The Do It List (The Do It List #1) (28 page)

I admit I was curious. Bradley’s apartment would be less than a block away from mine. Laurent pulled up in front of a red brick building, with tall French windows on each floor.

 
“I got the keys from Audrey. I told her I wanted to take another look.”

 
Once inside, he flipped a few light switches while I looked around. A small foyer opened onto a living area with chocolate-stained wood floors. Roomy, but still comfortable.

 
“Does it come with a key to the park?”

“It does.” He grinned. “Not a personal key, mind, but a building key we can check out when we wish to take a stroll.”

I loved all the “we” words he used. “Liv will have her own secret garden.”

I joined him at a set of French doors. He held me from behind and kissed the curve of my ear. “I’m sorry about this evening, dredging up those painful memories.”

I leaned back against his chest. “I don’t remember much of it. A strange blessing I suppose. Paramedics found me passed out in a bedroom, cold as ice. The hospital said I had an adverse reaction to the cocktail. I’d been given a large dose.”

“You could have died.” He exhaled softly against my ear. “We would have never met.”

 
We gazed out over the park and the surrounding cityscape. The view would be fabulous by day as well.

“Troy freaks me out more than anyone. I never even saw the faces of the frat boys who raped me, they were identified by DNA. Two of them confessed, eventually they all pled to a lesser charge.” I turned around in his arms. “Do you mind if we stop talking about it? Just for awhile.”

“Sorry, tell me as much as you feel comfortable.”

“You know you push all my insecure, intimacy phobic buttons don’t you?”

“And why do you think that is, Gracie? Could it be you actually like me, just a little?”

“Damn you, Bradley, you’re a good man.”

“Have you any idea how special you are to me? We’ve already had such great moments together.”

I smiled. “We do have our moments.”

He brushed his chin stubble on my cheek. “Let’s see, there was the limousine ride—first orgasms.”

“The dressing room at Clichy,” I offered.

“We almost forgot the blackout in the lift.”

I nodded. “Definitely a moment.”

He took hold of my hand and brought it to his lips. “Shall we explore further?”

Three bedrooms, two and half baths, a lovely kitchen with dark green soapstone countertops and a built-in nook. He opened pocket doors off the hallway, which revealed a small study lined with bookshelves.

I turned to him, impressed. “It has charm and style.”

He smiled. “It does, doesn’t it?”

The apartment was bare, and yet aching to be lived in. The insecure Gracie wanted to keep him with me at my place. But another, stronger Gracie had begun to emerge. One who wanted us to come together out of love and not need.

“It’s between this and a great loft in Tribeca, but…” He shook his head.

I nodded. “I love the look of lofts, but living in one, I don’t know. Derek seems happy with his, as happy as Derek gets anyway.”
 

Moving closer, I nuzzled his cheek. “Feels strange, you getting your own place.” I rested my head on his shoulder and stared out the window to the park below.

He wrapped both arms around me. “A part of me would like nothing more than to move in with you and Hannah. I’ve asked for a one-year lease, with an option to purchase. We’ll know by then.”

“Whether it’s lust or love?” I asked.

“I’m hoping for both.” He kissed the tingly place behind my earlobe.

“DO YOU THINK we have a sex addiction problem?” I asked, laughing.

Bradley rose from between my legs and crawled over me, a sleek muscled predator on all fours. “Maybe a little.” He settled alongside and massaged my thighs, still trembling from orgasm aftershocks.
 

After completing his new flat inspection, we’d returned to my apartment and tucked our naked bodies into the antique sleigh bed.

“I believe I will Shibari rope-tie your penis to your balls.”
 

He blew a warm breeze across my breasts. “Love for you to try.”

“Seriously, do you think there is something wrong with us?

He leaned back on an elbow. “No, do you?”

I quickly reviewed the wonderful pleasures we’d given each other these past weeks, and all I could think about was how lucky I was to have stepped into that elevator with him. “No.”

Bradley sprawled across the bedcovers next to me. “I get a little boom-boom when I’m around you.” We’d taken turns being as gentle as possible as both of us were still sensitive from waxing.
 

