He rubs the back of his neck. “How’s your mom?”
Of course. Of course he’d want to know about my mom. My heart thuds against my chest, apparently having not gotten the memo that this man doesn’t want us anymore. “She’s doing well.” My voice sounds like I need a large glass of water. “She had surgery and is doing chemo. It’s tough but she’s feeling optimistic.”
He nods as the elevator stops. The doors open and my throat closes. I can’t have this conversation in front of other people. But there’s no one standing on the other side of the doors.
He smiles at the empty space where a person should be but when he turns to me, his mouth is flat.
“I never heard from you. You never called. You never texted,” he says. He bends his knees to catch my eyes. “I thought you weren’t interested anymore.”
The elevator clanks quietly. “I just...” I look around but there’s nothing to grasp onto with my gaze, just old ad space and shitty marketing copy behind glass on the walls. “I needed time. To make sure I wouldn’t hurt you again.”
He nods. It stops again. A couple stands there this time, ready to get on. They wear sun hats and backpacks and the man has a map in his hand.
“This elevator is being tested for...quality control purposes,” Wesley says, his fist slamming the close button. “Sorry,” he yells as we start to move again.
“You were saying something before, in the lobby,” he prompts. I blink at him. This man, heknowshimself and what he wants. I want to know him, too.
“Oh.” My heart flutters, a baby bird learning how to fly. “Oh no. I...”
He steps toward me. All I would have to do is reach out and I could touch him again.
“This started in an elevator with a lot of misunderstandings. So I want to finish this in one, but I want to be clear on where we stand.”
He looks me up and down. “I need to hear you say it, Corrine,” he says quietly. “It’s not...a challenge, or a surrender. I just... I’m telling you what I need.”
I nod. “You deserve that much,” I whisper.
I close my eyes. “The first time I thought that I could really fall in love with you was that day you washed my hair.” I open them. “Do you remember? After my migraine.”
My heart pounds. I’d rather be naked right now than say all this out loud. And yet, it feels more liberating than nudity ever could.
“Did you?” he asks. “Did you ever fall in love?” There’s a desperate quaver in his voice.
“Yes.” I laugh. “About thirty seconds later. You stood up to get my robe and the floor was wet. You slipped a little bit and you whispered,whoopsie daisy.”
His laugh is a garbled, choked sound. He blushes. “Please don’t tell anyone else that story.”
“I’m just sorry I didn’t tell you then.” The doors open. “This is my floor,” I say.
We step out.
I take his hand in both of mine. Touching him sends a pulse up my arm. I want to feel it all over my body. Looking down at his hands, I say, “I love your hands. I want to be able to hold them in public.”
“I’m sorry,” he whispers.
“For what?”
“I’m going to kiss you now.”
I nod, reaching for him as he folds over me, our lips meeting sweet and soft. A kiss that assures both parties that there is no need to rush. There will be plenty more where this came from.
He pulls away, tucks a bit of hair back behind my ear. The bottoms of his glasses are starting to fog. “Does this mean you’ll go for dinner with me? You’ll be my girlfriend? You’ll meet my friends? Or something?” He smiles a one-dimpled smile.
I smile back, running my hand through his hair. I’ve wanted to do that, all of that, for so long. I don’t know why I waited anymore.
“Yes. But only if you get back to work, Mr. Chambers.”
He frowns. “Work?”
