“Thanks. By the way, my takeaway from this conversation is that I’m allowed to always insist on paying.”
I laugh.
Our food arrives, two big bowls of ramen with mushrooms, bamboo shoots, corn, and countless other tasty bits. I know Clay is going to object, so I go ahead and dump the pickled things and other special sides into his bowl for him, confident that he’ll love the flavors.
He tilts the bowl up to his mouth to try the steaming broth first, grunting with satisfaction.
I stir my dish together with my chopsticks as I smile. When I finally go at the noodles, I make sure to slurp for Clay’s satisfaction.
We focus on eating and making little satisfied noises for a while.
Clay stops and watches me as I devour, which adds a whole new depth to the satisfaction of the good meal.
“This whole damn town,” he says, lowering his voice under the noise of the restaurant. “Niagara Falls. It’s nothing but that hearts and flowers stuff you love.”
I laugh, knowing that he means it teasingly, only kindness behind his words. “That’s right.”
He glances at another couple, kissing over their table, and shakes his head.
“Half of it I still don’t understand. But you’re helping me to appreciate something.”
“What’s that?”
He leans forward just slightly more. “How good and horny it makes me to eat a full meal and feed someone else, knowing thewhole time that I’m going to blow your mind in bed later. And you know what’s really fucked up?”
I swallow, my heart racing to hear the words in public. “What’s that?”
His gaze turns to steel. “Everyone here can look at us and know exactly what we’re doing. A part of me might even like that.”
Oh hell. I am coming totally undone. I squeeze my thighs together, struggling not to whimper.
We promised we were going to make full use of the last of our time together, and Clay clearly meant every word of it.
I take a drink from my sweet cocktail, steadying myself, and eye him playfully.
“They don’t know everything,” I tell him, risking some dirty talk in a hushed voice. “I’m the only one who knows what your mouth feels like between my cheeks. And how hard you get when you suck me. And we’re definitely the only ones who know that you’re going to fuck me for the first time tonight.”
He groans under his breath and slurps up some more noodles. “Fuck, Nicky. You’re going to make me break my promise.”
“Your promise?”
“I told myself I need to take you to the waterfalls before I drag you to the hotel. But if you’re going to talk like that, I don’t think I can take the wait.”
Heat pools through me. “Oh no,” I tell him. “You’re taking me to those waterfalls.”
We go on like that through the rest of the dinner, teasing each other and touching and generally just acting like a couple on a honeymoon date. We don’t get any particular attention from everyone else, and no one seems to really notice us when we walk down to the waterfalls, either, but that’s perfect.It definitely makes it easier for Clay to enjoy himself, and I appreciate that he’s relaxing, even around other people.
The thrill of hiding a secret is gone, and a different one appears.
I take his hand. “Not for any experiment,” I tell him. “I just want to hold your hand. Is that okay?”
He squeezes my hand. “Sure.”
Even this little indulgence tears me apart, reminding me that he’s leaving. But what if this is my only chance to walk down the street with Clay and hold his hand? I need to feel what it’s like. For me.
He moves beside me, complimenting my rhythm. We weave with the flow of people and walk toward the sound of the rushing water.
The falls appear in front of us, a curved cliff with gorgeous rivers tumbling down its green, verdant sides.
