by Kris Bryant
“Scratch that. I had a good feeling.” The frown in the mirror gave me tiny lines around my mouth that I never noticed before. I leaned in for a closer look. I wasn’t even thirty yet. I frowned again, then stopped for fear of more popping up.
“What do you think? Do I pass the test?” I twisted side to side, my hands holding up my cream-colored dress. It was nice enough for a night out on the town but casual enough for a night in. I wasn’t sure what Hope had in store for us, so I wanted to be prepared. I grabbed my purse and headed for the train station. I planned to arrive before they were done at the Center so maybe I’d hear Hope play. She had left it up to me to decide what time we got together tonight. I planned on following her home like a stray. Last night ended in a fizzle, and tonight I wanted sparks. Maybe fireworks.
“Do you want to come in, Lily?” Agnes approached the stairs where I was sitting.
“I was waiting to hear Hope play. It’s kind of our thing.” I was embarrassed at getting caught, but not enough to move.
“Well, you might be waiting a while. I think this afternoon is nothing but paperwork. Grants are due.” She looked like she wanted to say more, but buttoned up once I showed interest. “Why don’t you come and wait inside. You look a little flushed.” It didn’t help that it was almost five in the afternoon in the dead of summer. The sun feathered its way between the tall buildings and landed on the stoop beside me.
“Thank you. That’s not a bad idea.” I stood and followed Agnes inside.
“You can either wait down here or head up to her office. I’m sure she would like to see you, though.” Agnes winked at me and headed into the first therapy room.
I was torn between racing up the steps to see Hope right away, and relaxing on the couch as if I hadn’t given her much thought other than to casually stop in and say hello, more of an afterthought. I sat on the cool leather for about thirty seconds. I crossed my legs, then uncrossed them. Reached for a magazine, then dropped it three inches from where I picked it up. I heard Agnes strike a few keys on the piano. The sound was distantly quiet, slipping out from beneath the tiny slit between the door and the carpet. It enveloped me in the silence of the foyer. Most Friday afternoons were chaotic in the city. I picked over the sounds like fruit at a neighborhood stand. Only the best, and only what satisfied me. Today I listened to Agnes for twenty seconds before making my decision and heading for the stairs.
“Come in.”
I smiled as though I had a secret as I turned the knob to Hope’s office. The smile she gave me when she looked up from her paperwork took my breath away. It lit up my heart and gave me a surge of energy. I clutched the handle and waved the door open a few inches back and forth until I saw Hope look down at my hand.
“Or you can stand there and fan me. The breeze feels good.”
“I’m sorry.” I left the door open, then turned around to shut it. I couldn’t be more awkward right now if I tried. Downstairs, I was the epitome of cool, at least in my head.
Hope stood up and walked around her desk to greet me. She wore tan slacks and a sleeveless black blouse that showed off her toned arms. Her hair was pinned up and she wore a little bit more makeup than I was used to seeing on her. She looked professional, and hot as hell. She brushed her lips over mine in an innocently erotic way and whispered hello. The kiss lasted about two seconds, but the aftershocks were paralyzing. I couldn’t move.
“Come have a seat. Tell me about your day and why you’re surprising me here at work.”
“Time. I thought since we were both tired last night, we could take advantage of more time today.” I stopped my twisting hands and relaxed them in my lap.
She leaned up against her desk and crossed one ankle over the other. I swallowed hard as my eyes traveled down to her three-inch heels and back up to meet her eyes. She smirked. I resisted leaning back in my chair at her nearness, not because I was uncomfortable but because I wanted to reach out and touch her. I wanted to bury my face against her thighs and open myself up to her in a way I hadn’t before. The thought was extreme.
“Tell me about your day.” She played with the little charm on her gold necklace, moving it back and forth, slowly.
“Not much to tell. Crunched a few numbers, sent a few emails. It looks as though you had quite the day. You look amazing.”
“I had a few money meetings today. They are never fun, but necessary.” She blew out a heavy sigh.
