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She clinked her glass against his and drank.
It was a lovely meal. He’d been right about the mac and cheese, it was delicious. They took their time over dinner, then over dessert and coffee. It seemed that there was an endless stream of conversation that flowed between them, a wonderful give and take of ideas and funny stories, an exchange of opinions on so many subjects from art to sports, literature to politics, from music to what was going on in the city. It had been a long time since Amanda had met anyone with whom she could engage so easily.
They talked and talked, and at some point between their last bite of dinner and their second cup of coffee, she found herself wishing that this was a date. She was having a hard time not seeing Bill in a romantic way. He was exactly the sort of man she had always dreamed of, smart, funny, and sexy as hell. And his beautiful, velvety voice made her want to throw herself on him shouting “Take me now!”
“Oh man, we’ve talked through the start of the last feature,” he said as he checked his watch. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. The great thing about movies is that there’ll always be another showing, even if it’s only online.”
“That’s true. I should take you home now, shouldn’t I?” It might have been her imagination but he sounded like he was asking something else. She decided to go with it.
“If you like.”
He caught her meaning and asked, “Would you rather do something else?”
“Like see your place? Yes.” She couldn’t believe how bold she was being. But he looked pleased. Not smugly so, just happy. And it touched her heart.
Outside the world had turned white with fallen snow. It glistened and gleamed. Big, fat flakes fell on them, landing on Amanda’s hair and coat and even on her eyelashes, and face. Bill reached out and brushed one off the tip of her nose, and the touch was electric. This had to happen. From the moment they first spoke on the phone, this had been fated to happen.
He tipped her chin up and kissed her softly in the snow, kissed her warmly so that she knew there was more here than sex. Not that sex wouldn’t be enough, but his kiss made it clear to her that what she was feeling was the same affection he felt.
She tried not to think about what the future would be like, but focused on the moment and on how happy she was. If it all went south on Monday morning, she’d deal with it then.
He took her to his place, a modest-looking brick two-flat that looked only a bit nicer than every other building on his block. But when she walked into the apartment she realized that the building was very much like Bill himself. A little more handsome, a little more elegant on the outside, but on the inside, so perfect, a kind of refuge from the outside world.
The building had been duplexed, but what remained after the space had been opened had been restored to a gleaming antique beauty. “I needed it to be as true to its era as possible,” he explained as he switched on the lights, so that Amanda could see the beautifully carved and polished moldings, the Prairie-era fireplace with its golden oak built-ins, and stained glass window above. Amanda touched the lovingly restored brick and smiled.
“I lived in an apartment like this when I first moved out on my own. It was on the far northwest side, and it was a little beat up, but I could see what it had been once. I’ve always loved these old Prairie-style buildings.”
“I do too. This is my third one, and the best of the lot.”
“Oh… you’re not planning on flipping this one, are you?”
“Not unless I find one I like more.”
“Oh, but it’s so beautiful! May I see the rest?”
He showed her around the first floor which was mainly the living/dining room, the kitchen, and a powder room. “There’s a mud room in the back, and a sun porch where I like to eat breakfast,” he said, switching on the light in the back. “It’s not much of a garden,” he admitted. There isn’t all that much room between the garage and the house. But I like looking at it.” He flipped another switch and the garden was filled with warm light, surprising a foraging rabbit who fled into the darkness. With the snow lying heavy on the bare branches, the sight was magical.
“It’s lovely.”
Bill slipped his arm around her waist and Amanda leaned into the embrace, resting her head on his shoulder. “This is a wonderful place.”
He turned out the garden lights and said, “Let’s go upstairs.”
Their first stop was the master bedroom where the tour ended at least for that night. A warm embrace became more heated as touches became more insistent, kisses deeper. They were only half undressed the first time they made love.
When the storm ebbed, the rest of their clothes were shed and they crawled between the sheets to hold each other, to explore each other’s bodies with touches now more familiar, less tentative. They spent hours pleasuring one another with fingers, lips, tongues, so that when Bill entered her again, it was also familiar, and right, a kind of closure.
She clung to him, staring into his eyes, he into hers. What she saw there echoed everything she was feeling, the warmth and affection, the surprise and delight at finding such a kindred soul. She felt part of him and clung to him as the waves of joy washed through her.
And then, as they grew sleepy, he cradled her in his arms. She could feel his warm, steady breath against her cheek, listened to the sound of it, and felt safe. For the first time in her adult life, she felt truly safe.
Amanda wakened to a tentative touch, and Bill’s voice. “Amanda? Mandy?”
“Hmm?”
“Good morning.”
