I’m a very light sleeper. Whether it was sleeping with one eye open to stay one step ahead of my stepfather or listening out for my mother on the nights she was sicker than normal – life has required me to be one. . Now that I can sleep without any interruptions, the slightest sounds still wake me up.

I squint at my buzzing phone. The clock reads 3:30 a.m. and a text from a number I don’t recognize pops up on my phone.

“Hey, it’s Apollo. Are you free this afternoon? I thought maybe we could meet up.”

I sit up and wipe the sleep from my eyes and make sure they’re not playing tricks on me.

My second and third read of the text tells me they’re not.

It’s been a week, and I was starting to feel uneasy that Apollo hadn’t called me. I kicked myself for pulling that stupid “call me” shit. I thought it would only take a couple of days.

That whole evening was one big failure.

When I arrived at the gala, I felt like I was striding toward my future. I had come prepared. I’d run six miles that afternoon and pushed myself to the edge of exhaustion with my workout afterward. I was dressed to kill, head to toe Tom Ford—thanks to Dave and the last-minute hookup. Graham S. Davis, Master of the Universe, was in full effect. I was going to walk up to her and tell her exactly how I felt and what I wanted. Then, I was going to throw her over my shoulder and carry her out of the room. I’d fight anyone who tried to stop me. Including her.

When I saw Apollo at that table, my swagger vanished. I had stopped dead in my tracks and just stared at her. She was seated with her back to me, but I would have recognized the proud set of her shoulders anywhere. Her long black hair spilled like a sumptuous silk rope from its ponytailed perch on the back of her head.

The long curve of her neck was exposed, and I could see that small beauty mark right behind her ear. Her shoulders were bare. The back of the chair hid the rest of her body from sight and gave her the appearance of being topless. I’d walked up to her table, ignoring the gasps of the people who looked up as I passed by. And then she turned around. I almost had a heart attack when I saw her face. She was simply breathtaking. Her cheeks had lost all of the roundness she had when I’d seen her last. And her already high cheekbones were even more prominent. She was wearing makeup, but not a lot. Save for lips. They were painted a bright red, as fat as fucking cherries and I imagined as sweet. Her soft, rounded cleavage was cupped by the black satin bodice of her dress. I forgot that I was a supposed plundering Viking who was coming to get his woman. I wanted to fall on my knees and beg her to love me again.

As annoying as her smarmy kiss-ass banker boyfriend was, his interruption broke my trance and saved me from embarrassing myself in a room full of people.

When I left, I was so fucking hard. I got into the back of my car and was tempted to ask my driver, John, to roll up the partition so I could jack off. But as soon as I got back into my car, he asked me how my mission went and where my girl was.

In the week since, he’s listened to me grow more and more panicked as each day came and went without her calling.

I start to respond to her text and then change my mind. The phone rings once before she picks it up.

“Hello?” She’s whispering and sounds breathless.

“Hello, yourself.”

“Why are you calling me at three-thirty in the morning?” she hisses.

“Uh, you just sent me a text. Clearly, I didn’t wake you,” I quip.

“Why aren’t you asleep?” she asks irritably. “I thought you’d see that when you got up at noon or whatever time you normally roll out bed,” she shoots back.

“Ouch. You certainly woke up on the wrong side of the bed. I hope there’s no trouble in paradise.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, if you were my woman and you were awake at three-thirty in the morning, it would be because I was eating your sweet little pussy … or fucking it. It wouldn’t be because you were texting another man.”

She doesn’t say a word. I have to stifle my snicker.

“Hello?”

“I’m here,” she croaks.

This time I can’t hold back my laughter, “Well, holy shit. I have rendered Apollo speechless. Let’s mark the date on the calendar. God only knows when we’ll see it again.”

“Oh, shut up, Graham. And stop being crass. I called to see if we could meet and talk.”

“Just talk?”

“Can you meet or not? This afternoon?” she snaps.

“Of course, I can meet. But why not now?” I ask.

“Well, because I have meetings all morning. I want to try and sleep for a few hours, so I don’t look like I just woke up from a coma.” I laugh at the visual.

“It’s true. I already have terrible bags under my eyes,” she complains. “Anyway, I won’t be free until the afternoon.” She explains it like I’m a five-year-old who might now understand.

I lie back on my pillow and relax. Even if she’s pissed at me, I love hearing Apollo’s voice. It’s soothing.