I watched as one sexy tendril of hair fell against the side of her cheek, just brushing her ear. “I’m sure they were successful.”
Her smile was small and wavered. She shrugged and moved around to the other side of the desk. I missed her nearness. “I won’t know for a while. A lot of maybe and perhaps. I try to hit up local businesses, but a lot of them already have charities and can only donate so much.”
So much flashed through my mind at once. B&T, Banks Corporation, myself. I felt a fierceness rise inside me. I tamped it down quickly. I couldn’t help. Nobody knew me, and it wasn’t my problem. I didn’t want to get involved, but I didn’t want Hope to fail.
“Hey, no worries. We’ll get it worked out. We always do. Now, let me just send out a quick email and I’m all yours,” she said.
I watched as she quickly composed a message. She was so focused as her fingers flew across the keyboard. I smiled when she played with her bottom lip, pinching the sides together to form a “U” as she reread what she just wrote.
She winked at me, hit the Send button dramatically, locked her computer, and grabbed her purse from the bottom drawer of her desk. “Let’s start our night early, shall we?” She playfully pounced on me, trapping me in the chair.
I leaned up and pulled her down to me. Her mouth curled into a smile right before my lips captured hers. I thought it was going to be a quick kiss. I had no intention of staying longer than we needed to, but she pulled me to my feet and I pushed into her. When the back of her legs hit the desk, she scooted back to sit on the top, scattering pens and highlighters and other things I didn’t care about. I ran my hands up her arms, over her neck, and held her face while I kissed it. I pulled out the pins that held her beautiful hair and dug my fingertips into the waves as they cascaded down her back.
She moaned and pressed into me. Her hands moved to my waist, my hips, my ass. I gasped when she gave it a little squeeze. “Is this okay?” she asked against my mouth.
I nodded and captured her mouth in another kiss. I sucked her bottom lip and scraped my teeth over it. That was apparently the right thing to do. She grabbed the back of my head and slipped her tongue deep inside my mouth. Gone was the gentle Hope who held back. I was consumed by her. When I realized my hands were on her thighs, spreading her apart so I could get closer to her, I stopped. We were both panting and just short of tearing off one another’s clothes.
“So maybe we should get out of here.” Her voice was shaky, and I couldn’t help but feel smug. Me and my zero experience had this gorgeous woman panting. I was doing something right. I knew my body was on fire, but it was nice to know hers was, too.
“Definitely.” I stood and straightened my dress. I wasn’t too wrinkled, not that it mattered. I just needed to keep my hands busy. We were standing very close and I was still slightly off after we separated.
“Hey.” Hope’s voice was low and sexy.
I looked up from patting my imaginary wrinkles.
“Thank you for coming to pick me up. It was a sweet and very delicious idea.” I subconsciously licked my bottom lip, surprised at the taste of her still on my mouth. Peppermint and warmth.
“And stop looking sexy because we’ll never leave here.” She opened the door and gave me a gentle push out into the hall. “What is it about you in my office that makes me lose control like that?”
***
It was my first time at Hope’s place. Her apartment was small, but she made the most of the space.
“I love it,” I said, and really meant it. It was her. Bright, modest, and comforting. I sat
on the plush couch and ran my hands over the texture. The soft ridges tickled my palms.
“Don’t get too comfortable. You’re going to help me in there.” She pointed behind me.
I feigned shock and put my hand over my heart. “What? You aren’t going to cook for me?”
“Lily Croft’s humor is starting to show again.” She winked at me and crooked her finger for me to follow her.
I sighed, dramatically rolled my eyes, and made a big production out of getting off the couch.
“We are going to cook for us.” She pulled an apron covered in musical notes off a hook in the pantry and handed it to me.
I smiled, slipped it over my head, and tied it in a bow behind me.
Hope reached up and fixed a twist in the material at my neck. Her fingers lingered against the side of my neck, caressing up and down.
My eyes fluttered shut and I tilted my head to give her easier access. When her touch dropped to my collarbone, I shivered and opened my eyes again. Her brown eyes were sharp. The way she looked at me made me shiver a second time.
