First Class to New York (15 page)

The Yankees were up 2-1 and the game had been exciting so
far. Janie was sitting in the front row of seats wishing Adam were there to
watch it with her. He had loved baseball since he was tiny. Her mind flooded
with memories of Adam and Robert sitting on the couch watching the game, Robert
explaining what each man did on the field and why the batter couldn’t run to
first base when the ball went into the stands behind him. Janie smiled.

“Enjoying the game?” the silky voice asked.

“Mmm, it’s wonderful,” she replied. The suite erupted in
cheers as another run was scored and Mark handed her another beer. “I can’t believe
it,” she whispered.

“What?” asked Mark.

“You two,” she said, looking from one brother to the other.
“It’s like looking at twins.”

Matt grimaced, “We used to get that ALL the time growing
up.”

Mark added, “Yeah, it drove him crazy!”

“Why?” Janie looked at Matt.

“Because I was older. I’m the oldest!” he said.

“Barely!” replied Mark. “We’re thirteen months apart,” he
clarified.

Janie’s mouth dropped open.

“Hey! We’re Catholic,” he laughed.

Matt looked at Janie. “You have twins. How can you look so
horrified at that,” he grinned.

“Yeah, but I only got pregnant once!”

The night continued with laughter and fun and congratulatory
drinks when the Yankees beat the Marlins 6-3. Mark and his friends left and
Janie and Matt sat and watched the stadium empty and finished their drinks.

“Matt, this was wonderful, truly a wonderful surprise. Thank
you.”

“You’re welcome. Your reaction was worth planning many more
surprises,” he grinned.

“Well if they’re anything like this, go for it!” she
laughed.

*****

Voluntarily, purposefully, Janie sat in the middle of the
backseat on the drive back to the hotel. Their bodies touched from their knees
all the way up to their shoulders and Matt had held her hand, a goofy grin on
her face firmly in place. They rode in comfortable silence, Janie still
partially in shock and just plain happy after one of the best evenings of her
life.

Matt opened his door at the hotel and climbed out of the
car, Janie following. She started for the hotel door and Matt stopped her.

“I need to say goodnight here.”

“Why?” Janie couldn’t hide the disappointment she felt.

Matt chuckled, “You’re insatiable.”

“Don’t you want to stay?”

“More than you know,” he said and pulled her to him, his
hands holding her face gently, his thumbs caressing her cheeks. “But I need to
get a bit of work done tonight so that I have ALL weekend with you. I was
hoping it would wait till Monday, but no such luck.”

Matt kissed her softly and released her. The doorman opened
the door and Matt pushed her towards it. “Get a good night’s sleep Janie.
You’re need gonna it.” He winked and got back in the car.

Janie stood on the sidewalk and watched the car pull away.
She turned back to the doorman, still holding the door for her.

*****

Saturday morning came slowly for Janie. She hadn’t slept very
well, waking every couple of hours, very aware she was sleeping alone. After
getting married, it had taken her weeks to get used to someone else in her bed,
and after Robert had died, it took months getting used to sleeping alone. It
was unnerving to her that after only two nights with Matt she was used to him
next to her, that him
not
there was odd.

Janie showered and waited for instructions from Matt. What
were they doing today? What should she wear? Looking out the window, Janie
could see people headed in to the park; families, joggers, couples, were all
going to enjoy a spring day in Central Park.

I could live here
, she thought.
I could spend all
my Saturdays with Matt.

The thought scared her. What was she thinking? Live in New
York? Spend Saturdays with Matt? She was here on vacation and Matt was not an
option. He had made that clear. But did she want more than just a couple of
weeks? Did she want a relationship? Was she ready for that? With Matt?

Janie picked up her phone at the sound of an incoming text
message. It was from Matt. He was picking her up in an hour and wear clothes
appropriate for sailing.

Sailing!?
Janie had never been on a boat before.

*****

Once again, Janie met Matt as he pulled up to the hotel.
Trying to contain her excitement she casually walked out to greet him. He
kissed her swiftly and ushered her into the car, and they headed for the pier.

