no chance of ever seeing him again. But would it be so wrong to go for it, she wondered. This morning, she’d challenged herself to be a badass, to try something a little dangerous, and couldn’t this be it? The proverbial night to remember.
She looked off, considering. Yes, she told herself. Take a chance.
“All right,” she said. “But you’ll just have to promise not to mind when my cell phone alarm goes off at five-thirty.”
“Not a problem. I plan to still be having sex with you then anyway.”
She flushed at the thought.
“You don’t happen to have any condoms, do you?”
“I’ve got some in my dopp kit.” He laughed. “Old but not past the expiration date.”
He led her into the spare white bedroom and began to peel off her clothes, then his own. He was in fabulous condition, taut and lightly tanned. He laid her on the bed and moved along her body slowly with both hands and mouth, exploring, teasing, making her writhe in pleasure.
She’d never gone to bed with anyone for the first time without experiencing a twinge of self-consciousness, from being naked and exposed. But she felt none of that now. It was like dropping from a trapeze into a circus net, and relishing the pure, glorious thrill of the fall.
His prediction had been right. They’d barely finished making love for a third time when the alarm went off. She forced herself out of bed, gathered up her clothes, and slipped into the bathroom. When she emerged a few minutes later, Matt was out of bed, too, pants on, waiting to walk her to the door.
“That was a fantastic night, Kit,” he said, a hand against the doorframe.
“Yes,” she said. “It was.”
He kissed her softly goodbye.
She had too much last-minute packing to reflect on any of it. She took a six-minute shower, tossed items into her suitcase in a crazy rush, and grabbed a coffee to-go in the lobby.
The car service was right on time, and as the driver headed toward the highway, she finally leaned back and replayed the night. It had been exquisite, it made her blush even to think about it. She had no regrets about her decision to spend the night with a stranger. Just regret over the fact that she’d never set eyes on him again.
Halfway to Miami, as endless palm trees whipped by outside the car, her cell phone rang.
The screen flashed the name of the hotel, and she wondered if there’d been confusion over her bill.
“Good morning,” a man said when she answered. For a moment she couldn’t place the deep voice.
“Did you get off on time?” he asked. And then she realized: it was Matt Healy.
“Yes, thanks,” she said, taken aback. “I’m in the car now.”
“Look, Kit, I know I pleaded no entanglements last night. But I have to see you again, in New York.”
She took a breath.
“I’d like that, too,” she said.
“I’ll be there on Thursday. Why don’t I cook you dinner? I’m not exactly Bobby Flay, but you won’t leave starving.”
She didn’t care if he fixed her a fried eel sandwich.
“Perfect.”
“See you Thursday then,” he said after giving her his address. “seven-thirty.”
Once they’d signed off, she realized she was smiling stupidly to no one in particular.
It was nearly 4:30 by the time she reached home. She had a one-bedroom apartment in a five-story building on Elizabeth Street in Nolita, named because it was just north of Little Italy. She was crazy about the area, a hip but friendly neighborhood of narrow streets, low-rise buildings, and old churches, as well as trendy boutiques and cafés. Last year, when the studio apartment next door became available, she and Baby had decided to rent it as office space.
She dropped her suitcase in the apartment and entered the office through the adjoining doorway that the super had given them permission to create. Baby was at her desk, staring quizzically at a pile of fabric swatches.
“There you are,” Baby exclaimed, touching one of her lovely hands to her chest. “Dara saw that your flight was late.”
“Just by an hour,” Kit said. She’d been in too good a mood to let the delay bug her. “It’s great to see you, Baby.”
“Same here. I take it you had nice weather. You’ve got some gorgeous highlights.”
Baby was a blond fanatic. She dyed her gray hair a gorgeous champagne color and wore it like a prized crown.
“I’ll tell you all about it, but first fill me in. Everything okay?”
“Well, I’m up to my ass in ikat,” Baby