“I’ll call Danielle’s parents, to see what they’ve done in terms of contacting the police. I’ll probably have to follow up and give the detectives a statement. They’ll want to speak with you, too. You’ll have to tell them how my mother threatened you and exactly what she said with respect to Danielle. And then we’ll go from there. I need to speak with my brother, to tell him what’s happening. This is going to be very hard for him. And I have no idea if my father was involved or not.”
James ran his hand over his face. He suddenly looked tired. “I don’t know if they’ll have enough to arrest either of them. They need probable cause—I don’t know if the information we’re going to give them will amount to that.”
My head was spinning. “What if it doesn’t?” I asked. “What if it does?”
“I don’t know,” James said. “But we’ll be prepared either way.”
“You’re methodical. And smart,” I said. “I’m just pointing that out to you.”
He laced his fingers through mine. “That’s what you’re here for, babe.”
* * *
When we headed into the lobby of The Stratum, it felt as if we were coming home. I was so comfortable with James now, it was the opposite of the first time he’d brought me here. The attendants greeted us warmly, their faces open and familiar. When we got into the elevator, I started to laugh.
“What?” he asked.
“I’m just remembering the first time I was in here with you,” I said. “I couldn’t take my eyes off you—and your big hands.” James lifted his hands up and examined them, as if for the first time. “And I kept wondering what you had going on underneath your suit.”
“Well, you ought to know,” he said. He leaned down and kissed me. “You’re the expert in that department now.”
“I was so annoyed that I was attracted to you,” I said. “I thought it was inconvenient. Especially since you said you didn’t want to sleep with me.”
“Oh, I wanted to sleep with you,” he said and tucked my hair behind my ear. “As soon as I saw you, I wanted you.”
“It sort of took you a long time,” I said, pretending to pout.
“I’m pretty sure we’ve made up for lost time,” James said, his eyes darkening as he looked at me. I leaned up and kissed him, slowly, our tongues connecting. Heat shot through me, and I threw my arms around his neck.
“I’m ready for more now, though,” he said. “You didn’t come near me last night.” Now it was his turn to pretend pout.
“That’s because you said I was a grifting whore. Just like my mother. That’s not exactly my idea of foreplay,” I said.
“How about this instead,” he said. As the door opened, he grabbed my ass and hoisted me up on him; I wrapped my legs around his waist, and he carried me toward the door, kissing me deeply.
I could feel him against me, hot and hard, and it caused a familiar ache all through me. He punched in the code without looking.
I wanted him, but the hurt I’d felt last night bubbled up in me, mixed with the hot, heavy desire I was feeling. “Tell me you love me,” I said.
“I love you. You know I do,” he said, carrying me into the bedroom. He laid me carefully on the bed, then he looked around and smiled. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy to be here before. I don’t even hate Boston anymore. What have you done to me, Audrey?”
“Taught you how to relax and eat onion rings in bed. Went to Fenway Park with you and drank beer. Oh—and I popped your swan-boat cherry,” I said and shrugged. “All the important things.”
He knelt on the floor before me and kissed me, gently at first. Then the kiss deepened, and I felt myself open up to him. I hadn’t realized it, but I’d been balled up inside myself, like a fist, after what he’d said last night. But now I clung to him, forgiving him, trusting him.
He pulled back from me for a second. “Tell me you’re mine,” he said. “Say it.”
“I’m yours,” I said. “I love you so much.”
“I want to see you naked with that tan,” he said, stripping my clothes off roughly. “It’s been too long.”
“It’s only been a day,” I said, laughing, but I felt it, too. The need. “James—I was hurt last night. It was stupid, because I understood what you were doing. But still.”
He’d already managed to take my clothes off, and I looked up at him, as naked and vulnerable as I could be. “It’s hard for me not to believe… the bad things about myself.”
“But you shouldn’t believe them,” he said, his eyes burning into mine. “You’re the best person I know, Audrey.”
“Thank you,” I said, trying to keep my voice even. I didn’t want to cry and ruin our sexy moment—I was aching to have him inside me. “I trust you, James. It’s real. And I… I trust you with all of me.” I ran my hand down my naked body as his eyes raked over me, making me flush with heat. As he watched, I started playing with my breasts, making my nipples hard and elongated. I opened my legs a little, offering myself to him.