"So what time should I be there for your boss' retirement party?" Mel asked via text.
There had been a miscommunication. She had sworn he had said that he couldn't come, that he would be busy. "No, that was earlier this week. I'm free."
She scrambled and got her plus one back on the same day, and told him it was supposed to be pretty fancy.
He showed up on time, looking great in a suit as always. His new mountain man look sort of negated his nice suit, but at least he was there. He had, in fact, showed up for her for once.
"You look so beautiful tonight!" He said upon seeing her. She blushed, said that it wasn't really her at all. A friend had done her makeup and her hair, she couldn't take responsibility for any of it. "Hey, you look beautiful. Just you." She smiled at him and they headed inside.
As they sipped their beverages and caught up during cocktail hour, she mentioned to him again that she really liked seeing him in a suit. He smiled and said "I like getting dressed up and going places with you. I'm really glad you asked me. I've missed you."
She knew it was a bad idea at the time, but when speeches were happening, they held hands under the table. Both of them wished there was coffee, and suddenly after dinner coffee was served and they both basked in the glory of a caffeinated second wind to the night.
The band started up and she decided that was a good time to go to the ladies room. He followed suit and they met up and went to the bar where he ordered another cocktail, and she just grabbed her water to sip on as they listened to the band. Her boss was very excited to perform, but she was distracted by all the signals Mel seemed to be throwing her way.
He looked into her eyes and restated: "I've really missed you." His gaze darted from her lips back to her eyes, silently asking permission. She leaned in for a small chaste kiss.
"You wanna get out of here?"
"Yes"
Mel had recently moved into a new place, and gave her instructions on how to get there. She ended up following him most of the way, and was surprised in how close it was to her apartment, just down the hill.
His dogs jumped all over her in greeting, and she used his bathroom to change into a more casual outfit than the semi-formal dress she had on. He had recently been to the spot they went to last Autumn and picked up some apple wine which they tried to enjoy with the dogs climbing on top of them.
They listened to some of his vinyl records since his wifi hadn't been set up yet, and waiting for the dogs to calm down before they resumed their kissing and fooling around. Once it got a little too hot and heavy and he said he "I really want to take you back there to my bed" that she pulled away. She had work the next day and had to be going.
And she wasn't about to get disappointed by their lack of sexual chemistry again. They might be great make out partners, but they would never be any more between them than that.
