Short story, continued p. 2

How she longed to just open up and share her feelings, to tell him how she really felt about him. Yet she held back. Was it fear of rejection? Or was it admitting the truth to herself. She breathed a sigh and relaxed against his shoulder. At that moment, nothing else mattered but just being close to him. The world stopped for this moment, and she was happy and peaceful. Feeling his rhythmic breathing, stealing a glance at his profile she appreciated every fiber of his being a man, a man she desperately longed to care for, respect and cherish. To protect him from the harsh and cruel world and to shelter him when he seeks solace. He turned to look at her and she interrupted her stream of thought to pay attention to him. The sound of his voice, low and deep and somehow tranquilizing set her at ease. Her head tilted toward him, her hand on the back of his neck stroking his hair as he talked, this is how a man and a woman should be, she thought. Two people languishing in their time together. He could have this every day, every night if he would just come to her. She longed to take him in her arms and never let go. That whatever they faced, as long as they were together, they could get through. She thought back to all the things they had been through as friends already. The good times, the bad times, triumphs and tragedies. Thick or thin somehow they always found each other again. Her mind was made up, she would wait for him for however long it took. He was the only man she wanted in her life. He was worth waiting for. As the bottle was empty and the night was getting longer, it was time to say goodbye. She always hated for this time to come. When he would go back to his world and she hers. He stood up and she did the same. He took her in his arms in gratitude of a perfect night. She could smell his scent on his neck and she inhaled deeply as if to imprint his scent on her memory so she could remember him in his abscence. She enjoyed the embrace and embraced him back to communicate she was feeling the same way. She walked him to the door and they embraced once more. He promised to call soon and she gave him a short kiss on the neck as he turned to go. Her heart skipped a beat in anticipation of the next time she would see him.