“Boom-boom, as in…?”
 

“You know, my heart goes boom-boom.” The man could smile with his eyes.

Not exactly I love you, but close enough to hint at love.
 

Bradley had pulled off something amazing this evening. He had gently nudged me out of an abyss of painful memories using that erotically patient tongue of his.
 

“How is it, that I can’t stop doing this?” His lips brushed the lobe of my ear.

“Same reason I keep doing this.” I cupped his stubbly jaw with both hands and kissed him. The proof of my orgasm still glistened on his face and I experienced a latent flutter.

Safe in his arms, drifting at the edge of sleep, my heart went boom-boom.
 

At 2:41 in the morning, Mitch’s ringtone forced an eye open. “Jeezus…” I lifted the phone. “Not another gunshot wound to head, I hope.”

“Spinal injury from a fall,” Mitch answered. “Hannah and I are downstairs. Let us in, it’s about to rain out here.”

Bradley shifted, as I sat up in bed.

I padded across the floor and buzzed them in.

I pulled on a sweatshirt and underwear before the knock on the door came. A slightly out of breath Mitch stood in the hallway holding my niece in his arms.

“I’ll take her.” A drowsy-eyed Greek statue wearing a pair of comfortable old sweats emerged from my bedroom.
 

Her arms went around his neck with a muffled, “Hello, Bradley.”

Mitch rolled in the Barbie suitcase and I grabbed the handle. “Thanks for doing this.” He nodded down the hallway after them. “I didn’t want to wake you up twice—once to ask, then again, when we got here.”

“Thoughtful of you.” I yawned.

Bradley joined us in the entry and stuck his hand out. “Bradley Craig, we haven’t actually met.”

“Sorry,” I mumbled. “Mitch Hoffman, Bradley Craig.”

“Nice to finally put a face to a name.” Mitch pumped Bradley’s hand. “Hannah has talked about you. Liv is your daughter, right? They’re already like BFFs.”

Bradley ran fingers through thick, unkempt hair. “Liv can’t wait for the holidays. She and Hannah are making plans.”

“Let’s all go out sometime soon. First round’s on me.” Mitch backed away. He looked exhausted. The on-call hours and emergency surgeries were taking a toll.

I hung on the doorknob. “You could use some fun. I worry about you, Mitch.”

He shook his head. “Just a hard week. I lost a patient.”
 

“Take care of yourself—eat something.” I leaned back against the closed door. “He looks thin. He works such hideous hours.”

Bradley reached for my hand. “Come to bed, baby doll.”

We undressed and spooned into each other. Amazingly, I drifted off to sleep until a loud crack of thunder woke me up. I squinted at the clock. Just past four in the morning. Fuck. It was going to be one of those nights.

“Aunt Gracie?” Hannah stood in my bedroom, wide-eyed.

I propped myself up on an elbow. “Did the storm wake you?”

She nodded.
 

Bradley stirred behind me.

A silent flash of lightning sent Hannah running to my side of the bed, and we both waited for the thunder to rumble overhead.

 
“Can I sleep with you?” She used her theatrical whisper voice.

I leaned over the side of the bed to grab my underwear, but found nothing. It occurred to me that Bradley was also naked. Holding the sheet over me, I sat up. “Hannah, could you get me a glass of water, please?”

Wide eyes darted about. She was obviously apprehensive about the errand. “Turn the light on—that’s a girl.”

The moment Hannah left the room, Bradley sat up. “Grab my sweats would you?”

I whipped them off the floor and traded him for my boy shorts. “Is my top over there?”

He leaned over his side of the bed. “Let me get this.” He pulled on sweats and stood up.

Little feet padded back into the room. “Here’s your water.” Hannah held the glass out.

 
Bradley took a sip. “Hits the spot. He pushed back the bed covers. “Climb in, Hannah.”

I angled up on elbows and blinked at him. “Where are you sleeping?”

“Don’t worry about me.”
 

“Come to bed.” I lifted the sheet and found my top. Hannah quietly observed me pull on the soft, well-worn sweatshirt,

“Does Bradley like to look at them?” She crawled into bed. “They’re very pretty.”

