Sometimes, it’s still hard to believe they all actually care.
TWENTY-TWO
SPENCER
“I want to have a party,”Sylvie announces when I walk through the door, her eyes sparkling, her behavior downright giddy.
We’ve been back in Manhattan for not even a week, and she already wants to have a party?
“Hello to you too,” I say in greeting, approaching her so I can give her a kiss.
Her face is already turned toward mine, her lips slightly pursed, and I give her a deep, tongue-filled kiss before I pull away, smiling at the dazed look filling her eyes.
“That was nice,” she murmurs.
“More where that came from,” I say as I walk away from her, headed to my—our—bedroom, working at the tie around my neck until it’s coming undone. I toss it on the bed as I stride into the walk-in closet, eager to get out of this suit and relax for the evening.
“Did you even hear what I said?” she calls out to me.
I quickly strip and throw on a T-shirt, exiting the closet with a pair of joggers in my hand, which I hurriedly put on while she watches. “You want to have a party.”
She nods and smiles, clasping her hands in front of her expectantly. Giving me younger Sylvie vibes, giddy like a teenager. “Great idea, right?”
“I don’t know.”
Her expression falls and she drops her hands at her sides. “What do you mean? Why not?”
“You want to put yourself in that kind of position, inviting people over? It’s a lot, Syl.” I’m just watching out for her, wanting to protect, like I promised her I would. I hope she sees that.
From the scowl appearing on her face, I’m guessing not.
“I’m ready for a lot. I’m bored, sitting in this apartment all day, Spence. I want to announce my return to the city.” She throws her arms up in the air, a big grin on her face reappearing. “It’ll be an intimate party for just friends and certain members of my family.”
“Certain members? Like who?”
“Whit and Summer. Carolina. She’s home for the summer, you know.”
“I didn’t know.” I settle on the edge of the bed, grabbing her hand and pulling her close, so she’s standing in front of me.
“I just found out. She called me earlier. I guess she hurt herself dancing. She’s out for a month. She works too hard, she told me. And now she’s climbing the walls, desperate to do something to fill her time. We’re going to meet for lunch soon.”
“Your mom’s not in on this lunch, is she?”
Sylvie shakes her head, her gaze finding mine. “I told Lina I don’t want to see our mother. She knows how I feel.”
“Just checking.” I tug on her hand and she dips her head, our lips brushing. It’s been nonstop sex between us since she’s come back here to live with me. We have plans to return to California in a couple of months. She’s currently looking for someone to renovate the house, and she’s put a deadline on herself, so when we return, she’ll meet with people and discuss her plans. She’s not about to give up that house, and I don’t blame her. It’s the only thing in the world that is solely hers.
Well, my heart is all hers too, but she doesn’t seem as excited about that.
Fuck, I love torturing myself sometimes, I swear.
Earl’s old apartment is already up for sale at my urging. We don’t need the reminder of him lingering in our relationship and she agreed. She even offered the apartment to Earl’s children at a bargain price, but they weren’t interested. Looks like they have no interest in harassing Sylvie any longer either.
Lucky for them, because I would make their life a living hell if they ever came for her.
“How was your day?”
“Good.” I kiss her again before hooking my arm around her waist and pulling her to me so we fall backward on the bed, our legs tangled. I kiss her again, my tongue sliding against hers until she breaks away to catch her breath, her hands on my shoulders.