I sat down in my chair. I couldn’t stop smiling. Gwen was gone. Finally, my days of being passed over for the senator’s daughter were over. This was an opportunity of a lifetime. I couldn’t believe it.
I pulled out my phone, immediately starting to text Drew the big news, and then it hit me. I couldn’t text him. My shoulders slumped. I had the biggest news of my career and I couldn’t share it with my best friend. I put the phone back into my purse and got to work. Time to focus on me and my career.
***
By Saturday afternoon, I still hadn’t heard from Drew. I spent a good part of Friday night and all of Saturday morning staring at my phone, willing it to ring. I took it with me everywhere I went so I wouldn’t miss it if he called, even the shower. I finally put on a Gilmore Girls marathon to pass the time.
I went to the kitchen to make some tea when I heard my phone Ping, ping. I raced to the living room and lunged for my phone on the coffee table, stubbing my toe on the edge of the couch. Oh so gracefully, I limped the rest of the way and picked up my phone.
Peter: Sent you the address. See you tonight.
Damn, our date! I totally spaced. Why do I keep forgetting about him? That was so not a good sign.
I was going to his loft to talk about design ideas. Luckily, I had some samples with me, although I had a feeling Peter wasn’t so interested in looking at fabric. I really wasn’t in the mood to go, but I told him I would and I shouldn’t bail this late.
***
At seven I headed over to Peter’s place. I went for a casual look with skinny jeans, my black studded ballet flats, and my favorite purple flannel shirt. His apartment was in an old industrial section of town that was being revamped. It was a quiet neighborhood, kind of artsy with cute little galleries nestled comfortably between the Starbucks and cell phone stores.
I checked the address and saw that his building was in a converted old warehouse. The exterior was kept the same. You could still make out the old faded sign from the storage company that once inhabited the building. The front had a set of heavy glass doors with a high tech buzzer panel set into the wall. I hit the button next to his name. A buzzing sound and a click let me know the door was unlocked.
The lobby was in stark contrast to the outside. Every inch was sleek and modern. Aluminum benches lined the gun metal gray walls and gorgeous dark wood floors spanned the length of the hallway to the elevator. The artwork on the walls added a pop of color thanks to the giant canvases filled with vibrant, abstract watercolors. The developer kept the building’s original freight elevator, which was a nod to the building’s history. So far, I loved the building’s aesthetics.
As I reached the end of the hall, the elevator doors parted and Peter was there, waiting. He pulled me into a hug and pressed a lingering kiss on my cheek. “You look beautiful.”
I smiled at him and stepped into the elevator. He took my bag and hit the button for the seventh floor.
The elevator doors opened into a large open space. He had the entire floor. The renovations made the place feel luxurious without taking away from the historic feel of the building. Peter was right. It really was bare. He had the bachelor basics: bed, couch, and giant flat screen TV with, of course, the ridiculous sound system, but that was it.
The developer had done an amazing job with the conversion. I was salivating over the kitchen’s dark cherry cabinets, granite countertops, and stainless steel appliances. There was a spiral staircase near the kitchen that led to a small overhead loft space that he seemed to be using as a home office. One entire wall was lined with huge windows angled in toward the ceiling with breathtaking views of the city.
“So, what do you think?” Peter gestured at the entire room.
My head was spinning with possibilities. “It’s amazing. So much potential.” I turned in a circle to take it all in. “I brought some samples for us to go through so I can get idea of what you like.”
I reached for my bag to get the samples and my laser measuring tape. He took my arm and set my bag down by the couch as he led me toward the kitchen. “We can do that later. Dinner is almost done.”
I glanced back at my bag with a pout but let him pull me toward the kitchen. I sat down at the breakfast bar. He poured me a glass of wine from a fancy decanter and set it down in front of me. “Stir fry sound good?”
“Sure, I’m not picky.” I couldn’t stop looking around, thinking of what I could do with a space like this.
Peter was telling me some story about one of their new writers, but I wasn’t really listening. I was too busy staring at the walls, trying to figure out what paint color would best complement the exposed brick.
He set a plate in front of me and took a seat on the stool next to me. I took a bite. “Wow, this is amazing.”
“You seem surprised,” he said, taking a sip of wine.
“Maybe a little,” I teased. “Where did you learn to cook?”
“My sister is a chef. She taught me a thing or two over the years.”
“Wow. Well, tell her thank you. This is really good.” I stuffed another forkful into my mouth.
Peter chuckled. “I’ll do that.”
When we finished, I took our plates to the sink to clean up. I turned on the water to start rinsing the dishes when I felt his arm snake around my waist. Peter pressed a kiss to the side of my neck, pulling me back against him.
“Leave them. I’ll take care of that later.”
He kissed a trail down to my shoulder. I tilted my head to the side and leaned into him as he pulled my hair to the side for better access to my neck. It had been a long time since a strong man held me.
I closed my eyes, moaning as he nibbled on my ear. He turned me in his arms and pressed my back to the sink as he brushed his lips softly against mine.
I let myself go and gave in, kissing him back. His lips felt good against mine, but there was no spark, no fireworks. It was just nice. It felt like when you get a Christmas card from a neighbor and you think it’s nice that they included you even though you weren’t going to send one to them.
My mind immediately went to Drew. I remembered how his kiss consumed me. The more I thought about Drew, the more turned on I got. My lips parted and I deepened the kiss, running my hands up the side of his neck and into his hair. He groaned as his hands ran down my sides. He gripped my ass, lifting me easily as I wrapped my legs around his waist.
With my eyes closed, all I saw was Drew. I thought about the way his hands felt on my body, how he tasted like honey.
Peter started to walk. I was so caught up that I didn’t realize we were moving until my back hit the bed. I felt the weight of his body pressing me into the mattress. His hands were everywhere and it felt amazing, but to me it wasn’t Peter’s fingers trailing down my chest; it was Drew.
I couldn’t get Drew out of my head. I imagined it was Drew undoing the buttons on my shirt and kissing his way down my chest and stomach, his lips soft against mine as he pulled down the cup of my bra, freeing my breasts.
He lightly pinched and played with my nipple, sending a shot of electricity through my body that settled between my legs. I wanted this so badly.
He kissed and licked a trail across my chin, nibbling down my neck and finally pulling my nipple into his hot mouth. He tugged gently with his teeth, flicking his tongue over the sensitive skin of my breast. I moaned, thrusting my fingers into his hair to keep him there. He slipped his fingers into the waist band of my jeans. Oh, I wanted this. I’ve wanted this for so long.
“I love the way you taste. So sweet,” Peter said as he kissed his way to the other side of my chest. My eyes flew open. Peter’s voice knocked me out of the little fantasy I created. Oh my God! I was fooling around with Peter, pretending he was Drew. That couldn’t be healthy.
I took a deep breath as Peter’s fingers crept lower, seeking the sweet spot between my legs. No way. I couldn’t do this.