22. This Isn’t Goodbye

TWENTY-TWO

THIS ISN'T GOODBYE

Dessa

Last night, we came back to my place and for the rest of the night I made sure he forgot all about lucky pennies while he made me forget my own name. Several orgasms later, we passed out in my bed.

Now, as the morning light seeps in through the curtain, I snuggle closer to Garrett, absorbing all his warmth because in a few hours it will be gone. He'll be gone. My hand slides over his bare stomach. "Why do you have to leave, again?"

"I have a couple of endorsement photoshoots and commercials to shoot this week."

"Like Calvin Klein. Will I be cutting out full spread magazine ads of you in nothing but a pair of white boxer briefs to hang on my bedroom wall?" I rest my chin on his chest and peer up at him .

He laughs. "No. Nothing like that. I'll save that for the younger guys."

"Younger guys? I guarantee your body trumps any of theirs." Growing up, Garrett was always lean and fit. But Garrett in his late twenties with his broad, muscular shoulders and tapered waist makes my pussy weep. New spank bank material unlocked. With him having to go back to Seattle, that's how I'll have to occupy my nights from now on. The two weeks he's been here have been amazing. I never expected for us reconnect so quickly and seamlessly, especially after ten years apart. It proves we've always had a deep and powerful connection. It's the kind of spark that starts fires. I'm not ready to let him go. Mostly because I don't know what's going to happen next. I finally got my best friend back, only for him to leave again. "What endorsement deals do you have?"

His hand slowly slides over my spine. "I have a shaving cream commercial."

I gasp, reaching up to run my fingers over the light stubble on his cheek. "You're telling me this is getting shaved? This should be a patented look."

"You like the scruff."

I nod. "Especially when it rubs against my inner thighs."

"I'll be sure it grows back by the next time I see you."

My chest tightens. It's another reminder that he's leaving. "So, what else do you have?" I ask, needing a distraction.

"I have a commercial for a sports drink and a photoshoot for athletic apparel."

"No underwear?"

"Less exciting than underwear."

"A girl can dream."

"As much as I want to stay in bed with you for eternity, I'd better collect the rest of my things from my parents' house and say goodbye."

A heavy sigh escapes my lips. I don't want to say goodbye. I'm not ready. "Will you stop by before you leave for the airport?"

"Of course." He presses his lips to my forehead before untangling himself from me and rolling out of bed.

My gaze fixates on his flexing biceps as he collects his boxer briefs and yanks them up. All I want to do is tug him back into bed, tie him to the mattress, and never let him go.

Once he's dressed, he bends down and presses his lips to mine. "I'll be back in a few hours," he whispers against my lips.

My eyelids flutter open, and I nod. Then he disappears out of my room. A minute later, the front door clicks shut. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to not only see Garrett again, but also sleep with him. Several times. My thigh clench together at the memory.

Two hours later, I'm shoveling the light dusting of snow from the sidewalk when I spot Garrett's black SUV in the distance. He pulls into my driveway and kills the ignition.

"I wasn't expecting snow today." He closes the car door.

Snowflakes continue to flutter from the sky. "Maybe they'll cancel your flight."

"I think there needs to be a little more snow than this for that to happen."

"So what? I guess I'll see you in another ten years?" Right now, it's either I make a joke, or I cry. Since it's cold outside, I'd rather not cry and have the tears freeze to my face.

In two quick steps, he's standing in front of me. He grabs the shovel out of my hands and tosses it onto the small mound of snow. Then his arms wrap around my shoulders. "I'm not leaving again. Well, technically I do have to leave, but I won't go radio silent. Not this time."

"So like nine years?" I mumble into his chest.

He laughs, the deep rumble vibrating both our bodies. "You never had a smart mouth before. But I kind of like it." He brushes a thumb over my cheek. "I'll call you every day."

"That's a little excessive, don't you think? I might have to screen my calls."

"Two for two. You certainly know how to knock me down a peg or two. When did this happen?"

"When my former best friend left without a goodbye."

"Never. Again," he murmurs, his arms tightening around me with a desperate tenderness.

"I hate this. I hate saying goodbye. But I guess at least this time I get a goodbye." The tear I've been fighting to hold back finally breaks free and rolls down my cheek. We've come a long way over the past two weeks. Some bonds can never break. Despite ours being tattered, we managed to repair it. I'm glad we could, and we even came out stronger on the other side.

"Look at me, Dessa." He rests his finger under my chin, forcing me to meet his eyes. His warm thumb brushes away the wetness on my cheek. "This isn't goodbye. It'll never be goodbye. I'm never making that mistake again. Got it?"

I nod. Anything I try to say gets lodged in my throat.

"I'll call you every day. Or text when I can't call, and when we both have a few minutes, we'll FaceTime."

"Only a few minutes?"

"We'll make it several long minutes." A rush of cold smacks into my body as he pulls away. My arms drop to my sides. He cups my cheeks and presses a light kiss on my lips. With our lips still touching, he whispers, "Something to think about until the next time we're together."

He gets in his car and reverses out of my driveway. I keep my eyes glued to his vehicle as it gets smaller in the distance. He comes to a stop at the stop sign, and I fully expect him to turn left and disappear down the road, but instead white reverse lights illuminate behind him. My brows pinch together. Did he forget something? He pulls into my driveway and jumps out.

"Did you forget—" Before I can finish, he kisses me again. My brows shoot to my hairline in surprise until I settle in and wrap my arms around his waist. The kiss is soft and gentle. I want to spend the rest of the day doing this.

He moves away a fraction of an inch. His voice is low as he says, "I told you it would be sooner than that."

I chuckle. "I don't know if five minutes really counts."

"Oh, it counts, and I'll show you exactly how much it counts."

"But don't you have a plane to catch?" I peer into his piercing green eyes.

"Yeah."

"And aren't you going to miss it?"

"I'll reschedule."

"Isn't that going to cost a fortune?"

"Probably. But it's worth it for a few extra hours with you. I wasted ten years not kissing you when I had the chance. I'm not wasting another second."

And his lips are on mine once again.