. I’d love to see it.” I said.
Back in the house, he proudly showed the cabinets and the hardwood floors he installed in the kitchen and the living room, and then the tiles for his bathroom. I was heading towards his bedroom, when he stopped walking and hesitated.
“You don’t want me to go in there?” I asked, wondering why he didn’t want me to see his room.
“No, it’s not that.” He said, and stood in front of the door, cocking his head to the side, folding his arms over his chest, making me more curious.
“Come on Dylan. What are you hiding in there?” I asked playfully.
He bit his lips, and squinted at me as if he was still thinking. Then he stepped aside and let me in. There, by the window overlooking the ocean, stood an easel and a tall canvas covered with a white cloth.
“Dylan! You started painting again?” I asked, utterly surprised.
He nodded shyly and smiled.
“I’d like to see it.”
“It’s not finished yet! I still have some final touches to do.” He replied, still ambivalent to showing me his painting.
“Please show me!” I asked again, begging this time.
He removed the cloth slowly and I was completely shocked when I saw the oil painting. It was me, standing on the deck of this beach house, holding the wooden rail; my body turned towards the ocean, my face turned towards the house, looking at him, smiling. I was holding a bouquet of flowers, a jasmine branch in the middle of it.
“But how… how did you paint it? It looks so real.”
“I imagined you standing there looking at me for days, maybe weeks. I painted your face out of memory but seeing you today, standing here, I realize that I didn’t do your beauty justice. You are much more beautiful in person.”
“Oh, Dyl
an! This is…the painting...it’s amazing. You are amazing. I don’t know what to say.” I mumbled. My heart was beating as if it was about to come out of its cage. After spending a wonderful day with him, I couldn’t fight with my emotions any longer. I trotted towards him quickly and wrapped my arms around his neck. My lips found his almost instantaneously. I kissed him softly and delicately, savoring every second of it, as if it was our last kiss. As our lips moved in unison with an unstoppable passion, I realized how much I missed him and how my life was so empty without him. I wanted to be with him again so desperately. My desire for him was too much and succumbing to that desire was inevitable.
As if Dylan read my mind, he lifted me up without breaking the kiss and straddled my legs around his hips. I felt his growing bulge over my skirt as I caressed his rippled abs, strong tattooed arms and his muscular chest with my palm. His breathing quickened as I explored every inch of his body hungrily. I craved for his touch for weeks and now that all the emotions that were sealed and locked inside us finally erupted, we couldn’t stop the avalanche of lust.
I kissed him fiercely, explored his mouth with my tongue and he returned my kiss with equal abandon. His hands and my hands tangled, I started unbuttoning his shirt with trembling fingers. A deep sigh escaped his lips as I slipped his shirt from his shoulders, admired his chiseled body once more with my avid gaze, and brushed his naked skin with the tip of my fingers. I trailed kisses down his chest and judging by his restless body, I knew we wanted the same thing, and we wanted it right away. His eyes wide and feral with unfulfilled desire, his hands reached to the bottom of my pale pink t-shirt and with a gentle tug, he pulled it over my head. He tossed it over near his shirt lying on the ground and revealed my breasts, covered slightly with my pink lace bra.
I threw my head back, rested it on the window, giving his mouth better access as his lips trailed down to my neck and my breast while he held the small of my back with one hand and unclasped my bra with the other. Once my bra dropped right next to our clothes, he bent down and sucked one nipple first while he brushed his thumb over the other. Then he moved his mouth to the next, making me breathe hard and moan. Every time he twirled my already hardened nipples between his fingers and sucked them, a pleasure jolted through my body, my legs almost gave out.
Sensing my dizziness, he scooped me up in his arms and placed me on his bed. His hand moved to my leg, slipped under my skirt slowly, trailing soft touches along my thigh towards my already-drenched core. He pulled my skirt down and pressed his nose against me, nudging the small wisp of my lacy panties. Feeling his finger first, then his tongue inside me, I gasped soft moans, and breathy whimpers. His soft velvet tongue was relentless, flicking, circling, licking me, sucking my core into his mouth while he stroked me with one finger and then with two, in and out slowly, as I quivered in pleasure. I couldn’t stifle my moans any longer, pulling his face toward me, raking my hands through his disheveled hair, I screamed his name. The pressure built up inside me where all the nerve endings in my body merged. I was at the edge of a precipice, freefalling as he took me into a wonderland of ecstasy. With the final flick of his tongue and one last stroke with his deft long fingers, I reached my climax and came down from the clouds as my body arched and then stilled.
Still panting heavily, I gazed eagerly at his bright blue eyes. I wetted my lips with the tip of my tongue and then bit them trying to suppress my hunger for him. I reached for his jeans, unbuckled his belt and unzipped his fly. I freed him of his boxers quickly. I took his long length between my fingers and I stroked him slowly. I licked it and placed a soft kiss on his pink tip, but he stopped me before I could taste more of him. “It has been a while, Emma. It will be quick. I want to be in you when I come,” he whispered in my ear.
