Page 97 of Last First Date

We climbed into the town car that would take us back to the airport, the tense quiet settling in like an unwelcome guest. Neither of us knew what to say. The apprehension about returning home seeped into the silence. I knew we both felt it. Last night, we had fallen asleep without talking about what the future held. That had been my intention, but I just couldn’t do it. I didn’t want to ruin the moment.

Glancing at Waverly, I could sense the turmoil beneath the surface. Last night had changed me. We made love. I had never made love before in my life. It was incredible. The trip had been good for both of us. We both had successes.

I looked out the window at the familiar sights that had once been a place I loved. I couldn’t shake the feeling that this might be a farewell to New York, at least for me. I didn’t feel the same connection to the Big Apple. The city seemed to have lost its sheen. The skyscrapers no longer appealed to me. I didn’t want to live in a concrete jungle. I didn’t want to be surrounded by millions of people. It was my old life. I had only been away a few weeks, but in that time, I had changed apparently.

I glanced over at Waverly. She looked lost in thought with her brow furrowed. Was she considering the job offer the lingerie company boldly made right in front of me? That had shocked the shit out of me. I was pissed. She was my assistant, and they were attempting to poach her right out from under me—but doing it in my face.

I wanted to snap at them for their audacity, but I held my temper in check. They didn’t know about our relationship, nor did they have any inkling of what it meant to me to have her taken away.

As our car carried us away from the city, doubts started to gnaw at me. Was I being selfish? Waverly had a bright future ahead of her, and perhaps New York was where she belonged, dazzling the world with her intelligence and breathtaking beauty.

Slowly, I reached out to her, capturing her hand in mine. She looked at me, and her wide eyes were filled with an unspoken question. All I could do was hold her hand. I didn’t have the words.

I couldn’t fathom her calling New York home. I knew how brutal the modeling business could be and New York City was rough. Yes, some people were forever loyal to the city, but there was no denying it could be a cruel place. A city of glitz and glamour, yes, but also of cold indifference.

“Waverly,” I started and then stopped as I tried to find the right words. I cleared my throat, trying again. “Whatever happens next, just know that I want what’s best for you.”

“I know, Knox,” she said softly. “I do. I’m not leaving.”

“But you have to be considering it,” I said.

She laughed. “It’s not for me. I did the one show on a whim. I don’t want to take my clothes off for the cameras all the time.”

I had to laugh.

She grimaced. “Sorry. Not to say it’s a bad thing, it’s just not my thing.”

“I know,” I said, grinning. “But that stint on the runway opened a lot of doors for you.”

“I’m ready to go home,” she said.

She smiled at me and squeezed my hand. We sat quietly as the car continued to weave its way through the city. I found comfort in her presence, feeling as though everything was falling back into place, but I just didn’t know for how long.

The car pulled to a stop at the private airport. Our bags were unloaded for us. I didn’t miss the look on Waverly’s face as she looked at the private jet on the tarmac. “Hey, you already did this once. It wasn’t so bad, right?”

She groaned. “I know it will be fine, but it freaks me out.”

“I’ll be right there with you,” I assured her. “Just like the flight out here.”

We climbed the stairs. She sat down on one side of the aisle with me on the other. She seemed a little more relaxed than on the first flight, but I felt her tension. She stared out the window until the engines fired up. She flinched slightly at the sound, then looked over at me with a small, brave smile. I met her gaze, nodding in encouragement.

I watched her as our plane raced down the runway, her hands gripping the armrests tightly. But she kept her eyes trained on me, and there was a sense of trust and understanding in them that made my insides churn with an emotion I could only describe as love.

Waverly wasn’t just my assistant anymore. She had become so much more than that in a matter of weeks. She had turned from someone I had to tolerate at work to someone I craved to be next to every waking moment. I didn’t know when exactly it happened, but it didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was that Waverly was here with me and she wanted to remain by my side.

As the plane lifted off, she let out a small gasp, her knuckles whitening under the force of her grip. I reached across the narrow aisle, covering her clenched hand with my own. “Just breathe, Waverly,” I murmured, my gaze never leaving hers.

She took a deep breath, nodding at my words. “Thank you,” she said, her voice barely audible above the thunderous roar of the engines.

Just like that, we left New York behind. Once the plane leveled out, I patted her hand “Want to sit on the couch?”

“Yes, please.”

We both moved to the couch. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and pulled her against me. We relaxed with a movie on the screen as we ate a late lunch. As the plane cut through the clouds, I couldn’t shake off the doubt that lurked in the back of my mind. Would she eventually be lured back to New York? The city had an undeniable appeal. Add in the allure of fame and success and I didn’t think I could compete.

Waverly noticed my silence, turning to look at me with a gentle smile. “Still worried about me?” she asked.

I shrugged, not quite able to meet her gaze. “You’re talented, Waverly,” I said quietly. “I feel like I should be encouraging you to take the job.”