Seduce (Beautiful Rose 0.50)

“Only if you’re sure it’s okay, and you promise not to murder me. I’m not far away, just off North.” Her hair blew erratically in the wind as she tried to tame it by twisting it around in a knot.

“I said it was okay, and I don’t plan to kill you. What’s your name?” I asked. She didn’t answer. Instead, she silently followed me to my car. I opened the passenger side, letting her slide in before I closed the door.

“Nice car,” she commented as I buckled in my seatbelt. She glanced around, taking in the spotless leather interior, her eyes falling on my briefcase. “What do you do?”

“I work in property.” I replied.

I didn’t work in property. I was property. I eyed her as she shrugged, her indifference making me feel like I was five years old. “How about you, Angel? I take it you work at the diner?” I asked, my eyes wandering up her petite frame, finally resting on her eyes. She blushed.

“Angel?” she asked, her nose scrunching up in confusion.

I pointed to the silver angel pendant that hung around her neck. “Well, you wouldn’t tell me your name.” I flashed her a smile.

She laughed. “I’m…a student. The diner is just for now, until I finish college,” she replied, glancing out the window. I nodded, pretending not to notice her fidgeting hands, or the way she tugged at the hem of her dress, which fell just above her knees. I made her uncomfortable, I realized as I eyed her bare legs, wishing I could get between them. I pulled into North, letting her direct me to her house. Any minute now she would get out of my car and I would never see her again. The anxiety that thought filled me with astonished me. I barely knew this girl, yet the thought of never seeing her again made me angry.

Fuck, I did have feelings. Who knew?

“Just up here on the right. The white fence.” Her hand rested on the door handle, ready to jump out at the first opportunity. As I slowed the car to a stop, she jumped out, turning back quickly to close the door. “Night. Thanks for the lift,” she smiled.

“Wait,” I said quickly, wondering what the hell I was doing. “What’s the hurry? We’re outside you’re house. I think it’s a pretty safe bet I’m not going to kill you.”

She smiled, her grip on the door handle loosening. We sat in the car, neither of us speaking, a nervous energy hanging between us. I racked my brain, trying to think of something to say that wasn’t offensive, inappropriate, or sexist. I came up empty.

“If we’re just going to sit here, not speaking, then I might as well just go inside,” she said teasingly. I raised an eyebrow. That was the most engaging she’d been to me this whole time. I chuckled and pointed to the cigarettes poking out of her bag.

“Can I have one of them?” I asked.

“You smoke?” she asked, surprised, handing me the pack. I took one out and handed it back.

“Not often, only when I’m nerv

ous,” I said. Translation: I was never nervous. Until now. I placed the butt between my lips and drew the flame. She rolled her eyes and laughed.

“Does that line actually work?” she chuckled.

“What?” I said, confused. I handed the cigarette to her, watching as she drew in a breath with those blood-red lips.

“Only when I’m nervous,” she mimicked, her shoulders dancing as she swayed. I scoffed. As if I looked like that. “Bullshit you’re nervous,” she continued. “I know your type. I’ve met guys like you before. Smooth, calm, and collected.”

“Wow. Someone’s feisty,” I murmured, raising my eyebrow. Damn. Where the hell did this come from? I was liking her even more now that she had relaxed a bit.

“Sorry,” she blushed. “I get hit on a lot at work.” She explained.

“Right,” I began, amused. “Somehow I don’t think most of the clientele at Lavine’s could be described as smooth, calm, or collected.”

“Okay, maybe you have a point, but it doesn’t change the fact that I’m right about you,” she said as she laughed, her head tilting back against the back of the seat. I was staring, but I couldn’t look away. She glanced at me, embarrassed.

“What?” she said nervously.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to stare. You’re just…different. I’ve never met anyone like you before.” She went to roll her eyes again. “I know that sounds like another really bad line, but I promise you, it’s not.” She had no idea how far she was from being just another girl.

She nodded and unbuckled her seatbelt, and for a moment I thought she was going to get out. Instead, she leaned over. She took the cigarette from my fingers and drew in another breath, all the while her eyes locked on mine. She moved away, and breathed out.

“I better get inside,” she said, her eyes twinkling. I didn’t answer. Instead I watched her as she stepped out of the car and shut the door. She smiled at me again through the frosted window before walking off.

“Night, Angel,” I called after her, finally breathing again. I stared down at the butt between my fingers and watched as it slowly burnt out. It was tinted with her lipstick, and her perfume hung in the air, intoxicating me. I had no idea what the hell had just happened but I knew I had to see her again.

Chapter Five