Authors: Nikki Rittenberry
* *.*
Jacob’s new internship at the Anderson James Architect Firm kept him extremely busy. He wanted to make a lasting impression on his
supervisor and fellow co-workers, even
volunteering to work late in order to meet an approaching deadline. It wasn’t uncommon for him to work a fifteen hour day, go home to sleep, then arrive again the next day and repeat the process over again. It was difficult to find the time to
communicate with Cassie every day. Their
schedules
were no longer in sync and he hated that most nights he had to go to bed without hearing her voice.
He worried how the stress of her hectic schedule and the loneliness of their situation would affect her. He’d confided in his best friend,
Tanner, about his uneasiness and enlisted him
to look out for her while he was away. He was so
afraid she would get discouraged and end their
relationship; He didn’t think he could bear that
.
Back in New Orleans, Cassie felt as though someone had pressed the pause button on her love
life. Her heart was
idling, longing for a jolt of electricity to
revive her.
She did her best to keep busy. Luckily for
her she had great friends, not to mention a heavy class
load
this semester. She had quickly
become
close with
Tanner and his girl
friend, Emily. They
always
seemed to understand when Cassie needed
company or when she cancelled plans because she wanted to be alone. She often confided in Emily about her frustrations. A long distance
relationship was more difficult than she imagined it would be. She reminded herself that
every day she was one day closer to being reunited
with Jacob and she was desperately
looking forward to her upcoming trip to New York.
* * *
After twelve long weeks of separation, Cassie boarded a plane to New York City to spend the weekend with Jacob. Butterflies frolicked within her stomach and her heart pulsated wildly in her chest. His absence had solidified her feelings. She loved him—more than she
ever thought possible. The next thirty
-six hours were crucial. She knew how strongly she felt, but she worried how their
distance had affected him. What if seeing her again
made him re-evaluate his feelings? Well, she would soon find out.
The wheels touched down
and
jarred her body forward—hopefully
ridding her of her insecurities
.
Jacob waited anxiously for her at the airport with a dozen red roses in hand. His pulse galloped like a racing thoroughbred competing in The Kentucky Derby, surging toward the finish line for a shot at The Triple Crown. No woman had ever affected him like this before. She twisted his insides like a pretzel and he loved every minute of it—
he loved her
.
Cassie spotted him through the crowd and rushed forward, jumping into his outstretched arms. She pressed her lips against his and gazed into his intense, green eyes. “I missed you so much!” she exclaimed.
“I missed you, too, babe. I can’t believe you’re really here!”
It seemed as though it had been a lifetime since she last saw him. She took a step back and examined him closely; he looked so handsome and professional, she thought. His mint-green shirt sleeves were rolled midway up his forearms and his green and black striped tie was slightly loosened. He reached for her hand and after retrieving her luggage from baggage claim, they hailed a taxi and headed to his apartment to freshen-up before dinner.
Nothing pleased Jacob more than seeing Cassie smile. He spent what little
time he had available on planning a
memorable and romantic weekend. After freshening up, he took her to a popular restaurant in Times Square for dinner. Their table overlooked the impressive lights and fast-paced chaos on the street below. Conversation was easy—as it had always been and when the check came he abandoned his original plans in light of a new one. Jacob informed her that he no longer wanted to share her with a bunch of strangers and wanted nothing more than to spend some much needed, quiet time together—just the two of them. After the bill was paid, they hailed a cab and headed back to his place.
The heavy door to his modest-sized apartment slammed shut; he was finally alone with his living, breathing fantasy. Jacob took Cassie by the hand and pulled her close. It had been so long since he’d held her. He detected the irrefutable scent of jasmine from her perfume and he was instantly reminded of their time together last spring in New Orleans. He inhaled
her essence. “Mmm… you smell
delicious”, he mumbled softly.
He began kissing her neck as they
embraced and then slowly made his way
to her lips. She tasted like sweet
wine and raw passion and he wanted to
devour every last inch of her. He unzipped
her black, silk dress and ran his
hands down her shoulders,
nudging
the soft material
down her
arms until the garment lay in a puddle around her feet.
Cassie removed his tie and quickly
unbuttoned his shirt, revealing his toned chest and
chiseled abs. He quickly shrugged out of it
and covered her mouth with his. His tongue slowly
explored her mouth at first; re-acquainting
his taste buds with her sweet flavor, and then the
kiss gradually became more aggressive and needy. He craved her and his hunger triumphed. He ran his hands down her back and cupped her bottom, lifting her feet off the floor. Her legs wrapped around his waist as though he was her only lifeline and with their lips still caressing, he carried her to his bed.
* * *
Narrow beams of light trickled though the small living room window, landing on the left side of Jacob’s face. He’d prepared himself a cup of coffee and sat on his couch in silence, waiting for her to awake. He closed his eyes, trying to memorize every moment of the night before. She truly was amazing. He had to admit he’d been nervous about her scheduled visit. Tanner often reported back to him in regards to how she was doing in New Orleans and revealed Cassie was growing impatient with their situation. Jacob had previously wondered how the distance would affect their relationship. What if they grew apart and found that everyday life became easier without each other? He laughed quietly to himself. He was convinced now more than ever that they were stronger because of it.
