Ben shrugged and
rolled his eyes. “Kai, get back over here. I need help.” Glancing at me, he
added, “I told Kai he could stop by and borrow some of my CD’s.”
“Uh huh, the
thousands of CD’s,” Ally interrupted, banging a pan loudly on the counter.
“That’s why you’re always so poor and can’t afford to take me out on a real
date.”
“Ally’s
awesome,” Kai politely interjected. “She told us to stick around and she’d feed
us.”
“Oh yes, nachos
– real gourmet,” she said, fussing with the cheese grater.
“Smells great,”
Ash said, patting his stomach.
“Got awhile on
the hamburger,” she said, attacking the meat with a spatula. “At least Ash
here,” she nodded her head his direction and flashed him a look of approval,
“was kind enough to run down to the store and grab guacamole and sour cream for
the rest of you gluttons.”
Ash sent her a
smile oozing with flattery – one he’d obviously practiced in the mirror a few
hundred times. When he asked her if there was any other way he could be of
assistance, I almost gagged at the sound of his syrupy, thick voice. What a
kiss-ass.
With his
attention focused solely on Ally, I found myself, regrettably, unable to resist
the urge to look him over. His brown hair hung in longer layers, about shoulder
length. His extremely white teeth made his smile all the more provocative. Well
built, he walked with a swagger, which only heightened his overbearing
self-confidence. Unfortunately, he was downright sexy. But worse than that, he
was well aware of it. Not my type – at all. And while his eyes were an
interesting and fascinating green, they were not like a certain pair of
aquamarine eyes I hadn’t been able to forget about.
Wait a
minute…was he actually wearing a pair of boot cut, 7 For All Mankind, premium
jeans? Yep, and fitting into them rather nicely, too. This guy knew his
designer denim and didn’t mind spending a pretty penny either. Of course, who
was I to talk?
His eyes
spiraled my way, and he raised one brow flirtatiously. “So, once you’re done
checkin’ me out – you gonna tell us about all the flowers and break open that
box of chocolate?”
Great. Cocky and
rude. My face sweltered. “For your information, I’m allergic to chocolate and…”
“Really? That’s
great. Then you won’t mind handing over that box.”
“What?” Ally
said, scurrying out of the kitchen. Laughing, she grabbed the box. “Oh yumm!
Godiva’s.” She hugged the box and prompted, “So, fill us in. Where did all the
goodies come from?” She plopped down at our green tiled table, one of our many
great garage sale finds, and ripped open the box. After plucking one out for
herself, she motioned for Ash to sit down and join her. Instead, he walked
around the table and pulled a chair out for me.
“Humph,” I
uttered, clearly not impressed. I sat down anyways and scowled as he bowed and
winked. Beaming, he settled into the chair on my left. Under my breath, I
mumbled, “Sorry buddy, fourth down is over.”
“What? I didn’t
catch that,” he remarked. Placing one elbow on the table, he rested his chin on
his hand like he was posing for a photo shoot. Then he focused his compelling
eyes on me, like I was the camera.
I puffed out my
cheeks. “Don’t worry about it. You weren’t supposed to.” Ally kicked me under
the table and launched a dirty look my way. “What?” I asked wide-eyed.
With a final
warning look, she held her half-eaten piece of dark chocolate in the air and
sighed, “Mmm…this is perfection.” Peering into the box, she pulled out a white
star. “Lexi – details now, and hurry up already.” She slid the box across to
Ash, and he dove in with gusto.
“All right.” I
sighed but looked warily over at Ash.
“Don’t mind me.
I love a good story,” he said, dropping two chocolate squares into his mouth.
Shaking my head,
I directed my conversation towards Ally. “Okay, so the whole day was total
drama grocery store.”
“Talk louder. I
don’t want to miss any details either,” Ben called out.
Exasperated, I
raised my hands in the air. “Fine. Around eleven o’clock this morning, a girl
in the floral department brings the dozen red roses and box of chocolates to my
check stand. She couldn’t give me any information other than I was to read the
attached card.” I pointed to the partially hidden paper in the middle of the
roses, and Ally reached for it.
I peeked over at
Ash only to find his eyes glued on the card. “Okay, you’re gonna find the note
hilarious but kind of disturbing, too. Jessica thinks the same weird guy might
be sporadically sending flowers to different checkers, because all the cards
have the same creepiness factor to them.”
