All the Way (Romancing Manhattan 1)

Finally, after six hours in the air, we land and I bring my phone to life. I have two texts from Sasha and one from Finn, which I open first.

I’ve missed you. Do you mind coming straight to my place?

I grin and reply. I’ll see you soon. Just landed.

Rather than reply to Sasha’s texts, I call her while I wait for my luggage.

“Are you back?”

“Just landed. I’m waiting at baggage claim and then heading over to Finn’s. What’s up with you?”

“Oh, nothing.”

“Sasha, your text said, and I quote, I need you right now.”

“Well, I might need advice. About a man.”

“Really? Spill it. Who?”

“Fuck life,” she says with a sigh, referring to Jeremy. “I know, we said we don’t like him, but I might be starting to like him, and he asked me out on a date. Like, a real date, not just a hookup.”

“If you like him, you should go.”

“It’s not that easy,” she says, and I can hear the fear in her voice. “The hookups are working for us. No fuss, no muss. And now he wants to complicate it with dating? I mean, why does he have to do that?”

“Because he has feelings?” I suggest, and hear her snort in the phone. “I mean, I know he’s a man, and it’s a hookup, but you’re fucking incredible, Sash. What’s not to love?”

“Yes, I’m fabulous. But the point of the hookup is to not have any feelings that aren’t centered around an orgasm. I don’t have time to mix dating into it.”

“Then tell him no.” I pull my suitcase off the belt and walk toward the cab line. “Tell him you want to keep things as they are.”

“But that makes it awkward,” she replies, and then groans. “Why did he have to do this? I don’t want to find a new fuck life.”

“I think you’re overthinking this. Just tell him what you’re thinking and go from there.”

“Okay. What are you and Finn doing tonight, besides getting naked?”

“I don’t know, I’m too tired to make plans, so hopefully we will watch TV and then go to bed.”

“God, you sound old.”

“I feel old today. I’m tired. I’ll tell you all about it later. I have to hail a cab.”

“Okay. Talk to you later.”

I rattle off Finn’s address to the driver and climb in the backseat. It’s almost dark now, which surprises me, but then I realize that I just lost three hours with the time change. The drive is uneventful, and quicker than I expect. I pay the driver, and Finn’s doorman smiles as he opens the door for me.

“Hello, Miss Watson.”

“Hello, Doug. Thanks.”

He nods and I walk to the elevator.

I can’t wait to crash on Finn’s couch.

Or on Finn.

Once on Finn’s floor, I knock on his door, and he opens it, as if he was waiting on the other side.

“I missed you,” he says, pulling me inside and into his arms. Thank God. This is exactly what I needed.

“I missed you too.” I bury my nose in his neck and hold on tightly, breathing him in. “You smell good.”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m tired.” I pull back to look at him. “But I’m much better now that I’m here.”

“I’m glad. I have something to show you, if you’re up to it.”

“Do I have to go very far?”

“No, not very far.” He brushes his thumb over the apple of my cheek, and I’m pretty sure I’d go anywhere with him right now.

“Lead the way.”

He takes my hand and leads me to the back of his condo, presses a button, and an elevator door opens.

“I’ve never seen this before.”

“This leads to my rooftop,” he explains with a smile.

“You have a rooftop? Like, of your own?”

“Yes, I own it,” he says, and presses the up button. When the door opens, and he leads me out into the warm night, I stop and stare.

There are lights strung back and forth across the length of the space. Candles are lit, and there are red roses on every surface possible.

“That’s a lot of flowers,” I murmur, completely shell-shocked.

“I called the florist and asked for roses,” he explains, leading me to a seating area in the middle of the space. “When they asked me how many I wanted, I told them to send all of them. I had no idea it was quite this many.”

“They smell amazing.”

He smiles and guides me down on a plush chair, then sits in the chair next to me.

If he gets on one knee and pulls out a ring, I might throw up.

We’re not there yet.

He does lift a wrapped box off the table and offer it to me.

“This is for you.”

I look at him with so many questions swirling in my head, take the box, and stare down at it.

“This is a lot.”

“I missed you,” he repeats, and brushes my hair off of my cheek, hooking it behind my ear.