“Abby and I had fun; we did. But she’s a little…vapid. I’m not looking for that. I was…back then. I was just looking for easy. No attachments, no commitments. Easy. But I’m not looking for that anymore.”
“What are you looking for then?”
“Who’s asking?” he asked playfully, and I could feel my pulse quicken as he played with my sensibilities. I put my arms up in surrender and shook my head back and forth.
“Just making conversation.”
“Well, then,” he said, “for conversational purposes, I’m looking for a woman of substance. A woman full of opinions who isn’t afraid to speak her mind. Sexy as hell but with a brain to match. A woman who takes what she wants.”
“Is that all?” I teased.
“Know anyone like that?”
“No one comes to mind.”
He stopped walking in the middle of the street, reached out, and threaded his hands through my hair. My breath caught as I stared up at him.
“Think harder,” he said softly, his eyes blazing with determination.
And right there, in the middle of the street, Dev leaned down. This was it. We were going to have our first kiss. I stepped closer to him, pressing up just a bit on my tiptoes to reach him.
And then….
Beeeeeeeep!
“Get out of the fuckin’ street!” The cab was just inches from us as it attempted to turn onto the side street we were crossing.
“Seriously, dude?” Dev yelled, throwing his arms up in the air. He shook his head and grabbed my hand. “C’mon, let’s go!”
Laughing, we walked arm in arm to the party store. As disappointed as I was that we didn’t get our romantic middle-of-the-street kiss, it felt like there was an understanding between us as we wandered the aisles of the store that we were into each other. The feeling was mutual, and it was just a matter of time before we would have that kiss, whether it was hours or days later.
God, I hoped it’d be hours.
When we finally reached the register with two carts full of glass candy jars, scoops, candy, bunting, and table coverings, Dev got a funny look on his face as he reached into his back pocket.
“Don’t you dare,” I said. “Don’t even take it out.”
“That’s what she said,” he said again. We both cracked up and the cashier rolled her eyes.
“I mean it, I’m paying.”
“But this is going to be so much, Lyra.”
“So? I’ve got it.”
“You’re paying for the amazing band though,” he said facetiously.
“Don’t push it,” I warned him playfully. “And I want to do this.”
“Fine, then you’re buying me a pack of Altoids.” He gave me a wink and grabbed a pack of cinnamon Altoids and placed them on the belt.
“Cinnamon?” I asked.
“Naturally.”
“They’re my favorite too,” I said with a smile. “And if it makes you feel better, you can get the balloons the day of the party.”
“Balloons are cheap,” he scoffed.
“No, they’re not,” said the cashier.
“See,” I said, gesturing to her. “No, they’re not. And if you keep pushing this, I’m going to get insulted. I make fine money, Dev.”
“Fine, fine. I won’t say anything else. And you know it’s not about that.”
I took in a deep breath as we loaded the rest of the cart onto the belt. “I do.”
“Good.” He sighed, watching the bags accumulate. “I think we’re gonna need to call an Uber.”
“Oh yeah,” I said. “We definitely will.”
Twenty minutes later, we’d hauled all twelve bags worth of party decorations up to my third-floor apartment. Dev was huffing and puffing when we finally dropped the last of them on my kitchen counter.
“Five miles a day, huh?”
He patted his belly. “I don’t usually run after I gorge myself on Five Guys.”
“Good point,” I said with a laugh. “Thanks for coming with me. I wouldn’t have been able to get all of this home on my own.”
“You might not have bought all of this if I hadn’t been there.”
“Another good point. You did put an awful lot of things in the cart…”
“Oh no! My master plan’s exposed.”
“What do you mean?”
“How else would I invite myself upstairs?” He wiggled his eyebrows.
Taken a little aback, I thought back to Abby and to Dev’s Tinder days and all the girls he must have texted, dated, and slept with. I didn’t want to punish him for those days, but it still gave me pause. The last thing I wanted with Dev was a one-night stand. And even though he said that wasn’t what he wanted anymore, part of me wondered if old habits died hard.
And he was on the rebound…
“Lyra,” he said, touching my elbow, his brows drawn together. “I’m kidding.”
“Oh, I know,” I said, waving him away, but the consternation on my face gave me away, and it was clear that our moment in the street had passed. Things were no longer easy and fun and romantic. His past had come to haunt him, even if just for a moment. My desire for him wasn’t going anywhere. I just didn’t want to be an Abby.
Dev glanced down at his watch. And for some reason, it bothered me a little. I didn’t want him to go. And I didn’t want him to want to go either. I wanted us to push through the awkward, get back to the easy banter we’d had all night.
But apparently we didn’t want the same things.
“I didn’t realize how late it was,” I said. “You haven’t even been home yet.”
“Nah, it’s good.” He waved me off. “Probably should head home, though.”
“Yeah, well, thanks again for your help. And for dinner.”
“No problem,” he said, his eyes distant. “See ya, Lyra.”
“See ya.”
Dev left my apartment, and after I locked the door behind him, I slid down to the floor in total defeat, wondering when Dev and I would have more than fleeting moments.
A moment at the coffee table.
A moment in the street.
I wanted more than just a moment with him.
I wanted it all, and I was tired of waiting for another moment that could take days, weeks, even years to arrive.
With a lurch of excitement, I climbed to my feet, undid the lock and threw open the door, racing down the steps and out the door of my building. I looked left and right before spotting him about thirty feet from my front steps.
“Dev!” I yelled, and he stopped, turning around.
“Yeah?” he asked, a confused but amused look on his face as he watched me run to him.
Without a word, I put my hands around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss. His lips were soft as they pressed to mine; his kiss was surprisingly gentle yet sensual and consuming. I stood on my tiptoes as he wrapped his strong arms around me and pulled me closer. With a satisfied smile, he opened his mouth and deepened the kiss, his tongue caressing mine as he moaned softly into my mouth. I kissed him back with a hunger I didn’t know existed. He smelled like pine and snow, and he tasted like cinnamon, and I couldn’t get enough of him. He ran his fingers through my hair as we stood below the streetlight, sharing the best first kiss of my life.