Free All I Want - a Tryst With a Twist by S. L. Scott Page A

turn-on.
    Scurrying to get up, he slipped on the icy ground again, landing next to her. They both laughed, nervously, and tried again. This time, he paid special attention to his footing and stood, planting his feet down firmly before offering to help the pretty girl up.
    Apologies abounded as she staggered to her feet. She looked down and he wondered if she was hiding her pinking cheeks. “You’re him, ” she said softly.
    “ Him? ”
    Looking up, she glanced towards the manmade forest to their right. “From the tree lot… from here.”
    “Yeah, I guess that’s me.”
    They stood together, facing each other, still holding hands, neither knowing if it was for stability on the slippery ground or because they just wanted to be holding the others hand.
    An awkward moment later, they released their grip, not because they wanted to, but because society dictated that as the proper thing to do. She blushed, and he looked down at his feet with more awkward apologies following. “I’m sorry for knocking you over. I should’ve been watching where I was going.” He paused then said, “But I’m not sorry for running into you at the same time. I was heading over to the coffee place—”
    “Oh, I’m keeping you. Sorry about that. I’ll let you go, so you can get your coffee.”
    “No, it’s okay.  I was heading over to see you anyway.”
    “You were?” She didn’t wait for him to answer and took advantage of his attention. “I’m Christina.”
    His eyes stayed fixed on her bright and gleaming eyes. Her soft smile revealed she was happy to see hi m, too, so h e smiled and stuck his hand out. “I’m Lawson. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
    This time, they allowed the discomfort of politeness to wash over them, and they held each other’s hand tightly and selfishly, just because they wanted to.
    The wind blew and strands of her light brown hair floated over her face, hiding her smile from him. Without thinking, he took hold of her knit hat and straightened it then very gently pushed the fluttering hair off of her cheeks.
    She remained perfectly still as his hand s caressed her face , watching him.
    He coughed, breaking the moment. “I’m heading home for lunch. Would you like to join me?” he asked, hoping she’d say yes, though he knew it was a risk being this forward.
    “I have a salad with my name on it waiting at my apartment.” With a devilish smile playing across her full lips, she added, “Maybe we can eat together. Do you want to come over? I can make you a sandwich.” 
    “Okay,” he said, feeling on top of the world that his dream girl had just invited him over. There was something about this girl that felt so right, and he wanted to be wherever she was going. But the effects of having his crush in such close proximity were starting to engulf him, so he shifted his stance, hoping she wouldn’t notice his growing affections . He nodded his head to the side. “You ready?”
    “Yes.”
    On that acceptance, they walked the remaining block chatting about the weather. They approached a somewhat dilapidated five-story walk-up, and in sync, pointed and said, “Here we are. This is me.”
    She jerked to look at him. “I live her e .”
    He chuckled. “So do I.”
    With a smile gracing her face, she said, “Well, what a coincidence.”
    “Quite the coincidence, indeed.”
    Through a shared laugh, they walked inside and stood at the landing of the stairs. Lawson took the lead this time. “How come I’ve never seen you before?”
    “Maybe you just never noticed me.”
    “Oh, I would have noticed you all right.”
    She shrugged. “I’ve been here all along.”
    He looked at her sweet expression and watched her sigh as if her beauty escaped the world’s notice. “I’m well aware of you now.”
    “And so you are.” She started up one stair, but turned back. “ Maybe we work different hours. Most days, I’m at work by six a.m. and home by four or five. Apartment 3B is right up