“It’s different because this time it’s real. This time there’s nothing standing in my way.”

“I just want to give this some time. When I know that it’s for sure then I’ll tell her. But until then…”

Spencer interrupted me, “Until then I’m the ‘other woman’?” She stood up from the couch.

I stood up and took a step closer to her, placing my hands on her hips, “Hey, don’t look at it that way. You know how I’ve felt. Don’t believe for a second that you’re not what I want. I just….I need to make sure that you’re sure that I’m what you want.”

Spencer wrapped her arms around my neck and placed her forehead against mine, “Okay.” She whispered.

Our lips lingered so near, but I didn’t want to jump right to our kiss goodbye. As she leaned in to try and connect our lips I teasingly pulled away. She kept leaning farther in. A devilish smirk crossed my face as I finally closed the space between us. Our lips gently danced at first and then intensified. I lightly brushed my tongue against her top lip, begging for entrance. She complied my request and her tongue met mine. Her hands were becoming tangled in my brown locks as we hungrily pulled one another closer.

I finally put away enough of my libido to pull away from her. I felt the words. I wanted to say them. But as one of my many tests I waited for her to say it to me instead. Her blue eyes seemed to almost warm me just by the sight of them. I stood there, staring into them, waiting for her to speak the three words that I had heard too many years before.  Finally I heard her take a shallow breath, “I love you.”

I smiled and tucked a strand of stray hairs behind her left ear, “Ditto.”

When I left her apartment I wasn’t looking forward to going home and facing Rachel. I could’ve stayed at Spencer’s all night. Hell, I could’ve stayed at Spencer’s forever.

~

When she walked out my apartment I closed the door behind her and then spun around to lean on the door. I just stood there thinking until I let my knees slowing buckle, allowing me to gently sit on the floor. That was real. She was here. She was in my arms. MY arms. Not Rachel’s or anyone else’s, mine. Why didn’t I kiss her sooner in high school? I mean, we kissed in high school but it was just a small little thing. A kiss like what just happened would’ve made me forget everyone else. It was so soft, yet intense, it was electrifying.