Sitting in my favorite park I can feel my smile sink into my soul in a way I imagine can only come on beautiful warm Saturday mornings like today when I get to take the latest book I am reading and plop myself on my bench and not worry about anything more than the contents of my book for hours on end. An hour into my escape from reality I feel someone watching me, not a creepy run-away type feeling but more like a friend peeking in to see if you’re ok kind of feeling. As I look around the green surrounding me to see if I can discover the source of my prickled awareness, I notice the empty white stone pavilion that sits at the end of one of the walkways, eye-catching and exquisite. Just as I am about to continue my visual survey of the park I spot him, his watchful stare pulsing into me. He is standing there, leaning against one of the pillars of the pavilion and I swear he is looking straight at me.
This isn’t the first time I have seen him and each time I catch a glimpse of him I feel myself being drawn in, intrigued, pulled, captivated, entranced, mesmerized. Ugh I can’t think of any other words to make it make more sense. I just want to be closer. I have never seen the details of his face but I know that I can pick out his broad shoulders and light brown wavy hair from miles away.
I stand. I am going to meet him today.
As I take my first steps toward the pavilion I see him slip into the shadows made by the pavilion’s arching roof and lose sight of him. Again.
With a huff I plop down on my bench and snatch at my book “Next time.” I mutter under my breath.
I nearly jump out of my skin when a mellow tenor voice whispers in my ear. “Is that a promise or a threat?”
Heart racing, I shoot up and away. Stumbling across the sidewalk to what I hope is a safe distance; I turn and face my abandoned bench and the mystery voice behind it.
Stunned to speechlessness I gape. The only thought passing through my head screams, It’s him!
“I…what?…Who?” I force out, still trying to catch my breath. I’m not sure if now is a good time to run or if it is safe to finally find out who he is. Curiosity wins and I stay– tense and ready to flee, but I stay.
“You alright there Kiley” He asks with a laugh.
“I don’t know you.” I take another step back. My IQ apparently zeroes out when facing a cute guy who knows my name. “Who are you?”
Smirking, he tugs on his jacket and my eyes are drawn to the fitted deep green button up shirt that he has left unbuttoned at the top. I gulp. Yikes.
“Zev.”
“What?” I blink, trying to process anything beyond his distractingly good looks. He definitely looks jaw-droppingly gorgeous at this distance. Now his shoulders and hair only add to his attractiveness, instead of being all I can see of him.
He laughs, eyes twinkling with mischief, as if he knows exactly what he’s doing to me. “You asked and I answered. I’m Zev.”
“Why do I see you everywhere?” I hurry to ask.
He shrugs. “Wishful thinking.”
“What?”
Zev cocks his head to the side as his hands went into his pockets, all casual. “Are you wishing I was following you around? Like some crazy stalker?” He seemed to be thoroughly enjoying my discomfiture.
“Aren’t you?” I quickly shake my head. “A stalker, I mean.”
“No.”
I couldn’t let it drop. “But I have seen you.”
With three long strides he is within inches of my face and my sluggish brain doesn’t react fast enough and he has to catch me as I stumble backwards. “Do you have a little crush on me?” He asks, inches from my now-tingling lips.
“What? No!” I shove him back and stand straight.
“Admit it.”
“Get lost.” I grumble, walking back to my bench to snatch up my book. I turn and again he is so close I can smell how intoxicatingly good he smells. Roughly I attempt to shoulder my way around him and shiver as I am met with such resistance that I can’t get past him.
“Move.” I growl, glaring up into his sharp blue eyes.
“Ah Kiley. Don’t be that way.” He pouted.
“I don’t know how you know my name but I am leaving now. Get out of my way.” I hold my breath, hoping my false bravado fools him. I’m not entirely convinced it did since his piercing gaze narrows for a quick second before melting into a charming smile.
Slowly he steps out of my way and bows low. As he did he manages to brush the lightest of light kisses across my cheek, though I’m not sure how. “Never say I didn’t do what you ask.”
The searing heat of his lips on my cheek burns its way through my veins and I have to force myself to move, the flicker of a faint memory fluttering just beyond reach. Do I know him?
Just like that, I want to stay.
Far from the indignant exit I had planned to make I float away, lost in the memory of what couldn’t even be called a real kiss. If a simple brush of his lips to my cheek could cause such a reaction, what would it be like when he really kissed me?
In shock I stop. When? I meant if…right? Hurriedly I begin to walk again, but not before I glance back at Zev. And there he still stood, smirking at me in a way that makes me want to find out what a kiss from him would be like.
Just as I reach the bend in the walkway that would take me out of his sight I hear him call out, “See you soon Kiley.”
