A Kiss Ch. 02

FRIDAY NIGHT

She walked into the bar and scanned the crowd, but didn't see him. She was seated by the hostess in a booth on the back side of the bar, so she was sure to let her know she was waiting for someone. She ordered a beer from the waiter as she waited for her "date".

Her cell phone rang. She picked it up from the table and checked the number that was calling – it was him.

"Hey there."

"Hi." he said

"So let me guess, you're running late?" she laughed.

"Who, me?" he said with a laugh, "yeah, I'm running a few minutes late. Sounds like you're already there."

"Please, I have a 98% on time ratio, you know." She said.

"Yes, I do know that – and it's a good thing. Someone has to "hold down the fort" first thing in the morning."

"Ok," she started, "so what is it you need to talk to me about tonight, I'm sure this isn't just because you want to say thanks for the tickets to the show."

"Like we've said before, you weren't hired just because you're cute." He said. "I'll talk with you about it when I get there, which should be in about 10 minutes. But, here's something for you to think about . . . I haven't been able to get that kiss out of my head."

She started to reply but the call ended.

"You think you can't get that kiss out of your head," she said to herself as she put her phone back on the table.

She thought of that kiss again, feeling the familiar warmth rise in her chest, the flip of her stomach. What is it about him that does that to her? The thought of his lips on hers excited her more than she could remember, especially about just a kiss. She let her mind wander to imagine his lips on her neck, her collarbone, his arms wrapped around her, pulling her closer to him, his hands on her back, moving up to her neck and into her hair . . . .

"Hello?" he said as he sat down at the table.

"Oh," she said as she came back to the moment, "sorry, I was just off somewhere else."

"Must've been a good trip; you look a little flushed from it all." He told her.

"Yeah," she stumbled, looking him straight in the eyes, "it was a very nice trip."

They ordered their food and began to talk.

"You know," he started, "that kiss was amazing."

"Yeah, you're right about that. I still think about it often." She said

"Really? Do tell."

"How honest do you want me to be? I mean, if this is going to be "the dinner" where we decide that it was a mistake and it's never going to happen again and no one will ever know and things will just go back to the way they were, then I'll have one version of my description." She began. "Or, if this is going to be an exploratory kind of thing, I'll have a different version."

She saw the puzzled look on his face and continued.

"They're not different versions in order to save face or anything, it's perspective."

"Somehow," he started, "that actually makes sense to me." They both laughed as their dinner was brought to the table.

"So, ok," he said, "don't tell me about it. Let me tell you what I think about it all. Ok?" as he took a bite of his burger.

"Ok." She said as she ate and listened.

"From the moment we met," he began, "there was a "feeling" I got from you. That you're smart, funny as hell and for some reason didn't want too much stress in your life. I mean, that had to be why you took this job instead of pursuing another position up the food chain. You make me laugh, even when I shouldn't. You seem to know when to ask questions and when to just let things go. I have found out over the past couple of years that you're much smarter than you let on to everyone and you seem to deal with stress fairly easily. Now it's even more of a mystery why you're in this job." He took another bite of burger and continued.

"Now, that was the professional side of things. Personally, early on I sensed something from you, a heat that puzzled me. I'm not accustomed to being around women who are self confident, incredibly smart and sexy in a quiet way. There were times when we would talk and all I could do was look at your eyes, or your mouth and wonder what it would be like to be close to you, to hold you, to kiss you. Of course, I had to put that out of my mind because of the whole sexual harassment and hostile working environment thing. But it also became clear, I believe, as time went on when remarks were made that were clearly "harassment", it didn't bother you. In fact, you usually had a come back for them. And that, to me, is sexy as hell."

He continued after another hit from his beer.

"When my life fell apart, you were there for me. You didn't pry and I knew that if I needed to talk about anything that was going on, I could and that it wouldn't go any further. Trust like that is hard to find and again, sexy as hell." He stopped for a few minutes to eat.

"You know more about me," he continued, "than anyone – including my oldest friends. So now, not only do you know all my financial information, you know me." He laughed as he finished.

"Ok, so if I understand what you're saying, you like me." She summed up.

"Well," he started, "that's putting it succinctly. And it kind of loses something in translation" he said as he smiled.

She smiled as well.

"So, tell me what you want. Is "this" going to be for sex, or are we going to explore a relationship?" she asked.