Cassie appeared from the small bedroom and ambled toward the kitchen. She poured herself a cup of coffee and joined Jacob on the couch. She interlocked her hand with his and placed her head on his shoulder. She too was astonished at how their bond had grown while they were apart. Being with Jacob was like breathing; it was natural. Automatic. Refreshing.
They spent their last day together touring the city; the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Central Park, and lastly Jacob revealed the steel, high rise building that housed the Anderson James Architect Firm in Lower Manhattan. Cassie was mesmerized by the fast-paced city. It was a far cry from the small Louisiana town she’d grown up in. Professionals scurried to their destinations in droves and tourists snapped shots of the scenery surrounding them as though it was the eighth wonder of the world. The Manhattan lifestyle exuded energy unlike anything she’d ever experienced. It settled in the pit of her gut and even though it was new, it felt oddly familiar.
Cassie heard a loud rumble and looked down at her tummy.
“Are you getting hungry?” Jacob asked.
She placed one of her hands on her stomach and rubbed it gently. “Yeah, I guess I am.”
“Do you want to grab a quick bite to eat before dinner this evening?”
“Actually, I have a better idea”, she said as she came to a halt. She stepped in front of him and ran her hands up his hard chest. “Why don’t we order Chinese take-out and stay-in this evening?”
Jacob wrapped his arms around her waist, nestling her body closer to his. “That’s the best idea I’ve heard all day.”
Jacob and Cassie headed back to his tiny apartment. She decided to take a quick shower and change into something a little more comfortable while he called in their take-out order. He knocked on the bathroom door and explained he was going out to pick up their dinner and would return shortly. Cassie waited to hear the front door slam and began to sob. She felt more in love with Jacob than ever before and didn’t want to leave him the following morning. She wiped the mirror with her hand to remove the condensation and took a deep breath, examining her face as if trying to recognize
the image staring back at her.
She was perplexed about what to do
regarding the offer to intern at the Denver Therapy Institute after graduation. It was an overwhelming honor to have been selected, but accepting the offer would mean at least another six months away from Jacob. Besides, DTI would probably only look impressive on her resume, right?
Yes, of course! New York City had numerous hospitals with outstanding physical therapy opportunities available. She was optimistic about her future, both professionally and personally. She wiped the tears from her cheeks and brushed her long blonde, wavy hair. She slipped into a white tank top and a pair of worn, light denim jeans before settling down on the fluffy, maroon couch.
Jacob arrived back at the apartment with dinner. They both decided it would be more comfortable to sit on the floor, surrounded with an abundance of throw pillows to eat; just like they used to do back in New Orleans. As the evening progressed, Jacob began to notice Cassie was beginning to become withdrawn. She somehow seemed distracted, as though
her mind and her body were dis
connected.
“What are you thinking about Cass?” He asked.
She let out a loud sigh. “I can’t believe the weekend is almost over. I feel
like I just got here yesterday
.”
“That’s because you
did
just get here yesterday.”
Cassie chuckled softly and nudged her chow mein gently with the tip of her chopsticks. “Yeah, that’s probably why…”
Jacob studied her for a moment. “Is that all? I mean, you’re not starting to have second thoughts about us, are you?”
Cassie hesitated for a moment before meeting his gaze. “Of course I’m not. I’ve had the most incredible time with you this weekend. For a while it almost seemed like things were back to normal, you know? I just… I just don’t want to
leave you again.”
“I know—me too.” He put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. He knew she loved him, but he felt like there was something else bothering her; something that she wasn’t revealing. His gut was sending urgent Mayday
messages to his brain
.
Something’s not right. She’s withholding valuable information—proceed with interrogation
.
He wanted to comply with his distress calls, but instead held back. This was her last night and the last thing he wanted to do was spend it arguing. He decided to let it go for now.
Jacob spent most of the night awake. He thought about the person he used to be. He had a reputation for being a bit of a player. He’d never thought twice about having a one night stand. He used his charm to pursue many women over the years, but Cassie was different. He knew from the very beginning that she was the exception. She was everything he had ever dreamed of and so many wonderful things that he hadn’t. She was breathtakingly beautiful, intelligent, funny, classy—and did he mention beautiful? She made him want to be a better person. He lay beside her, propped up with one hand supporting his head. He always thought it was such a cliché to watch someone sleep; something you saw on T.V or read about in one of those mushy romance novels. But there he was—guilty as charged. He watched her chest rise with every breath and felt an overwhelming ache in his heart at the thought of being in his bed alone the following evening.
* * *
Cassie zipped her suitcase and wheeled it to the front door. Her flight was scheduled to leave at eight o’ clock. She took one last look around the room. It was hard to leave, but comforting to know she would soon be calling this apartment home.