Kian and Kaida had met two more times after that kiss but in both encounters none of them had said anything about the kiss. They could both feel the tension present between them, even the slightest of skin contact would send chills. The air around them seemed to have been charged with tense energy and emotions neither could ever deny. There were times the would exchange glances as unspoken words danced in the air. It all existed as a delicate balance, nurturing a connection that served as a key to the bridge between what was and what could be.
"There is someone I'd like you to meet." He told her over the phone. She had called him to thank him for the flowers he had sent. They had been delivered to her office with a small heart-warming note handwritten by him. She was touched by that.
"And who might that be?" Her curiosity had gotten the better of her.
"It's a surprise." There was a playful smile on his face while swinging on his chair.
"What if I hate surprises." She asked with a little controlled giggle.
"Then you would have hated the flowers." He remarked with a laugh.
"Good point." She admitted. "But I'd still like to know."
"If I tell you then it won't be a surprise anymore would it?" He posed.
"I don't like being in the dark Kain." She cried. "It's unsettling. At least give me a hint."
"No, can't do. I want the curiosity to tear you apart." He bantered.
"I hate you." She teased and they laughed. "When am I meeting this someone?"
"How does tomorrow sound?"
"I would have to check my schedule and get back to you but I think I can make it work." She responded.
She sent him confirmation of her availability shortly after and they agreed they would meet at his place the following day after work.
***
Tuesday evening had come faster than she thought, she wasn't sure how the two days just gone by unnoticed. Was it not moments ago when she was on the phone with Kian about that meeting. She didn't know if her busy schedule at work had anything to do with the time moving so fast, all she knew was it was Tuesday evening and she was standing outside his door waiting for him to open.
"Hey," she drawled, looking at him after he opened the door.
They shared a warm embrace, her arms around his neck and his around her. He walked her in, with his hand around her waist. He felt how tense she was, he wouldn't blame her. He actually wanted to blame himself, maybe if he had told her who she was meeting she would be less tensed, but hat would have ruined the surprise. It had to be one or the other.
There was an audible gasp from her when she finally saw Quinn, she spoke in a low tone. "Is that who I think…?"
She wanted to ask but her words got caught in her throat as a mixture of surprise and intimidation overwhelmed her.
Quinn stood from his chair with a glass in hand as Kian neared. After the introductions, he led them to his study room. A cozy little library tucked away in a quiet corner of the house. Inside, rich wooden bookshelves, bathed in the soft glow of vintage lamps, cradle a curated collection. A window seat offers a decent New York city view and ample light for reading. Plush chairs invite contemplation amidst the scent of aged paper. They study was a little heaven where time seems to lose its meaning and the outside world fades away.
Kian's head had been buried in his MacBook, trying finish up on things that he couldn't at the office. He looked up when he heard soft laughs, he checked his watch and realized they had been in there for more than an hour. He stood and walked to them.
He could tell from the smiles on their faces that things had gone well. He walked his pal to the door, both of them talking in low tones.
"Listen man, I really appreciate you doing this for me. I owe you one." Kian told him.
"Nonsense." Quinn brushed. "I'm always happy to help you out wherever I can. And between you and me, I think she would be a great addition to the team. She got potential." Quinn admitted.
Kian found himself smiling. Quinn Inglewood was known to only work with world-class writers and for him to acknowledge Kaida's potential carried profound significance.
"But I still have to go through her work. Have her send samples to me." Quinn instructed as Kian got the door for him.
"I will."
"Take care of yourself man," Quinn advised. "And her too, she is a good one."
"Yeah, she is." He agreed.
He closed the door and walked back to Kaida. She couldn't hide the excitement on her face even if she wanted to. "What just happened?" She whispered, still unable to believe the happenings of the past hour. Both her palms on her cheeks.
A grin spread across his face. He was about to speak but she was already on him. The hug had caught him completely unawares and almost knocked him off-balance.
"Thank you Kian," she whispered into his ear. Her arms tight around him. "Thank you." She repeated, her eyes watering.
They held each other in silence for quite a while. He had attempted to pull back but she didn't let him. "A minute more." She pleaded.
She had met good men in her life, but none came close to the one holding her. Everything about him was just so different from all the others, the things he did for her, the things he said to her and how he said them were just different. She couldn't fully explain what she felt for him or how she felt about him, but one thing she was sure of was, he had her heart.
They slowly let go of each other but didn't go all the way, they remained holding each other, looking deep into each other's eyes, reading what they said. The magnetic pull was too strong for any of them to fight back. In a breathtaking symphony of yearning she rose to her toes to meet his lips. Their breaths synchronized. In that shared moment, nothing else in the world seemed to matter.
Their breathing had been heavy after their lips parted but they stayed in each other's arms. "Is this real?" She asked in a whisper, her eyes sparkling under the room's lighting. He didn't reply, he was busy trying to believe that she was there, in his arms, sharing that moment with him. "Because if it's not real-"
"It is real." He spoke, his voice firm yet so gentle. He fixed a misplaced braid behind her ear. "This is real Kaida." He repeated, softly brushing his thumb on her cheek. "It has always been. Every stolen glance, every unsaid word, they have all brought us to this moment, to this reality." The passion in his eyes matched his words, suddenly, they were both aware there was no more denying the feelings they had, no more ignoring. With a tender determination, he leaned in again, his lips claiming hers in a kiss that conveyed all the emotions they had held back for so long.