life-sustaining oxygen from now on.
“Kristina, you asked me to tell you … and I don’t think I have a choice now. When we…” He paused as if collecting his words. “I don’t know how to explain this… without pressuring you. No. Not now, not here.” He shook his head again. “Can we just eat? Then we’ll go somewhere and talk, okay? I promise I’ll explain everything.”
“Yeah,” she choked out. Her mouth was so dry. She picked up her water glass, removing the lemon, and drained it. As he watched her warily, she picked up an oyster, deciding to try to relax and enjoy their date. She doused the shellfish with horseradish, then slurped it out of the shell and threw her head back. “Whoo! Love that rush!”
Derrick grinned, seemingly more at ease that she wouldn’t bolt. He dropped an oyster right out of the shell into his mouth. No toppings of course, as everything else he’d ordered. So he ate raw foods. Many people did. He was just joking about the blood-drinking comment she realized.
Kris glanced at her phone’s screen as it lit up. Beth had left a long message. But then she noticed there were two more messages. She picked up the phone and glanced at the three missed calls and messages. Her work was one. That wasn’t a surprise; she’d already assumed they’d fired her. But the other message was from an unknown caller. “Hmm…” she pondered. “I don’t get many wrong numbers. I’ve had the same number for six years.”
Derrick rubbed his hand across his chin. “I’m sure it’s nothing.” He finished off his oysters within seconds and then his eyes flicked to her plate. “Are you going to eat yours?”
She laughed. “No. Go ahead. I guess it takes a lot to fill a man your size.” She pushed her ice-filled tray toward him. “How big are you anyway?”
He raised a brow. “You mean, how tall am I?”
“Mm-hm.”
“Not so tall. Six-four. My brother’s six-six.”
“That’s tall. I’m only five-four.”
“I know. You’re cute. Dainty. I like it.”
The waiter interrupted them again to remove their dishes. She almost wished they’d decided on pizza so they could just sit and talk. But then it hit her. No cooked foods… that meant no pizza. Say it wasn’t so. How could someone live without pizza?
Derrick ate every last morsel of his salad, and when their meals arrived, he finished off both portions of his fish. “I’d offer dessert, but I think we’ll find something more appetizing at the market,” he said after the waiter cleared their plates.
“Deal!” She grinned wide. Dessert was her favorite part, and she just wanted to leave anyway, anxious to hear more about the unusual man in front of her. She stood and he rose with her. “Let me take a quick bathroom break, and I’ll meet you upfront.”
He bobbed his head, but a look of concern washed over his features.
Kris stepped toward him, resting her hands on his chest. “Derrick, I’m not going to disappear, and I won’t say anything to Beth. I promise.”
He dipped his head and rested his hand on hers. “Would you do me a favor, then?”
“Anything.” She owed him her life on at least two occasions she was aware of.
“Could you not listen to your messages until we talk? I know who the unknown caller is, and I’d like a chance to explain.”
Chapter Seven
After purchasing gelato for Kristina and fresh fruit for him, Derrick walked inside a gift shop and bought the first two afghans he saw. He escorted Kristina across the street to the Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park. It was much nicer when the wisteria-covered trellis was in bloom and the trees were full and green, shading the red brick walkways, but even winter had its appeal. The season was ending, and so would the quiet and peaceful nights. Warmer evenings meant more people would be on the street, which meant more crime.
It was only four-thirty, but the sun was fading behind the buildings and the temperature was dropping fast.
“Kristina, you asked me to tell you … and I don’t think I have a choice now. When we…” He paused as if collecting his words. “I don’t know how to explain this… without pressuring you. No. Not now, not here.” He shook his head again. “Can we just eat? Then we’ll go somewhere and talk, okay? I promise I’ll explain everything.”
“Yeah,” she choked out. Her mouth was so dry. She picked up her water glass, removing the lemon, and drained it. As he watched her warily, she picked up an oyster, deciding to try to relax and enjoy their date. She doused the shellfish with horseradish, then slurped it out of the shell and threw her head back. “Whoo! Love that rush!”
Derrick grinned, seemingly more at ease that she wouldn’t bolt. He dropped an oyster right out of the shell into his mouth. No toppings of course, as everything else he’d ordered. So he ate raw foods. Many people did. He was just joking about the blood-drinking comment she realized.
Kris glanced at her phone’s screen as it lit up. Beth had left a long message. But then she noticed there were two more messages. She picked up the phone and glanced at the three missed calls and messages. Her work was one. That wasn’t a surprise; she’d already assumed they’d fired her. But the other message was from an unknown caller. “Hmm…” she pondered. “I don’t get many wrong numbers. I’ve had the same number for six years.”
Derrick rubbed his hand across his chin. “I’m sure it’s nothing.” He finished off his oysters within seconds and then his eyes flicked to her plate. “Are you going to eat yours?”
She laughed. “No. Go ahead. I guess it takes a lot to fill a man your size.” She pushed her ice-filled tray toward him. “How big are you anyway?”
He raised a brow. “You mean, how tall am I?”
“Mm-hm.”
“Not so tall. Six-four. My brother’s six-six.”
“That’s tall. I’m only five-four.”
“I know. You’re cute. Dainty. I like it.”
The waiter interrupted them again to remove their dishes. She almost wished they’d decided on pizza so they could just sit and talk. But then it hit her. No cooked foods… that meant no pizza. Say it wasn’t so. How could someone live without pizza?
Derrick ate every last morsel of his salad, and when their meals arrived, he finished off both portions of his fish. “I’d offer dessert, but I think we’ll find something more appetizing at the market,” he said after the waiter cleared their plates.
“Deal!” She grinned wide. Dessert was her favorite part, and she just wanted to leave anyway, anxious to hear more about the unusual man in front of her. She stood and he rose with her. “Let me take a quick bathroom break, and I’ll meet you upfront.”
He bobbed his head, but a look of concern washed over his features.
Kris stepped toward him, resting her hands on his chest. “Derrick, I’m not going to disappear, and I won’t say anything to Beth. I promise.”
He dipped his head and rested his hand on hers. “Would you do me a favor, then?”
“Anything.” She owed him her life on at least two occasions she was aware of.
“Could you not listen to your messages until we talk? I know who the unknown caller is, and I’d like a chance to explain.”
Chapter Seven
After purchasing gelato for Kristina and fresh fruit for him, Derrick walked inside a gift shop and bought the first two afghans he saw. He escorted Kristina across the street to the Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park. It was much nicer when the wisteria-covered trellis was in bloom and the trees were full and green, shading the red brick walkways, but even winter had its appeal. The season was ending, and so would the quiet and peaceful nights. Warmer evenings meant more people would be on the street, which meant more crime.
It was only four-thirty, but the sun was fading behind the buildings and the temperature was dropping fast.
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