“So, what’s happening here?” I asked pointing at the register. He looked down a little disoriented, as if wondering what I was talking about.
“Oh this….I’m taking their names to seat them in order. Do you know what will help back there? Give the waiting visitors menu cards and let them order here. By the time they are seated, we can have the food ready.”
I beamed. “That would help us move lines faster.” I quickly grabbed a few menu cards and passed them down the line. The happy chattering was infectious. For the first time, in a very long time, I felt happy.
CHAPTER THREE
LIAM
I watched her as she moved around handing the menu cards to the guests in line. Her smile was radiant and a boulder-sized weight lifted off my chest. I missed that smile of hers. Her full lips upturned, her eyes twinkled. When John was around, she burned bright all the time. The light dimmed since then. But today, at this moment, as I watched her talk to people, I saw the light return. She was happy. And to think I might have had something to do with it made me immensely joyful.
I took another couple’s name and added it to the register. When I informed them the wait time could be anywhere from forty-five to sixty minutes, they seemed as if they had all the time in the world. I, on the other hand, was desperate for some time with Aisha. I cursed at the timing of it all. My current temporary position at Princeton was great and a wonderful support for my research but a guest lecture invitation from Oxford University in the United Kingdom was a once in a lifetime opportunity for someone as young as me. Chances were I might actually be able to score a permanent job at Princeton and it was a big deal for my career. I had no plans to move cross-country to Stanford, the only other place that had shown an interest in my research. Not without Aisha.
Even though I had limited contact with her in the past three years, the mere knowledge she was near kept me going. There was no way I could have confessed my feelings for her shortly after John’s passing. It felt like betrayal. I ran as fast as I could before I could do something stupid. But when I saw her this time, so broken, I’d had enough. I needed to share my feelings. I could give her as much love as he had. It sucked that my best friend wasn’t around but she needed to move on. It was heart breaking to see the pure hatred for me in her eyes when I finally confessed and while she cried her heart out in my arms, there was nothing I could do. I wanted to wipe those tears away, and give her a hundred reasons to smile. As her shoulders shook in pain, it ripped my heart out. I didn’t have the right to touch her. It was unbelievable what her tears did to me.
When she called me to ask to meet, hope stirred within me. It was too much to hope that she wanted to give me a chance. I only wished she wasn’t meeting for a goodbye. If that had made her happy, I would have accepted it. What’s a lifetime after so many years of waiting anyway? It had been easier knowing she’d never be mine than continuing to hope. But when I saw her waiting for me at lunch, I was stunned. She looked beautiful and a whisper echoed from that place in my heart. Had she made an effort for me? I didn’t want to walk away. I needed to make her mine, even if I had to fight for her.
The secretive, yet curious looks she sent during dinner had me flipping crazy. What was she thinking? The very thought she might consider dating someone else broke my heart. I couldn’t wait on the sidelines and watch her swept away by yet another man. The only reason I bore it the first time was because it was John, my best friend. With any other man, I refused to accept it
My relief knew no bounds when she said she didn’t want to date anyone else. Since she didn’t explicitly rule me out, I decided to take it as a yes. Plus, could she really ignore what happened when we touched? The first time her hand touched mine, I swear my skin burned. The way her hand jerked slightly, I know she felt it, too. If there was anything I learned from life so far, women like Aisha don’t come around every day. It’s time I show her what she means to me.
It was close to midnight before we wrapped up. The last of the couples had left about thirty minutes ago. I helped overturn the tables, signaling the closing while Aisha and the crew were back in the kitchen. With my dress shirt and trousers, I wore the oddest attire to clean up a restaurant but I’d never felt more at home. This was Aisha’s pride and joy and I felt satisfaction taking care of her handiwork. I used the broom to clear off the occasional crumb when I heard her footsteps behind me.
“Don’t force me to hire you, Liam. You are doing too good of a job cleaning those floors,” she said, her voice full of laughter. She leaned against the counter, her hands folded across her chest. Even with five straight hours of nothing but madness, Aisha looked lovely. Erratic strands of hair fell on her cheeks and made her skin so much more irresistible.
