Chapter 10
10
Aidan
I t’s time. The last three weeks of her term are over and I’ve got our trip to NYC planned. Gracyn has been brilliant, feeding me details on when Lisbeth’s last exam is, letting me know what time to be here. Waiting.
The day is gorgeous and it gets even better as I watch her walk toward her building. All her focus on her phone, brows pinched together and nose wrinkled. I want to photograph her. She is art in motion. And she’s not paying attention at all to her surroundings, just about tripping over me sitting on her steps.
“Shit. You scared me.” Her hand flies up to her chest as she startles. “What are you doing here?”
I can’t help the grin that spreads across my face. “How was your exam?” I hand her a steaming cup of coffee and stand to let her by.
“Good. I’m done—for this semester.” I watch as she rolls her shoulders shaking off the stress of the term and adjusts her ruck. Every movement captivates me. She is stunning.
“Mmm…thank you for this. That final started way too early.” She raises the coffee to her lips and inhales a long pull from the cup. “Oh my God, this is so good.” She’s wrapped around her coffee like it’s going to save her life. The tension visibly leaves her body as the caffeine settles in.
Following her inside the flat, I take her bag and set it by the front door. “We have a few minutes, if you want to grab your bag. I think Gracyn put everything you’ll need for the day in there.” Her expression is beautifully confused.
She sets her coffee on the hall table and props a hand on her hip. “What do you mean?”
“Love, I told you weeks ago we were going to the city today to celebrate your term end. You’re done now, yeah?” She nods tightly, like I’m an eejit since we just fucking discussed this. “Where’s your confusion, then?” I step closer to her. “Grab what you need,” I lean in and pluck the coffee from her hand, “and let’s go.” I look her straight in the eye as I take a drink from her cup, loving that my lips rest where hers were only minutes ago. I smile and turn, heading out the door—grabbing her keys on the way to make my point.
The city is humming with activity, a drastic change from the quiet calm of the train ride in. We practically had the train car to ourselves and the solitude combined with the movement of the train and clack of the tracks lulled Lisbeth to sleep. Her head dipped to my shoulder as the car swayed on the rails. The scent of her hair enveloped and soothed me and I savored the feel of her body against mine. It was heaven.
As we exit Grand Central Station, I stop and grab a hot pretzel and a couple bottles of water. “Is there anything specific that you want to do today? Museums? Shops? A show?”
She shakes her head when I point to the mustard accompanying our paper-wrapped pretzel.
I hand Lisbeth a bottle of water, and place my hand at her back, guiding her down the crowded sidewalk.
“Nothing specific, I just really like it here. The people watching is out of this world—where else can you see Elmo, Cinderella, and the Naked Cowboy in the same place?” We head north toward Central Park, weaving through the throngs of people and sharing our pretzel.
“I have a friend from Dublin, here.” I look to see her reaction. “He asked to meet for a drink a little later on, is that alright?”
“Of course, are you kidding me? I can hang out in the park, or whatever, take as much time as you need—I can just…” She’s so sweet.
“Jimmy’s down here too. He had to visit his gran this morning but said he’d meet us for dinner so you’ve someone to talk to while I catch up with Liam.” I’ve waited far too long to spend this time with Lis, I don’t want to spend even a single minute away from her.
We continue on along some of the smaller paths and come out at a small white gazebo and huge rock that juts out into the lake at the center of the park. There’s a boathouse along here somewhere, but the view from this rock is gorgeous and we are remarkably alone.
It amazes me that in a city of this size, two people can find a private moment at all, let alone in such a public place. I watch as she scrambles up the rock. I should have gone ahead of her and helped her up, but the view from behind her is worth my breach of chivalry. I climb up after her and set myself down on the top of the rock.
Turning with a sweet smile over her shoulder, she lowers herself down next to me. “This is one of my all-time favorite places. I love it here.” She practically whispers, “It’s so serene. I saw a marriage proposal last time I was down here.” She looks toward the arched bridge wistfully. “It was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
I run my hand down her back, unable to refrain from touching her. Grasping her hand, I pull her in close, her back to my front. Her body melting into mine. She untwines our hands, instead running her fingers lightly up and down my arm. “Tell me what was beautiful about it. Was there a rowboat? Champagne and great declarations of love? Tell me you heard him quoting Oscar Wilde.”
“No. Nothing that elaborate. Just a simple proposal. At the center of that arched bridge.” She nods off to our left. She’s quiet a moment and obviously touched by the memory. “They weren't dressed up, they weren’t doing anything fancy, just enjoying a day together completely alone, surrounded by a ton of people. He paused just shy of the top of the arch, pulled her around to face him, holding both her hands in his.” She meets my stare and smirks. “No Wilde was harmed or abused in the overture. He just got down on one knee and asked.” She looks back at the bridge—seeming lost in the memory. “She said ‘ yes ,’ and he pulled a small box from his pocket. It was a normal, nothing day that became the start of their forever.”
It hit me then how simple she is. Not simple. Uncomplicated in her wants and desires. I’m the one making things complicated for her.
I’d heard what she told her boss the night I had dinner at her bar. I got it the first time she told me she had a plan and needs to stick to it. I just can’t stop myself from wanting to be with her. This is becoming more than a distraction to me—much more.
I hold her hand, touch her back, some kind of contact for our walk through Central Park and the little zoo that’s there. The time passes far too quickly and we need to get on to meet up with Jimmy and Liam at McCoy’s.
I need to talk to Liam. I need to know what’s going on at home.