Reveal (Love & Beyond #2) (9 page)

Anticipation fills me, as we drive off and I have no idea what today will bring and the fact that I’m spending it in New York, is one of my dreams. “So do you fancy sharing with me, what we’re actually doing today?”

“We’re heading to the statue of liberty and then get something to eat as we take a walk around. So, it’ll be like a hotdog or burger from a van, which by the way, are best you’ll have ever tasted. Then we’ll do a bit of shopping, and when it starts getting a little dark, I’m taking you to the ice skating rink.” Before he can finish, I can’t help but interrupt in excitement 

“Oh my god, the one you see in all the movies? I could totally kiss you right now.” I articulate, slipping my arm out from the seat belt and wrapping my arms around him. He smirks at me.

“Feel free to, I’ve been yeaning for those soft lips to touch mine once again.” I move back, at his conceited remark.

“I said I could, not that I will.”

“You know by the end of the night, your lips will be where they belong, so why even wait?” Before I could reply, we stop and scramble out. “We’ve pulled up at Batter
y
Park. I link Jared and we take a stroll around to get to the building, were we get our tickets. “Danni, if you look to your right, you see that building over there, that was used for the men in black headquarters. How amazing is that? I loved the men in black movies. Will Smith is a legend.”

“That’s pretty awesome, them films where hilarious.” As we carry on walking ahead, we approach a building to buy our tickets. Jared, points to the right again, to show me the everlasting flame, for the 9/11 attacks. I slightly bow my head to show my respect.

Once we’ve received our tickets, we head under the archway where we come to security and wait for our boat to turn up.  As we board, the boat is an open view, so we can see great views. I choose to sit at the back so I can see the skyline of all the buildings and that’s including the freedom tower, which is the tallest building, I find it astounding.

As the boat is moving along, my teeth start to chatter its that cold, I even wrapped up today. My hair is blowing everywhere, as the cold air caress across my face. Jared, wraps his arm around me and brings me closer towards his body, and strokes his hand up and down my arm in an attempt to try warming me up. It’s not working but I appreciate the kindness, so I won’t ruin this moment, and we’re on this boat for half an hour, so I’d rather be held in his embrace while I can.

Once we dock, it's a very short walk to the bottom of the statue. On the right, you can go and view the gift shop and there is also a cafe. To your left, is an information centre. As we walk further up, we come to the American flagpole.

As we come to the stairs, we come to a sign. Its three hundred, and seventy-seven stairs to the crown and two hundred and fifteen, to the pedestal. My jaw drops.

“Are you kidding me? Are you trying to wear me out to get out of clothes and Christmas shopping with me? My poor legs are going to collapse, with that many stairs.”

“Well, that was the plan, you’re horrid to shop with, but no. This is a must see, you cannot come to New York and not come up here.”

“Fine, but once we’ve finished here; you’re giving me a piggy back, while we walk around shopping. I’d like to save my legs for ice skating.”  He nods his head, knowing he will not win this fight.

“Fine, agreed! Now quit moaning and let’s move our ass, come on.” I stick my tongue out at him and walk ahead, knowing that if I keep gazing at him, my urges will come alive and I will give in to them all, which I am trying so hard to suppress.

                               *****

What a day, my legs are killing me, but this won’t stop me from ice skating. We’re heading there now. It’s getting on in the evening, so the sky is starting to dim, which is even more magical. The way New York lights up, is perfection.

As we turn up at the ice rink, I’m speechless. I am witnessing the most beautiful place I have ever been. The ice rink is massive, its full of people watching people skate. In the centre there is a statue, and above the statue is the biggest Christmas tree I’ve ever seen, its surrounded by the tall towers, which are lit up like the tree, they’re full of different colours.  This may sound ridiculous, but I feel like a princess about to attend her first ball. I turn to Jared.

“Jared, this is stunning. This is more than I could have ever imagined, it’s so pretty. Come on, I don’t want to wait another second.” I grab his hand, and entwine our fingers and drag him to the entrance.

