Breathe Out (Just Breathe, #2)(132)
“Goodnight, Joe.”
At one in the morning, I’m wide awake and unable to sleep. I get dressed and text Taylor that I’m going out for a late night walk. Five minutes later, he has the car in the front of the building and I’m getting in alone, leaving Sadie behind. Fifteen minutes later, I arrive to my destination and Anna greets me at the door. I knew there was a good chance she’d get my text and she confirmed that the desk contacted her upon my arrival.
Tip-toeing across the marble floor and up the stairs after my boots have been removed, the door to Joe’s bedroom opens effortlessly and soundlessly. He doesn’t move when I slink over the bed until my lips touch his.
“Hi,” he greets after taking a moment to realize that he’s not dreaming. “What are you doing here?”
“I can go,” I tease, pulling away.
“No,” he says with his voice getting louder as he pulls me into him. “Stay.” His warm lips seek out mine, playing as our tongues swirl. “How did you get in?”
“Anna,” I share. “I couldn’t sleep. You got me so turned on with all your sex talk.”
“Where’s Sadie?” he asks, looking around.
“Back at the rental,” I confess. “I didn’t want to risk her being seen or heard here.”
“You don’t plan on staying,” he comments disappointedly.
“I’m here, at least for a little bit,” I present.
Joe smiles, wrapping himself around me. The warmth of his body quickly takes the chill off of mine from being outside in the cold. The car didn’t have enough time to fully warm up before we got to Joe’s place. Once he has me undressed halfway, Joe gets up and heads to the bathroom to get a condom.
For the next hour or two, our naked bodies conduct our symphony of ecstasy and pleasure.
One Hundred
Jared, Maggie, Nathan and Sadie join me when I go back to New Jersey to see Mr. and Mrs. Nelson. This time, I feel more confident in my ability to stay calm and controlled while I’m there. The six of us relax in the kitchen, eating and chatting freely. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson share more stories about when I was young eagerly.
“Can we see it?” Nathan inquires.
“What?” I check.
“The house?” he explains.
A lump catches in my chest, making it hard to breathe.
“Maybe next time,” Jared offers.
“I’m not ready for that,” I admit, bowing my head.
“That’s understandable,” Maggie assures.
“Thanks,” I accept.
“Nothing’s changed,” Mr. Nelson reminds.
“I know,” I say nervously.
“Benjamin,” Mrs. Nelson scolds.
“What?” he defends.
“It’s okay, really,” I soothe.
Before leaving the neighborhood, Jared, Maggie, Nathan and I walk around — they want to see where I grew up.
“Do you remember anything?” Maggie questions.
“A little,” I answer honestly.
Pointing to a small park when we round the corner to the block, I mention, “That’s where I learned to ride a bike.”
“Cool,” Jared replies.
As we continue to walk, many things look like they’ve changed so much that my memories are foggy. The bitter chill in the air scares us away, pushing us back in the car to return to our families.
While everyone hides in their rooms to wrap gifts after dinner, I sit out in the living room with Sadie as I triple check everything for Raven Media. The programers finished everything two weeks ago and the servers are fully functional — we’re just waiting for the official release which will be taking place after the New Year.
The Covelli staff for each of their businesses are already using our cloud-based system and have been since just before Thanksgiving. They reported an increase in profits and practically every one of their hotels are completely reserved for the entire holiday season. They own over twenty hotels in New York alone and they’re booked solid at least four weeks after the upcoming fashion show season at the end of January. All of our clients who were receiving management services from Raven previously now have their own staff who are utilizing our system also.
Late in the evening, once everyone is off to bed, I make my way over to Joe’s. He greets me happily at the door, yanking me behind him as we rush off to his bedroom. We cuddle for a while before getting naked. As we lay snuggling, Joe seems a bit nervous. When I ask him what’s going on, he brushes it off until he can no longer hide his excitement.
“I got you something,” he confesses, reaching for something in his nightstand.
“What?!” I protest. “We agreed no gifts.”
“It’s just a little something,” he says, placing a small white box that is tied with a red ribbon in my hands.
My breathing becomes shallow, my palms begin to sweat and I find myself having trouble swallowing.
“It’s not what you think,” Joe reports with mixed emotions splashed across his face.
“How am I supposed to respond to that,” I say.
There are only a few things that come inside a box this size.
Realizing that I’m hesitant to open the gift, Joe does it for me. His fingers reach inside and my eyes close, not wanting to see. It takes a second or two before curiosity consumes the kitten. My eyes open to find Joe holding up a metal ring with two keys on it.