“I thought we were going to cook, not that I’m complaining,” I said.
“You’re right. Might as well take advantage of you while you’re so agreeable.” She winked at me and turned to get things started.
My blush went unnoticed. She confused me in such a charmingly frustrating way. One minute she told me we need to slow down, the next she ignited me with a single touch or fiery kiss. For the first time ever, I understood raw passion. The need to touch her and continue to touch her flourished inside me. She had woven her way into my daily thoughts. No, hourly. It was hard not to think about her.
“What are we having?” I peeked over her shoulder, accidentally bumping her from behind. She moaned and covered it up with a small cough. I was mortified, yet a sliver of sexual power rose up in my chest. She wanted me. She stood up straight and I stepped back.
“I was thinking grilled chicken breasts and steamed vegetables. I can make some pasta if you’d like. It’s been so hot out that I haven’t had much of an appetite.”
“I’m good with ice cream for dinner.”
Hope laughed. “That doesn’t make me a great hostess. I want to cook for you. We can have ice cream for dessert. In the meantime, will you slice the vegetables?” She stacked broccoli, mushrooms, three different peppers, and asparagus on the counter and pointed to a wood block that housed all the knives I needed.
I grabbed one and started dicing each vegetable with precision and just the right amount of thickness.
“These look perfect. And you told me you don’t like to cook.”
“I don’t like to only because it’s hard to cook for just myself. I end up with a lot of leftovers that I forget about. Since I don’t really like people and I hate being out in crowds, I learned to cook a long time ago.”
“I always help my mom with Sunday dinner. It’s relaxing and a chance for us to bond. My brothers are a handful, but very sweet. I think you’ll like them.” She assumed that I would meet her family. I wasn’t so sure. I had a feeling Hope came from a rambunctious family. She’d already warned me they were loud. I couldn’t imagine trying to adapt to that many stimuli. “So did you ever take cooking classes?”
“My culinary skills are compliments of the internet. It’s incredible what you can learn on YouTube.”
“I don’t have the patience to watch something unless it’s in person,” she said.
“We are so opposite.”
“Opposites attract.” She winked at me again and grabbed dishes to plate our food.
We sat at her kitchen nook to eat, side by side. It was nice being close instead of five feet apart with a table between us. She touched me from time to time on my arm or my leg when she got animated telling a story. My body brimmed with energy. I knew tonight was going to be special. I was relaxed and alone with a beautiful woman. I helped her clean up even though she insisted I not lift a finger. She poured us each a glass of Roscato and excused herself.
“I’m going to leave you for ten minutes. I need to freshen up and slip into something more comfortable like a T-shirt and shorts. Make yourself at home.” She playfully pecked my cheek and disappeared down the hall.
I bravely walked around her apartment and looked at her framed family photos scattered throughout. Hope’s family was gorgeous, which was no surprise to me. I touched books she presumably read and thumbed through sheets of music stacked on her bookshelf. Classical music and contemporary mainstream, which surprised me at first but made sense when I remembered she worked with kids who were probably into contemporary music. I brushed my fingertips over a Selmer case that rested against the bookshelf. Curiosity won out and I opened it. Much to my delight, I found a beautiful saxophone. I didn’t touch it because it was rude to touch somebody’s instruments without their permission, especially ones that cost thousands of dollars. On the other side of the bookshelf, I found a Buffet Crampon clarinet, also housed in a crushed velvet-lined case. I didn’t see a piano, but I knew that somebody who played as well as she did had an outlet. I guessed she had a keyboard somewhere either under the couch, in a closet, or maybe even a small studio piano in her office or bedroom. The quick tour she gave me earlier included her pointing to closed doors and telling me “there’s the office” and “that’s my bedroom.”
I was in her kitchen when she returned and felt guilty for no other reason than I wasn’t still on the couch. I was excited at my finds in her apartment. Genuine happiness filled my heart.
Chapter Fourteen
“You look guilty about something, but your smile is throwing me off.”
