Page 33 of Hot in the City
"Do you want me to order you a taxi to the airport, sir? Or somewhere else if you prefer?" Carlos was obviously a friend of Yuki's too. Good to know.
Declan smiled, he couldn't help it. "Elwood, thanks. I have to see a friend before I fly out."
The joy on Carlos's face was clear as day. "Excellent, sir."
Yuki's apartment
Elwood, Melbourne
Yuki dashed around her apartment like a busy bee in springtime, tidying up already tidy tables and her spotless little kitchen. She was dressed in her pink underwear and a giant Hard Candy band shirt, with a picture of a shattered candy cane. Perfect for Christmas.
Her flatmate Claudia was already gone for Christmas break, having headed to the country to stay with her family. So, she had the place all to herself, luckily. Declan might be coming over, hopefully, if he'd read her letter. If he still liked her. If her wish came true. She wanted everything to be ready.
She danced along to the radio, into her bedroom. She straightened the silver quilt on her bed, fluffed the pillows and lit a few vanilla scented candles on the side tables. There.
Everything was pretty and ready. Her stomach rolled over. She wasn't ready!
She sprinted to her wardrobe and scanned her options. Little red dress? Super festive, but maybe too much with all the sequins? Blue spaghetti strap sundress? Cute-sexy. That was a winner. She was about to get changed when the apartment’s door buzzer went off.
She checked her reflection in the bedroom mirror. "Um, you'll have to do. You're super cute, Yuki. Any man would be lucky to have you." She breathed out slowly.
She didn't quite believe the affirmations that Melanie suggested she practice, but maybe they helped her confidence, a little.
She made her way to the front door, answering the intercom. "Who is it?"
"Declan." His voice was extra deep. Sexy. She bit her lip.
"Please, come upstairs." She danced on the spot while she waited, trying to get rid of her nerves. He knocked a few moments later, and she unlocked the door, flinging it wide open.
He was beautiful. A lock of hair flopped over his forehead, and his blue shirt matched the shade of his eyes. The force of him struck her again, like some kind of mystical lightning. He leaned on his suitcase, and she wished he was staying with her.
"Declan." Yuki grinned, her heart hammering as she stepped back to let him inside. "Thank you so much for coming over. My flatmate is a guerrilla knitter, be warned. She's gone away for a few days." She extended her arm to show him in and closed the door behind him.
He was close enough to smell the scent of his aftershave. She wanted to kiss his gorgeous face. Take him straight to the bedroom. But he brushed past her, without meeting her eyes. She didn't want it to go this way, all cold and formal.
Now Declan tipped his head to one side, and she felt his eyes on her, running up and down the length of her body. His face was serious though. "Should I ask what on earth a guerrilla knitter is?"
"Come through to the lounge room, you'll see."
Declan left his suitcase near the front door, glanced around the apartment and he soon figured out the guerrilla knitter thing. Lamps were wrapped in multi-coloured knitted cosies, knitted wall hangings decorated every spare inch of space, even a knitted plant holder sat on the coffee table, a wilting fern almost hidden inside it. A small silver Christmas tree sat on the kitchen counter, covered in knitted decorations. Guerrilla knitting, indeed.
Yuki ushered him over to a big blue sofa, and he followed her, watching as the fabric of the t-shirt she wore swayed when she walked. It barely covered her round little bottom. He swallowed, hard.
He sat on one end of the sofa, and he thought she'd stick to the other end. But she sat only a couple of inches away. Her bare thighs taunted him, daring him to touch.
He cleared his throat. "I got your letter." He held up his palm, so she could see the sparkles clinging to his skin. He was ridiculously nervous, and his hand shook.
She laughed, and pressed her hand to his, threaded their fingers together. He let out a long breath.
"Yuki, I—"
"Declan, I meant—"
He laughed, and she did too. The ice was broken.
"You go first," he said, watching her face go soft, a gentle expression of...love? Caring, at least.
She let her words come out in a great rush. "I meant to tell you how much I already care about you. But then, I thought I was going to lose my job, and I panicked. It was all too much, all at once. I really wanted to spend more time with you."