“I’m free until about five-thirty. And I’m a month out from orientation. So, I can be anywhere, anytime you’d like,” I tell her, my words full of innuendo I know she doesn’t miss.

She ignores me. “Okay, meet me at the Sun and Her Star at 1:30. It’s at West Seventeenth Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenue.”

“Sounds perfect. I’ll be there with bells on,” I reply happily.

“Fine. Well, goodbye,” she says primly.

“Wait,” I call. I’m not ready to say goodbye yet.

“For what?” she asks wearily.

“Why are you awake, Sunshine?” I ask, serious now. “Is everything okay?”

There’s a beat of silence before she answers.

“No, Graham, everything is not okay. I can’t sleep because part of me wants to get up and come find you and crawl into your bed and stay there for the rest of my life and make up for five years of lost time. And the other half of me wants to pack a suitcase and put as much distance as I can between us.”

The frustration and hurt in her voice reached me loud and clear. It’s like a kick to my gut to know that I’ve made her feel this way. I’ve been teasing her, and she’s genuinely upset.

“Hey. Listen. I’m sorry. I’m not here to hurt you. I know that may be hard to believe after everything that’s happened.”

She doesn’t say anything, and I hold my breath. Maybe I came on too strong.

“Deep down, Graham ... I do believe it. Because I know who you used to be. But I don’t know you anymore.”

“I’m the same person,” I tell her. Not being able to see her right now is frustrating.

“I don’t know that.”

“You do.”

“How? We’ve lived completely separate lives for the last five years. How can I be sure that this isn’t just nostalgia and boredom? What if you miss the fast life in LA? What happens then? My heart breaks all over?” She sounds frantic and I can imagine her running her hand through her hair repeatedly as she paces.

I’ve got my work cut out for me. But, I don’t want to overwhelm her.

She still loves me.

I have a chance.

“Apollo, I don’t want to make you promises. Those are too easy to break. I want my deeds to be my monuments.”

I hear her sharp intake of breath and a whispered, “You remember?”

“There’s not one second I’ve spent with you that I didn’t commit to memory.”

“Oh, God, Graham …” She sounds torn.

I feel hopeful. And decide to quit while I’m ahead.

“Let’s have this conversation face-to-face. We’re both tired. I’ll meet you later and we’ll have lunch. I don’t want to force you to do anything. I just hope that I can convince you to choose me. I want to get to know you again. And I want you to get to know me, too. Not the man you’ve been reading about online. But me.” My voice is gentle.

I can hear her brain working while I wait for her to respond.

“Okay. But let’s just hang out. No flirting. No touching. Let’s just talk,” she says in a warning tone.

“Well, God knows that’s your specialty. I have yet to meet a more talented talker.”

“I do not talk a lot,” she grumbles.

“Sunshine,” I call softly.

“Yeah?” she yawns.

“I’ve missed your voice,” I confess.

“Same goes.” She whispers those words right before she hangs up. But they resound in my head like the crack of the race keeper’s gun signaling that it’s time to start the race of my life.

Only in New York City would a museum’s entrance be a plain glass shop front window. On the outside, it’s indistinguishable from the thrift store next door. But when I step into The Sun and The Star, I chide myself for breaking one of my very own cardinal rules—never judge a book by its cover. I stepped in to a gleaming, Ivory marble tiled lobby and stare at the gigantic winding staircase made of chrome and glass. The steps were covered in a rainbow swirled carpet that made it look almost homey.

I was a little early and don’t see Apollo in the lobby, so I wander into the gift store and nose around. When I’d looked it up on my way here, I read that it’s focused on art from the Himalayan region and India. I’ve always wanted to travel there. I wonder if Apollo’s been. I wonder what I’ve missed while I was busy avoiding my life.

I’m toying with a black tea, when I feel a finger tap my shoulder.

I turn around and look down into Apollo’s lovely, smiling face.

“This is amazing,” I tell her.

“Thank you.” Her eyes make a proud sweep around the room.

She smiles and gives me an appraising look. “You don’t look half bad for someone who’s been awake since 3:30 this morning.”

“Oh, that’s because I went back to sleep. Don’t you know who I am? I don’t roll out of bed until noon.” I wink and pop the collar of my shirt.

She blushes and it’s fucking pretty.

