She turned away from the window as the sadness gripped her, not wanting to shed the tears she felt coming. It wasn't that she was fearful of him seeing them... But he didn't want her to cry over him, as he'd told her the prior night.
She felt a sick, cold, cavernous feeling, an emptiness inside of her. How was she going to face the day, especially her job, without him there? During the short course of their friendship, which they had forged so quickly, she'd really grown to depend on him. He was one of the most important people in her life. He respected and understood her in a way that few others did. She could even talk with him about her relationship troubles. Who needed a close girlfriend when he was so very easy to talk to?
"Hey," he said as he caught the expression on her face. Her beautiful blue eyes looked to be filled with tragedy as she fixed them on him. He had never seen her appear quite so sad.
Her chin quivered slightly as she spoke.
"I know you don't want me to be sad, or cry..." She shook her head. "I can't help it!" she moaned. "What am I going to do without you?"
The man moved even closer as he placed his large hand on her beautiful face. He marveled at the softness of her skin as he tipped her chin up a bit so she could look directly into his eyes.
"I'll tell you what you're gonna do... You're gonna go on with your amazing career and thrive in it." He swallowed hard as he thought about the fact that she was to be getting married mere weeks from then, but he opted to not speak a word of her personal life. In a way, he was glad he was leaving... How could he ever sit idly by knowing this woman was going to marry someone else? Thinking about it ate away at him.
They merely stared at each other for a moment in silence, just standing there in front of his hotel room window. Then, she did something she'd been yearning to do for some time now...
... She kissed him.
Despite his shock at the move, he instantly responded, his arms encircling her taut feminine form. He pulled her more closely against him, loving the feel and intensity of passion in her kiss. He deepened it as he thrust his tongue more fully into her mouth.
She let out a cry that was muffled due to their kiss, her body positively on fire at his touch, his kiss. She had known all along when she'd visited him tonight that she wanted this, wanted him to make love to her at least one time before he left, most likely to be out of her life forever. Breathless, she pulled back to gaze up into his blue eyes, and she felt weak with desire as she spoke next.
"I want you... Just one night, tonight - before you leave."
He gazed at her, noting the pleading tone in her voice. Her eyes drank him in so tenderly, yet at the same time, he saw so much lust in them. Without a word, he crushed his lips on hers, kissing her even more passionately as his hands pulled at her clothing. She wanted him, and he wanted her just as fervently.
*
"Ma'am?"
Stephanie looked up, slightly startled at the sound of the voice, the hand gently tapping her shoulder.
"Wh-what?" she asked, still disoriented. Apparently, she'd dozed off.
The flight attendant offered her a kind smile.
"Sorry to disturb you," the woman said. "I just wanted to know if you wanted anything?"
The blonde glanced over at the wheeled beverage cart in the aisle. She had to get hold of herself and shake off the cobwebs.
"Water... Water would be nice," Stephanie replied. "Thank you."
Again, the flight attendant smiled, and she reached for a bottle of Fiji water. She handed it to the young woman before pushing the cart to the next row of first-class passengers.
Stephanie held onto the water bottle and sighed as she recalled the memory she'd seen in her dream. That night had seemed so long ago, far into her past. She supposed her dinner with Sean earlier that night had prompted the recollection.
She was on her way home now, on a flight to Connecticut. Now that she was awake, she couldn't help reflecting on her life.
Her career was very successful, exactly as he'd predicted on that fateful night. Sure, a few of the storylines she had written had proven to be bombs, but most had been, and continued to be, hugely successful. Her personal life, on the other hand, was a dud. Who was she kidding? She had no personal life, not since she'd broken up with Paul. She felt a lot better alone than she had with him, but regardless, she oftentimes felt... lonely.
About thirty minutes later, her flight had landed and she was on her way out of the airport. Her limo was waiting to take her home. Stephen, the driver, stepped out of the vehicle to help her with her bags, and she smiled and offered him a kindly greeting. Afterward, she got into the back and sighed, closing her eyes as she settled back. As she opened her eyes again, she caught a quick reflection of herself in the side window and wondered what she was doing. She ran a hand through her hair, the realization that she missed her natural brunette color suddenly dawning on her.
Sean... She couldn't rid her mind of the handsome tattooed man. She recalled his wit as they'd sat at dinner at that restaurant, the sound of his laughter. Most of all, she couldn't stop thinking of his eyes... It seemed they haunted her on nearly a nightly basis.
Stephanie knew she had to have a talk with the man, and soon. She knew how she felt, and he needed to know, too.