I hurry back to my apartment. I have to pack. Tomorrow we will be going somewhere after work. I’m not sure where, as Preston finalized the details.

I don’t think one weekend will be enough, though I lied and agreed to it because the thought of not having this time with him makes me sick. The thought of not feeling his hands again is too much to bear. So I agreed and made a promise I know I can’t keep.

“So, what are you going to do?” Sydney’s asks after I tell her Preston invited me away for the weekend.

“Fuck him out of my system.” I laugh and she giggles, too. She thinks I’m joking. When I stop laughing and give her a serious look, she stops as well.

“What do you mean?”

“Since we can’t be together here, we’re going away. We’re going to get each other out of our systems.” She crosses her hands in front of her chest.

“You think that’s a good idea?”

“Nope.”

“So why are you doing it?”

“Because I can’t not.” She nods in understanding.

“When do you leave?” I take a gulp of my wine before answering her question.

“After work tomorrow.”

“Where you going?”

“No clue.”

“I hope you know what you’re doing.” Me, too.

* * *

I’m a basket of pent up energy at work. Not only did I not sleep well, but I’m also super nervous about leaving with Preston today. Luckily for me, at least my anxiety at work is almost under control. I have become well versed in self-soothing techniques. That, and I’m popping homeopathic remedies like they’re candy. If only they made a drop for calming my subconscious mind when asleep.

To make matters worse, the lawyers are here again. Who knew settling someone’s affairs would take so long? That Richard left his shares of the company to my mother leads me to believe maybe he needed psychiatric help as well. I’ll never understand why he did it or why my mom had anything to do with anything, but as long as Michael has control of the show, I feel secure we’ll all continue to have jobs.

After answering emails and basically fidgeting at my desk, I see Michael step out into the hallway and wave me into the conference room. With long strides, I make my way in and take a seat.

“Thanks for joining us. I’ll be stepping out shortly, but I wanted to ask if your mom was okay?” His comment makes me narrow my eyes.

“Yeah, sure. I mean, no different than always. Why do you ask?”

“Well, Mr. Swartz has been trying to contact her to sign some papers in regard to the will and she hasn’t responded to his request. We wanted to make sure she was okay.”

“From what she’s said on the phone and when I’ve seen her, yeah, but I can follow up with her next week if you want?” Normally I would go straight to my mom with this news and make sure she’s okay, but I’m tired of not living my own life and I need to stop enabling her. She needs to learn to be more self-sufficient. Finding out why she hasn’t answered the lawyers will have to wait.

“That would be great. Thank you so much.” He stands and straightens his suit jacket. “I’ll leave you two.” I smile up at him, then turn my attention to the attorney.

“Thank you, Ms. Hamilton, for taking your time to meet with me again. I wanted to discuss how you would like to proceed with the apartment. At the last meeting you said you didn’t wish to keep the property. I wanted to see if you had changed your mind, and if not, whether you’d like help selling it?”

“I have thought about it and yes, I have no wish to keep it. As much as I love it, it’s too close to my mother.” I try to laugh. The idea of living so close to her again makes my whole body crawl. I love my mom, but she sucks the life out of me.

“Okay, I can help you find a listing agent, and when the time comes, I can handle the closing with you.”

“Thank you so much, Mr. Schwartz. If that was it, I do have to get back to work.”

“Oh, yes, of course. I only have a few more papers to go over and then I’ll see myself out.” He’s already looking down and scribbling in his notepad.

Once back at my desk, I type Manhattan realtors into my computer search engine. I’ve been putting this off for too long. It’s time to settle it.

* * *

It’s official. By the time my desk clock says five, I’m bouncing off the walls. Sydney and I bolt out the door and head home. He should be there soon. My stomach is a ball of knots, as are my shoulders and the muscles in my back. Just as Sydney opens the door, my phone vibrates in my pocket and I jump to retrieve it. Sydney pads down the hallway and I head to my room and check my message.

Preston: I’m outside your building in the illegally parked Range Rover.

Me: There in one minute.

I grab the tiny carry-on bag I packed last night and make my way to leave. When I start walking to the door, I hear Sydney call my name.

“Escaping without saying good-bye?”

