about anyone or anything when you were in a peaceful place.
Kyle watched me from across the table. “What do you think?”
“It’s delicious.”
“Thanks. I’m not the best cook but I can grill.”
“The peppers are cooked but still a little crunchy. That’s how I like them. And the meat is well done but still juicy.”
“Can you cook?”
“I cook all the time.” I stirred my glass of wine before I took a sip. “I prefer eating at home than eating out anyway. After a while all that heavy food gets to me.”
“I know what you mean.” He ate his plate quicker than I did then watched me finish mine. The light was fading away, and his face was beginning to disappear in shadow. But I could still see the outline of his cheeks and his lips. Like orbs, his eyes glowed. They were blue like the ocean, giving me that same relaxed feeling.
When I was finished I sipped my wine and tried to ignore the intense look he was giving me. When we first met he did the same thing. He stared me down openly, piercing me so hard he could see into my soul. Without thinking, I drifted over to him and assumed he was the blind date I’d been set up with. Something about his presence comforted me, made me feel at ease. The kind of feeling was rare for me so I just went with it.
And even now I still felt it.
I didn’t know what it was or why it affected me so much, but it was there nonetheless. My natural defense mechanism was to ignore it, to pretend it wasn’t happening.
Kyle seemed to be in tune with my moods, because once I felt a new level of discomfort he backed off. “I’ll clean these up.” He grabbed the dishes and carried them into the house.
When I had my personal space back I felt more at ease. Somehow, he made me comfortable and uncomfortable at the exact same time. I finished the rest of my wine before I followed him back inside.
Kyle eyed the clock on the stove. “Well, it’s getting late. I guess I should head out.” He watched my expression like he hoped I would reject.
I didn’t feel comfortable sleeping in the same house with a stranger, even if he did seem perfectly nice. It didn’t settle with me right and I wouldn’t be able to get any moment of sleep if I knew he was there.
“Or I could stay here if you don’t mind.”
I did mind—immensely. “Uh, I think we should stick with our original plan.” He probably wanted to stay here because it was his home—it had nothing to do with me. But even a locked door wouldn’t make me feel safe.
Despite his disappointment, he nodded. “That’s fine. Do you want me to show you around?”
“No, I think I got it covered.”
“My room is the best one in the house. I recommend you sleep there.”
“Okay.”
He still remained rooted to the spot. He leaned against the counter with his arms across his chest. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t attracted to him. He was the most handsome man I’d ever seen in real life. When I thought he was my date I was actually surprised by my luck. And the fact he was so sweet and thoughtful just made him more desirable. I understood Florence’s heartbreak when he ended their relationship at the second date.
But nothing would ever happen.
Kyle still didn’t move and it didn’t seem like he intended to leave anytime soon.
Now I didn’t know what to do. A part of me wanted him to stay, but a bigger part of me wanted him to leave. I couldn’t ask him to leave again, not without sounding like a bitch. It was his place after all. If I really wanted to get out of the situation I’d have to go.
But Kyle recognized my limit once again. “You’ll be fine here alone? I can show you how to use the alarm.”
“Yeah, that’d be nice.”
He guided me to the wall near the door and told me the code to arm and disarm it. “You know where to reach me if you have any trouble. There’s a car in the garage if you need to go somewhere—keys are hanging by the door.”
“Thanks.”
He opened the front door and
Kyle watched me from across the table. “What do you think?”
“It’s delicious.”
“Thanks. I’m not the best cook but I can grill.”
“The peppers are cooked but still a little crunchy. That’s how I like them. And the meat is well done but still juicy.”
“Can you cook?”
“I cook all the time.” I stirred my glass of wine before I took a sip. “I prefer eating at home than eating out anyway. After a while all that heavy food gets to me.”
“I know what you mean.” He ate his plate quicker than I did then watched me finish mine. The light was fading away, and his face was beginning to disappear in shadow. But I could still see the outline of his cheeks and his lips. Like orbs, his eyes glowed. They were blue like the ocean, giving me that same relaxed feeling.
When I was finished I sipped my wine and tried to ignore the intense look he was giving me. When we first met he did the same thing. He stared me down openly, piercing me so hard he could see into my soul. Without thinking, I drifted over to him and assumed he was the blind date I’d been set up with. Something about his presence comforted me, made me feel at ease. The kind of feeling was rare for me so I just went with it.
And even now I still felt it.
I didn’t know what it was or why it affected me so much, but it was there nonetheless. My natural defense mechanism was to ignore it, to pretend it wasn’t happening.
Kyle seemed to be in tune with my moods, because once I felt a new level of discomfort he backed off. “I’ll clean these up.” He grabbed the dishes and carried them into the house.
When I had my personal space back I felt more at ease. Somehow, he made me comfortable and uncomfortable at the exact same time. I finished the rest of my wine before I followed him back inside.
Kyle eyed the clock on the stove. “Well, it’s getting late. I guess I should head out.” He watched my expression like he hoped I would reject.
I didn’t feel comfortable sleeping in the same house with a stranger, even if he did seem perfectly nice. It didn’t settle with me right and I wouldn’t be able to get any moment of sleep if I knew he was there.
“Or I could stay here if you don’t mind.”
I did mind—immensely. “Uh, I think we should stick with our original plan.” He probably wanted to stay here because it was his home—it had nothing to do with me. But even a locked door wouldn’t make me feel safe.
Despite his disappointment, he nodded. “That’s fine. Do you want me to show you around?”
“No, I think I got it covered.”
“My room is the best one in the house. I recommend you sleep there.”
“Okay.”
He still remained rooted to the spot. He leaned against the counter with his arms across his chest. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t attracted to him. He was the most handsome man I’d ever seen in real life. When I thought he was my date I was actually surprised by my luck. And the fact he was so sweet and thoughtful just made him more desirable. I understood Florence’s heartbreak when he ended their relationship at the second date.
But nothing would ever happen.
Kyle still didn’t move and it didn’t seem like he intended to leave anytime soon.
Now I didn’t know what to do. A part of me wanted him to stay, but a bigger part of me wanted him to leave. I couldn’t ask him to leave again, not without sounding like a bitch. It was his place after all. If I really wanted to get out of the situation I’d have to go.
But Kyle recognized my limit once again. “You’ll be fine here alone? I can show you how to use the alarm.”
“Yeah, that’d be nice.”
He guided me to the wall near the door and told me the code to arm and disarm it. “You know where to reach me if you have any trouble. There’s a car in the garage if you need to go somewhere—keys are hanging by the door.”
“Thanks.”
He opened the front door and
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