Chapter Fifteen
They walked along one of many beautiful trails in City Park after spending the morning touring an old antebellum mansion. The air was mild in the shade of some mossy oak trees near a pond. They decided to sit on a bench and pass some time alone, away from the excitement of the fairgrounds and main attractions.
“I’m trying not to think too much about this being our last day together for a while.” Emanuela snuggled in to Finn’s side and rested her head on his shoulder.
He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her closer. “I know. I don’t think I can go a month before seeing you again. The only thing that got me through those last two weeks was knowing I’d be here with you now, and barely.”
“I’m not sure how easy it’ll be to see each other more than once a month. It’s really overwhelming for me to think too far in advance. I’ll just be in my head and ruin the rest of our time together.”
He kissed the top of her head, thinking. “Okay. Let’s not think that far ahead then. How about we just plan as we go?”
She nodded against his shoulder. “You and Simon found a few potential locations for your new lab space, so I’ll have to come inspect them. I have to make sure you two aren’t up to anything suspicious,” she said, giving her words less of an edge.
“We have. We’re looking forward to getting out of his garage and into a real lab. We aren’t the only ones interested, so we’ll need to decide pretty soon.”
She was quiet for a long moment, and he could practically see her busy schedule running through her brain.
“I can do it in two weeks,” she said.
“Are you sure? Can you just decide like that or do you need someone to sign off first?”
“Subtle.” She moved her head to glare at him playfully.
He kissed her nose.
“It’s part of my job description, Finn. The timeline is different for each project. What I do sometimes depends on what you do, so if you tell me there’s real estate to look at, I book a flight. If there’s some new development related to a product we’re backing, it’s possible that I may need to come see what you’re up to.”
“Interesting.”
“Uh-uh. Don’t get any ideas. If you two blow something up, it’s my ass on the line.”
“Well,” he said with false gravity, his hand snaking down her spine. “I’ll do everything I can to make sure your ass isn’t compromised in any objectionable way.”
“Finn!” She grabbed the delinquent hand at her backside. “I’m serious!”
“So am I.” He nuzzled her neck.
“You aren’t.” Though her expression was serious, her head tilted back to welcome his affection. “Besides, it’s likely going to be you doing most of the flying. Your schedule is more flexible than mine.”
He raised his head to look at her, considering her words for a moment. He decided now was as good a time as any to tell her about Simon. “You’re right. It wouldn’t be a problem for me. Sy knows about us.”
“How?” She searched his face. “Did you tell him?”
He bristled a bit at the accusation in her tone. “No. He suspected something was up during that big conference meeting we had when Philip was all over you. I’m not as good as you are at disguising my feelings, apparently.”
“Ouch.”
“I’m sorry,” he said, kissing her fingers. “You didn’t deserve that.”
“I didn’t, but I know what that must have looked like to you…I don’t think I could stomach another woman falling all over you.”
Finn’s expression softened again, and he squeezed her hand.
“This thing with Philip…” she said, sitting up straighter. “We’ve been friends a long time. I have a feeling he might feel something more than friendship for me recently, but I can’t be sure. He hasn’t explicitly asked me out or done anything inappropriate. We’ve always had an easy-going working relationship, but I’ll need to tread carefully. I just want you to trust that, if the time comes, I’ll handle it.”
Finn met her eyes, needing to see the sincerity he knew would be there before he could truly relax. He hated how the distance made him second-guess himself. “Do you feel anything for Philip?”
“He’s obviously good looking, and I’ll admit that there’s a natural attraction there.”
Finn watched her squirm. She obviously knew he wouldn’t be crazy about that gem of truth, though he appreciated her naked honesty.
“I’ve never acted on it and I don’t intend to,” she said. “For a lot of reasons. I don’t have feelings for him in that way, especially not since meeting you.” She raised her eyes to his. “I don’t want to do anything to mess this up.”
Finn processed what she told him, and it seemed like an eternity had passed.
