Preseason Love by Ahyiana Angel

me with the tales of his day before asking a word about mine. Kari and I chatted for hours while nibbling on appetizers of samosas and tiger shrimp. We feasted on delicious seared salmon and grilled lamb chop entrees. Kari’s drink of choice was Scotch on the rocks. I kept it simple and sipped Chardonnay.
    After an excellent dinner and unlimited, engaging conversation, we had a brief moment of intense silence as we stared into each other’s eyes. I caught myself and blurted out an awkward, “We should probably go.”
    As we exited the restaurant, he hailed a cab for me. Standing on the curb, I thought to myself that I could get into this guy. He was sweet, attentive, charming and he knew how to take control. He is probably nicknamed the “panty dropper,” I thought to myself as he gave me a soft kiss on the cheek accompanied by a firm hug goodnight. I slid into the cab and he closed the door.
    As the cabby sped up Eighth Avenue toward the Port Authority bus station, I thought about Kari. I felt that tingle in my stomach and a slight sweet feeling between my legs. Being so high off of my date, the hassle of hopping on the New Jersey Transit and rolling through the Lincoln Tunnel to finally arrive at home almost an hour later did not bother me in the slightest. I fantasized my way across the river. I swore that I could still smell the sandalwood hints from his cologne lingering on my new coat.

Chapter 5
Hidden Gem
    T he Sting fundraiser was set to start in a few hours and we had just finished the final walk-through when my phone buzzed. I never kept my phone on ring at work because the excessive noise was simply rude.
    I glanced down to see Kari’s name on my screen. My stomach started to get the jitters. His text message was sweet: “Just wanted to wish you a successful event tonight. Hope all is well.”
    I wasn’t sure if it was game. But whatever his angle, he was good. Remembering about my first big event in the city spoke volumes. That sweet and simple message was all that I needed to put an extra pep in my step and knock out a crazy fabulous event. The red carpet was jam-packed with an eclectic mix of celebrities, from Sting himself to Russell Simmons and supermodel Petra Nemcova. One of the main stars from The Wire , Omar, was also in the house and I liked his style. He was a very humble man.
    When the concert started, I decided to duck off to the restroom for a moment of peace. I made my way through the crowded venue and began walking down an empty hallway. It was strangely dark. Maybe one of the lights blew out. Suddenly I felt a slight pull at my wrist. A million things ran through my mind before I could turn to acknowledge what was happening. I was freaked out—likelybecause I had been watching way too much Law & Order. Was I about to get attacked in public at an event? Scottie! Remember the self-defense moves that Dad taught you. Where should I aim first? The groin or the eyes.
    I quickly snapped back into reality and spun around in a flash. I heard the sound of a man’s voice mid-spin. Where is my mace? This is the second time! As I was about to scream, the shadow in the corner grabbed me and put his hand over my mouth in one swift motion like a skilled ninja. My body completely tensed up and I was ready to piss on myself. Then he said my name. Oh shit! A stalker, already? The voice in the dark was damn near breathing on me and it sounded vaguely familiar.
    We were so close now that I could smell him. He didn’t smell like a killer. He took his hand away from my mouth and I turned, then backed up to get a better look, as well as a head start if I needed to run. Just then, I realized that it was Kari. I felt slightly calmer as my eyes adjusted to the darkness. The height, the silhouette, the voice, and the cologne all seemed about right. Then finally, once he realized that I had actually been terrified, he said, “Scottie, it’s me, Kari.”
    If I