“Hannah.” I exhaled softly. “It’s not like you haven’t seen them before.”

Bradley exhaled a soft snort and turned the lights off.
 

I tucked the sheet between Hannah and I and turned her around, so we could spoon. “Go to sleep, now.”

“Do you think that mine will be that big and pretty?” Hannah yawned. “Darby Rosencrantz says a girl can always buy bigger ones.”

“Sleep!”
 

After a fitful night, morning came too soon.
 

Bradley and I dropped Hannah off at Asher Levy, PS 19. I waited in the taxi while he walked her inside and closed her ladybug umbrella. She reached up and he kissed her on the cheek.

Little more than an hour ago, I discovered a sleeping munchkin in my bed. Slipping out from under the covers, I’d gone looking for Bradley.
 

His clothes were folded neatly in his drawer and his suit was in my closet. I checked the living room. He hadn’t slept on the couch.
 

I crept into Hannah’s bedroom and found man-sized feet hanging over the end of a twin-size bed. Tufts of Bradley’s hair were visible under Barbie-pink sheets.
 

I wiggled a big toe. “Good morning, Sleeping Beauty.” I pulled the comforter down. “I know you’re awake.”
 

The corners of his mouth tilted upward, but his eyes remained closed. “Where’s my wake-up kiss?”

Absently, I listened to the morning weather report on the taxicab’s radio. The worst of the storm had passed in the night, with light showers remaining.

Something was happening—something big, and I wasn’t prepared—not in the least. I was falling in love with Bradley Craig.
 

I returned Hannah’s wave as Bradley made a dash back to the curb and climbed in the cab. “Remind me to buy another raincoat to keep at your place.”
 

“Speaking of unexpected purchases,” I grumbled. “Did you hear Hannah last night? An eight-year-old girl talking about buying bigger tits. I find that disturbing.”

He leaned back into the seat. “Breasts are often hereditary—your side of the family seems generously endowed, what about Mitch? I assume he has a mother—any sisters?”

“Huge,” I said. “And I’m pretty sure they’re real.”

“Then it’s not likely that Hannah will be purchasing tits.”

Time for a little sensitivity training. “And if Liv had talked about buying tits?”
 

Furrowed brows darkened an otherwise clean-shaven face. “That was a flippant remark, I apologize.”
 

I stared, slightly amused. “Does it matter to you—the size of a woman’s breasts?”

Bradley tilted his head. “I’m more of a total package man.”

“You want it all—boobs, ass, legs, face.”

“Yeah.” He yanked me close and ran his hand up the back of my leg. “Like this.” He squeezed my ass. “And this, and this.” He opened my jacket and nuzzled both breasts. His eyes crinkled as he made a quick study of my nose. “And this.” He planted a sweet kiss on the tip. “Does it matter to you what size a man’s penis is?”
 

I tried holding back a laugh and failed. “Yeah, it does actually.”

A verbal exchange of schedules found us both booked day and evening. Bradley had an appointment to sign lease papers—with Audrey—something I’d rather not think about. And I had Hannah until Mitch’s shift ended later in the evening.

“What are you doing this weekend?” he asked.

“Huge day of sale shopping Saturday. You?”

“I’ve got a new research project I want to start and a Knicks game Saturday night. First game of the regular season. Axel invited Derek, Mark and me.”

I nodded, missing him already. “Then, I guess we’ll see each other Sunday.”

“I was kind of hoping for a booty call after the game.”

When my eyes narrowed, he answered me with one of his deadly sexy looks. “That gives us all day Sunday together. Gym, a lazy afternoon at your place. More fucking—”

“Sorry, girls’ night out Saturday.”
 

His jaw tightened. “What club and who’s going?”
 

“Not sure. Sarah’s got connections at J-Dizzle. She’s going to try to reserve the corner couch by the bar. Apparently it’s a primo spot. If you want to drop by later, we could leave names at the door.”

Bradley visibly relaxed. “Two strangers, rubbing up against each other in the dark. This is our chance to check one off the list, Gracie.”