“He’s downstairs.” She nods.

“Be safe, okay? And if you need me, no matter when, call.”

“Okay.”

She pulls me into a hug and then lets me go. I turn my back and head for the door. Biting my lip, I enter the elevator, and swallow hard as I make my descent.

My heart rams in my chest with each step that brings me closer to the outside world, and by the time I see his parked car, I fear it might explode. Am I making the wrong decision?

But then my world stops and my question is answered. No. I’m not.

The late afternoon sun reflects in his eyes, twinkling crystals and sapphire specks dance across the distance. God, those eyes. He pulls me toward him. His mouth brushes over mine and my lips part on a gasp. Taking advantage of the opportunity, he deepens the kiss. His tongue fights mine in a frenzy of passion and desperation. Of hunger and need. As our mouths collide, it’s as if he’s fighting for ownership of me. To possess me.

But what he doesn’t know is there’s no need. The moment I saw him, I was his.

“I shouldn’t have done that in public, but when I look at you I lose all reason,” he mutters as he pulls away from me. “Here, get in the car before someone sees us.” He opens the door for me before slipping around to the driver side and getting in.

“So, where to?” I ask as I fasten my seatbelt and he pulls away from the curb.

“Ever been to Rhode Island?” A grin tugs at his lips.

“Can’t say that I have.”

“Good.” He smirks.

“That’s it. That’s all you’re telling me?”

“Yeah, it’s more fun this way.” I playfully swat at his arm and he gently encases my hand in his, then places our entwined hands on his lap. It’s an intimate gesture that makes me fall a bit more than I want.

As we drive out of the city, my shoulders uncoil. The idea of spending a few days with Preston is exhilarating. Soft music plays throughout the interior of the car and I get lost in the skyline vanishing into the horizon the farther we get. We sit in comfortable silence. Preston’s fingers trace circles on my own as we continue to our destination.

“How was work today?” He finally breaks the silence and I turn to him and smile. He looks away from the road for a brief second, his eyes soft.

“It was okay.”

“Just okay?”

“Well, I was a bit anxious to get away, so the day dragged. Then Richard’s attorney came to speak to me about the apartment.”

“Have you decided what you want to do with it?”

“I’m going to sell it.” His hand squeezes mine. “Other than that, the day was good. Just working on a new campaign I landed.”

“That’s amazing.”

“Thanks.” My lips split into a smile. It was pretty amazing. “What about you?” Although his face is forward and turned toward the road, I see his lips pucker. “You don’t have to tell me about your day if that makes you uncomfortable.” He nods and I can see him let out a big exhale. “How about you tell me something about your family.”

“I can do that.” His lips tip up in a smirk. “What do you want to know?”

“How about everything,” I blurt out, eliciting a hearty laugh from him.

“Okay, everything. Hmm. Well, for starters, I’m one of three. I have an older brother named Jace, you already met his twins. Jace works at my father’s hedge fund, and then there is Madeline, my younger sister. She actually works in fashion. You would love her,” he says before he catches the implication and frowns. Getting to know her isn’t in the cards for us right now. He knows it and I know it. There’s too much for him to lose. After a brief silence, he shakes his head and appears to right his thoughts.

“Where does she work?”

“She’s the merchandising director for She.” I recognize the name instantly—She is a cutting edge fashion line that’s carried at all the high-end department stores and upscale boutiques in the city.

“Are you close with your siblings?”

“Yes, very. We speak on the phone almost daily and we try get together every week for dinner. Well, not this week. But typically.”

“That’s so nice.” My voice betrays my emotions. I might see my mom every week, but we would never have what he has with his family. It just isn’t possible to get that from her. Needing to let my mind drift from my own dysfunctional family, I continue to drill him about his own.

For the rest of the drive, we talk of everything and nothing. Mundane details that for most would seem unimportant, but for me, getting these tiny glimpses of the man who makes up Dr. Preston Montgomery is everything. I love hearing him talk about his parents. Married for thirty-seven years, they are still madly in love. And when he speaks of his siblings, it makes me smile from ear to ear.

As we pull off the highway, I’m giddy with excitement. Two days alone with this man . . . I can’t wait.