The pizza place was a nice distraction. I haven’t laughed or so much as smiled since I received the devastating news two days ago.
It felt good to flirt and laugh and think of nothing but pizza toppings and doughnuts. But as the elevator ascends, I find it difficult to keep reality at bay.
I turn to face Sergeant Gray. I don’t care what his name is, I don’t need to know. I want a distraction, and he’s it. As I step toward him, he turns to face me. My chest brushes up against his chest, and his hand slides to the small off my back.
I’ve never made the moves on a man before, and I find it empowering. I step into it, letting my hand slide up his chest then snake around the back of his head. He’s a few inches taller than me, and I pull his head down until his lips are on mine.
He kisses me back, and it’s better than I anticipated, warm and relaxed. A sense of calm washes over me. The warmth spreads from my lips down my neck and through my body. I move closer, needing to feel more of him. He responds by sliding a hand around the back of my neck to tangle in my hair. The kiss deepens as our tongues explore together.
The calm turns to a tingle that spreads through my body, and heat pools between my legs. His other hand caresses my arm as his rough palm slicing against my exposed skin.
His hand slides down and over my hip until he clasps my thigh. I lift my leg, and he pulls me toward him. The entire time our lips stay connected as our bodies seek each other out.
Too soon, the elevator dings, and as the doors slide open, we jump apart.
My breathing is ragged, and his is the same as we stare at each other. My chest heaves up and down. I’ve kissed men before, but it’s never felt like this. Never so all consuming.
There’s a cough from the corridor, and we break our gaze to find a middle-aged man in a colorful fedora staring at us with an amused expression.
“Are you getting out?”
I pull my skirt back into place as Sergeant Gray takes my hand.
“Sorry,” he murmurs as he leads me out of the elevator.
“Have fun!” the man calls after us.
I cover my mouth as giggles erupt out of me. “Do you think he saw us?”
As Sergeant Gray’s lips turn up in a grin and his dark eyes light up with mirth, I’m struck by how exceptionally good looking my mystery man is.
“Oh, yeah.”
We stumble down the corridor, laughing and leaning against each other for support until we reach my room.
I open the door, and we slip inside. Bright lights fill the entire room, showing off the tightly made bed and my clothes strewn across it.
“Let me get that.” In my eagerness to get ready, I forgot that I’d be bringing company back. Quickly, I stuff my clothes into my suitcase, switch on the lights by the bed, and turn the main ones off.
I can feel his heated gaze on me the entire time. It’s a small room, and the bed takes up most of the space—and most of my attention as I think about what we’re about to do.
Now that I’ve got a man in my room, my nerves kick up a notch. If I hadn’t been so picky at college, I might’ve had more experience at this. Isn’t that what college is for? To get life experience? But I’ve always had high standards, and I never found anyone I wanted to share my bed with. I dated guys, some even for a few months, but I never wanted to take the next step with anyone. It was a part of me I wanted to keep to myself.
“I’m just going to use the bathroom.”
Entering the small bathroom that joins the room, I lock the door behind me, then lean on the back of the door and huff out a long breath.
I’ve done it. I’ve picked up a man. A decent man who knows how to kiss and likes Hawaiian pizza. Now, I’ve got to go through with it.
You can back out anytime you want, honey.
It’s mom’s voice again. She has a habit of showing up in bathrooms.
“I don’t want to back out, Mom,” I mutter.
If my mom hadn’t been in my ear all through college, telling me I’m worth more than a quick tumble with a college boy, then I might not be in this situation in the first place. I might not be a twenty-two-year-old virgin, terrified I’ll never meet a man who meets my high standards.
Maybe you just have.
