Saying Goodbye, Part One (Passports and Promises Book 1) (5 page)

Max paid the bill and then stood to put on his jacket. He gave me a small kiss on the head. “For once, sweet Sam, it’s not your heart I’m worried about.”

CHAPTER FIVE

D
ylan picked me up promptly at seven. He had on dress pants that hugged his bottom and a soft shirt with the top few buttons open. His dark eyes lit up when he saw me.

I grinned, feeling very sexy and mature in a silver dress I’d borrowed from Bethany and high, strappy heels. What Dylan couldn’t see was I also had on black lace undies and a matching push up bra. The dress was low cut enough it showcased my boobs in their currently very pushed up position. I had a decent amount of cleavage, but tonight my cups literally overflowed. I looked voluptuous.

Dylan froze when he saw me. “Sam…” he began, then he put a hand to his chest and exhaled slowly. “I couldn’t breathe for a minute.”

I ducked my head as shyness overtook me. I’d gotten the reaction I hoped for, but sometimes Dylan was too intense, his gaze too honest and probing. Part of me wanted to hide. The other part, the bigger, braver part, embraced it. Reveled in it. That part made me saunter over to him, slide my hand up his chest and around his neck, and pull his head down for a slow, sultry kiss. When I stepped away, he looked dazed. He actually shook his head to clear it before reaching for my hand and bringing it to his lips.

“I have a surprise waiting for you. I think you’ll like it.”

The whole way to his apartment I bugged him about the surprise. “Is it animal, vegetable, or mineral?”

“All of the above.” He flashed me a grin. “No hints. You’ll see soon enough.”

I sat back in my seat with a huff, but I was just playing with him and he knew it.  “Is it cake? I hope it’s cake.”

“It might be cake.”

I shot him a smile. “I guessed it.”

He gave me a noncommittal shrug as he steered the car into a parking place. The doorman greeted us as we walked through the elegant foyer. The marble floors sparkled as soft music played in the background, and everything, from the subtle lighting to the velvet chairs, screamed “money.” Dylan probably didn’t hear it. He’d been around it his whole life, so I had to guess he was used to it.

In the elevator, he pulled me close and gave me a hot kiss. His lips lingered on my neck, and then dipped lower to kiss the soft skin of my exposed breasts. I arched against him, wanting his mouth everywhere, wanting him closer. The elevator ride proved way too short for any kind of serious make-out session. Dylan grabbed my hand and led me to his apartment.

The lights were dim, and my eyes went immediately to his dining room table. He’d covered it with a black tablecloth and set it with white plates and cloth napkins.  A bouquet of red roses sat in a vase in the center, surrounded by white candles.

“Oh.” I nearly melted on the floor like the wax from the candles. “This is the best surprise. Thank you, Dylan.”

He laughed. “This isn’t the surprise.”

He’d ordered a five-course meal from a local French restaurant and had it delivered. After pouring each of us a glass of champagne, he served the food, heating up each course in the kitchen. As he brought out the main course, he switched to red wine and my head got a little fuzzy. He watched me carefully, gently pushing the wine glass aside and handing me ice water. I sipped it gratefully. Getting drunk was not my goal tonight or the reason for this meal. I knew it and so did Dylan.

The grand finale was a decadent chocolate layer cake that made me groan. “This is so wonderful. Thank you, Dylan.”

His dark eyes stared into mine as he sipped the last of his wine. He pulled a small box out of his pocket and put it in front of me on the table. The box, imprinted in gold with the name of an expensive jewelry shop, made my heart stop.

I paused, my fork midway to my mouth. “What’s this?”

He gave me a crooked smile. “The steak was the animal, the salad the vegetable. This is the mineral.”

I put down my fork. “You got me a present?”

“Just open it, Sam.”

I opened the package with trembling hands. Inside was an elegant silver disc, hanging from a chain, inscribed with the words,
She walks in beauty, like the night.
Small stones, I suspected diamonds, sparkled next to the words like stars in a night sky.

Dylan watched me closely. “It’s my favorite poem, and it made me think of you.”

I swallowed hard. “Lord Byron.”

His face lit up. “You know it?”

“Yes. It’s my favorite, too.”

He came around the table I lifted my hair, allowing him to drape the necklace around my throat and clasp it. I walked over to a mirror to admire it, and he stood behind me, his eyes on the silver circle perched just above the valley between my breasts. 

“It’s beautiful, but you shouldn’t have. It isn’t my birthday.”

He turned me around to face him. “Life’s too short. Why wait for birthdays?”

