Especially those I placed on myself.
I needed the fresh air, and so Star and I walked home across the city, taking in the atmosphere of the place as the Friday night revellers sang in drunken unison about some football team or other that allegedly wore the opposing team’s mothers’ underwear. We laughed as they walked past us, and one of them grabbed Star and spun her round, waltzing her across the precinct as his friends cheered him on. Luckily, there was no malice in them.
Once they were out of sight, I pulled Star into a darkened doorway and kissed her passionately, but she stiffened in my arms. I asked if I had done something wrong and she began to explain.
‘My last boyfriend, Mick the prick, as Alec called him… he dumped me just before my birthday because we were apparently moving too fast and he needed some alone time.’
‘Ah. But the doorway?’
‘Yeah, I’m getting to that. I was walking home one night after work, and I spotted him and one of the girls from the bar where he worked. They were making out in a shop doorway. It was pretty X-rated stuff from what I could see. It just proved to me that I have to be more careful who I trust, I guess.’
I smacked my head. ‘Aww, no. And then I come along and drag you into a doorway. I’m sorry.’
She smiled, but it was fleeting. ‘No, don’t be. You didn’t know any of that. It’s fine.’
But her expression told me it wasn’t fine at all. We began to walk again and I cringed and regretted my attempt at romance.
As we walked in silence, I could feel her eyes on me, and when I turned my head, she was chewing her lip, a distinct mask of worry on her face.
I stopped and pulled her into my arms. ‘Hey, what’s wrong?’
‘I think I may have over-reacted about the doorway thing. I’m sorry.’
I smiled and shook my head. ‘God, you’re too sweet, you know that?’
Shyness replaced the anxiety on her face and she tilted her head to one side. ‘Am I?’
‘You are.’ I leaned in and ran my nose down the length of hers, finishing the gesture with a tender kiss to her lips. She closed her eyes and sighed as I told her, ‘Mmm, you taste sweet too.’
Her eyelids fluttered open and she gazed up at me. ‘I love that Fleetwood Mac song you sang earlier.’
‘It’s a classic. Don’t get me wrong I adore Stevie Nicks as much as everyone else but Peter Green had such soul to his voice.’
She almost whispered, ‘Just like you.’
I was taken back by the compliment and felt my cheeks warming in spite of the chill to the evening air. I narrowed my eyes. ‘Really?’
She giggled, a musical sound that did something to my insides. ‘Are you fishing for compliments, Mr Hunter?’
‘Maybe. I have an ego to inflate now you know,’ I joked.
She smiled up at me and my heart melted. ‘I’ll bear that in mind.’
I took her hand in mine again and we began to walk once more.
The rest of the journey back to my apartment was made in comfortable silence. We were both lost in thought, absorbing the weekend atmosphere of the city we called home with its buzzing restaurants and pounding basslines that made the pavements outside the clubs vibrate. Every so often, we shared knowing smiles and glances, and the anticipation of getting her alone almost made me break out into a run.
We reached my apartment block and she pulled me into the doorway and pulled me down so she could kiss me so passionately she stole my breath.So, doorways are back on the table, hmm?Once she pulled away again, I punched the security code into the exterior pad and she tugged me through the space created as the door automatically opened.
When I had unlocked my front door and we had walked in I turned to her. ‘So, you had a good time tonight? I was worried you’d be bored sitting there watching us jam.
She slowly shook her head. ‘I wasn’t bored in the slightest. Your voice… it does things to me.’
She had my attention with that comment and I was intrigued. ‘At the risk of sounding like I’m fishing again, what exactly does my voice do to you?’
She stepped closer. ‘I get shivers. The edge to your voice makes me want you.’
‘It does, eh? Tell me more.’
