Sarah slid up behind me tonight. She had caught me off guard and she knew it. I was focused on their table but not on them, clearly because I hadn’t seen her get up.
“Do you feel like you are being watched?” She asked.
“I guess I am being rude. I am the one watching.” I said.
“Indeed” wasn’t as much spoken as breathed right in my ear. I had learned enough about her to realize it wasn’t intentional. She wasn’t entering my personal space to make a pass although right then I would have given anything to make it so. She had her hair pulled up in a tight ponytail and she was rocking a tank top and low-rise jeans. I got a peek of a tattoo on her stomach while she adjusted her hair and almost came apart. Was that someone’s name? Rebecca? Who the fuck was Rebecca?
I leaned in her general direction and inadvertently licked my lips. She cocked an eyebrow at me. Apparently not as conservative as I thought given the tattoo and while she did deny me right out it wasn’t because she wasn’t curious.
“I am not for you. It isn’t personal I just couldn’t do it to… I mean I just don’t sway that way…”
The words said one thing but shit she checked me out good and long and her cheeks flushed a fabulous pink like she wasn’t sure she believed what she just said.
I leaned forward and tugged at her waist to reposition our bodies. I flicked a finger under the hem of her shirt and ran it across her bare skin above her jeans. Her skin was soft and it flushed beneath my touch. I could feel the heat lick up my finger and my hand twitch of its own volition.
I didn’t want to gain her friends attention so I lay my lips along her right check so it likely looked like I leaned in and whispered something in her ear. I inhaled. She smelled of fresh strawberries and summer. And then I did whisper, “Are you sure?”
And then I trailed my lips from her ear, along her jaw and turned away just before my lips met hers. Her breath hitched once and then she let out a heavy sigh and her body re-arranged on her spine. Like she melted into me just the slightest. I doubt she even realized.
What the fuck was I doing?
I am not for you…
I cleared my throat. “Sorry. That was a bit inappropriate.”
I tried to bolt but she seemed to have cleared her head and she commanded me to stop. And I did. Would have come to heal if she had asked nicely…or asked at all.
“We aren’t done here. You were distracted. And that led to my distraction. But we are not done here.”
Right. She came to me referring to The Mute. I think. Might as well dig a deeper fucking hole.
I released a deep breath and put voice to my long time query.
“Does he speak…to anyone? Is he…mute?”
Sarah laughed out load. It was a bark almost, so strong and unrepentant. And as the sound left her mouth and the smile spread across her face he looked up at her and smiled. Then his focus shifted to me and his eyes narrowed and the smile disappeared. I don’t know if he knew what I had just done. I don’t know if he knew what I had just said, or if he cared. But now that he had captured my gaze he wouldn’t release me and I felt like I would lose something if I looked away.
Which is exactly why I broke the contact.
Sarah was tickled pink apparently though. She was all hushed tones and fast talk.
“He watches you. He tracks you around this restaurant, hell, he tracks you around this town and none of us knows what is going on but something is definitely going on…From the beginning he has wanted to know about you. Hence all of the questions but he won’t tell us why he won’t speak to you. Don’t get me wrong you are nice enough and we probably would have played the whole get to know you routine regardless. But he is the driver…He is why we are here every night.”
He held up his hand to beckon me. He used his left hand and when he raised it I could see he wore a thin band on his ring finger.
I gave my table to Cary and left. I don’t know why it mattered. But. It. Did.