by Betsy Talbot
him. Simon’s voice was barely audible.
“Coming out of the cold, and standing in the pitch black, I can still feel your fire, Lily.” She felt his warm breath on her lips. “I have the soul of a musician, lots of dark, shadowy places. Your light pulls me in.”
Simon’s lips brushed hers, inviting her to meet him halfway. Lily responded, pressing forward, her mouth searching for his. They kissed tentatively at first, and then with a growing urgency. All sensation was gone except for the touch of their bodies, standing in the middle of the silent hallway in the dark.
Simon untied the belt of her coat while they kissed and reached inside, tracing the outlines of her body in the tight silk dress. He explored the curve of her spine all the way down to her ass, then his long fingers splayed out on her hips, gently pushing her backward toward the wall.
Lily fumbled for the zipper on his jacket, overwhelmed by the need to feel his body against her. She tugged the zipper but it was stuck. Simon took a step back and unzipped it himself, allowing a swoosh of cold air to come between them. Lily’s body felt the loss of contact, goosebumps erupting all over. The silk of her dress caressed her physical reaction, a yin/yang combination of soft and hard that caused her moan.
Simon dropped his coat to the floor and stepped forward, covering her body with his.
“I want to take you against this wall,” Simon whispered. “Please tell me you want the same thing.”
Lily nodded her head, forgetting for a moment that he couldn’t see her. She opened her mouth to say the word but caught herself. What kind of person had sex with a stranger on a roof on New Year’s Eve? Lily was not a one-night-stand kinda woman, and this was even less than that, though they were technically standing.
A short laugh escaped her lips, and Lily immediately clamped her hand over her mouth. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry!”
Simon put a hand on the wall above her head and pushed back from her.
“You could have just said no, thank you.” Simon’s voice was neutral, waiting to see how this would play out.
“It’s not you, Simon. I just don’t normally do this kind of thing, even though every part of me wanted to. I started thinking about one-night stands and then how we were standing here, and then it just got weird inside my head and I laughed.” She quickly added, “but not at you, at me! God, this situation is so screwy. I am messing everything up!”
Simon leaned forward, speaking quietly in her ear. “This is what yin and yang are like, Lily. It’s not a comfortable fit like an old shoe. It’s an electric charge, a challenge to your senses. I’m glad you feel it, too.” He moved around to her lips and kissed her deeply, a farewell on the boat dock kind of kiss. When he pulled away, he reached over to the right and searched for the elevator button on the wall, then turned around and picked up his jacket.
“We should get back. But I have to say this is the most enjoyable cigarette break I’ve ever had.” Simon ushered her into the elevator.
“You’ll have something to think about when you come up here for your next break of the night, at least.” Lily winked, cinching her coat and straightening her hair.
“Oh, that was my only cigarette of the year. I gave up smoking ten years ago, but I allow myself one on New Year’s Eve every year.” Simon raised his eyebrow. “Maybe we can meet here again next year? Give us a year to figure out our chemistry and we’ll finally go all the way.”
“That sounds like the perfect relationship, one even I can’t screw up.” Lily smiled and put her hands flat against his chest. “Thanks for tonight, Simon. I don’t know what I was looking for when I came up here, but I think I found it.” Lily squeezed his hand as the elevator dinged and the door opened.
