Chapter 3
Allison
We walked until we reached Penn’s Landing. We stood to watch the docked boats and admire the shining stars that glittered against the sky. The peacefulness of the splashing water against the dock set the perfect romantic mood.
“So is one of these yours?” I asked.
“No, I never really wanted one, although I know a lot about them. We used to go out on our family boat when I was younger. How about you?”
Joshua ran his hand over the back of my neck. The warm sensation of his skin on mine left me momentarily speechless as I closed my eyes. I could feel myself swaying under his control. “I’ve never been out, boating or sailing or…whatever you call it.”
“Scared of the water?” he teased.
“Not at all. Just never had the opportunity. I’m not scared of much, remember, I want to skydive,” I joked as I looked up at him.
“Are you scared of anything?”
“Invisibility.” I slipped off my heels and held them in my hand. The cool pavement shocked my bare feet as I hopped up onto the large cement ledge that separated the water from the land. I balanced with my arms out at my side as Joshua walked next to me, ready to catch me if I fell.
“You,” he said, “could never be invisible.”
As I stood on the wall I looked down into his mysterious eyes. I wanted to kiss him so badly as he looked up at me.
“Catch me,” I giggled as I pretended to jump into his arms. He strong hands immediately caught me at my waist as he effortlessly lifted me off of the wall and placed my on the ground. I stood in front of him, looking up.
“Beautiful,” I sighed.
Joshua tilted his head as he looked at me. “Yes.”
I quickly realized that my thoughts had escaped my mouth as I stared in awe at how rugged and handsome he was. I fumbled to correct what I had said. “The moon, isn’t it beautiful?”
“Come here.” He tugged on my hand, pressing it against his chest. I could feel his heart pounding as his chest raised and lowered with each breath. He ran his hands along my body and slowly brought his mouth down to mine. Our lips touched, just like they had in my dream. A perfect melding that caused heat to build throughout my body.
It was sweeter than candy, tasting his lips and feeling the tentative pressure of our tongues dancing. He ran his hands further down my body, caressing my ass. The fire inside me rose until my body was set ablaze with intense desire. I ran my fingers along his jaw, feeling the rough stubble over his cheeks. I wrapped my arms around his neck as I pulled in closer for another kiss and quickly realized exactly what I was doing.
I pulled away from him and smiled as I wobbled back on my bare feet. “I’ve probably had a bit too much to drink.”
“You’re adorable.” He gazed at me in that special way, a way he’d never looked at me before in the office. “I’d love to walk you home.”
I hesitated as I thought about it. How can I possibly let him see where I live? I wasn’t embarrassed to be myself, but Joshua was a billionaire. What if he saw where I lived and decided I wasn’t good enough for him? Or worse, what if he felt bad for me? I couldn’t stomach the thought of pity coming from a man I admired.
“I’ll be fine walking home by myself. But thank you.” I smiled at him and hoped he wouldn’t press the issue.
“There’s no way I’d let you walk home alone.” It sounded more like an order than a request. I hesitated and declined a few times, but I really did want some extra time walking hand and hand with him. “I’m sure you could protect yourself, but I’d feel better if I walked you home.”
He leaned back on his heels and stuffed his hands in his pockets.
“Well, okay. But just to the building. I don’t want to wake my roommate up.” I slipped on my shoes and then grabbed his hand. The two of us walked in silence through the night, beneath the moon and the streetlights, toward my apartment.
“You know,” he said, “I don’t care where you live, or who you live with.”
I wondered if he was a mind reader. How did he know that I didn’t want him to come inside and see my dumpy little apartment?
Soon we were standing in front of the complex, at the sensible concrete blocks, the half-hearted attempts at landscaping that bordered the sidewalks and parking lot.
“Here we are.” I took a deep breath. I didn’t want to go in. Maybe I could lie and tell him that this was a joke, that my real apartment was actually a mile further down the road. At least then I could squeeze in a few more moments with him.
He nodded. “All too soon.”
“How did you know, earlier, that I didn’t want you to see where I lived?”
“You just seemed uncomfortable,” he said. “I’m paying attention to you, you know. I can’t look away from you, Phillygirl.”
A shy smile spread across my face as I twisted my hair around my finger.
“I wish we didn’t have to say goodbye so soon.” He looked at me with his dark, glimmering eyes that accentuated his boyish expression.
“I feel the same,” I sighed.
“Don’t worry. I’m sure we’ll get together again.”
“Thanks for tonight.” We walked to my apartment door, and I shifted from foot to foot. “Will you really want to see me again, EdensNomad?”
He stepped toward me and gazed up at the sky for a moment and then he moved closer. He slid a finger down the side of my cheek and then placed his lips on mine. He took away my breath in a deep, passionate kiss under the moon. I pulled away, slowly, and carefully backed toward my door.
“One more kiss?” he asked.
I nodded, not trusting my voice.
He leaned into me, gently, as if making sure I would really accept him. I raised my arms to play along his shoulders. He pressed me into the door, and I could feel the hardness of his bulge through our clothes. He wanted me. He really wanted me. The realization sent a tingle of lust through my abdomen and between my legs. I was so weak-kneed that if he’d stepped away at that moment, I would have collapsed to the ground.
Instead we stood entangled in front of my apartment, him pinning me to the door, as our lips met again and again and again.
“Goodnight, Phillygirl,” he said.
“Goodnight, EdensNomad.” I fumbled with my keys, trying to fit one of them into the door.
I turned to look at him one last time. He was smiling and standing calmly, just like he had been at the beginning of the night, with his hands in his pockets. I unlocked the door and slid inside, shutting it behind me and leaning against it. My heart raced as I thought about what had just happened.
I didn’t need to fantasize about kissing him or what it would be like to be close to him.
I’d just experienced it.