A Darker Kind of Love

  I knew she was only teasing, but I decided dessert was totally out of the question. There was only so much humiliation I could take, so I refrained from eating anything else and sipped my wine and water carefully.

  Luckily for me, the conversation between us seemed to be going really well so I concentrated on that, keeping it pleasant and light and waiting for the moment we could both politely escape.

  “Oh no, I didn't notice the time. My last tube leaves in fifteen minutes,” Kim said, starting to gather her stuff together. My heart sank, but I forced a smile.

  “Time flies when you're having fun, hey?”

  “Are you getting the tube as well? We could walk down together?”

  “Um, yeah sure, that'd be nice.”

  I couldn't figure out if she was just being polite because there was no way she could still be interested in me…was there? We settled the bill fifty/fifty (nice and easy since we'd shared everything) and hurried outside, pulling our jackets on against the chill of the evening. It was only a brief walk to the tube, and the conversation there was mostly about the weather and how we hoped Spring was going to thaw out soon to bring some much needed warmth.

  Oyster cards in hand and about to go our separate ways, I was all prepared for a polite brush off.

  “So, I had a really nice night,” she said, turning to me.

  “Me too, y'know, choking aside.” I wondered if it was absolutely necessary to remind her of this, but then Kim smiled a gorgeous sexy smile that made my belly flutter.

  “I'm just glad you're okay, cos otherwise I wouldn't have got to see you for a second date.”

  “What?”

  “Well, I'm kind of hoping you don't behave like that all the time, but it's a risk I'm willing to take, strangely.”

  I stared at her, sure I'd misheard.

  “Uh, no, that's definitely not my normal behaviour. Apart from knocking over the glass – I talk a lot with my hands and...wait, you want to see me again?”

  Kim laughed and leaned forward, hesitating before she answered.

  “Definitely.” Then she gently pressed her lips to mine, bringing her hand up to caress my cheek as she did. I groaned slightly, unable to stop myself. It had been a long, long time since I'd been kissed, and it was soft and sweet and made my knees weak. All too soon though, she was pulling away.

  “I really have to go. We'll talk in the week to sort out another date.”

  “Mm, definitely,” I murmured, feeling completely doe-eyed. With one last quick brush of her lips against mine, she turned and ran for the train. I watched her go, wondering if it was too soon to know she was The One.

  To be continued… ‘The Rhythm In My Heart’ is due out in 2016.