The Running Series Complete Collection: 3-Book Set plus Bonus Novella (14 page)

“Don’t you want to check that?” I ask him.

“Nope.  I definitely do not.”  He puts the phone away.  “Now, come here.”

As the yacht makes its way towards the tip of Manhattan, we sit together with our arms and legs entwined like pretzels.  I don’t even notice the magnificent skyline of New York City as we cruise past it. 

Oh, God, he smells so good.  He nibbles on my lower lip, and then our tongues continue their delicate dance.  I gently caress his broad shoulders, then run my hand up the back of his neck and twist my fingers in his hair.  He lets out a low moan of satisfaction as I gently pull on his hair.

He responds in kind by wrapping my hair around his hand, then slowly, gently pulling down causing me to lift my chin ever so slightly, opening up my neck to his hungry love bites.  My plunging neckline gives him more room to explore, and I arch my back just enough to invite him in. 

Eventually, our kisses slow and as I glance towards Manhattan, I see that we are nearing the Intrepid.  “Look, Evan, isn’t it big?” 

“Juliette, you have no idea!”  We just look at each other and burst out laughing.

A member of the crew comes to announce our dinner is being served in the cabin dining area.  Evan walks me to the table, holds out the chair for me, and offers to take my sweater.  I take a moment to appreciate the beautiful table setting before me.  The table is set for a romantic dinner for two.  A white tablecloth lines the table dramatically to the floor while white plates with red trim sit atop.  Resting on my plate is a solitary pink tulip with a simple card.

To Juliette – just because. ~Evan
 

I raise the flower to smell the sweet, light scent.  The deep pink color is stunning.  This man knows exactly how to get to a woman’s heart.

The waitress comes over to pour our drinks.  She begins to pour a white wine into a red crystal wine glass, but she speaks directly to Evan, “Tonight we will be serving miso-glazed salmon served on a bed of sesame scallion salad which is being paired with a crisp Riesling.”  After pouring my drink, she touches Evan on the shoulder as she pours into his glass.  She continues, speaking only to him.  “Is there anything else I can get you, sir?”

Evan looks at me and asks, “Juliette, is there anything else we need?”  Simple words with deeper meaning ... “we”.  God, I love the sound of it.  I shake my head and take a deep breath.  How can one word affect me so deeply?

I can’t blame the waitress for being momentarily blinded by Evan, he does look delicious tonight.  He’s wearing a salmon-colored untucked V-neck t-shirt and a very dark wash pair of jeans that hang low on his waist.  He has removed his leather jacket, revealing his smooth muscles and broad shoulders.

Evan asks me about my day at work.  I tell him about my first wedding gig for Marcus and Camilla.  He loves my idea about top shelf desserts.  Marcus has become one of my friends and I wonder if these two would get along.  How nice it would be for us all to hang out together, joking, laughing, enjoying ourselves. 

My last boyfriend David didn’t really get along with my friends.  He preferred it when we hung out with his friends or with no one at all.  Now, when I look back, I can see that he was isolating me and causing me to become dependent on him.  My friends were getting frustrated with me and started calling less and less.  That’s why when he was unfaithful to me, the pain was nearly unbearable.  I promised myself that I would never again become so reliant upon someone else for my own happiness. 

Flirty waitress returns to clear our plates.  Again, speaking only to Evan, she inquires, “Where would you like to enjoy your dessert tonight, sir?”  She brushes up against him as she clears our plates.  Why do I feel the sudden urge to scratch her eyes out?

“We’d like to sit out on the deck this evening.  Juliette, would you like more wine?”  I agree and the flirt fills both our glasses, then she excuses herself to prepare our dessert.

I’m feeling curious about Evan’s profession, so I press him for a little information.  “So Evan, how did you get involved in professional football?”

“I played football in High School and I got a scholarship to play for UMD.  I love everything about the game.”  He has a spark in his eyes when he talks about football.

“Isn’t it just a game? And a seriously violent one at that?  How can you be involved in a sport that is the cause for such serious physical injuries?”

“The players know what they are getting into when they sign up to play.  No one wants to get hurt, and we work very hard to protect our players.  But you have to understand.  Football is one of the most complicated games with complex tactical strategies.  You see, in every football play, two sets of eleven players must work together to achieve their goals. The success of any play is rarely dependent on a single player’s ability, but, instead, on the united coherence of the teammates on the field. In other words, every time the ball is snapped on a football field, the players are striving to create a more perfect union among themselves.  It’s really an honor to be a part of such an American institution.”

“What position did you play in college?”  I hope he names one of the few positions I know.

“I was a quarterback in college.”  I should have known.  “Do you have a favorite quarterback or football team, Juliette?  Be careful, the wrong answer here could be disastrous.”

“No, sorry.  Well, wait.  Actually, Peyton Manning is pretty cool.  I only know him from his appearances on Saturday Night Live.  He’s really funny.  Does he play for the Giants?”  I’m trying not to embarrass myself here.

“Right now, he’s playing for the Denver Broncos.  I thought you went to school in Denver.  How could you not know that?  His brother Eli is the Giants’ quarterback.”  He’s looking at me like I just grew another head. 

“You don’t have to make me feel bad, Evan.”

