*unedited and subject to change*
Copyright © 2014 by Falon Raye
My phone vibrates and I discreetly get up and walk to my bedroom.
Meet me @ the splash pad in an hour is all his text says—a text I’ve been eagerly awaiting. One that I thought I’d never get. I slip into my sneakers and grab my hoodie. I stop in the bathroom and double check the days makeup and redo my ponytail.
This will be the first time we meet up. I don’t know what to expect or what I want to happen. Of course I know what I want to happen. I want to feel his lips that have been haunting my thoughts for the last six months. Six freaking months this intense connection has been growing between us.
“I’m going for a walk.” I grab my ear buds, making sure not to look suspicious.
“You have your mace?” Adam asks, looking up from the TV.
I grab my keys and dangle them in front of me, showing the very conspicuous mace.
“How long you going to be gone?” He asks as I pull the door open.
“Not sure. Don’t wait up.” I reply, not looking his way. I can’t look at him knowing what I’m actually leaving to do.
Ten minutes later, I’m pulling into the parking lot. I immediately spot his truck. It’s one that I can always spot, no matter where we are at in town. I pull into a spot a few down from him. I’m nervous. Hell, nervous is an understatement. I flex my hands against my steering wheel, trying to gather my senses. I’m shaking with anxiety and the butterflies doing gymnastics in my stomach are only fueling it.
Maybe this is a bad idea.
This is a bad idea. I know it is, but that thought quickly fades as soon as I look over and see him stepping out of his truck; his truck that’s just as sexy as him. My heart drops to my stomach as I watch him slowly making his way toward me. He’s confident in his strides, keeping his stare fixed on me—the same stare that I’m more than accustomed to.
I bite my lip. Why does he have to be so gorgeous? Surely, I wouldn’t be in this situation if he wasn’t. This man exudes self-assurance and with each step closer he takes my way. He ignites feelings all over that I haven’t had in a while. It’s not because of him that I’m no longer turned on by my husband. Those feelings for Adam had been slowly fading before this man stared his way into my life.
I pray for my nerves to calm themselves the closer he gets, but they don’t. They only increase with intensity. The only thing I can do now is turn my car off and make my way to the man who has kindled so many feelings in me since he first caught my eye.
I take a shaky breath, slowly opening my door and step out onto the gravel. I don’t move. I don’t need to. He’s already standing in front of me as I shut my door. My hands feel clammy balled up at my sides. My legs feel made of steel. My heart on the other hand, is pounding like I just ran a 100k marathon.
“This is a bad idea,” I say surprising myself. I turn away to look at anything but his distracting eyes. The words that come out of his mouth grab my attention as I turn back to face him.
“You’re right, Erin,” he says taking a step closer to me, “this is a horrible idea, but I can’t help that no matter what I do, I can’t shake you out of my mind.” He is so close to me. Too close. I can smell him. The smell has me wanting to drift closer to him to fully take in his scent. But, with each step closer he takes, I take one back to counter it. I don’t know why I’m fighting it. I want this just as bad as he does. I know the wall is right behind me, I can feel the coolness on my fingertips. When he bends down, I take the last step possible being fully flush with the concrete. The coldness seeping through the stone does nothing for the heat coursing through my body. I’m trapped, but I welcome the closeness. He keeps his eyes trained on mine as he runs his hand through my hair. The simple gesture causes goose bumps to ripple my skin. He has just found another weakness of mine. My first being him.
