New SS: Starlight Express CLOSED Indefinitely - Page 55

"Ok...open up the door...Or I'm climbing the pipes" She could visualize the manic thrust on the call button that must be in agony just about now. She folded her arms and gave out a pleased smile unto herself, whirling back and forth on her foot while she was inside her apartment and he was out by the door on the street.

"Maan...This is not a good time. I still haven't had a bath" Holding the speak button down, she spoke aloud. After which she chewed in on her lower lip with a nervous smile tugging on her lips and shook her head lightly rejoicing in his deliberate stubbornness.

He still didn't have her phone number and she imagined that he behaved like it was a blessing when she refused to hand him. For it was the second time he was dropping in from the time he left the previous evening; the first time being early in the morning when he came over with fresh warm bagels and hot fragrant coffee.

Luckily and quite smoothly, he'd whisked her off to the Golden gate bridge lookout, while remnants of sleep still lingered low on her eyelids. They'd gone in pajamas and pull-up sweaters and jerseys, wearing thick wool socks and slippers. Tucking herself next to him on a wooden bench, they had watched the morning wake up on smoldering orange skies and descend upon them with an impeachable calm before the everyday din took over. She'd twisted around, with her arms up in the air, trying to crush the lethargy in her limbs, when his hand had snaked around her waist and pulled her closer. For a moment, she'd jerked from the surprise, giggled through the light tickle and fell back against his chest when he'd lowered his head to brush a light kiss on her lips. Oddly, there was nothing dark or desiring about that kiss and the lack of a pressing urge had her look up into his eyes.

"What?" He'd prompted and she'd shaken her head, turning away to the glinting blue and white threads that weaved into a gentle billowing ocean. His arm had tugged around her waist a little more and she'd scooted in leaning into his shoulder. They'd sat there without a word or sound to steal away the looming presence of the peachy morning from them for a while. Those instants to her were, as intimidating as they were endearing for the same reason - it already showed signs of a growing addiction and doused her with mild delusions. And she'd found herself grappling to have the seconds wash over her as if a veneer of intangible warmth was being drawn over her skin. It'd without reason reminded her of the same waves of comforting heat from the last burning coals of a dying hearth. As it was, being with him didn't feel wrong, anchoring herself to be in the here and now, than rather have that time tick away as a vagrant driftwood. Conceding that fact, she'd smiled and held his hand. Certainly it was a morning that took its time coming into her life, she'd thought then when they'd left the place a half hour later after the joggers started running in.

"So what you are a mess...I will only take your five mts...I have to get to work after that" He answered back and she held her stomach letting out a low growl, resisting the show of resistance she put up for him.

"You know, I have three books to finish before the 1^st" Her voice softened lost in contemplation "I haven't started any of them...and I can't let you ruin my focus for all of today" She closed her eyes and a sniffle escaped her lips, forcing herself to believe that he was going to be the end of her.

"Wow" She heard him exclaim, "Sounds like a high school book report deadline..."He paused for a few full seconds before he spoke again "You can always get the library books extended"

"Ok..." She chuckled that later ended in a faint sigh, "that does not help now to know I'm kissing a guy who doesn't even know what line of work I'm in"

"Well, not much of an issue that can't be solved..."And he soon added unsure, "So what? you write book reviews? Like in the news paper?"

"No...much ahead of the game. I'm a book agent. Publishing"

"Good for you" He responded and she picked up the slight edge in his tone, "So now that I have been made aware of the kind of work you do, can I come up?"

"Do I have a choice?" Her arms untangled and fell to her sides, wiggling them out as she sensed the slow rise of a hum in her blood.

"Now...now...you can't sulk and pout at me...you know what happens then..." What a hypocrite? - Casually throwing a threat around. It didn't seem he hated it as much as when he received one; his brazen authority oddly not surprising her in this two-day adventure of theirs.

"Yeah! what happens then?" She challenged him when at the same time she pressed the open button. There was no answer for a minute or two and before she knew, she heard the front door knob being jolted. Swiftly rounding the corner with the buzz of that hum continuing to sing in her ears, she got the door, only to be thrown back against the sidewall. Nearly breathless she was when he crushed her to him. She couldn't see his face as it lay hidden in her hair, his chin resting close to her temples. But something told her that he had his eyes closed and so she did too winding her arms around him.

She noted he hadn't hurried her, arguing his way patiently through her reasoning for an all encompassing hug; not a kiss. That recognition had her tilt her head sideways and place a kiss on his cheek. Before she could peck him again though, he moved out of the snug hold and lowered his head and her lips instead found kissing him on the lips. Her head pulled back briefly flicking her eyes up to him and she couldn't entirely tell what she saw there. In that sudden hesitation she learnt of a need to belong, to be held, stinging deep inside him and she unconsciously raised herself on her toes to touch her lips to his once again. Somehow in those moments when she was pressed against him in a possessive hold, feeling the slow roll of his lips, she identified with the same dull need inside her. Instead of a surging passion that must have left her out of breath, she felt safe nestled between the wall and his chest, his hand curving over her spine and his kiss simply stating the unmistakable potential of all that they could be.

"This is what happens..." He said, when they finally drew apart, but still clinging to each other.

"I won't be home this evening..." She smiled ignoring his words, "I have to go visit family friends. They are having a pooja at home"

"Boring..." He pulled a curl away from her forehead and smoothed it, coaxing it be part of the many others that fell behind her ears.

"Can't help" She shrugged and said "Orders from the mother ship"

"Its ok..." He teased her cheek with his thumb and placed a quick kiss on her forehead. After which, he took a step backwards while his clasp on her arms slid down to her hands and came to rest as it held just the tips of her fingers, "I can't come down tonight either. I have some work at office first and then have to take Daadima around"

He eventually let her go now that he was out in the hallway "I will see you tomorrow then" Flashing a small relieved smile, he spun around and ran down the steps, leaving her by the door step to watch his disappearing form; making her wonder if she really was there in that tick tock of that second. But if there was not here, she asked, then where indeed was there?