Starting Over (3 page)

Unlike the first two hours, these passed in a blink of an eye and the alarm buzzed again.
Midnight.
Scott didn’t need to wake Liz to check on her because she was laying in his arms. For two hours, they had cuddled and talked. It was just like old times, when they’d spend hours lying in bed just being with each other, not letting their busy lives get in the way.

“It’s New Year’s.” He dragged his fingers through her hair.

“So?”

“The night we first met. That party, I can’t even remember who threw it, but there you were through the crowd, having just as miserable a time as I was.” He teased his finger along her jawbone. “The only woman I’ve ever wanted.”

She smiled at him, her eyes glistening as she remembered. “We left the party and went for coffee. At the stroke of midnight we were walking through the park and we could hear people celebrating in Times Square. It was freezing with the snow lightly falling around us. The perfect first date.”

“One of many more as I won you over with my sparkling charm,” he joked.

She laid her hand on his chest. “What does that mean for us now? Are you going to woo me again?”

“There’s no wooing this time. After all, we’re snowbound and when I bought supplies I hadn’t planned on winning anyone over, nor did I plan for company.”

“Very well.” She slipped off the bed and grabbed the edge of the blanket before he could take hold of her wrist.

“What are you doing?”

“I thought I’d climb under the blanket with you and you could help chase this chill from my bones.”

“I’m naked under here,” he warned.

“What an even better way to get rid of the chill.” She winked at him, tugged off her jeans, and slipped under the covers to lay next to him. “I’ve waited years to have you hold me again, but I think maybe I want more than just a cuddle session. Make love to me.”

“After fifteen years, you think we can just pick up where we left off?” He raised an eyebrow at her.

“Maybe not where we left off, but it doesn’t mean we can’t give
us
another shot. We deserve it. We’re amazing together.” She ran her hand along his chest, lower and lower, until she found his shaft, which was already standing at attention. “Your body is saying you want me, so why deny either of us the pleasure?”

“How is this good for either of us, if after the storm is over you just take off again?”

“You won’t be able to get rid of me that easy.” She wrapped her hand around his shaft, adding just enough pressure to make him squirm. “What do you say? Are you willing to live for the moment? I am and I want you.”

“Oh, sugar, I’m more than willing.” He rolled toward her, pushing her onto her back. J.R. must have become annoyed with them because he finally woke from his slumber and jumped off the bed, only to take up his spot on his doggy bed with a huff. “Take the rest of these clothes off.”

“If you say so.” She let go of his shaft, and tugged her sweater over her shoulders, leaving only her bra and panties.

“Oh, it’s been so long.” He reached out with his free hand and cupped her cheek, caressing along her jawline. “Sugar, you’re beautiful.” He closed the distance between them, claiming her lips.

Wanting more of her, he let his tongue slip into her mouth and explore. Their tongues danced together and his hands slid around her body as he worked on the clasp of her bra, then slipped it off. Freeing her breasts, he cupped them, his thumbs teasing over the nipples.

“I’ve missed having your hands on my body.” She stared at him while she slid her hand down his chest until she found his shaft again. She wrapped her fingers around it and rubbed down the length.

“Mmm, I missed you.” The smell of sweet strawberries from her shampoo and the round curves of her body only made him harder as she settled against him.

Her hand caressing his shaft broke the last of his control. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to him, and lowered his head. Their lips met, her mouth opening, letting his tongue explore. He slipped his hands under the blanket, grabbing her ass to lift her on top of him, forcing her to let go of his shaft as she straddled his waist.

His groin throbbed with desire. He wanted nothing more than to have her scream his name. He broke the kiss, enjoying her warm breath over his face. “You should have never left…we’ve missed out on so much of each other’s lives.”

“We’ll have to make up for it now.” Her breath came in gasps. “I want your hands on my body, your lips on mine. Please…”

Without further invitation, he ripped the thin material of her panties, and slid his hands over her hips. He leaned up to meet her body, trailing kisses from her neck, down. Hunger coursed through him, demanding he speed his pace, but he denied it. He wanted to take his time, get reacquainted with every inch of her body. He claimed her nipples, sucking them and flicking his tongue over each one.

“Oh, Scott,” she moaned, running her hands down his back.

Reluctantly, he released her nipple to lay kisses over her shoulder and up her neck until he could gaze into her eyes. He slid his hand between their bodies, his fingers slipping between her folds, tantalizing her. She arched her back, giving his fingers deeper access. As the moonlight accentuated her body, she rode his fingers to orgasm.

“Please, I need you. I want you inside of me. Now.”

He moved his hands to her hips and lifted her. “Up.” When she hovered above him, he adjusted so his shaft stood just below her entry. She slowly lowered down. Filling her inch by inch, he pushed her up with her hips before entering her completely. Steadily, he guided their pace with his hands on her hips.

