The Devils Of Harvard

Chapter Thirty Six

Nathanial Winters

There was something pleasant about being so high above the world that my penthouse offered. I missed the shining light and the horns, the impossibly tall buildings, and the way that lights reflected off polished window panes like a rippling water surface.

I loved seeing the shops filled with people of all ages, the chatter and accents of those here. The expensive bags carried by housewives who never left except on the weekends dolled up for a Saturday on Fifth Ave. The smell of food made in the various restaurants that always seemed to have their doors opened with smiling doormen.

Most of all I remembered why I called this city home. The way everything seemed right here, even if so much could be better, for moments I could live in my veil of wealth before venturing into the northern most parts of Manhattan on an afternoon drive.

Tonight I stood in the window of my penthouse with a non alcoholic scotch Arilynn having long fallen asleep after we put up the tree and agreed to decorate it in the morning. That girl didn't know how hard I fell for her. On the night my family came over my dad had teased me saying he knew the look on my face. Said I looked at Arilynn like how he looked at my mom.

If this was love, wanting nothing more then to give a person what little part of the world I was able to provide, along with humour, pure memories and the feeling of protecting someone. If this was love I'd accept it wholeheartedly. I could remember questioning if I loved Scarlett in a way that was right, and at the time it was love, that was love as I knew it. With Arilynn it was all different the puzzle fell together rather then needed to be pieced together.

I still hadn't gotten undressed, or a hint of it.

A drive doesn't sound bad.

Night drives were more for stress relief, however I had no fucking clue where I'd go.

The marina so you don't bother anyone.

Knowing it would be a bad idea to go in thin clothing I finished my glass putting it into my dishwasher before walking upstairs to my bedroom while removing my cufflinks, and unbuttoned my shirt.

Stepping into my room and then the closet I changed into a long sleeved sweater I took one of my trench coats and pulled it on before hearing the door to my bedroom open.

Spinning around and stepping out of the closet there stood Arilynn rubbing her eyes.

"Where are you going?" she asks before looking me up and down.

"Wanted to go for a drive decided I'd go to the marina, probably sit by the water" I reply as I watched her sleepily walk over to me and stop directly in front of me.

"May I come with you?" she asks pulling her robe tighter around her.

"You look exhausted love" I say lifting her head to look up at me while using my other hand to finger comb her hair gently.

"I'd rather fall asleep in a car with you then alone in that big bed. It's cold" she mumbles and I couldn't help but laugh at how adorable she could be when tired.

"Arilynn you need sleep" I say and she stared up at me with a frown.

"So do you, it's two in the morning, you've been up for nearly twenty hours" she states, "so take off your fancy clothing, and go to sleep, this is fatigue equality, deal with it".

So demanding. It's cute though.

"So be it Miss Hamilton" I say stepping away from her and began to remove my clothing layer by layer until I was in just my boxers though I left my sweater folded on the table in the middle of my closet.