Hayley nodded. “The day you first got here.”
“Seems a little fitting…” Bryce said, taking her hand.
“I might have had some inspiration,” she admitted, letting him close his fingers around hers. “I saw someone I wanted to meet that day.”
“Steve?” Bryce grinned.
The doorbell rang and Hayley slid down from her barstool.
“Oh yeah, definitely Steve.” she said. “But I’m glad you like it. Besides singing, I’ve never done anything exciting like white collar crime,” she said teasingly.”The only thing that’s changed over the years is the number of people listening to my songs.”
“Exciting doesn’t equal interesting,” Bryce said. “But I think you’re both.”
Hayley’s face flushed again and she went to open the door, coming back with two large pizza boxes. “I just told them one regular. It might be too much food. They’re both pepperoni, but one has peppers. I like it spicy. Valerie doesn’t.”
“Doesn’t she like flavor?” Bryce asked, taking the boxes from her.
Hayley shook her head. “She’s going through a “beige” food phase, and the equivalent tastes. Hopefully, she’ll grow out of it.”
“I went through an orange food phase,” Bryce said. “When I was younger, I only ate orange carbs that came in bags. On the plus side, I think it gave me a nice glow that almost passed as a tan.” He took a plate as Hayley handed him one from the cupboard.
“So, is your tan now Doritos or the sun?”
“Central Park sunshine,” Bryce smiled. “Best place to jog.”
“I wanted to go to Central Park when I was in New York,” Hayley said. “Didn’t have time. Tours are relentless.”
“When you come back, I’ll take you,” Bryce promised.
“Maybe I’ll make a special trip just for a day.” She bit into her slice, hoping she wasn’t being too forward. She didn’t want to think about not seeing Bryce again after he left.
“Good,” Bryce leaned closer. “We’ll need more than day.”
“How much time?” Hayley leaned in too.
“That depends,” Bryce whispered, before kissing her.
“On?”
“How long until I’m willing to let you leave my apartment.”
Hayley slid off her chair, stepping up onto the base of his stool. Bryce wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against him.
“I’m suddenly not as hungry as I thought I was,” she said.
He kissed her. “And I’m suddenly the hungriest I’ve ever been.”
Bryce kissed her neck. He couldn’t control his desire for her anymore. Trying to keep a professional distance was not an option anymore. There were only the cells in his body, screaming for the thing they wanted more than anything else he’d ever wanted: her.
Hayley took his hand and pulled him off the barstool. She led him upstairs to her bedroom where no man had ever been before. She thought she’d feel scared, hesitant, or anything other than the eagerness which drove her to squeeze his hand and lead him to her bed. All that occupied her body was overwhelming desire.
Bryce kept the fire that burned through his skin under control, scared that if he were to give in, it would frighten her, shatter the moment, and she’d slip out of his reach, forever. He forced himself to be steady and slow, not because he needed to be professional – that line had been crossed – but because if he unleashed himself to do what he truly wanted, he didn’t know if he’d ever be able to rein himself back under control.
Hayley wrapped her arms around him and kissed him softly. She tugged his gym shirt over his head, and ran her fingers over the muscles she knew he kept hidden beneath it. Bryce let her hands play across him, her fingers sending shivers down to his toes. She pulled her own shirt over her head and dropped it to the floor.
“You can touch me,” she whispered. “I want you to.”
Gently, Bryce cupped her hips with his hands. He pushed downward, forcing her workout pants to her ankles. She shimmied out of them, standing before him in translucent panties and a sports bra.