“Jessica who?
And what weird guy?” Ash asked. His black shirt was unbuttoned a notch too low
for my liking, but that didn’t stop my pulse from quickening. There was
something elicit about how the rectangular silver pendant, hanging from a thin,
black cord around his neck, rested against his chest.
Ally took a
couple minutes and explained to Ash and Kai about the flower phenomenon
involving new checkers. Clearing her throat, she said, “So…the card reads:
Sweetest Angel…”
“
Sweetest
Angel?
You’ve got to be kidding,” Ash interjected.
Ally laughed and
started again, “Sweetest Angel. The other day our eyes locked from a distance,
and you graced me with your heavenly smile. I knew we’d made a divine
connection. Lost in your eyes, I found myself enchanted. You are one of
heaven’s little blessings – a truly celestial being, beautiful and innocent,
like a cherub…” At that point, Ally started to lose it, and Ben and Kai went
into hysterics in the living room. Turning bright shades of pink, I covered my
face with my hands.
“Di-vine
con-nec-tion…” Ben said, barely getting the syllables out between laughter.
“What a whacko,”
Kai added.
“A cherub?” Ash
said disdainfully. “Obviously, he doesn’t know that cherubs are chubby,
plump-cheeked, little angels.” He tugged my hands apart and grinned. “Not the
way I’d describe you in the least. Are you okay?”
I nodded, but
tears were streaming down my face. Pulling myself together, I dabbed my cheeks
with the sleeve of my blouse.
Ally pointed at
me, on the verge of hysterics herself. “Let’s see if I can finish this. “Umm,
okay…like a cherub. Although your beauty far surpasses any flower, please enjoy
the roses and chocolates. The time shall come when we may speak openly with one
another. I only count the days. Ours will be a match made in heaven. Yours
truly, —S.” Looking at me in disbelief, Ally convulsed into another fit of
laughter. She drummed her hands against the table and pounded her feet on the
floor. “Hilarious!”
“Do you think
you’d recognize him?” Ash said, tilting back in his chair.
“Hardly.”
“Well, he sounds
like a psychopath to me,” he replied. Then in a voice of reason, he added, “You
need to be extra careful when you walk out to your car, especially late at
night.”
“He’s right,
Lexi,” Ben said. “If I’m ever working at the same time, come find me, and I’ll
walk you out. I can’t believe Jessica said that is normal.”
“So was Tori
working today?” Ally asked.
“Yes. And you
know Jessica; as soon as she saw the roses, she gave me a wicked grin and went
about her diabolical mischief.”
“She sent you
the lilies, didn’t she?” Ally jumped up and ran into the kitchen, obviously
remembering she had taco meat to stir.
“Oh, not only
did she send me the lilies, but she somehow managed to place Tori in the check
stand right next to mine. When that second flower bouquet arrived, Jessica came
over and made a big fuss. Tori looked thoroughly annoyed, and I was dying of
embarrassment.”
Ash nodded
approvingly. “I like this Jessica girl; sounds like she knows how to play a
good joke.” He rested his arms on the table, exposing several leather wrist
bands. His fingers were long, and he wore a couple plain, silver rings at the
knuckles.
“That’s Jessica
all right.” Ally spooned the meat from the frying pan onto the chips and
proceeded to cover them with cheese.
“Yep,” Ben
added, “she’s got a warped sense of humor.”
“Such
excitement. We never have this much fun in the clothing department. Maybe I
should work at the grocery store…all that attention might make Ben jealous
again.” Ally winked at me.
“Don’t even
think about it,” Ben said.
“Sounds safer
where you are,” Kai added.
In a solemn
tone, Ash said, “You need to be careful. There are a lot of creeps running
around these days. I’ll give you my number in case you ever need help in a
hurry.”
“Oh, that’s
okay,” I said, surprised at his seemingly genuine concern. He stared me down,
and I conceded. “Fine, fine. Jot it down for me…”
“No. Just hand
me your cell,” he demanded, “and I’ll program it in for you.”
Reluctantly, I handed
him my phone. “Thanks,” I muttered.
“No problem.
But…a better way to thank me would be to cook me dinner sometime.”
Loud booms of
laughter erupted from both sides of me. “Ash,” Ally said as she slapped the
kitchen counter, “Lexi doesn’t cook, and believe me; you wouldn’t want her to
try.”
