It's 4:00pm, and in I come, here to pick up my sweet child from daycare.
The other children have gone home, but my baby is still sleeping when I arrive.
"So, anything I can do to help?" I ask.
You've only been in the new place for less than two weeks, and the place is still a bit of a mess from the move.
The boss decided to give you the keys after the move, especially since you agreed to sometimes stay until closing time if she needed to be somewhere.
"Oh, yes. The kitchen stove. For some reason it won't light. Would you mind taking a look?" you ask.
The big main room has a small doorway in the left wall, near the corner. Just inside is the very narrow kitchen.
The fridge, cooker, sink, counters and everything are all in a line, and if somebody is standing in front of one of them, another person would have to squeeze past them, between them and the wall.
Since you're leading the way, you stop in front of the stove with me beside you. You turn the dial on the stove and we can hear the pop-pop-popping as it tries to light, but nothing happens.
"Oh, it's probably this." I say, and reach down into the center of the burner. The mechanism at the center shifts slightly under my fingers and settles a little lower.
"Try it now."
Sure enough, as soon as you turn the handle, the popping lights up a small flame on the stove.
"Oh thank you." You smile up at me, so sweetly, and always with that spark in your eyes. It's impossible not to smile back.
For weeks, more than a month now, I've tried to resist the temptation, tried to avoid being in situations like this. I know that it's impossible for anyone to see us here, nothing to stop us...
I know that I cannot stop myself. And this is my chance.
My lips come down to yours, and yours raise to mine.
The first kiss is short, almost friendly. I can't help but wonder if you have changed YOUR mind about me.
I have to try again, have to check.
The second time our lips meet, yours are immediately softer, drawing me in for a deeper kiss.
My hands move to you quickly, to your back and sides. After I moment, I pull you close to me, against me, while our tongues start to flick into each others' mouths.
The kissing, the holding, the pressing, the caressing... these things continue for several minutes, and the sound of our empassioned breathing grows louder in the confined space.
My eyes peek open, without my mouth ceasing to kiss you, to check the countertop right behind you. Empty as I'd hoped. My hands have found positions appropriate for my next move.
Almost as a very strong embrace, I lift you up. At first you protest, but soon my intentions are clear, up you go, to sit on the counter in front of me.