Page 185 of One More Kiss

Just as I opened my mouth to continue prying into Ryan’s world, the car jumped, not a lot, but it was certainly noticeable since we’d been sitting still for hours. Ryan grabbed my hand and looked up as if the ceiling had the answers or had come to life. I didn’t pull away and wondered if he’d heard something above or if he thought someone would come through the hatch.

Neither happened.

We sat in silence, hand in hand, and waited. A few minutes later, the elevator came to life. The lights were as blinding as they’d been when we first had gotten into the car, and the music began to softly hum in the background. It was still cold, but something was happening. The two of us stood, and I slipped my heels back onto my feet. I did not, however, let go of Ryan’s hand. We huddled together in the corner, and then the car started to move.

My time with him was almost up. I’d have to get off and that would be the end of our chance encounter. I couldn’t wrap my mind around never seeing him again, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask for anything more, either.

He squeezed my hand as we climbed the floors. Suddenly, it seemed as if the elevator were racing to its final destination, and all I wanted was for it to slow down or quit working all together. Inevitably, the car stopped, and I knew we were on my floor.

As the doors opened, it dawned on me that Ryan hadn’t gotten off on any of the levels below. The penthouse required card access, and since my apartment was the only one on the fifty-fourth floor, I knew that wasn’t where he was headed.

Still holding his hand, I glanced at the panel of numbers and realized he’d been heading to the rooftop. I kept my fingers in his as I took a step outside the elevator and grinned at him. “Were you going to the roof?”

His gaze dropped to his feet, and for the first time, he seemed insecure, unsure. “It’s got the best view in the city.” He wasn’t wrong, but the view from my patio was pretty spectacular, too.

I took a deep breath and prepared to do something so out of character for me that if I didn’t get out the words soon, it would never happen. The leap of faith nearly had me choking. All Ryan could say was no, then I’d let go of his hand, allow the doors to close, and step back into my world—alone. That was the worst that could happen, but the world of possibilities it could open if he said yes far outweighed the seconds of rejection I might otherwise face.

“I have a balcony with a view that rivals the roof….” Another deep breath as his thumb brushed across the top of my hand. “Would you like to come in for a drink?” I bit my lip so hard I thought I’d taste blood and started counting down from three in anticipation of his rejection, steeling myself for the sting.

He answered before I got to two. “I’d like that.”

A smile erupted on my lips, and I pulled his hand back into mine fully as I tugged him out of the car and onto my doorstep. I had never done this. I didn’t bring men home. My apartment was my safe space, but I was about to take a perfect stranger into my world for no other reason than it felt destined to be right.

This might be a friendship to last the ages, or it might turn out to be the love of a lifetime. Whatever it was, I was proud of myself for giving it the chance to be explored rather than wasting the opportunity life had presented me.

Sometimes, you just have to seize the day—or even just the moment—and take a chance.

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