Once there, Matt and Janie walked in between some massive
boats, but Matt corrected her. They were yachts. He grinned and stopped in
front an impressive looking
yacht,
and she was speechless.

“What do you think,” he asked.

Janie didn’t know what to say, so she just followed him
aboard.

“Of course you have a yacht,” she said, gaping around at the
plush interior.

“Actually, it’s mine,” a voice said behind her.

Janie whipped around to see Ryan sitting at a bar smiling at
her.

“Actually, it’s
mine
!” laughed Courtney, seated
behind her husband. “Well, actually,” she said, “It’s my dad’s,” and she jumped
off the stool and greeted Janie with a hug.

Janie hugged her back and said hello to Ryan and the captain
appeared and Ryan gave the order to head out.

“Matt said you hadn’t seen the lady yet,” Ryan turned to
Janie.

“The lady?” she asked, completely not understanding.

“Lady Liberty,” he answered.

“Oh! No, I haven’t.”

“We’ll fix that today!” Courtney smiled. “Sit back and
enjoy.”

Ryan asked Matt a question about a project and Courtney
headed off to tell the staff something, so Janie walked outside on the back
deck and watched as the boat was maneuvered away from the crowd of other boats.

Yachts,
she corrected herself.
Who owns a boat
like this? Who could afford a boat like this?
she thought.  She walked to
the edge and leaned on the railing, feeling the soft wind against her face.
I
am so out of my league here! I must have fallen down the rabbit hole.

The vessel picked up a little speed and the breeze felt
good. She pulled her sunglasses down on to her nose and breathed in, torn
between the excitement of the adventure and feeling like the new kid who just
didn’t fit in.

Courtney came and stood next to her and handed her a cocktail
glass filled with pink liquid. They sipped in silence for a few seconds and
then Courtney spoke.

“I don’t want to speak out of turn,” she began, “and I have
no idea what’s going on with you and Matt, but I really like you Janie. I think
we could be friends.” Courtney smiled and continued, “I have known Matt for
about 12 years now, and he hasn’t once asked Ryan to take out the boat. He
sounded like a schoolboy he was so excited about you seeing the harbor.”
Courtney laughed at the memory. ”I just wanted you to know that you seem
different, he’s different with you.” She tilted her head and looked at Janie.

Janie didn’t know how to respond to that! “I’m different
than what?” she asked.

“Than the women he normally dates. Not that I’m privy to
much of Matt’s private life,” she added. “He’s a hard shell to crack, but you
may just be the one to do it.”

“Oh I’m not cracking any shells,” Janie rebuffed. “I’m just
here on vacation for two weeks and I met Matt on the plane and he is showing me
the city and then I go back home and there’s really nothing more than that.”
Janie was flustered. Matt had made his intentions clear. ‘I would like to keep
seeing you till you leave. No strings, just enjoy our time together. And then
when you go home, there won’t be any awkwardness, you won’t have to feel bad
about dumping me.’ Janie had understood him. They can have a great time but
there weren’t any feelings involved, no relationship, because once she stepped
on that plane, he was back to seeing other women, back to being the playboy. And
she went back to being alone.

Courtney just smiled and took another drink. “Well, I’m not
so sure about that.”

Matt and Ryan joined them on the deck and they spent a wonderful
day on the water, enjoying the sights, especially the Lady herself.

*****

The voyage came to an end as the boat headed back to the
pier and Matt and Janie said their goodbyes. As Courtney hugged Janie, she
whispered in her ear, “I’ve seen the way he looks at you, Janie. He is a
different man with you; better. Crack that shell!” and she withdrew and gave
Janie a big smile.

As Matt grabbed her hand and helped her off the boat, Janie
tried to take particular notice of his expression. He looked happy but she
didn’t know what he looked like before, so what did she have to compare it to?

She chewed on the inside of her cheek and Matt laughed.
”Okay, what’s bothering you?”

“Why do you think something is bothering me?” she frowned.

“I’ve known you long enough to have picked up on some of
your signs,” he grinned.

