Page 40 of A Moment Never Forgotten
“You came through loud and clear,” she responded. “Can you see into the crib?”
“Perfectly.” As he smiled, she wondered if he knew he had. It seemed so natural, but it wasn’t. It was just for her. “If you move the chair another foot to the right, I’d be able to see you too. I just catch glimpses of the arm as you rock.”
“How about I do that after we put her down for bed?” she suggested.
“I’ll be back with the sheets in less than a minute.” He gave her a broad smile. “Then the adults can move on to the wine.”
Kensi released an impressive burp just as Micah finished tucking in the sheet.
“Her daddy would be proud of that one,” he noted.
“She’s exhausted.” Berit laid her in the portable crib and covered her up with two blankets.
“I’ve turned the heat up.” He shrugged. “I like it on the cold side. I’ll often sleep with the window open, even in the winter.”
Berit completely understood. “I do the same. There’s something about that cold fresh air wafting across my face. I need it to fall asleep.”
For a long moment, they stood side-by-side, staring into the crib.
Micah finally took her hand in his and pulled her toward the door. “We can keep an eye on her. She’ll let us know when she needs us.” He held up the portable end of the monitor system.
She took the opportunity while walking downstairs to look around his home. Definitely masculine. Probably decorated by a professional. They turned right into a living room that ran from the front to the sliding doors leading into a fenced backyard. His dark brown leather furniture stood out against beige walls, but it was the turquoise drapes and accent pillows that surprised her the most.
At the far end, a room jutted off to the right into a surprisingly large dining room. A breakfast bar separated it from the kitchen. His decorator had continued the splash of color in the turquoise and dark blue bowl on the antique dining table and a spray of flowers on one end of the matching, early nineteen-hundreds buffet. A turquoise potholder and oven mitt, that looked brand-new and more like a declaration, hung on a hook near the stove.
Hand-in-hand, they walked to a wet bar with a wine fridge and open stacked bottles above it. He pulled one out and showed it to her.
“This Chilean Syrah is one of my favorites.” He set it on the counter. “For a South African Portage, this is surprisingly good, and then I have this Argentine Malbec. Which one would you like me to open first?”
Five minutes later, she swirled the Malbec in the large bowled wine glass. The aroma was heavenly and the legs that dripped down the sides were long and thin which meant it had a higher alcohol content. She would limit herself to one. At the first sip, she was in heaven as she curled up on one end of the couch, Micah on the other.
“Thank you so much for everything today. I wasn’t very good company in the car on the way down here. I’m sorry for that.” Her mind had been racing in a hundred directions. She was worried nearly sick about what she would find when she arrived at Mak’s home. Then there was everything at work to be shifted. She still didn’t know how long she’d stay in Virginia Beach.
He gave her a small grin. “I didn’t mind at all. What I absolutely hate is a woman who feels the need to fill the silence with benign chatter.”
“I know exactly what you mean.” She’d lived through that horror on a recent flight. “I was on my way back from…” She couldn’t tell him exactly where for operational security, or could she? When delving into his files, she noted that his security level was the same as hers. What the hell. “Turkmenistan on one of our private jets, and the little twit behind me just wouldn’t shut the fuck up. I was exhausted and all I wanted to do was sleep. She had one of those squeaky voices and talked constantly about her damn menagerie. Cats, dogs, she’d even rescued a Vietnamese pig.” She shuddered. “A pig as a house pet. That’s a hard pass for me.”
“Same. I’m also not a fan of cats, but maybe when I retire I’ll get a dog.” Micah sipped his wine. “Do you travel often?”
“We’re looking at establishing a new office in that area. It might be the spook in me, but I needed to see the possible places for myself. So, I guess the answer to your question is; I travel when I feel it’s necessary.” And it was definitely necessary for her to go to Ashgabat. The capital is less than twenty miles to the Iranian border. “Have you ever been there?”
“Turkmenistan? Or Ashgabat?” He continued without letting her answer. “Yes, to the country. The capital, never.”
For the next hour, they talked of countries and cities around the world. It was so nice to have a conversation where she didn’t have to watch every word she said or examine every one of his sentences for nuances. In that time, in that place, they were simply a man and a woman, having a friendly conversation.
Berit wasn’t sure if she’d ever been able to do that before.
She yawned and was instantly embarrassed. “I’m sorry, Micah, but it’s been a stressful day. I’m quite sure I’ll be up in the night changing and feeding Kenzi, so I think I’m going to call it a night.” She stood, took their glasses to the kitchen, and rinsed them out. They looked too fragile to go into the dishwasher.
“What are your plans for tomorrow?” She asked as they walked through the living room turning out lights.
“I need to go to the office for a few hours, but I should be able to get away midafternoon.” He touched the small of her back as they headed up the stairs. The heat of his hand seemed to penetrate all the way through her body. She wondered what it would be like to have his hands all over her, caressing her breasts, stroking her clit. Would he allow her to ride him, or would he insist on being on top?
Her nipples hardened. Heat rushed to the juncture of her thighs, increasing with every step. Would he kiss her goodnight? Or should she make the first move?
On the landing, where his room was to the right and hers to the left, neither moved.
“Well, I guess I’ll see you in the morning.” Her words and movements were awkward. She was normally so sure of herself, but everything with Micah was different.
