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I dug my heels into the mattress, pushing up to meet his strokes, needing the release, but at the same time, desperately wanting to prolong it. My body had other ideas. Pleasure rolled through me in ever increasing waves and I couldn’t fight it anymore. “Kiss me,” I gasped, gripping his hips as my body bucked under his. We came together and when he collapsed on top of me, his face buried in my neck, I thought,I don’t want to leave.But more than that,I don’t want to lose this.A stupid thought, of course. My life was too uncertain right now for me to get into a relationship, and Dante didn’t even know where he’d be living next week.Let it go, Lucy. Take the amazing weekend as the gift it was.
An hour later, Dante was handing my suitcase to the taxi driver and turning back to me, pulling me against him and wrapping his arms around my shoulders. I buried my face in his chest. This was it. Goodbye. I felt badly, the driver was waiting, but I couldn’t let go. “If you’re ever, you know, around Esperance way, look me up?” I murmured into his shirt.
“Of course.” It was our way of pretending this wasn’t the end. He cupped my face, gazing into my eyes for the longest moment before pressing a kiss to my lips.
“Thank you.” Such simple words that didn’t convey nearly as much as they should: Thank you for having fun with me. Thank you for making me feel hot and beautiful. Thank you for showing me what my body was capable of. Thank you for the orgasms. “For everything.”
He nodded. “Bye.”
“Bye.”
I got in the cab, forcing myself to smile at him when he closed the door behind me, blinking back tears as my taxi pulled away from the curb.
CHAPTER9
Dante
“No fucking way!”
I pretended not to notice the heads turning as my sister ran across the arrival lounge and threw herself into my open arms. “For fuck’s sake, Stef.” Stumbling backwards, I braced myself when she leapt up and wrapped her legs around my waist, then spit out a mouthful of her blue hair.
“Oh my God! I told you to meet me at my apartment, not the fucking airport!”
“I got bored and couldn’t wait,” I said with a grin, almost overcome by the surge of affection I felt at seeing her. I gave her a close look, wanting to see how she was doing. I hated that her chronic fatigue messed with her like it did. “You look great.” My baby sister had the punk look nailed down: long, bright blue hair, a nose ring, ripped black jeans, combat boots and a leather jacket. Hardly anything like the young girl I used to give shoulder rides to, but little Stef was still in there, hidden underneath her punk chick persona. I saw it in her big brown eyes when she smiled at me with the same hero worship she’d always had. It made me feel ten feet tall.
“Thanks. I feel pretty okay.”
“Good.” I took her bag and flung my arm around her shoulders, pressing a kiss to her temple. “Let’s go get lunch, I’m starving.”
“Excellent plan. You’re coming to my gig while you’re here, right?”
“When is it?”
“Friday night.”
“I think I’m washing my hair that night.”
“Funny.”
“Seriously, I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
“Liar. You hate punk music.”
“But I love you, so I’ve got my earplugs ready. And I plan to drink a lot of beer.”
Hustling her into a waiting cab, she chuckled. “It’ll be fine. I’m bummed I wasn’t here when you got in, though. What did you get up to all weekend?”
For some reason, I hesitated to answer. It would be the simplest thing in the world to say, “You remember Lucy Cooper? Used to babysit you back in Esperance? We spent the whole weekend together and it was the hottest weekend of my life. She only left this morning, but I miss her already.”
I could have said that, but I didn’t. Instead, I said, “This and that. Not much.”
I felt her eyes on me, fully aware my voice sounded odd, but I kept my head turned away, gazing out the window, hoping she wouldn’t pursue the topic. “Well, I hope it wasn’t too boring. Now: ask me about Arizona.”
I turned to her with a smile. “How was Arizona?”
“Shit, mostly.”
“Oh. Sorry to hear that.”