“But I don’t have anything for you.”

He brushed my hair over my shoulder and caressed my jawline with his thumb. “You’re my gift, Sam. Everything I’ve ever wanted.”

I twined my arms around Dylan’s neck, pressing my lips against his. He groaned and opened his mouth to me, his tongue sending shivers of desire racing through my body. Soon my breathing turned erratic, my hands tangled in his hair.

He lifted his head, his face flushed, and traced the outline of my lips with his fingertip. “Sweet-like-honey Samantha Barnes. Are you sure this is what you want?”

I nodded, unable to speak, the prolonged anticipation almost unbearable. I’d wanted him for weeks. I couldn’t wait any longer.

He cradled my face in his hands and kissed the tip of my nose. “Close your eyes and count to one hundred. Slowly. Then come back to my room.”

I looked up at him and scowled. “Seriously?”

He grinned. “Humor me.”

“Fine.” I folded my arms across my chest and tapped my foot as I counted. “One, two, three…”

“In Japanese.”

I let out a huff. “
Ichi, ni, san, shi…”

I heard Dylan rushing back and forth, but had no idea what he was up to. I forced myself to count slowly. “
Ni-jyu, ni-jyu ichi, ni-jyu ni
…”

By thirty,
san-jyu
, I started thinking about the way he’d kissed me in the elevator, his lips lingering on my breasts. By fifty,
go-jyu
, I remembered the way I’d rocked against him this morning until we both came. By ninety,
kyu-jyu,
I imagined exactly what I’d do to him in ten more seconds. As soon as I hit one hundred,
hyaku,
I opened my eyes and followed a trail of red rose petals down the hall to Dylan’s bedroom.

He stood in the middle of the room, a rose in his hands. Candles provided the only light in the room. Dylan’s face, contorted by the shadows of the flickering candles, looked odd at first, like the face of a stranger.

He prowled toward me, his feet silent on the plush carpet, reminding me of a black jaguar in the jungle. His steps were slow, measured, his eyes locked on mine. My heart hammered in my chest and I found it hard to breathe. Rose petals covered the floor and the black comforter on his bed, but I could only look at Dylan.

He handed me the rose and I took it, crying out as a thorn pricked my skin. His face changed immediately from polished seducer to awkward boyfriend. He threw the rose aside, watching as blood pearled on my finger.

“Sorry, Sam.
That
was smooth.”

He took my finger into his mouth, sucking on it. I felt the pull of his lips deep inside my body, all the way down to the area right between my legs.

“It’s okay. Really.”

My voice sounded odd, even to my own ears. Dylan’s eyes fixed on mine. My finger was still locked in the sweet warmth of his mouth, and he used his velvet tongue to gently caress me. I stared at him, mesmerized, until he finally released my finger and captured my mouth a slow, passionate kiss.

“You like that, don’t you, Sam? My sweet, kinky girl. I wonder what else you like. I guess we’ll have to find out.”

I tasted the metallic tinge of my own blood on his tongue, and teetered on a cliff somewhere between apprehension and desire. He sounded like he was back in charge again, and I didn’t know how I felt about it. I ran my fingers through his hair, trying to push the bad feelings aside. It worked. Soon, all I could think about were his lips and the hardness of him as he pressed against me.

He pulled back and inspected my finger. “No lasting damage?”

I shook my head, too wound up to speak. He watched my face with a satisfied gleam in his eyes.

“Good.”

He ran his fingers slowly down the side of my neck and over my shoulder, studying me closely the whole time. Then he followed the same path with his lips, kissing me softly. Worshiping my skin. He pushed down my dress, revealing the soft swell of my breasts. With the dress hanging off my shoulders, most of my chest was already exposed to him, but it wasn’t enough.

“I need to get you out of this.”

I couldn’t have agreed more. I put my hands behind my back, trying to reach for the zipper, but he stopped me, turning me gently with his warm hands.

“Let me do it.”

He unzipped me slowly, his lips pressing against each inch of exposed skin. He let the top of the dress fall forward, the bottom half barely clinging by my hips, and pushed my hair aside to kiss the curve of my neck. He slid his hands around my waist, his front pressing against my back, and cupped my breasts in his hands.

“Oh, God, Sam. You feel so nice.”

I laughed, a strange, shaky sound.  “You feel pretty good, too.”

He pushed my dress down to the floor, leaving me exposed in front of him, wearing nothing but black lace and high heels. My breasts moved up and down, nearly popping out of my strapless bra as I tried to catch my breath. All he’d basically done was look at me, and I panted like I’d run a race.