“What do you think I do at Princeton? This is my specialty.” I couldn’t take my eyes off how soft her skin looked. She straightened as I got closer, her face slowly lost the goofy smile. I liked the goofy smile, but the blush that rose on her cheeks was lovelier. I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear gently, my fingers lingered on her cheek. I watched as the color of her skin deepened under my fingers. Her eyes met mine, the lovely brown darkened. I committed to memory every single line on her face. The way her eyes blinked, the desire coloring her face. Her lips slightly parted, breathing heavily.
My fingers caressed her cheek while I took the sight of her in. I bent down and gently touched her lips with mine. My skin burned. I heard her gasp. Hunger rose in me like wildfire. I kissed her open lips again and this time, she responded back, inviting me in. I framed her face in my hands and deepened our kiss, tasting her. Memory of every damn moment away from her crushed me and I kissed her deeper. I’d imagined the taste of her but reality was much sweeter. Her hands slid around my neck, drawing me closer. My hands moved to her waist. Her dress let me feel the softness underneath. Her hold tightened as my hands caressed her waist. We needed to be somewhere more private because I couldn’t trust myself at this point. My mind had started calculating the distance to her home when a loud buzz tore us apart. She stared at me shocked, her eyes big with alarm. I felt disoriented, unable to place where the familiar sound was coming from.
“Your phone, I think,” she said, pointing to my pants pocket. I stared at her, her lips swollen and red. Desire curled inside me again. I patted my pockets and found the offending object. I stopped the alarm on my phone, relieved the blaring had stopped. I looked at her standing there, her breathing still a little heavy.
“It’s my alarm for my flight. I would have started packing for my trip now if I was at my place.” I sighed in defeat.
“Packing at midnight?” she asked, her right hand on her lips, hiding them from my view.
“Yeah, it’s an early morning flight and I travel light. So, I pack right before I leave.” She nodded, looking as disappointed as I felt. “Come here.” I took her in my arms. Her body melded to fit mine. It was the warmest I’d felt in years, as if the hurt in my heart had thawed a little. She let out a sigh and I considered canceling my trip, except I needed a job. “Aisha?”
“Yes?” she said, her voice muffled.
“Can I take you out for a proper date once I’m back?” I asked. My heart beat so hard; I was sure she could hear it. We’d just shared a kiss which ruined the whole trip for me already. Coming back to her was all I could think about. She was so silent it was killing me. Finally, I felt her nod.
“If you promise to come back soon,” she said. My heart nearly stopped. I hugged her tight, unable to leave her. I kissed her hair and inhaled her sweet scent.
“I promise, baby. I promise.”
CHAPTER FOUR
Five days. Four hundred, thirty-two thousand seconds. That’s how long the Oxford University conference in London was. Every second felt like an eternity and every breath called her name. My preparation for the speech took a beating the moment her lips touched mine. The speech itself went quite well, thanks to the countless hours I had already spent on the research. The moment it was over, I wa
nted to jump onto the next flight back to New York but my job wasn’t done. I represented our team at the conference so there was no way I could leave before the last day. I skipped the DJ event at the end though and made a rush to the Heathrow Airport still in my suit.
It wasn’t as if we didn’t talk at all. We tried to touch base for the first couple of days but either she was very busy at the restaurant, or she was fast asleep. The time difference played havoc on connecting. We decided to just wait it out till I was back.
The eight-hour flight was a never-ending torture. At least, I was on my way home. We planned on dinner out the evening after I landed. With my early morning arrival, I desperately needed a shave and a hot shower to thaw the London frost off my body.
Our kiss occupied my mind. In fact, it was all I could think of during my time in London. Her soft lips, the hesitation and her sweet desire brought every part of my body to full attention. I had always wanted her, even when I shouldn’t but now, I needed her like the air I breathe. I tried my best to not raise any expectations for tonight. I wasn’t in a hurry. I wanted her to take time and settle into her new reality…of living again. She’s single and could date whoever she wanted without her tragic past hanging over her. This was a difficult step for her and I wanted to support her in any way possible, even if it meant waiting. As soon as I stepped into my house, my cell phone rang.
