Race to the Top

Chapter 33

-Jackson-
Ginger is far away from me, I can feel it.
Physically, she's right next to me. We're sitting in the Denver airport, at least 35 minutes are left before we board the flight. She's looking at her laptop, sifting through email after email but for some reason, I don't think she's really focusing on them.
In fact, she's felt distant somehow for awhile. Maybe it's the idea of returning to New York? Or the aftermath of wrapping up the shoot? I know how important it is for her for this campaign to succeed. I have no doubt it will, but she has more to gain than I do.
I reach over and rub the back of her neck. Her curls are pulled into a fluffy bun on her head. Even more freckles have spread across her cheeks and nose since spending so much time outdoors. I never believe it's possible for her to be more beautiful, more irresistible, yet here she is shattering all my preconceived notions.
I feel her relax slightly as my fingers continue to glide over her neck. It's hard to believe a few weeks earlier, we were leaving for California. It feels like both yesterday and months ago.
I don't want to "lose" her back in New York. Her walls are high, not gone, and I don't want to be on the other side of them when she puts them up again. She's not ready to give me full access, I get that, I have to go slower than I want to. But I'm willing to move at whatever pace she wants as long as it's not backwards.
She looks at me, her eyes sparkle when she smiles but behind their glint, she looks...sad.
"You okay?" I ask.
"Yeah," she says and looks back at the laptop.
I grab her chin and tilt her face back to me.
"We're getting in pretty late, my place is closer. Why don't you stay the night with me?"
A wrinkle appears between her eyebrows. Doubt. Regret. My insides clench but I keep smiling.
After what seems like an eternity, she smiles, and nods.
Whew.
"I bet you've missed Nadia and Simon huh?"
She closes the laptop and shifts her body to face me.
"Yeah, I have. I rarely leave New York for this long. Think it's still the same?" She smirks at her own joke.
I gently pinch her ear lobe.
"Without you? No, no I don't think it is."
******
It's close to midnight when we both land. We're exhausted but glad to be home. The air is warmer than expected for being so late and there's human-caused noise floating everywhere further highlighting the stark contrast to where we spent the last couple of weeks. Ginger softly snores as she rests her head on my shoulder in the cab.
When we finally arrive, I gently nudge her awake before we head into my apartment building.
After opening the door, I put our suitcases by the breakfast bar and remove my coat. Ginger slides her coat off and slings it over her arm as she struts around my apartment.
"Wow, this is...nicer than I expected," she says.
I lean against a wall and raise my eyebrows.
"Is that supposed to be a compliment?"
She laughs.
"I just meant, I dunno, I thought you'd have more of a guy's apartment. I mean, you have matching throws and pillows! And everything is stylish!"
I smirk.
"I guess you aren't the only one full of surprises," I say. Her face falls slightly. Before I can ask about it, she recovers and yawns.
"Well, I'd love to analyze all of this more, but I'm exhausted."
"Me too," I say as I lead her to the bedroom.
"Wow, your room is nice too, and you have a walk in closet! Geez, how can you afford this place?"
I laugh at her shock as I toss a t-shirt to her.
She turns around and undresses giving me a glorious view of frame. She slides my shirt on and pulls her hair tie out so her hair can cascade down her back.
"Where's your bathroom?" She asks as she grabs her toiletries bag.
I point to a room just outside my room.
As Ginger softly closes the door, I pull my shirt off and pants off and slide into my bed in my boxers. I'm half asleep a few minutes later when I hear the door open and warm body slide into the bed next to me. I pull Ginger close and feel her back pressed to my chest. I fall asleep nuzzled into her neck inhaling her perfect scent.