First Class to Portland (6 page)

He met her in the lobby of the hotel at precisely ten
o’clock. She was a vision in a pale peach dress that showed off her cleavage
and she wore strappy heeled sandals. She had straightened her hair, making it
look considerably longer than he was used to seeing and around her neck was the
diamond pendant she had worn to the charity fundraiser in New York. She took
his breath away.

“Good morning,” she smiled.

Matt reached for her hand and kissed her cheek, lingering,
reveling in the softness of her skin.

“You are stunning,” he whispered into her hair.

Janie blushed and chewed the inside of her cheek.

Matt looked down at her hand in his and smiled as he saw the
Tiffany bracelet on her wrist.
That’s gotta be a good sign,
he thought.

Matt left her hand in his and led Janie to the elevator. She
looked up with a little hesitation in her eyes.

“I have ordered room service,” he explained. “I thought it
would be best to talk in private.”

The elevator bell rang and the doors opened in front of
them. Stepping inside, Matt pushed the button and then turned to face her. He
placed his free hand gently on her cheek and caressed it with his thumb. He
leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips, Janie closed her eyes and responded
to him.

“Janie,” he murmured into her mouth. “I’ve missed you.” And
he kissed her again.

The elevator stopped and the doors opened and Matt
grudgingly pulled back and led her down the hall to his room. As she stepped
inside, Janie was overwhelmed with the smell of flowers. There must have been
half a dozen vases of beautiful floral arrangements. Taking a few more steps
into the suite, she saw a table with a crisp white linen tablecloth set for
two. Matt led her to it and pulled out her chair for her to sit. A buffet of
food had been set that looked as though it could feed ten and Janie smiled.

”Hungry?” she asked.

Matt chuckled. “I just ordered some of everything,” he said
as he shrugged his shoulders.

Not being shy about food, Janie dished up some of
everything; pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, fruit and poured some
orange juice into the crystal goblet. Matt followed suit and they began to eat.

After several bites, Janie decided to take the bull by the
horns, so to speak, and lay it all out on the table. If he truly loved her, and
he was serious about having a life with her, the air needed to be cleared and
there was not time like the present.

“I had a wonderful time at your apartment Matt.”

Matt chewed his piece of cantaloupe and remembered her in
his kitchen dressed in just his dress shirt making breakfast.

“So did I,” he grinned.

“And then I went back to my hotel and saw that you had left
your laptop there and I figured you’d need it seeing as though you were at work
and so I brought it to you.” Janie had put down her knife and fork and was
staring straight at him.

“Janie, I know that…”

“Please let me finish, Matt. I need to tell you this.”

Matt nodded and took a deep breath.

“I came up to your office and there wasn’t anyone at your
secretary’s desk so I was going to come in and see you but I heard voices so I
stopped outside the door.”

Matt knew what was coming and he would have given anything
to go back to that moment and change what had happened.

Janie continued, “I heard you and Beth talking. You said
that I wasn’t your type and I heard you tell her you wanted to fuck her and it
made me sick, physically ill, and I left. I ran out of the building so I
wouldn’t vomit on your pristine marble floors. I had convinced myself that what
we had was special, that you enjoyed spending time with me, and I stupidly,
naively, thought that you wouldn’t leave me in your bed and then go and screw
someone else.” Janie surprised herself with her bold words.

Matt cringed at her words and he wished that she had not
heard only part of the conservation. He wished she had heard it all.

“I went back to the hotel and if I could have changed my
ticket home I would have packed and left right then. But I couldn’t so I stayed
and I tried to tell myself that you hadn’t promised me anything, especially
fidelity, and so I couldn’t be mad at you, that you hadn’t done anything wrong.
But the thing is… I deserve better than that, Matt.” She picked up her fork and
took another bite of her scrambled eggs, shocked at her boldness, shocked that
she had spoken without cracking.

Matt realized she was done.

