Chapter Nine - 'Taxi'

As the conversation found increasingly new directions to travel in, she felt at once both at ease and on edge. She had lost track of time in his presence, she was definitely flirting, and she was having a great time. Surely it was too much fun to leave now?  She furtively checked her phone poking out of the corner of her handbag ‘Damn – how could it be 11pm already? Ok well once we get out of here – I’ll say my goodbyes and run to the tube’ she thought ‘After all, better to leave him guessing on a first date and then I can be up early for work etc etc’. Her thoughts trailed off as she caught a glimpse of him looking at her, his eyes shining brightly in the darkness. As the manager turfed everyone out of the bar and onto the street, she shivered, realising how cold and crisp the night air was and how warm and cosy they had been tucked away in their little corner of the bar. Suddenly, without warning he took hold of her hand and gently pulled her away from the mêlée of last drinkers noisily stumbling their way down the cobbles to Embankment station. As he held her hand and looked long into her eyes, she looked straight back feeling completely comfortable despite this most intense and intimate moment. Neither of them spoke or moved until she felt an overwhelming urge to kiss him. She stretched her hand gently around the back of his neck as she softly reached up for her lips to press against his. They kissed. Eyes closed, everything ceased to exist in this moment of time. They were alone, locked in an embrace in their own private universe – all thoughts of the morning had disappeared from her mind and without even thinking she stepped off the curb, flagged down a passing taxi and pulled him inside. ‘Where to?’ said the cab driver as her mind slowly caught up with the impulsive decision she’d already made. The decision that this date wasn’t over quite yet…