“I can’t believe you thought I would go to sleep.” There was a bottle of red on the coffee table and a glass that she filled and handed to me. “By the way you look right now, I’d almost think you got it on and whacked your head on the ceiling of his car. But I know better …” She clicked her glass to mine. “Start talking, missy.”

Twenty-Two

When I stepped into the lobby of Caleb’s building, his doorman took a copy of my ID and escorted me to the elevator, where there was only one button to press and that was PH. The doorman hit it for me, and I rose so many stories that my ears popped. When the door finally slid open, it took me a moment to realize I wasn’t in a hallway, like when I got off my own elevator. This was a foyer, where light music greeted me along with the smell of tomato sauce.

That was when it hit me—I was inside Caleb’s condo. The downtempo global funk was his choice of music, and the heavenly scent was from whatever was being prepared in his kitchen.

“Hey,” he said as he entered the space, a dish towel draped over his shoulder, the aroma of food getting stronger, as though he were bringing it with him.

Casual wasn’t the way I would describe this man, but that was how he was dressed. A pair of weathered jeans hugging his legs, an unbuttoned polo shirt that showed hints of his chest. It quickly became my favorite look on him.

“Hi.”

He held my lower back, hauling my body closer to his. “Thanks for coming. You look fantastic.” His mouth hovered over me while he cupped my face, taking me in for several moments before pressing his lips against mine. The kiss lasted only long enough for me to breathe him in, the woodsy, citrusy scent enveloping me.

“You didn’t have to bring anything,” he said, looking at the box in my hand.

“It’s just some dessert.”

“You baked?”

I laughed, remembering the last time I’d attempted crack-and-bake cookies, forgetting they were in the oven and returning to a kitchen full of smoke. “That’s definitely not one of my skills.”

He reached forward with his other hand, now holding both sides of my face, his lips warming mine for a second time. “You have many other talents.”

He walked me farther into his home, and when I turned the corner, the space immediately took my breath away.

“Wow.” I couldn’t hide the amazement on my face. “Caleb, I don’t even know what to say. This place is spectacular.”

There were windows everywhere, surrounding almost the entire perimeter, capturing all angles of our magnificent city. The condo was completely open, rooms divided by the placement of furniture.