“Yes you do,” he said quietly. “And if I could take it all
back I would. And I know what you heard was horrible but Janie, you didn’t hear
the whole conversation.” He looked into her eyes, willing her to believe him as
he spoke. “Beth was a stupid mistake. I was miserable from day one and even
after the divorce she continued to make me miserable. I just tried my best to
avoid her. But when she came to see me that day she was there to get
information about you. She wanted to know who had made me so obviously happy.
Everyone
had noticed, and commented on it. And it was you. And she had come to my office
to try and pry any tidbits she could out of me and I wasn’t going to give her
that satisfaction. I didn’t want her even speaking your name. I didn’t want her
to tarnish what I felt about you. What you heard was crass and stupid and I
told her I never wanted to see her again and she understood how angry I was and
she left. And then when Angela said you had been outside, well…” Matt rubbed
his fingers across his forehead and closed his eyes. “But you said you were
sick and I was relieved to know that you hadn’t overheard me, but then Katy
said you had, but it was too late to explain because you’d already gone home.”

Matt leaned back in his chair and hoped his explanation was
enough to convince Janie that he really did not want nothing to do with Beth.

“She is my past, but I hope you are my future,” he added.

“So, you didn’t…?”

“No! Hell no!” Matt exclaimed. “Since the day I met you I
have not wanted another woman. I have not looked at another woman. I have not
even
thought
about another woman.”

Janie was overwhelmingly relieved to hear him say the words
and a small smile escaped.

Matt exhaled, watching her fight the smile that was
appearing across her lips.
Okay,
he thought.
Maybe, just maybe I have
a chance!

*****

Janie was proud of the fact that she had said it out loud.
She was one to keep emotions and feelings bottled up and letting Matt know how
she had been hurt was a huge step for her and she had done it without
blubbering. Yes, she was very proud of herself. She had to trust her gut that
told her he had spoken the truth. She had to forgive him and move forward. And
if she was going in, she was going ALL in. She remembered Father Brian’s words
of just a few days ago as she sat in his church. She should listen to her heart
and let it tell her what to do. She did trust that he was telling her the
truth. She did trust him when he said nothing was going on with his ex-wife. She
saw it in his eyes. She did trust him.

“Matt?”

“Hmm?” he smiled.

“I love you too.”

A big toothy, beautiful smile appeared on Matt’s face and
Janie couldn’t help but smile too. Matt jumped from his chair and in three
quick strides was pulling her to him, enveloping her in his arms and planting a
great big juicy kiss on her lips. She giggled and felt like a teenager, all giddy
and excited at the possibility of a life with him.

“Am I forgiven?” He was serious as he pulled away and
searched her eyes for absolution.

“Yes,” she whispered. “On one condition,” she added.

“Anything!”

“Tell me every day that you love me and can’t live without
me,” she grinned.

“I will do that without ever being asked,” he whispered and
lowered his lips to hers.

His lips were soft and wet and he tasted divine. Janie knew
in that moment that she would never be able to satisfy her desire for him. Her
whole body ached for him and with all of the pain and uncertainty of the past
few weeks behind her she could now look forward to a future with Matt. How
amazing it was that in just twenty-four hours, her life had begun a new course
and the outlook was bright and welcomed.

The food spread over the table was getting cold, but that
was the last thing on their minds. Matt pulled Janie to him as he devoured her
lips with his.  It felt as if it had been an eternity since he had held her in
his arms and now that she was back where she belonged he was determined to
never let her go. Their tongues danced together as she entwined her fingers in
his thick dark hair. Although their bodies begged for more, Matt wanted to
enjoy the moment of possessing her mouth.

After several minutes, Janie pulled back and gasped. “I need
air,” she giggled.

A devilish grin appeared on Matt’s face and he grabbed her
under the knees and swooped her into his arms. “I don’t need anything as long
as I have you.” He held her close to his chest and carried her to the bedroom.

“Why Mr. Lathem,” Janie giggled. “Whatever do you have in
mind?”

Matt threw her and she bounced a couple of times before
resting in the middle of the king-sized bed. He stretched out beside her and
moved a strand of hair from her forehead. He rested his head on his hand and
gazed into her eyes.

“Damn, you’re beautiful,” he whispered. “I will never get
tired of looking at you, or kissing you,” he added as he placed a chaste kiss
on her lips.

