Page 103 of Love Lessons
Her body relaxes suddenly. “You have no idea how happy I am to hear that. I had some therapy in college, and it was really helpful. I’m so glad your team cares enough about you to provide that.”
“They do care. And I’m going to stick with it. I’m also going to visit the kid who I hurt. I want to know how he’s doing.”
She squeezes my hand. “That sounds hard. Maybe harder than going to your ex’s wedding.”
“Well, the wedding turned out to be a piece of cake. I’ve avoided visiting the kid for a long time, but I’m ready now. I want to apologize. He might be really angry still, but I can take it. Ignoring the whole thing isn’t working for me.”
Vera puts her head against my chest. “I admire you. I don’t think I ever said that before, but it’s true. I admire your fearlessness.”
“Nobody is fearless all the time, contessa.” I stroke her hair. “I admire you, too, if you haven’t already figured that out.”
“I know it. Getting to know you has been educational for me. And not just sexually.” She lifts her eyes and smiles at me. “I thought we didn’t have anything in common. But I was counting the wrong things. It doesn’t matter if you hate shopping, and I hate beer. We both care a lot about our passions, even when the rest of the world tells us we’re wasting our time. That’s our shared value—resilience.”
“You are a smart girl.” I pull her into my lap once again. “And I’m feeling extra resilient tonight, if you take my meaning.” I shift my hand down her sleek body, my fingertips dragging slowly against the red fabric. “When we get home, I’m gonna help us both get past thelongweek we just had. And thehardtimes. I’m not good at waiting.”
“I noticed. Can you believe us back there? Against the door? When the bride and groom couldn’t get past us?” She lifts laughing eyes to mine.
“She called me inappropriate.” My lips twitch. “But it was just a kiss.”
“Justa kiss,” Vera repeats. “Only because she stopped us. That kiss was gathering steam and heading for hurricane category four.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Is that the highest category?”
“I think so,” she says. “Maybe there’s category five. But they’re rare.”
“Hold on. You think I’m not capable of a five?”
“Did I say that?” she yelps. “It’s not an insult to your manhood.”
“My feathers are ruffled,” I insist. “You’d better kiss me to make it better.” I tilt her chin upwards, bringing her rosebud mouth to mine.
And the kiss I give her is a category six. At least.
THIRTY-FIVE
Was That So Hard?
VERA
It only takesanother half an hour to get back to New York. We spend the whole time making out. And if the ride were any longer, we might’ve rechristened the backseat of this limo.
I’m practically on fire by the time the car turns down our street. “Whose place are we going to?” I ask between kisses.
“Mine,” he says firmly. “I want you in my bed.”
It’s hard to argue with that sentiment. Besides, the walk of shame to my house would only be a few steps away. It’s a point in Ian’s favor that I should have considered before now.
When the car stops, he’s all action—his jacket in one hand, me in the other. He opens the door and helps me onto the sidewalk before the driver can get there.
“Thank you, sir,” Ian says without a glance at the guy. “You have a nice day.”
As we trot toward Ian’s front steps, I notice his friend Patrick is sitting on the stoop, as if waiting for Ian.
Oh no. Doesn’t that man have better things to do than bother us right now?
Ian doesn’t even slow down. With my hand in his, he walks us right past his friend. “Sorry. Can’t chat now. Important business.”
If my face weren’t already flushed from all those kisses, it would be now.
