A Sophisticated Seduction

Then She Actually Kisses Me

Excerpt:

"So I gave you hope?" my lips were pressed into her hair. I smelt apples.

"Yes," she croaked. Fingers slightly tickled my thighs, dancing upon them. "I can't believe this. Am I still dreaming? Are you really here?"

"Yeah," the paranoia had faded away. Maybe this was too good to be true because it was meant to be somehow. I just needed to relax. "Crash and burn all you like with me. Because I'm not going anywhere."

______________________________________________________________________________

On any other occasion, I would have walked to Forty Ninth Street with ease.

I would have gone down the streets without a fear in my mind because that's me. Being able to handle myself since my childhood days. Toughing it up all through school and somehow finding a way to deal with things without help from anyone. If you wanted to find a friend who relied on someone else, then that wasn't me at all. But taking Regina along the shadowed streets of New York where muggers and danger lurked around every corner; I wasn't going to take that risk.

Somehow I really felt protective over her.

Even opening the door and waiting until she climbed in neatly. I was being totally gentleman like as if this was us going on our first date or prom or something.

But it felt like a first date.

It really did.

The first night we suddenly met and now we're going somewhere, just like that. Amazing how things happen, right? Pretty much, my life remains the same every single day. The same going in and coming out again to work. Hanging out. But nothing had changed like this in a long time. This was really unexpected. I was actually on my way to a hangout spot with the boss. And she was seriously throwing these vibes out.

Play it cool, Emma.

First thing's first, don't ever assume that someone wants you. Don't ever make the first move. Especially on a supposed straight woman who got recently divorced, has two kids and signs your paychecks. Don't do it. Because the minute you start making moves that are bold enough, then things might end up slapping you over. Into reality. Coming back into the now. She could be wounded and in desperate need of company. That could be it. And I wasn't about to jump into this without a life jacket. So I'd take it cool and see what happened.

But she had to make the first move on me and not the other way around.

The minute I parked in front of The Hideaway, she peered up through the window and surveyed the roof. Not much could be seen from below. So I turned off the engine, wasted no time in getting out. Her side was approached whilst she waited like a woman who had been brought up with chauffeurs that opened doors all the time. It wasn't something new to her because my move was never even considered. Rolling my eyes, I led the way as knee high boots clicked upon the concrete pavement behind me.

"Is this place safe?" she lingered two steps behind.

I turned to stare into fearful eyes. Not too wide but a slight flicker of uncertainty.

"Yeah, don't worry."

For emphasis, I held out my right hand and smiled. Then suddenly it dawned upon me that if she took it, I'd go weak in the knees. So I lowered it. She watched and waited.

Her chest heaved. "This is seriously unlike me."

I frowned. "What is?"

"Coming...here...with you," she raised her eyebrows, "clearly I am out of my mind tonight. And this is all your fault, entirely."