"No beating around the bush with you, is there?"

"Not really. Not about this."

"I want to be your fantasy." He stated. "I want to be the one who thinks you're "it"."

Her mouth dropped open and it was a good thing she'd finished that bite or it would have fallen onto her plate. He just quoted something she'd said in her writings – she wants to be "it" to someone.

"Why do you say that?" she asked, hoping she didn't seem too surprised.

"Remember long ago you sent me an e-mail invitation to come into your circle of friends on that Yahoo site? Well, I never signed up to be in the circle, but I read your blog every day; I followed the links you included. A lot of the writing surprised me but I have enjoyed it tremendously." He said. "I'm surprised you never figured out that I was eavesdropping on your life."

"No frigging clue." She laughed.

"For a while, I thought you had the guy, the one you needed in your life, but it didn't work. And just for the record, while your heart was breaking outside the office, you couldn't tell it from inside the office. You have an amazing amount of composure for going through a breakup."

"Well, it really wasn't much of a relationship, so it wasn't much of a break up but, oh my God. I'd thought you were just intuitive a few times with some of the things you said and did. I never stopped to think that you were reading about it all as it was unfolding. I mean, I know that's what a blog is all about. It lets your friends know what's going on in your life without having to keep in touch all the time. But,"

"I know. Sometimes I felt guilty for knowing what was going on and not doing anything about it. But I also knew that you needed to find your way to me in your own time. And, too, it helped me get through my break up and back on my feet as well. Your insight into love, as well as the spin on it, is interesting."

"I'm stunned." She said.

She took a big hit off of her beer, followed by another bite of her burger. The noises of the bar seemed to grow more intense as she felt her head begin to swim. A deep breath or two and she was back in the moment.

"So, if you become my fantasy, what of reality?" she asked.

"Ah, yes, the real world must creep in on this fantasy." He said. "What would you envision as reality?"

"I don't want to leave the firm; I enjoy it too much." She told him.

"Move up. Use your skill and talent, not to mention your degree, in a position better suited to you. You know you're good, don't let it go."

"But, then I won't be with you. I'm not sure I want to do that."

"Once we go public, you'll have to leave. If you move before everyone knows, you'll be fine. I can help with this, let me." He said as he took her hands in his across the table.

"Once we go public?" she stammered. "Holy shit, you mean this isn't going to be a secret?"

"Why should it be? I'm in . . ." he paused momentarily, "I'm in a solid position within the firm, I'm divorced, you're divorced, there's no reason why this shouldn't be public knowledge. Once you move up, that is."

"Until then?" she asked.

"Until then, I'll leave it to you. We can see each other but maintain our relationship as it is now while we're inside the office. Besides, people have gotten so used to the way we are with each other, I don't think they'd notice a difference." He said as he laughed.

They finished dinner, had another round of beers with another round of chatting and left the bar. As they walked along towards the parking garage, he reached for her hand and held it in his.

"Wow," she said as he held her hand, "I don't remember the last time I held hands with an adult. In public, no less!"

They both laughed and he brought the back of her hand to his mouth, kissing it ever so gently. They continued their walk to the garage and upon arriving at her car, stopped to chat briefly before she left.

"So," she started, "do you have plans for the rest of the evening?" she asked as she stood by her car.

"I don't know. Do I have plans the rest of the evening?"

She smiled that wicked smile of hers.

"Where's your car?" she asked.

"About half a row up from here."

"Then follow me, please." She said.

"Ok." He leaned down to kiss her quickly then went to his car.

LATER FRIDAY NIGHT

He sat in his car for just a few minutes before backing out to follow her to her home. Never did he think he'd be following her to her home. He was about to go to the home of someone he worked with and not just for a dinner party, someone he'd known for quite a while, someone who had no idea he'd been listening in on her life for the past year, someone who had no idea he was in love with her.

How would they adjust from being co-workers to being lovers?

"Well," he said to himself, "only time will tell."

With that he put the car in reverse, pulled up to her parking spot in the garage and waited for her to lead him to the rest of his life.

While she waited for him to get to his car to follow her, she hit the highlights of the night in her mind. He'd been reading her blog every day? He knew what she was going through and her thoughts on it? And he still wanted to be involved with her?

"He's insane." She said to no one in the car.

This, whatever it was, wasn't going to be kept a secret? Was she really about to get involved with not only someone she worked with, but a lawyer?

