“I thought I found you,” he reminded her. She managed to smile.
“You did, but it was my turn to finally do some searching.”
“Mischa. What the fuck are you doing here!?” he demanded.
“I … I also figured it was finally my turn to find you,” she answered. He stared at her like she was nuts. His black eyes opened so wide, she felt like she was going to fall into them. She chewed on her lip and glanced around. “I didn't mean to interrupt.”
“Interrupt what?”
“Your … thingy. Your lady friend back there, I don't want to hold you up. We can catch up another time,” Misch offered.
Tal laughed. Long and loud, from deep in his chest.
“You thought I was on a date?” he clarified. She shrugged, almost shredding her bottom lip between her teeth.
“I don't know. You were laughing and smiling, she was laughing and smiling,” she rambled.
“Hey now, Ms. Duggard, not all of us are cheating bastards,” he called her out.
She gasped.
“Screw you! I fly all the way out here just to see you, and you insult me and -,”
He kissed her, and Mischa didn't even care that he'd just insulted her. Didn't care that he'd just been walking down the street with another woman. Didn't care that they hadn't seen each other in months. Didn't care about anything, except touching him as much as possible.
“Thank god you're still feisty,” he groaned, running his tongue along her bottom lip.
He grabbed her hips, pulling her towards him as he maneuvered them to his front door. It took some fumbling, but he managed to get his keys out and the door unlocked all while keeping his lips attached to her own. Then he yanked her into an elevator that was barely big enough for the two of them and hit the button for his floor.
“I wanted to come here sooner,” she whispered, kissing along the side of his neck.
“You should've.”
“Who was that lady?”
“Next door neighbor. Don't worry, she's married.”
“She's married? Then I'm doubly worried.”
That earned her a chuckle. Tal's hands were still on her hips and he gently pushed her back, forcing them apart.
“I'm not so into married ladies anymore. Single women only,” he told her.
“Oh really?”
“Mmmm hmmm. And what about you, Ms. … Mrs. …,” he fished. She smiled at him.
“Definitely Ms. It's Ms. Duggard now, all the time,” she assured him.
“Thank god,” he groaned.
The elevator stopped, but there were still stairs, and he led her up them. His apartment was formerly the attic, but it had been remodeled. One bedroom, with a small kitchenette built into one wall. Seemed tiny, especially for such a big man, but he walked straight through it and right up to a large window, that she thought led to a Juliet balcony.
It led to a huge terrace – his attic apartment was actually on top of the building, and the rest of the roof was all open. He had potted plants and trees lining the sides, and some patio furniture scattered about, as well as a ridiculously huge barbecue.
“This is nice, Tal. Really nice,” she commented, glancing around the space. Then, as if on cue, the rain let up. He stepped around her and went outside.
“You think? I thought you'd like it,” he sighed, looking around as well.
“How'd you know I'd ever even see it?” she laughed at him. He turned to look at her.
“I knew. I had faith.”
Mischa had always felt so overwhelmed by Tal. From the first moment she'd met him, when he'd been “saving” her, to when he'd reminded her what passion was that very same night. Even in Positano, he'd completely bowled her over with his presence. With the sheer force of his spirit. She'd never quite felt worthy of him.
But maybe she finally was …
“I leave in three days,” she blurted out. He raised his eyebrows.
“Oh, really.”
“Yeah. I wasted too much time, looking for you, and then trying to work up the courage to talk to you,” she went on. “So much time had passed, and you had moved – why did you move? Why did you come here?”
“They wanted me back in the field, they wanted me abroad, I had no choice. So I asked them to send me here, and had faith that you would find me.”
“You have an awful lot of faith in me.”
“Always.”
She felt like she was going to burst. He seemed so calm and collected. Like it was all a movie he'd already seen the ending to, but she had no clue what was going to happen next.
“I wish I was here longer, I wish we could catch up more. I have so much to tell you, and I want to hear everything that's -,” she began rambling again.
“Mischa,” Tal said her name in a loud, sharp voice, startling her.
“What?” she asked, watching him as he walked towards her.
“I want to hear everything you have to say,” he assured her.
“You do?”
“And we'll catch up, believe me.”
“We will?”
“Yes, because we'll have plenty of time to do it in.”
“Huh?”
“You're not going anywhere,” he informed her.
“I'm not?”
“No. You're home now. With me. Where you should have been this whole time,” he said, coming to a stop in front of her. She sniffled. Tried not to cry.