He walks over to me and helps me up to my feet.  He embraces me, and all is forgotten.  “I’m so sorry.  I’ve never met anyone like you.  Most of the women I’ve been with just wanted ... they were more interested ... I guess they were just drawn to the football lifestyle.”

“Well, I have a lot to learn about football.  That is, if you’re willing to teach me, of course.”  How naïve I must look and sound. 

“Juliette, I look forward to sharing all of that with you.  But for now, let’s go enjoy the night.”  He releases me from our embrace, gathers my sweater, and escorts me back out to the deck.

By the time we make it to the deck, we are approaching the unmistakable vision of the Brooklyn Bridge.  As we cruise under the bridge, I’m enjoying a view that I never imagined I would see in person.  And I’m watching it holding hands with a magnificent man.  How did I get so lucky?

Waiting for us is an enchanting table arrangement.  There’s a carafe of hot coffee and a delectable plating of Crème Brule with berries, kiwi, and a caramel sugar garnish.  We sit to enjoy our dessert, each other, and the breathtaking view.

It’s time I take the lead to let Evan know how I feel.  He’s been very open about his intentions and I need him to know that the feeling is more than mutual.

I lead him over to the deck chairs and push him back with as much force as is needed to get him to sit.  He looks up at me, confused.  Standing before him, I place my hands on his shoulders, and I straddle him, sitting on his lap face-to-face.  With abandon, I kiss him passionately.  He puts his hands around my waist and pulls me closer.  I crawl up into his lap and rest my head on his shoulder.  He holds me and gently caresses my back. 

For the next hour, we enjoy cuddling and kissing as we pass by the evening skyline of Manhattan after dusk.  This was, by far, the most romantic evening I could have ever imagined.

In the Blink of an Eye

W
e pull up to my house and the front porch light is on.  Auggie is home and I have so much to share with him.  Evan walks me to the front door and kisses me goodnight.  I am happy, truly happy.  My heart is singing like it never has before.

I close the door behind me and I stand with my back pressed against it, using it to hold myself up.  Slowly, I right myself and wander into the living room where Auggie is watching television.  He turns the T.V. off and gives me his full attention.

“Look at you, girl. You are a real knockout.  I bet you had him eating out of the palm of your hand!” 

“Oh, Auggie, you have no idea.  He took me on a yacht.  A real, honest-to-goodness yacht.  There was a crew, a waitress, a captain, and it was incredible.”  I lean back in the couch and give a heavy sigh.

“A yacht?  Seriously?  Is it his?” I shake my head.  “How much money does this boy have?” 

“Auggie, it’s not about the money and how much he spent tonight.  Honestly, I doubt it was that much, anyway.  Adam made the arrangements through one of his contacts.  You should be impressed that my boyfriend knows how to network.”

“Jette, did you just call Evan your boyfriend?  What happened on that boat?”

“One, it’s not a boat, it’s a yacht.  Two, he asked if he could call me his girlfriend.  And three, I said yes.”  I sit twirling my tulip in my hand while thinking about my new boyfriend.

“So when do I get to officially meet lover boy?”

“Soon, definitely.  But I have to work until closing tomorrow, so maybe Wednesday or Thursday?”  I’m so tired I can barely get the words out.  My eyelids feel like they weigh a hundred pounds.

“Sounds great.  That reminds me. Brandon and I are going into the city tomorrow and we’ll probably spend the night, so I won’t be home.  You don’t have to leave the light on for me.  You gonna be OK?  Maybe Evan can crash here tomorrow.”

“I don’t need a babysitter. I think I can handle spending another night alone in my own house.  But thanks for worrying about me.”  It’s time to call it a night.  “Night, Aug, love you.” 

“Right back at you, Jepetto.”  He turns the television back on and lowers the volume just enough.  I change into my sleepwear and send Evan a text.

T
he alarm goes off and I’m greeted by Imagine Dragons today. I shower and get dressed quickly so I can spend a few minutes with Maddy before I go.  I’ve decided to leave her home for today’s run.  I hope she understands.  I want to spend time with Evan and this may be my only chance today.  I’m meeting Emmy for lunch before we work tonight.  I haven’t worked with Emmy in a few days and we have a lot of catching up to do.

I drive straight to Evan’s and park my car in his driveway right beside his Porsche.  There are no other cars here, so I guess that means Adam is in his own place by now.

Walking up to the front porch, I’m momentarily immobilized.  Should I knock?  Ring the bell?  Walk right in?  No, I’m not going to make any assumptions by just letting myself in.  Knocking would be best.  Just in case he’s not the only one in the house, I wouldn’t want to wake anyone who might still be asleep. 

The door opens, revealing a shirtless Evan, my favorite kind.  “Good morning,” he whispers as he pulls me in for a familiar kiss and hug.  “Mmm, peppermint.  My new favorite.”  His nose is buried in my hair, which is still wet from this morning’s shower.  I take a moment to enjoy the closeness his embrace offers.  My face is resting on his warm and firm chest that smells delightfully clean and masculine.

“You ready?  Let me lock up and we can head out.”  He shuts and locks the front door, and then we walk out to the deck.  I stand at the railing admiring the view of the ocean while I wait for Evan to finish locking up and setting the alarm.  The sun has just finished rising and is casting a beautiful gold and orange hue across the sky.  There are numerous fishing boats making their way out to deeper waters to find their catch.