Page 59 of When Love Is Lost and Found

She doesn't have to ask me twice. I lean down to kiss her, but before I can press my lips to hers, a screeching metallic sound emanates from the walls, instantly breaking the spell.

I curse under my breath and reach for Sharon, expecting the worst.

"What's that?!" she asks, leaning into me, letting me pull her close.

A sudden jerking motion propels the elevator upward and signals that our ascent to the seventh floor has resumed.

She awkwardly pulls away from me and stands beside me, waiting for the elevator to stop. She walks out when the doors open, and I follow close behind. Both of us are in complete silence.

At her door, she takes her room key out of her pocket before turning to face me. When she says nothing, I start wondering if I should apologize for the kiss that never happened.

"Are we okay?" I ask.

"I'm sorry," she says, her green gaze piercing my heart. "I don't know what happened back there."

"You asked me for a kiss."

"That was a mistake."

"Why? Why was it a mistake? If that elevator hadn't moved, I would've kissed you, and you would've let me."

"You're right," she concedes. "But it would've been a mistake." With that, she opens the door and walks inside, leaving me alone in the hallway.

Twenty minutes later, there's a knock on my door. When I open it, Sharon stands there with her hair draped over her shoulders. She's wearing a purple dress that makes her eyes look greener.

"Are you ready?" she asks.

"Yeah. Just let me grab my key."

When I return to the door, I look at her beautiful face, wanting everything to be okay between us.

"Are we okay?" I ask. "I don't want things to be awkward between us?"

"We're okay," she says. "I'm just embarrassed."

"Why, because you told me what you wanted?"

She blushes, and I feel a rush of guilt sweep over me.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

"Jon, I like you. You're kind, sweet, handsome," she smiles shyly. "You love your parents and your brother. You're a good friend to Loren and to me."

"I hear a but coming."

"But we can't be more than friends."

"Sharon, I think you already know how I feel. I'm falling for you, and all I want to do at this moment is pull you into my arms and kiss you, but I respect your decision."

"Friends?" she asks, extending her hand.

"Friends," I say, taking her hand in mine.

What I don't say as I shake her hand is that the next time she asks me for a kiss, come hell or high water, I will kiss her.

***

When we meet my family for dinner, we sit down and start swapping stories about our day. Theirs didn't have any hiccups, but ours was definitely better.

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