Busted and I didn’t even care. “I confess. I saw something by the bookcase I liked.”
She walked over to me, her small hips barely holding up a pair of shorts that I doubt she wore out in public. And her double layered white-over-red tank tops left very little to the imagination. She wasn’t wearing a bra, and I was trying my damnedest not to stare.
“Only something by the bookcase? Not more?” She linked her fingers with mine. “Maybe something right in front of you?”
“Definitely something that’s right in front of me.” It felt natural to kiss her. I leaned over and pulled her toward me until we both moaned slightly. What started out as a playful kiss turned passionate quickly. Her tongue stroked mine, and within seconds, we were both moaning.
“Mmm. I think I really like this side of you.” She crossed her hands behind my neck and played with my hair. I tried hard not to close my eyes, but I couldn’t help it. I liked her touch. “So what else did you find that you liked?”
I opened my eyes and nodded in the direction of the bookcase. “I saw a beautiful saxophone over there. I know I shouldn’t have opened the case, but I was curious what was in it.”
“I spent a lot of money on it, and it was so worth it.” She pulled me to the couch so we could relax. She smelled clean and her hair was wet from the shower.
“Will you play it for me? I don’t mean right now, just some time in the very near future.”
“I probably should practice more than I do, but yes, I would love to.” She blushed with self-consciousness.
“Come on. You’re fine playing the piano in front of me.” I reached for her hand because I wanted her warmth. She scooted closer to me.
“The piano is my true love. I don’t get very many opportunities to play the saxophone because only a few kids at the center want to learn it. Everyone wants to study the guitar or violin. Don’t get me wrong. Both are great instruments, but the saxophone is so sexy,” she said.
She had a point. It was sensuous both in the way your body moved when you played it, and the sounds it produced.
“Where’s your piano or keyboard? You have to have one around here somewhere.”
“I have a keyboard in the office. A piano would be wonderful, but my neighbors would hate me.”
Hope brought up another good point. I rarely saw my neighbors. I wanted to keep it that way
.
“Thankfully, I can play during the day whenever I want,” she said.
“I miss hearing you play.”
“I miss you stalking me.”
I feigned innocence. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. One day I walked by this building and some woman leaned out and started yelling at me. It was just so weird.” The lilt of her laugh made me smile. I was capable of entertaining someone. Someone I liked.
“I love this playful side of you.”
My heart skipped when she said “love.” I sat up a little straighter. “It’s nice to be with someone who gets me so thank you for being you.”
She leaned forward and kissed me. It was a swift kiss. “Should we try a movie? Maybe this time we should do a comedy and I’ll sit over here on my side of the couch, and you sit on your side.”
I responded by pulling her closer to me. I was still very much aware of her lack of clothing, and my body tingled in all the right places. My peripheral vision was stellar.
“I want you close to me. I missed you today.”
She looked at my mouth. “I missed you, too. Last night was nice, because I like being seen with you, but I like the intimacy of just us at my place or at yours.”
Our lips had found the perfect rhythm when we kissed. Her warm, wet mouth took control and I moaned as her tongue touched mine. I wanted more, though. I needed more. I pulled her down with me. She slipped into the tight space between me and the back of the couch and broke our kiss only to get comfortable. She rested one of her legs over mine and gauged my reaction before moving forward. I reached down and touched her bare thigh. I already loved her shorts. My fingers shook slightly as I caressed her smooth thigh.
She leaned up a bit and watched me touch her. “Is this okay?”
I nodded but didn’t speak. I was close to being overwhelmed, but in a good way. The kind where you quickly build up energy and have to expel it or else explode. I traced the tiny freckles on her legs while she placed small, delicate kisses on my neck and cheek. It was driving me crazy. She was driving me crazy. I was afraid to try anything beyond this for fear that she would reject the idea of taking it to the next level. I expanded my range of touch and slipped just my fingertip under the hem of her shorts. Her breath hitched next to my ear, and for a second, I thought I did something wrong.