Erica
When I stepped out it was a different man from before and he nodded at me as Antonio joined me. He put his large palm at the small of my back and this time I was confused if I was feeling the warmth from the scotch or from his hand, or maybe my skin was tingling because of the drugs. There was no telling it with so much intoxicating s**t I indulged and still I thought it was mainly the man walking beside me that was making me unstable.
When we reached the restaurant the doorman didn’t meet our eyes as he held the door open. And unlike all the time I had been to all you can eat buffets this place was totally empty. There was not one person to be seen. And it was shocking because it was Sunday and we weren't far from my college. “Why isn’t anyone here?” I asked the man walking beside me. And then, “Oh wait, you asked them to not give entry to anyone.” He inclined his head as if in agreement. “That is so absurd.” I said, “I don’t understand why men like you must do things like this. You know some of the women particularly don’t like this type of thing.”
“You don’t?” He asked.
“Of course, not. Think about all the people who would’ve wanted to be here on the weekend but now they couldn’t, because some entitled jerk bought the place and had it closed. And think about all the food these people must’ve prepared but now there are only two individuals and we can’t possibly eat that much, even though I’d try.”
His lips twitched a little as he pulled out a chair for me to sit down. I looked at him and asked, “You do know that it’s a buffet?”
“Yes. So?”
I rolled my eyes and his eyes narrowed at me. “So, it means we are supposed to make our own plate, Antonio. It might be a foreign concept to you but let me teach you how.”
He looked at me like I was some kind of foreign bug he had discovered for the first time. He said, “Go on.”
Ten minutes later I had two plates filled to the brim and was coming back to the table when I realised that he had sat down and hadn't moved to make a plate for himself. When I sat down and put my plates down, I said, “What are you waiting for, the food will get cold.”
“Eat.”
There were two reasons I didn’t give him a sassy remark for his order. One, I was hungry. Two, I was starting to feel the effects of two glasses of scotch and the pill I took earlier. So, I focused on my food and started eating before he could notice the tremors in my fingers. I was more than halfway through my plate when I felt like it was safe to start a conversation again and I asked, “Why are you not eating?”
“I don’t eat food that has been unguarded and especially not that has been in the open for so long.”
I narrowed my eyes on him. “Why?”
This time his lips definitely twitched in amusement and I guessed he was going to say something that would be at my expense. He held up a finger and said, “One, unguarded food means someone could easily try to murder me by poisoning it.” The bite of lasagna in my mouth soured as he held another finger and continued, “Two, germs. Obviously.”
“Obviously.” I murmured, putting the juicy piece of chicken back on the plate.
He smirked. I narrowed my eyes at him and pushed my plates away. I asked, “What is it with you making it impossible for me to enjoy my food?”
He frowned. “I thought you’d like coming here.”
“I did, until you ruined it with your talk of poison and of course, germs.”
He remained silent for a bit then stood up. “Are you done?” He asked, gesturing at my plate.
I drank the glass of water that a waiter had placed because Mr high handed had ordered him to do so. I stood up and said, “Yeah. But answer this, did you pay them for all the food?”
“Yes.”
“Wait here. Or go back in the car, whatever suits you.” I said and turned around.
Ten minutes later, two men were helping me with food bags that I had asked them to pack. “What is all this?” Antonio asked as he stood by his car and watched the men walking by my side.
“We would have a quick stop at the nearby shelter and drop these bags there.” I answered, and turned around to ask his man to open the trunk so we could put the bags inside.
“Now, she is kind too.” I thought I heard him murmur to himself but when I asked if he said something, he returned in his cool silken voice. “Nothing. I am getting late. Shall we?”
I frowned at him because out of nowhere his tone had hardened and became cold. He hadn’t been Mr Charming so far but he hadn’t been cold so it took me aback. “Of course.” I hesitated and asked, “If you have to go somewhere I can call a cab.”
He shot me a look, those fiery eyes lightening up on me making me still as if I was under the regard of a predator. Damn, this man was something else. “I will take you to the shelter and then drop you at your dorm.” He opened the car door and said, “Now, get in.”
“We need to talk about your habit of ordering me like this.” I said to him as I slipped inside.
A moment later he joined me and this time he didn’t sit in front of me but beside me. Too close. So close that I could feel his warmth and the difference between our bodies. Maybe it was the pill or the scotch, but with him so close to me with no food between us, I could think about nothing but how enticing he smelled and how much I was attracted to him in the first place.
From the corner of my eyes I watched him. The dark brown hair that were almost black. That perfect nose from which he looked down on people. And those lips.... Now I wanted to find out how they tasted. I have imagined it and dreamed it, and now we were finally this close that I could find out if his lips would taste as wonderful and delicious as I had thought or maybe it would be something that would leave me disappointed like all the other times.
“I can hear your thoughts, Erica.”
My thighs squeezed against each other at the way he said my name and why did it feel like there was a lack of oxygen in the car. “Then, do you know what I’m thinking?” I asked, my voice came out all wrong.
Long, thick fingers came up to hold my chin and turned my face fully to face him. He looked into my eyes and I got lost in his. He said, “I know. But why don’t you tell me, by now I know you don’t like to keep your thoughts to yourself.”
My brain was on a holiday, it was the only reason I said, “I have learned it the hard way to not let men think that I’m weak.”
He frowned and I saw the curiosity in those yellow ringed eyes but he didn’t ask any follow up questions. I felt a sudden tightness in my stomach like I was disappointed, but no that could not be, in fact I was grateful because if he had asked me anything then in that moment I would’ve told him everything. Instead, he leaned down and brushed his lips against mine.
O...
My...
God...
Somewhere far away I could hear. Two tips. One tap. Two tips.
And then he was gone.
I opened my eyes and blinked a few times to see him opening the car door and holding his hand out for me. “Come, Erica. We are at the shelter.” I swallowed and in a daze stepped out. He turned to me and asked, “You didn’t finish your food at the thought of it being poisoned but you’ll bring that same food here. Why?”
I blinked a few times and forced my mind to work and not dwell on that kiss which had lasted only for three seconds. I licked my lips and closed my eyes. Get it together, Erica! “Sometimes we have to pay a prize to get something.”
“What?”
I shook my head and smiled. “Nothing. But do you really think that it could be poisoned?” He shrugged. “May be you are just paranoid, I’m here standing without any symptoms. I think the food is just fine. And if they had any side effects I’d let them know that you’ll pay their hospital bills.”
“Of course.” He murmured.
“Of course.” I repeated.
A. Gupta