First Class to New York (18 page)

“A daughter,” whispered Janie.

“But to Suzanne, it wasn’t a baby; it was just the
thing
that would keep her tied to me, tied to the lifestyle she desperately wanted.”
Matt was bitter. “So it’s not that I hate kids, I actually like kids. I just won’t
have any. I decided that day that I wouldn’t be a part of any game using
innocent children as pawns.”

Janie’s heart ached for Matt.
How could someone be so
cruel?
She crawled up next to him and he lifted his arm and pulled her to
his side, her head resting on his chest. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered again.

“That was fifteen years ago. I’m over it now.”

No you’re not
, she thought.
Not even close!

They sat, cuddled together, saying nothing. The sky was
slowly darkening, sunset not far away. Janie listened to his heart beat and
drew circles on his leg, Matt resting his cheek on her hair.

*****

At some point, as the sun set, the intercom broke the
silence. Janie lifted her head, saddened that the moment had been interrupted. Matt
stood and walked to the door. Janie looked out at the lights appearing outside.

The thought had come to her that for all the money and power
Matt had, he was wounded, scarred, hurt badly on the inside. His exterior was
not cracked at all. He had learned to bury all the pain, to not let it show. But
she knew better.

Matt interrupted her thoughts, dinner having arrived. She
stood and wandered over to the dining table, where he was emptying brown paper
bags.

“I thought I’d have my first dinner party,” he grinned.

“I am honored to be your first guest,” she smiled, love
bubbling up through her making it impossible to deny how she felt.

“Hope you like Thai.”

“I love Thai food.”
I love you!

“Good! Let’s eat.”

Matt pulled the chair out for her and she sat and they ate
their food in comfortable silence.

*****

Janie insisted on cleaning up and doing the dishes. Matt
threw his hands up in defeat and left her to it. He pushed some buttons on a
remote control and ambient lighting came up and music wafted through the
apartment.

He walked back to the kitchen and leaned on the doorway,
watching Janie as she washed the few dishes in the sink. He watched her back, her
arms, her legs. She turned and he could see her profile. She was beautiful. She
was the whole package. She was everything he wanted in a woman, and he didn’t
know it until he’d met her.
How can I walk away? How can I let her walk
away? How can two weeks be enough? Because you told her two weeks was all there
was.

*****

Janie dried her hand on the dish towel and placed it back on
the hook and turned to see Matt watching her. She smiled and walked to him.

“I’ve never had a woman in my kitchen before.”

“What? Never?”

“Nope. You’re the first.” He wrapped his arms around her and
pulled her close. “Will you stay here tonight with me?”

Janie looked into his eyes and nodded. Her eyes dropped to
his mouth and she watched his tongue slowly lick across his bottom lip and
desire immediately swept over her. He lowered his head and his lips touched
hers ever so softly. He pulled away and Janie could see the desire in his eyes.

The words of the song playing in the background ran through
Janie’s head. ‘There is a darkness deep in you. A frightening magic I cling to.
Give me a chance to hold on.’

“I love Snow Patrol,” she said.

“Me too,” he whispered. And he lowered his head and kissed
her once more.

‘It's so clear now that you are all that I have. I have no
fear now you are all that I have.’ The words were everything she felt. She
wanted the ending credits of the movie to begin to roll so that she didn’t have
to bear the real ending; the ending coming in three days.

She poured everything she felt into the kiss, wanting to
leave nothing unsaid, at least not in words. Matt deepened the kiss and pulled
her even closer. She pushed her tongue into his mouth and savored his taste. He
responded in kind and the kiss turned hot and passionate and Janie found
herself aching for his touch. He pulled back, gasping for air, his eyes closed,
and leaned his head back on the wall behind him. Janie rested her head on his
chest.

She looked up and could see the lights flickering all around
outside. It was dark now and the city was now sparkling.

“And now I understand why you live here,” she said as she
pulled out of his embrace and walked to the windows. “Wow!”

“This is another way to appreciate the city at night,” he
drawled into her ear, coming to stand behind her.

