Free Fall Read Online Free Page A

they walked back up the hill.
    "My place is two blocks from here. Do you want to finish our coffees there?" Nina asked.
    "Okay," Joseph agreed.
    With Nina in the lead they turned a corner and walked up to a three-story brick building. Once inside they climbed up marble steps and took an elevator up to the top floor. Nina unlocked one of the doors down on the left side and they entered her apartment.
    Inside, Nina led him down the hallway from the front door into her living room. Light flowed from the two floor-to-ceiling windows that covered the far wall. She dropped her purse on a stainless steel island in the kitchen and moved over to her soft blue couch.
    Joseph looked out of one of the windows. "I can see the Space Needle! Very nice."
    "Thank you. I was able to buy this with part of the money my father left me," she said modestly.
    "I like it."
    "Can I take your coat?" Nina faced him and casually slipped his jacket off his shoulders. Joseph took advantage of her closeness to put his arms around her and kiss her soft lips. Nina gave herself over to him, letting the kiss deepen, but when Joseph brushed his hand across her breast she broke away.
    "Do you want to find a movie on TV?" She knew the answer to that. A kiss was one thing, but the way things were heating up, there was only one direction they could go. She felt simultaneously disappointed and a little guilty that she might have led him on by inviting him upstairs. She put his jacket on a chair and moved away from him.
    "I’ve offended you," Joseph said quietly. He still stood a bit awkwardly by the window.
    Nina sighed. Why did she have to spell it out for him? Yes, you’ve offended me, she thought, by being so thoroughly predictable. She said, "I can get laid anytime. It’s no big deal. That’s the upshot of being female."
    "I got the feeling you were attracted to me. I must have got some mixed messages while we were in the restaurant." Joseph got his jacket off the chair. "I guess I should leave."
    " Now I’m offended." Nina said. "You can’t get me into bed so there’s no other reason to stick around?"
    Joseph stared at her. "It wasn’t my plan to get you into bed. I was just going with the moment. I told you that I found you irresistible. I’m sorry if I jumped the gun. I’m finding it hard to keep my hands to myself. I apologize."
    "It’s okay," Nina said, slightly mollified.
    "I’d like to get to know you better." He walked over to her and tilted her chin up to meet his eyes." Will you still show me the town? I’d really like you too."
    Joseph caressed the side of her neck then bent his head to kiss her. Once again they were lost in another warm embrace. This time it was Joseph who pulled away. "See?" he said. "This is why I should leave now."
    Nina smiled. "Okay, okay I get it."
    "I can probably get away about four tomorrow. Pick you up at four thirty?"
    "Alright," Nina said. "I’ll be here."
     
     
    The next day Joseph and Trevor picked her up in front of her building and they cruised to the Seattle Center where Trevor dropped them off in front of the Space Needle. The elevators clung to the sides of the tower like big yellow bugs going up and down. On the observation deck, Joseph asked a man to take a picture of himself and Nina with his cell phone. The skies were clear and Mount Rainier showed in the background, its snow-capped majesty appearing behind them like a humongous scoop of ice cream. They stood for several minutes and looked at the Seattle skyline and saw the Monorail make its progress from Seattle Center to Westlake Shopping Center. Then they walked around to the other side to catch the sun in its descent behind the Olympic Mountain Range.
    "I’m glad it's not raining today," Nina said, and pressed herself against him.
    Joseph put his arm around her. "It’s spectacular!" he said. He turned towards her. "Just beautiful," he continued, looking at her profile. He picked up her hand and kissed each fingertip one by one. Nina watched