"Sheridan?" the counter agent called, and we moved forward to check my bags. Jack placed them on the scale and we stood, waiting for her to wrap the tags around the handle.
"OK, you're checking two bags through to La Guardia, right?" she asked.
"Yes," I answered, surprised at my own voice. It was rough and my throat felt like sandpaper. One look at Jack and I could see he was starting to feel it, too. His eyes were overcast, the green almost blue.
She gave me my ticket and pointed me towards the correct security checkpoint that would take me to my terminal. Jack slung my carry-on bag over his shoulder and we walked away slowly, holding hands again. Right before we got to where we'd have to be separated, he pulled me over to the wall, almost hidden behind a vending machine. He set my bag down and I kept my eyes on the floor. I literally couldn't bear to look at him.
"Grace? Come on, look at me," he chided softly, his fingers slipping under my chin and lifting my face up.
The tears that had been building all day finally broke and I clutched him to me fiercely.
"Dammit, George, I'm going to miss you so much!" I cried, pulling him to me as tightly as I dared.
"I know, Gracie, me too," he choked back, not crying, but sounding like he could.
I breathed in his sweet scent, S'mores and Hamilton, and I began to kiss every part of his warm skin that was exposed. His neck, his ears, his temples, his forehead, the little part of his chest that was exposed by his open collar, his cheeks, his nose, his eyelids and finally his mouth, that was eager for my own. His hands swept across my back and my hips, his beautiful fingers spanning my waist almost completely.
I held on as tightly as I could, trying to express with sheer force how much I was going to miss him and how much my heart was now breaking to leave him.
"Grace? I just want you to know, well, how glad I am that I met you. I can't imagine my life without your crazy, sexy, beautiful ass in it now," he whispered in my ear, bringing a fresh wave of tears and smiles at the same time from me.
"God, you're amazing. I'm so lucky," I whispered back, clutching at him still tighter. He was now kissing my neck with a sense of urgency, burying his face in my hair and breathing deeply.
His lips found mine again and we kissed until we were both breathless, his cheeks wet now from my tears, and then he hugged me tightly again.
"I should go," I whispered into his neck, my hands buried in his hair.
"Yes, you should," he whispered back, beginning to let go.
I backed away, swinging my bag up over my shoulder and taking my boarding pass from his hip pocket.
"Call me when you land?" he asked, his eyes sad, but hopeful.
"Promise," I answered, scratching his head one last time. He closed his eyes like a puppy, leaning into it. I was close enough, still, that I could feel the warmth of him through my shirt.
"I love you, sweet girl." He smiled, opening his eyes and leaning down for one more kiss.
"I love you too, Jack." I smiled back as his lips left mine.
I walked away, getting in line. I gave the TSA officer my ID and boarding pass and then fell in behind everyone else. I couldn't look behind me.
"Hey, Crazy!" I heard, and I turned around smiling along with the other thirty people in line.
"Yes, Sweet Nuts?" I yelled back, to the general amusement of all around me.
"Knock their fucking socks off!" he yelled.
I laughed and then lifted my hand in a goodbye. With one more sexy half grin, he walked away, disappearing into the crowd. I was still smiling when I turned back to the line. The woman in front of me smiled.
"Boyfriend?" she asked.
"Boyfriend…hmm…yes. That was my boyfriend," I answered, rolling the word around on my tongue.
Sex God, Wonder Tongue, Mr. Multiple…but boyfriend sounds good, too.
"He's cute. And that accent! Jeez, it's hot, if you don't mind my saying." She laughed.
"I don't mind…and you have no idea how hot it is." I smiled again, thinking of my boyfriend. I wiped the tears away and headed for my gate.
***
Once I was on the plane and settled into my seat, the tears came back. I sat quietly sniffling, watching everyone else file on towards the back of the plane. The flight attendant had already offered me a cocktail, but I wasn't quite ready for that yet.
One of the reasons I felt so sad was that I didn't know when I would see him again. I could be in New York indefinitely—three months, a year. It was all dependent upon how well the show did and the kind of backing it received. I knew Jack would be out to visit, and I knew that, at some point, I'd be able to get back out to L.A., but the idea of not knowing when, that's what was making it so difficult for me. Not to mention that I hadn't slept alone in weeks and I knew that tonight, when the lights went out and I didn't have the Brit scrambling under the covers after me, searching out my boobies with his hot little hands, I'd miss him something fierce.
I thought of his sweet face, looking as lost as I had ever seen him as I walked away from him today. I saw the same sadness in his eyes that was in mine, and even though I realized that men and women felt things very differently, I knew he would miss me. I thought of his smile and how happy I made him when I did something as simple as scratching his head and my insides actually ached.
What would he do if he was here now and I was crying? I smiled immediately, thinking of how quickly he would have me pressed tightly to him, making me laugh through my tears, or simply letting me cry it out. I would do the same for him. All I wanted to do was take care of him and have him take care of me. We needed each other equally. I knew that now.
God, I realized that I should have gone shopping for him before I left. He would eat nothing but freaking fast food for the next three months if no one got involved.
But that was enough sad sackery. I needed a distraction.
I pulled out a magazine and I laughed ruefully when I saw that the Brit was featured in an article about faces to watch. Yeah, no kidding.
***
Somewhere over Utah…
I put the magazine down after rereading the pages with my Brit several hundred times. The flight attendant nodded towards the article I was clutching to my chest as she handed me my Bloody Mary.
"Did you read the article about Jack Hamilton? I could get arrested for the thoughts I have about that kid." She grinned as she took in my surprised face.
I blushed, and grinned back. "He's a tall drink of water, that's for sure," I giggled.
"God, yes. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to his new film," she confided, leaning on the seat and making the guy next to me roll his eyes. He'd already attempted to engage me in conversation, which I had quickly thwarted. Now I was ready to talk, but about a heartthrob? I'm sure he thought I was nuts.
Mmm, someone I loved called me Nuts Girl.
"Yeah, it looks really good. I love me some Super Sexy Scientist Guy."
"You must be talking about Jack Hamilton," I heard a voice say from behind me and the woman in 4D had popped her head over my seat to participate.