Lexi offered him a beer from the refrigerator and waited for him to continue.
He took a deep breath and started talking very softly while he anxiously picked at the label on the bottle. “I miss you. I know you wanted some time and space, but I don’t think I can stay away from you anymore.” His eyes peeked up at hers, trying to gauge her reaction to what he was saying.
The funny thing was that Lexi had been missing him too, terribly. Without a word, she reached over on the counter to a blue envelope that was addressed to Vincent.
In the letter Lexi confessed that she was miserable and how much she missed him. She told Vincent she needed him in her life and asked if he would consider moving to New York so they could be together. While he read the letter, Lexi held her breath.
He looked up and flashed Lexi a smile. “So …”
Lexi shrugged. “I was just thinking.” She bit her lower lip as she paused and then said in a rush, “… that it would be nice if you were, you know …
here … all the time.” Vincent stood up and walked around the counter, backing Lexi up against the wall of the kitchen. In a sudden burst of insecurity, she began rambling. “But I know you can’t leave San Francisco, you’re too busy and your family is there. Just forget it. It was my pathet —”
She never had a chance to finish her sentence because the next thing she knew, Vincent’s strong lips were pressed against hers, taking her breath away. His hands came up to cradle her face as he continued to ravage her with kisses, his tongue teasing and tantalizing hers until she couldn’t think of anything but him. All her apprehension and nerves vanished. It was only her and Vincent.
“I talked to Elizabeth. She’ ll transfer my accounts out here. I can fly back for meetings when necessary, but I need you too. I love you, and if you really want to do this, I’m ready. I think we would be great business partners.”
“White & Drake Advertising, I like the sound of that … Hunter’s east coast expansion is complete. It would be my pleasure to work with you again, Mr. Drake.” Her fingers played with the buttons on the front of his shirt, popping them open one by one. “Day or night.”
With a sinful grin, Vincent began running his lips down the side of her neck. “You were saying something earlier about being sad that my side of the bed was empty. Why don’t we go do something about that?”
Vincent had packed his things and returned to New York within the week. Their life together had finally begun.
The business exploded, their professional reputations bringing people to the doors of White & Drake Advertising by the dozens. When Lexi continued her business courses, Vincent picked up the slack at work and encouraged her to follow her dreams. They were true partners in every way.
Lexi felt like she was floating on a cloud for the rest of dinner. Her hand kept reaching out to Vincent, as if somehow checking to see if he was still there. He had been gone for two weeks in California on business, traveling from San Diego to San Francisco, tying up loose ends and then visiting with his family. He had invited Lexi to come with him, but she had deadlines that kept her in New York. It was the longest they had been apart since he moved in with her the year before.
As Vincent and Julian argued over the check, Lexi pulled Christina aside. “Would you be terribly upset if I bailed on the tour of the apartment?”
“Go. Get out of here now, before we both go up in flames.” Christina peered over Lexi’s shoulder. “Where’s that sexy husband of mine?”
Julian and Vincent turned toward them, their less-than-innocent intentions written all over their faces. Their darkened eyes stalked the women, focused and intense, and their confident swaggers hypnotized Lexi and Christina as they came closer.
Vincent reached out and pressed his lips to Lexi’s. “You’re irresistible.” He tickled her side and scooped her up in his arms, carrying her out the door.
Julian held open the door of his car for Christina, tucking her safely inside. “When you guys get back from your trip, we’ll have you over to the new place.” Christina’s hand waved out the window as they peeled down the street.
The sun was setting, and the sky had a beautiful orange glow to it as the darkness crept closer and closer. Vincent held Lexi in his arms and he seemed to savor the feel of her. Her face nuzzled against his chest as she clung to the front of his shirt, like she was afraid he might disappear. Lexi knew by now he wasn’t going anywhere. He couldn’t. She was a part of him now; she was his heart.
“Come on, sweetheart. Let’s go home.”
There were times, like now, sitting in Vincent’s car holding hands as they braved the crazy New York traffic, that everything seemed so normal, like they had been together forever. Yet those were the times when Lexi was most often convinced everything in her life was a spectacular dream she might one day wake up from. No one was this lucky, especially not her.
“Crap!” Lexi shouted out of nowhere, ruining their quiet moment. “I can’t go to San Francisco this week. I have that three day seminar for the woman’s leadership conference you made me sign up for. Damn it, I can’t believe I forgot about that.” Her head fell back against the seat in disappointment.
The car rolled into its parking space, and Vincent escorted his now gloomy girlfriend into the elevator and pushed the button for their floor. His silence was driving Lexi crazy.
“You don’t seem very upset that I can’t go to San Francisco.”
“That’s because you’re going to San Francisco.”
“But the meeting,”
“Has been rescheduled.”
Her eyes narrowed. “You can’t just reschedule a leadership conference. It’s three days long, and we paid for it.”
Vincent rolled his eyes. “I don’t care about the money. So, consider it rescheduled.” When Lexi shook her head in disbelief, Vincent nodded toward her purse. “Check your schedule.”
With a very suspicious look, Lexi found her phone as the elevator doors opened. Vincent took her by the arm and led her down the hall to their apartment as she played with her BlackBerry and pulled up her calendar for the week.
“Great, something happened.” She tapped the display screed with her nail. “I think it’s broken or something. Look, it erased all my appointments for the next two … no, two and a half weeks! Oh hell, now I have to get a whole new one.” Lexi leaned against the wall in disappointment, still pecking away at the buttons, hoping to resurrect the missing document.