“You are so fucking beautiful. Do you realize that?”

I bit my lip. “Stop looking and take off your clothes, Dylan.”

He grinned and began unbuttoning his shirt. “Your wish is my command.”

Dylan’s body, the perfect mix of hard angles and smooth muscles, had been the object of many of my fantasies over the last few weeks. The reality proved so much better than my imagination. I hadn’t realized he’d have a sprinkling of dark hair leading in a trail straight down to his boxers. I didn’t know he had a birthmark at the bottom of his rib cage. Now I had an almost overwhelming desire to kiss that birthmark, over and over again, but Dylan had other ideas as he guided me to the bed.

“Sit down, Sam.”

His voice, a raspy purr, sent shivers across my skin. I perched on the edge of the bed, and the shivers increased when he lifted my legs one at a time so he could unstrap my shoes. Then he removed my undies and unhooked my bra, kneeling to caress my breasts and worship them with his mouth. I watched him, mesmerized. When he stood and let his boxers drop to the floor, I couldn’t tear my eyes away.

“Please, Dylan.”

“What do you want, Sam?”

“You. Just you. I can’t wait anymore.”

He grabbed a condom from the bedside table and put it on, his muscles tense. I opened my legs to him and he nestled between my thighs. When he thrust inside me, I gasped and grabbed onto his hips. He filled me so fully I became a creature of pure desire, my body taut as I rose up to meet every thrust. All I could think about was Dylan and the pressure between my legs, and we danced closer and closer toward release.

When I came, it shattered me. I actually saw stars, something I’d read about but never experienced, bright flashes of pure white light shooting behind my eyelids. Dylan followed closely behind me; shouting out his release like it was a wild animal that had been caged deep inside him for too long.

Afterwards, as he pulled the covers over me and held me close, rose petals flew like leaves in a tempest. I grabbed one, rubbing my fingers over its velvety softness and bringing it to my nose to catch the last whiff of its sweet scent.

CHAPTER SIX

I
woke up wrapped in Dylan’s strong arms. He grinned at me as soon as I opened my eyes, a lazy, playful grin. A cat-that-ate-the-cream sort of smile.

I ran my hands up and down his naked back and gave him a sleepy kiss. “Mmmmm. Good morning, Mr. Hunter.”

“A lovely morning indeed, Miss Barnes.” He pushed my hair away from my face to stare into my eyes. “What are we going to do today?”

I stroked his scruffy cheek. “
We
aren’t doing anything.
I
have to get ready for the Theta function tonight. I’m on the committee.”

“Do you have to?” He kissed my fingers one by one. “We could go to the Sig party together.”

“I can’t. Mary Grace and the entire recruitment committee would skin me alive. Have you seen Mary Grace? She’s a little blond tyrant dressed in pink.”

I shot a glance at the clock and slid out of his bed. He grumbled and tried to pull me back in, but I grabbed a sheet to cover myself and giggled as I walked to the bathroom. Dylan’s eyes were on me the whole time. He wasn’t happy about the situation.

“At least let me make you breakfast.”

I gave him a wink and dropped the sheet. “Or you could shower with me instead.”

He didn’t need a second invitation. He jumped out of the bed and sprinted across the room, pulling me into the shower. I squealed as the cold water hit me. He blocked the spray with his own body, moving away only once it had heated up.

I grabbed the soap and gave him a very saucy smile. “You’ve been a dirty boy, Dylan.”

I lathered my hands and ran my fingers over his chest. The feeling of his soapy, sexy skin was an immediate turn on. I leaned close and rubbed against him, enjoying his gasp of pleasure when my nipples touched his chest. He lifted me, my back against the wall, and I wrapped my legs around him as he entered me. I clung to him, holding him around the neck as he thrust slowly in and out. It was the most exquisite kind of torture. When we came, we came together, with an intensity that shocked both of us. Dylan’s knees wobbled and he sank down to sit in the tub while still inside me. He nestled his face in the curve of my neck and kissed me until our hearts stopped finally racing.

“We didn’t use a condom.” His words, muffled by the sound of the shower, had just an edge to panic to them.

I didn’t tell him I was on the pill, my own personal safety net. I figured out early on if guys knew I was on the pill, they thought it meant they didn’t need to use condoms. Since the pill was not one hundred percent reliable, and didn’t keep you safe from a bunch of nasty diseases, I preferred to use both.

Will had given me a little attitude about it. I didn’t want to have the same issues with Dylan. I never told Rob or Max I was on it. I decided not to tell Dylan either. Instead, I stroked his head and kissed him softly.