Once we’re on the ice, I start to glide with Jared strolling next to me. I notice he is finding it hard to balance himself. With him being so tall, it makes it look funnier, as his long arms are all over the place. “Jared, I take it you’re not the best skater? When did you last skate?”

“Well, I’ve not skated ever. I just thought this would be nice for you.” Soon as he says that, he falls flat on his ass. I cup my mouth trying badly not to laugh.” I skate closer towards him and hold my hand out to help him up. Instead of him grabbing it for help, he grabs my hand and pulls me down with him, leaving me to fall on top of him, which was an epic fail. As I landed on him, my elbow went into his chest and winded him, which causes me to laugh, as I can’t keep it in anymore.

“Oh my god, Jared! Are you ok? I want to give you sympathy, but then if you think about it, it was your own fault for pulling me down.”

“That looks so much more romantic in the movies.” Wait, he tricked me.

“You dirty little sneak, you can skate can’t you?”

“Obviously, it was a bad attempt to get you close to me.”  I smack him on the chest in a sulk and get up without helping him.

“You’re terrible, you didn’t have to fake looking like a fool with your arms everywhere, you idiot. Get up; let’s have a few more goes around, before we head back to the hotel.” I grin because although it was sneaky, for some twisted reason, I find that absolutely adorable.”How about you just hold my hand going around, see, you can still do romance with honesty. Now don’t hold back.” 

“Ok, I won’t, but I’ll warn you I’m a pro and I’ll make you look bad.”

“I think I can live with that.” He nods and as he grabs my hand, he pulls me towards him and slowly tries to turn me around in a swirl to dance.

“See, I told you!” He’s pulled me close to his chest and places his hand around my lower back and with his free hand he pushes back a piece of my loose hair, behind my ear. As his knuckles flows across my cheekbone, shivers flow through my body. Everyone around us has now disappeared and it’s just Jared and I left in our own little world. I know where this is going. We’re being pulled towards each other’s lips. I inhale a deep breath, because I feel as if I can’t breathe. Do I take the step back and fight? Or shall I give in to every needs that’s screaming through my body. His bottom lip presses against mine, I can’t think, someone help me away from his lure. He grips the back of my hair and tugs it back and before I can pull away, our lips are already touching. I feel like we are rising from the floor and flying. A part of me wants to stop, but the other half wants more. We’re knocked from our trance by flashing shots and wolf whistles. We part and look ahead and see many people taken pictures and videos. Oh, crap. He looks back at me.

“We best go, this will probably be plastered everywhere in seconds. Oh and by the way, I told you so.”

“Jared, this is no time to gloat, shut up, lets head back.”

Damn, I hate that he was right. As we rush back to the car and jump in. I notice Jared can’t take that silly grin of his face, knowing he’s won. He sits close to me with his arm wrapped around me.

“So, does this mean I’ve won you back? In all seriousness, what do you say? I promise you this time, I will give you my hundred percent and nothing less. All of our secrets are out on the table and we can start fresh. It kills me not being with you. My life is pointless, my work and money, everything is nothing without you by my side. I’d give it all away to be with you. That’s how much I want us to be together. I understand how hard it’ll be for you to trust me again, but I accept that, as I know that’s my fault, but every day from now, I will prove to you that you can.” I face him to make sure our eyes are meeting, they draw me in, and you can see the depth of his soul and you can tell he means every word.

“Why not, are you sure there is nothing else you need to tell me? No more secrets or surprises like another crazy ex, is the?” He chuckles,

“No! None, Sabrina is my only crazy. So you’re safe.”

“Good, let’s do this then. Our siblings will not be too happy. Adam, is going to flip.”

“It’s ok, I can work your brother, plus, he is screwing my sister after all.”

“Eww, I don’t want to think of that. Well if we’re starting on a no secrets policy, I best tell you this. I replied back to Sabrina’s email, even though you told me not too.”

“I kind of guessed that you would, you never listen, so why would you have listened that time.”

“True! I just know it’s not the end of her and this is just the beginning. There is a storm coming Jared, with her, and you and I, are the centre of it. She planning something big, I can feel it in my gut. It’s kind of scary, but I’m glad I’ve got to enjoy a few more weeks before it happens.”