He leaned forward, locking his mouth on her nipple and sucking until she moaned in pleasure. Her hips increased their pace, driving him forcefully into her with each pump. His thrusts became deeper and faster in a perfect rhythm.

Her body tightened around his shaft and she dug her nails into his chest. “Oh, Scott!” she cried out as his own release followed.

Breathless, he brushed her hair from her face. He wanted to see her. Her eyes were glossy and dreamy, the aftermath of amazing sex. She slid off him to stretch out and snuggle against his body. Content, he pulled the sheet over them, and he cradled her, caressing her spine with long, lazy strokes.

“I’m sorry for before. I should have come to you and forced you to talk to me.” Her fingers rubbed small circles down his chest.

He kissed the top of her head. “Shh, sugar. It’s the past, what matters is now.”

She glanced up at him. “We missed so much.”

She was right, they did miss so much, but now was their chance to get it all back. He wasn’t about to let go of this second chance. “Stay with me.”

“What?”

He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. “No, stay here permanently. I don’t know where I’m going or what I’m doing, but stay with me.”

“Why?”

“I love you and there’s so much we have to make up for.”

She just stared at him for a moment before she finally nodded. “Let’s go to Paris. We’ve always wanted to go there and now is our chance. You need to get away from New York and I can’t reasonably expect to be able to return to my job after I ran out in the middle of the day claiming some big emergency. Let’s start over together.”

“Let’s do—” He wasn’t able to finish it before his cell phone rang. He glanced at the clock, just after two in the morning. Who the hell was calling him at this time of the night? He grabbed the phone from the nightstand and the screen read
Dan
. “Shit!”

“Who is it?”

“Dan
Marino.” When the name left his lips, fear lit up her eyes. “I’ve got to take this and I want you to be quiet.” He laid back on the bed and brought the phone to his ear. “Hello.”

“We need to talk,” the Dan said.

“I’m assuming it’s important due to the time of this call. Otherwise, I might get upset.” He had to trust his gut, even as Liz tensed in his arms. Dan Marino had always liked that Scott spoke his mind and was willing to risk it all for what he believed in.

“Marcus is upset you’re not going to represent him during his upcoming trial.”

Marcus was Dan’s nephew and had been moving up in the ranks over the last few years. “I understand, but you’ve known for months. The law field isn’t what I want to do any longer. Marcus has a very capable lawyer and I have no doubt that everything will be fine.”

“He needs you,” Dan pressed.

“I thought we had an agreement…”

“We do. I wanted to let you know that tonight he’s decreed that if he’s convicted, he’s holding
you
responsible. If he’s imprisoned, he’s already declared who will hunt you down and kill you. Is this a chance you still want to take for this so-called new life? Why not come back and work directly for us?”

“Because it’s not what I want. I just want to live a quiet life, leave the city, and maybe do some traveling.”

“Then you’re risking your own life. But if you think the new lawyer can handle it, so be it.” There was a pause before Dan spoke again, disdain lacing his voice. “He’s very young.”

Every morning Scott took his coffee out onto the little balcony off their bedroom and enjoyed it while looking across at the Eiffel Tower. He couldn’t believe only six months had passed since Liz had strolled back into his life. They had spent every waking moment making up for lost time. Traveling to places they’d always wanted to go to, exploring each other, most of all falling in love all over again. There was no better place to do that than Paris.

Marcus had managed to get off with a slap on the wrist, leaving Scott off the hook once again. He hadn’t heard from Dan or any other mafia connections since that New Year’s call and for the first time in over fifteen years he finally felt like he could breathe again.

He slipped his hand into his pocket just to feel the ring box. He had picked up the ring from the jeweler’s the day before; it was the same ring but now the outside of the band was inscribed. It read,
to the woman who has always been in my heart
.

Today was the day he was going to propose, and if she accepted, he hoped they could marry on New Year’s. It seemed appropriate considering how that day had brought them together twice.

“Scott…” Liz stood in the doorway, her own coffee mug in hand. “What’s on your mind?”

He turned to her and smirked. “You.” J.R. came to stand beside her. At one time the dog had been indifferent to her, now he’d become her constant companion. It was nice to see that J.R. had taken to her that easily.

“I hope they’re good thoughts.”

He sat the mug on the railing and decided now was as good a time as any, with the Eiffel Tower in the background. He pulled the box from his pocket and knelt before her. “Liz, we tried this before and got it all wrong, but you’ve always been the only one for me. Would you do me the honor of being my wife?”

Tears spilled down her face. “Yes.” He slipped the ring on her finger and she sank down onto her knees in front of him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. “I love you.”

“As I love you for now…and always.” He leaned forward and claimed her lips with a deep kiss. They’d finally made it.