They stared at each other for another second, Leila was ready for his kiss as his lips inched closer. His lips caressed hers when his phone rang. They froze. Leila waited for the ringing to end, only for it to start all over again. Kelvin's phone stopped ringing and hers started almost immediately. They groaned in unison.
His face mirrored the disappointment on hers. And a feeling of loss crept into her chest when Kelvin walked to the vanity to pick his phone. Her eyes lowered to his briefs, her cheeks heated as she took in the contour of his manhood. She couldn't tell his size from looking alone. But the thought made her hot. She pressed her legs together. Seconds after he picked his call, she scurried to the bathroom.
Her chest rose and fell. She stared at the person in the mirror. It looked like her but it wasn't her. She hadn't been this frazzled or affected by a guy since that night. A flicker of disgust burst through her. Leila shook her head to rid those nauseating memories.
She wouldn't think of it. The past was in the past.
The knock on the door pulled her out of that dark place, she flushed the toilet and stepped into the room. Kelvin was in his suit. Her heart sank at that. She was enjoying his presence. Their silly poker game.
"I'm so sorry, Leila," Kelvin offered as soon as he noticed her fallen expression. She tried to smile but her body didn't want to cooperate with her brain. "It's a work emergency. I have to be there immediately."
Leila understood it was beyond his control but it still annoyed her. Why wasn't her husband working a simpler job? In that moment, she experienced the loneliness Freya used to complain about when Darren first started his night shifts. This was one of the disadvantages of being the boss and she was aware many more of these impromptu calls would come up.
"Will you be okay on your own for a while?"
On another occasion, she might have laughed at his concern. She had been on her own for a long time now. Freya helped but things changed after she got married.
"How long?" she asked instead. She wanted her husband to be at home with her. Work would resume on Monday, they had five more days. His confused face was adorable. "How long will you be gone from me, Kev?"
That second of hesitation told her what she needed to know but she refused to believe until he spoke the words. It was an emergency, he wouldn't stay so long.
"I don't know. A week or two or even more."
Her heart broke. "Okay." She hurried to the wardrobe and returned with the bracelet he refused at the hotel. She wanted him to go with something of hers. Something to remind him of the kiss that almost happened. "I know you don't like jewellery but take this one with you. It's the first jewellery I bought with my pay." And her most expensive. Kelvin stretched his hand and she fixed it on his wrist. His eyes were smiling but his lips weren't. "Have a safe trip."
Kelvin drew her into his embrace before she could leave, she hugged him as tight as he held her. They comforted each other with their presence until Kelvin's phone vibrated in his pocket. Stupid phone.
"I'll let you know when I arrive," he told her.
His knuckles caressed her cheeks and a soft moan slipped from her lips. Then, his finger curled under her jaw and his lips brushed hers in what she would never term a kiss.
"That's a teaser," he explained. "I owe you a real kiss on my return."
Leila palmed his face and placed a kiss on his forehead. "Okay. I might be spending the night at Freya's. A night or two." As long as Darren wouldn't be home. She frowned. "I hope that's okay with you?"
"Sure. Have fun."
Kelvin hugged her again before he left. Minutes after his car was gone, Leila was still staring at the window. It was wishful thinking that he would turn around and ask her to join him on his trip. But Leila waited and waited until her legs hurt from standing for too long.
Without her husband, the house felt too big and empty. After a brief phone call to Freya, she arranged a bag with her things and left for her best friend's place.
Blu greeted her on her entrance, Leila picked the cat up and purred in response to its meows. Something crawled on her feet, Leila yelped and her best friend's laughter teased her from somewhere within the house. It was the new puppy, Red. She set Blu down and patted the puppy's hair. Red turned on its back, tongue hanging out of its lips as Leila rubbed its stomach. The puppy wasn't bad at all.
"Welcome," Freya said on her entrance. She hugged Leila and returned to the parlour with a big bowl of popcorn in her hand. "What are we watching?"
Netflixx homepage was on the screen of the big TV. Leila plopped down beside Freya, but she had no interest in anything that was showing. If it had nothing to do with Kelvin, then she didn't care for it.
Freya's munching grated on Leila's nerves, she punched her best friend lightly on the arm. "What?"
"Nothing," Leila replied.
Okay, this was not working. She expected her mood to be instantly lifted as soon as she walked through the doors of Freya's apartment. But she missed him badly.
Red hopped on her lap and she cuddled the white, hairy puppy. His name was an irony. Leila studied the pictures lining one wall of Freya's living room like it was her first time here. The largest portrait was from the wedding. She was in a cream coloured gown while the bride, Freya was in an ankle-length white gown. There was a picture of only her and Freya grinning widely.
"Should we go out?" Freya asked.