Awakenings: The Greek, The Russian and Me

Chapter 28

I arrive at Erik's house at six thirty and wait impatiently until he opens the door. "Sorry I'm late," I say as I throw myself into his arms.

He catches me and murmurs against my lips, "Not a problem, you're here now," as he kisses me thoroughly. My heart begins to beat rapidly, and I drop my tote on the floor as I wrap my arms around him and deepen the kiss, taking hold of his tongue and gently sucking it. He groans and pulls me in closer as he pushes the door closed behind him. I laugh and whisper, "None of that, or we will never get out of here."

He laughs and lets go of me; then he notices the tote, and a devilish grin spreads across his face. "So you are staying the night?" he asks.

"Maybe," I reply as I adjust my dress and give him my most seductive smile.

"So where are we going?"

"We are going on the N train, and then we need to take the R train toward the Battery Park area," I say, not wanting to give anything away.

He looks at me with marked curiosity. "Where are we going?" he inquires as he pulls me closer.

I laugh. "Nowhere if we start that again. Come on; let's go. I'll drive and park near the train station, but first I need to stop by a deli," I say as I grab my wallet, car keys, and jacket. He grabs his things, and we head out the door.

Leaving him in the car, I go into a local deli and get a pastrami hero and two iced teas and ask the clerk to double-bag it so Erik can't see what's inside. I get back in the car and find a parking spot near Thirty-Sixth Avenue. "Don't forget your jacket; you might need it," I say as I grin in his direction.

"This date is getting stranger by the minute." He grabs his jacket, and we walk to the train station. The timing couldn't have been better; as we step on the platform, the train is pulling into the station, and we get on. He holds my hand and tries to hold the deli bag. I won't let him carry it, not wanting to risk him finding out what's in it. I lean against him and feel totally relaxed. For a moment Conn creeps into my mind, but I hear that same voice say, "That was the past," and I remember that sometime today he will be flying back to his reality, his world.

As I look up, I see Erik smiling at me as he reaches over and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. I look at him and wink as I tell him, "Next stop we have to transfer to the R."

We get off the train and then wait to take the R train. A few minutes later, we get on the R train headed toward the Staten Island Ferry. "Not even a hint of where we are going?" he says in a low voice.

"My lips are sealed," I reply as an uncontrollable giggle escapes me. Looking at the stops, I notice that we need to get off two stops from now, and my heart is thumping with excitement and anticipation. Finally the train reaches the Staten Island Ferry stop, and we exit the train, making our way out of the subway station.

The air outside is considerably cooler than in the subway, and I breathe in and exhale slowly. "Now what?" he says as he looks around.

I smile and grab him gently by the hand as we walk toward the ferry. "At this time it's not very crowed," I say, as he is looking amused.

"Is there something interesting in Staten Island?" he asks as we board the ferry. Still holding his hand firmly, I guide him toward a seat on the exterior deck. "So do I get to know what's in the bag?" he asks with marked interest.

"Of course you do. I just hope you like pastrami," I say as I pull the sandwich and drinks out of the bag.

Our eyes meet, and for a moment it's as if the world has disappeared and it's just Erik and me on the ferry. He