“Yeah, I remember her.”
“We have a place not too far from here. Well, five or six blocks away, but still close.”
“How long have you been together?” This question should shock me, but it doesn’t. Hadley had told me once that Dylan liked me, but I didn’t believe it. Even after Dylan and I got together, I didn’t really think about Hadley’s fears.
I laugh and shake my head. “We aren’t together. We just live together. It’s cheaper to have a roommate.”
Her body visibly relaxes. I step closer, my body happy being this close to her. Her eyes close as she breathes in. Is she remembering what we had? Are her memories as vivid as mine? My hands cup her cheeks and I can’t resist the temptation to kiss her.
The moment our lips touch, I know. The fire is back. The electric energy coursing through our bodies making us one is stronger than anything I’ve ever felt. My tongue seeks out hers and is met with the same heat and emotion that I remember so well. I know without a doubt that she is the one who can ignite desire within me.
I slow things down, careful not to open old wounds. I kiss her once more, before resting my forehead against hers.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper. I should’ve asked if she had a boyfriend or a husband before I did that. For all I know, she’s taken and I just assaulted her. “I just had to know,” I say, pulling away from her.
“Know what?” she asks.
I don’t hesitate this time. I’m not taking any chances. “If you’re the one.”
A smile breaks out across her freshly kissed lips and I fight every urge to kiss her again. But I hold back. If someone told me that I
was going to end up kissing Hadley Carter after running into her, I would’ve laughed.
With utter reluctance, I let go of her. The connection is lost and I hate the feeling that I’ve had to suppress for so long. It’s amazing what one person can do to you with just a simple touch. Hadley is my drug and for the past four years I’ve been jonesing for just the smallest taste.
“Do you want to come in?” she points to the apartment behind her. “We can talk. I think we should talk. I have so much I need to tell you.”
I look at the doorman who’s watching me like a well-paid hawk. The question still plagues my thoughts. “Are you married?”
“No.”
“Boyfriend?”
“No, I’m single.”
Those are the answers that I was looking for. “Okay,” I say.
“Okay.” She turns and I follow her up the stairs. The doorman opens the door for us and she nods as we pass them. We stand side by side, waiting for the elevator. When we step inside, she presses the button for her floor and we ride in silence.
When we step off, we only walk ten steps before she’s opening the door. I step in and look around. She has a small Christmas tree in the corner and white lights hanging from the walls.
“It’s probably not what you expected,” she says as she steps next to me. “Alex and I like it, but she’s moving next month so I’m not sure I’ll stay here much longer or move closer to downtown. Can I get you something to drink?”
“Do you have a beer? I sort of left mine at the bar.”
“Yeah, I do. Go ahead and sit.”
I walk farther into the living room and look at her view. We’re twenty stories up and while this isn’t the best view, it’s still very nice. I always imagined her living in a high-rise apartment for some reason.
She hands me a cold bottle and I notice that she has one too. She taps her bottle against mine, smiles and brings it to her lips. She sits down on the couch and I follow, letting my long legs stretch out on the side of the table.
There’s too much silence between us. I know things need to be talked about, but who starts? I look over at her and find her staring at me. There is a stray tear on her cheek. I reach over and wipe it away. She holds my hand to her face and I fight every urge to pull her into my arms.
“I’m so sorry for what I did, Ryan.”
I don’t know what to say. Most people say ‘it’s okay’ but it’s not. She hurt me.
“I thought I was doing the right thing, but I wasn’t. Not for me at least. Ian insisted he’d make your charges go away if you’d sign the paper and I kept thinking that it’s only for a few weeks. But your birthday came and you didn’t answer your phone. I knew you’d never forgive me.”