He takes my lips in his again. This kiss is softer than the one in the restaurant. His tongue slowly moves into and explores my mouth. I feel it in my whole body.
His arms squeeze around my waist, pulling me tight between him and the wall. Our bodies are glued to one another. I feel his erection as I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him even closer.
We continue to kiss as if we have all the time in the world. And in this moment, it feels like we do.
He eventually pulls away and we just stare at each other. Maybe I’m crazy, but I’m feeling something special between us. I’m about two seconds away from inviting him back to my place when he hits me with, “I’m moving to Africa tonight.”
Huh? What? I look up at him confused. “Was the kiss so bad that you needed to make up such an outrageous reason to bail?”
He laughs. “Just the opposite.”
He pulls out his phone and shows me the airplane ticket. “I’m a professional photographer. I’m being sent there indefinitely. At least eight months or so. I stopped at the restaurant to get a quick bite and a few beers before I head home to grab my stuff and leave for the airport. But you walked in and kind of set my head spinning.”
I sag back on the wall and let out a long breath. At some point I start laughing. He looks at me like I’m crazy. “You’re the first man in a very long time that’s stirred anything in me. It’s just my luck with men that you’re leaving and unavailable.”
He pins his body to mine again. “You stirred something in me too.”
He runs his fingers up and down my body. I have goosebumps. Fucking real goosebumps from his touch. I’ve never had that before from just a man’s touch. I look up at him. “What about your daughter? How can you leave her for that long?”
He lets out a deep breath. “Unfortunately, photography’s the only thing I’m good at.” He smirks. “Well, one of two things I’m good at.”
I bite my lip to hide my smile.
He shrugs. “It’s how I make money. We video chat when I’m on long assignments. It’s just how it’s been for the past ten years. It’s the best way I’m able to support her.”
He looks at his watch. “I need to be back at my place to pick up my luggage in less than an hour. Let me take you home.”
I shake my head. “That’s not necessary. You should get going.”
“It wasn’t a question or a request. I’m telling you that I’m taking you home. Is it a walk or an Uber ride?”
Again, I’ve never had a man talk to me this way. Why is it such a damn turn-on?
“It’s a five-minute walk.”
He kisses my lips one more time and grabs my hand as we walk toward my condo.
We arrive at my building. I stop to say goodbye, but he heads toward the door. I squeeze his hand to stop him. “You’re not coming up.”
“Yes, I am. I want to give you a proper kiss goodbye.”
“You can kiss me here.”
“Not the way I want to kiss you. Promise me one more kiss.”
I roll my eyes. “One kiss. That’s it. Then you leave.”
He nods as we walk through the door and lobby hand-in-hand. Jerry is standing at the elevator keeping guard. “Hi, Mrs. Knight. Did you have a good evening?”
I know he’s confused that I’m coming home with a different man, but I don’t owe him an explanation. I simply smile. “I did, Jerry. How about you?”
“All good here. Mrs. Bevil’s dog went to the bathroom in the lobby again, but otherwise fine.”
I laugh in an understood acknowledgement. Her dog never makes it outside before relieving himself. It’s the subject of much madness at condo association meetings.
“Jerry, my friend Declan will be leaving in about five minutes. Can you grab a cab for him then?”
Declan interrupts. “Make it fifteen minutes, Jerry.” He winks at him.