“So you’ll take me there first?” My heart sings at the thought of visiting her hometown together. Knowing more about her makes me feel closer to her, and I need that more than anything.
“Yeah, I’d like you to come with me.” Her voice is sweet, not a trace of her usual dominance in it. “And after that, it’s up to you.”
“Hmmm... anywhere, huh?” I say with a dreamy look in my eyes. “How about Hawaii?”
“If you want.”
“Or the Seychelles?”
“We could go there.”
“Where do you want to live?” I ask. “I can’t imagine you’ve had any place you’ve called home over the past few years. Is there a place you’ve always wanted to live?”
She thinks about that for a moment and sighs. “Well... there was this place in Key West where I did a job, years ago. I rented a house close by. I really liked it there, so much so that I almost forgot I was there to work. The beach is beautiful, and it was the only place I ever regretted leaving.
“Sounds nice.” I hesitate, then decide to ask the question that’s been bugging me straight-out. “So you robbed a bank in Key West?”
“How do you know about the banks?” Blake looks up with a puzzled and somewhat worried look.
“I put two and two together, in New York. That was a bank, wasn’t it? In Midtown East? I just couldn’t figure out why you risked coming back to my room.” I cast my gaze over the roses. “But I think I get it now.” When my hand skims her cheek, I feel a tear. “You really care about me.”
She nods, then turns further to look into my eyes. For a moment, I see hesitation, but the words that come out are nothing but sincere. “I love you, Emily.”
I melt at her words and a lump settles in my throat. Never had I expected them to come from her, but something has broken her hard exterior and I can finally see through the armor. The earnest expression in her eyes brings tears to my own and I have to swallow hard before I can answer her. “I love you too, Blake,” I whisper, and kiss her softly. A warm glow spreads through me at the light touch of her lips and I know I need her in my life forever. This is not a fleeting thing, a moment of passion. It’s not about sex or exploring my fantasies and it’s not about escaping boredom or the need to break free from my mundane life. It’s about Blake, about us. I’m terrified and hopeful at the same time, because I know that as long as I’m with her, everything will be fine. Overwhelmed by feelings so intense that I couldn’t name them if I tried, I’m ready for whatever she has to offer. Pulling her closer, I whisper: “Let’s go to Key West.”
25
“You know you won’t need much more than a bikini, right?” Blake laughs at the four large suitcases I’ve packed. “Or you could just walk around naked, I’m fine with that too.”
“I know you are. But I need some clothes to wear at some point.” I roll my eyes and chuckle as we start loading my stuff into the trunk of my car. After three days in bed, it’s time to leave and I’m buzzing with excitement. Besides being all over each other, we’ve talked a lot and by now, I know more about her than I know about my friends or family. Her favorite music, food, places, her fears hopes and dreams, her childhood, her interests and she’s even told me a few things about her ‘side job’ as she calls it, and the six million dollars scattered over several of her bank accounts across the world. She also told me about her three months spent holed up in Salvador, Brazil. Apparently, it’s a great city to disappear in, with almost two million inhabitants. In return, I’ve answered all Blake’s questions and, although she doesn’t seem to agree, I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m terribly dull and need to do something about that. It’s time to live.
“Yes, you’re right. You probably do need some clothes for when I take you to dinner or out in our new boat.” She smiles as she pushes the last case on top of the others. “You told me you like boats, so we’ll get one. I think Emily is an excellent name for a boat, don’t you?”
“Really?” I grin as I wrap my arms around her, and she laughs as she pushes me against the car and leans into me. What starts out as an innocent kiss soon turns heated, and we pull apart breathless when one of my neighbors walks by. “I’d love that,” I whisper, and remove the red lipstick traces from her mouth.
I’ve been packing all day and the sun is low now. Fall has started but it’s still warm, and I wipe the sweat off my brow as I turn to look up at my apartment one last time. I won’t miss it; I won’t miss anything. Renting it out can be dealt with later, but right now, I just want to leave with her.
“Are you ready?” she asks. “Because I want to show you something before the sun goes down. I figured you might want to say goodbye to your city.”
“I’m intrigued. What is it?”
“You’ll have to wait and see so let me drive, I’ll take you there,” she says, playfully snatching the car keys from my hand.
After parking the car in downtown Phoenix, I’m surprised to find her leading me to the Chase Tower, the tallest skyscraper in Arizona. It’s the city’s pride and joy, but as it houses offices, I’ve never been up there.
“Come on, we have to hurry.” She takes my hand and we head for the North entrance, where I wait in the reception area as she talks to the security guard by the door. They seem to exchange jokes because I hear them laugh, and I wonder why she’s taking her time talking with him while she told me to rush. A little later, she’s back and nods toward the elevators.
“We can’t just go up there,” I whisper.
“You’re right, we’re not supposed to but we’re going up anyway.” She winks as she holds up a key card that she uses to call the elevator.
“Did you just steal that from him?” I ask, keeping my voice down.
“This is where magic comes in handy.”
“Magic? Pickpocketing you mean?”
“It’s all the same.” She shrugs as if what we’re doing is nothing. I suppose compared to robbing a bank it’s not a big deal, but I still feel uneasy as we get in and she presses the button for the thirty-eighth floor. “Don’t worry, we’re safe. I gave him the name of some mid-level manager who looks vaguely like me and said I forgot something upstairs. I noticed he was sports betting on his phone, so we talked about baseball while I removed the key card from his lanyard. He won’t be missing it for a while, he told me he’d just ordered a pizza.”
Despite my nerves, I laugh. “I’m impressed, seeing you in action first-hand. You’re good, it’s very sexy.”
“Oh yeah?” She inches closer and walks me back until I’m cornered, then presses her lips to mine. Her breath, her warmth, her body, her want that draws me in and the sexual energy that radiates between us; I’m aware of everything. I’m also aware of the security camera, but her mouth is impossible to resist, and I give in to her by parting my lips, inviting her in. Before I know it, my fingers are running through her hair and her hands are on my behind, pulling me against her hips with an urgent need. As always, the kiss turns heated and steals my breath and it is nearly impossible to stop I’m so crazy for her. The caress of her lips and her tongue makes me quiver and I let out a muttered curse of disappointment when the lift doors open.