zip of electricity slides through my fingers when our hands meet.
As I step out, I’m pulled against his side. “George, I’ll be back in a few minutes. I’m going to walk Miss Morgan up.”
“Good night, George,” I state, waving goodbye.
“A pleasure, Miss Morgan, as always. Enjoy your evening.”
We step up to the building, the door already standing open. “Good evening, Miss Morgan.”
“Evening, Jason,” I greet one of the evening-shift men.
He doesn’t follow as we make our way to my private elevator and enter my code. As the doors close, Matthew turns and takes my hands in his. “I had a great time tonight.”
“Me too,” I reply, just as the elevator arrives on the top floor and the door opens with a chime.
We step into my foyer, but Matthew stops before making it too far. “I have a few meetings lined up this week, but I have some free time. I thought I’d meet you at the shelter and take Dolly for a ride again.”
I’m instantly smiling. “She’d love that.”
“Me too,” he replies, stepping closer and eliminating any space between us. “Maybe we can have dinner again this week?”
“And I’d love that.”
He smiles, his mouth meeting mine one final time. My body instantly responds in a way it’s never done before, and I’m on the verge of asking him to stay.
Matthew pulls back. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“I look forward to it.”
He steps away and approaches the elevator. “Make sure you lock up behind me,” he says.
The alarm system on the elevator will keep the car from moving without my knowledge. Even though we have a manned front desk and the car only moves with a code, it’s another level of security to keep it from moving while I have it disengaged. “I will,” I confirm, pressing my code into the keypad.
The doors start to close. “Good night, Kyla.”
“Night, Cowboy,” I reply, his smile cut off by the closing door.
When the car returns to the ground floor, I enter another code and head toward the stairs with a grin on my face and a satisfied hum thumping through my veins. Oh, tonight was definitely one of the best nights I’ve ever had, if not the greatest. As I get ready for bed, I feel a renewed sense of excitement and can’t wait to see him again.
Hopefully soon.
My phone chimes with a text message, and when I glance at the screen, I’m beaming from ear to ear. Since he loves the nickname so much, I changed his contact information in my phone.
Cowboy: Is breakfast too soon for another date?
Me: Absolutely not.
Cowboy: See you at 9?
Me: I’ll be ready.
And I will. As I climb into bed, a new wave of exhilaration overwhelms me. The sooner I fall asleep, the sooner I’ll see Matthew again, and kiss him. I just have to hang on a few more hours.
Easier said than done.
***
I’m downstairs in the lobby fifteen minutes early and am surprised when I see Matthew’s car pull up in front of the building just seconds later. Smiling, I head for the entrance, throwing a wave at the security desk as I go.
Just as I step out onto the sidewalk, my breakfast date gets out of the driver’s seat. “What are you doing down here?” he asks, coming around to open the passenger door. He’s casual in a pair of dark jeans and flannel button-down, his jaw dark with day-old stubble.
“I thought I’d save you a trip up,” I tell him, placing my hand on his arm as I approach the open door.
“Yeah, but you robbed me of a good morning kiss,” he replies, the corner of his lips curling upward.
I give him a slight shrug. “I guess you’ll just have to play catch-up down here.”
That slight grin turns into a full-wattage smile. “It would be my pleasure.”
Without a care in the world as to who sees, Matthew kisses me, cupping my jaw in his big hands. I can smell the cleanness of his soap and feel the burn of his facial hair against my cheek as his tongue slips inside my mouth. He reluctantly pulls his lips from mine, though keeps my body caged against the car with his own. “Good morning,” he mumbles. A ghost of a smile on those full lips.
“It is now,” I sass, turning and slipping into the passenger seat of his car.
Matthew’s laughter fills the air around us as he closes the door, securing me inside. When he joins me inside the vehicle and pulls onto the road, I