A Year to Remember(95)

Only this was the first time I came to my brother’s Halloween party without Missy at my side. I tried to be brave. If anyone could hear my heartbeat, they’d know instantly I was terrified.

Tonight, I might see Adam.

I scanned the room, but there was no sign of him. My brother and Emily came over to greet me and give me a hug.

“You guys look adorable!” I said, and they did. They were dressed as pirates.

“Why don’t you take off your coat and put it in the den with all the others?” Seth said as he walked me toward the designated coatroom.

“Sure. Is Adam here?” I asked, trying to sound nonchalant. He and Emily still knew nothing about our time together in Israel, other than the fact we were both on the trip.

“Adam? Oh, you mean, Goldman? No, he’s not going to make it tonight. Said he had something else to do tonight.”

A wave of disappointment crashed over me as I fought off the urge to cry. I wanted to leave the party, go home, and get under the covers with a gallon of ice cream.

Which is why I wouldn’t leave.

I would acknowledge my sadness, but I wouldn’t let it win. I’d stay at the party and try to have a good time. I could always cry later.

Emily opened the door to the den, and I entered, babbling on to her about how great they decorated for the holiday. The door shut behind me, engulfing me into complete darkness.

“What the hell, Emily!” I yelled. I was not in the mood for scary pranks right now.

I felt a hand reach out of the dark and wrap around my waist. I started to shake, but it wasn’t out of fear. I could smell him in the room.

Adam.

“What?” was all I was able to say before Adam tugged me tightly to him and claimed my lips the same way he had at my brother’s wedding.

We had so much to say to each other, but right then, I didn’t want to talk. I wanted to feel and touch. There would be time later to discuss our future.

I ran one hand up the back of his neck and through his hair. My other hand cupped his cheek as I returned each kiss with everything I had inside of me.

I didn’t care if someone walked in the room and caught us. I put my hands on his chest and yanked his shirt over his head. His breathing accelerated, and I felt the warmth radiating off of his skin. I needed it against my naked skin. I pulled off my dress, leaving me in my bra, panties and boots. He groaned and we fell to the floor our bodies entwined.

His hands went around my back to unhook my bra and I giggled.

“What’s so funny?”

“The hook to the bra is in the front,” I said, causing another groan out of him.

Less than a minute later, our clothes removed, we stopped and held each other close, reveling in the joy of our togetherness. He reached over, searching for something and swearing softly under his breath. I rolled over to kiss and caress his back as he tore open the condom package.

The floor may have not been my first choice for making love, but right now all I could think about was how it right it felt to be back in Adam’s arms. He rolled on top of me and entered me in one thrust.

Thank God we skipped the foreplay. Three months was long enough, and I couldn’t have waited a second more.

I didn’t say anything. Instead, I let go of everything in my head and concentrated on how wonderful it felt to be connected to Adam. As I came, Adam muffled my yell with his mouth. He finished a minute later, sending me into another orgasm.

He withdrew, and we stayed on our backs catching our breath, neither one knowing how to start the conversation. Although I had shared my body, I wasn’t ready to give him my heart quite yet.

“Did my brother know you were waiting in here for me?”

Adam’s hand moved to my hair and he played with it while he answered. “It was his idea.”

“I thought we weren’t going to tell my brother about what happened in Israel?”

“I didn’t. Not until two days ago.”

“What happened two days ago?”

“That’s when I made my decision.” He yanked me toward him, so the sides of our bodies touched from shoulder to foot. Although it was warm in the house, I shivered as his hand left my hair and began to caress my neck and shoulders.

“Decision?” I asked, my voice barely audible due to the rush of returning arousal his touches caused. I coughed to clear my throat and he laughed, obviously aware of what his touches did to me.

“That I’d do anything to be with you. Including marry you,” he whispered in my ear, nipping at the lobe.

“Are you sure you’re over your fear of marriage? Because if you could promise me a lifetime commitment including children, I wouldn’t need a silly marriage license to tell me we belong together,” I explained, wondering if I should have kept it to myself. After all, he had just told me he’d consider marrying me one day.