If I Could Be With You (4 page)

CHAPTER six

"I can't believe I'm finally here." Hannah said as she admired the view of Central Park from on top the Metropolitan Museum of Fine Arts. "It looks so familiar, like I've seen it all so many times before."

"You have. It’s in movies, the morning news shows, even from the plane when you flew over. It's crazy how something you have seen a million times before can be so new and overwhelming when you see it from a different perspective," he said.

"Hmmm. Are we talking about my view of the park or my view of you, Charlie?"

"Maybe both." He ran a hand over her shoulder, down her arm and laced his fingers with hers.  "Had enough culture for today?" he asked and led her back to the elevator and out of the museum.

"Never! Isn't a Broadway show next on the list?"

He frowned, "Slow down, Hannah. You'll have done the whole city in one week. What would we do with your other three?"

She pulled him to a stop, stood on tiptoes and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"I'm sure we wouldn't have a problem coming up with things."

"Things could be good." He smiled and kissed her in return. "But," he pushed her backwards and turned to keep walking, "I have an honor bound duty as your tour guide to make sure you are exposed to as much of New York City as possible. My Queens apartment can't be your only stop."

"You're the one who didn't want to see a show!" She stated flatly, stung by his rejection.

"I just said slow down. I already have tickets for us to see a show next weekend. I was hoping to indulge in a little tourist action this evening and show you Times Square."

"Oh, well, I guess that's OK then."

"You guess?" He grabbed her hand and pulled her along the taxi-lined path that led into the park. Everywhere she looked people were lounging or playing. Couples walked holding hands. Children shrieked. Runners ran in large groups.

A few yards to her right stood a man near a fountain waving something in the air.  As they walked closer, she could see it was a giant wand that he used to create bubbles. Massive bubbles at least two feet in diameter danced on the breeze that drifted through the air.

"That's so cool," she said and stopped to watch as children came forward to try.

Hannah felt Charlie's eyes on her. His gaze made her skin tingle. How could it be that just yesterday she'd been so sure she would never touch this man and now she couldn't stand to be out of his reach? Of course, had he not confessed to marrying Nadia in name only, their experience today would be very different.

"Charles?" she asked as they started to walk again. "Does Nadia know about me?"

"Do you mean does she know who you are or does she know we're together?"

Seeing his brows draw together made her nervous. She suddenly felt like she didn't know as much as she thought she did.

"Both," she said glancing at his profile while he continued looking straight ahead.

"Nadia had already left for Morocco by the time you invited yourself to stay with me," he teased. "So, no. She doesn't know you're here or that we're together, but she absolutely knows who you are."

Hannah didn't know how to respond so she stayed thoughtfully quiet. It was understandable that she didn't know about her visit. Who knew how often they spoke? Perhaps it just hadn't come up in conversation. But surely, if Nadia knew who she was, then he would have mentioned her had they talked. If their marriage were truly one of convenience it wouldn't be any problem.

"So you haven't talked to her since she left?" she asked.

"No, I have."

What was he holding back? Why didn't his wife and best friend know about her visit if she knew about her existence?

"I don't understand. How could my month long visit not come up in discussion?"

"Hannah," he ran his hand through his chocolate curls, slightly sweat dampened by the heat of the afternoon sun. "Nadia's a little sensitive when it comes to you. I didn't want to make her uncomfortable or insecure, especially since I really had no idea that any of the ‘things’ that happened between us would even happen." He smiled.

"But," she started.

"I wanted them, yes. I've always wanted them, but I never in my wildest dreams thought you would want me back."

"You seemed so sure of yourself," she said.

"Well, I'm a man," he laughed. "I'm always going to try and make you believe that I can do what I set out to do."

Hannah looked down at their hands wrapped around each other. They fit. Years of holding hands with the wrong man made it feel that much more obvious when you found the right one, but the right one also happened to be wearing a wedding band. She decided to probe a little further.

"Why is she so insecure? I thought you said you were best friends."

"We are, but Nadia is used to being my only best friend. I've never really dated anyone seriously so she's never had to handle me having feelings for someone. The thought that someone might take her place in my life or that I might actually fall in love scares her a little. And," he looked Hannah straight in the eyes, "I get that and respect it."

Hannah took a deep breath, "So, what you're really saying is that while you consider your marriage to Nadia helping a best friend out, she has unreciprocated feelings for you?"

He stopped walking and pulled her down to sit next to him on a bench in the shade.

"I don't want to confuse things between us, Hannah. Her feelings at this point aren't important. Do you even know how you feel about me? Have you considered if you want me in your life beyond a summer fling? I have a life here and Nadia's a part of that.  I'm not going to make her needlessly insecure or bring up painful conversations only for you to decide you don't want a younger man or New York, and head back to Ohio."

She leaned forward and put her hand to her forehead. How did she get herself into these situations? Why hadn't she brought all of these things up before she'd gone to bed with him? He had a point. Was he just a summer fling? Could she really see a future with hi, and if she couldn't, was it fair of her to mess up what he had going on with Nadia - even if it was only friendship on his side?

She stood and held out her hand to him.

"Too much to take in today, Charlie. I don’t have any answers for you.”

“I’m not the one asking for answers...unless maybe it’s to the question, ‘Are you hungry?’”

“Starving,” she said, and this time she was truly thinking about food.

