Free One Night With You by Gwynne Forster

image he saw on the screen was a sexy red dress and a woman whose allure had the power to shackle him.
    He flipped off the television, drained the can of beer and went to his bedroom. “If I’m in love with her, I’m sunk,” he said aloud. He knew the danger of deep involvement with her, yet he couldn’t seem to stay away from her. But he would have to. It would hurt, probably both of them, but he had to settle the score with Brown and Worley.
    He slept fitfully, rose early and began drafting the details of his design for the Caution Point air terminal. He didn’t know when he’d ever felt so good. At nine o’clock, he telephoned Marcus Hickson in Caution Point.
    â€œThe news is good,” he said after he and Marcus greeted each other. “And I’m surprised. My boss said I can do the job independent of the company, and he’s promised to send me a letter to that effect. I’ll be over the first weekend after I get that letter, and you can tell me what you need and show me the space.”
    â€œGreat. I’ll expect your call.”
    â€œI can’t advertise that I’m doing this, because Jack—he’s my boss—said he’ll have problems with his other architects if they know about it.”
    â€œI can appreciate that, and I’ll keep it to myself.”
    At a few minutes before eleven, he dressed in warm clothing, put on his hooded storm jacket and dashed across the street to Kendra’s house. She opened the door at once.
    â€œHi.” She reached up and kissed him quickly on the mouth, then licked her lips, as if savoring a sweet and wicked thing.
    â€œHi,” he said. “Do I smell coffee?”
    â€œYou do, and I made it for you, because I know you’ve had nothing but instant.”
    He followed her to the kitchen, pulled off his jacket and threw it across the back of a chair. She took a mug from one of the cabinets, put a small amount of milk in it, poured the coffee, handed it to him and turned back to pour one for herself.
    â€œKendra, you’re precious. Are you aware that if we continue this way, we’re liable to be stuck with each other for life?”
    She didn’t turn around to look at him when she said, “Worse things could happen to me.”
    He should stay where he was, and he should let that pass, but he got up and walked to her and, standing behind her, gripped her shoulders. “Does that mean you could love me?”
    â€œOf course I could love you,” she said, her voice low and without inflection. “Now go back over there and finish your coffee.”
    â€œWhat’s wrong?”
    â€œWhat’s wrong is I’m scared. This is moving so fast. I want to be with you every minute, but I don’t even know who you are, and you don’t know who I am. I don’t know what hurts you, makes you sad, angry, happy. I wouldn’t know how to comfort you if you were down and depressed. Do you play jokes on people, Reid.? What games do you like to play? Oh, Reid. Hold me!”
    He turned her to face him, wrapped her in his arms and stroked the back of her head as she rested it against his shoulder. “We are moving fast, and I tell myself to slow down, but I don’t really want to. When I’m not with you, I’m thinking about you. Do you want us to…to see less of each other?”
    â€œWe ought to, for your sake. I want you to win that case, and a liaison with me could prove to be an impediment. I’m not willing to sacrifice that, no matter how we feel about each other.”
    â€œI know what you’re saying, and I’ve thought about it, too. And then, we’re together, and our being together, like now, is so natural and so fulfilling,” he said to her. “How am I going to give up the pleasure of being with you?” He released her and lifted the mug of coffee. “Could you top this off, please?”
    She poured some of the coffee