Love Her Madly

Chapter 10. I'm Coming

Sometimes, if I closed my eyes, I could still feel Zara's soft lips and bergamot breath floating atop mine. That sometimes quickly became every time, and all I could do was fantasise about her. I felt her lips as I looked over work spreadsheets, tasted her breath as I stamped cheques and invoices, and traced the curve of her hip as Richard droned on in board meetings. I felt like I was intoxicated with her and there was absolutely nothing I could do to curb the addiction.

Our date had left me wanting more but again we never seemed to have time for each other. We had seen each other a few times in the two weeks since our date, which I suppose was quite reasonable and I was just being a clingy "Lover Boy" as she'd call me. She came over for us to make choke cherry jam for one of the homeless shelters a couple days after the date, and a few days later we had an indoor movie night. And of course we texted all day and talked every night, after she had dinner with her parents or we were done visiting our respective friends.

I missed her. It'd been three days since I'd last seen her in person, and I could not believe how much I missed her. What was wrong with me? I was turning into one of those hapless, lovesick idiots that I'd always made fun of. Turning into...Art. Ugh. I could not turn into Artur.

I looked around my Condo to make sure everything was in place and tidy. Zara was coming over and we were going to do God knew what. It would probably end up being a combination of playing board games, watching a movie, and baking; Zara's favorite evening combination.

I was in a deep reverie over the shape of Zara's collarbones when I heard the buzzer go off; she was here.

I opened the door for her and leaned down to peck her lips before letting her in. God I missed that, definitely better than cereal, I thought.

"Wooooow, look at this, not even a speck of dust on anything," She chirped in her usual teasing way. She placed her hands on my shoulders and pulled closer to me, wrapping her arms around my neck as she smiled at me. "I love a man that knows how to dust."

I laughed, and pecked her nose. "And I, a woman who appreciates the seductive art of dusting." Images of Katja's mess of an apartment flashed across my mind and I cringed internally at the memory. Yes, a woman who appreciated dusting was definitely sexy.

"mmghd," she mumbled against my lips before gently pressing hers fully against them. I could taste the floral chapstick she wore, it conflicted with the citrus scent that emanated from her and I didn't like it.

"I like the bergamot chapstick," I said, pulling away from her lips to kiss along her jaw line. "Floral is...not you enough."

"Really now?" She whispered, clearly amused by my ridiculous declaration.

"Really." And I was kissing her lips again, pressing her into me until we eventually fell down on to the sofa and she was laying on top of me, my mouth still connected to hers. "There's a million things I could be doing to you if you were wearing the bergamot chapstick."

She chuckled against my lips, tangling her hands in my hair and deepening the kiss, only pulling away long enough to speak. "Maybe if you're a good horny boy and make me some cookies I'll put it back on."

"Aren't you a Temptress."

She laughed, pulling away and untangling from me to sit up and look at me, smiling like the little monster she was. "I'm a woman with needs; you'll have to learn to satisfy them both."

I groaned and got up and made my way to the kitchen, Zara laughing softly as she trailed behind me.

I brought out the mixing bowls and Zara started sifting the flour.