“You're wrong,” he finally spoke, clearing his throat.
“Excuse me?”
“I think you're probably the strongest person you've ever known.”
She blushed, and for once it wasn't because she was angry, or embarrassed, or ashamed. It was because he made her feel special. Because he was being sweet, which was a rarity.
Because I'm so in love with him, and he'll never know it.
“Yeah, but we're talking about you,” she teased. “You want all these amazing things, and maybe I don't know you as well as your father, but I know you well enough to know that no matter what life throws at you, you're going to get whatever you want. With or without his support. So if you want to become a trial lawyer, I say fuck him – go tear it up in a courtroom. Don't ... keep doing all these things just because he wants you to do them. Don't do them just so that stupid sign on the side of your office will be for your name instead of his. Get your own fucking building and know that the only name on it always belonged to you.”
Again, she seemed to have given him a lot to think about – Ari stayed sitting far back in his chair. The dim lighting made it hard to read his face, his reactions. He cleared his throat, and then his gaze shifted to look out the window. A couple was wandering through the garden below them, a woman in a long white dress, the skirt rippling in the breeze. The man took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.
“Your belief in me is somewhat surprising,” Ari finally spoke. “And very flattering. I appreciate it. I can see I still have several dragons to slay for you.”
Valentine's heart dropped, and not even for herself.
It dropped for him.
Because as awful as her life had been for the past five years, she'd never known the kind of pressures Ari did – she'd never been as restricted as him.
She felt sorry for him.
“Ari,” she sighed. “You don't have to do anything for me – you should want to do them for yourself.”
“What if I don't know what I want?”
“Then your life is even sadder than I thought it was,” she answered immediately. Thankfully, he didn't get angry. He barked out a laugh.
He thought she was joking.
“Oh, yes, my life is tragic. I had lunch with the mayor today, and now I'm having dinner with the sexiest woman in Chicago – people should weep for me.”
They really, really should, Ari. Because you have every chance for happiness, and you choose cynicism instead.
The bill was brought and Valentine didn't see it at all. She didn't think Ari even saw it – he just handed over his credit card, then signed the slip when it was brought back to him. When they were standing outside, waiting for valet to bring the car around, Valentine took several deep breaths, trying to think how best to initiate the next part of her plan. Thankfully, Ari gave her the perfect opportunity.
“What's next?” he asked, turning and wrapping his arms around her waist. “Home? Or are you ready to go back to the club yet? I spoke with Del the other day, they're organizing a water balloon fight.”
Valentine laughed. It did sound like fun. God, she was going to miss that place. She lifted her hands to his chest, smoothing them over the expensive material of his blazer, sliding her fingers up and down his lapels.
“No,” she finally answered just as his SUV was pulled up to the curb. “No, let's go to my house.”
His eyebrows shot up.
“Your house?”
“Yeah, there's something I need to do there.”
They got into the car. Valentine's nerves were through the room, but Ari didn't seem to notice. He drove with one hand on her thigh, silent some of the time, telling her about his day other times. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, soaking in his voice.
It was so good when it was really good, but when it was bad, it was the worst. I'll miss these hands and that voice, but I already miss myself even more. How long has it been since I've been ... just me? Just Valentine?
“Did you fall asleep?”
His fingers squeezed her thigh, then ran up to where it met her pelvic bone, and she opened her eyes. Her rickety old rental house was outside her window. Strange to think that in two weeks, she wouldn't be living there anymore. She'd hated it for most of the time she'd lived in it, but now she was almost sad to leave it.
Sad because I'm leaving it? Or sad because I don't know where I'm gonna go yet?
“Just thinking,” she breathed.
When his fingers started toying with the strap of her underwear, Valentine opened her door and lurched out of her seat. She moved fast, opening the back door and pulling out her backpack before he was even out of his seat. She dropped it to the ground, near the back tire, then turned to face him when he came around the bumper.
“How long is this going to take? It's freezing tonight,” he grumbled, tucking a thick scarf into his jacket. She put her hands on her hips and smirked up at him.
“You're such a baby. I'm not even wearing a jacket, and I'm not cold at all. New Yorkers are so much more hard core than Chicagans.”
“Chicagans? Chicagoans,” Ari corrected her, putting his hands over hers on her hips and pulling her close. “You may be more 'hard core', but at least we're smarter. Have I mentioned how much I love your dress?”
“I had a feeling you would,” she chuckled, then shivered when his hands smoothed their way up her body, pausing briefly on either side of her breasts before continuing on to cup her neck.
“I'll love it even more when it's in a ball in the corner of my bedroom.”
“Okay, first of all, that is basically the sleaziest pick-up line ever invented, and second of all, technically you don't have a bedroom, you have a -”
He kissed her so aggressively, she squeaked in shock as they fell back against the car. His tongue was in her mouth, overwhelming it, and his hands were skating back down her body. Squeezing her hips, fingers digging into flesh. Moving around to grope her ass.
Since her grandmother had died, they hadn't slept together once. He hadn't even acted like he'd wanted to – he'd given her space, respected her mourning period. She'd been impressed.
But now she could just feel how ... frustrated he was, as his entire body pressed against her. It felt good. Sex with Ari had always been better than anything ever had been, and they'd only gotten to have it twice since coming back into each others lives. So many missed opportunities to roll around with each other and play with each other and push each others buttons.
“I love this,” Valentine breathed, unwilling to say the words that were actually in her head. “I missed this.”
“Remember that,” he growled, then he nipped her neck sharply with his teeth. “Next time you think of running away.”
I will remember. I'll remember everything. And I'll miss all of it.
Valentine initiated the next kiss, clawing her fingers through his hair. Balling her hands into fists, gently pulling at the strands. He hadn't cut it in a while, so there was a lot to grab onto; she would miss it the most.
No, she would miss his lips. Overpowering her own and bringing her to her knees and turning her inside out. Or no, maybe his tongue – that's what she would miss, his tongue against her bottom lip. Dropping down her chest to trace along her cleavage.