Then There Was You

XXV

"Do you want me to come in with you?" Rachel asks me teasingly, a tinge of hope in her voice.
When I look at her, I can see her eyes searching outside the car- hoping to get a glimpse of him. Rachel finds Henry almost as irresistible as I do.
"As much as I know you'd like that," I said rolling my eyes at her. "I'll be handling this one alone."
She pouts slightly, and I can't help but laugh.
"Well, get going then!" She exclaims, poking a finger in my side, making me squirm.
She's right. I've been stalling.
We've been parked up outside the hotel for almost five minutes. As soon as the hotel came into sight, my heart picked up double time and my palms had become considerably damper than they had been a moment before.
I just wanted a few minutes to calm my nerves.
But it was now 11.58am. There was no more time.

This is it, I think to myself.
Rachel all but pushes me out of her car.
"Have fun! I'll see you in two days," she calls from the drivers side. My hands fumble with my bag as I try and give her a convincing smile. She toots her horn playfully, and I watch as her car slowly pulls away and then dips out of sight. With Rachel gone, there's no distraction from my anxieties.
It's silly I should feel this nervous.
It's not like I was meeting him for the first time. We knew each other pretty well.
And we were about to get to know each other a lot better.
Oh hell.
I was still staring in the direction of Rachel's car, but it was long gone. My teeth digging almost painfully into my bottom lip.

"Lara?" The voice that came from behind me was deep, smooth and insanely inviting.
His voice.
For a second, I forgot my fears and turned to face him. My bravery was fully rewarded by the glorious sight of him.
My breath caught in my throat as I stared back at him. I felt a sudden rush of pure shock and awe.
Has he always been that handsome? And tall!
My eyes slowly raking over his large muscular body. He was dressed simply; blue denim jeans and a red T-shirt. The colour really suited him.

As my eyes met his- cool blue and gleaming with excitement, I felt myself take an involuntary step towards him.
His full mouth turning up into a shy smile.
I was vaguely aware of my own smile. But I was too distracted by how handsome he was to pay any attention to my own reactions.
He too, took a small step towards me and then stopped the same time I did. I bit my lip to stifle my nervous laugh, but I didn't look away from him.

My eyes were roaming freely over his strong features. The images of him I had savoured so dearly in my mind, were such a dull comparison to him in the flesh.
"Hi," he said, laughing slightly. His strong English accent sounded more prominent than before. How long had it been? A week? Just seven days. But it felt like a lifetime ago he had kissed me. I was suddenly terrified that everything was going to be different.

I was still stood in the same spot. Terrified to go to him, but too frightened to look away- in case he'd vanish, just as quickly as he'd arrived.
Sensing my panic, he frowned slightly and quickly closed the space between us.
And then I'm in his arms. And nothing matters anymore.
He crushes me tightly against him, his arms winding around my waist. My arms around his neck, my fingers digging desperately into his flesh. I'm almost completely overwhelmed by his scent alone. I breathe deeply, inhaling more and more of it- Fresh, clean and another deep, sensual aroma I can't detect.
"I've missed you," he whispered. His mouth inches away from my ear, and I can feel his breath through my hair. My skin is all goosebumps and shivers at once. He tightens his hold on me then, and so do I.

I don't know how long we stood there for. Clutching on to one another. But when we finally break apart, I do so unwillingly. And slightly wobbly on my feet. I realise with a smile, that I've missed the dizziness that comes with his touch. I crane my neck up to look at him, my initial bashfulness forgotten.
He gazes down at me for a long moment, his cheeks slightly flushed. And I realise with a shock, that he's feeling the same way I am. Well maybe not as intensely as I do right now.
But I'm definitely having an affect on him.
"Hi," I eventually find my voice, and it doesn't sound like my own. He chuckles slightly and steps back a pace, creating a little more room to breathe.