Their eyes met from across the room. Once they locked in, it was hard to look away.
He smiled at her, the way he always did. He felt hot and bothered. Like he needed a release. Like he needed her. He wondered if anyone else could tell.
She smirked back. Losing her place in the small talk she didn't even want to be a part of, and finding herself willfully lost in him. Every time their eyes met she felt like she was somewhere else.
It was getting harder and harder to pretend they didn't want to be together.
She turned back to her conversation. The three other women were discussing something she couldn't begin to care about. She needed a minute to breathe.
"Excuse me, I'm just going to run to the washroom. Thanks! So sorry!" she said with a smile and snuck away.
Her quick movement caught his eye again and he watched her leave.
Feeling an inexplicable pull, he fumbled his way out of his own conversation.
He followed her down the stairs to the basement, just barely far enough behind her not to make it obvious.
As he got to the bottom he opened the door quickly.
Her back facing him, she gasped, jumped, and quickly turned around.
"Jesus you scared me!" she half shrieked, half whispered.
"Sorry!" he laughed. "I didn't mean to".
They looked at each other, then looked away. The tension had been building and it was starting to become unbearable for both of them.
"I just needed a breath. I'm dying up there." she said.
"Me too. I saw you leave and figured you knew where to hide." he replied.
"Well, happy to be hiding out together I guess" she laughed, "I'm glad it was you that came down and not someone else I had to make small talk with."
"Me too", he replied.
Silence. They both took a deep breath. Staring at one another.
He glanced at the door. No lock.
Being together in the basement of a church, though neither of them were religious, still seemed risky.
There were people upstairs celebrating. The event was the last thing on their minds now.
They looked at each other again. Neither could deny there was something going on.
Were they really going to do this? Do what even? What was even happening here?
The possibility of getting caught was adding to both the anxiety and the excitement.
He took a step toward her. She stayed put. He held out his hand and she looped a finger around one of his.
He walked toward her, she moved in the opposite direction, at once both backing away and pulling him in.
When she couldn't move backward anymore, her back felt cool against the wall.
He leaned in, pressing his entire body against hers, his hands now on the wall behind her, tilting his head to kiss her gently on the neck.
She whispered in his ear, "We really shouldn't do this".
His breath was hot on her neck, like the heat growing between her legs.
He unbuckled his belt.
"Tell me this isn't what you want, and I promise I'll stop", he breathed into her neck with another kiss.
She couldn't.