Chapter Ten
Diane hadn't called or texted Will, she simply showed up at his door hoping to find him home. If she hadn't come straight away, her courage might have vanished. She planned to confront him with what she'd found and demand an honest answer.
Maybe it wouldn't be what she hoped for, maybe expecting the secret admirer to be him was a stupid thing to do, but something didn't feel right. There were clearly unspoken words between them and it was time to voice them.
She knocked on his front door three times, not wanting to disturb the late night hour by ringing the bell. And he could have been asleep already. There were so many things she hadn't factored in. She repeated the three knocks after a short silence and was more than relieved to finally hear footsteps from the inside.
"Diane?" Will opened the door with a stunned expression on his face. "Did something happen?" He was still wearing his work clothes and didn't look like someone who had been woken up from a nap.
"Can we talk?" She was surprised her voice sounded secure, it wasn't how she was feeling inside.
"Sure, come in."
She walked inside his apartment with confident steps. It wasn't the first time she'd been there. She went straight to the couch in his living room and took a seat.
"What's wrong?" he asked with a worry all over his face, sitting down next to her, but leaving some space between them.
"I was looking for the crime scene photos and found this in your drawer." She pulled the box out of her purse and his cheeks turned red right away.
"I…," he attempted to say something, but she cut him off.
"I know there could be a million logical explanations why my gift is still in your possession, but I'm not interested in any of them. All I ask is that you tell me the truth, whatever it is," she said calmly, and he nodded slightly, showing he understood.
She placed the box between them on the couch and waited for him to speak. He shifted his gaze on the red object, then back on her face. It seemed to be hard for him to start, so she prepared herself for anything.
"This gift was from me, just like the flowers and the chocolate, it was all me," he admitted and hid his gaze from her, while she felt her cheeks turn red. "I'm sorry," he added.
She understood why he apologized, but she wasn't angry. Those little gifts had made her happy, she had just gotten tired of the game. But now that the truth was out, they both could lay their cards down.
"When were you going to tell me?" she asked softly, making sure he knew she wasn't upset.
"I'm not sure, I was waiting for an opportunity," he lifted his head, so their eyes met again, reflecting the truth they had been hiding from each other for too long.
"It was really sweet of you." Her lips curled up to a faint smile.
"I thought I ruined it, because you got upset and I didn't know what to do. So I've been hiding the box," he admitted, glancing at his gift to disguise his embarrassment.
She remembered the things she had told him when she'd found the box on her desk. At that moment she hadn't cared who the gift had been from.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I love the gifts, the pin is beautiful." She placed her hand on the red box, stroking the bow gently, but kept her eyes on him. "They were so thoughtful, and the notes as well."
"I meant it all, I just didn't know how else to tell you." He put his hand on top of hers and his gentle touch made her heart beat faster.
"I was hoping it was you, despite everything you said," she admitted, while her cheeks were probably burning again. There was an intimacy between them now, that hadn't existed before.
"Really? Does this mean you would say yes if I asked you out?" He managed to find his usual confidence, which suited him much more than the insecurity she hadn't witnessed often.
"I thought you'd never ask," she accepted with a wide smile this time. "And it looks like I won't need a bodyguard after all," she chuckled and he joined in. He seemed really happy now, exactly the way she felt.
"How does Saturday sound?" he suggested and even if it was only two days from now, she thought it was almost too far away.
"Perfect," she nodded and he pressed her hand gently.
A few seconds of silence settled between them and Diane felt it was probably time for her to leave. But when she tried to pull her hand away, he stopped it.
"We aren't doing anything stupid, are we?" he expressed the doubts that had been on her mind ever since those dreams had invaded it. She didn't want to endanger their work relationship either and it was comforting to know he felt the same way.
"I hope not. We are adults and we are friends. Worst case scenario we'll go back to being friends." It sounded so simple, but it was fully up to them how it would play out in the end.
"Works for me," he supported her with a smile.
"I should go. See you tomorrow," she leaned in to place a goodnight kiss on his cheek, like he had in the car a few weeks ago.
She had been hoping for something more back then, but it had been an impossible wish at that moment. It wasn't anymore, they had just agreed to go on a date after all. Still she chose to avoid his lips, but before she could fully pull back he moved to capture her lips in a kiss he must have been waiting for as well.
His soft lips began to gently discover hers for the first time. He tasted like beer, but even that seemed sweet for her at the moment. She closed her eyes to give into the sensation fully, while his tongue found hers, deepening the contact between them. The kiss remained slow and experimental, to prolong the moment, and when it ended, it left her hungry for more.
But neither of them gave into the temptation. They parted their lips, then their hands, and bid each other goodnight.
With his gift back in her purse Diane walked out of Will's apartment and for the first time she actually wished for dreaming of him tonight. And maybe soon enough all those dreams would come true.
A/N: I really hope the chapter wasn't a letdown. :) I'm trying to write the next one from Will's so you can peek inside his head a little too before I take the story further.