I love Central Park. I can't help but get lost in the tranquility mixed with chaos that it presents. It's a chilly November day, a few weeks until Thanksgiving. On my favorite park bench, I sit and read just like I do every morning. The trees are swaying in the breeze, and the joggers have left because of the weather. Don't blame them; it's about to pour. As I look around, I notice a slight difference in this morning; almost like a feeling that something is amiss. I shake my head at the thought, grab my coat and start walking back to my car before the torrential rains hit. As soon as I turn around, I'm met with a pair of blue eyes, so blue I just stare. There's only one person whose eyes burn with such force, and I freeze in my spot.
"Hi, Rory," I greet, trying to be nice. Give her a small smirk, but her gaze is still penetrating.
"Hi. Wha…what are you…doing here?" she struggles to get her sentence out, and I chuckle at her question.
"This is central park, I think I'm allowed to be here." My words aren't bitter, and my tone is light. For some reason she still flinches.
"I know, but I just mean that I've never seen you here before." She's blushing, and it's adorable.
"Huh, well this is a big place so we've probably just never been in the same place." I cannot believe we are having a conversation about this. I quickly change the topic. "So, you come to this bench often?" she walks a little closer to me so we don't have to talk as loud.
"Well no. I actually don't come to this park all that often, but today I thought I'd relax, clear my head a bit." She nods, and I mimic. This whole situation is going no where, and I'm starting to fidget. She's clearly nervous, and that makes me a little nervous too. For these reasons, I can't really explain what possessed me to ask her the following question.
"Would you like to get some coffee with me? You know, catch up a bit…relax" she tilts her head up at me with a small smile.
"I'd love to." i motion for her to follow me and before I know it, we're in my car driving to my favorite coffee house.
She plays with the hem of her shirt in the seat next to me, nervous habit I assume. There's a certain air around her; like a different feeling I can't explain. I feel her looking at me, and I try with all my will power to keep my eyes on the road. She finally sighs at me.
"Why is it so weird?" I raise my eyebrows in thought at her question.
"Why is what weird?" I'm trying to beat around the bush, and she knows.
"Jess, come on you know what I'm talking about. This whole morning has been
so tense and awkward. I mean, you would think after 6 years we'd be able to have a conversation, right?" I turn onto a different street, and then I try and focus on her. I decide to be honest and blunt. However, once again, what comes out of my mouth astounds me.
"Maybe it's weird because we still love each other." I keep focused, and suddenly we're parking in front of a café. Her head is down, and I shift into park as she takes off her seatbelt.
"That was not an answer I was expecting." She's whispering, and I know that I've hit a nerve. I simply don't know how to fix it.
"Shall we?" I motion for the door instead.
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"Jess, this coffee is amazing!" she gushes as she downs her third cup. I smirk at her and just enjoy the site. Suddenly she's blushing, and I tilt my head in question. "I must look ridiculous."
"Nah, just thirsty," I say causing her to laugh.
"That very well could be the case. You know, it's so hard to get a good cup of coffee in Hartford. I always have to go to Luke's to get the goods." I shrug at her statement.
"Huh, well maybe you can come here more often instead." She looks at me as if I've grown another head.
"Jess, this is kind of out of the way." I shrug again. A subject change is in order.
"So why are you in New York?" she takes another sip of coffee.
"Well, I have an apartment here, and for the last three weeks I've been doing some work for the Times, you know, sending in my regular articles online. I'm just trying to keep busy." I nod and take a small bite of my blueberry muffin.
"So I assume Logan is with you here, no?" I know it's cruel to bring it up, but I need to know. I see her smile fade, and I know her temper is starting to rise.
"Why must you bring him up?" I put my hands up innocently.
"I'm just trying to have friendly conversation."
"Yeah right like I believe that. And just for your information we broke up a while back." This surprises me, but in a good way.
"Really, why is that?" I know I'm pushing it and I can tell when she huffs at me.
"Basically he proposed and I wasn't ready. You know Logan, all or nothing."
"You knew he wasn't right for you, and that you deserve better." I'm whispering, thinking she won't hear the thoughts going right through my brain and out my mouth.
"Yeah, I guess so. I really did love him Jess. I know that means nothing to you, but for a while it felt right, you know?"
"Actually I do know. I feel it every time I'm around you." She slams her hand on the table.