And quickly he pulled my hips to him and made me sit on his lap, as he rested his back on the wall. He entered me slowly at first, my eyes wide open, gazing into his maddening eyes. Then he moved his hips back and then plunged forward, hard and fast. I pushed against him equally, forcing him to go deeper. His salacious gaze lingered on my lips and his hands cupped my face and quickly he slipped his tongue into my mouth as we moved together in unison. I felt him deep inside me and oh god, it felt so good.
I wanted the pleasure to last longer but as the sensation built inside me, “I’m going to come,” I moaned into his mouth.
“Hold on baby! I’m almost there!” He said.
“I can’t. Dylan…” I whimpered as my body shivered reaching my climax.
“Oh. God.” He cried. “You feel so good!” I felt his body buckle as he arched his head back and pushed in me one more time. Then he stilled. My name escaped his mouth.
He held me tightly, my face buried to his chest as his breathing slowed. He looked a bit pensive, but the tenderness in his eyes told me what he couldn’t say in words.
“Would you like to watch the sunset?” He asked, after a few long, comforting and quiet minutes laying in his arms.
“Yes! I’d love to…” I replied.
“I’ll grab the left-overs and a bottle of wine. Meet me on the deck in five minutes.” He said, smiling. He put on his jeans and shirt quickly and disappeared into the kitchen.
I went outside a few minutes later with messed up hair and smudged makeup. I had put on one of his dress shirts instead of my white blouse. “It looks so much better on you!” He commented, as soon as he saw me standing by the door.
“I wanted something more comfortable!” I giggled.
“Come here, baby! Eat something.” He uttered softly and placed one of Jane’s bite-size quiches in my mouth. He then handed me a glass of wine and sipped on his. “To you… Dr. Collins! To your success!” He toasted, but his eyes were misty, something was bothering him. After such an amazing day, I felt that we were at that point, we had to talk about what was lingering in the back of our minds… us.
“I don’t care about my success Dylan. I thought that the day I had my degree would be the happiest day of my life, but it wasn’t.”
“Why wasn’t it?” He asked, his eyes were intense, demanding.
“Because of you. You weren’t there with me!” I confessed, I couldn’t hide my feelings any longer. I felt empty without him.
“I was there. I watched you from the back.” He wrapped his arms around me and nuzzled his lips to my neck, taking deep breaths. “I saw the sad look on your face when you walked to the stage. I wanted to hold you in my arms and erase that sad look.”
“Oh, Dylan… Life lost its meaning without you.”
“Why didn’t you call me?”
“I was scared. I was scared of your past but more so… I was scared of my feelings that I couldn’t control.”
“I love you Emma!” He whispered in my ear. “I love you so damn much! I can’t breathe without you.”
“Dylan …” I tried to interrupt him.
“No, just listen.” He said. “I prepared this long speech for you. But today was so perfect, I didn’t want to ruin it. Now that finally I have the courage to speak… I forgot it. I forget everything when I am with you Emma. When you are in my arms, the world stops spinning, as if it is only you and me left standing.”
“Oh, Dylan. I feel the same.”
“Then don’t go Emma. Don’t leave me.”
“It’s too late Dylan. I have to go. I already signed up. I can’t quit now.”
“Then I’ll come with you.”
“It is safe there for doctors but not for civilians like you.”
Then suddenly, he was on his knee, holding a black velvet box in his hand. “I don’t want to go there as a civilian. I’d like to be a volunteer in the field like you, to support you, to support my wife. Of course that’s if you say ‘yes’. Marry me Emma. I know this is not the most romantic proposal, but you haven’t given me much choice. When I learned you were leaving the country in two weeks, I couldn’t wait any longer. So what do you say, Emma. Will you marry me?”
“Dylan. It’s not that easy. What ab
out your work? What about my father? He won’t leave you alone. He will make your life miserable.”
“I don’t care what Chuck Reed thinks of me or wants to do to me. I’m not scared of him because I know that I am not that person anymore. Ever since I saw you in front of that church in Amsterdam, something inside me has changed. I don’t care about the business, the profits that don’t bring me happiness. I hated my life before I met you, I just couldn’t admit it. Now I know. I cannot go back to that life anymore. I’ve already told Max that I want to sell my shares and get out of the business. I am not going back to Manhattan. I want to live here. With you! Go wherever you go. When we are together, the world becomes this wonderful place and nothing else, no one else matters. Tell me you feel the same. Tell me you love me too.”
“Yes, I feel the same. Yes, I love you.” I admitted, crying.
“So…will you marry me?”
“Yes, I will marry you!” I exclaimed.
Hearing my confirming words, he slid the diamond ring on my finger and lifted me up. He spun me around, laughing and screaming happily. Now that we were together, life had meaning again.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank…
my beloved husband, who encouraged me to indulge in the fantasy of writing. Thank you for your patience and understanding,
my good friend, Rachel Clerico, for her meticulous editing and great feedback,
my good friend Tom – a first time romance book reader- for his great comments and edits,
my funny, crazy, wonderful and very supportive girlfriends, without their inspiration, I could not have published this book.
REFERENCED ART
Dancing Lesson by Jan Steen
Girl with Large Hat by Caesar Van Everdingen
One Night In Amsterdam Page 23
