ALEC & SUSAN

Between Goodbye and I Love You

“Can I take you out to dinner tonight?” Alec asked, the words tumbling out just before he left.

The question landed softly in the space between us, but my heartbeat reacted like it had been struck.

I agreed instantly, arranging to meet him outside my apartment. The moment I said yes, a strange anticipation bloomed in my chest—light, trembling, almost disbelieving.

“You don’t even know where I work,” I teased.

“John told me,” he smirked, stealing one last kiss before reluctantly walking away. The kiss lingered longer than it should have, as if neither of us wanted to fully release it.

My heart hammered against my ribs, a dizzying mix of joy and adrenaline that left me smiling like a fool. The kind of smile you don’t even realize you’re wearing until your cheeks ache.

Later, as I stepped out of the elevator, my breath caught. Alec was waiting in the lobby, leaning against the wall, and the sight of him sent a surge of pure, electrifying excitement straight to my stomach. It felt almost unfair how easily my body reacted to him.

Alec’s face lit up with a grin so infectious I couldn’t help but mirror it instantly. He crossed the space between us, wrapping me in a warm embrace before pressing a soft, lingering kiss to my lips. It wasn’t rushed—it was familiar already, like a language my body had learned too quickly.

“I missed you,” he whispered, his voice sending a thrill through me.

I could only offer a shy smile in return, suddenly aware of how easily he disarmed me. Interlocking his fingers with mine, he led me out into the cool evening air. We wandered together for three blocks, the city noise fading into the background as if it respected the space between us, until we arrived at the rustic, bustling restaurant where Alec worked.

The final hour of dinner slipped away too quickly, punctuated by low laughter and the clinking of wine glasses. Every so often, I would catch him watching me instead of the table, as if I were more interesting than anything else in the room. When I glanced at my watch and murmured that,

I needed to head back, his demeanor shifted, becoming instantly protective. The softness in his expression sharpened into something more determined.

“I’ll send you home in a cab,” he said, his voice dropping an octave, firm and unwavering.

“Really, that’s not necessary—I can take the train,” I protested, already picturing the crowded subway car.

“Absolutely not,” he countered, leaning forward, his gaze locking onto mine. “I won’t have my girl taking the train at this hour. I’m calling a car, and I won’t be taking no for an answer.”

The words my girl made something inside me still, warm and unsteady.

I felt the heat rise in my cheeks and, looking into his insistent eyes, found I couldn’t argue with that kind of care.

He rose and extended his hand; I took it, allowing him to lead me through the bustling restaurant to a quiet door at the rear.

“This is my office,” he murmured as we stepped inside. The heavy thud of the lock clicking into place echoed in the small space, sending a jolt through my nerves. The sound felt final, intimate in a way that made my pulse quicken.

“What are you doing?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper. He turned, his gaze intense.

“I wanted a moment alone with you before you leave—is that okay?”

“That’s fine,” the reply came, though my breath didn’t feel steady anymore.

The air in the room felt suddenly charged, like something unspoken had stepped between us. He moved forward with a slow, deliberate grace, and each step taken toward me prompted a rhythmic step back, until the solid frame of the door met my shoulders. With nowhere left to retreat, my gaze flickered momentarily to the floor as a flutter of nervous energy settled in my chest and warmth rose to my cheeks.

He continued until he was standing directly in front of me, his presence filling the space completely, making the room feel smaller, warmer. Reaching out, he gently placed a finger beneath my chin, guiding my gaze upward until our eyes met. The silence was heavy with anticipation, thick enough to feel physical. He reached for my hands, holding them softly as he leaned in, closing the final distance between us to meet my lips with a deep and passionate kiss.

It wasn’t tentative anymore—it was sure, hungry, like something that had been waiting all evening.

He held me so tightly I felt the sudden, frantic surge of his desire pressed hard against me, growing with every passing second.

My hands moved of their own accord—one diving into his hair, the other locking behind his neck—driven by an insatiable hunger to be closer.

I was completely overwhelmed by the rush; my heart pounded against my ribs, my breath turned shallow, and a throbbing heat coiled deep in my core.

I wanted him more than I had ever wanted anything, but reality forced itself in—it was too soon. The awareness of it hit me like a gentle alarm in the middle of fire.

With a ragged, panting breath, I finally managed to pull away.

Alec immediately followed, leaning his forehead against mine, both of us struggling to catch our breath in the heavy, electric silence.

“I know you said we have to go slow,” he rasped, his voice thick with a longing he couldn’t quite mask.

All I could do was nod, my heart hammering against my ribs.

“I want you so bad, Susan.”

“I can’t, Alec,” I whispered, the words barely catching on the air.

“I know. I just can’t help it,” he murmured, leaning closer until I could feel the heat radiating from him.

The air between us felt heavy, charged with everything we weren’t saying—everything we were trying not to become too quickly.

“I should leave,” I finally managed to voice, though my feet felt rooted to the floor.

“One more kiss,” Alec pleaded.

I looked up at him, and that single glance was my undoing.

He leaned in, capturing my lips in a soaring kiss that stole the breath from my lungs and left my knees weak.

When we finally broke apart, I placed a hand against his chest, gently creating some space to signal that it was time for me to go. He caught my gaze, his voice low as he asked for a moment to catch his breath before leaving.

Stepping into the bathroom, he closed the door, only to emerge a few minutes later with a raw, lingering desire in his eyes. I turned away, unlocking the door and stepping out, his expression heavy with unspoken thoughts.

With our fingers tightly locked, we navigated through the bustling restaurant and out into the cool night air.

Hailing a taxi, he stopped before the door, pulling me into a warm embrace and lingering kisses that made my heart hammer against my ribs as if it couldn’t settle.

After ensuring I was settled, he murmured,

“Call me when you get home, I love you,”

The words landed softly—but completely—inside me, even before I was ready to hold them.

I nodded, breathless and shy.

As he paid the driver and waved goodbye, I sank into the seat, tracing my lips—I could still feel him there, a lingering, breathless sensation that refused to fade.

Settled into the back of the cab, the hum of the city blurred as those three words Alec had been tracing over my heart all day echoed in my mind: I love you.

I know the truth of it—I feel it in the marrow of my bones—but the words remained anchored in my throat, held captive by a desperate need to guard myself.

I wasn’t ready to dive into the deep end only to find the water gone again. Yet, my heart betrayed my silence tonight; it hammered against my ribs with such frantic, unchecked rhythm that I was certain he could hear it from a mile away.

By the time I arrived home, the city felt muted, the only sound the faint hum of the departing cab. I felt a small swell of gratitude that the driver waited until my door clicked securely shut behind me.

Walking up the dimly lit staircase, I fumbled with my phone to tell Alec I made it in safely, my heart still fluttering from the evening.

Almost immediately, a text popped up: I miss you already.

I hesitated, the warmth of his words making me linger over the screen, then typed back, I miss you too. I will text you tomorrow. Goodnight.

When Alec’s text notification popped up—a beating heart, a kiss, and a moon emoji—I couldn’t help but smile, pressing my phone against my chest as if to hold his affection closer.

I am absolutely head-over-heels for this guy, though that familiar spark of vulnerability makes me hope he never breaks my heart.

After a long, dreamy shower, I finally climbed into bed. Just as I was drifting off, my phone chimed again; it was another text from Alec.

“I made it home,” it read, “and I just wanted to let you know that I love you so much and can’t wait to see you tomorrow.”

A feeling of warmth settled over me, soft and consuming, making me feel like the luckiest girl in the world. I closed my eyes, falling asleep with his words wrapped around me like something I was afraid to lose.