Chapter 7 #3
“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” Krysta chuckled as she was dragged away by Adam.
Michael made his way from across the room to Angela. “It looks like I’m your ride.”
“I’m sorry about my friend. She was supposed to be the DD and-”
“It’s no problem, really. It’s on my way.”
“Well, you just said-”
“Well, after I drop you off, I am officially staying away from you.”
They left a few minutes shy of midnight.
They stepped out into a much cooler night.
The night had gotten quite cold and wet throughout the evening.
They walked along the storefront on the wet sidewalk.
Of course, she hadn’t brought a jacket or an umbrella.
She buried her hands in her armpits and tried to walk carefully in her heels.
They walked briskly.
“I bought three paintings,” Michael told her.
“Wow! Which ones?”
“I bought the large piece by the entrance, the one with the dark sky.”
“Nice.”
“I bought the snowy street scene, and the flatiron building.”
“I love that one. You bought my favorite one!” She was envious.
“I bought it for you,” he told her. “I hope it’s not too forward.”
She stopped in her tracks, stunned.
“Wow, thank you. That’s great of you... but I can’t accept it.”
“You loved it so much,” he pointed out. “Think of it as an investment. If he becomes famous one day and his art is worth millions, I’ll take it back.”
“But I thought you were supposed to never see me again,” she joked. “And besides, I wouldn’t give it back to you if it was worth millions.”
They started walking again.
“I thought I’d leave you with something to remember me by,” he said in a low voice.
“That’s exactly why I can’t take it,” she said
“Can you imagine? Here I am having sex with my husband and I stare at the picture on the wall; all I can think of is you.”
The thought of her having sex with Robert drove him mad. “Well, you don’t have to put it in the bedroom, maybe on the fireplace mantel or something,” he joked.
“I just can’t take it.”
“Well, I’ve already arranged for it to be sent to your home.”
She was surprised. “But...” she said “you don’t even know my address.”
“I’m a resourceful guy.”
Angela was at a loss. It was no use arguing with him.
She walked a little more briskly.
“It was nice of you to buy some his work.”
“It’s an investment.”
“Oh yes, I forgot,” she said. “You’ll be knocking on my door in a few years.”
He laughed.
“You must be cold,” he pointed out.
“A little. It’s chilly tonight.”
He took off his jacket and wrapped it around her. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t paying attention.”
“No. No.”
“I insist.” Her body was lost in his jacket but it was certainly warm.
“You’re a nice guy, you know,” she told him.
“I know, too nice for my own good.”
The ground was slippery and she was a little unsteady on her heels. He took her arm. She wasn’t sure if he assisted her because it was slippery, or because she was a little wobbly; probably a little of both, she thought.
He was parked in the far corner of a secluded parking lot sandwiched between two old heritage buildings.
It was vacant, quiet and dark; she was quite thankful he was by her side.
When they got to the car, they stood on the curb for a few seconds.
Between standing on the curb and her four inch heels, she found herself at eye level with him, his face close to hers. She could feel his warm breath.
“I guess you’ll want your jacket back,” she said.
“Hold on to it,” he told her with an intensity in his eyes she hadn’t quite seen before. “I just need my keys and wallet,” he said as he reached into the inside pocket of his jacket, his hand slightly brushing against her stomach.
She leaned in closer.
She didn’t know what possessed her. Maybe it was the two, or three, or four glasses of wine. She kissed him. He didn’t push her away. The kiss lasted only one or two seconds, their mouths closed. She pulled away, realizing what she had done.
“I’m sorry-”
“Don’t be,” he told her as he held her face in his hands, letting his wallet and keys fall to the ground.
He pulled her closer and kissed her again; a deep passionate kiss.
She felt the warmth of his mouth, the coldness of his hands on her cheeks and knots in her stomach.
Her knees were weak. They stopped and started again; their bodies pressed, only their clothing separating them.
Later, Angela would be thankful that they were standing on a public parking lot in the freezing cold because she knew they could have taken it farther.
She could not fathom how they could have stopped.
She had always wondered how people could be unfaithful and risk their marriages and families. Now she understood.
He had been the first one to pull away.
“We shouldn’t be doing this Angela.”
“I know. You’re right. You’re absolutely right,” she said as she backed away.
The ride home was quiet, uncomfortable and long. All she could think about was that kiss. He was right; they needed to avoid each other at all costs. He couldn’t be part of her life. She just didn’t know how hard that was going to be.