“I’ll take a cab.”
He approaches me, places his hand on my arm, and mutters, “Just come with me, Emily.”
“Well, I don’t trust we’d reach on time,” I say.
“Why?” he asks, breathing into my ear. “Afraid you can’t keep your hands off me?”
I gulp, feeling a chill run down my spine as his words hit me.
I almost had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming as I replied,
“No, only afraid I can’t keep my hands on my lap.”
He chuckles, his voice deep and throaty. He moves away a little bit, letting his eyes roam my face.
“Meet me outside the mansion. I’ll be leaving right at eight.”
I nod, unable to speak. Then, he gives me a lingering kiss on the cheek and leaves.
Only then did I realize my limbs were shaking, my heart racing.
I felt something I’d never experienced before -- forbidden love.
By eight, I’m sitting in his car. As the engine revs, I blurt out what I promised myself I wouldn’t.
“Don’t make that a habit,” I say.
“What?” he asks curiously.
“Kissing me on the cheek before heading out the door.”
He grins. “It’s not like I’d kiss you on the lips and then leave.”
I laugh and shake my head. “No, but still, it’s like a promise. You’re promising something that I don’t know I’m ready for.”
Clearly, I’ve struck a nerve. “A ... promise?” he asks.
“Yes, the minute you start kissing me on the cheek like that, it becomes more than ... sex.”
He nods, then says, “Yes. I suppose you’re right. But I meant it when I said it. I won’t do something you’re not ready for.”
I let out a sigh of relief. Maybe this isn’t so complicated after all.
We ride silently for a while, then he says, “You know, I’m not sure if I’m ready for it either.”
I nod in agreement. “Me neither. But I suppose we’ll find out together.”
“So, for now, what are we?” he asks.
“I don’t know,” I sigh. “Can we just let time unravel what it must?”
“So we don’t need to talk about last night?” he asks.
“Nope,” I say like it means nothing.
When, in fact, it meant everything.
I notice a suffocating silence from his side and wonder if I said something wrong.