CHAPTER FOUR: THE DECISION

As we arrived at her apartment, we gazed at each other, unwilling to separate. The chemistry between us was stronger than either of us could suppress any longer.

“Would you like to come in… just for a while?” she asked, seeing the surprised look on my face. The look she saw wasn’t resistance if that’s what she was thinking. On the contrary, I was delighted.

“Yes,” I said eagerly, a smile slicing my lips. She flashed her beautiful smile that shone in her eyes too.

She had a decent apartment, I noted, looking around. It seemed a bit expensive too. I bet her rich father covered the bills; she often talked about him fondly. “You have a beautiful apartment and quiet too.”

“Thanks,” she smiled. “I live here alone; it’s usually me and the silence,” she said.

It struck me that in the entirety of the time we spent together, we never met outside the office. On weekends, we communicated through emails or text messages, but I couldn’t bring myself to take her out on a casual date. I admit I had been a bit too uptight. How much time I had wasted when we could have spent it together, but my darn principles. Separating business from pleasure had worked well for me in the past, but I should have recognized early on that this time was different. She was different.

“I’ll make us dinner. I’ll take a quick shower and change into something lighter; I’ll be right back,” she said, dashing off.

She came back a few minutes later.

“That was quite fast,” I said.

“I told you I’d be quick. I’ll whip up something for us to eat,” she replied, about to dash into the kitchen, but I clutched her arms, wrapping my arms around her as her back rested on my body.

“I ordered dinner for us already; it’d be here any moment from now.”

“What? I didn’t take too long.”

“No, you didn’t. But you just got back from work. I won’t have my girlfriend stressed like that,” I said, taking her hands to my lips and kissing them.

“Oh wow… girlfriend,” she repeated. “Did I miss something? I don’t remember you asking me to be your girlfriend.” She turned to face me with her arms around me.

“You love me… I love you. Making you mine is the smartest move,” I said, leaning in as my lips invaded hers.

“Ask me,” she whispered under her breath. “Ask me to be your girlfriend.”

“Lily Stack, would you be my girlfriend?” I asked with all the pleasure in my eyes.

“Yes,” she said, giggling. My lips invaded hers again.

The doorbell rang. The food had arrived. I grabbed the packs from the delivery man, and we settled to eat on the couch.

“I could get used to this,” I said, watching her eat the pasta and her teeth cut a piece of turkey.

“Get used to what?” she asked, cleaning the edges of her mouth with a serviette.

“Never eating a meal alone again, having you around me. I’d love to wake up next to you every morning,” I said.

“I’d love that too,” she said, her lips parting in a smile.

Dinner was over. I glanced at my watch; it was a few minutes to midnight. I had lost track of time, though I remember we arrived at her apartment around 8 p.m.

It was time to say goodnight and let her get her beauty sleep. “I’d like to stay the night,” I said. Damn, why did that come out of my mouth?

“Oh… I don’t think that’s a good idea considering…”

“Considering what?” I always enjoyed her finishing her sentences even when I knew what she meant. That way, I leave nothing to assumption.

“I don’t trust myself with you, and I don’t think you can either,” she said.

My eyes scanned her, wondering what lay underneath the big t-shirt and cotton pants she wore. I wanted to find out. I wanted to spend the night with her. “I understand,” I said instead. But that didn’t stop me. I grabbed her, locking my lips with hers, diving deeper and deeper. I lifted her to my body, continuing our passionate exchange of sweet kisses. I carried her to the couch and gently laid her down. I was set to drive into her and end my night with delightful pleasure.

“Stop,” her soft voice rang. No, not now, I thought. But I was a gentleman; all my movements came to a halt at her command. I gazed into her eyes, wondering why she’d leave my pending desire hanging in the air.

“I haven’t… had sex before,” she started, a shy expression on her face. “I can’t have sex until I’m married,” she said.

That was a downer. I had already imagined myself inside her. How could I take it back now? My life had always been about envisioning my dreams and not backing down until I made them a reality. Right now, making love to her was the dream I needed to make a reality.

“Then let’s get married,” I said, watching her jaw drop and her eyes widen in shock.