The Never Wanted Mate

Elliot My flip flop flat out gives up on me. The little pointy piece just comes out of the hole. And since I’m semi running, I trip. I start falling flat on my face, but manage to brace my fall with my arms, saving my face from not making an impact with the hard concrete ground. My knees, however, are not as lucky. They are burning and I can already imagine the nasty scrapes on them. Oh great! I have a very important meeting with Asha in fifteen minutes! We were going to go over my design plans for a sustainable water purification system to be used for rural, developing communities. I have worked real hard on this, and if I could get this up and running, I may be able to help communities around the world. But all dreams come with a price, and Asha is my biggest sponsor. She is also my friend, but I want to secure her sponsorship because I earned it and not because she is doing me a favor. How will I earn anything by being late? With that in mind I try to push myself up. It was effortless, but not due to my efforts. Big strong hands encircled my waist and lifted me up. I come face to face with a perfectly defined face. He has perfect blonde hair and green eyes. His big, warm hands held onto my waist to keep me steady since I was still weak in the knees. I blinked several times to make sure this was real. He didn’t disappear after my fifth blink, so I’m going to go with a drop dead, gorgeous specimen of a man was holding onto me. The warmth of his touch ignited a fire inside me, and I felt hot all over. His intense gaze held my attention for a little too long before I came to my senses. I closed my gaping mouth before the drool went down my face. At least I wasn’t physically drooling. Feeling the need to cover for myself, I start blubbering. Something I do often when I am nervous. “I...Ah..thanks. I...Umm...was about to get up.” That was all I managed to get out before my throat got too dry to talk. His eye contact was too intense for me to look away, so I just stared into his perfect eyes. “Really?You didn’t look like it from across the street,” he says harashly like he didn’t want to come, but did it anyway. A look of annoyance flashes over his face. His words catch me off guard as I shake away the trance he put me in. Well, excuse me, jerk, I didn’t ask for help. I glare at him. This guy doesn’t deserve a second of my discomfort, so I speak up just as harshly. “You shouldn’t have bothered. My life can do without an asshole,” I respond, staring into his eyes while I try to look intimidating. He stares at me for one good second before breaking out into laughter. His laughter is musical to my ears. I gulp as I try to not get mesmerized by him. He is a jerk, remember? I mustered up some courage to continue. “I am glad I can provide some comic relief in exchange for your shitty help.” He presses his lips together to keep another burst of laughter that is threatening to spill out. He looks so beautiful, even with his perfectly kissable lips hidden. Despite how much I try not to be affected by him, I am. In fact, I want to continue trying to humor him so he never stops laughing because his laughter is so pleasing to the ears. “You are a feisty little something, aren’t you?” The mystery man asks, distracting me from my thoughts. Although the laughter stopped, he had a big grin spread across his face. It made him look boyish, but damn is he sexy. I ignore his rhetorical question and just stare back with, hopefully, an expressionless face. “You know green eyes are very rare,” the mystery man continues. “Well, I have green eyes and so do you. It can’t be that rare,” I responded. He shows me his perfect pearly whites as looks down at me. My heart melts. He reluctantly withdraws his hands from around my waist. I almost whimper at the loss of contact. A mischievous smile spreads across his face. He looks me up and down as I shiver. His smile grows wider when he sees the effect he has on me. Damn it! “I like you. What’s your name?” His voice suddenly changes. His words come out smooth, and I can feel him start to work his charms. His change in tones sets the danger off in my mind. No, no, no. Go back to being a jerk. He’s throwing me off my game. Come on inner b***h, come out. I really need you. “That’s none of your business. I have things to do and you are in my way,” I snap as I take my sandals off and hobble towards the shopping complex. I felt his eyes boring into the back of my head as I walked away. I open the first door I find and get inside. I try to discreetly peak over my shoulder as the door closes behind me. Our eyes lock and I can see him studying me with a heated look. I would be lying if I said I wasn't turned on. My heart is beating erratically and my breathing is no better. And I am clenching to hold onto my juices so I don’t have wet panties to deal with. He looks a little confused. He probably has not had anyone walk out on him before. I bet his charms and sexiness gets him whatever he wants. Distracted by my thoughts, I run into a table and almost knock the lamp off. I can’t remember ever being this clumsy. Get a grip, Elliot! This stranger is having more effect on me than I would like. “What are you doing?” A girl suddenly asks. She had a raspy voice, the kind you get when you scream a lot. I turn around to look at her. She looked like s**t, like she had one bad night but still showed up to work kind of s**t. Her black hair was a mess. She’s got makeup smeared on her face. She had on a white tank top with sweats. One leg up and one leg down. Who goes to work like this? Apparently her. “Hi, do you know where I could buy some shoes?” “I don’t know, maybe in a shoe store?” What a b***h! I am not dealing with anymore of this today. I met my quota of assholes for the day! “Look, I don’t know what kind of customer service you usually give, but you suck.” “I can assure you the services I give are stellar, sucking included. It’s just not offered to people who break into my apartment.” Wait, what? I look around me and this is definitely someone’s living room. “Oh my goodness, I am so sorry. I didn’t know. I thought this was a store. I am so sorry.” I can count how many times I have been embarrassed in my life and this is definitely shaping up to be the worst one of them. I seconds away from starting to blubber like an i***t again, but luckily she speaks up. “Don’t apologize. Name’s Ashley. I live in a condo across from the shopping center. I would say it happens all the time, but it really doesn’t. It’s your lucky day, though, because my s**t ex-boyfriend left my door unlocked when he left me. I guess I was too wasted to notice.” “Thank you, Ashley. I’m Elliot.” “Your parents gave you a dude’s name. Dang, someone really wanted a son. But you’re cute in a very unmanly way. I kind of like the juxtaposition.” “Umm, thanks. I guess?” “Don’t mind me. I have no filter. So how desperately do you need shoes? I think I can let you borrow some. Your feet look like they might fit my shoes.” “That would be amazing!” I exclaim before I remember my other dilemma. Right. “I do have another request. May I leave through your back door? There’s someone out in the front that I don’t ever want to run into again.” Ashley walks to the front window of her condo and peeks out. Not at all subtle. “Honey, I don’t know why you are running from that one. But if you are leaving him, let me know. I’m in need of a new boy toy, and he is a much better looking candidate than my last.” “I don’t need a boy toy. He’s all yours. Just let me out through the back.” “Deal, but my patio door is broken so you have to go upstairs and take the fire escape ladder.” I grab a pair of flats. Can’t rip on me this time, shoes! I thank Ashley profusely before I go upstairs. Ugh. I guess I should count my blessings. I find the window and open up the loudest, ricketiest ladder in the world. It makes a screeching, nails on a chalkboard sound as it goes down, making all the hair on the end of my neck stand. I hurry down the steps. If I run, I may still be able to make the meeting in time. “Your getaway plan really doesn’t work if you make that much sound.” Oh great. Him again. “You really don’t take no for an answer, do you?” “I have never been rejected before,” he says in mock hurt. “Welcome to adulthood, jerk,” I tell him as I flip him off and make my ‘getaway’ run.