“I’m sure Philip is a good guy,” he said finally. “I trust you, but it’s no picnic being three thousand miles away while you work so closely with someone who might have feelings for you.”
She visibly relaxed. “You won’t regret it, Finn.” She tilted her head to press a kiss to his tense jaw.
A crowd of festival goers could be heard in the distance, interrupting the quiet calm of their interlude. Finn cast a quick glance in the direction of the rowdy people starting to come into view, then looked down at Emanuela. “Let’s get out of here.”
****
They made short work of their clothes, kissing each other wherever their frantic lips could reach between each carelessly discarded item of clothing. Finn cursed, yanking at her shorts.
“Get these off,” he said, against her lips.
He waited for her to tug them off, then spun her around. He bent her over and took her in one smooth thrust. They cried out in unison, and Emanuela grabbed hold of one of the bed’s four posters, coaxing her body to relax despite her rapid pulse. He made love to her with a ferocity she hadn’t yet seen from him. Part of her understood his animal need to possess her, to release the frustration of being swept up in something he couldn’t control. She accepted his possession, submitted to it, rewarding him with the sounds he loved, until his powerful thrusts sent him panting over the edge.
He breathed against her smooth back for several moments, gently easing her tight hold on the poster, his heart pounding in his ears. “C’mere,” he murmured, turning her easily and lifting her to the bed.
He looked into her glistening eyes and kissed each one, then her nose, and finally, her lips. This time he moved with deliberate slowness, guiding himself into her with his hands planted beneath her hips. He focused every cell of his body on pleasing her. His eyes never left her face as she rocked against him, holding onto him for dear life, until her beautiful face twisted up and she bit her lip.
“That’s it, baby,” he said, his forehead breaking into a sweat. “Come for me, Emmi.”
She did. A long, soulful moan escaped her, her head falling to his shoulder until the tremors left her body. He held her even after she stilled against him, her warm breath moistening his skin.
“What was that?” she whispered, pulling away to look into his eyes.
“I don’t know. I think I let the reality of the situation get to me and I took it out on you. I shouldn’t have done that,” he said, gently tucking a curl behind her ear.
“I’m glad you did. It’s nice to know I’m not the only one dreading tomorrow.”
“You aren’t. Not by a long shot.”
He swooped her up and carried her to the bathroom. They showered and spent the next couple of hours happily in their underwear in the air conditioned room, ignoring whatever old movie played on a local cable channel in the background. They cuddled, groped each other, traded more dating horror stories and shared a hundred kisses before it was time to get dressed for their final evening out in the Crescent City.
****
The Creole Queen rose two hundred feet above the water, her forty-foot length hugging the Poydras Street Dock behind the Hilton Riverside Hotel. About two hundred passengers prepared to board the beautiful paddle wheeler, the band waving at them in greeting from the upper deck.
“You look so beautiful,” Finn said in Emanuela’s ear, guiding her up the ramp with a hand at her lower back. “People are staring.”
“Don’t tell me that!”
They presented their tickets, allowing the smiling hostess to show them to the upper deck.
“It’s true,” he said over her shoulder, continuing up another set of stairs.
She did look wonderful. Her hair was pulled into an intricate bun atop her head, drawing all focus to her beautiful face. Her skin glowed from exposure to the sun over the last few days, her white trapeze dress glorious against her skin.
The host almost tripped over himself to greet them, his eyes glued to Emanuela, before he showed them to their table.
****
“You look beautiful too,” Emanuela said when they were seated.
His salt and pepper waves were slicked back from his face. He wore a crisp, light blue shirt that drew attention to his eyes. It was buttoned down a bit, rolled at the sleeves in his distinctive way, and tucked into his light chino trousers.
“You’ll want to watch that,” he said. “Someone at this table seems to think I don’t behave myself in public.”
“You don’t.”
“Come over here.” He pulled her chair closer.
“Why don’t I just sit in your lap?”
“Woman, do not tempt me.”
