New Year in Manhattan(22)

“Oh, wow. So before she goes back.”

“Do you think it’s too much?”

“No. And I don’t think it’s predictable, I think it’s wonderful. And you shouldn’t be asking me. You know her and what she likes much better than I do. You’ve got all the answers to this stuff. You don’t need me to tell you.”

She was right. This shouldn’t be something Mandy planned and I went along with. This should be about Anna and me.

“Okay, you’re right. Thanks.”

When I put down the phone, I started scouting rings online. I was going to have to move quickly. I only had today. Tomorrow was New Year’s.

“Baby,” Anna shouted from the next room.

“In here,” I responded, clearing down my search history just as Anna poked her head around the door. “I was going to go for a run. Do you mind?”

“Good idea. I can do some yoga here and then have a bath if that’s okay?” She sat on my knees and looped her arms around my neck.

“This is your home now, Anna. You can do whatever makes you happy. There’s a mat in the closet in the small guest room. Or go to the gym downstairs.”

She kissed my shoulder. “No, a mat is good.” I could tell that it wouldn’t take much convincing for her to get her naked and back in bed, but unfortunately, I had to get moving.

I reached around her waist and stood up as she wrapped her legs around me. “You’re like a monkey.”

“A pretty monkey, though, right?” She mock scowled.

I laughed. “A very beautiful monkey.”

She hopped down, “Okay, enjoy your run.” She pecked me on the lips and ran off to retrieve her mat.

I quickly changed and managed to smuggle my wallet into the pocket of my Columbia University sweatshirt and headed out the door.

I hoped Harry Winston would be open.





Anna

Whenever I finished a run, I looked like I’d escaped a kidnapping attempt—red faced, sweaty, hair everywhere. Ethan on the other hand, looked like he was mid-way through a Gucci photo-shoot when he got back to the flat. He was all tan with a slight sheen to his skin that made him look all the more male. I was desperate to jump his bones. In fact, I’d been desperate before his run, but he’d seemed determined to exercise—a desire that never seemed to grip me, unfortunately.

“So, I thought we could go to the Met, or the Guggenheim,” Ethan said, breaking me from my haze of lust as he got dressed after his shower.

“Sounds good.”

“You don’t sound enthusiastic?”

“I am, I’ll get my stuff.” This was good. Normal things that normal couples did. I just couldn’t get enough of him, I wanted to drag him back to bed.

“Okay, I need to make a phone call, so I’ll be a few minutes.” He worked so hard but it was kinda hot. I liked his drive and determination.

I was rooting through my case when Ethan came into the bedroom.

“I’ll clear out my crap when you’re back in London, but there are some drawers free in the closet. Why don’t you unpack properly?”

My stomach flipped and I bit back a grin. There were some things I brought with me that I could leave. A couple of dresses and a pair of shoes at least. “Okay, I will, later.”

“Are you ready?”

I nodded as I pulled on my hat and followed Ethan out to the hallway with my boots in my hand.

“Fuck me, I didn’t realize you owned flat shoes. I’ve never seen you in anything other than heels, or naked. Sometimes in heels and naked.”

“You see, this is when reality sets in. Real life starts right here, with my flats. It’s not all nakedness and high heels, baby. Are you ready? Ready for taking out the garbage and buying me tampons? Ready for seeing me puking up and not wanting sex? I might wax my top lip tonight—are you ready for that?”

Ethan was laughing at me as I prodded his rock-hard stomach. “You’re fucking crazy and I’m more than ready. Come on shorty.”

“You see, I used to be beautiful and now I’m shorty and I’ve not even moved in yet.” I sighed dramatically as I followed him out of his building.

“You’ll always be beautiful, baby,” he said, snaking his arm around my neck and resting it on my shoulders.

He went to hail a cab, but I stopped him. “No, I want to take the subway.”

“Seriously? I’ve not taken the subway in a decade. It’s disgusting down there.” He winced as if he was in pain.

“Don’t be a baby. I’ve never done it and I have to do all the things you would expect a New Yorker to do.”

“Really?”

“Really. We have to do the unglamorous day-to-day stuff, Ethan. It’s good for us.”