from comfort. Talent punctures me with his gray stare, trespassing over the defensive wall I’ve built a million miles high, to find me exposed and vulnerable on the other side.
In this vast nothingness where only the two of us exist, he comes closer and closer, little by little, holding his hand out. My heart can’t handle hope. It doesn’t know the concept. It rages and thrashes inside of my chest as alarms go off in my head, creating panic out of promise.
Too close, Lydia Montgomery. He’s too damn close.
I look away first, shoving Talent through the other side of my wall where he belongs. My eyes burn and my heart continues its lashing, but my lungs lend me a helping hand. “Four thousand an hour.”
“Baby, I’ll pay you whatever you want.”
What did I expect him to say? That he wants to make an honest woman out of me? He wants to rescue me from this life and from myself? That he likes me, too?
Not at all.
But why does he disappoint me?
Time is money, and I’ve given enough of it away for free. This charade ends the moment I stand to my feet and walk away. It’s not dramatic. It doesn’t catch the attention of the other customers. No one watches me leave. The baristas call out their generic have a nice night, as I pass through the door, but my exit is as seamless as my unhappiness.
There’s not a taxi in sight, and I’m ready to jump on the damn city bus when Talent calls my name.
“Lydia, stop,” he says.
My ponytail swings behind me as I up my pace, taking long strides to escape frustration. My wedges tap on the concrete sidewalk in quick succession, carrying me farther from the coffee shop and closer to anywhere but here. There aren’t many people on the street, but the few who join me on my night walk make a path like I’m crossing the damn Red Sea.
“Lydia, please,” Talent calls out again. “I’m sorry.”
Unlike people, dogs aren’t intimidated by my untouchable aura and eagerness to get the fuck out of here. A small stray must smell whipped cream on my fingers and cake pop on my skin. It stands in my path, jumping at my ankles when I outmaneuver it and barking when I turn the full force of my unamused expression on its pitiful display.
“Get the hell out of here, dog,” I grumble.
The damn dog slows me down and Talent catches up. He clutches my arm and says, “Will you stop for one fucking minute, please?”
The same as when Naomi grabbed my elbow, I stop and stare at the contact in shock. But unlike with Naomi, I don’t push him against the wall and threaten his very life.
Turning my gaze to him, my lips part and I exhale. He stops time.
But time ceases to exist at all when his mouth crashes on mine.
This is my first kiss.
Not technically. But I’ve never been kissed like this in my life.
Talent keeps a tight grip on my arm, but his mouth is gentle and caressing. He doesn’t hurry the kiss like we’re on the clock but slows it down to make it infinite. Warmth from his body tempts me in, and then his arms are around me, shutting out any open spaces between us. The bitter then sweet taste of cappuccino lingers on his lips, but it’s stronger on his tongue.
Hesitant at first, I give in and let the connection envelop me. Heat spreads through my veins, thawing the edges of my frozen heart. I inhale deeply when I feel it beat like I did when we were in his office. This time there’s no role to play and I slide my hand up his chest and over his shoulder, where I hold on as life pumps through me.
Talent rests his free hand on the side of my face and tilts my head back to deepen the kiss. His lips are a paradise I’ve never visited before, and I step into him to explore the destination. He presses his lips to mine, softly, steadily, and then all the way back in when I clutch his shirt in my fingers, sparking an explosion of sensation that blasts sheets of ice from my awakening heart.
“Excuse me,” a man apologizes after brushing against us as he walks by.
Crashing back to the real world is harsh and the refreezing of my heart hurts like hell. I pull my arm free from Talent’s control and look over his shoulder