“I know, Danni. We will sort it somehow. She won’t get away with what she has done. She has to come out of hiding some time and when she does, she’ll regret ever coming back. But for now, let’s not worry about this, let’s enjoy being together again and enjoy the New York experience. Plus, it’s Christmas tomorrow and new years in a week, we’ve got one hell of a week planned. So forget about it and enjoy the now, everything else can be put on hold till it’s over.” I agree, and curl my head into is arms, trying to forget what’s to come and enjoy being with my love once again.

                  
 
 
Chapter Ten

“Baby girl, come on, wake up. It’s New Years eve, so you know what that means. Thanks to your man, we get to see Bon Jovi tonight.” Carl jumps on the bed next to me until I start to move.

“Damn you, Carl! I was having a great dream then.” I slither up from my sheets to sit up and Carl parks his butt next to me.

“Darla and I, our too excited, its why we’re up to early.”

“I’m excited, I’ve just got no energy; it’s been one busy week. Shopping in New York is mental.” We both lay back and start to talk about the plan of action for the day. Jared got the three of us exclusive Bon Jovi tickets, as he is playing, his last ever concert tonight; it is a one off thing. All though, Jared’s not coming. He said it’s not his type of music. Lame! Who in their right mind does not like Bon Jovi, he’s a legend.

“It has been a mental week. Could you imagine back then, when we were kids, that we would be here today and how our lives had turned out. I would have never seen this coming. Well apart from our friendship, I always knew we’d be at each other’s hip till the day we die.” We both chuckle, imagining ourselves old.

“Aww, are you feeling sentimental today? I get what you mean, who’d have thought you’d be married to one of your best mates, living your dream job and me being with someone like Jared and also having a crazy person wanting my head on a stick. Oh and finding out my dad, is not my dad, so there is a completely new part of me, I have no clue about. Yeah, what a life I could have wished for.”

“No need for sarcasm, think of the bright side. Your with someone who loves you unconditionally, you have a job you love  and let’s  not forget an amazing family that would do anything for you and not forgetting about Darla and I and we are just simply amazing. You need to stop going through the negative and see the positive and stop being a douche. I mean that with much love.”

“Fair enough, you’re right. I am lucky, and just for the record, we will be by each other’s hip until our last breath. We’re them old friends that will act childish together, even when we’re sixty.”

“Always and forever baby girl.” He holds his fist out for me to bump it, so I bump back in return. “Hey, remember that summer in 2008, when Darla left me?”

“Yes, how could I forget, you where broken. I never heard from her all summer, which pissed me off.”

“Well, what I didn’t tell you was that, she left me to be with someone else.” My eyes widen with shock from this news.

“Are you serious? Why are you telling me this now? And why didn’t you tell me back then?”

“It’s been years since that happened and I didn’t tell you back then because she was your other best friend and no way in hell was I putting you in that situation, where you’d feel you’d have to choose between us both. Plus, we can’t talk after what we did. Anyway, I am going somewhere with this, so shut up and let finish.  When she went off to University, we hardly seen each other, we went to different ones and when we weren’t in university, we were working. So, she got close to someone else who was in her classes. She got confused with all her feelings and she didn’t know how to handle them, so she broke it off with me. She said she needs time to work out her feelings between me and this other bloke, but she still loved me and she just needs to do this and try to figure herself out in the process. That was it, she got up walked.”

“Right, and that’s when you came straight to me, well you where kind of hammered.”

“Yeah, I went down the pub to drown my sorrows, to try and numb the pain, which didn’t work and I came to you and you opened your arms to me and said. ‘Everything will be ok; I’ll help you through this. I won’t let you go through this alone, stay with me and let me try and sort it.”

“Well of course, it’s not like I was going to leave you to deal with all that by yourself, god knows what you would have done, there was no way I was going to let that happen.”

“I know! That’s why I took your offer up and stayed with you.  Not like, it helped at first because all I did was mope around and do nothing. I’d just sit there hardly speaking and bless you; you tried everything to get me out from that state I was in. When it slowly started working, we’d do stuff that we would’ve done when we were younger. Board games and pig out on junk food and watch some really bad films. Then we went out that night.” I hold my hand up to stop him for a moment.