"I'm insane." She said to herself as she saw his car pull up behind her.

She backed out of the parking place and made her way home.

A LITTLE WHILE LATER

They arrived at her apartment complex, she turned into an open parking place near her apartment and got out of the car. She stood at the back of her car, leaning on the hatch, waiting for him to park his car and come to her. She noticed the ever darkening sky as storm clouds began to roll in.

"You made it." she said as he walked towards her; she couldn't help but smile as he approached.

She leaned against her car, he came to her, his arm encircled her waist as it did in the parking lot that night, drawing her to him, pressing their bodies together, lips melding together once again, their tongues exploring the other's mouth gently.

In the distance she heard the rolling of thunder and knew the rain would come soon. As they continued to kiss, a light sprinkle of rain began, dampening them slightly.

It started to rain harder, but it didn't stop them at all, in fact it seemed to add a new level of sensuousness; she felt her nipples get hard, aching to be touched. She took his free hand and placed it on her breast, knowing that he could feel her hardened nipple under his fingertips. He moaned through their kiss as he touched her nipple, gently rolling it through the fabric of her shirt and bra with his thumb and finger as the rain fell harder. She broke away from the kiss.

"We can't stay out here, we'll be soaked," she said as she used her hands to slick her hair back from her face, both wet with rain, "let's get inside."

She broke their embrace, took his hand and led him up the stairs to her door. Once unlocked, she opened the door and brought him into her home. She chuckled silently as she thought of him being in her home – not someplace she'd have ever thought he'd be.

She closed and locked the door behind him, not exactly sure how to proceed. She stepped around him, kicked off her shoes, turned to face him.

"Ok, ready for the quick tour? Trust me, it's really quick." She laughed.

"Absolutely – lead on."

"Well, you're standing in the living room slash office. Through here, which we call the "drive thru window" you can see the small kitchen. Then the dining room slash music room. Back through here is the first bathroom, washer and dryer and heat/ac are behind these doors."

"Wow, you've got a washer and dryer here? That's great." He said.

"Here is the family portrait wall. Then," she said as she turned, "this is my son's room, which he didn't get picked up. Back here is my room, which is huge." She said as she brought him into the room, flipping the wall switch which cast a soft golden light in the room. "And over there at the edge of my room is the second bathroom. Yes, there are TWO bathrooms here. We were very excited." She laughed again as she led him back to the living room and motion for him to sit on the sofa.

"Fireplace and everything? This is a really nice apartment for the two of you." He said.

She lit a few of the many candles in her apartment, turned on some soft jazz on the Bose, offered a drink then sat next to him on the sofa.

"We were in a bigger place but I really wanted the two bathrooms and this turned out to be much bigger in some spots like my bedroom and the living room, but the kitchen is a whole lot smaller and the second bedroom is smaller. But that's ok. We have TWO bathrooms."

"You know, you can't tell that the second bathroom was important to you at all." He said as they both laughed.

"So," she started as she looked at him, facing that moment of truth, "you're sure about this? I don't want anyone's heart to break from this."

"Yes. I'm absolutely sure." he said as he reached for her again as he had done out in the rain.

His arm encircled her waist once again, pulling her to him. He brought his lips to hers, slowly, gently kissing her, the tip of his tongue teasing her lips. He kissed his way down her neck, breathing in her perfume which was releasing its fragrance because of her body heat.

"God, you smell good." He said as he continued to kiss her neck, moving onto her chest, her head rolling back to allow him access.

"Thank you. You gotta love the smells of a bar." she laughed, then moaned as he continued to kiss and lick her neck, her collarbone, and as he worked his way back up her throat to her mouth, his tongue a bit more urgent now, needing her tongue to dance with his.

She put her arms around his shoulders, one hand on the back of his neck, the other in his hair, gently caressing him as he continued his exploration, his kisses now falling on her neck, gently sliding to her earlobe, his mouth sucking her earlobe in ever so slightly, his breathing quiet but the air inside her ear from his mouth gave her goosebumps all over. She felt her nipples getting harder; their ache to be touched almost too great for her to withstand.

Almost as if he'd read her mind, he moved one hand from her back to her breast, his fingertips feeling her hard nipple, his thumb and finger firmly pinching the nipple through her clothing. As she moaned her appreciation, she felt a new ache between her legs.