The Scheme

What do I do?

I rushed to the bathroom. Resting my back against the door, I dropped my head into my hands. His words had made me swoon, but as much as I tried to deny it, I couldn’t resist his charms.

And there it was, the real truth—I was slowly but undeniably falling for this man.

***

BRIAN

I was making it a point to break every rule in her book, ones mentioned in passing and even the rules left unsaid. I wasn’t even hiding it anymore.

I held her hand as we got off the train and kissed her palm when we were stopped at a crosswalk. I didn’t break contact as the crowd weaved past us, rushing to the same place. I led us toward the entry ramp to the Manhattan Bridge, where we could catch a good spot. She didn’t say a word, just let me lead.

When I took side-glances of her, I noticed her sagging shoulders and there were faint bags under her eyes. She had told me she’d worked twelve hour shifts three days in a row.

Damn.

I should’ve suggested we stay in, but knowing me and how much I’d missed her, not much resting would take place.

Just being in her vicinity had me itching to touch her. If we’d been alone, I’d bury myself deep inside her, make love to her until we were too tired to do anything else but lie there. Just the thought had me wanting to forget the fireworks and take her back to my place.

When we reached the bridge, the area was bustling with families and couples, all ready for the firework celebration. A set of triplets were wearing matching red, white, and blue shirts. They glided in front of us, holding their parents’ hands. A woman held an American flag proudly above her head.

I sensed Kendy’s excitement as she bounced on her tiptoes while we walked. Her tiredness from a moment ago was disappearing.

“Can we get closer to the front?” she asked giddily as she took the lead and forced us through the crowd. “I want a better view.”

She tried to break contact when the crowd didn’t budge, but I didn’t let up on my hold. Instead, I pulled her back, stepped in front of her, and used my upper body to weave us to the front.

I stopped behind the little kids sitting on top of their parents’ shoulders. It wouldn’t have been fair to block their view.

Satisfied with our spot, I moved Kendy in front of me, caged her with my arms and rested my chin on top of her head. We watched two little boys light up sparklers in front of us.

Kendy’s eyes lit up as she watched their interaction, their laughter matching hers. When the dazzling flame burned slowly to the end and they lit up another, I had an undeniable urge to kiss her. The way the light caught the aqua blue in her eyes left me breathless. I turned her slightly, cupped the side of her face, and ran my thumb up and down her cheek.

***

KENDY

Brian was about to kiss me. And I knew it was going to change things. We’d kissed so many times, but this, here . . . it felt different. We felt different.

Most importantly, I was slowly coming to realize what I wanted, and I knew I wanted more. I wanted him. The movies the other night and now this had given me glimpses of how our relationship would be, how effortless it would be to be with him.

As I peered up at him, the bridge’s lights highlighting all his boyish features, I found myself wondering about a future with him. Would it be possible? What would it be like to be solely his? There was something so incredibly gentle in his eyes. A look of adoration and awe. For me.

Excitement fluttered in my belly. Everything as I knew it was shifting. I could feel it. In his hold, when we had sex and in everything we did together. I should’ve stopped the building of this budding relationship, but I wanted to accept it, even though the stars and that psychic’s prediction had lead me to James.

Brian bent down farther, and just before he kissed me, I caught that look again, as if he thought I was the most beautiful girl in the world.

I had an undeniable urge to meet his lips, and when he brushed his mouth against mine, my knees weakened and I felt like a puddle of mush within his hold. His lips were soft, sweet, and caressing, as if he was telling me something with that one kiss alone.

I inhaled deeply, taking in his masculine cologne, the kind I’d remember if someone else was wearing it and passed me by, but that scent would always remind me of Brian.

He pulled back, cupping the side of my face, and my heart stammered in my chest. I rested my cheek against his palm. His hold, his aura, something about him, calmed me. Even with the chaos of the crowd around us, just being near him relaxed me.

As the crowd of people continued to push against us, I sighed, feeling content and oddly whole.

If there had been a sea of beautiful models in our vicinity, Brian wouldn’t have even noticed. His eyes were solely focused on me, making my cheeks warm and the butterflies to work up a frenzy in my stomach.

Slowly, he turned me to watch the first booms as he lightly rested his chin on my head. I took in the colorful array of blazing lights shattering against the dark night sky before breaking up into tiny sparks, that trickled down like teardrops. Silence filled the air for a few second before a sonic boom shook the ground, followed by a stream of red, white, and blue whirls into a spiral against the backdrop of the Brooklyn Bridge.

I turned to Brian, yelling above the noise, “Isn’t it beautiful?”

He nodded, smiling down at me.

“Almost like I can reach up and touch the fireworks. Be that much closer to the stars.”

A sudden hint of amusement crossed his features before he reached for my waist and started to lift me.

“Wait,” I said in a panic, feeling my feet leave the ground. But before I could protest more, he sat me on his shoulders like I weighed no more than a feather. “No, no, no, I’m afraid of heights,” I started to argue, hating being so high up.

Ignoring me, he pushed me up higher. “Don’t worry, baby,” he said with pure confidence. “I’ve got you.”

I’ve got you. Such i

He’s got me.

“Okay,” I replied quietly, unable to find my full voice.

He gripped my thighs so I wouldn’t slip, and I slowly but surely decided to trust him. I reached up toward the sky as another array of fireworks colored the darkness. Then I sat taller, throwing my head back and stretched my fingers as if I could catch a star and, if I did, I’d make a wish. Just one. For happiness.

I let out a loud scream, followed by laughter, feeling free. Lighter.

It was the Fourth of July fireworks, not a baseball game, where I’d be cheering, but still, I felt like the queen of the universe as I sat above the crowd of people below me.

He chuckled like I was the fu

I knew when it was almost over when bursts of fireworks exploded consecutively one after the other, ending with a glittery shower trickling down until the sparks disappeared against the black back drop.

I wiggled to let him know I wanted down.

“You sure? We can keep you up there all night long.”

“Yep, ready.” Trust or no trust, I didn’t need to be up here longer than necessary.

“Okay, on the count of three,” he started. “One, two . . .” Then, without a three count, Brian turned me so I slipped down the length of his body until we were chest-to-chest. Tingles traveled from where we were co

When my eyes met his, I read desire in them. I had no doubt what was playing in his mind, because it was playing in high definition in my mind, too.