“Are you sure you want to get into this? We promised each other never to bring this up again.”

“Yes, I do actually, it’s been years and Darla already knows.”

“You told her? Are you crazy?”

“It wasn’t you in the wrong Danni; it was me, so of course I told her. Anyway, shut up, I’m going somewhere with this. Like I was saying, then one night you decided to take me out for a bit of fun, you wanted me to hook up with someone, to try and forget the pain. Instead of forgetting the pain, we both ended up hammered. Suppose doing shots most of the night will do that to you. We scrambled back to your place, this was before Adam sold it. We scrambled in trying not to be loud, and we went straight to your room where we both collapsed on your bed and turned on our sides to talk. I told you everything. I remember the exact words. ‘Danni, there is something I’ve always wanted to tell you, you’re amazing, you’re fun, smart, a free spirit and you always see the good in people and you’re one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever known, I love you, I’ve always have, it’s always been you. I just could never move past the friend zone.’ You then laughed at me and replied ‘shut up, you’ve drank far too much, you can barely keep your eyes opened, stop being silly.’ I remember this like yesterday. I then sat up a little bit and placed my palm on your face and told you straight. ‘It’s not a lie Danni and it’s not the drink inside me, it’s the truth. I mean, I love Darla too, but with you it’s always been something more.’ Then I kissed you, I thought you would have pushed me away but you didn’t, instead you kissed me back and we continued for a while and then we started stripping each other, that’s when you stopped. You said ‘you can’t do this, you and Darla our my best mates, we’re the three musketeers’ always and forever, what the fuck? We have drunk far too much, its clouding our judgment, your emotions are everywhere, you have no idea what you’re on about. Let’s sober up and forget about this. We’ll talk tomorrow. Then you kicked me out into the spare room.” I cringe at that memory, It was so long ago and it still feels mad.

“Yes, that was not one of our best moments, I remember the next day, it wasn’t awkward. We sat and ate some breakfast and you turned to me and apologized. You said, ‘I’m sorry about last night Danni, but it wasn’t all a lie, I felt it when you kissed me back, it may not be love, but you felt something too. I know you would never want to go past that zone and you would feel like you where betraying Darla.’ I told you ‘it would be betraying Darla and not just that; I adore our friendship, which is more important to me than anything. I don’t want to lose you in anyway. I feel stupid for not realizing your feelings sooner, but you know we can’t.”

“I’ve always respected you Danni, even more so after that. We hugged it out and everything was fine afterwards, and you didn’t hate me. I was confused though, after that, we were fine. Then when Darla eventfully came back and she said she made a huge mistake and wanted me back. I was really chuffed, but you went quiet for a while, how come?”

“After that, I felt really guilty for what happened and even guiltier because you were right and I did feel something, but I knew it wouldn’t change anything. I wanted you in my life as my best friend and even though you said I was the one, I knew deep down it would always be Darla, you where just conflicted with what she did to you and then me being there and being compassionate confused your feelings, that’s why I went quiet. It’s mad to think of this after so many years.”

“Well, I just wanted to say thank you, for helping me through that hard time and also thank you, for stopping us from making that huge mistake. I never thanked you for it, I was really grateful. Yes, what I said was true, but you never let it come between our friendship and you helped sort Darla and I back out. You will always be my baby girl and I never want you to change. Don’t let being with Jared and everything that’s going on with you right now, change who you are, because who you are is amazing, strong, kind-hearted, beautiful person and it what makes you, you. Remember that.” He winks at me and puts his arm around me and we squish it out. I love this man, best friend anyone could ask for.

We’re disturbed by knocking at the door, as they walk in its Darla and Jared. Darla says,

“Hey, what’s going on here? I want some love.” She runs over to join us and Jared is standing in the door way laughing.

“Do you want to join in with the love babe?” I ask,

“No. it’s ok, foursomes are not my thing, carry on.” He smirks, I jump up from the bed and walk towards him and tip toe to press my lips to his.

