“I see. Well, it’s lovely.”
“If you’re up to it, there’s something else I’d like to show you after this. But I promise I’ve been there before,” he added, slapping his hand over his heart. “I wouldn’t lie.”
I laughed. “I know, I believe you.”
Jay winked at me and I felt myself blush for what felt like the millionth time since I met him. Just as I thought he was about to kiss me, I had to twist away and let out a vicious sneeze. “Sorry, I think my allergies are worse here than they were at home,” I complained.
“Well, you look amazing,” Jay said. Self-consciously, I reached up and fingered the ends of my hair. It had dried slightly wavy, and I knew that it must look a lot less polished than I was used to seeing myself.
“What’s the other place?” I asked, turning to him with my best attempt at a coy smile. “I mean, I’d love to see it if you still want to show me.”
Jay nodded his head towards the car. “If you can stomach another car ride with me, you’re in luck.”
The second trip was no better than the first; I still wasn’t used to being on the wrong side of the road at all. It did seem like Jay was driving slower than he had before, hugging all the turns in the road with his little car, but I still felt like we were on rails as we spun around and around.
“Relax, Kate, we’re fine,” Jay said. He reached over and put one of his massive hands on my knees. I jumped at the touch, but when he tried to pull his hand away I grabbed it with both of mine.
“Sorry,” I said breathlessly. “I’m still not used to this. It’s crazy! I feel like any minute, someone is going to come barreling down the road towards us in our lane.”
He raised his eyebrows at me. “And you call yourself a New Yorker?”
I had to laugh at that. “Well, I don’t drive,” I said. “I take the subway or cabs, usually. Having a car would be a huge pain in the ass.”
“I think you’ve been taking some very boring taxi rides, then.” He cleared his throat as he pulled the car up in front of the entrance to what looked like a giant park. “I present, Kate’s Park.”
My eyes widened as we climbed out of the car. It was a beautiful park, and it was huge! I couldn’t even see the other end of it from where we stood, but I could see that it was filled with peaceful-looking grass, little hills, and miniature gardens. It seemed like a calm, soothing space in the middle of a bustling city, and I smiled and turned to Jay.
“So what makes this my park?”
He cleared his throat, then pointed to the sign over the archway. “Romero Park,” he said in an exaggerated suave accent. “Like it was made for you!”
“Wow,” I said. “That’s pretty incredible. How did you know my last name?”
Jay pretended to look offended. “I know lots of things,” he said casually. “Like you only like white wine, and you don’t like to let your hair air-dry. Also, there’s the fact that I’m a big fan of your show….remember?”
I smiled, feeling very silly indeed. “Of course. How could I forget?” I said, giving him a playful elbow. “You make me sound like I’m not very fun, though.”
Jay shook his head. “You’re fun, all right,” he said as we strode into the park. I was in awe of the magnificent beauty. It was much lovelier than anything I’d seen back home, even Central Park. “You’re just a bit buttoned up, that’s all.”
I rolled my eyes. “That’s a nice way of saying I’m too uptight,” I said. “And I know. People tell me all the time. Everyone just wants me to relax. But I’m relaxed now,” I added as I stepped ahead of Jay and gazed around the gorgeous park. “And this is just the place to do it.”
When Jay said it was about time to head home, I was almost disappointed. The car ride back to Lizzy’s wasn’t even that terrifying—I recognized a few landmarks and wondered if I was finally starting to get my bearings.
As Jay pulled up in front of the building, he turned to me and leaned closer, and before I knew it, he was kissing me. His lips were warm, smooth, and soft, and his masculine scent invaded my senses. I closed my eyes and moaned softly as I felt his tongue slip between my lips, caressing the inside of my mouth, and as the kiss deepened, I leaned forward and wrapped my hands around his neck, pulling him close. Arousal started building in my lower belly, and I felt the insides of my thighs turn slippery and wet as Jay’s strong hands kneaded my back, making me feel both tiny and delicate in his arms.