“I second that,”
Ben said. “Not a good idea…unless you want to die young.”
“Thanks a lot
guys.” I gritted my teeth. “Just because I can’t cook…”
Ally walked out
of the kitchen and put her arm around me. “This girl took wood and metal shop
in high school. Completely refused to sign up for Home Ec. She might not cook
or sew, but if you want her to impress you, she could always build you…a house
or something.” Cracking up, she patted my back.
“That’s enough
from you two traitors,” I said half teasing, half serious. “How come everyone’s
a comedian today?”
“What’s worse,”
Kai chimed in, “is that Ash can’t cook either.” He looked at Ash and shook his
head sadly. “Maybe you’re not meant to be together after all. Sorry man.”
“No worries,”
Ash said. “I have plenty of money; we’ll just eat out.”
Since he looked
serious, I decided to exit the room before he extended a dinner invitation. “I
can’t take this humiliation any more. I’m off to change my clothes.”
“Need any help?”
Ash smiled slyly.
My mouth
dropped. “Absolutely not.” As he winked, I added, “You pestiferous…”
“That’s not a
word!” he exclaimed.
“Oh yes it is,”
I said smugly, whipping my scarf through the air.
“Ash, you better
get yourself a dictionary App if you’re gonna take her on,” Ally suggested with
a big smile and added, “Nachos are ready.”
As I walked
towards my bedroom, Ash called out, “Well, at least wear jeans and grab a
windbreaker. You’ll want to be warm when I take you out for a ride on my bike.”
Whipping around,
I regarded him hotly and said, “Not a chance.”
He walked
towards me, deliberately slow, until he was intentionally invading my personal
space. He was probably about six inches taller than me, but that didn’t
intimidate me in the least. It was the proximity of his face to mine and his
musky, masculine scent that had me breathing heavy.
“Scared of the
adrenaline rush, honey?” he taunted.
“First of all,
I’m not your honey,” I said spitefully, “and second of all, I’m not afraid of a
little speed. Motorcycles don’t scare me,” I lied. A couple years before, my
premonitions had sent me on a mission where I was soon yanking a young girl out
of the way just before a motorcycle went skidding across her path. She was
unhurt, but the rider had died. Speed was fine, but I’d been leery of
motorcycles ever since.
He bit his lower
lip and said in a velvety voice, “I’m not so sure about that. But I wasn’t
referring to the motorcycle…”
It took me a
minute to realize he was talking about himself. “You are arrogant and insolent
and…and…” I broke off, suddenly at a rare loss for words.
“Maybe,” he said
simply. “Too bad you’re intimidated by a little adventure. Might be too
dangerous for you after all.”
“I think
you
think you’re more dangerous than you really are,” I snapped.
He chuckled at
my dirty look and said, “But I’m more than willing to do whatever it takes to
please…” He let his voice drift off as his eyes traveled down my body.
I didn’t know
why I was so unnerved, why I couldn’t just turn and walk away. Maybe I was
ready to live on the edge – have a little excitement before I died. Maybe in
some weird way it was my revenge on Jason for running out on me. But whatever
it was, the words that escaped my mouth surprised me. “Well then, let’s see
what you’ve got. Bring it on, if you can – which, I seriously doubt.” I swung
my hip out and smacked my lips together. “It’s gonna take everything you’ve got
to impress me.” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ally almost drop the nacho
tray.
Ash never
flinched; he just kept smiling. Reaching his hand out, he gently tilted my chin
upwards. His touch was warm and exhilarating. It was a different kind of warmth
than the strange heat I’d felt with Jason, but still more than enough to make
me shudder.
“Oh, I will.
Believe me, I will. And I promise you’ll be begging for more.” Brazenly, he
glanced down at my lips, where his eyes lingered way too long. After what felt
like an eternity, he raised his gaze and winked. Then he strolled into the
kitchen and said to Ally, “Those nachos smell great. Let’s eat.”
My heart lurched
unexpectedly. Ally nodded her head towards Ash and her blue eyes sparkled with
admiration. Unbelievable!
Once the guys
had crowded around the table and were devouring the nachos, she turned to me
and hissed quietly, “Forget Jason. Ash is deliciously sexy. And Alex, I know
you saw his Seven jeans. What a pair you’d make! No pun intended.” She giggled.