“If you’re not coming to the concert tonight, what are you going to do with yourself?”

“Nothing, I am going to stay in and have some sister time with Julie and the kids. It should be fun. Phillip and Tye, will be escorting you guys tonight, you’ve got to be safe you know.” I nod agreeing.

“Sounds it, ok, well, have fun. But I’m going to have to kick you all out so I can get ready.” Jared pulls me closer towards him and whispers in my ear.

“How about they leave and I stay for a bit, we can have our own morning fun?” He grins, I know that grin, it’s his I’m Horney grin and he wants me here and now, you can see the greed in his eyes. I glare back at him and without moving my eyes from his gaze, I shout to Darla and Carl.

“You two leave please, I need some alone time.” They snicker and leave straight away, so Jared can have his way with me.

We walk backwards towards the bed as he starts ripping my nightdress off and before we reach the bed, he picks me up from my ass and I wrap my legs around his waist, while we are vigorously kissing. Instead of throwing me on the bed, he pushes me up against the wall, and starts to trail down with his lips on to my neck and chest, he holds me up with one of his arms while his lose hand starts un tying his belt. I start tugging his hair back so that he is facing me, he grins, he likes that, which makes me want him more. I force my lips to his neck and then start pulling his shirt of so I can leave trails of kisses on his firm tanned chest. Soon as his pants drop he teases my entrance with the tip of his penis. Once I am wet enough, he inserts in me, leaving me to jerk my back up against the wall. As he thrusts inside me fast and hard, my body starts to tremble, with the intensity of the pleasure I’m receiving, he’s moaning and grunting with every push, wanting more and more. He moves us from the wall to bed and throws me on wanting to finish the job properly. This time, when he reinserts in me, he doesn’t hold back. He slams his penis faster and harder, leaving me to moan as he hits my sweet spot, I don’t want him to stop, here it comes. I can’t keep my body still as the orgasm starts to take over my entire body. I clench my nails into his back, waiting for the explosion. Oh my god, I whisper as I cum. My head is spinning and I cannot stop grinning at this moment of pleasure, what a way to start your day of with a bang. 

I lay on his chest and we both lay in silence trying to catch our breath back, before we start are day, yes I’m guilty of feeling happy in this moment and I don’t want it to end.

                               *****

That’s the encore over with, that was amazing! He sang all of my favourite songs. He didn’t do the encore till after midnight, so we could all bring in the New Year. Amazing! Darla, Carl and I are heading towards the entrance to meet with Philip and Tye. They’ve had to wait outside all this time; it must have sucked for them spending their New Year like this. 

“That was epic, I’m glad we got to witness his last ever show. What a dream.” Darla say’s

“I know, I’m wired right now, I need to come down. The excitement has filled me up.” I reply,

“Me too, baby girl! Shall we head somewhere else? Somewhere is bound to still be open as it is New Years after all?” Carl suggest

“Best not, I told Jared and my sister and Adam we’ll come back straight after and have a little drink with them, even if it is just one before bed.”

“You’re a spoilt sport, but ok, that’s good enough.” He says, as opening the double glass doors to head back outside.  It is teaming it down with heavy rain. I’m going to get soaked; it wasn’t this bad when we got here. I hope that the car is not far. As we get outside, Tye and Phillip our standing there waiting for us.

“How was the concert Miss Shaw?” Phillip asks,

“It was extraordinary; I loved every part of it. Is the car far? I don’t fancy getting too soaked.” I laugh,

“No, it’s not far, they was no parking spaces left in this car park so we found another one around the corner. It is only about a five-minute walk, we can cut through the ally way over there. I nod not liking the sound of that idea, it seem off. But that’s just my paranoia kicking in. I rub it off and we start to walk ahead.

As we’re approaching the alleyway, it looks like it’s something of a scary movie, pissing down with rain, black ally, cobble stones, a few dust bins around and smells of rubbish and piss.

“Is there any other way we can go? I don’t want to go down there.”

“Miss Shaw, you’re safe, no need to worry and there is no other way.”  I turn to Tye.