10. Walter
WALTER
What was happening? Everything was going better than I could possibly have dreamed of and then… boom, it fell apart.
Back then, he hadn’t disliked me or wasn’t interested. He had family problems to deal with, and I respected that his family came first. I hated that for him, but I understood. He’d had to deal with so much at such an early age.
And then I touched his wrist, and suddenly he was leaving…
again. Eight years ago, I let him. Had I known it would’ve meant not seeing him for years, I wouldn’t have, but I couldn’t change that now.
I could, however, learn from that mistake.
I refused to let him leave without at least telling me why.
“Archie.”
He froze.
“Please look at me.”
He slowly turned around.
“Tell me what I did wrong.”
He didn’t say anything.
“I thought we—I thought—why are you leaving? Tell me what I did wrong.”
“Nothing.” His voice was curt, his eyes looking just above mine.
“Then explain it. Explain what’s happening here, because I just—” And tears freaking started falling again. I didn’t want them to, but I couldn’t stop them.
“Are you dating someone?” His question caught me off guard. What part of our conversation had him thinking I was involved with someone else?
I chuckled out of nerves. “No. This will sound like a lie, but I swear it’s not. You ruined me for it. I’ve never so much as agreed to a date with anyone.”
“But that suit, it’s not yours then.”
I thought it fit well, but he wasn’t wrong about it being borrowed.
“I work for the local newspaper. I don’t have money for a nice suit. This is Louisa from work’s husband’s. He’s some big shot in the corporate world, and she was taking it to the dry cleaner after work and heard I needed one. She let me borrow it.”
“Oh.” He stepped closer, and his shoulders relaxed.
Mine did too. He was no longer leaving. He was staying. Better… he was coming over to me.
“I’m not leaving. I’m not going anywhere.”
He reached up and cupped my cheek. I leaned into it. This wasn’t my imagination. Archie was here... touching me.
“Can I?” His eyes were focused on my lips.
“Please.”
He brushed his lips against mine and started to pull back.
Absolutely not. I had waited too long for this moment, I wasn’t letting it be over that quickly. I pulled him back to me and kissed him. No sweet, delicate kiss like he had given me. I needed more, and the second my mouth reached his, I knew he did too.
Archie took over the kiss, and I got lost in it. His mouth owned me, and there was no place I’d rather be than this hidden-away bathroom, finally giving into my feelings.
And then we broke apart. His forehead rested on mine.
“Sorry.”
“Don’t ever be sorry about that.”
“I’m not sorry for the kiss. I’m sorry because I have to go back or face my coach’s wrath. I don’t have to be on stage anymore, but I need to be present.”
Shit. I had to go back too.
“Same, but boss, not coach. I have nothing for my article.” I reached for his hand. “I was a little distracted.
“What do you need, information-wise?”
I told him the detailed kind of things I was missing.
“You think we can get this done in twenty minutes?”
“Maybe?” If I could manage to keep some focus, it was more than enough time.
“Let’s go.”
I thought we’d be splitting up and meeting back after the twenty minutes, but he stayed glued to me.
He introduced me to the organizer of the event, grabbed their introductory speech so I had that for the details, and managed to get us a copy of what items sold and for what price.
After that, he “mingled” with me, allowing me to get a lot of great quotes from attendees.
He wasn’t taking over my job. He was paving the way for me to do it quicker.
“What more do you need?” he asked.
I looked down at my tablet and the papers in my hand. “I think I have enough.”
“Good. Let’s go.” He put his hand in mine, intertwining our fingers. We must’ve been the talk of the room because there was no one who wouldn’t notice how attentive he was to me, not when he was one of the stars there.
I didn’t hesitate and went with him as he led us outside.
“Where’s your car?”
“I didn’t bring one. I used the bus.”
“Good. I didn’t want to be away from you long enough to bring two cars. I’m driving.”
“Where are we going?” I didn’t care where it was as long as he didn’t want us to part ways. “I’m not ready to go home.”
“Are you ready to go to my place?” There was so much in that one question. He wasn’t asking me to watch a movie or have a cup of tea. At least, I didn’t think he was, but at this point, I’d take what he was offering no matter what it was.
“Oh, very much.” I wasn’t holding back. I didn’t need to. He was just as into this as I was.
If I had to find his place, again, I wouldn’t be able to.
My focus was on our joined hands between the seats.
I should be scared, or at least nervous that I was going with the intent of spending the night.
I’d never gone home with another man. I wasn’t scared.
This felt so right, so good, and so overdue.
We got to his place and he was at my car door before I even got my seatbelt off. And once again, he was holding my hand. He barely got me inside before the door closed. I was waiting for him to press me against it and kiss me again, like they did in movies. But he didn’t.
“Take that suit off.”
I knew we were going there, that sex was tonight’s end game, but it felt off.
“I don’t want you in another man’s clothes,” he clarified
That possessiveness did something to me, and now I needed them all off as badly as he seemed to. I didn’t stop at the suit. My shirt, my underwear, my socks… all of it was going.
“I told you to take the suit off.” I pointed to the ground. “This is better.” He scooped me up in his arms.
“What are you doing?” He had too many clothes on. Didn’t I get to see him naked, too?
“Shower. I don’t want you smelling like him.” I could no longer smell like cologne now that the suit wasn’t on. But if he was that possessive of me and wanted to take me in a shower, I was not going to complain.