“This is my safe time of the month.”

He looked up at me, the water streaming down his face.  “Is there such a thing?”

“My period is due any day. It’ll be okay.”

We stood up and finished showering. Dylan went to make breakfast, and I dug around in his bathroom for a hairbrush. My hair was a tangled mess and I knew it would eat Dylan’s comb alive. I opened his medicine cabinet and stepped back in surprise. The entire thing was filled with prescription bottles, all with Dylan’s name on them.

I picked one up with a shaky hand, and then another. I didn’t recognize the names of anything in his cupboard. A sharp stab of worry pierced my heart. Even my grandmother didn’t take this much medicine and she had every ailment known to man.

“Hurry up, Sam. Breakfast is almost ready.” Dylan’s voice came from the kitchen, startling me. I closed the door to the medicine cabinet quietly and stared at my reflection in the mirror. Something was wrong with Dylan. Something was very wrong. But I didn’t know how to even bring it up.

“I’ll be there in just a second.”

I combed my hair as best I could and pulled it up into a messy bun. I’d borrowed one of Dylan’s t-shirts and a pair of sweats. I had to roll up the sleeves of the shirt and the waistband of the pants several times in order to walk.

He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my shoulder when I came into the kitchen. “That was possibly the best shower I’ve ever taken.”

I giggled and slid into a chair, but couldn’t quite meet his eyes. He put a plate in front of me and watched me closely. Dylan had a sort of radar sense when it came to my moods.

“Are you okay?”

I nodded, taking a bite of the scrambled eggs and toast he’d set in front of me. “I just have a lot to do today.”

He poured me some coffee and I gave him a grateful smile, pushing the image of the pill bottles from my mind. I wasn’t ready to ask him about them yet. Part of me just didn’t want to know, but I wondered if all those pills were somehow connected to his absence last year. It was a lot to process.

Dylan dropped me off at the Theta house. I gave him a quick kiss and promised to meet him for breakfast the next morning. As I jogged to the house, I had to hold his sweats up with one hand as I clutched my dress over my arm with the other.

I looked ridiculous in heels and sweats, but lucked out and no one saw me. Most of the girls were already decorating for the party, so I avoided any uncomfortable questions. I changed my clothes quickly and ran down to help.

I was so busy I barely had the chance to think about Dylan all day. A few times I paused, remembering what we’d done with a loopy smile on my face, but Mary Grace usually snapped me out of it by barking a command. We had little time and a lot to accomplish, and although the pill bottles worried me, I convinced myself Dylan was fine and probably had a very good explanation for it. Instead, I focused on creating a fall fantasyland out of fake flowers and leaves in shades of gold, orange, and red. Before I knew it, it was time to get dressed up again and face the masses.

The party was a roaring success. We had a record number of girls interested in joining this year, and the Theta house was filled to the brim. As a member of the recruitment committee, I had my hands full.

Joining a sorority was nothing like rushing a frat. It involved dresses and tea, not beer. Never beer. No alcoholic drinks were served at all, in fact. The girls perched eagerly on their chairs, eyes wide and makeup perfect, as our president, Mary Grace, extolled the virtues of being a Theta. Then we had a formal meal in the dining area of the house. We’d spent most of the day decorating with twinkle lights and fall colors, and the effect was magical. Later, at the social, we mingled and chatted. I took notes regarding which girls fit the Theta mold and which didn’t. Mary Grace snuck a peek at my notes and snorted.

“Sam. We can’t let every single girl in.”

I twisted my pencil in my hand. “I know, but they all seem so nice. And eager.”

She raised a perfectly arched blond eyebrow at me. “Being a Theta isn’t just about being nice. We have an image, and it has to be upheld. Speaking of which, where is Gabriela? She’s supposed to help tonight.”

“She was just here.” I looked around with a worried frown. I hadn’t seen her since dinner. I snuck a glance at my watch. It was after midnight. “I haven’t seen Bethany in a while either.”

Mary Grace sighed. “I guess it’s just us, then. It’s going to be a long night. Put on your comfiest clothes and meet me back down here in twenty minutes. We have to send out the first round of bids tomorrow.”

I checked my phone on the way up to my room. Dylan had called several times, but hadn’t left a message. Bethany and Gabriela had both texted me. Bethany apologized for leaving me alone with Mary Grace, even though she wasn’t even on the committee. Gabriela encouraged me to leave, mostly using emoticons. Gabriela was fluent in what might be the texting form of hieroglyphics.

