Gemini

noticed the bulge in his pants illustrating that point.

I wanted him to stay so badly. I couldn’t stand to be alone tonight. I especially couldn’t stand to be away from him.

“Ok,” I said, pulling away as he stood up, knowing it was the right thing for tonight.

“Promise me you’ll lock your door and you have my number if you need me,” he said.

“I do.” I smiled.

We walked to the door and stood facing each other, as he put his hand on my cheek.

“Listen, I have to fly to L.A. tomorrow night to meet with a consulting client this week. I won’t be back until late Thursday. Can I take you out Friday night?”

“I’d love that,” I said.

“Great.” Cedric said as his eyes shined.

“Good night, Cedric.”

“Good night, Allison.”

Cedric gave me a peck on the mouth and he hugged me squeezing me tightly for a few seconds.

Then, without another word, he turned around and walked swiftly down the stairs.

I heard the front door shut behind him.

I closed the door to my apartment and leaned against it, my eyes closed and my heart still beating from the elation I was feeling. Elation then turned to emptiness. God, how I wished I just asked him to stay. I can’t bear being alone tonight and wanted to feel his warm body against mine just one more time. I must have stayed leaning against the door like this for a few minutes until I heard footsteps coming back up the stairs.

CHAPTER 18

CEDRIC

As the cold night air hit me, I was over the moon. Snowflakes were starting to fly and it was well past midnight.

God help me, I was crazy for her.

I managed to put all of my anxiety about my past away for a while. I couldn’t think about anything beyond tonight and how she made me feel in the moment. And she returned my feelings.

All this time she had thought I had a girlfriend, which is why she shied away and I finally had an explanation for her earlier distant behavior.

I scurried to my car across the street and got in. I immediately noticed that I had left the wrapped gift from my mother—my supposed reason for coming here in the first place—on the passenger seat.

Shit.

Should I go back in? I wasn’t sure I trusted myself seeing her for another second again tonight. But Mom would be pissed if I had forgotten to give it to her and how would I explain that?

It took all of my willpower to leave her there in the first place. The chemistry between us was unstoppable and would have led to things she probably wasn’t ready for. I didn’t want to fuck this up, especially because of her working relationship with Callie. I had decided I was going to drop it off in front of her door and text her that it was there after I left.

I grabbed the gift and made my way back up the stairs, but before I could place the gift on the ground in front of her apartment, Allison opened the door, startling me.

“Hey…I heard footsteps. Back so soon?” she said softly, blinking her beautiful long eyelashes.

“Forgot to give you this.” I smiled, handing her the present. “Mom would have killed me.”

“Thanks.” She grinned taking the small wrapped box from me, but not taking her eyes off mine.

I stood with my left hand in my pocket and since my right hand was still covered in gauze, I placed it firmly behind my back. My hands needed to be in a good safe place …away from her where they would inevitably cause me trouble.