Standing at the end of the coffee counter, I wait for my name to be called. My phone rings and I see the name I’ve been dreaming about all day. “Hello,” I say, trying to sound casual, but the fluttering I’m feeling gives me away.
“Holliday Hughes.” His voice is low and seductive, making me a little weak in the knees. “How are you?”
I press the phone a little closer and lean my head down for privacy. “I’m good.”
“What are you doing?”
“Dalton, half-caf toffee-nut latte.” I hear my order being called and look up at the barista, hoping Dalton didn’t hear what I named my coffee.
“I’m getting coffee. I needed a break from the office. I can’t seem to focus on much today.”
“I hope I have something to do with that.”
I smile, and maybe blush a little. “You might. What are you up to?”
“I’m watching a talk show in German with no subtitles.”
“Is it good?”
“I’m not sure. The canned laughter tells me I should find it funny, but… you know what, I’m not really into it. I’m just killing time. We leave in forty-five minutes for the concert.”
“Is it a big show?”
“Regular.”
“What’s regular?” I ask, wondering if he means five or twenty thousand people.
“I think this arena holds fifteen thousand people.”
“Holy Hell, that’s a lot of people to perform in front of. Do you ever get nervous?”
“Every time.” His answer is quick.
It makes me wonder if I shouldn’t have asked. Will asking make him more nervous? “I’m sorry. I’m being nosy and it’s probably annoying to answer these kinds of questions.”
“It’s okay. I like this, this normal conversation we’ve got going on here. I’ve been thinking about you—on the flight over and today,” he replies easily.
“What were you thinking?”
“About your hot ass, and I’m still a little bitter about the Twix.”
“Dude! I will buy you a Twix and won’t make you work for it this time.” Smiling, I ask, “And what about my hot ass?”
“I think I was getting used to having it around.”
“Oh, Mr. Dalton, you’re such a charmer,” I tease, but I love that he’s thinking about me too. Makes me feel a little less crazy.
“Know what else I’ve been thinking about?”
Feeling like this conversation is about to get a lot more intimate, I lower my head, keeping my voice quieter as I walk out of the coffeeshop. “What?”
His voice is low, a deep confidence emphasizing the words. “I’ve been thinking about how good it feels when I’m inside you.”
I stop on the sidewalk, my breath catching. “You have?”
“When I close my eyes, I can feel your breath against my chest while you sleep. I can hear your laughter when we walked from the 7-11 back to the hotel, and I can see your face when you come. You’re hard to forget, Holliday.”
My body yearns for him in ways I haven’t felt before. “I remember the feel of your wet body against mine in the shower, the taste of your skin. But when you kissed my hip and left a mark over my tattoo, I will never forget the feel or sight of you doing that to me, Dalton. Never.”
Muffled voices on his end, draws his voice away and he shouts, “Alright.”
I wait for him to return, curious to what’s going on.
“Hey?”
“Yeah?” I ask, lowering my voice to match his, a seriousness overtaking him.
“I need to go, but I want you to know, we may be playing, just joking around with each other, but I meant what I said.”
We’re dancing around our feelings, but the meaning is caught. When I remember the sincerity in his eyes when he would say such sweet things to me in Vegas, I smile again. “I meant what I said too.”
“And I’ll kick any guy’s ass that comes within twenty yards of you. Have I mentioned my fierce jealousy streak?”
Now I laugh. “You must have overlooked that little detail.”
There’s a silence that spans more than a few comfortable seconds as I walk inside my home. “I should go,” he says. “I need to.”
He hangs up and I’m left with a racing heart. I start a slow spin in my chair again, back at square one and my whole world revolving around the emotional dependency I’ve developed for this man.
Two hours later, I’ve gotten two greeting cards done and with that, I’m ready for my first of three meetings scheduled for the week. I call it a day and go to meet Tracy. I didn’t think I’d make yoga, but decided I need to go.