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A knock at the door broke our stare, much to my relief. Orlando got up to answer it, and a few minutes later we were set up at the small table in the corner, eating veggie burgers and French fries. Neither of us spoke for a long time, we were both wrapped in our own thoughts. Every now and then we’d glance up at each other and smile, then go right back to our food. I began to wonder if we’d run out of things to talk about.

When we finished eating, I gathered up the dishes and placed them on the room service tray, then set the tray outside the door. “That was delicious, thank you,” I said as I sat back down at the table across from Orlando.

“You’re very welcome.”

I looked at my watch and stood up again. “I should go,” I said as I grabbed my bag from the floor by the bed. “I have a flight to catch.”

Orlando looked out the window. “It doesn’t look like you’ll be going anywhere for awhile,” he commented, watching the rain pound against the glass. “It’s pretty nasty out there.”

“I should at least get to the airport, in case it clears up,” I said, casting my own nervous glance at the storm outside. My stomach started doing flip-flops at the thought of flying through such horrible weather. “It was nice to meet you,” I said formally. “Thanks again for everything.”

“Don’t go.” His back was to me now, and I wasn’t sure I’d heard him right.

“Pardon?”

“I said don’t go,” he repeated, turning to face me. “I’d like to spend some more time with you.”

I wasn’t sure what to say to that. Of course I’d thought about it, but to actually stay and spend time with him seemed too good to be true. “But my flight,” I said weakly, by way of a reason to leave.

“We can always book you on a later one,” he said, moving to stand right in front of me. He smelled so good, slightly sweet, like coconuts, and it didn’t even occur to me to step back.

I looked up into his eyes and said, “Okay, I’ll stay.” I put my bag down. I had known him all of an hour, and I felt like I’d known him for years. He was very comfortable to be with. “I’d better call the airport.” I went to the phone.

When I’d changed my flight, I turned to find Orlando sitting on the bed again, a television guide in his hands. “There are some movies on we could watch,” he suggested. “Or did you want to go out somewhere?”

“It’s up to you,” I said, perching on the edge of the bed beside him.

“Let’s go out,” he said, throwing the guide on the bed. “There’s always plenty to do in New York City.”

We spent the afternoon shopping in the city, had dinner at a little out-of-the-way diner my dad had told me about, and then returned to the hotel so I could get my stuff and get to the airport. I couldn’t remember ever having such an amazing day. We laughed and talked endlessly. I’d definitely thought more than once that I felt like I’d known him forever.

“What a fabulous day,” Orlando said as we entered his hotel room again. “I haven’t had so much fun in a long time.” He took my hand and looked into my eyes. “Thank you for that. I needed to relax.”

I smiled and squeezed his hand. “My pleasure,” I said. “I had a great time, too.”

He moved slowly closer to me and I knew he was going to kiss me. He’d wanted to a few times during the course of the day, but I was so nervous about it that I would move away or start chattering before he could actually do it.

We were inches apart and I could feel his sweet, minty breath on my face. When he whispered, “Can I?” I melted right there. I couldn’t make any words come out of my mouth, so I nodded gently and slipped my arms around his neck.

He pulled me to him so that we were pressed to each other from head to toe. In the next instant I closed my eyes and felt his soft lips brush gently against mine. We relaxed into each other as our kiss deepened, and he wrapped his arms around my back, running his hands up and down, sending shivers through my body. I kissed him eagerly, almost greedily, and he matched me kiss for kiss.

After a few breathless seconds, I pulled away. I needed to catch my breath, to think. I was ready to let him take me right there on the floor of the hotel room, with no thought to anything else, and that wasn’t like me at all. I had to get a handle on myself before I did something stupid.

“Is something wrong?” Orlando whispered, pulling me back into his arms. I leaned into him and sighed heavily. “Charlie, are you okay?” he asked after a few seconds of silence.

“I’m fine,” I said, looking up at him. “I just need to get myself together before this goes too far. I mean, I just met you today, and we’re already doing this. It just feels really fast.”

“But it also feels really right.”

I couldn’t help but smile. “Yes, absolutely, it does,” I agreed. “But I don’t want to do something stupid and then regret it later.” I pulled out of his arms and moved away from him. I couldn’t think with my body pressed right to his. “I mean, you’re, well, you, and I don’t want to be a one night stand or a notch on some actor’s belt, you know?”

“I hope you don’t think that’s what’s going on here,” he said, a look of distress distorting his beautiful features. “Because that’s certainly not what I’m thinking.”

“Oh no?” I looked at him skeptically. “Do you always bring strange girls back to your hotel room, spend the day with them, and then…that?”

“I told you, I’ve never done this before.” He looked hurt. “I thought we had a good time together.”

“That doesn’t mean I’m going to sleep with you.”

“I never said it did, did I?” He sat down on the bed. “What brought this on? Did I do something to piss you off?”

I sat beside him and took his hand. “No, Orlando, you didn’t,” I said. “But you’ve got to see this from my point of view. I mean, you’re a celebrity, an attractive one at that, and you could have your pick of women. Yes, you’re sweet and you’re charming, but how do I know that’s not just an act?”