“I’m sorry about that. God, that was so rude of me.” She presses a hand to her forehead in dismay. “It’s not an excuse, but I was tired and anxious. I mean, I didn’t expect you to get the text right away, but I know you don’t sleep until noon.” She looks up at me through her lashes and smiles hesitantly. “And I’m babbling.”

“I don’t mind. I’ve got all day,” I tell her.

“So do I, actually. I don’t have any more meetings and when I couldn’t go back to sleep, I went to the gallery and got most of my work done before the sun came up. So, I’m calling it quits for the day.”

“Are you saying you’ll spend the day with me?” I raise a teasing eyebrow and she grins.

“I’m saying, I can.” She sets her mouth in a stern frown. “If you can refrain from being your naturally nosy, annoying self during lunch, I’ll consider it.”

“Nosy and annoying? Me? Since when have you started projecting your faults onto other people?”

She jabs me in the ribs and says, “We haven’t even gotten to the restaurant and I’m already feeling like I’m going to suddenly realize I have an appointment right after lunch.”

“Oof,” I grab my chest and stumble. “You wound me. I’m going to be on best behavior. I prom—you’ll see,” I say with a wink.

“I’ll see,” she says imperiously and heads out of the store without another word. I stand and admire her back for a few minutes. That long ponytail swings like it can read my mind and is daring me to reach out and wrap it around my fist.

Her jacket falls as if it knows I’d need to be able to see her ass. It’s fucking amazing. Me and the guys call those kinds of asses onions. They make you cry just looking at ‘em. Her thighs and legs look incredible in her hip hugging black pencil skirt and black tights that have a sexy ass seam running up the back of her calves. And her black high heeled booties were made to dig into my ass while I’m fucking her.

I know I’m being every shade of perverted. But shit. I can’t help it. She does it for me. Besides, having a boner for the very best human being I know has got to be at the top of the list of best problems to have.

Especially when she’s got a boner for me, too. Now, to get her to acknowledge and then act on it.

When she gets to the front doors and finally realizes I’m not behind her, she looks over her shoulder at me, and her smile is a definite come hither.

“What are you looking at, Grahamstar?” she asks in mock censure.

I wet my lips with the tip of my tongue before I bite it. Her eyes fall to my mouth and her beautiful chocolate-brown eyes—that I could just drown in—give me an appreciative once-over.

Oh yeah, she’s got a boner for me.

“I’m just marveling at how much you have grown since I saw you last.” I catch up to her at the door and hold it open while she steps through.

Her spicy, alluring scent wafts up my nose, and I want to bury my nose in her neck and see what it smells like mingled with her sweat.

“Have I? You have too, but I guess five years is a long time,” she says when I join her on the sidewalk. She slips her arm through mine and says, “Do you have a car?”

“No, I took the train.”

“And you made it without being attacked by one of your rabid fangirls?” she asks sarcastically. We step out of the way and let fast food traffic pass before we start our leisurely stroll again.

“You’re hilarious. Actually, only one person recognized me, and he just waved. It’s nice to not really be noticed.”

“Oh, you’re noticed. I’m sure people have posted the pictures they took while you weren’t looking. New Yorkers are too cool to act starstruck when they see someone famous, but they’re not too cool to tweet about it.”

“Well, I don’t mind that. I mean, I’m not in hiding. And I like not having to go everywhere in a car. I was actually thinking of getting a bike. It seems like the best way to get around.” I free my arm from her grasp and sling it over her shoulder and pull her to me and she tucks herself into my side. Her arm goes around my waist right away and we walk in silence for a bit.

This feels easy. Just like we’ve always been. I have a lot to say today and some of it will be difficult. So, I enjoy how good it feels to have her arms around me like we’ve been doing this our whole lives. I already feel brighter, happier. And, I really like New York.

A lot.

“Graham, we’ve been walking for nearly five minutes and you haven’t even asked where I was taking you.” Apollo nudges me with her hip.

I look down at to find her beaming up at me and I tighten my arm around her and nuzzle the top of her head with my chin.

“What are you smiling at?”

“You. You’re here. We’re hanging out.” She sighs contentedly and looks back to watch where we’re walking. “I’ve missed you.”

“Yeah, me too, Sunshine. I’m glad I came.” She gives my waist a squeeze and we fall back into our comfortable silence.

We get to the corner of Fourth Avenue before I ask where we’re going.

“It depends.” She steps out of my hold and turns to face me with a pensive look on her face. “Are you in the mood for a walk?”

