Not Yet

Brody came over again on Tuesday night.  He confirmed that he was leaving for Miami the next evening.  I felt another stab of anxiety but pushed it away.  Brody had also learned a little more about the situation after his teleconference with the investigators today.  

"Basically, my dad was involved in just about every type of white-collar crime that exists," he explained.  "Fraud, forgery, extortion, embezzlement, bribery.  It makes me sick just thinking about it all, and how it was probably going on right under my nose."

"I wonder if that's why he sent you off to Denver," I mused.

Brody looked surprised.  "I honestly didn't even think about that, but it would make sense," he agreed.  "Hey, will you take me to the airport tomorrow?"  I said yes, but I couldn't keep my face from falling as I thought about him leaving tomorrow.  Brody grabbed my hand pulled me toward him.  "Stop it," he instructed.

"Stop what?" I asked.

"Stop thinking about me leaving."

I smirked at him.  "Make me," I teased, cocking an eyebrow.  He laughed and stood, picking me up and throwing me over his shoulder.  He carried me upstairs and set me down on my bed.  His stubble scraped gently across my cheek as he kissed my neck, then my jaw, then my lips.

I started to pull off my shirt but he put his hands over mine.  "Not yet," he said, grinning when I glared at him.  He pushed my hands away and replaced them with his own, sliding over my sides on top of my shirt.  We laid back, and as he kissed me he trailed his fingers all across my fully-clothed body until I was squirming and practically begging him to let me lose the clothes.  He relented and sat up so I could pull my shirt and bra off.  My hands moved to take off my pants but he stopped me again.  "Not yet," he repeated.  I practically growled at him, but it was cut off by his mouth on mine and his fingers against my breasts.

Several agonizing minutes later he was tugging off my pants.  I gasped when his fingers slid against me.  "Not yet," he said again, when I reached for his pants.  My noise of frustration quickly turned to a moan as he pressed his fingers harder against me, and my moan turned to a cry of pleasure as I came.

"I need you inside me right now," I gasped.  "Or I swear I will kill you."

He laughed as he quickly took off his clothes and nudged my legs apart.  I moaned again and pushed my hips up against his as he slid into me.  He spent the next 20 minutes continuing to make me forget about him leaving, and when we were done, I could barely think about anything.  My brain felt like it had melted and I couldn't even form a coherent sentence.

"Come here," Brody murmured after we had both recovered for a couple minutes, pulling me over towards him.  I scooted over and laid my head on his chest.  He wrapped one arm around me tightly while the fingers of his other hand moved across my shoulder blades.  "Feel any better?" he asked.

I nodded against his chest.  "But I still don't want you to go."

He chuckled.  "I don't want to either," he admitted.  "This is going to be really weird.  And I'll miss you."

"I love you," I said, snuggling closer to him.  I could no longer resist the heaviness of my eyelids and I let them close.

"I love you too," he replied, tightening his arm around me.


After work the next day I drove out to Brody's house.  He had only worked part of a day and I was picking him up at home.  He lived in the opposite direction of the airport, but I didn't mind.  That was more time to spend with him before he left, even if it was in the car.

He was ready to go when I got there and the drive to the airport went way too fast.  I felt ridiculous for being so sad about him leaving, when it was only two weeks, but I couldn't help it.  Rationally, I knew that this was different from the last time, but it was still not fun.

I parked in drop-off area and got out of the car as Brody pulled his suitcase out of the back.  I swallowed hard, but as much as I tried to fight it, my lip started to tremble.  "Hey, don't do that," Brody said gently after he had shut the back and pulled his suitcase over to me.  He wrapped his arms around me in a tight hug as I sniffled.  "It's okay," he soothed me.  "It'll go fast."  We stood there for a few moments, but then he had to go.  He pulled back and held me at arm's length.  "I'll call you when I get there, okay?  If it's too late, I'll just text to let you know I made it."

"No," I protested.  "Call.  I don't care how late it is."  He nodded and kissed me.  I kissed him back, trying to prolong it as much as I could.  Finally I let him pull away.

He hugged me one more time and kissed me on the forehead.  "I'll talk to you tonight.  I love you, Liv."  I told him I loved him too and quickly got back into my car so I could get out of everyone else's way.  I sighed and told myself to stop being ridiculous as I put my car in gear and drove home.

I was half asleep in bed when my phone buzzed with a text from Brody letting me know they had landed and he'd call when he was at the hotel.  I tried to stay awake to wait for his call but I was sleeping when my phone finally rang.  "Hi," I said sleepily.

"Hey, were you sleeping?  I'm sorry," he replied.

"Don't be, I told you to call.  How was your flight?"

"It was fine.  Long.  The board has me set up in a really nice room at least," Brody said, before yawning.  "Liv, I'd love to talk longer but it's nearly 2:30 here, and I have to be to an 8am meeting."

"Okay, I should get to sleep too.  I love you."

"I love you too, Liv.  Goodnight."  I said goodnight and hung up, falling quickly back to sleep.


On Saturday, Lauren, Kinsley, Cassie, and I went out.  It was nice to catch up with everyone together.  Cassie was still sleeping with both Nick and James (though James more than Nick).  And she was still quite happy with the situation.  More power to her.

"And how's Alex?" Cassie asked Lauren.  Lauren blushed, which made me laugh.  Lauren does not blush.

"Good," Lauren said.  She smiled, then said, "Actually, really good.  I'm glad you guys talked me into going out with him."  I beamed.  I was so happy she was happy.

Kinsley reported that she and Damien had been spending more nights together than apart.  "It's so weird," she said, shaking her head.

"I think you mean 'normal'," Lauren said.  "That's what normal people do.  We're not normal."  This led us to an extended, slightly drunken discussion on normal vs abnormal and relationships.

We ended the night around 1.  I wanted to call Brody but knew it was 3am there.  I sent him a quick text instead, hoping it wouldn't wake him up, and went to bed.



On Monday, I missed a call from Brody while I was at the gym with Kinsley.  After I was home and showered, I called him back, hoping to catch him.  He answered on the second ring.

"I miss you," he said.  "I wish you were here."

"Oh yeah?  And what would you do if I were there?" I asked.  He then spent the next 10 minutes describing in great, scandalous detail all the things he'd do if I wasn't nearly 2000 miles away. 

"You are a horrible tease," I moaned when he was done.

He laughed.  "You asked for it.  And besides, all that could be yours if you come down this weekend."  It took me a minute to process what he said.

"Wait, this weekend?" I asked.  "Seriously?"

"Why not?" he replied.  "This week is your Friday off, right?  You could fly out Thursday night and fly back on Sunday.  Come see me." 

"I would love to," I responded.  "I'd have to reschedule my therapy appointment, but I could look at tickets, at least."  I wasn't sure if I could really spare the money for a weekend trip right now, but I remembered Brody commenting on how cheap the tickets had been when he booked his.

"You don't have to," he replied.  "I already booked you one."

Now it was my turn to laugh.  "Confident, huh?"

"Well, you made my argument pretty easy when you asked what I'd do if you were here.  I booked a 6pm flight on Thursday, and a 5pm flight on Sunday, but we can change the times if you want.  Will you come?"

"I'll come," I said, smiling.

And just like that, I was going on a weekend trip to Miami.