Page 40 of Slow Burn (The Boston Beauties)

‘Really?’

‘Drew, I’ve been in love with you from almost the time I met you, anyone beside you would be cheating. Sure, I’ve been horny, but it’s never crossed my mind.’

‘Cupcake, you have no idea how relieved I am to hear that, not that I can talk, but still.’

‘I’m a bit pissed that you felt you even had to ask me,’ she scolded. ‘I thought that you knew how I felt.’

‘I do, I was just worried that you’d get lonely…’

‘I am lonely, that’s why I’m constantly texting you.’

‘Please don’t stop, I worry more when you don’t,’ I reminded her, but she wasn’t as chatty this weekend as she typically had been. I had to admit, I really didn’t like it. I missed her, I wanted to know how her day was, what she was doing, even if it was the same things she always did.

Our constant open communications made me feel more connected to her. We couldn’t physically be together, so chatting was the only thing we had, and we usually had it in spades, thankfully. Which was why this weekend when I only heard from her every few hours, I felt myself at a loss.

The train was delayed a quarter of an hour when the screen finally changed, indicating that we’d be boarding on platform 3; it wasn’t the closest, but it could be worse. I made my way, following the small crowd of people who were also heading down to London or somewhere else south of Manchester on the late morning train.

On the platform, I was thankful there weren’t many people. With any luck, I’d be able to have a row of seats to myself and stretch out in somewhat comfort as I tried to sleep.

I had to walk past the first-class carts to get to my seat. Looking in, I decided I should have sprung the extra cash and opted for it, but out of habit, I booked the cheapest ticket I could. One of these days I was going to move on from my past, but I was pleased to know that I still remembered where I came from, despite my new surroundings.

I kept walking, looking ahead, when I had to do a double-take. Either I was hallucinating from being overtired, or my dreams were becoming a reality.

I stopped dead in my tracks for a moment, just to make sure my eyes were not deceiving me. I’d wanted to see her for so long, that sometimes I imagined things. Waking up from dreams starring her always put me in a foul mood as I never wanted them to end.Was I so tired that I fell asleep and she was appearing in my dreams?

But this sight in front of me wasn’t the Jessa from my dreams, nor from my pictures; this was a completely different physical form, but it was her nonetheless. I’d recognize that smile and those eyes anywhere. The rest of her was foreign to me, but those eyes and that smile had me frozen in place.

I walked the few feet to her slowly, stopping just a few inches from her, looking her up and down. Her hair was cut short in a bob just below her jawline, and it was no longer blonde. Instead, it was a light brown color that I felt was natural to her.

She wore a floral yellow and grey sundress; it had no sleeves, exposing her thin arms, and it fell just above her knees, showing off her sexy toned legs, which clearly didn’t need heels to accentuate, as she wore white flats. It hugged her in all the right places, revealing sexy curves that in the past had been covered in stress eating and a sedentary lifestyle. That was clearly something of the past.

I couldn’t speak as I looked her over. I knew it was her, the pull was too much to ignore.

‘Thought you were going to walk right past me,’ she commented with that brilliant smile of hers.

‘I nearly did.’ I took her in my arms and hugged her tightly, even as the whistle blew. I pulled away just slightly to look at her, make sure it was real and not a dream. ‘What are you doing here?’

‘Thought it would be a nice day for a train ride,’ she smirked as a whistle blew again. ‘Come, I’ve got us a first-class cabin.’

She held out her hand to me and I took it, following her lead to the first-class cart. I’d follow her off a bridge right about now if she asked me to. She had a private area for us, with a table already laid out with tea and sandwiches. Her jacket was laid across one of the seats.

I stored my bag in the upper compartment, as she took a seat and looked up at me. ‘Tea?’

This was surreal. I took the seat across from her, not able to take my eyes off of her for a moment. ‘Your hair, it’s different,’ I commented, reaching over, taking a few strands in my fingers, making sure she was real. I ran a finger down her cheek and she leaned into me, looking up at me, watching me take her in. I felt my cock twitch at the sight and feel of.

I still couldn’t believe she was in front of me. ‘Where’s the rest of you?’ I joked.

‘I left her on the southwest coast of Australia,’ she beamed with pride.

‘I hope you’ve still got that ass on you. If not, you better go back and find it.’ I got up and moved around to slide into the booth beside her, leaning in to kiss her, wrapping an arm around her waist as the train pulled away from the station.

She laughed at me when we pulled away from our kiss. I had waited so long to kiss her, once believing that I’d never have the chance to do it again. Never again would I take her for granted, take being with her for granted. It wasn’t going to be hard to do, I couldn’t take my eyes off roaming over her body. ‘But all joking aside, you look great. Different, but a good different. Not that there was anything wrong with the way you looked before.’ I was rambling.

She smiled, ‘Thanks. Too bad I can’t say the same about you; you look rough.’ She ran a hand over my beard and along my unkempt hair. I hadn’t had a chance to shower yet today. Had I known I’d see her, I might have taken a bit more pride in my appearance.

I nodded, ‘I haven’t slept properly since I left Boston,’ I admitted. ‘Scratch that, I haven’t slept properly since I last fell asleep with you in my arms.’ I kissed her temple, knowing that I could do that again tonight. Fuck, the things I could do with her tonight, if she were game, that is. I ran a hand over my face to stop my train of thought. If I sported wood now, there’d be no going back.

‘Shall I let you get some shut-eye?’ she asked, looking to the row of seats next to me.

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