“As long as there’s food at the end of it, then sure. I’m not the one in heels.” I nod down at her booted feet.

“They’re comfortable and … it’s not that far. Well, not really.” She’s looking around as she’s talking. She looks at me and purses her lips and shakes her head.

“No. We’d have to walk through Washington Square Park and every time I walk through there, something embarrassing happens. A bird will shit on my head or I’ll trip over nothing and skin my knee. Or a water pipe will burst the minute I walk past it. That place has bad juju.” She opens her purse and grabs her phone. “Let’s get an Uber.”

“Sure. Sounds good. But I still don’t know where we’re going.”

“First to eat. There’s a great Vietnamese place across from The Strand Bookstore on Broadway.”

“Oh, man. It’s on my list of places to visit. I follow them on Instagram.”

“Oh, yeah? I hardly use it anymore,” she says as she peers down West Seventh.

“Yeah, I know,” I say.

Her head turns toward me sharply, her eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, I check every once in a while to see if there’s anything new going on. Like if you’ve dumped that boyfriend of yours yet.”

“Graham. Come on.” She rolls her eyes and shakes her head before she returns to looking for our driver.

“What? You know you’re going to have to dump him, right?”

She looks at me again and narrows her eyes. “I don’t know any such thing.” And then her eyes slide to mine, and she smiles slyly. “I already have. Two months ago.”

I pump my fist. “I knew it. So, you’re single…” I nudge her thigh with mine and smile broadly when she flushes and drops her eyes. .

“I guess,” she mumbles.

“Why did you end things?” I probe.

She turns her head and gazes at me. “Because when I kissed him, I tasted you.”

My mouth goes dry and lick my lips and sharpen my gaze on her and watch her closely. “You mean, before I got here?” I ask, afraid to believe what she’s saying.

“Graham, I know it was a long time ago and that it was brief,” her fingers flutter to her lips and her eyes close briefly. My heart kicks in my chest at that gesture.

I know what she’s remembering.

I still feel it, too.

“It was so very fleeting,” her eyes come to mine and there is a direct but tender honesty in them. “That kiss ruined me. And it wasn’t fair to be with him when I dreamed about another man every night. I should have ended it a long time ago.”

My heartbeat races and my thoughts are too jumbled for me to string together a coherent response. I grin widely. “Apollo—”

“I promised to keep it quiet because he asked me to. I don’t want to embarrass him by being photographed kissing you when his family and friends all think we’re still together. And ever since you waltzed into that gala, he thinks I’m his ticket to landing you as a client.” She rolls her eyes and waits for my reaction.

I shake my head in mock confusion. “Sorry. You’ll have to repeat that. I didn’t hear anything past the part where you said you’re single,” I say with a jaunty smile and a wink. This is one less hurdle I’ll have to cross. And I’m not bothering to hide my glee.

“You’re being annoying,” she says and crosses her arms and then looks down at her phone. “He’s here.” She waves as a big black Chevy Tahoe pulls up.

“That’s a fancy Uber. I haven’t taken one in a minute, but they used to be Toyota Camrys.”

“I ordered an Uber X. I don’t ride in cars often, so when I do, I like to be comfortable,” she says as we walk to the curb.

“That’s how I feel about flying long distances. Not often, but when I do …”

I pull the passenger door open and then take her hand to boost her inside and get a nice look of that spectacular view before she sits down and slides over.

“Apollo?” The driver addresses the question to me.

“That’s me.” She waves and smiles pleasantly.

“Oh, sorry, I thought it was a guy.” He looks like he actually doesn’t give a fuck. “Anyway, we going to East Twelfth and Broadway?”

Apollo’s smile does slip. “Easy enough to understand. And yes, to Ribalta. Thank you.”

She puts her purse down and shrugs out of her jacket. I groan when I see that she’s wearing a body hugging black V-neck blouse that hugs every single curve of her body.

“Why are taking your jacket off? I thought you said we could walk there.”

She looks at me like I’m an idiot. “We could, but Uber means we’ll have to fight whatever traffic and so I’m getting comfortable. We’ll be here for at least twenty minutes.” She lays her jacket on the seat between us. I pick it up and scoot to sit next to her.

“Twenty minutes is plenty of time,” I say and scoot next to her.

She eyes me suspiciously but doesn’t move away.

I waggle my eyebrows.

“I said no kissing,” she chastises me.

