Divine Affinity

24

Stone was getting impatient. Every second that passed without her showing up only made his heart race more rapidly. Could it be that she would not show up? The thought hammering in his head peaking his anxiety levels. Anxiety... he never suffered from it, and there he was... shaky... short breathing... sweating palms... wobbling knees and a rumbling stomach. Not to mention the lump in his throat that made it difficult to swallow something as simple as saliva. He turned his wrist toward his eyes to check the time once more. Twenty minutes passed. Stone buried his hand back inside his pocket and breathed out slowly. She could be late, that could be just it. It was raining and her cab could be stuck in traffic. He started pacing from one edge to the other, slowly, head down, trying to breathe normally. The deafening noise of the rain tapping on the plastic of the awning keeping him company.

Rae watched him from the other side of the street inside the public phone where she talked to Eiry about fifteen minutes ago. She still hadn't the courage to leave and meet him though seeing him there alone was breaking her heart. She barely knew him, but she felt like she had known him from long ago. He was so easy to talk to and he could make her laugh so effortlessly too. Stone carried a light with him that was impossible to ignore. For the better or worse. He sure could get in people's nerves easily too. But even that she liked in him. He was so stubborn and sarcastic at times that trying to read him was a challenge and yet, she found that trace of his personality enthralling. The more she watched him, the more her heart pulled her to cross that road and meet him. End her agony and his too. She could tell he was nervous. She was nervous too and trying to decide whether to go or stay and even then, the whole time she was unable to look elsewhere but at him. For moments her mind travelled to the previous night where she had delivered herself to him. Every kiss, every touch, every word and moan, every sound they made... she remembered it all as if it was happening that moment. His kiss was soft and moist and his touch tender. Her heart raced at the remembrances and her knees almost failed on her. Something started fluttering in her stomach and her lungs compressed to her back. Rae took a deep breath, opened the door of the public phone, and stepped outside under the heavy rain. She looked at one side of the road and then the other and started running, feeling her hair getting drenched. She would look miserable when she'd reach him, she was sure of it. Stone heard some noise and looked at the road, seeing her crossing it. Her hair gluing to her face and when she stopped in front of him, her makeup was a bit smudged and yet, she looked perfect. He smiled and Rae shrugged.

"I must look like shit..." She smiled clumsily. Rae shrugged again. "I'm sorry I am late."

"You look perfect." Stone smiled at her, controlling the will to kiss her right there. Then, he took his hand to her face, cradled it with his palms and run the tip of his thumbs under her eyes, cleaning the mascara. "There..."

"My hair..." She touched it with the tip of her fingers. It was soaked. "So much for the hair do."

"It's ok..." Stone held both her hands in his, feeling her fingers wrap around his and they looked into each other's eyes. "Rae... you look fine." He smiled, just content she didn't bail on him.

Her green eyes fixed in his without even blinking. Her lips moist and puffy. His heart pounding. Their palms united and the will to kiss her was just wrenching. Stone controlled his instinct with all he was and all that he had. The pull he felt for her was something he couldn't describe, considering he had just met her, but it was strong. She was so unique, funny, and free spirit.

"We should go inside." He told her. "Your hands are cold and it must be warm inside. Plus, your clothes are wet..." Stone just wanted to get out of that situation or he would kiss her. He wanted to.

"Fuck..." Rae gasped.

The next second, she freed a hand from his, clutched it onto the back of his neck, got on the tip of her toes because he towered her a few inches, closed the space between them and captured his lips with hers. Stone stiffened for scarce instants, closed his eyes, his hand squeezed hers and he started moving his lips with hers. A few light pecks in the beginning with the tip of her fingers caressing the back of his neck. Finally, her lips glued with his and it was her initiative to plunge her tongue in his mouth. His free arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her so strongly, Rae was about to be lifted of the ground. Their hands still united and holding tight onto one another and their tongues tangled. It was a long kiss that shut down every single noise around them. Slowly, the kiss ended and they pulled away, looking each other in the eye, and breathing heavily as if they had been running.