James winced and passed the Snapple back to me.
I took it, wearing a strange, nervous grin, one I couldn’t really control.
One second, it was international blackmail and escapes to Peru. The next, we were huddled on the floor of the kitchen, two kids sharing a juice box.
“I’m sorry for the eloping story,” James said softly, leaning back against the refrigerator with a practiced sort of patience. “Under the circumstances, it seemed like the best option.”
“No, it’s okay,” I said quickly, shooting him a grateful look. “Actually, I’m glad you came up with it. Otherwise... Well, I don’t know where Nick and I would be.”
We sat in silence for the next few minutes, listening with vacant expressions as Nick and Mitchell’s argument began to wander decades into the past.
Finally, James let out a quiet sigh. “Abby, I’ve just got one question.”
“Yeah?”
“Do you happen to know where my plane is?”
Chapter 5
It didn’t take long for Mitchell to clear out of the brownstone after he and his son put the finishing touches on their epic argument. While most people would have simply stayed over, given that it was nearing four a.m., Nick’s father and Harold piled back into the waiting Town Car and disappeared into the night. Of course, that only took place after practically a blood oath; Nick and I would forcibly go to the Hamptons or face death.
“There’s an extra room,” Nick tried to entice once more, leaning against the doorframe as James swung a messenger bag over his shoulder. “You don’t have to take off in the middle of the night too.”
“With your father on the warpath? Yes, I really do.” He flashed Nick a grin and gave me a swift kiss on the cheek before jogging down the front porch steps, toward the empty street.
“How will you even find a hotel vacancy at this hour?” Nick called disapprovingly. “And you’re hoofing it! You don’t even have a car.”
“Don’t have my freaking plane either, do I?” James shot back. “No worries though. It’s New York. There are cabs-a-plenty.”
Nick folded his arms across his chest, glancing warily up and down the deserted street. “J, seriously, it’s four in the morning. You won’t catch a cab.” He gestured back inside to the foyer, where I was waiting and listening intently to their conversation. “Just stick around here for a few hours, get some sleep. When we wake up, I’ll drive you to the airstrip myself and—”
Before he could finish, a yellow taxi skidded out of nowhere, as if James had somehow mentally summoned it.
James flashed another grin over his shoulder, befor
e sliding inside. “Like I said, we’re in New York!”
After a screech of tires, a rev of the engine, and a flicker of brake lights, the darkness also swallowed him up.
Nick walked slowly back inside, closed the front door, and collapsed against it, releasing a tired sigh as he did so. He rubbed his hands over his eyes as I walked slowly up to meet him. “It’s about time this day is over.”
We showered quickly, swaying sleepily on the slick tile, before collapsing on the king-sized bed, not even bothering to fold down the expensive linens. Considering how terribly the day had started, it seemed to be ending relatively well. If nothing else, we were together again, in New York, and Mitchell had agreed to temporarily spare our lives. Nevertheless, there was no denying that the last twenty-four hours had taken a severe toll on everyone involved.
Nick turned off the lights, and a second later, the two of us were snuggling under the covers. His eyes snapped shut immediately, but I kept mine wide open, staring unblinkingly at the ceiling as my mind struggled to catch up with where my body had been.
How is it possible that just a few hours ago, I was on a beach in Peru? How is it possible that Nick flew all the way down there to find me? How is it even conceivable that despite all our drama, here we are, together again, in the same bed, falling asleep in each other’s arms?
“Nick,” I whispered into the darkness, “thank you for coming to get me.”
There was a beat of silence before a quiet voice answered mine. “No, thank you for getting on the plane.”
An unlikely smile lifted my lips as I nestled deeper into his arms. “How could I not? I love you.”
There was another pause, much longer than the previous one. Then a pair of soft lips brushed my forehead, and the naked man beside me said those heart-melting words for the first time: “I love you too.”
I felt my breath hitch in my chest, and it was as if every nerve in my body was suddenly on full alert, every hair standing on end as my mind made yet another demand: Tell him. You have to tell him...now!
I closed my eyes and opened my mouth, prepared to do exactly that, but the soft sound of Nick’s breath echoed in my ear, indicating that he was asleep already. Even as he rested, he clutched me to his chest like a little boy with his beloved teddy, his muscular, perfect body finally succumbing to the overwhelming exhaustion of the day.