“Ditto,” she grinned. “I must confess something.”

Matt’s eyebrows rose and Janie continued, almost whispering.
“When I ran into you in the airport I thought you were the most beautiful man I
had ever seen,” she lowered her eyes and blushed as she spoke.

Matt kissed her again, a soft sweet kiss on the corner of
her mouth. “Janie? Why is it so hard for you to say how you feel? You don’t
have to be embarrassed or shy with me. I want to hear whatever you have to
say.”

Janie shrugged. “I guess I’m not used to that,” she
admitted. Robert wasn’t the gushy, emotional, romantic type. He believed that
mowing the lawn and fixing the washing machine were expressions of love and
that he didn’t need to say it as well.  Janie had always known and never
doubted that her husband loved her, but all the touchy feely stuff was never
said. Now, it was just a part of who she was; quiet and reserved.

“I don’t ever want you to feel that you can’t tell me what’s
on your mind, how you feel, what you want. Okay?” Matt lifted her chin with his
finger and made her look him in the eye. “Okay?”

“Okay,” she smiled.

Matt lowered his head and sealed it with a passionate kiss,
pouring every ounce of love and desire he felt for her into it. She responded
immediately and threw her arms around his neck and pulled him on to her,
bearing his full weight. She could feel his erection on her thigh through his
khaki pants and that awareness set her on fire with a desire so strong she
didn’t think she could last another minute without him inside her.

“Make love to me,” she begged, and thrust her hips upwards.

Matt responded and pressed his hand between her thighs and a
moan escaped her lips into his mouth.

“With pleasure.”

*****

It was after two o’clock and Janie’s head rested on Matt’s
chest after making love. He was caressing the side of her breast.

“It’s better isn’t it?” she asked.

“What’s better?” he replied slightly confused.

“Making love, rather than having sex.”

Matt grinned and kissed the top of her head. “Yes, it is.
Much better.”

Janie snuggled in under his arm and pulled her leg up over
his thigh.

“So why did you have to come back to Portland?” she asked.

Matt’s hand froze and he pulled away so he could look at her
face. “Are you serious? You think I’m back here on business?”

Janie looked wide-eyed at him as he frowned at her.

“I came here for you Janie. No other reason.”

“Oh,” she mouthed. Then a huge grin spread across her face.
“Oh,” she said.

Matt chuckled and pulled her back to him, hugging her tight.
“You have no idea how miserable I have been the last couple of weeks. In fact,
if I hadn’t asked Angela to book my ticket for me I think she was about to
quit!”

Janie laughed and played with the hair on his chest. “So you
were miserable, huh?”

“Totally! Mark must have told me a hundred times to come and
get you, but I was stubborn. And of course there was Andrew.”

“Oh, of course!” Janie pushed back and sat up. “He got
married!”

Matt openly ogled Janie as she sat there, gloriously naked.
Suddenly self-conscious, Janie grabbed for the sheet, but Matt slapped at her
hand.

“Don’t do that!” he ordered. His tone was sharp and Janie’s
head whipped to look at him, eyes wide.

He grinned and grabbed her hand and kissed her palm. “I love
your body. Don’t try to cover it. Please?”

Janie blushed. She couldn’t help it. “I’m not used to…to
this,” she said and waved her hand through the air. “Being naked is…it’s hard
for me,” she admitted.

“Well, if you sit there, just like that, I will tell you all
about the wedding,” he grinned that devilish grin again.

Janie agreed, although hesitantly, and Matt continued.

“It was at City Hall and Andrew and Rory wrote their own
vows. Mom was still upset it wasn’t in the church, but I don’t think the
Catholic Church is ready to perform gay marriages,” he chuckled. “There was a
big family dinner that night and then they went to Niagara Falls for a couple
of days and today is their big party with all their friends.”

“Oh Matt! And you’re here!?” Janie was horrified.

“Actually, I wasn’t invited,” he laughed. “Andrew uninvited
me when Mark told him I was being an ass. He said you were far more important
than a stupid party. And he was
so
right.”