"Fuck buddies. Friends with benefits but just once." She smiles, but again it doesn't meet her eyes.
I know I should say something, but I don't know what. I can't deny what she's saying. Not really. But I also don't want to acknowledge that it's strictly the truth. I want it to be more, but how do I say that when I have no answers to how it could be?
"I know what I'm going to play next," I say, repeating the clean-up operation before I handle my guitar again. I choose a Brad Paisley song that's all about finding yourself. It seems to fit our situation perfectly, and halfway through, Kyla starts to sing along. She has a pretty voice that harmonizes with mine, and we create something together that is sweet and beautiful.
After we finish our food, I clean up, ready to take Kyla home. There's still the second part of our date to go.
Kyla's apartment is decorated minimally, with stark white furniture and black-framed photographs and art. Plants nestle into corners, bringing life to an otherwise surgical atmosphere, and the pops of color coming from the cushions and drapes bring brightness and personality. There isn't any clutter, which I expected. At work, Kyla is a master organizer.
"You're the first one to come in," she says, gazing around at her own open-plan living room as though she's looking at it through fresh eyes.
"I was going to take you back to my place, but then I thought you had your night with Lex there, and I wanted to keep things separate. Plus, I like the idea of this happening in your space.
"The watching?"
"Yes."
Kyla blinks, tucking her hair behind her ears as though she needs to be free of distractions for this conversation. "What do you want to watch?"
"Everything," I say, taking a step closer. "I want you to pretend that I'm not here. Just go about doing what you would do to get ready for bed, and when you get there, I want you to touch yourself. Bring yourself to orgasm. I want to see how you make yourself feel good."
The flush that rises up Kyla's neck and cheeks is the prettiest shade of pink. I step closer and press a hand against her face, feeling the heat of embarrassment that my words have caused her.
"You want to watch? Just watch?"
"Not just watch," I say, running my thumb over her skin that's as soft as a peach.
"Will I see you?" she asks, and I'm surprised at how perceptive she is.
"No," I say. "But you'll know I'm there. Take a shower."
With a deep, slightly trembly breath, Kyla nods. She steps away and turns her back to me, walking to the kitchen area and fixing herself a glass of water. I slide the sneakers from my feet and hang my black jacket over the back of the couch. Then I creep through the hallway and into her bedroom.
It's neat and tidy, exactly as I expected it, and it smells of her perfume. There is a bathroom directly off the bedroom, and I work out where I can stand in the shadows of her room to watch her take a shower. When she returns to her bedroom, I can linger in the hallway and watch through a crack in the door.
I'm pressing my back to the wall, hidden by the thick green floor-to-ceiling drapes when Kyla enters the room.
She doesn't look for me as she eases her rings from her fingers and unhooks the hoops from her ears. Her eyes don't scan the corners of the room as she lifts her sweater over her head and slides her pants over her thighs. The sight of her in just a pretty cream bra and panties set is enough to send heat flooding between my legs. In a second, my cock is straining against my jeans, but I resist the urge to adjust myself. I have a lot of watching to enjoy before I come. Delaying sensation is part of this for me.
Kyla picks up her phone from the bed and smiles at something, tossing it back onto her comforter. I wonder if she really did receive a message or if this is all part of an elaborate act. Either way, it doesn't matter to me. It feels real, and that's what's important.
She strolls toward the bathroom, unhooking her bra on the way and switching her hips in a way that makes her ass jiggle. Oh God, she's built with just that perfect amount of softness and a few dimples across her thighs that make me want to grip the flesh with my fingers.
The sound of the shower starting is what spurs me to move forward, and I watch her drop her panties to the floor.
Bend, I think, wanting to see more, wanting to see everything, and she does, flashing her pussy in my direction so quickly that I gasp.