I gave him a nod. “Yes,” I breathed out, and he closed the gap between us to kiss me.
Pressing his lips to mine, he pulled me to him, my chest pushing into him. He kissed me like a man who’d been starved for a kiss and like he never wanted to let go. I put my hands around his neck, opening my mouth to deepen the kiss. Desmond groaned against me as his tongue found mine. I was not thinking anymore, just feeling the blessed relief that Desmond was finally kissing me again. I was pressed up against him, my mouth against his, and it was where I’d wanted to be all along.
After what felt like a brief moment, Desmond brokeaway, his eyes clearly hungry for more. He glanced at the elevator behind me and then ran his thumb over my lips gently. “I don’t want to stop, but someone could walk in here at any moment.”
I nodded even though I wanted to go back in his arms again. To feel his hands on my waist, circling me, his broad palms pressing against the small of my back.
“I’ll see you soon, you know,” he said, watching me as though he knew exactly what was going on in my mind. With a soft kiss on my lips, he stepped back and smiled.
If his kiss could make me weak in the knees, I wondered just what an evening with Desmond would do.
22
AVA
Two hours later, I was sitting in one of the chairs by the fireplace in the lobby. I’d called Hank to let him know there wouldn’t be a second date. His response had been brief, surprised, and then he’d been gracious about it. He’d be a great partner to someone, but that wasn’t me.
Desmond walked out of the elevator in his navy-blue suit, the one that looked as smooth as it had in the morning. His hair was neatly parted to the side, thick and well trimmed. He had a light beard by the end of the day, and it suited him.
Our gazes met across the marble floor. Longing, lust, and feelings collided in that gaze. They blossomed and grew like a forest fire, leaving me burning. Desmond gave me a small nod, indicating for me to follow. I drew in a deep breath, stood up, and walked out behind him, keeping a good distance between the two of us when I was pining to lean against him again. When I walked out the front door and down the steps, Desmond stopped on the sidewalk.
He had his head bent down and was frowning at thepavement as though it had done something to offend him. He had his hands behind him, and when he looked up, his gaze was so simple, so innocent, and so troubled that my heart jumped a little.
“Walk with me, Ava,” he said, and I fell into step next to him, my heart thudding rapidly. “Stan is waiting for us a couple of blocks away.”
We walked out into the breezy New York evening, where dusk had settled in, the sound of our shoes clicking against the pavement, looking for a sight of his familiar Bentley in the growing twilight. Our arms touched, and the pent-up emotion in me threatened to burst out of my chest. Desmond and I were together again after a long, long time. I was crazy for going back to him. I was definitely crazy.
We walked in silence until we rounded the corner, and Desmond slowed his pace as he looked at me.
“Thank you for coming with me,” he said, reaching out to graze his thumb on my cheek.
I needed to clear things up.
“This is just a onetime thing,” I said. “Tonight.” My voice felt unlike myself. Breathless, rushed, flustered.
Desmond inclined his head at that. His voice was calm and unruffled. “I know.”
“You and I are not starting a relation—wait, what?”
He grinned, much to my surprise. As though he knew what I was concerned about. “I know, sweetheart. I wouldn’t want you to worry about what this means for the future. Let’s just enjoy tonight.”
The initial rush of relief faded, only to be replaced by the sense of helplessness and a truly silly thought.
What a pity there isn’t going to be more.
“Right. Of course. Okay.” I nodded, feeling shaken by the sudden contradictory thought.
The darkness had grown, and lights had turned on in the streets and buildings around us.
I watched as Desmond stopped and turned to me. He crossed his arms as his gaze swept over me.
“Stop looking at me,” I joked while I slung my bag over my shoulder.
The earnestness of his gaze was unsettling. We were now on a side street with very little traffic. There were no other pedestrians. The two of us were seemingly alone.
That faraway look in his eyes never receded. “I have a theory,” he said, putting his hands in his pockets. “I have a theory that if I hadn’t lost you the first time around and if I weren’t your boss, I’d be very, very happy right now.”
I looked up at him, taken aback by his sudden proclamation.
