Page 13 of Heart of The Night

A grin bloomed on my face. Reaching for the belt loops of his jeans, I hooked my fingers into them and tugged him closer again.

‘Then we’ve got a problem,’ I said, ‘because I am desperate to feel your mouth on me.’ I stared at his tempting lips, observing the soft, full contours that whispered of undisclosed desires. I wanted them to devour the entirety of me. They looked sculpted for sin, yet imbued with a delicate hint of angelic grace.

Chuckling, he cupped my cheeks in his big, warm hands, the hard calluses gently scraping my skin. ‘How would you like to spend the night at mine, then? I’d hate to get arrested for public indecency.’

‘Dogging not your style?’ I joked, and his astonishment was obvious from his laughter.

‘Exhibitionist, Cara?’

I gripped his T-shirt, pulling him even closer. ‘It’s hard to remember my surroundings whenever I’m with you.’

He exhaled loudly and planted a hard kiss on my mouth. ‘Fuck,’ he mumbled against my lips.

I leaned away, full of glee. ‘It’s a ten-minute walk to your place.’

He took my hand. ‘Let’s go.’

3 | everything falls into place

The instant William opened the front door of the building, memories of our first encounter burst into my mind. Just like then, the marble covering the floor and walls summoned a feeling of stepping into a past era, when aristocracy had been at its prime. An age-old aroma clung to the walls, and as I drew in the scent, my recollections became even more lucid and vibrant. Save for a handful of floral arrangements adorning an otherwise vacant desk, the grand lobby appeared exactly as I remembered.

‘What’s the desk for?’ I asked, trailing behind William toward the lift. My gaze roved over the surroundings, hungrily absorbing the details as I chased the memories they evoked. My pulse quickened, but the throbbing wasn’t confined to my chest this time. Instead, an anticipatory quiver originated deep within, pulsating between my thighs. I could feel my arousal mounting, the tell-tale dampness seeping into my underwear – an exact reflection of our first and only night spent in his bed.

‘The porter,’ William said as he pressed the lift button. The doors slid apart, revealing the same mirrored cage I had found myself in some months prior. As I glimpsed my reflection, I noticed my face was flushed.

‘Porter?’ An incredulous laugh escaped me. ‘Your building has got a porter?’

‘Four,’ he clarified, inputting a code to direct us to his penthouse. ‘They work in shifts. Garrick’s my favourite. He works full time, primarily during the weekdays from seven till three.’

‘I didn’t see a porter last time I was here.’

‘They work till nine. If my memory serves me right, we arrived past that.’

The doors drew shut. Watching them, I folded my arms in a futile attempt to hide my racing heartbeat. Returning here felt oddly intimidating. The last time I had found myself in this lift, I had been unsure if I would ever be back.

Stealing a glance at William, I noticed he seemed less at ease than he had been the night we met. His posture, which had been relaxed then, was now marked by a subtle tension in his shoulders, and he seemed lost in thought, staring at the floor.

‘Are you all right, Will?’ I asked, intrigued by his demeanour.

His gaze flitted to mine. ‘I’m fine, why?’

‘You just… You seem a bit nervous.’

He swivelled toward me, a lopsided smile pulling at the corners of his lips. ‘Nervous isn’t the word I’d use.’

‘Then …?’

He shrugged. ‘More like stunned.’

‘Stunned?’

‘Yes. I’ve stood in this lift countless times, yet ever since you stepped foot in it, I’ve felt your absence keenly – every morning and every evening. And now you’re here again.’ He shook his head, as if struggling to get his mind around the fact.

I took a sharp breath, genuinely surprised. ‘Really?’

‘Yes.’

I smiled, my heart swelling with emotion. ‘You always know what to say, don’t you?’

---