“Why did you say that again?” I put my hand on her thigh and slide it up her skirt. “I don’t know …” I keep my eyes on her thighs and watch the outline of my hand as it slides up and disappears in between her thighs.

She inhales sharply. “What are you doing?” she asks, her thighs parting slightly.

My fingers meet the bare skin of her pussy and I look up at her. “Damn, your tights have a fuck hole.”

“It’s not a fuck hole. It’s so I don’t have to pull them down to pee,” she says indignantly and presses her thighs together slightly.

“Well, right now, it’s a fuck hole,” I murmur against her ear.

“Oh …” She breathes out and her hips tilt toward my fingers.

“Why didn’t you tell me you’d broken up with him when I came to your place the other night?” I ask while I slide my finger in between the crease at the apex of her thighs.

“It was my only line of defense.” She moans softly as I press my fingers in between the soft wet lips and slide them up in a firm, slow stroke.

“Do you think I care whether or not you have a boyfriend?” I whisper gently.

“You don’t?” She gasps at the swirling pressure of my thumb on her clit.

“Fuck no. There hasn’t been a day since we met that you and I didn’t belong with each other.” My tongue darts out to touch the tender center of her bottom lip. She opens for me with a whimper. I fist my hand in her hair and kiss her. Her lips are like perfectly ripe fruit—so sweet and soft.

Her tongue slides against mine and slips into my mouth and the kiss takes on a life of its own.

I slide my mouth down her chin, suck her jaw, and pepper kisses all over her face.

“Oh my God. I need more of your mouth. Kiss me,” she groans as her hands spear into my hair and she tries to pull me back up to her lips. I give her what she’s demanding, but just long enough to nip her supple top lip.

“Hey!” our driver’s voice breaks through our lust-soaked haze. We jump apart and turn to face him. He’s pulled over and has turned around to glare at us.

“You two need to get out of my car. You can’t do that in here.” He points to the door.

“Oh my God.” Apollo covers her hand with her mouth and shoots me a wide-eyed look of mortification. I just open the door and slide out. She leans forward and speaks to him through the separating glass. “Sir, we are so sorry. I’ve never done anything like that.” Apollo’s protests are futile.

“Yeah right. First time for everything I guess.” He turns around and unlocks the door. “Goodnight.”

We share a wide-eyed grimace and hop out. He pulls away as soon as I swing the door shut. We look at each other and burst out laughing.

“Oh my God. He’s going to give me a negative rating,” Apollo groans when she finally gets her laughter under control.

“Yup, probably.” I chuckle. “Are we close enough to just walk?”

“Yeah, come on. I’m starving now.”

Even as the seemingly endless rush of people surrounds us, I stop and hold her jacket open for her to put on.

“You’re such a gentleman,” she drawls, before she turns away and then slips her arms into the jacket. Her ponytail is stuck inside her collar and I reach inside to pull it out and let her hair fall through my fingers as I lay it onto her back. “That kiss was nice, Apollo,” I tell her, placing a light kiss to her temple.

“Yes, it was,” she says, and then slips an arm around my waist. I pull away and stand to face her.

“What is it?” she asks, concern on her face. I take her chin between my fingers and bring her face up to mine. I look into those eyes

“I don’t want stolen moments in the back of a car. I don’t want to touch you and then send you home. Let’s hang out, eat dinner, be friends. But I’m not here just to finger fuck you and steal kisses. I’m here to win you over and then ride off into the sunset with you.”

She opens her mouth to complain. I hold up a hand to silence her.

“Listen, I get it. You need time. You’re not sure. I need to prove myself.”

“Let’s just spend time together? Okay?” She moves to put her arm around my waist again, and I step back. I need her to see that I’m serious.

“That’s fine. But, you don’t get to work out your attraction to me while all of that is still unresolved. So, no come-hither looks. No kissing,” I say even though it kills me to know I won’t taste those sweet lips until she tells me she’s ready to be mine.

The kisses we share mean something to me, and I don’t want them to feel like random hookups.

“Okay. That sounds fair,” she says with an uncertain smile.

My smile is genuine and wide. I know I probably don’t deserve what I’m asking for. I’ve done so many things I’m not proud of. Things I hope I never have to tell her. But, I love this woman. I know that she loves me. Until the day I die, I’ll work my ass off to make her feel like I’m worthy of her trust. She wraps her arm around my waist. I rest mine across her shoulders. We turn and walk in silence the rest of the way to the restaurant.