Page 102 of The Sun and Her Star

“This is amazing,” I tell her.

“Thank you.” Her eyes make a proud sweep around the room.

She smiles and gives me an appraising look. “You don’t look half bad for someone who’s been awake since 3:30 this morning.”

“Oh, that’s because I went back to sleep. Don’t you know who I am? I don’trollout of bed until noon.” I wink and pop the collar of my shirt.

She blushes and it’s fucking pretty.

“I’m sorry about that. God, that was so rude of me.” She presses a hand to her forehead in dismay. “It’s not an excuse, but I was tired and anxious. I mean, I didn’t expect you to get the text right away, but I know you don’t sleep until noon.” She looks up at me through her lashes and smiles hesitantly. “And I’m babbling.”

“I don’t mind. I’ve got all day,” I tell her.

“So do I, actually. I don’t have any more meetings and when I couldn’t go back to sleep, I went to the gallery and got most of my work done before the sun came up. So, I’m calling it quits for the day.”

“Are you saying you’ll spend the day with me?” I raise a teasing eyebrow and she grins.

“I’m saying, Ican.”She sets her mouth in a stern frown. “Ifyou can refrain from being your naturally nosy, annoying self during lunch, I’ll consider it.”

“Nosy and annoying? Me? Since when have you started projecting your faults onto other people?”

She jabs me in the ribs and says, “We haven’t even gotten to the restaurant and I’m already feeling like I’m going to suddenly realize I have an appointment right after lunch.”

“Oof,” I grab my chest and stumble. “You wound me. I’m going to be on best behavior. I prom—you’ll see,” I say with a wink.

“I’ll see,” she says imperiously and heads out of the store without another word. I stand and admire her back for a few minutes. That long ponytail swings like it can read my mind and is daring me to reach out and wrap it around my fist.

Her jacket falls as if it knows I’d need to be able to see her ass. It’s fucking amazing. Me and the guys call those kinds of asses onions. They make you cry just looking at ‘em. Her thighs and legs look incredible in her hip hugging black pencil skirt and black tights that have a sexy ass seam running up the back of her calves. And her black high heeled booties were made to dig into my ass while I’m fucking her.

I know I’m being every shade of perverted. Butshit.I can’t help it. Shedoesit for me. Besides, having a boner for the very best human being I know has got to be at the top of the list of best problems to have.

Especially when she’s got a boner for me, too. Now, to get her to acknowledge and then act on it.

When she gets to the front doors and finally realizes I’m not behind her, she looks over her shoulder at me, and her smile is a definitecome hither.

“What are you looking at, Grahamstar?” she asks in mock censure.

I wet my lips with the tip of my tongue before I bite it. Her eyes fall to my mouth and her beautiful chocolate-brown eyes—that I could just drown in—give me an appreciative once-over.

Oh yeah, she’s got a boner for me.

“I’m just marveling at how much you have grown since I saw you last.” I catch up to her at the door and hold it open while she steps through.

Her spicy, alluring scent wafts up my nose, and I want to bury my nose in her neck and see what it smells like mingled with her sweat.

“Have I? You have too, but I guess five years is a long time,” she says when I join her on the sidewalk. She slips her arm through mine and says, “Do you have a car?”

“No, I took the train.”

“And you made it without being attacked by one of your rabid fangirls?” she asks sarcastically. We step out of the way and let fast food traffic pass before we start our leisurely stroll again.

“You’re hilarious. Actually, only one person recognized me, and he just waved. It’s nice to not really be noticed.”

“Oh, you’re noticed. I’m sure people have posted the pictures they took while you weren’t looking. New Yorkers are too cool to act starstruck when they see someone famous, but they’re not too cool to tweet about it.”

“Well, I don’t mind that. I mean, I’m not in hiding. And I like not having to go everywhere in a car. I was actually thinking of getting a bike. It seems like the best way to get around.” I free my arm from her grasp and sling it over her shoulder and pull her to me and she tucks herself into my side. Her arm goes around my waist right away and we walk in silence for a bit.

This feels easy. Just like we’ve always been. I have a lot to say today and some of it will be difficult. So, I enjoy how good it feels to have her arms around me like we’ve been doing this our whole lives. I already feel brighter, happier. And, I really like New York.

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