He had retrieved the remote control and was dimming the
lights so it was all but dark in the apartment. Their faint reflection
disappeared in the windows and there stood the city.

“If we go back outside there is a great view of uptown.”

Janie grinned. “Would you take a picture of me out there?”

Matt chuckled, “Of course.”

Janie ran and grabbed her phone from her purse and followed
Matt to the glass door and out to the balcony and around the corner to
experience the spectacular view.

They laughed as he took dozens of pictures, and he pulled
his phone from his pocket and snapped one for himself. The wind had blown her
skirt up and she had laughed uncontrollably.

*****

Matt led her in from outside, her hand in his. It was still
dark in the apartment and Matt made no move to turn on any lights.

“There’s one more room I didn’t show you and it’s time to
show you now.”

Janie knew which room it was; it was his room, his bedroom.
They walked through the great room, past the grand piano and around the corner
to large wooden double doors. Matt opened one and walked in. Janie followed. It
was dark except it too had a wall of windows which allowed the twinkling lights
from outside to throw a soft glow over the room. Janie could make out the
massive bed straight ahead of them and she looked up at him. He was watching
her intently. She looked away, back to bedroom. It was huge. She assumed it was
the same size as the guestroom wing at the other end of the apartment. She
turned and saw the table next to her, a small lamp and several framed pictures.
It was too dark to see who or what was in them.

Her eyes travelled further into the room, toward the
windows. “Is that New Jersey?”

“It is.”

“Hmmm,” she said.

“What?”

“Well,” Janie began, “It just seems odd that the master
bedroom would have a view of, well…”

And then she saw it! Janie ran to the window and looked back
at Matt. “Is that?”

Matt grinned and nodded, but Janie couldn’t see him in the
dark.

“That’s the Statue of Liberty,” she breathed.

Janie was mesmerized at the sight. She couldn’t believe it. There
it was, off in the distance, as if lit up just for her. “Wow!”

Janie didn’t hear Matt walk up behind her. She didn’t see
his smile. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back to him. Her arms
rested on his and she leaned back into his body. He nuzzled her hair and she
closed her eyes, breathing him in. He kissed her on the neck and she leaned her
head to the side giving him silent permission to take all he wanted.

His hands pulled on her sweater and it dropped from her
shoulders. Janie wriggled out of it and tossed it aside. Matt’s hands cupped
her breasts and he kissed her shoulder and Janie shivered.

“Are you cold?”

“No. Matt?”

“Mmm?”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Matt stepped back and took off his jacket and tie and kicked
off each of his shoes. Janie turned to him but he grabbed her shoulders and
turned her back to the window.

“Stay there,” he ordered.

Janie could hear the rustle of his clothes and as he stepped
back in to her she felt the heat of his body before she felt his touch. He was
gloriously naked and Janie reached her arms behind her to try to pull him
closer. She heard him chuckle and he kissed her shoulder again.

“You taste divine,’ he whispered into her skin. His hands
ran up her arms and he grabbed the zipper at her back and slowly pulled it
down. He pushed the straps off her shoulders and it fell to the floor. She
stepped out of her sandals and stood in her bra and panties, Matt behind her
running his fingers across her skin.

The excitement was building so quickly and Janie’s breathing
became shallow. Matt unhooked her bra and drew it away from her body, exposing
her erect nipples. He drug the back of his fingers up her torso, along the
sides of her breasts and then in slow tortuous circles around and around.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he used his middle fingers of both
hands and ran them over her hardened flesh and Janie felt the desire building
in earnest. He pulled on her and twisted and sucked on her neck and she found
it difficult to breathe. His hands moved away and frustration filled Janie.
They moved down her sides to her hips and he hooked his thumbs in her panties
and pushed them down and down till they were at her knees. She stepped out of
them and flicked them off her foot and Matt was back at her neck, his hands
back on her nipples, pleasuring her till she was panting with heat and desire.
His right hand moved down over her belly and through her hair at her mound and
then parted her and found her clitoris, throbbing, waiting for his touch. He
caressed her softly and rhythmically till he could feel her hips pushing into
his hand, then he moved faster, with more pressure, his left hand still
twisting her nipple and his mouth and tongue on her neck.