****

As they boarded the train back to Queens, Hannah leaned on Charlie’s shoulder and let the cool air engulf her. For a June evening, the city was particularly warm and the subway car offered a welcome respite. Charlie placed his chin on the top of her head as she played with the ring on his finger.

“What would you say about taking this off? At least until I leave in a few weeks?”  When he didn’t answer right away she continued. “I think I’d like to be able to consider how I feel about you and if this could be more than just a summer consummation of a teenage fantasy. It would help me to be in the same position as Nadia. I’d like to pretend she didn’t exist, just so I can deal with whether I have feelings for you apart from your marital status.”

Charlie lifted his hand and slowly slipped the ring from his finger placing it in the pocket of his jeans. When he put his hand back down it was placed strategically high on her thigh.

The train lurched to a stop and a few passengers exited. Except for a sleeping young woman in the back corner with a book covering her face, they were alone. Charlie lifted her chin with his free hand and gazed into her eyes before brushing his lips against hers. She angled her body so she could wrap her arms around his neck to draw him in closer. A quick glance behind her let her know the young woman was still dead to the world, so when his hand slipped up the leg of her shorts she thought, “What the hell?”

It wasn’t like she could control the response of her body to his touch. His warm fingers swept feathery touches over her goosebumps from chilled subway car air. 

“Is this OK, Charlie?” She breathed in the clean scent of his aftershave and ran her fingers over the stubble already present again on his hard jawline. “I mean, aren’t there cameras or something?”

He laughed,  “I’d love to fuck you right here, Hannah, but the subway’s kind of dirty and I don’t mean that in a good way.” He wiggled an eyebrow at her. “I like your adventurous spirit, though.” He pulled her thigh towards him so her legs were spread open.  His left hand was still under her shorts and his fingers splayed over her panties that were already wet with wanting. 

“Why are you doing this to me?” She pushed her forehead into his shoulder and closed her eyes as she reveled in the feeling of intense pleasure building deep inside of her.

“Because I can.” He trailed light kisses from her ear to her collarbone. “And, I want to.” He slid a finger under her panties, pushing them to the side.

A low moan escaped, despite pressing her mouth against his chest as she tried not to cry out.

“Here’s our stop.”

Hannah felt like crying as his fingers left her. He grabbed her elbow to help her stand up. Her knees buckled slightly but he caught her and helped her through the doors before they closed on top of them.

The hot city air rushed over her again and she was acutely aware of the uncomfortable slickness between her legs. She felt self conscious and shy. What had she just let him do to her? And how could she be so under his spell that she would have fucked him right then and there on the subway, if only he’d let her?

She laced her arm through his and pulled him closer to whisper into his ear, “You better be planning on finishing what you started Charlie. I like to play, but I like games that end with a pay off.”

“All in good time, Hannah. Since you’re already in a mood,” he cocked an eyebrow in the direction of her chest where her nipples stood out in tiny hard buds, “we could stop off someplace interesting to indulge in a little more teasing.”

“If it means hopping back on the subway, I think I’d rather save it for another night. I’d be just as happy to fuck you in the privacy of your own home.”

He moved his hand from her shoulder to her ass, giving it a quick squeeze.  She jumped in surprise. “That can definitely be arranged.”

The rest of the walk from the station to Charles’ apartment was quiet. Hannah couldn’t help replaying the moments in the subway car over in her head, which led to her becoming more and more aroused. Charlie’s body pressed against her as they walked was an aphrodisiac in and of itself and she couldn’t move her feet fast enough to get back to his place.

He put the key in the lock and pushed the door open. Cool air hit their bodies. Hannah grabbed his face in her hands.

“You turned the air on for me?”

Charlie nodded, a sheepish grin spread across his face. She pulled him forward and kissed him. His tongue roamed her mouth while her hands moved lower to the button on his pants. She popped it and pushed his pants down his thighs.

“Don’t you want to make it inside the apartment, Hannah?”

“No, Charlie,” she said. “I don’t.”

His cock rubbed against her stomach, hard and long. He raised her arms and pulled her T-shirt over her head before pulling the rubber band from her hair, releasing crazy waves. Digging his fingers in, he guided her face back to his, kissing her until her breath came in quick, pulsing pants.

She felt his hands leave her hair and move to her back where he unhooked her bra, releasing her breasts so that her nipples rubbed the cotton of his shirt.

“We need to be naked,” she said.

She pushed off her shorts while he removed his shirt before she pushed him against the wall and started to go down on him. He pushed her back and shook his head.

“Oh, no you don’t. Just because you’re older doesn’t mean you’re in charge. I think there’s been an unequal exchange in the oral sex department of our relationship, and if there’s anything you can count on with a man of my generation,” he said, “it’s a firmly held belief in equality.”

He pulled her naked body into the living room and placed her in the red, cozy, armchair. She sank in as he pulled her hips to the edge before placing himself between her legs.

“I’ve tasted you on my fingers. Now, I’d like to taste you on my lips,” he said as he caressed the tips of her breasts with his fingers before inching his hands from her torso to her thighs. He began massaging her tired muscles that had walked all day, working his way from her knees to her hamstrings and quads before zeroing in on her inner thighs.

“I’ve been dreaming about eating you out all day, Hannah.”

His frank speech brought her hands to her face.

“Don’t,” he pulled them away. “Don’t go getting shy and nervous on me now. Here’s what I want you to do with those beautiful hands,” he said as he placed them on her chest. “Squeeze your nipples for me, Hannah. The way you were doing in the shower.”

She sucked in a breath.