Just A Kiss Goodnight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

"Welcome to Toronto. What is the nature of your visit?"

"I'm here on holiday."

The immigration officer looked at my passport photo and then at me. "Have you been here before Dr Sullivan?" She held the photo page under the reader.

"No, first time."

She stamped one of the pages and returned it to me. "Enjoy your stay."

I smiled at her. "Thank you. I'm sure I will."

With nothing to declare, I followed the green arrows out and headed toward baggage claim, excitement and anticipation mounting with every step I took that brought me closer to him. Come on, come on! Where's that bag got to? Ah! Hoisting my case off the carousel, I extended the handle and looked around, my feet nearly tripping over themselves as I all but skipped toward the doors that would take me out to the arrivals hall.

The gentleman in front of me, with whom I had exchanged a few words as we waited in the line at immigration, saw me and held the door open. "Thanks."

"You look pretty keen to get out there." He said with a smile. "Family meeting you?" He looked to be around seventy so I hoped that he had loved ones waiting for him.

"Boyfriend." Was all I managed in reply as I scanned the hall, telling myself to walk sedately down the ramp. Don't want to trip and end up flat on your face now Sullivan!

I heard him say, "Ah, young love!" but I was too distracted to reply, looking around for my tall, geeky, gorgeous ... there! Over there! He was around the middle of the hall, shouldering his way past families and elderly couples, skirting wayward toddlers. Our eyes caught, I felt my face light up to reflect his and suddenly - I have no memory how - he was right in front of me, my arms wound around his neck and he was kissing me just as fiercely as I was kissing him. His arms tightened as he drew me closer and I ran a hand along his clean-shaven cheek and jaw, down his neck to rest on his chest where his heart was pounding as rapidly as my own. My senses fought to absorb his physical presence, hungrily taking in the sight, sound, smell, taste and feel of him until I was intoxicated. When our kiss broke I uttered only his name before placing my lips on his again, tangling my fingers in his hair and pulling his head closer.

"Hello." I whispered when I reluctantly came up for air a second time.

"Hello." He whispered back, blue eyes shining into mine. His hand caressed my face and I rested my cheek into his palm, so happy to be with him again that I could have stayed like that for hours. "Let's get out of here." He smiled, releasing me and taking hold of my bag in one hand, the other going around my waist to hold me close as we headed toward the exit. I snuck a quick glance around the crowd but everyone was obviously quite used to passionate reunions in the international terminal and there didn't seem to be any onlookers.

He had a car waiting which took us to his rented apartment in South Rosedale, both provided by the studio. Situated on a street edged with oak and maple trees, the apartment was part of a grand old home that had been subdivided; it was light and airy with modern amenities and old world charm and I loved it on sight. After a quick tour of the place we took my suitcase into the bedroom then Tom turned to me.

"What would you like to do, darling? Shower? Eat? Just relax?"

I took a step closer. "How about a game of strip poker?" I suggested.

"I don't think I have a deck of cards." He looked and sounded regretful.

"Don't need them." I answered, giving him a wolfish grin. "I have a pair of tens."