“Ash.” My name escaped her lips in a sweet moan.
“Right here, baby.”
We moved in that perfect rhythm I’d only ever found with her. Our hands clasped tight. Our fingers entwined. Our bodies were one, moving in perfect harmony. Together we reached the apex and then with one final thrust, we leaped over the edge into sweet pleasure together, our cries of release echoing through the room.
We continued to move until the last wave of pleasure dissipated. I moved my weight off of her but pulled her close. I hoped beyond hope that now the orgasms had come and gone, she wasn’t going to start pulling away again as she’d done before.
She rested her head in the crook of my shoulder, and I had a moment to wish that I could go to bed and wake up every morning with her right there.
She pressed her hand on my chest, over my heart. “Ash?”
“Hmm?” I put my hand over hers, wanting to keep her there.
“Do you really think that we could overcome any obstacle?”
I looked down at her. “If we want each other enough, then everything else doesn’t matter. It’s just logistics.”
Her expression appeared torn. Like she wanted to tell me something, but couldn’t quite bring herself to do it.
“You can trust me, Beth. I’m here for you and Ben.”
She nodded and took a deep breath. She started to open her mouth, and I thought, Hallelujah, she’s going to open up to me.
But then a phone rang and her attention immediately went to that. Beth was out of my arms and my bed in a flash. I got up and followed her out to the living area where her purse was. I grabbed my robe for her, and my boxer briefs for me.
I helped her into the robe, as she put the phone to her ear. “Hello?”
I could hear a frantic female voice on the other end, as I tied off and tossed my condom in the garbage and put my underwear on.
“Where are you now?” Beth’s voice had a tinge of panic in it, that put me on edge. Did something happen to Ben?
There was more talking on the other end and then Beth said, “I’m on my way.” She hung up the phone tossing it in her purse. “I’m sorry. I have to go.” She hurried back into my room and started dressing.
“Of course. What’s wrong?” I asked as I picked up her shoes to help her dress.
“I have to go to the hospital.” She stopped for a moment. “Can you call me your driver?’
“I’ll take you.” I grabbed my pants slipping them on.
“You don’t need to do that. I’ve already ruined your night enough.”
“Jesus Christ Beth, when will you get it through your head that I care for you? I can see you’re worried and in pain. I want to be there for you.”
Her expression is a mixture of annoyance and worry. “Fine… okay.”
When were dressed, I lead her down to the garage and guided her to my sedan. In different circumstances, I’d put her in my two-seater Porsche. I had this fantasy of driving us back out to the beach someday and starting over with her. But now was not the time to try and impress her with a car.
I jumped in the driver’s side and pushed the car to move as fast as it could through the busy streets of Manhattan.
I had barely parked the car at the emergency room door, when she was out and rushing inside. Not caring if I got a ticket or towed, I left the car there and ran in behind her.
I caught up to her just as she reached the nurses’ station. “I’m looking for my daughter. Hannah McAdams.”
It took me a moment, and then I was staring at her. Did she say, daughter?
The nurse nodded to Beth. “I’ll take you back. Right now, only one parent at a time though,” she said to me.
“I’m not—”
Beth was already heading back leaving me waiting. I walked over to the waiting area, my brain in a whirl. Beth had a daughter? She was a mother? Was that what she was worried about telling me. Did she think I wouldn’t love her because she had a child?
I wondered who the father was. Where the father was. Then I had a flashback to six years ago when I’d failed to use a condom. Christ, was I the father? I immediately shook my head. There’s no way Beth would have kept that from me. Perhaps she’d gotten together with some man in Europe. The child had Beth’s surname, so I guessed that meant he wasn’t in the picture. What sort of douche abandoned a woman like Beth and their child? Okay, so I’d left her once when I was weak. But I wouldn’t have left if she was having my child. That was for damn sure.