I sighed and tossed my phone on the bed. I’d have to deal with Mary Grace and all the bids on my own. I pulled on some yoga pants, stuck my hair into a ponytail, and sped down the steps. I didn’t want to keep Mary Grace waiting, and after hanging fall leaves and twinkle lights all day, I was exhausted. Finishing up quickly would send me back to my warm, soft bed sooner rather than later.

We sat in the conference room, munching on leftover snacks from the party and going over the list of PNM, Potential New Members. The other sisters had already turned in their nominations, and left notes about each candidate. It didn’t take as long as I’d expected. I didn’t want to leave anyone out, but Mary Grace had a ruthless streak. She also selectively ignored chapter rules about not saying anything negative about any of the girls, which seemed odd considering she should set the standard as president. I decided we were both too tired to be overly concerned about rules at the moment. We wanted to get done and go to bed. Mary Grace’s eyes scanned the papers in front of her as she divided the applications into piles.

“She’s a moron. No.” She reached for page after page. “Too slutty. Too chatty. Too…annoying.”

I laughed out loud at that one. “What are we looking for exactly?”

She sighed. “People you can stand being around on a daily basis for the next few years or your life. Think about it, Sam. Would you want to have to deal with
this
for the next two years?”

She held up the application and I looked at the photo, remembering how that particular girl had interrupted others repeatedly during dinner and bragged about her father’s business.

“You’re right. Too annoying. But I liked this girl.”

I held up a photo of a girl named Emma. Tiny, with curly blond hair and big blue eyes, she’d been sweet and friendly and really funny, too. And she was a Japanese major. We’d clicked instantly.

Mary Grace’s eyes lit up. “Emma Turner Tinsdale. Exactly. She’s the kind of girl we’re looking for. Now you’re catching on. Nice job, Sam.”

After that, it became easier. There were several legacies, most of them really nice. We finished their applications first, and all of them got a bid. Then it was just a matter of figuring out which girls definitely showed Theta potential. We filled our quota for early bids in only a few hours. 

“I’ll hand these off to Candace tomorrow, and she’ll notify the girls right away,” said Mary Grace. Candace was our secretary, and very on the ball. 

I stood up and stretched. “Thanks, Mary Grace. That proved to be a lot less painful than anticipated.”

She laughed, and then her face grew serious. “I’m going to have to give Gabriela demerits for this.”

“I know.”

She stood and put the applications into separate folders, one for the girls who would get bids tomorrow and respond with squeals and a lot of jumping up and down. The other for the girls who would cry and pout and immediately start focusing on another sorority, something they really should have done in the first place.

I helped her shut off the lights, and was about to climb the staircase, but she stopped me in the foyer. “I’m planning to nominate you for president next year.”

I almost tripped over my own feet. “But I’ll only be a junior.”

“There aren’t a lot of girls who exemplify what it is to be a Theta, and there are certainly none of them in this year’s junior class.”

I thought about the sisters who were a year older than me. They were definitely a bunch of partiers, and several were on academic probation, meaning they couldn’t run for office or attend Theta functions. Mary Grace was in a pickle.

“I’m studying abroad next semester…” I began.

“Another thing in your favor. I’ve thought about this long and hard. You’ll be an excellent president, Sam, and I know everyone else will agree with me.”

I smiled and shook my head as I climbed the steps. Getting a vote of confidence from Mary Grace came as a welcome surprise. I never thought she really liked me very much. This was an honor, and Mary Grace was right. I would be an excellent president. I just didn’t think it would happen so soon. If elected, I’d be the first junior chosen as president in our chapter’s one-hundred-year history. I couldn’t have asked for a better thing to put on my resume.

I brushed my teeth and climbed into bed. I’d just fallen asleep, when my phone rang, startling me. At first I couldn’t find it, and had to turn on the light. It had gotten tangled in my covers. I answered it just before it went to voice mail.

“Where are you?” Dylan’s voice was strange and cold. 

“In my bed.” I looked at the clock on my nightstand. “Why are you calling me at three in the morning?”

“Are you alone?”

His voice had gone from cold to outright hostile. I wanted to hang up on him, but instead I crawled back into bed, my phone cradled against my ear.

“Of course, I’m alone. What are you talking about?”

“You went out with Max yesterday.”

“I had a coffee with Max. I didn’t ‘go out’ with Max.”

“Why are you meeting him for coffee?”

I didn’t like how this conversation was going. “Not that it’s any of your business, but I wanted to tell him about us before someone else did.”