Marcus typed and deleted several messages, wanting to maintain that balance between their newfound connection and the heat of their history. Finally, all nervous he texted something safer: "Maybe I could help make your day a little less boring? Coffee after your errands?"
The three dots appeared, disappeared, then appeared again. His phone buzzed with her unexpected reply: "Why wait? If you're not busy... you could come over now?"
Marcus stared at the message, his pulse thumping fast. This wasn't the coffee date he'd pictured, but their connection had always been spontaneous, unpredictable. After a moment's hesitation, he replied: "Give me 20 minutes."
The drive to her place felt both too long and too short. He checked his appearance in the rearview mirror more times than he'd admit, adjusting his collar, brushing his hair. When he pulled up to her address, his palms were sweaty against the steering wheel.
Then she opened the door, and time seemed to stop. Tanya stood there with a warm smile, her blonde hair with some black streaks catching the morning light like a halo. She'd changed it from the dark plum color he remembered, but somehow this looks even better. She wore simple black leggings and an oversized sweater, but to Marcus, she looked more beautiful than ever.
"You came," she said softly, pulling him into a tight hug. The familiar scent of her perfume brought back a flood of memories.
Without thinking, his hand slipped lower than intended during their tightly hug, shaping her curves with both hands. He immediately tensed, worried he'd crossed a line, but Tanya just smiled that beautiful smile of hers – the one that had always driven him crazy back in the day.
They stood there in her doorway, the air between them charged with unspoken possibilities. The past and present collided in that moment, and Marcus knew their story was far from over...