“Hey, don’t worry about it. She probably just forgot.” Rolling his eyes, he continues: “You should count yourself lucky that someone goes through the trouble of sending you flowers every day. I mean, who does that? It’s been what… thirteen weeks now? Must be costing her a fortune.”
“Yeah, thirteen weeks and two days.” I look up when a van arrives at the gates, hopeful, but my shoulders slump when I see it’s only the postman.
“Come on, Emily. This woman, whoever she is, clearly adores you,” Jeff says, lowering his voice as he pulls me into a quiet corner. “So you’re still not going to tell me about her? Why the mystery? I told you all about my latest conquests, didn’t I? Doesn’t seem fair.”
I chuckle and shake my head. “No, I’m still not going to tell you anything. I’m sorry, I can’t.”
“I can’t, I can’t,” he repeats after me in a mocking tone. “It’s all I’ve been getting from you lately.”
I simply sigh, because there’s nothing more I can say. Jeff and I have grown very close over the past months. Now that I know about his secret, I’ve been visiting a gay bar with him on Friday nights, acting as his wingman. We always have fun, and Jeff is considerately more outgoing in an environment where he feels safe. It’s good to see him come out of his shell more and meeting men. I’ve now learned that Jeff grew up in a cult that claims homosexuals should be put to death and that National Geographic is a porn magazine, which explains his reluctance to come out. I’ve also learned he’s had a rough early childhood and was placed into a good foster family at the age of twelve. I know he’s tried to date women many times, but it never worked out and now that he’s finally accepting himself for who he is, I think Jeff might be pretty close to happy.
Deciding I’m not going to give up, I make myself a coffee and sit down in the waiting area, suspecting I might still be there when the security guard locks the doors tonight. If Randy wants to fire me, he’s welcome to do so, but I’m not going to move until I know she’s okay. A feeling of unease spreads through me and I fiddle with the hem of my new pencil skirt while I try to relax into the ridiculously uncomfortable designer couch.
After only ten minutes I see someone rushing across the road with a bouquet of flowers in hand and immediately I feel better when my suspicion about the flat tire is confirmed. Getting up, I ignore my colleagues who have noticed me sitting here. Some of the envious few are perhaps hoping the whole flower spectacle will finally be over, and others like Jeff may be rooting for me. As the figure nears and I see that’s it not the same delivery man but in fact, a woman, my heart starts pounding so hard I’m afraid it will fly out of my chest. There’s no doubt in my mind as to who is about to walk through the rotating doors. I hold my breath as adrenaline, butterflies and intense sexual arousal, mixed with an excitement I can barely contain, all course through me at the same time. I’m breathless as my gaze follows her, and I get more and more excited when her handsome face comes sharper into focus. I want to run to her, but the shock of seeing her again is too great, too much to react to in any way other than lose myself in her blue eyes as she steps inside and spots me.
“Emily.” Her voice is soothing, low, sexy, and she seems a little nervous despite her long strides and straight posture. Out of breath, she dumps her duffel bag in the middle of the reception area and smiles at me. It’s not a confident smile, rather hopeful instead.
I’m frozen and can’t speak.
“Sorry I’m late. I didn’t want you to worry.”
Jeff, the receptionist and a dozen other people follow her with their eyes as she walks up to me with the roses and hands them to me. It doesn’t take much for everyone to know who sent them to me now. She’s wearing jeans and a blue floral shirt and is tanned, looking like she’s spent the past three months somewhere tropical, which wouldn’t surprise me. Then, she gives me the same charismatic look that blew me away the first time I saw her.
I stand up on shaking legs and want to take the flowers, but more than anything, I want to kiss her. As if she’s thinking the same, she tosses the flowers on the couch, closes the distance between us and throws her arms around me. She pulls me in so tight that I don’t even get the chance to look at her up close before her mouth is on mine. It feels perfect and finally real as opposed to my many fantasies. I love her impatience; her lips are determined and hungry, parting my mouth and as her tongue finds mine, I wrap my arms around her too, sinking into the kiss that sets us both on fire. Drowning in a blissful haze, I forget about everything and everyone around me. I move my hands down her back and slip them underneath her shirt, then run them up her spine. After all this time of longing for her, the softness of her skin and her body pressing tight against mine are making me so aroused that I have to pace myself. I want her like I’ve never wanted anything. A moan escapes her, and I can sense from her tightening muscles that she feels the same. It’s awfully quiet around us and I chuckle as I pull out of the kiss, conscious that everyone is staring at us. Emily Evans kissing a woman is the last thing they expected to see, but I don’t care. All I care about is her being back in my life.
“You found me.” My words are barely a whisper and I gather all my willpower not to kiss her again as she smiles and stares down at my mouth before meeting my eyes, breathing fast.
“Of course I found you.” She brushes a lock of hair away from my face in a gesture so tender that I cover her hand with my own, pressing it against my cheek as I let out a deep sigh. “I would have found you anywhere.”
“I know. Let’s go somewhere else,” I say. “I want to be alone with you.”
She takes my hand and it feels perfect in mine. Before we leave, I grab the roses. They’re the last ones after all, and I want to make good memories with them.
“Emily, what is this nonsense and where do you think you’re going?” I turn to find Randy standing beside me with a coffee cup in one hand and a notepad in the other. “Our twelve o’clock is here, waiting in the meeting room.”
I almost laugh when I notice everyone is holding their breath as the great Randy tries to publicly humiliate me. “I’m leaving,” I say as I tighten my grip on Blake’s hand. “I’ve had enough of this place.”
Randy’s face turns a dark shade of crimson when some of my co-workers quietly chuckle. “You can’t do that. It’s…” His voice trails off when Blake gives him a stare that would even scare me if I didn’t know better. She doesn’t need words to communicate, her body language says it all and I can tell Randy feels intimidated by her.
I turn my back on him and give Jeff a long hug, because I know I might not see him in a while and I’m going to miss him. “Take care, I’ll call you,” I whisper, ignoring everyone else. Then I reach for Blake’s hand again and when we walk out the door together, I know I’ve never been more ready for my new life to start.
22
“Let’s go to my place,” I say as I drive toward town. My hand is still clenching hers in the car, resting on my thigh as if I’m afraid she’ll disappear again if I don’t hold onto it. I can barely concentrate on the road. Twice, I drive through a red light and only just dodge a cyclist as I turn into the drive of my apartment building, desperate to be alone with her. My mind is consumed with fantasies, my body restless and filled with anticipation.