I’m supposed to crack your shell. You look at me
differently than the others. You’re a better man with me!
Janie grinned.
Oh
yeah, just tell him that!
She laughed. “That was a fabulous surprise, but, I’m
kind of bummed it’s not dark yet. That I didn’t see the Statue of Liberty at
night. Not that today wasn’t wonderful!”

“Your trip isn’t over yet. There’s still plenty of time.”

There was something in his voice. A promise maybe?

“Just four more days,” she whispered.

Ray met them at the pier and drove them to back to the Ritz
Carlton. He got out and pulled a garment bag out of the trunk and handed it to
Matt, then got back in the car and left.

“Are you moving in?” she asked, eyebrows raised.

“Do you want me to?”

Janie’s heart stopped and her first thought was
YES!

Matt explained, “We can’t go to dinner with me looking like
this!” he laughed. “A change of clothing would be appropriate!”

Janie smiled and accepted his hand as they went in. “So a
shower and then dinner?” she asked.

“I like the way your mind works,” he winked.

*****

Dinner was a quiet affair just a block or so from the hotel.
Matt had given Ray the night off so they walked, arm in arm, to and from the
restaurant.

Returning to the hotel, Matt talked about one of the
buildings they had passed and how it had been the first commercial building he
had bought that was over ten floors high. He sounded very proud and Janie felt
proud too.

“You have built an amazing company, Matt. I’m impressed.”

“Oh I didn’t do it by myself! I’ve had lots of help; Mark,
Ryan. They were there almost from the very beginning. And I couldn’t have done it
without my parents. They were so supportive. I was very lucky.”

“I don’t think you were lucky,” Janie shook her head. “I think
you’ve worked very hard and very smart, and you deserve everything you have
achieved.”

They reached the hotel and went up to Janie’s room. As Janie
handed her room key to Matt, he hesitated, ever so slightly.

“You don’t want to stay?” she asked.

“I don’t want to presume,” he replied.

“Stay,” she whispered.

And he did.

*****

It was as if she had taken a sleeping pill. After making
love twice, Janie had fallen into a deep and relaxed sleep on Matt’s chest. Her
eyes fluttered open to the faintest of light, right before dawn. She rolled
over and found the bed empty and listened for Matt. All was quiet.

Janie sat up and saw him on the sofa, a laptop on his knees,
the dim light allowing her to see his face in deep concentration.

“Morning,” she said and stretched her arms over her head.
“You’re up early.”

“I’m usually up early,” he said and put the laptop down and
stood up. “Did I wake you?” He walked to the bed.

“No,” she smiled. “But now that I’m awake, what do you think
we should do?”

“Are you flirting with me, Ms. Anderson? Are you trying to
seduce me?”

“Hell, yeah!” she said.

Matt jumped on top of her, pushing her flat on the bed and
tickled her and Janie roared with laughter.

“Shhhh,” said Matt. “Someone ‘s gonna complain about the
noise,” he chuckled.

“Then why don’t you do something to keep me quiet.”

Matt stopped and he grabbed her hands, intertwining them
with his and held them above her head. He kissed her forehead and then the tip
of her nose and then her chin. He kissed her neck and the base of her throat
and her breath hitched. He moved lower and he released her hands and she ran
them through his hair. He kissed her breast in a little circle all around her
nipple. And then he kissed her other breast, all around her other nipple. He
moved lower down her belly, leaving soft kisses on the way. He kissed one hip
and then the other hip and then kissed her mound, inhaling her scent.

His fingers found her nipples, one in each hand, and he
gently pulled and twisted and a wave of desire engulfed her. Matt’s tongue
licked and circled her clitoris and he moaned as he sucked on her and she came
quickly and powerfully, her body exploding. Matt continued to rub his tongue
along her to prolong her orgasm and her body quivered and shook and she was
panting as he drew back from her, a wicked grin on his face.

Janie was trying to catch her breath as Matt climbed up next
to her. He grabbed a condom from the bedside table and handed it to her.

“Put it on me.”

She ripped it open with her teeth and reached for his long,
hard penis. It felt like such an erotic act to Janie, to place a condom on a
man, and she looked up at him through her lashes and grinned. Matt’s eyes were
filled with desire and he licked his lips as she rolled it down the length of
him.