THE AROMA OF LOVE (Claire's POV)

It was my first time going to his house, he lived in a typical New York-style apartment, it was the third building on the street with a similar building, it was also a building with six storeys, no elevator and he stayed on the sixth floor. 

I was nervous, this would be the first time I visited a man's house and not just any man, my boyfriend. And considering how we left off last night, I wasn't sure if I was ready to pick it up from where we stopped, knowing it was going to lead to more.

I was also nervous to meet his roommate and best friend, Gabriel. He always talks about Gabriel and how thoughtful and daring Gabriel is, and as a lady, there is this unquenchable thirst to want the best friend of the man you like to also like you.

I didn't know what to wear, I struggled in the mirror to mentally practice what to say to Gabriel. 

As I walked up the stairs because I didn't call Justin once I was in the building as instructed, I thought of all the possible things that could go wrong today, he would know how inexperienced I was, I was all talk and no action. Gabriel would see me as basic and advise Justin to go for the more classy and fabulous girls that were always throwing themselves at him. 

I rang the bell to the apartment on the left on the sixth floor as my heart raced faster than it should and when the door opened, it wasn't Justin, standing before me was a shirtless man with joggers pants and his feet were bare. His shoulders were broad and his eyes were hazel green, one of the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen, his hair was tinted black with a few curls on the top. His lips were moist; why was I looking at his lips? He was smiling at me, his smile melting every fiber of fear I had in me as I smiled back at him.

"Claire," he called out and I felt my knees go weak at the mention of my name on his lips. 

"Claire," I heard my name again but this time it was coming from a familiar voice. The voice became closer and then Justin appeared at the door, with a huge smile on his face. Before I could say anything, he enveloped me in a warm embrace, my eyes went up to the six feet tall man behind us who was still smiling at me, his eyes were on me, and they didn't leave me, even for a moment.

When Justin released me from his tight embrace and I stepped into the apartment, I turned my glare more at Gabriel, he was such a fine figure to look upon.

"Gabriel, this is my girlfriend Claire," Justin said with an invincible shoulder pad to his statement.

" Hello, girlfriend Claire. It's nice to meet you," he said with a bit of known sarcasm in his voice.

I smiled, I don't know if I was trying so hard for him to like me, but I felt my smile came out a bit too much.

"Nice to meet you best friend, Gabriel," I almost slapped my palms on my forehead as soon as the word came out, I was trying too hard and I felt they could already smell the Riggs of desperation.

"I am glad to finally meet you, Justin wouldn't shut up about you, Claire this, Claire that, at some point, I started getting pissed off about you, without even knowing you." 

This time we all laughed so hard, I didn't know I consumed Justin's thoughts in such a manner.

"Come on men, not in her front," Justin protested.

That was when I had the chance to properly scrutinize the apartment, it had a lot of artists painting in them which I believe was from Gabriel's taste because Justin wasn't an art enthusiast, I had always wanted to go to an art gallery and could only convince him once to go.

There were little plants on the side and a bedroom on the upper side of the apartment, where there was a small spiral staircase leading up to the bedroom, I didn't have a full view but it seemed pretty decent. There was also a sofa bed down in the living room space. A television and a lot of technological gadgets on the side. Being tech-savvy, I didn't expect less.

Gabriel climbed the stairs and disappeared for a moment.

"Make yourself at home, what can I offer you?" He asked and all of a sudden the shy side that I thought I had overcome finally surfaced again. Gabriel appeared again this time with a boot and matching joggers shirt on.

"I will be heading out, nice to finally meet you, Claire," he said as he headed towards the door.

"Likewise," I simply said before the door fell shut and we were alone in the apartment. It is said whenever a girl comes over and the guy's friend begins to leave they already know what is about to happen. I swallowed in a lump of air that was hanging in my lung.

"You seem nervous Claire," he said so calmly and I couldn't even bring myself to respond, not wanting to blurt out anything stupid. 

"Okay, you know what, let's just watch a movie and eat some popcorn like we usually do,"

I nodded my head, I felt so stupid to be tense at such a moment. And Justin noticed it.

When he proposed a movie and I said, "anything you want is fine with me," I didn't know he would be picking fifty shades of grey. He did that shit intentionally to stimulate me, we were only halfway through the movie when he paused it and turned to face me, his eyes burning in desire as much as mine were for him, we were both seated side by side on the sofa bed and without hesitating, he moved forward to kiss me, this time his lips tasted like the apple juice he kept sipping throughout the movie, I wondered if mine tasted like pineapple. But I welcomed the kiss gracefully as my tongue explored his in the same likes and manner as they did to mine, his hands cupped around my face and soon he released me from the kiss, and his tongue trailed down my neck.

I gave him the most seductive look I could muster with how I felt, and he asked me to come closer to him.

I drew closer to him, moving my lips to his slowly. His face was so close to mine that I could smell the sweet, sensuous fragrance of the wine he had been drinking, and then his tongue was in my mouth, he had swiftly pulled me to him and we locked lips.

 In all honesty, I hadn't invited this prodigy of a tongue; turning, I had merely wished to look at his face, wishing to tease a little, hoping that the expression of aesthetic delight I might find there would correspond to what I knew was my own. 

Our bodies pressed together hotly, our lips pressed together, and we breathed heavily. He fondled my breasts while expertly exploring my mouth with his tongue, and then he moved his tongue from my lips to my neck, kissing and tasting every part of me, and he nibbled on my left ear a little, sending a tingling sensation down my body. 

I could feel my body wanting more, I pressed my body closer to his, and his hand went down my waist, I quivered because the thought of him in between my legs was one I was yet to explore.

But instead, he lifted my blouse above my head and I was left topless, with a bra and my jeans.

I wasn't sure if I was supposed to remove his shirt. Then he kissed me again and I could feel his hands on my bra and with one click he unscripted them.

He pulled out from the kiss to remove them but I held unto them.

"What is it, Claire?" He asked.

Was he really asking me? "Don't you want this, tell me and I will stop, "

"No I want it, I am just a little shy," I confessed honestly. 

"Shy of me, don't you ever be," he held my hands.

"Do you trust me?" He asked and I nodded my head and he gently pulled down my bra, setting free my round breast.

"Wow," he exclaimed and without saying anything his mouth found my breast and began to suck on them and I let out soft moans, I wasn't sure I was capable of. His hands went and gently unbuttoned his shirt and lifted them off and soon body to body we were both half naked.

"I am not going to have sex with you now," let's take it one step at a time.

And we did take it one step at a time, I got more comfortable with romance with him and we were yet to have sex. I frequented the house more often and became friends with Gabriel and one day months later he popped the question.

I was just nineteen then 

"Claire June, will you marry me,"

That was the moment I got all teary, I get to spend the rest of my life with the man I love.

"Yes I will marry you," I replied joyfully

The rest of my life would be amazing and nothing short of blissful. Or so I thought, not until I got visited by the ghost of the past on my wedding day.