Lonely

He hadn’t seen her in a year — not since the last conference.

Kindred spirits, they met often at industry events, sitting together during boring keynotes, snickering softly while joking sotto voce about the speakers.

Invariably she would lean closely as she spoke, whispering into his ear, her lips touching the finest hairs on the skin of his earlobe, sending tickling ripples of heat down to his crotch.

They’d traded emails and phone calls afterward, chatting about business and their personal lives.

A week ago her calls and emails stopped; was something wrong?

He missed her horribly. Though virtual, the place she filled in him ached even though he’d never been able to do more than shake her hand.

Her name was still on the attendees list, though. He’d seek her out at registration.

And there she was, still beautiful, offering a hesitant smile over the sign-in table when their eyes met.

He scribbled hastily as she sidled up to him, ripping the sticker off its backing, slapping it on his lapel at her eye level.

Hello, I’m quite lonely without you, it read.

“Not anymore,” she whispered in his ear as she flung her arms around his neck.
__________
Copyright © 2013 Femme Malheureuse 
Words: 199 (as submitted, 200)
Originally submitted to fan fic flash fic - Week 33
Photo prompt: origin unknown