Page 30 of Air Affair

“How would you feel about a bit of trespassing?”

Her eyes widened in obvious delight. “Oh, that sounds perfect. What’s the plan?”

“Allow me to introduce my friend, Walter. Walter, this is Rory. Rory, this is Walter. He’s going to be our guide this evening.”

Walter turned bright red and looked ready to fall over if a breeze hit him wrong.

“Very nice to meet you, Walter.”

“You too, my lady… I mean miss… I mean…”

“Call me Rory,” she said with a smile.

Rory turned to look at Hank, her eyes filled with amusement. It was all Hank could do to refrain from kissing her senseless on the spot. He picked up his satchel, filled with provisions for the evening.

“Walter, will you lead the way?”

Showing them into the building, Walter took them up the elevators. On the twenty-second floor, Walter opened the door to a warren of offices with a sign that said, “U.S. Realty.” He led them over to an office on the side and opened a window, putting a wooden chair just beneath it.

“Climb out through here,” Walter whispered, even though there was no one around to hear them. “I’ll be back in two hours to escort you back out. Don’t touch anything in here or I’ll lose my job. Bathrooms are just off the stairs one floor down if you need them. Stairs are over there,” he said pointing. With that, he departed.

“Let me climb out first, and I’ll help you,” Hank said, stepping onto the chair and out through the window. There was a bit of a drop, as he landed on the thin strip of roof between the outer wall and the parapet. He turned just in time to catch Rory as she climbed out the window with remarkable grace. He stifled a groan as her body slid against his.

Unable to contain himself anymore, he kissed her hungrily, and she responded with equal fervor. Her kiss was all sweetness and sin, her lips parting to invite him in, then sucking gently on his tongue, causing other parts of his anatomy to jump to life. Some distant part of his mind reminded him how impossible this all was, how she lived in an entirely different world than him. Just as quickly, he dismissed it.

He couldn’t stand this torture for very long. He needed more of her, and tonight, he intended to have it—not everything, but enough for them to slake their thirst for each other. After that, they would go back to their separate lives, and she would marry some wealthy scion of a venerable family. And he, if he survived his job, would marry someone like Dorothy. This was one time, and it would have to last a lifetime.

Breaking their embrace, he gestured toward a metal ladder attached to the side of the building. “How would you like to stand on the roof of the tallest building north of Fourteenth Street?”

He was rewarded with a wide grin that made his cock stand even taller. As she climbed the ladder ahead of him, he had a glorious view of her long, elegantly tapered legs, even catching a glimpse of her garters. He shook himself and blinked several times, willing himself to remember he was on a ladder twenty-two stories up. When he reached the top, she was already at the front or prow—as he thought of it—watching the river of car lights stream up and down Broadway and Fifth Avenue. The view was as breathtaking as he remembered from the time Walter brought him up here, made all the more stunning by her irresistible silhouette. The light summer breeze did nothing to cool the fire blazing within him.

Forcing himself to go slowly, he opened his satchel and laid out a picnic blanket, a bottle of champagne, two glasses, and a basket of perfectly ripe strawberries. If this was his last night with her, everything had to be perfect. When everything was in place, he stood and walked over to her.

Taking care not to startle her, he came up behind her, put his hands on her hips, and nuzzled her neck. She let out an appreciative, “Mmm.”

“Do you like it?” he murmured in her ear.

“Standing up here feels like flying,” she said. “The whole world is at my feet, pulsing with light and life. I might as well be floating on a cloud.”

Needing more of her, he nibbled on her ear, and his hand moved up to cup the delicious swell of one breast, his fingers finding and teasing her nipple through the fabric. He held her firmly to ensure she didn’t lose her balance. Despite the parapet one floor below, up here it felt like nothing stood between them and the street twenty-two floors down.

She melted back against him, making the most arousing little noises as his hands grew bolder. Tonight, he was going to have his way with Princess Belmont despite the dangers to them both. Even the mental image of Major Belmont with a shotgun was insufficient to keep him from touching her. It would be worth bodily harm to feel her softness and vitality beneath his calloused hands tonight.

Reaching beneath the neckline of her dress, he caressed her silky-smooth skin until he found her taut nipple again and rolled it between his fingers, loving the gasp it elicited. He could hardly believe this was real, but her fluttering heart beneath his hand was no fantasy. She wanted this as much as he did, leaning into him and moving against him. She was driving him out of his mind, and he needed more. His other hand travelled down her abdomen, brushing across the joining of her thighs, and beginning to gather up her skirt.

“I want to touch you, Rory. If at any time you want me to stop, tell me, and I will. But I want to touch you. Here.” Once again, he brushed his hand against the intersection of her legs.

She gasped. “Then touch me, Hank. I want you to.”

White hot desire shot through him at her words. It was too much. The untouchable princess wanted him, plain old Hank Hawley. How had he gotten so lucky?

Her beautiful buttocks pressed against his arousal, driving him to distraction as he continued to gather her skirts. When he arrived at the hem, he reached beneath and found the divide in her bloomers, easing his finger between her folds.

Oh God. She’s so wet for me.

Something between a growl and a purr rumbled in his chest as he began to stroke. She shivered against him as he teased and tantalized.

“The whole city is yours, princess. Every twinkling light, every dark corner. The moon and stars too. It’s just you and me and the universe up here.”