“It’s not an act,” he whispered, nuzzling my ear. “I don’t want you to sleep with me tonight.”

“You don’t?” I didn’t know whether to be relieved or offended.

“I stopped doing one-night stands a long time ago.” He looked me square in the eyes and I was ready to believe anything he said. “I want to get to know you, to see what happens. We don’t need to rush anything.” He chuckled. “It’s not that I don’t want you, because I do, but not yet. Do you understand?”

“I must say I’m a little relieved,” I said, looking down at our hands. “I wouldn’t have been able to say no to you tonight, you know.”

“Then it’s best we stopped when we did, because much longer and I don’t think we would have.” He grinned like the Cheshire cat. “You’re one hell of a kisser, though, just so you know.”

I laughed, I couldn’t help myself. “You’re not so bad yourself.” I looked over his shoulder at the clock on the wall. “I should really get to the airport. The rain has let up, so I doubt my flight will be delayed.” I stood up and looked down at him. “I don’t want to leave.”

“I know,” he said, rising to take my in his arms again. “I don’t want you to. But unfortunately, you have a plane to catch.” He kissed me briefly on the lips. “I’ll be in Toronto in two weeks. Can I see you again?”

“Do you think I’d say no?” I teased, crinkling my nose at him. I pulled away and went to the night table beside the bed. I wrote my phone number and address on a pad of paper and gave it to him. “I’d better get a call from you when you’re there.”

“Oh you will, don’t worry.” I wrapped my arms around him again and kissed him, not a good-bye kiss, but a kiss that let him know I wanted to see him soon. I knew I’d never forget the feel of him against me or the taste of him on my lips, even if he didn’t call me. How could I ever forget?

In the cab a few minutes later (he’d insisted on seeing me to the airport), Orlando pulled me close and whispered, “This is going to sound strange, but can you keep this to yourself for awhile?”

I leaned back to look at him, a puzzled expression on my face. “Okay,” I said hesitantly. “I guess I can do that. I mean, it’s not like I was going to call the National Enquirer the minute I landed or anything.” After a pause I asked, “Why?”

“If you’ve ever read a tabloid, you know they’re brutal,” he said, sighing heavily. He suddenly looked older than his 28 years. “I just don’t want to see a magazine tomorrow that says we’re engaged or something. And trust me, you don’t want the attention that kind of thing can bring.” He saw my skeptical expression. “Believe me, that’s the only reason I don’t want anything said. The only reason,” he emphasized.

“Okay,” I said again. “I won’t say anything, I promise.”

When the cab arrived at the airport, I turned to Orlando and said, “Look, if you don’t call me, I understand.” I shrugged. “I don’t expect anything. But thank you for such a great day.”

“I’ll call you, I promise,” he said, hugging me tightly to him. “This isn’t over.” He grinned down at me. “You can’t get rid of me that easily.” He sobered. “Have a safe flight, and I’ll see you in two weeks, okay?”

“Sure,” I said as I got out of the car. As I boarded my flight, I seriously doubted I’d ever see him again.

***

When I landed at the Pearson International Airport in Toronto, my dad was waiting to pick me up. I hurried off the plane, anxious to get home.

“How’d you know I changed my flight?” I asked, feeling guilty that I hadn’t called to tell him.

“I called the airline to see when you’d be in,” he said, taking my bag from me. “They told me your flight had been canceled because of the weather. This was the next available one. A call would have been nice, though, Charlotte.”

I flinched when he used my full name. He only ever called me Charlotte when he was upset with me. “I’m sorry, Dad,” I said as we walked to the car. “I lost track of time.” He didn’t say anything as we got in the car.

As we merged on to the 401 highway, he said, “Are you staying over, or do you want to go back to your apartment?” Since my mom died five years earlier, I tried to spend as much time with him as possible, but it wasn’t always easy. I wanted to go home and relax after such a long day.

“I think I’d like to go home,” I said, hoping he wouldn’t be upset.

“Okay, good,” he said, much to my surprise. “I’ve got work to do anyway.”

Dad is a chartered accountant, so all he does is work, work, work. I smiled and shook my head.

“So, how did it go?” he asked impatiently. “We’ve been in the car over half an hour and you haven’t said anything about the auditions.”

In all the excitement of spending the day with Orlando, I had completely forgotten my audition. “It went well,” I said brightly, remembering how it felt to be on that enormous stage with the lights in my face and the music all around. “I’ll know for sure next week.”

“If you get the part, will you have to move to New York?”

“Yes, Daddy, I’ll have to move,” I said solemnly. That was the only part about getting a role that would bother me. I didn’t want to leave him alone. “But I’ll come home every chance I get, I promise.”

“We’ll see, Pumpkin,” he said softly, “We’ll see.”

“Dad, I’m 23, we knew I’d be doing this sooner or later,” I pointed out. “Broadway is in New York City, so that’s where I need to be, right?”

“You sound like your mother,” he chuckled. He didn’t say anything more.

I turned on the radio and slept for the rest of the ride home.