“Is this real enough for you butterfly?” I piston, hold her close, and her eyes roll.
“Ah, ah… Perfect.” Short nails dig into the back of my neck, and she arches up.
High on one another, we dance and as our waves of passion grow to a tsunami, I pray the vanity holds.
“Babe.” Both her hips in my hand, I piston inside of her. Each thrust brings us higher.
As she crests, screams, and shudders, I join her and together we crash onto the heavenly shore.
Later, we find a hotel and have sex all day. We only pause to clean and order room service. In the shower, I finally admit my lack of faith.
“I thought we were through, babe.”
“Why would you think that? I love you.” Eyes bright, lips swollen from my kisses, she searches my eyes.
I keep my gaze glued to hers, so she understands how damn much I need her. “I was broken when you left me.”
“I didn’t leave you, Dean, I took a job… for a few short months. Tommy didn’t pay me. I was on the verge of losing everything.” Her soft hands cup my cheeks and hold me so I can’t look away.
“I want to take care of you.”Isn’t that what a man does? Am I wrong?
“Ditto.” Her one word cuts through all my macho bullshit, my world tilts and everything becomes clear. “I’m an idiot, right?”
“A sweet idiot who I love beyond all reason.”
“I love you too, Lia.” We dance the horizontal mambo some more, I sleep on the red eye home, and back in New York, my face hurts from grinning.
Chapter 30
Sky
“Happy Thanksgiving.” Inside the Train Station I place a bottle of Dom Perignon in Danni’s hand as her husband, owner, and bartender, takes my coat.
After kissing too many cheeks to count, I sip on a glass of wine, and lean against the bar. The Brennan’s extended family includes homeless folks from the neighborhood. The brothers have pushed square tables together to make five long rectangles. Sterno cans warm a buffet-style meal in front of the beer taps. Soon corks pop, everyone cheers, and the line for food grows out the door.
Adrian, our comic emcee, introduces me to his girlfriend, Essy, who I learn is a famous street artist. Halfway through my second flute of bubbly, Dean rushes to my side and hugs me to his navy JTTF jacket.
“Sorry I’m late.” Leaning over, his cold nose bumps mine and his holstered weapon digs into my chest, while we share a heated kiss.
Multiple cat-calls later, the newly-minted agent lifts my hand, we take a dramatic bow, and grab two plates.
As our bartender carves the turkey, my lover introduces me to the famous Drac who has his arm around a petite blond. I learn she is equally lethal on the internet. Jasper, who helped Charlie out, sits across from us, arm around his woman, but then Azi shares videos of her potty-mouthed African Grey.
“Fuck, dammit, dammit.” Elvis, her parrot, is freaking hysterical.
I never learned to follow more than one conversation at a time, but it’s fun to try, especially fortified by champagne.
Now that all the food is gone, and we’re nearly comatose, our host closes the bar. We waddle down the street to the Brennan building and on the ground floor, the group splits up. Some watch the football game on the giant-screen TV, and the rest of us talk, serve pie, and drink at the kitchenette countertop.
Soon, Danni plops down on a stool next to me and spreads her arms to encompass the lobby. “This whole space used to be a printing shop. After Dan bought it, he converted it into condos and gave one to every brother. We all live here, now.”
For a moment, a pang of loss hits my chest. If my dad hadn’t died or if my mom hadn’t left us, perhaps I’d have a family, too.
“It’s wonderful you all have each other.” Smiling, I hide my sadness but not well enough.
She pulls me into a warm hug. “Now, now, you’re one of us, too. I hope you won’t think I’m butting in, but a couple of private detectives who own a fast-growing business contacted me, looking for help.” She hands me their card. “No pressure.”
“Suds and Sam?” My face scrunches up. The name doesn’t exactly exude professionalism.