“Hey, you are up early,” I said to Aisha. It was only five forty-five in the morning.
“I was freezing. I had to turn up the heat. You missed the snow storm yesterday.” Her husky morning voice had me at full attention.
“I am glad, then. Traffic will be horrible to the city then,” I said realizing how bad the roads get after a snowfall. I heard her sigh and my heart raced. I wish I was next to her, snuggling under that blanket.
“Take the train. Don’t risk the roads. I don’t want you to be late.” Her last words were almost a whisper. “I mean our reservations are at six.” I smiled imagining the blush creeping up on her face. Husky voice, shy confessions. This woman undid me.
“We cannot be late then.” My hand brushed my neck. My need to see her immediately drove me crazy. We agreed to meet at her place at five and hung up. I sighed. I had twelve hours to pass without losing my mind.
***
I was at her place by four thirty. I paced a little in the apartment lobby then sat down and read a newspaper. I didn’t want to be too early, I wasn’t sure what she’d think of my desperation. I only wanted to see her. It’d been five long fucking days. At exactly four fifty-seven pm, I took the elevator to the fourth floor and rang the bell. I checked the time, it was five oh one. Right on time. She opened the door at the very first ring. I stood stunned, positive a heartbeat or two skipped at the vision before me. She stood in a red-lace gown which was both elegant and alluring. The deep V-neck, with lace covering the shoulders showed just the right amount of skin and enticed me to look more. She had her hair tied up, with sparkling studs on her delicate ears. She wore no necklace and I fisted my hands to stop from touching her bare, tempting neck.
“Wow.” I released my long-held breath. I was glad she wasn’t in my class. She’d have tongue-tied me in the middle of a lecture. “You are a vision,” I said sincerely. I thanked my lucky stars. She turned a pretty shade of pink at my compliment and my heart skipped another beat. Teasing a blush out of her threatened to become my obsession. Images of her in bed, tangled in sheets, hiding her blush occupied my mind. I shook my head and chided myself. I needed to get through the date without her running away.
“You don’t look too bad yourself. I love your red tie.” Her hand patted it. Yes, I wore a suit and a red tie for my date with Aisha. I wasn’t turning into a sentimental idiot. I just thought she deserved a proper date.
“I am glad you approve,” I said and added, “ready for a snowy ride?” She nodded, her lips pressed together in a happy smile. She turned around to pick up her keys and her clutch when I noticed it. The dress had an open back. Fuck me.
CHAPTER FIVE
AISHA
I hope I hadn’t overdone it. When I realized I had nothing date-worthy to wear, I ran to the closest Bloomingdales to pick up the fanciest gown I could find. It felt like a fabulous idea for my first actual date with Liam. However, I had second thoughts once I tried the dress again at home. I looked great. But was it too much? I spent hours getting my hair done as well. I wanted to look beautiful for him. I felt oddly happy impressing him. All he had seen of me in the past few years was a depressed, crying woman. I wanted to prove that wasn’t all I was. I could be happy if I chose to and I chose that now.
After the kiss that first night, something shifted in me. The gentle way his lips touched mine was magical. It gave me goosebumps even today, a full six days later. His kiss held hope, and a silent promise for more. I wanted to believe and I wanted him to keep his promise.
I refused to be sad he’d left for London right away. I looked forward to his return and our date. When I realized he was as eager as I was, my heart developed a life of its own. It beat faster seeing his name on my phone screen or how it stopped when I saw him at my door. His hair neatly combed, the five o’clock shadow and his green eyes filled with passion had my heart doing a little shameless dance. I tried shushing it, but my fight was lost the moment he spoke.
He liked my dress. I saw the appreciation in his eyes, the way the green got darker. I wished he would just kiss me. My lips burned to feel him on me. I chided the hussy in me and focused on locking the door while he waited patiently. I was officially on a date with Liam.