He felt her come. He felt her body stiffen. He felt her
gasp. He felt her quiver. He felt her go weak. He leaned her forward, resting
her on the small desk in front of the window. He put on a condom and then
pushed her forward so her torso was flat on the desk. With his foot, he moved
her feet apart and then grabbed her hips and entered her.

She gasped.

“Good?” he asked.

“Good,” she whispered, “Perfect.”

And with that, Matt pulled out and entered her again.
Harder, stronger, faster he went and Janie grabbed the edge of the desk as he
thrusted into her over and over again. She felt him come. She felt his body
stiffen. She felt him gasp. She felt him quiver. And she felt him lay on her
back as he tried to catch his breath.

“I’ve wanted to do that since the carriage ride,” he panted.

*****

He had carried her to the bed, her body to limp to walk.
Matt had laughed at her lack of stamina and Janie had blushed.

“It’s been a very long time,” she admitted. Matt had brushed
her hair from her eyes and kissed her nose and said it had been for him too.

Janie scoffed, “I see the way women throw themselves at you.
I’m sure you are kept warm at night.”

Matt pulled back the comforter and climbed in next to Janie.
“Just because they offer, doesn’t mean I accept.”

Janie snorted.

“Well not
every
time.”

Matt pulled her close, cradling her with his body. He may
have had sex a lot but it had never been like this.
Not ever!
He stroked
her hair, Janie looking at the view.
No, not ever like this
, he thought.

He’d never told anyone but his mom what had happened with
Suzanne. Everyone knew that she’d miscarried and they had divorced soon after.
But the divorce was because of the lie, the deceit, the betrayal, not the
miscarriage. And he had shared all of that with Janie, the innocent widow from
Oregon.

It had taken him a long time to get back in the game, so to
speak, after Suzanne. And the only reason he had married Beth was because he
thought it would be better than being alone. He had been wrong. But at least
she had been upfront about looking for a rich man to snare. He had to give her
that.

And then came all of the meaningless sex. For years he had
conditioned himself that it was all he needed. But then this blue-eyed siren
had walked into him twice in the Portland airport and he could feel himself
fall, slowly at first, but falling all the same.

She’s not ready
, he told himself
. Her life is too complicated
,
he had convinced himself.

But I want her,
he silently screamed.

*****

Janie woke first. The bedside clock said 5:32. She could
feel Matt breathing beside her. They hadn’t moved all night. She was still
locked in his embrace.

How could this feel so perfect?
she asked herself.
Steeling her resolve, she told herself that she needed to enjoy all he could
offer for the next three days and then she had to leave. He was broken and he
wasn’t going to allow anyone in to help.

‘No strings, just enjoy our time together. And then when you
go home, there won’t be any awkwardness,’ he had said. ‘I will take you to the
airport and carry your two bags for you and say goodbye and we can still be
friends. And you can leave with no regrets.’

Janie desperately needed to pee, so she carefully extricated
herself from his arms and went in search of the bathroom. There was only one
door that she could see so she quietly opened it and was relieved to find it
was the en-suite bathroom. Closing the door, she felt for the light switch and
flipped it on. The masculine room was revealed, not a ‘woman’s touch’ in sight.
A massive shower was the focal point of the room. It had multiple shower heads
and a bench at one end. There was a free-standing tub next to the toilet, along
with double sinks, a giant mirror hung on the wall above.

Janie did what she needed to do and washed her hands in the
sink and reached for a towel. Unable to control the impulse, she pulled out the
top drawer of the vanity and glanced inside. There was a tube of toothpaste, a
couple of combs, a hair brush and some styling gel. Nothing incriminating. Pulling
out the next drawer down, she discovered some deodorant, some athlete’s foot
cream and some nail clippers.