Move the Stars (Something in the Way 3)

“How?”

“On the bed. And once I’ve gotten a good look at you, I’ll do it to you at the same time.”

My eyes surely popped out. “What?”

He laughed as I blushed and said, “There’s no end to the things we’ll do.” Flexing his arms around me, he brought me in for a kiss.

“Don’t drop me,” I said.

“And let you fall?” He sounded incredulous. “No way. You’re light as a feather, Birdy.”

11

Lake

I came up from the subway half expecting Manning not to be there. Before he’d left my apartment in the morning to go back to his hotel and change for a sales call, I’d drawn him a map designating where to meet me later. Then I’d called in sick to work because today was important—I was going to show Manning my New York. And there he was, outside of the Duane Reade, right under the blue pharmacy sign like we’d planned. He had his hands in his coat pockets and a cigarette between his lips.

Outside the comfort of my apartment, he was real, and he was waiting for me. I couldn’t quite shake the feeling of being sixteen and having no say in when I got to see him. That he’d appear and disappear based on forces I couldn’t control.

As our eyes met, he made no sign of recognition except for the familiar stare I’d come to expect from him over the years—until I stepped off the curb, and he looked both ways for me.

I walked up to him and took the cigarette from his lips. He looked at it, almost daring me to take a drag. I dropped it in the snow. “I can’t believe she hasn’t made you quit.”

“Nobody makes me do anything, Lake.”

“You almost quit once. For me.”

“That was a different time.” He nodded at me. “Put your coat on.”

It hurt that Manning wouldn’t stop smoking for me, if not for himself. It wasn’t an unreasonable request to want him around as long as possible. “What if I won’t kiss you after?” I asked.

“You said you didn’t mind the taste.”

I hesitated. I liked the taste, actually, because it reminded me of him. That wasn’t enough of a reason to risk his health. I didn’t want to start a fight, though. I wanted to be in his arms. We weren’t at the point where I felt I could reach out and touch him whenever the urge struck me, so I just stepped close enough to break the barrier of politeness.

“What’s wrong?” I asked when he stayed where he was.

“You wasted a good cigarette.”

I pursed my lips. “Really.”

“I’ve fought a man for the same thing.”

“So fight me.”

The corner of his mouth twitched. “It’s not because of the cigarette.”

The cold day started to hit me. I’d taken my coat off on the stuffy subway, but now I was more interested in being warmed by him. “So what’s it about?”

“We’re in public.”

It took me a moment to register his meaning. I was the other woman. Except that I wasn’t. I was his, always, from the beginning. Tiffany was the one who’d stolen him away. She was the one who should be kept at arm’s length on the street. “You’re going to hide me away?” I accused.

“It’ll take some time for me to acclimate.”

“Why?”

“I’m used to checking over my shoulder with you.” He removed one hand from his pocket and took the ends of my hair in a loose fist. I thought I could stand up to him, but with that one touch, I wanted to melt. I fought to keep my eyes open. “You never had to be the one to worry about all that,” he continued. “I did. I was older than you. Even now, I feel like people are looking.”

“Nobody is, Manning. I’m twenty-two.”

“I couldn’t let my guard down for a second, even after you turned eighteen. Couldn’t get caught staring at you.”

“I loved when you did. Even though most times I looked at you, you looked away.”

“I had to. You didn’t think about things like that, because nobody cares if a sixteen-year-old stares at someone older. Not true the other way around, though.”

Hadn’t I worried I’d be found out? Maybe some part of me had wanted to get caught. I didn’t think about consequences much in those days. Now? I supposed there was the slightest chance someone might recognize us, considering there were people from Orange County who’d moved here. Corbin, for one. Val would never tell, even if she was angry with me. I tried not to show my disappointment, but I needed him to know I was more mature now and could play by his rules. I shivered. “It’s okay. I can wait.”

He opened his coat and pulled me into it. “I can’t. I’ll just have to get over it.”

“What if someone sees us?”

“They won’t.” He rubbed my shoulder, bringing me closer and closer.