They separated slowly, then turned towards her building.
When they arrived, she paused, key card in hand. “It’s late. You don’t have to stay,” Her words faltered over the mismatch with her true feelings. She didn’t want to let him go. Ever. “There’s nowhere I’d rather be,” he said.
Something in his voice urged her to look up. The lighting illuminated his expression.
She used the card and they walked through the empty vestibule to the elevator.
In the lift, she shrugged off the blue blazer and smoothed it with one hand.
The door parted and she led the way through the hallway to her apartment. She opened the door and saw the place afresh, as if through his eyes. The pale pink décor cast a feminine hue, in sharp contrast to his masculinity. Piles of clothes were scattered about. She was glad she’d cleaned the mail off the breakfast table. On the ground, an opened suitcase awaited her attention.
Orchid kicked off her high heels with a groan of relief. “That was the best dinner. Would you like a nightcap?”
“Only if you have something to slow time?”
“I wish.” She scooped some folded garments into the valise, clearing a space on the sofa.
“Ah, the flowers.” He nodded towards the vase on her coffee table, and then settled into the couch. His muscular form made the only seating in her living room seem even smaller than normal.
“They’re really beautiful, thank you. They’re not even drooping yet.” She looked at them and thought how they filled her with such pleasure. “There’s a superstition that wilted peonies are a sign of impending disaster. So, I’m going to hang them to dry while I’m away.” She ran a thumb over the pinkest of blooms, and it bobbed as if in bashful agreement.
“I can send you more.”
Orchid chuckled. “I had to win a coveted assignment for these. What will I have to do for more? Cure cancer?”
“I’m sure there will be many more accomplishments to celebrate.”
She met his eyes.Will you be here to celebrate whatever is to come?
“Do you want a hand with packing?” he asked.
She pictured him happening upon her lacy undergarments. “Maybe you can just run through your list of stuff I might forget.”
“Power adaptors,” he began, counting off on one hand. She snagged the black velvet pouch from the sofa and plopped it into her luggage.
“Passport?”
“It’s in my carry-on.”
“Chinese currency?”
“I’ll change money at the airport.”
“You won’t need much cash as long as you’ve downloaded one of their digital apps. Next time, I’ll bring you some of my renminbi,” referring to Chinese currency.
Next time. Her hope rose that they would see each other again, even after the assignment had ended. “Speaking of next time, would you like to pick me up from the airport?”
“I’m taking you, so I don’t see why not.”
She didn’t revisit her request that he join her. “The details are on my itinerary.”
One suitcase was already packed, and the second would stay open until she’d brushed her teeth in the morning and could secure her toiletries into the bag.
She deposited stacks of blouses into the last few spaces, then joined Phoenix on the couch. “I think I have everything, including your book on Asian culture.”
His mouth widened with pleasure. “I’m glad it was helpful. I’d hoped you’d like it.”
“So thoughtful. And we barely even knew each other then,” she said.