"Don't do this Jess, just stop, okay?" I'm making her mad, and for some reason I want her to yell at me.
"Why? Why can't I share with you how I feel about you anymore?"
"Because we are not together! What do you want from me?" She's crying and I hate it. We're causing a scene, I know it. I usher her out to my car and I just drive with her still trying to gather her self. I drive until we're at my apartment. Once again, we just sit in the car.
"Do you wanna come up?" It's a long shot, but I'm pleasantly surprised when she opens the door and heads inside. When we reach my door, I think she's surprised at how nice it is.
"This is your apartment?" She's in awe at everything she sees. I smirk at her.
"Yeah, apparently you get a lot of money being on the best seller list." My second book, that is. Not the first. I was actually quite amazed to see my name on the list.
"Wow, I think I remember that, I kept a copy."
"You would." I say with a smile. Here we are back at square one with nothing to say.
"Rory, I-"
"Don't!" she cuts me off. "Don't go there please. Do you not know how to talk to me without digging up the past?"
"It's not the past Rory, it's real and it can be the present."
"No! It can't Jess. We can't be anymore!" I don't believe her. I know she wants it.
"Rory, I know you're scared. But so am I! You weren't the only one who got hurt ya know." She flinches at my words.
"I apologized for that!"
"And so did I! So we're even. Why can't we start again?"
"What is wrong with you? I haven't seen you in years, and now you want to play these games?"
"We aren't a game Rory. We're the real deal and you know it."
"Prove it." My heart just jumped in my throat.
"Excuse me?" I really can't believe what I just heard.
"You heard me, prove it. Prove to me that we're the real deal." Her eyes are on fire, challenging me to do something. Something overcomes me, and in a matter of seconds I've pulled her into my arms, and I'm kissing her, long, hard, sensual. My hands are roaming her back, and hers are digging into my hair. I open up, and to my surprise, her tongue slides in first to take control. She's just as much aroused as I am, and I love it. Suddenly, it's not enough. I need more. She yelps when I pick her up, but quickly wraps her legs around me, grinding her hips into my growing erection.
I stumble into my bedroom, and gently place her on the bed. She quickly grabs me, pulling me down so she can continue her assault on my neck. I try and regain control by tossing her shirt over me, and teasing her nipples through her lacy bra. She's whimpering, and writhing beneath me, and it's driving me crazy. Her bra is off on less than a second. Her hands are digging through my hair, leaving a dull pain that I don't care about. I unbuckle her belt, and toss it aside along with her jeans. She suddenly takes control, and flips us over so she's on top. I give her a questioning look.
"I wasn't done yet," I whisper breathlessly. She laughs.
"You have too many clothes on." That simple answer is all I need to let her continue. She pulls my shirt off in frenzy and discards it to the side. My pants are off, and before she can continue I switch us again. I kiss her, slow and passionately, letting her know that this isn't a casual fuck, or a one night stand. She reciprocates and I know she understands. I hold her waist gently, and I teasingly run my hands to the string of her panties. She's moaning softly, and it's making me weak. I quickly bend down to get rid of them, and I take of my boxers as well. She's looking at me oddly, and I can't put my finger on the expression. I crawl back up the length of her body and place a chaste kiss on her lips, and she gives me a smile before whispering, "I want you now." I enter her quickly, extremely turned on. It's not slow, but it's still romantic. Everything contrasts; her velvet skin against my rough hands, my quick thrusts matching her fluid movements, her delicate hands in my unruly hair. Everything heightens the experience, and I can't get enough. We're at a rapid pace, and she's moaning more and more beneath me. I can't control anymore, and as I feel her contract around me, I'm lost.
I'm still on top of her, and I feel her breath begin to return to normal. She's running her hands down my back, making me shiver. I lift up my head and give her a crooked smirk before kissing her gently. I roll off of her, and bring her with me.
"That was…I um…" she's biting her lip searching for words.
"Incredible? Amazing? Repeatable?" she laughs at me before nodding her head.
"I don't think I've ever felt like that." Her revelation makes me look at her.
"I love you, Rory. I want this to be the real thing." She sits up on her elbow, and places a kiss on my lips softly.
"I love you too, and this is the real thing." I smile widely at her, thankful that
we're getting this chance. As we tangle into the sheets my thoughts travel to how just this morning I was in a dream like state, and now I get to have the real deal.