She grinned, but heeded his warning this time, not trusting that he wouldn’t make a spectacle. They greeted the elderly out of town couple being seated at the table next to them as the river boat started to pull away from the dock. The twenty-four foot paddlewheel churned the water slowly, and the live band began to play.
They sipped sparkling champagne and signature cocktails, chatting cheek to cheek like they were the only two people on board. Servers came around with their grilled oyster salads just as the sun began to set, painting the evening sky in shades of pink, lavender and gold.
They fed each other bits of chili spiked soft shell crab and pecan smoked beef, whispering and giggling like teenagers. An elderly man at the next table kissed his wife’s hand and graciously led her past their table to the dance floor.
Finn looked at Emanuela suggestively, drawing another airy giggle from her. He pushed his chair back, standing in front of her to offer a dramatic flourish and extend his hand. “Madame.”
She laughed, shaking her head at his antics. “Mademoiselle, please.”
She took his hand and let him lead her to the floor. He hugged her to his chest, clasping her small hand in his. The band transitioned to the next song, the pianist striking up the intro to Louis Armstrong’s “A Kiss to Build a Dream On” like a soft berceuse. Finn and Emanuela swayed together, listening to the singer’s deep voice rasp the words.
Emanuela sighed, letting her head fall to Finn’s shoulder, turning her face into his neck. The clarinet and trumpet joined in the lilting lullaby, the tender lyrics wrapping around them and tying them together.
Finn released her hand and draped her arm over his shoulder so he could wrap both of his arms around her. They remained so entwined as the Creole Queen meandered her way along the Mississippi River and the New Orleans skyline slipped by beneath a canopy of stars.
****
“Emmi,” Finn said, hovering over her, waiting for her to open her eyes.
She did, smoothing her hands up his chest, clasping her fingers behind his head. “Don’t say it.”
“Emanuela.”
“Don’t. Not yet.” She lowered her eyes.
“You promised you wouldn’t do that.”
She dragged her gaze back to his and raised her hips.
He let it go, deciding instead to show her how he felt until she was ready to hear it. Their eyes never left each other again, and la petite mort claimed them.
He curved his body to hers and they drifted off to sleep.
“Finn?” she whispered in the dark.
“Hmmm?”
“Thank you.”
He kissed her shoulder. They spent the rest of the night on the same pillow, their bodies seeking each other even in sleep.
****
Their flights were scheduled to take off within thirty minutes of each other, so they rode to the airport together.
“Miss Monroe.” Morris pulled her aside, and Finn went to check their bags curbside to give them a moment.
“Morris?”
“I didn’t get a chance to give you this ‘til now. I knew I’d have to wait until time for you to leave or you wouldn’t take it.” He handed her an unmarked, legal sized envelope.
“Morris…” Emanuela was apprehensive, refusing to take the envelope. “Whatever it is, I don’t want it.”
He ignored her. “I got some help with the math. That should be ’bout thirty percent of what you loaned me over the years.” He held his hand up at her protesting. “Now Miss Monroe, I do know a little something ’bout how these things go. This here is rightfully yours.”
She could see there was no point in further protest and Finn was waiting for her, so she took the envelope and, without thinking about it, pulled Morris into a hug.
“Take care, Miss Monroe.”
“You too, Morris.” She smiled at him one last time, then walked with Finn through the reflective double doors.
****
Her flight departed first, so Finn waited with her at her gate, holding her behind a column, away from the prying eyes of her fellow passengers so they could say their goodbyes.
“I’ll miss you,” he said.
“It’s just two weeks.”
“Tell me anyway.”
“I will. I’ll miss you.”
She looked into his eyes, and he could see her discomfort at their very public display. She shook her head, rising to her toes to kiss him. It was brief, just a few seconds, but he knew how much the gesture meant coming from her, and hugged her close until it was time for her to board.
“I’ll see you in two weeks,” he said, kissing her cheek one more time.
“Two weeks.”
His chest tightened at her obvious reluctance to pull away. But she did, at the final boarding call. She disappeared through the terminal, and then he turned on his heel, a thousand beautiful new memories accompanying him to his own gate.