Four hours. That’s how long we were at the restaurant. Conversation flowed easily and Liam made me feel special. We talked about everything and nothing. From childhood memories to awkward dates, we covered it all. Whenever we touched upon John, our conversation would sober up but oddly enough, it didn’t bring heartache. The conversation bubble kept us secure. It felt right.
Now in a taxi, I cursed the thin fabric of my dress. My jacket didn’t do a good enough job stopping the biting cold that the snowfall had brought. It was always worse after a heavy snowstorm. I sat, crossing my hands and gave into an involuntary shiver. Liam broke into a smile. He looked at me shiver and scooted closer. He took me in his arms and rubbed to warm my skin. Even through my jacket, I felt his long fingers caressing me while my back rested on his chest. His body’s warmth did funny things to me. I had a strong urge to rest my head in his arms and snuggle. I blamed the cold. It made me think of inappropriate ways to warm myself. I focused on the back of the driver’s seat and traced the zebra print on the seat cover with my eyes.
“Feeling warmer?” he asked, his voice gruff. I nodded, not looking up. My eyes would betray my not-so-innocent thoughts. Thankfully, we’d arrived. He got out first and walked briskly to my side and opened the door. I crossed my hands tight around me and climbed out. His big grin at my discomfort earned him a light shove. He only laughed louder as I made my way before him, walking as fast as my three-inch heels would allow. Walking was tricky considering how the snow stuck to the ground, thanks to the cold that wasn’t letting up. One slippery, wet spot was all it took for my right foot to launch into the sky, pushing me backward. My hands flailing, I was ready to hit the cold, hard pavement when he caught me.
“Ouch,” he gasped as my hands hit his chest. Unharmed, I turned to look at what damage I’d done to him when my ankle twisted and I yelped in pain. I collapsed against him and put my whole weight onto him as the pain in my ankle ratcheted to new heights.
“God, my ankle! I twisted…I twisted my ankle,” I cried and hopped on one leg while still huddled in his arms. With all my hopping, I slipped again, then I was airborne. I yelped in surprise as Liam picked me up, his strong hands under my back and knees. The sizzling connection between us overtook the pain from my ankle. I put my arms around his neck.
He smiled easily and murmured, “My dainty princess.”
My face burned with the nickname but his smil
e had vanished, replaced by an intense gaze. He cleared his throat. “Let’s get you upstairs before you hurt something else.”
Thankfully, the building security wasn’t anywhere in sight to witness my humiliation. We got into the elevator where he held me like I weighed nothing but I was ever conscious of it. I couldn’t help but gaze at his neck and wondered what it would be like to kiss him there.
“You’re staring again.” The familiar smirk back on his face. I wanted to wipe that smirk off his face but his hot gaze on me had me squirming. Fortunately, the elevator let out a ding and opened to my floor.
“Keys?” he asked. His gaze traveled the full length of me as if I carried it on my body.
“In my clutch.” I shook it from behind his neck. He set me down gently while I pried the key out of my purse. He took the key from me and opened the door. As I tried to make my way inside, I found myself airborne again, his strong arms enclosed me in his embrace. He gave a hearty laugh at my surprise. I hugged him closer and hid my face in the crook of his neck. Liam gently set me down on the sofa and kneeled. He unbuttoned my coat, his hands made nimble work of it. My heart sped as I felt the light brush of his fingers on my body. And then he turned his attention to my feet. He lifted my hurt ankle gingerly. Even that slight movement made me wince.
“Sorry...sorry. I was just checking if we had to go to the doctor,” he spoke softly. He slipped my heels off. His fingers caressed my naked feet and I swear they blushed. The warmth spread through my leg and I curled my unhurt toe. He held my right foot, pressed it lightly and said, “I am going to move it slightly to see how bad it is, okay?” His eyes were lit with concern. I nodded, my face crunched in anticipated pain. The slight movement was awarded with yet another yelp from me. He stopped immediately and apologized. “Maybe we should go to the doctor. Best make sure nothing is broken in there,” he said pointing at my ankle. I shook my head vigorously.
Valentine Kisses: A Kiss to Last a Lifetime Page 27
